Austin is the safest among Texas’ five biggest cities, according to the 2008 city crime report from CQ Press of Washington D.C.

Austin ranks 199 among the nation’s largest cities in terms of most criminal activity, the report shows. San Antonio is the 233rd safest city; Fort Worth ranks 243; Dallas is 352; and Houston is 338. The report analyzes data on murder, rape, robbery, assault, burglary and motor vehicle theft. Meanwhile, nearby Round Rock is the 19th safest city in the country.

Central Texas home sales were down 19 percent in May from a year ago, but the market has picked up momentum from the beginning of the year thanks to low mortgage rates and a healthy supply of homes, the chairman of the Austin Board of Realtors recently reported to the Austin American-Statesman.

The 1,707 sales in May were the most since August, when 1,993 homes were sold. The median sales price dipped 1 percent from a year ago, to $193,000.

There were 2,132 sales pending to close in June, down 1 percent from a year ago.

"While we still aren't completely out of the water, we're starting to dry off," said Jay Gohil, chairman of the real estate board. "Factors such as the local economy and job growth are promising for both sellers and buyers."

Jim Gaines, a research economist with the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University, agreed with Gohil that "we aren't out of the woods yet."

"People are still nervous about the economy and their jobs, and the lending is still very conservative for mortgages," he said.

Gaines predicted that the year will end with home sales comparable to those in 2002 and 2003, during the tech industry bust. Just under 18,000 homes sold in 2003.

He said the Austin area median price will end the year down somewhere between 1 and 5 percent.

Earlier this week, a report from Wells Fargo economists said that the Austin economy is "on the mend" and poised for a gradual recovery in 2010. However, the report said that the housing sector remains weak and will lag the overall recovery.

Gaines said what remains to be seen is whether in 2010 "we'll have that much of a rebound, or if it's going to be flat."

"We haven't seen any reason yet to anticipate a very sharp recovery, but we hope that it will flatten out, not get any worse and slowly recover," he said.

Source: Austin American-Statesman

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In a recent report, Forbes magazine named the top 10 cities in the US that are expected to make a swift economic revoery, as well as the 10 that are likely to have a long road head.

According to the magazine, Austin, San Antonio, Dallas and McAllen are likely to make an economic comeback in the months ahead.

According to the report, "these areas did not see the massive real estate bubble that formed in states like California, Nevada and Florida. The economy is diverse, with heavy growth coming from education and health care in recent years."

Source: Forbes.com

Five of the nation's top 10 metropolitan areas are in Texas, according to the Brookings Institution, which tracks factors like employment, wages, home prices, and foreclosure to determine the health of the nation's 100 largest metros. Texas cities in the national top 10: San Antonio, Houston, Austin, Dallas, and McAllen.

Source: Brookings MetroMonitor report

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Ready for some changes to your present home or want to improve the value of a rental property? If so, you're not alone. According to a recent survey conducted by Lowe's Home Improvement stores, the home improvement industry is booming. Homeowners spent an average of more than $3,700 on home improvement projects in the past year.

It probably won't come as a surprise to most people, but the Lowe's report found that 81 percent of homeowners consider their home to be a better long-term investment than the stock market.

Your Texas Realtor can also be a great resource when considering remodeling projects – whether it's directing you to the perfect fixer-upper house when you're buying, or offering advice and information once you're in the house. Some people even consult with their Realtor on what improvements they should make to help sell their homes later – a great idea, since your Realtor is an expert at re-sale features.

Source: Texas Association of Realtors

1. Protect your credit score.

2. Beware of offers that sound too good to be true – they probably are.

3. Become an educated consumer. Talk to your Texas Realtor about predatory lending practices – what they mean and how to keep from being a victim.

4. Don't buy more house than you can afford right now.

5. Think twice about non-traditional loans, such as interest-only and adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs). Fixed-rate mortgages are just that – fixed.

6. When purchasing a new home, look beyond the monthly mortgage. Other costs to consider include property taxes, homeowner's insurance, utilities, maintenance, and, depending on the neighborhood, homeowners' association fees.

7. Don't sign a blank document or anything you don't understand.

8. Know and understand the terms of your mortgage.

9. Don't let anyone persuade you to "pad" your income to qualify for a loan.

10. If you're having trouble making your monthly mortgage payment, don't hide from your lender. Work with your mortgage lender to find out what your options are.

11. Work with your Texas Realtor to find a reputable lender and a loan product that works for you.

12. Call the foreclosure prevention hotline, 888/995-HOPE (4673), or visit www.995HOPE.org. Sponsored by the non-profit Homeownership Preservation Foundation, these consumer services are free.

Source: Texas Association of Realtors

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