At MileStone Community Builders, we’re not just in the business of constructing houses and communities—we’re dedicated to creating homes that echo your dreams, needs, and aspirations. That’s why we are proud to partner with Eliant, a leading customer experience management firm that specializes in the homebuilding industry. Creating a successful and enjoyable home-buying process for you is built on a foundation of experience. Through thoughtful feedback from our homebuyers gathered by Eliant, we’ve honed our processes, ensuring a seamless, enriching, and fully personalized journey.

Who is Eliant?

Recognized for its comprehensive surveys and strategies to enhance customer satisfaction, Eliant has conducted over 3 million customer assessments. Its expertise in deriving actionable insights has made it a pivotal partner for MileStone Community Builders. Click here to learn more about their incredible program.

The Impact of Your Feedback

By leveraging Eliant’s services, MileStone has been able to fine-tune our approach to customer service, ensuring that homeowners receive an unparalleled experience from purchase to move-in and beyond. Our report card currently shows scores of A- or higher in crucial categories like Sales Experience, Construction Experience, Design Selections Experience, and Orientation/Walk-Through Experience. We’re proud of our results but are deeply committed to reach further through YOUR feedback.

Your Voice Shapes our Future

Every voice matters. Your feedback through the Eliant surveys enables us to identify areas for improvement and celebrate the things we’re doing right. It’s a crucial part of our continuous effort to enhance every homeowner’s experience and ensures that we keep evolving in ways that matter most to you.

How to Participate in the Eliant Survey

We invite every MileStone homeowner to lend their voice through the Eliant survey. Here’s how you can participate:

• Expect an Email: Shortly after moving into your MileStone home, you’ll receive an email invitation from Eliant.
• Click the Link: Use the link provided in the email to access your personalized survey.
• Share Your MileStone Experience: Your detailed feedback is invaluable to us and takes just a few moments to submit.

Looking Forward with MileStone

At MileStone Community Builders, we’re committed to using your insights to enhance our communities, ensuring that every homeowner feels heard, valued, and excited about their future with us. Thank you for choosing MileStone as the builder of your dreams. Together, we’re not just building homes—we’re building milestones.

The post Building Together: How Your Feedback Shapes Our Communities appeared first on Austin Homes for Sale | New Homes Austin | Milestone Home Builder Blog.

Are you ready for something truly shocking this October? Step into your dream home with the unbeatable Shocktober Sales Event by MileStone Community Builders. This limited-time opportunity offers qualified buyers a remarkable locked interest rate of 5.875%, incredible deals on select homes, and FLEX cash opportunities at fantastic communities.

Shocktober Specials:

• Unbeatable Interest Rates: With interest rates on the rise, we understand the importance of keeping your monthly payments manageable. That’s why MileStone is offering a remarkable 5.875% interest rate locked for a generous 30 years! Seize this rare opportunity to secure your dream home at an incredible rate.
• Reduced Pricing on Select Homes: Our homes are flying off the shelves in every neighborhood, but there are still a few select gems waiting for the right owner. Check out the reduced pricing on these brand-new homes and make the move to your dream space at an unbeatable price.
• Spooky Deals, Spectacular Savings: Don’t let the frightful season deter you! Our Shocktober event is your last chance to capitalize on these spine-tingling deals. Only a handful of homes remain at these unprecedented low-interest rates, so don’t miss out!

MileStone Community Builders offers homes in the following vibrant Central Texas communities:

• South Austin: The Hills of Bear Creek, Messinger Village, and The Vistas of Austin
• Kyle and Buda: Sage Hollow, Crosswinds, and Porter Country
• Dripping Springs: Skyridge
• Leander: Larkspur and Bonnet – Last chance opportunities!  

Visit us today to unlock these extraordinary benefits. Reach out to us at 512-645-2145 or drop us a line at osc@mymilestone.com to learn more and schedule a tour.

The post Unlock Your Dream Home: Shocktober Sales Event by MileStone Community Builders appeared first on Austin Homes for Sale | New Homes Austin | Milestone Home Builder Blog.

We know that home is now more important than ever—especially when you have one with space to move around. This shift to the indoors has created a new wave of homebuyers. But here in Austin, homeowners have not been selling. Nationwide trends show the lowest home supply since 2016. And, with interest rates at their lowest in over three years—15- and 30-year fixed-rate mortgages are sitting between 2.5-2.7%—these hopeful homeowners have more than one reason to want to buy now.

