Utilizing renewable energy is a great way to both lower your bills and reduce stress on the environment. Through some high and no-so-high-tech methods, there are more and more ways to efficiently save and even create energy.

1. Residential Solar Panels

As the efficiency of solar power technology increases and costs of installation decrease, more homeowners are adding electricity-producing panels on their roofs. Doing so often allows users to sell their surplus power back to their utility company and recoup their panel investment even faster.

With government entities sweetening the deal with tax credits and subsidized rebates, many homeowners are saying ‘yes’ to producing their own power.

2. Smart Energy

Thanks to technologies like

Join us as we dive into the latest leasing stats, direct from the Austin MLS® - courtesy of the JB Goodwin Team.

Supply is down and demand continues to rise - up 4.5% so far in 2019. Listing prices remain remarkedly level. If you're a homeowner looking to rent out your property, market conditions couldn't be more positive! There are roughly 200 units available across the city, and keep in mind JB Goodwin can get your rental filled 5 days faster!

Key stats to look out for:

• Total leases are up 4.5%
• Home leases are up 3%
• Property leases are down 6%
• Single-family home leases are down 3%

Take a look at the latest leasing report for April 2018, coming to you from the JB Goodwin Team!

Attention property owners! With supply down and demand up, it's still an incredible time to lease out that space. There are approximately 200 available units across the city, with occupancy sitting at around 93%. Keep in mind, if you are lookning to fill your rental space, we can find a tenant an average of 3 days sooner!

Key stats to look out for:

• Total leases are up 4%
• Home leases are level
• Property leases are down 7%
• Single-family homes leases are down 7%

Join us as we examine the latest developments in the Austin real estate market, using stats direct from the Austin MLS®. You can see the entire market trends for the month of March in the infographic below!

The median price of a home in the city is up slightly at $295,300, compared to $304,500 this same time last year. Demand remains level with supply on the rise. Despite an increase of 500 units over last year, overall supply remains at a low 2.4 months.

Key stats to look out for:

• 7,194 units have been sold, up 1.2% from last year
• 6,600 units are currently on the market, up 17% from last year

Have you heard the news… Austin is growing?

Local news station KXAN is now reporting that 27 new construction projects are currently in the works in downtown Austin alone!

According to KXAN, this includes:

• Six new high rises on Cesar Chavez, including a 46-story skyscraper overlooking Republic Square
• Along Waller Creek: A medical research facility that’s part of the Dell Seton Medical Complex and a 5,000-seat amphitheater at Waterloo Park
• Eight new hotels, including a 32-story tower off Cesar Chavez featuring a hotel and apartments, a new Marriott west of the Austin Convention Center and a 42-room boutique hotel in east Austin

They are even reporting that a new condo on Rainey Street is being budgeted at a cool BILLION

Joining a homeowners’ association can be an added perk of living in certain communities. In essence, a homeowners’ association allows a community to agree to share the costs of the extra benefits of living in said community.

HOAs are common in gated neighborhoods with special accommodations like a pool, tennis courts, regular lawn service, and more. They can also afford greater security and fund neighborhood maintenance problems that may arise.

With shared community amenities, a local body to keep the neighborhood uniform and safe, and a community fund to help with issues around the neighborhood, HOAs provide a kind of safety umbrella for neighborhood members.

HOAs can make a neighborhood more pleasant and liveable by allowing for shared

Check out the latest leasing report for March 2019 direct from the Austin MLS®, courtesy of JBGoodwin REALTORS®.

Supply is down at just 200 available units across the city. It's a great time to lease out your space with demand up 3% so far in 2019. Rental prices remain level however.

Here's a breakdown of the key stats to look out for:

• Total leases are up 3%
• Home leases are up 2%
• Property leases are down 7%
• Single-family homes leases are down 2%

Remember, your friends at JB Goodwin can fill your rental property 4 days faster than the average Austin real estate agent.

What's going on in the Austin real estate market? We're glad you asked. Check out the latest JB Goodwin sold comparison report direct from the MLS® below!

Total units sold stands at 4,136, up a marginal 1.3% over this same time last year. Inventory is also up 17% over last year, with a total of 6,600 units currently on the market! Despite this increase, overall inventory remains comparatively low at just a 2.3 month's supply.

Key stats to look out for:

• Demand remains level
• The median price of homes sold so far this year is $293,400

The best home renovations are those that pay for themselves after the home is sold.

Of course, the changes you make to your home don’t have to be strategic in this way. You can renovate aspects of your property just for you. Though adding a pool doesn’t usually pay for itself upon resale, thousands of homeowners do it every year because they love swimming.

But, for those interested in renovating outdoors with resale return on investment (ROI) in mind, this article is for you.

The value-add can be considered from two angles. The first and most obvious angle: certain renovations can literally increase the resale value of your home. This means the value a renovation adds to a house will fully (or mostly) be covered upon resale.

The other