If you've been paying attention to the real estate market recently it shouldn't surprise you that home flipping is still a great way to make money. With home prices on the rise in a large number of markets, including Austin real estate, stats are showing that just about every Tom, Dick, and Harry have been taking a stab at making some extra money by flipping homes.

According to a new report by Attom Data Solutions, the second quarter of 2017 saw an average of a 26% return for buyers that are flipping homes. The Journal also states that these investors are making an average profit of around $69,100 per flip throughout Austin, but of course that doesn't necessarily mean every market in the U.S. is ideal for real estate flipping at the moment.

Take a look at Austin leasing and rental statistics for the month of January 2017 below. Highlights include:

• 40% increase in total lease properties between January 2016 and 2017
• Demand for rentals is up 4%
• 34% increase in single-family homes available for rent

It looks as though the Texas real estate market— and in particular, the Austin real estate market—is going to once again break records in all facets in 2016. The latest reports from the Texas Association of REALTORS® and the Austin Board of REALTORS® show records in both home sales and prices, which could be good news, but it may also cause questions about the future of the market for potential buyers and sellers.

A staggering 247,931 homes were sold across the state in the first three quarters of 2016, with the median home price currently at $214,000 (a seven percent increase from this time last year). These statistics increase when it comes to Austin homes for sale. The median home price in the Austin-Round Rock area is at $279,900 (a 7.7 percent

The Austin Business Journal recently published an article about the population of Austin that found numbers are projected to almost double in the next 25 years. However, these kinds of market and population predictions aren't definitive. Some very smart people have crunched their numbers and analyzed the trends, but there are a multitude of factors that can't be foreseen. Predicting population growth isn't an exact science, but it does give us an idea of where trends are heading. Even if the populous doesn't double, do expect to see growth of some kind.

What does this mean for Austin real estate prices though?

The Effect On The Housing Market

Intuitively, we might think an increasing population will lead real estate rates to rise. More people

Every year, thousands of University of Texas students scramble to find their dream student apartment. While many students choose to live on campus, many others prefer their own space. We've made a helpful list of can't-miss advice that will help you while searching for student apartments near UT.

1. Set a monthly rent budget and stick to it

Right off the bat, it's important to determine how much you're able and willing to spend on rent. As a general rule of thumb, it's recommended that no more than a third of your monthly living allowance be spent on rent and utilities. Keep this budget in mind when apartment searching, and try not to be tempted to spend more just because you've found a beautiful apartment.

Make sure to take additional

The Austin real estate market has never been hotter. The latest report from the Austin Board of REALTORS® indicates that Austin home sales in May rose 13.2% from the same time last year. The City of Austin housing inventory currently sits at 1.9 months. Consider that a balanced market is approximately 6.5 months, and you quickly see that you have a tight market.

This is great news for sellers, who will be able to sell their homes in record time, but what does this mean for buyers? Although the Austin real estate market is highly competitive, this doesn't mean you should be scared away from buying. If you do your research, have your finances in order, and you're prepared to act flexibly and quickly, you can still land the home of your dreams.

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Imagine that you've just found your dream home. You've agreed on terms and you've signed a purchase contract. You're sent an email with wire transfer instructions, and you send off the money, knowing you're only a few steps away from owning your new home.

But the escrow agent or buyer never receives the money. You check your account, and the money's gone.

How Wire Fraud Works

Wire transfer fraud is the use of electronic communications to fraudulently obtain money, such as an email or phone scam. Here's how the typical real estate wire fraud scam works:

• Scammers identify the email address of a real estate agent or broker
• The scammers identify closing real estate deals, and access a client's confidential personal information
• The

A look at featured builder, Milestone Community Builders

Established in 2009, Milestone Community Builders is the largest private homebuilder in Austin, Texas. Milestone is built around the ideology that providing innovation and a quality product will produce the best possible results. The accolades bestowed upon Milestone Community Builders are prime examples that their business model works. Here are a few of the reasons why Milestone should be the company of choice.

Core Values

Milestone believes that residents of Austin are most interested in purchasing homes that are of unique design and in a desirable neighborhood. Once the home-buying process is complete, Milestone provides follow-up services to home owners, such as a 24-hour warranty phone

When a state is given a tagline of "Everything's Bigger in Texas" you might find that some rather large expectations are attached. Located in the heart of Texas, Austin is a prime example of a city coming through with some big real estate increases.

According to the latest stats from the Austin Board of Realtors, Austin-area single family home sales have increased by 2.9% as of February 2016. Additionally, housing prices have risen 7.6% since the same month last year, to an average price of over $333,000.

It doesn't appear that the proverbial fire will be put out any time soon in Austin either. Austin has been rated as the number two place to live by the U.S News and World report, which gave the city a score of 7.7 out of 10. It is estimated that