Interest rates that low ensure you won’t pay tens of thousands in additional interest over the life of the loan. And every percentage point matters, as even a seemingly small difference (say from 2.5% to 3.5% on a $200,000, 30-year mortgage) can result in you paying more than $100 more each month and almost $40,000 more over the life of the loan. But, while the demand is high with those wanting to lock in a low-interest rate, there aren’t enough homes in the market to meet it.

The answer to this is new construction. With communities in ideal locations across the Austin area, from Cedar Park to Kyle, MileStone has been working to create the homes buyers want to call their own. Larkspur, in the hill country just outside Leander, and Vistas of Austin, south of U.S. Route 290, are both popular communities that recently began new phases of construction, currently selling in the mid $200s—perfect for the first-time homebuyer. Now is also a great time to buy in our boutique communities, Wilson Trace (Cedar Park) and Summerrow (South Austin), where there are few homesites left, but will be move-in ready by the end of the year. There will also be other new-build communities delivering in the coming months, so be sure to sign-up for our VIP lists to receive first-to-know information on floor plans and pricing.

With that many opportunities and extremely low-interest rates, there is no better time to buy. As Garrett put it, “the market has come back and then some,” so take advantage of the moment! Become one of the many Austinites who have more MileStone homes to choose from to call their own.

To read the full interview with our CEO and see how else MileStone homes are helping the Austin market, click here.

The post Why Now is the Time to Buy appeared first on Austin Homes for Sale | New Homes Austin | Milestone Home Builder Blog.

The post Buying Vs Renting – The Benefits of Owning Your Home appeared first on Austin Homes for Sale | New Homes Austin | Milestone Home Builder Blog.

The post Buying a Home Today: FAQs appeared first on Austin Homes for Sale | New Homes Austin | Milestone Home Builder Blog.

Visitors to our website can peruse floor plans according to size, price, bed/bath, etc., and in most cases, watch a virtual tour video (See Example Tour) of our plans to see how the new home will live. Site maps are available to view available lots and understand how the community is designed.

When questions arise, extremely knowledgeable Online Home Specialists are available at 512-645-4125 to assist. They can also facilitate three types of appointments with Sales Counselors:

• A virtual appointment where the Sales Counselor can talk to you while showing you materials and tours on their computer screen, or walking you through a home via FaceTime
• On-site appointments where you visit the site and receive a private tour and consultation – these are currently available every day between 12pm and 5pm
• Phone appointments

Contracts can be shared via DocuSign. A design consultation can be arranged digitally just as noted above or in-person meetings can still be arranged.

Most of the processes described above are nothing new to MileStone. We are accustomed to delivering a great customer experience from the first tour to closing without excessive visits (if any) to a sales office. We look forward to sharing our services with you in a safe, comfortable manner despite these unusual circumstances.

The post Online Home Shopping Options appeared first on Austin Homes for Sale | New Homes Austin | Milestone Home Builder Blog.

If you’re thinking about becoming a homeowner, you’ve probably done your fair share of studying the housing market, trying to predict where it will go next, and wondering whether now is the right time to buy or if it would be wiser to wait. It’s impossible to predict the housing market with absolute certainty, but as an Austin home builder, we want to give you the best possible insight so your home buying experience will be positive and successful.

The big picture

The U.S. as a whole has been facing a housing shortage for years, with buyer demand far outpacing the number of homes actually available. That demand has been forcing new home prices to rise at above-average rates for the past two years, and it doesn’t look as though that’s going to change significantly in 2019.

That said, there’s a glimmer of hope on the horizon for buyers. Although it’s not likely that we’ll see a buyer’s market next year, new home construction is predicted to rise, which means that home prices should level off—or at least rise at a less astronomical rate. The Home Buying Institute recently reported that 279,302 single-family home building permits were issued during the first four months of 2018—an 8.7 percent increase over that period in 2017—and since there’s always lag time between the filing of a construction permit and the completion of the project, 2019 could be the year that a lot more new homes get built.

Even so, it’s likely that homes will continue to be scarce in most markets, and that home prices will continue to rise across most of the country. Of course, rising prices don’t keep people from buying homes. Indeed, real estate research website Gord Collins predicted that the U.S. economy will grow 3 to 5 percent in 2019. This will likely lead to more Americans buying homes, many of them millennials eager to become homeowners for the first time.

A local level

It goes without saying that, while the national housing market is important, it doesn’t tell the whole story. With this in mind, if you’re serious about buying a house, you need to look at the housing market on a local level in the area where you intend to buy. After all, the housing market in, say, Seattle is very different from the market in Detroit, no matter what the national averages may be. And if you’re thinking about buying a home in Austin, Texas, it’s wise to remember that this city tends to play by its own rules.

