Roselind Hejl's (roselind) Blog

A decade ago subprime mortgages were an alternative for borrowers who did not fit standard guidelines.  Maybe they just started a new business, or had some past credit problems.  These borrowers paid a higher interest rate or put more money down to compensate the lender for making a riskier loan....

I recently attended a round table discussion with economist, Angelos Angelou, on the Austin real estate market.  Here is a summary of our conversation:  In Austin, we have one of the most stable real estate markets in the country.  Nevertheless, Austin is not immune to the turmoil in the housing,...

During the last few years, a lot of people throughout the country saw their friends and neighbors moving into home ownership or becoming real estate investors.  They saw real estate values rising and became aware of the endless supply of low-interest credit.  So, to a great many people, it seemed...

Some of us remember the "the savings and loan crisis" of 1989 that swept across the country.  Today we are experiencing a similar crisis, known as the "mortgage meltdown."  How do these two events compare?  First, what caused the Savings and Loan crisis of 1989?  This situation had its roots in t...

In their annual CEO poll, Chief Executive Magazine, ranked Texas as the "best state to do business".  The CEO's were asked to consider a variety of criteria, including the education level of the population, roads, infrastructure, climate, and housing costs.Nevada was ranked #2; North Carolina #3;...

 "Dear Roselind,We are looking for a vibrant, artistic and friendly community, with lots of culture, and we are considering Austin.  We have heard nothing but wonderful things.  We are looking to live in a city with public transportation, shopping and cultural events outside our door, and good sc...

The median age of the population of Austin, Texas is 30.9. This is young compared to median age of most other cities. Companies, especially high tech firms, will locate to areas where there is a strong supply of young, educated workers. The younger and more educated the population, the more attra...

 During the past year there have been over 18,000 new jobs created in Austin.  The surprising thing is that all of them have been absorbed.  Unemployment is still very low - 3.7%.  Many companies are hiring.  Dell is hiring over 500 new upper level employees.  Dimentional Fund Advisors is moving ...

The real estate market in Austin, Texas is close to ideal. We are experiencing steady and continual growth, but have not become overheated. Our activity comes from move-up buyers as well as out of region relocations and investors. The Austin area has developed a unique character as a high tech re...