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You have probably seen a lot of headlines lately about private listings. Companies like Compass, Keller Williams, and Zillow are all leaning into some version of exclusive or off market listings. It is becoming a major talking point across the industry. But here is the real question. In a market like Austin today, does limiting exposure actually help sellers or hurt them? The Austin Market Has Shifted If you have been watching the data across the Austin Board of Realtors region, the market is no longer what it was a few years ago. Inventory levels have climbed back to roughly four to five months of inventory depending on price point. That is a major shift from the one to two months we saw during the...

What Buyers Should Really Think About When Purchasing a Home When buyers hear the word value, most people think it simply means price. In real estate, value is much more layered than the number on the listing. Understanding how homes are valued helps buyers make smarter decisions, avoid overpaying, and feel confident about their purchase, especially in a market that is always changing. Below are the key valuation factors every buyer should think about when buying a residential home. Location and Neighborhood Location still matters, but it is more than just a zip code. Buyers should think about school districts, proximity to work and daily conveniences, neighborhood stability, traffic patterns, and surrounding land use. A quiet street or cul de sac will almost always hold...

Easy Dumpling Soup (15–20 minutes) Ingredients 1 bag frozen dumplings or potstickers (pork, chicken, or veggie) 6 cups chicken broth (or veggie broth) 1–2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp fresh ginger (or ½ tsp ground) 2 green onions, sliced 1–2 tbsp soy sauce 1 tsp sesame oil Optional add-ins: Baby bok choy or spinach Mushrooms (shiitake or button) Carrots (thin sliced) Chili oil or sriracha Instructions Bring broth to a gentle boil in a pot. Add garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Drop in frozen dumplings (no need to thaw). Simmer 5–7 minutes, until dumplings float and are cooked through. Add veggies in the last 2–3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Top with green onions and chili oil if you like heat.

We made this over the time we were locked in during the freeze, and will definitely be making it again.  So delicious!  Enjoy! Ingredients Protein & Pasta 1 lb Italian sausage (mild or hot; casings removed) 9–12 oz cheese tortellini (fresh or refrigerated works best) Soup Base 1 tbsp olive oil (if needed) 1 medium yellow onion, diced 3–4 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp Italian seasoning ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional) 6 cups chicken broth 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes (fire-roasted if you have them) 1 tbsp tomato paste (optional, but adds depth) Greens & Finish 2 cups fresh spinach or kale (chopped) ½ cup heavy cream (optional but recommended) Salt & black pepper to taste Fresh grated Parmesan (for serving) Instructions Brown...

Home Builders Association (HBA) – 2026 Market Forecast Key Takeaways & What They Mean for Austin Real Estate I had the privilege of attending the HBA 2026 Forecast, and wanted to share several important insights from the speakers—both at the macro (national) and micro (Austin-specific) levels. Macro Economic Outlook The macro perspective was presented by Dr. Julia Coronado, PhD, with the Texas Real Estate Center. One of the most striking shifts discussed was demographic: The average age of a first-time homebuyer has increased to 38–39, up from 31 just ten years ago.This reflects affordability pressures, delayed household formation, student debt, and longer career runways before homeownership. From a broader economic standpoint: The U.S. economy has been surprisingly resilient, but not without disruption. In 2025, GDP...

🥣 Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup ⭐ Serves 6–8 ⭐ Ready in ~55–70 minutes 🛒 Ingredients Chicken & Base 1.5–2 lbs chicken breasts or thighs (boneless/skinless) 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter 1 onion, diced 3 carrots, diced 3 celery stalks, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced Seasoning 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon dried parsley 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning (optional but great) 1 bay leaf Salt & pepper to taste Liquid & Rice 6 cups chicken broth 1 cup wild rice blend (NOT instant rice) Creamy Finish 4 tablespoons butter 4 tablespoons flour 2 cups milk or half-and-half Optional ½ cup heavy cream for extra richness Mushrooms for extra earthiness Spinach added at the end for a little green 👨‍🍳 Directions 1️⃣ Cook Chicken...

If you’ve watched the news lately, you’ve probably seen some loud headlines about real estate. Some say Texas is booming. Others say Texas is cooling. Others are predicting a “big shift.” So what’s actually true? Let’s slow the noise down and talk honestly about what really matters in the Texas housing market going into 2026 — whether you’re thinking about buying, selling, investing, or just trying to understand what’s going on. Because Texas isn’t just “a market.”It’s dozens of different micro-markets, each with its own reality. 1️⃣ Texas Isn’t One Market… It’s Many One of the biggest misconceptions is thinking “Texas real estate” moves as one unit. It doesn’t. Austin doesn’t behave like Houston.Houston doesn’t behave like Dallas.Dallas doesn’t behave like San Antonio.And small-town Texas...

As a real estate broker, I work with many families who are navigating one of the most emotional and confusing transitions in life—helping aging parents plan for what happens to their home and other real estate assets. A common theme I see is this: many parents have a will, but not a trust, and often the family isn’t sure what that means until the time comes to act. This blog is meant to help you understand, in plain language, the differences between using a will (which goes through probate) and setting up a trust, especially when real estate is involved. This isn’t legal advice—but it’s the practical, real-life perspective families wish they had before facing these decisions. What Happens When a Parent Only Has a...

Ingredients – This is AMAZING!! For the Fish (serves 4) 4 redfish fillets (6–8 oz each), skin removed 2 tbsp blackening seasoning (or homemade—see below) 2–3 tbsp butter 1–2 tbsp olive oil Homemade Blackening Seasoning (optional but accurate) HEB also has a really good blackening Seasoning. 1 tbsp paprika 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp onion powder 1 tsp dried thyme 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp cayenne (cut in half if you want less heat) 1 tsp black pepper ½ tsp salt For the Pontchartrain Sauce (This is the magic part — salty, buttery, lemony, with seafood richness.) 6 tbsp butter 1 tbsp olive oil 8 oz sliced mushrooms 1 cup heavy cream ½ cup seafood stock (or chicken broth + splash of clam...

  Weather is cooling off and this is perfect!  Don’t forget some parmesan bread to pair.  Ingredients For the Soup: 1 lb Italian sausage (mild or hot) 1 tbsp olive oil 1 small yellow onion, diced 3–4 garlic cloves, minced 1 (24 oz) jar marinara sauce (or your favorite pasta sauce) 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes 2 tsp Italian seasoning 1 tsp dried basil 1 tsp salt (adjust to taste) ½ tsp black pepper 8 lasagna noodles, broken into bite-size pieces For the Cheese Topping: 1 cup ricotta cheese 1 cup shredded mozzarella ½ cup grated Parmesan 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional) 🍳 Instructions Cook the sausage In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over...