In Austin, the nationwide trend of demand outpacing supply is even more pronounced. In fact, the Austin Board of Realtors recently reported a 6.8 percent decrease in the number of homes available on the market from 2017 to 2018, and as we move into next year, all signs point to this trend continuing. The upshot is that when new homes in Austin become available—especially quick delivery homes—they tend to sell very quickly. So, don’t keep saying, “Maybe next month.” Stop by today and explore our communities!

Why Austin?

At the heart of Austin’s red-hot housing market is one simple fact: people want to move to Austin. The economy here is booming, with rapid job growth in technology, pharmaceuticals, education, retail and manufacturing. In fact, a recent report from POLICOM found Austin to be America’s strongest metropolitan economy, and the Austin Chamber of Commerce just announced that 35,700 net new jobs had been added during the 12 months ending in June 2018, making Austin the second fastest growing metro area in America. Consider this data, courtesy of Sperling’s Best Places:

• Austin has an unemployment rate of 2.9 percent, compared to the U.S. average of 5.2 percent.
• Austin’s recent job growth is 3.0 percent, compared to the national average of 1.6 percent; its projected future job growth is 43.1 percent, compared to the 38.0 percent national average.
• The median household income in Austin is $55,216 per year, slightly above the national average of $53,482 per year.

Of course, Austin’s appeal isn’t purely economic. The city is a fun and exciting place to call home, filled with friendly people who are genuinely happy to be here, and it boasts one of the best music scenes in the world. The food scene ranges from world-class barbecue restaurants to food trucks slinging vegan tacos—and both of these options are amazing. It’s a city where you can kayak down a river beneath a bridge that houses the world’s largest urban bat colony. It’s weird, and we like it.

The bottom line

In a nutshell, demand for new homes outweighs supply and the competition is likely to increase over the rest of 2018 and into next year. If you’re considering buying a new home in Austin, Texas, it would be better to do it sooner rather than later. But if you need to wait, know that as an Austin home builder, MileStone Community Builders is dedicated to building new homes throughout the city, and we will help you explore your options whenever the time is right for you.

That said, if finances are heavily driving your decision, remember that home prices are expected to continue rising in 2019, so the latter half of 2018 might be your best opportunity to buy. To find the area and home that best fit your wallet and your wish-list, browse our communities and search through floor plans at various price points.

Lastly, keep in mind that fall is often considered the best time of year to buy a house for a wide range of reasons. First and foremost, this time of year considered the off-season in the real estate world, which means that sellers who put homes on the market in fall are often highly motivated to sell. As a buyer, you’ll also face less competition from other buyers and will enjoy a greater share of your real estate agent’s attention. Overall, fall and winter are seasons when the buyer is in the driver’s seat. And in a time and place with a seller’s market, that’s a big advantage.

As your Austin home builder, we pride ourselves on building award-winning homes for every milestone in your life. Our sales team is dedicated to helping you find the dream home that fits your lifestyle as well as your wallet. To learn more about buying a home in Austin, Texas, and to locate quick delivery homes that can be yours before the year is through, contact us today.

The post What to expect from the final months of the 2018 real estate market in Austin, Texas appeared first on Austin Homes for Sale | New Homes Austin | Milestone Home Builder Blog.

From navigating financial woes to the thrilling (if stress-inducing) task of locating your dream house, you have a lot on your plate if you’re looking to become a homeowner—but we’re here to help. When it comes to buying homes in Austin, Texas, these financial tips will go a long way toward ensuring you make the best choice.

1. Know when the time is right

Buying a house could be the best or worst decision you ever make. It all comes down to whether you’re truly ready for homeownership. The ability to own a home in a great community comes with tremendous rewards—that is, as long as you’re personally and financially ready to take the leap. If your income is stable, your financial ducks are in a row and you’re willing to live in the same place for the foreseeable future, there are a lot of options available in Austin, Texas.

2. Check your credit

Few factors have more influence on your prospects of getting a viable mortgage than your credit score. With that in mind, it behooves you to get a free copy of your credit report online, then take steps to improve your credit if you need. If your score is 760 or above, you’re already in fantastic shape, but the further below 700 your score falls, the more uncertain your mortgage future. A wide range of factors impact your credit score, from payment history and amount of debt to account mix and age. Contact us today to learn more about how your credit affects your prospects of buying a home in Austin, Texas.

