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(Shutterstock)
Travis County landlords are facing sharp increases in inflation-driven costs this year, leaving rental property owners with unappealing choices: absorbing these expenses or passing some of that on to their already-strained tenants.
A record 167,869 property owners filed protests against their appraisal notices, including rental property owner Matt Matza. Matza is doubly affected by the city's latest valuations: he's president of rental home financing company Visio Lending and owns two properties in the metro himself.
Unlike other homeowners, landlords are not eligible for property tax discounts through the Homestead Act. One-bedroom rents are up 112% this year, even as some landlords, like Matza, charge below market value.
“A lot of renters today are probably at their threshold of what they can afford as it is, and having any sort of incremental price increase beyond 3-5%,” Matza said. “And I think most landlords are probably pushing rents much further than that to accommodate the increase in expense load that landlords are experiencing.”
Matt Matza rents out properties in Austin. (Matt Matza)
For his high-demand downtown property, Matza said he’s shifted to short-term leases, attracting the large pool of migrating remote workers and new arrivals flocking to the city. He’s also working to keep rent down for his single-family property that’s been home to the same family for two years.
“For a lot of good landlords, and I'd like to think of myself as one, you want to have low turn-and-churn,” Matza said. “We're trying to help with the housing systems in Austin while making an appropriate return on our investment. You need to be cognizant of what your tenant can pay candidly… if your property taxes went up 40%, you can't push all that through to your tenant.”
Matza said there’s some “natural tension” that could arise between landlord and tenant as prices rise. But instead of losing tenants who can’t afford higher rent, he said many are choosing to stay: renewal rent increases grew at only one-third the rate of new leases in 2021, and many potential homeowners have been priced out of buying a house.
“Every year, it becomes more and more difficult for (my tenants) to buy a house,” Matza said. “And so they’ve stayed in there, and we’ve moved rents on them but less than probably what the market is… because it’s a great family and we’d like to keep them.”
The Austin metro's median home prices have risen hand-in-hand with rent and rose by nearly $100,000 in just a year. Matza said he’s seen clients take advantage of their home’s sky-high valuations and sell their properties, especially as rental property profit margins get slimmer.
“Your return on your investment may be lower than it was in the past, and that's due to housing prices being higher and obviously part of that is their tax burden on those," Matza said. "And some of the larger single-family real estate investment trusts... they're not really buying at the same pace they were buying over the last 2-5 years because the entry point has gone up so much that the rental yield isn't as high as it was in the past."
With more single- and multi-family properties cropping up in Austin than anywhere else, the city's inventory is slowly creeping back up, though it's far from healthy. If he had a crystal ball, Matza said he would expect to see a bit of a post-pandemic slowdown that could provide a welcome relief to strained landlords and renters alike.
"It's just hard to keep going up 30 or 40% and expect that to continue," Matza said. "I wouldn't anticipate a broad negative home price depreciation in Austin per se, because there's still going to be more people moving here than leaving here, but I think (the market) was just turbocharged through remote work and the pandemic and people coming here for tax reasons from the coasts."
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Popular
(Gulfstream)
Elon Musk has placed an order for a new, top-of-the-line private jet: a Gulfstream G700, Austonia has learned. Delivery is expected in early 2023.
Billed as offering “the most spacious cabin in history,” the aircraft seats 19 and soars above the rest of us at up to 51,000 feet. Base price: $78 million.
The Gulfstream G700 was awarded the 2022 International Yacht & Aviation Award for excellence in cabin design this year. (Gulfstream)
According to the Gulfstream website, the G700 can fly up to 7,500 nautical miles without refueling, enough range to fly nonstop from Austin to Hong Kong. Powered by two Rolls-Royce engines, it has its own Wi-Fi system, 20 oval windows measuring 28” x 21”, and two lavatories.
The sweet new ride will replace his current top-of-line private jet: a 2015 Gulfstream G650, the aircraft that has been made somewhat famous by the automated @elonjet Twitter account, which tracks and reports his personal aircraft’s movements using public data.
Landed in Austin, Texas, US. Apx. flt. time 44 Mins. pic.twitter.com/jZ7HI0i4iV
— ElonJet (@ElonJet) June 24, 2022
Musk has repeatedly championed “free speech” as a guiding ethic in his planned purchase of Twitter. Last December, Musk offered the teenager who built the @elonjet tracker $50,000 to shut it down, citing security concerns. It’s still up.
According to the @elonjet account, Musk’s jet last traveled to Austin, where it’s been since June 23. The associated data says that his flight to Austin burned $2,573 worth of aviation fuel and discharged 4 tons of carbon dioxide.
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(Valencia Hotel Group)
Live music and beer? Say no more. With a location in Austin, and others throughout Texas, the court hotels by the Valencia Hotel Group have a new offering for weekend stays: Live Music & Longnecks.
Enjoy live music all weekend long and check out the hotels’ state-of-the-art amenities between sets. Make a splash in the pool, enjoy outdoor fire pits, or challenge your friends in a yard game while enjoying a weekend full of live music! Did we mention the package includes deluxe accommodations and a bucket of beer? Oh, and if you needed more convincing, this pet-friendly hotel means the whole family can join in on the fun.
The hotels
Explore any of the Court Hotels by Valencia Hotel Group for a memorable escape. Each property offers a unique experience remnant of yesteryear but with all of the modern amenities that make for a fun and comfortable stay. With acres of landscaped courtyards, relax and unwind in an outdoor environment perfect for doing everything or absolutely nothing at all. With locations in Austin, College Station, Irving, and Lubbock your urban retreat has never been so close.
The music
Locals and travelers alike are invited to enjoy the deep roots of Texas music all summer long with a robust lineup of live performances. From the banks of the San Antonio Riverwalk to Irving’s manicured streets, Valencia’s hotels are a place to gather and reconnect, offering uniquely Texan settings for the weekly performances.
“We’re proud of the community we’ve fostered among Texas musicians and the many rising stars who perform at our properties,” says Amy Trench, corporate director of brand marketing & PR for Valencia Hotel Group.
In Austin, you can catch good ol’ fashioned Texas country by Drew Moreland and Clayton Gardner, bluegrass by Reagan Quinn, and much, much more.
With unique programming at each of Valencia’s properties, there’s something for everyone to enjoy all summer long.
The perks
If you’re a Valencia Hotel Group Rewards member, the perks are plentiful. Enjoy up to 10% off the Best Available Rate, and for a limited time, members can save up to 15% off a stay of 2 nights or more, for select stays in 2022.
But that’s really just the beginning. At select locations, you can enjoy discounts on weeknight stays, a complimentary third night, or curated packages for a romantic getaway or a night of watching the Verde at Q2 Stadium. You’ll also find special rates for AAA and AARP Members, educators, and front-line heroes including military, law enforcement, fire, and rescue workers.