Driving It Home with Unlock MLS

In this episode, Emily Girard, CEO of Unlock MLS and ABoR, and Clare Knapp, Housing Economist, distill April housing stats. Major takeaways include a historically high level of inventory affordable to the average buyer and a YoY uptick in sales activity in areas primarily in areas south and east of the MSA. Emily and Clare also highlight a new research report that just dropped!

In this episode, Emily Girard, CEO of UnlockMLS and ABoR, and Clare Knapp, Housing Economist, discuss the effects of broader economic and policy movements on the national YoY decline in March home sales. Amid the pause in many of the previously announced tariffs, consumer confidence may eke up from recent lows, providing more of a boost to the housing market in the late spring.

In this episode, Emily Girard, CEO of UnlockMLS and ABoR, and Clare Knapp, Housing Economist, discuss the characteristics of homes that sold for their original list price in 1Q2025. The two unpack the differences between homes that sold for their original list price and sales that incurred at least one price drop in terms of price ranges, the number of days on market, and the number of open houses.  

In this episode, Emily Girard, CEO of UnlockMLS and ABoR, and Clare Knapp, Housing Economist, discuss monthly and quarterly housing stats for the MSA. Year-over-year, the first quarter of 2025 saw a 9.1% decline in home sales, while the median sales price remained relatively steady, down 2.3%. Stubbornly high mortgage rates and a weaker local labor market weighed on the Austin housing market as sellers maintained high expectations for prices.

In this episode, Kelea Youngblood, Chief Marketing Officer of UnlockMLS and ABoR, and Clare Knapp, Housing Economist, discuss the implications of the Fed's March meeting on mortgage rates and review the findings of an NAR report on minority homeownership. While the rate of minority homeownership increased from 2013 to 2023, disparities in affordability continue to drive lower rates of minority homeownership. 

In this episode, Deputy Director of Communications of UnlockMLS and ABoR, Danielle Hammett, and Housing Economist, Clare Knapp, discuss last week’s market volatility and its implications for the Austin housing market. A rise in economic uncertainty from the enactment of tariffs and reciprocal tariffs led to a correction in the stock market and a significant drop in consumer confidence. Meanwhile, although mortgage rates held steady, it remains to be seen how buyers and sellers respond. 

In this episode, Emily Chenevert, CEO of UnlockMLS and ABoR, and Clare Knapp, Housing Economist, discuss February housing stats for the MSA. Higher mortgage rates in December and January slowed sales activity and prices amid historically high levels of supply. The recent decline in mortgage rates will provide buyers with slightly more purchasing power heading into spring homebuying season. 

In this week's episode, CEO Emily Chenevert and Clare Knapp, Housing Economist, discuss the current state of affordable housing in Austin, drawing distinction between owner- and renter-occupied housing. The two also discuss the trajectory of affordable housing in Austin over the past decade for moderate-income families. 

In this episode, Emily Chenevert, CEO, and Clare Knapp, Housing Economist, discuss the current state of the national economy, projections for the course of the national economy over the rest of 2025, and implications for the Austin housing market amid the spring homebuying and selling season. The two also discuss the potential impacts of the proposed tariffs on aluminum and steel on housing affordability in Austin. While the national economy continues to post a relatively strong performance, higher mortgage rates are expected to impose a drag on spring homebuying and selling in Austin.