3. Get pre-approved

Pre-approval for a mortgage will give you a much more concrete picture of your budget, but keep in mind that pre-approval and pre-qualification are not the same thing. For pre-qualification, a lender will simply ask you a few questions about your financial standing and provide you with a ballpark estimate of how much you might qualify for, although this is far from set in stone. The pre-approval process is a bit more involved, but it also gives you a comparatively definitive picture of how much you can afford. You will need to provide several important documents during this process, which a lender will use to determine how much you are qualified for. Necessary documents for pre-approval include but may not be limited to:

• Pay stubs
• The last two years’ W-2 forms
• Your last two federal tax returns
• Two months’ worth of bank statements
• Your credit report

4. Determine your budget

Look at your monthly expenditures to see what you can afford to set aside for principal, interest, taxes and insurance, and keep in mind that just because a lender approves you for a certain amount, doesn’t mean you can afford that much. The last thing you want to do is spend every penny on a house and leave yourself broke!

It’s important to remember that your financial obligations don’t end when you’re handed the keys to your new home. You must budget for utilities, mortgage payments and, in many cases, homeowner’s insurance. In addition, you need enough left over to actually enjoy living in your new home, and it’s wise to have an emergency fund in case you face unforeseen financial obstacles.

5. Save for a down payment

Have you been saving for your down payment? Generally speaking, it’s best to be able to pay 20 percent of the cost of your home in the form of a down payment. The more you’re able to put down, the better the terms of your mortgage are likely to be and the less you’ll end up paying in interest, which will save you a lot of money in the long run. That said, you may be able to qualify for a variety of loan options if you’re not able to put down a full 20 percent.

6. Use a trusted lender

As you’re shopping around for a mortgage, remember that not all lenders are equal and you don’t have to take the first offer that comes along. Shop around and talk to multiple lenders before you commit to one. These three excellent MileStone-preferred lenders offer great competitive rates and an easy process from contact to closing:

• AmeriPro Home Loans
• CMG Financial
• Graystone Title Agency

Contact MileStone Community Builders today to learn more about securing a mortgage from one of our trusted lenders.

7. Make a home search checklist

When you’re pounding the streets checking out houses, it can be hard to find what you’re looking for and all too easy to fall head over heels for a home that has certain features you love but doesn’t really meet your needs. To avoid this common pitfall, make a checklist of all your “must-haves,” “want-to-haves” and “dream features,” then use it to evaluate every house you visit.

8. Pick the right location

Remember that you’re not just buying a new home, you’re also buying a new neighborhood. With that in mind, make sure the surrounding community is the kind of area where you can see yourself living for the long haul. Whether you want your home base to be in a hip neighborhood like South Congress, the heart of Downtown Austin or a suburban environment like Cedar Park or Leander, you have a lot of options. Be sure to consider:

• Commute times to and from your job
• Proximity to schools, hospitals, police and fire departments, etc.
• Nearby entertainment, recreation, nightlife, shopping and dining options
• Availability of public transportation
• Safety and crime statistics
• Noise levels
• Property tax rates

9. Get some help

The process of finding and buying a house is harder than it should be if you try to go it alone. A great real estate agent can really make things easier and guide you through the bumps along the way. Once you’ve found a home, having an agent in your corner will prove invaluable in terms of navigating the murky waters between signing the contract and closing the deal. Speaking of help, MileStone offers a variety of resources for new homeowners, so be sure to check out the wealth of information in our financial e-book.

Contact us today at MileStone Community Builders to learn more about buying homes in Austin, Texas. Whether you’re looking for a luxury pad in the heart of the city, a cozy suburban home or a beautiful country house in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, our team is here to help you every step of the way!

The post 9 tips to consider when purchasing a new home in Austin, Texas appeared first on Austin Homes for Sale | New Homes Austin | Milestone Home Builder Blog.

If you’ve spent even a tiny amount of time house-hunting, you’ve no doubt heard countless arguments for and against building new vs. buying existing. It’s one of those debates that folks in the housing business really love to talk about.

In the end, it comes down to what’s right for you—but needless to say, we have a few thoughts on the subject. If you’re still on the fence about buying a new construction home, read on for nine facts you need to know about building new.

1. It’s low-maintenance

One of the biggest benefits of a new house is simply that it’s new, which means maintenance will be much less of an issue than with an older home. As we reported last year, a 10-year-old home will cost approximately 580 percent more than a newly built home in terms of annual maintenance.

2. You can enjoy modern floor plans

Although some people prefer the cozy layout of an historic house, older houses simply don’t have many of the modern floor plan features that homeowners demand nowadays, like an open-concept layout and ample closet space. However, these are standard in most new homes.

3. You’re able to choose your location

While older homes may have the advantage of being located in historic neighborhoods, new homes come with an enticing appeal of their own—namely that they can be built anywhere you want! We offer new construction homes in some of the most vibrant communities in the Austin area, including the heart of Downtown Austin, the Texas Hill Country and thriving nearby cities like Leander and Cedar Park.

4. It’s more energy-efficient

Today, newly built homes are up to 30 percent more energy-efficient than homes built just 10 years ago, and they’re lightyears beyond houses built in decades past. In fact, newly built homes save an annual average of 3,449 kilowatt hours—that’s enough to power your TV for 11 years!

5. You get the ability to personalize according to your tastes

While older houses come with the decor chosen by their previous owners, building new opens you up to countless customization options, from colors, textures and finishes to unique floor plans.

6. Supply and demand works to your advantage

As demand for housing increases (especially in fast-growing cities like Austin, Texas), new home construction is rapidly expanding. Conversely, older homes are becoming harder and harder to find, which puts them in demand. Along with elevated demand comes elevated prices, which means new homes in these parts are often less expensive than their historic counterparts.

7. You can take advantage of quick delivery homes

One of the biggest misconceptions about new construction is that it takes forever. In fact, it’s actually quite easy to find quick delivery homes that are already being built and, in many cases, are practically move-in-ready as we speak.

8. It’s possible to build to your preferences

As we’ve said, the choice between building new vs. buying existing is a matter of personal preference. However, according to a recent Trulia survey, 41 percent of Americans lean toward purchasing a new home compared to just 21 percent who said they would prefer an older home.

9. The newness factor

Although some people like the idea of living in a house with history, there’s an undeniable appeal to buying a brand-new home that’s yours and always has been.

If you’re still debating building new vs. buying existing, contact us today at MileStone Community Builders to learn more about the benefits of designing and building your dream home in Austin, Texas.

The post Building new vs buying existing: 9 facts to help you make the right choice appeared first on Austin Homes for Sale | New Homes Austin | Milestone Home Builder Blog.

Inventory homes, also known as quick delivery homes or move-in-ready homes, are houses that are already built or very nearly finished. They’re a great option for people who need to relocate in a hurry—for instance, to start a new job.

Benefits of quick delivery homes

Quick delivery homes offer some major advantages, especially if you’re buying a home out of state or are in need of a quick, hassle-free move. Because these homes are already under construction—and, in some cases, are almost completely built—they offer less wait time and fewer deciding factors. Other benefits include:

• Attractive upgrades: If you’re considering a home that is already under construction, be sure to ask about upgrades and additional features. Chances are, there are a lot of ways you can personalize your new home and really make it your own.
• Great neighborhoods: Our quick delivery and inventory homes can be found within MileStone’s beautiful, master-planned communities. These are located in some of the most desirable neighborhoods in the Austin area, including South Austin, Downtown, Leander, Cedar Park and Round Rock.
• No hassle: Quick delivery homes eliminate a lot of the hassles that eat up time and energy during the traditional homebuying process, which frees you up to focus on the other important aspects of moving. You still get to make some choices and customize your home, but a lot of the biggest decisions—like square footage and number of beds and baths—will already be taken care of.
• The price is right: When we list quick delivery homes for sale, it means we’re just as eager to sell as you are to buy. This often translates to a great deal compared to going the traditional construction route.

So, if you’re in a hurry to move, don’t waste time and money renting while you look for a house—get a quick delivery home and get the ball rolling right away.

Finding quick delivery homes in Austin, Texas

We have dozens of inventory homes available right now, and more are being added all the time! You’ll find them listed on the Quick Delivery Homes page of our website, which should be one of your first stops if you’re planning to move to the Austin area in the near future. These homes are under construction as we speak, and many are nearly move-in-ready.

For more available homes in the Austin area, be sure to keep an eye out for featured Homes of the Week at various communities, each of which will be listed under the “Available Homes” section of the community pages on our website. It’s a great way to stay up to date on the latest deals from MileStone.

If you’re buying a home out of state, quick delivery homes are the way to go! Contact us today to learn more about inventory homes in our communities. We offer great options for anyone buying a home out of state, whether you’re looking to live in the Texas Hill Country or at the heart of Downtown Austin.

The post The homes to look for when you need to move fast appeared first on Austin Homes for Sale | New Homes Austin | Milestone Home Builder Blog.