Driving It Home with Unlock MLS

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130

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Jun 2026

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About the show

There's no shortage of opinions about the housing market. Driving It Home gives you something better: an accurate, data-driven perspective on Central Texas real estate straight from the experts at Unlock MLS. Every episode, we cut through the noise to bring you the trends, insights, and market updates that keep real estate professionals one step ahead — so you're caught up before you finish your morning drive. Driving It Home is produced by Unlock MLS, the most complete, timely, and accurate source of housing market activity for the 18-county Central Texas region. Learn more at UnlockMLS.com.

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60 recent

June 16, 202616 min

June 16 , 2026 | Driving It Home with Unlock MLS

Price corrections are holding — and spring momentum is proving it's not a fluke. Market Research Advisor Vaike O'Grady joins Deputy Director of Government Affairs Taylor Smith to break down two consecutive months of double-digit pending sales growth, why 2019 is the right benchmark, inventory falling 16.6% from last year's peak, and why Travis County's 20% pending sales surge may be the most important number in May's report. Mentioned in the episode:May 2026 Central Texas Housing Market Report: https://unlockmls.com/statsMarket Data Lab Webinar: https://unlockmls.com/events

June 2, 202619 min

June 2, 2026 | Driving It Home with Unlock MLS

Price corrections are working — and the buyers are back. Market Research Advisor Vaike O'Grady joins Deputy Director of Government Affairs Taylor Smith to break down closed sales surging 33–45% in San Marcos, Marble Falls, and Lockhart, Wimberley's surprising 32% median price jump, Austin crossing one million residents, and why April's data may signal the MSA's turning point. Mentioned in the episode: Spring 2026 Quarterly Economic Brief: https://unlockmls.com/researchUnlock MLS Market Stats: https://unlockmls.com/stats

May 19, 202613 min

May 19, 2026 | Driving It Home with Unlock MLS

Resale and new construction are behaving like two different markets. Unlock MLS Market Research AdvisorVaike O'Grady joins CMO Kelea Youngblood to break down April's $65,000 price gap between segments, pending sales surging 15.4% across the MSA, Hays County's surprise 8.8% price jump, and Austin officially crossing one million residents. Mentioned in the episode: April 2026 Market Statistics: https://unlockmls.com/statsFlex by Unlock MLS: https://unlockmls.com/flex

May 5, 202627 min

May 5, 2026 | Driving It Home with Unlock MLS

The affordable market isn't gone - it's moved. Vaike O'Grady kicks things off with a zip-code-level breakdown of where sub-$300K sales are happening in Central Texas right now (Kyle, Jarrell, Elgin, and a few surprises). Then Emily sits down with Taylor Smith, Deputy Director of Government Affairs, to dig into Unlock MLS and ABoR's brand-new HOME Impact Report — measuring whether Austin's landmark housing reform is actually working. Spoiler: the data says yes. Plus, what agents need to know about upcoming City Council action and how to tap into the advocacy team directly. Mentioned in the episode: Unlock MLS Research Page + HOME Impact Report https://www.unlockmls.com/researchAdvocacy Office Hours — May 20th, ABoR HQ, 10AM–1PM https://www.unlockmls.com/event/abor-advocacy-office-hours Live from City Hall Newsletter https://www.abor.com/livefromcityhall

April 21, 202621 min

April 21, 2026 | Driving It Home with Unlock MLS

Q1 looks flat — until you remember what Q1 2025 looked like. Vaike O'Grady and Kelea Youngblood break down March's spring rebound, Austin's surprise job growth revision, and why the national "frozen market" narrative doesn't match what the data is showing in Central Texas.Links mentioned in the episode: AustinHomeSearch.com https://AustinHomeSearch.comFree Subscription to Austin Business Journal for ABoR Members: https://www.unlockmls.com/abjMarket Data & UnlockStats Lab: https://www.unlockmls.com/classes-and-events?location&categories&participants.name&format×&sea…UnlockStats: https://www.unlockmls.com/unlockstatsMarket Research & Statistics: https://www.unlockmls.com/statsOpportunity Austin Job Growth Report: https://opportunityaustin.com/austin-region-job-growth-unemployment-update-april-2026/

April 7, 202617 min

April 7, 2026 | Driving It Home with Unlock MLS

The Central Texas market's March headline? Momentum. Vaike O'Grady joins host Kelea Youngblood to break down what's moving the market — starting with five things every agent should know: Elon Musk's proposed Tesla Terafab in Travis County, Oracle's sweeping layoffs, a Pew Research report validating Austin's supply story, the best week of the year to list nationally (hint: it's next week), and nearly 4,300 homes planned in Georgetown. Then the March numbers: pending sales are surging, inventory is pulling back, and the rental supply peak may finally be behind us. Plus — don't miss the ABoR Industry Awards Midnight Cowboy Gala on May 1st. Links mentioned in the episode: Unlock MLS Research Page https://www.unlockmls.com/researchFlex by Unlock MLS https://www.unlockmls.com/flexIndustry Awards https://www.unlockmls.com/industryawards

March 24, 202618 min

March 24 , 2026 | Driving It Home with Unlock MLS

Property tax season is here. TCAD Chief Appraiser Leanna Mann joins Emily to demystify how your property value gets set, how to protest it, and why a homestead exemption is worth understanding. Plus Vaike O'Grady opens with a local market update — zip code spotlights, Austin's development reform push, and where the rental market is settling.Links mentioned in the episode:Property Protest Resources https://www.unlockmls.com/propertyprotestUnlock MLS Research Page ⁠https://www.unlockmls.com/research

March 10, 202622 min

March 10 , 2026 | Driving It Home with Unlock MLS

Is the bottom behind us? In this episode of the Unlock MLS Market Update Podcast, market research advisor Vaike O'Grady walks through the February 2026 Central Texas housing market — and the signs are worth paying attention to. From December's cyclical lows to back-to-back monthly gains in pending sales and close-to-list ratios, the data is telling an encouraging story. Tune in for the full picture and what it may mean for buyers, sellers, and their agents.Links mentioned in the episode:Central Texas Housing Market Statistics https://www.unlockmls.com/statsFlex Listings https://www.unlockmls.com/flexUnlock MLS Research Page https://www.unlockmls.com/research

February 24, 202625 min

February 24 , 2026 | Driving It Home with Unlock MLS

This week on Driving It Home, we’re trying something new — starting with a quick, hyperlocal market pulse from Vaike O’Grady: five minutes, three headlines you need to know right now in Central Texas real estate.Then Emily Girard sits down with Taylor Smith to talk about how affordability is playing out in Austin, and the things our local leaders are doing to keep an eye on it overall. Links mentioned in the episode:Austin household growth (NAR): https://www.nar.realtor/blogs/economists-outlook/austin-tx-one-of-the-fastest-growing-areas-for-households-in-the-country-over-the-past-decade Austin named top capital city to live in (Realtor.com): https://www.realtor.com/news/trends/best-state-capitals-to-live-2026/ Opportunity Austin / 3billion announcement: https://opportunityaustin.com/3billion/ Voter resource hub: https://unlockmls.com/vote

February 10, 202613 min

February 10, 2026 | Driving It Home with Unlock MLS

In this month’s Unlock MLS Market Update, we take a closer look at how the Central Texas housing market is evolving as we moved from December into January — and how today’s conditions compare to this time last year. We unpack sales and leasing momentum, explain why pricing strategy matters more than ever, and share ZIP-level snapshots that highlight where homes are still moving and where sellers retain leverage. It’s a practical, data-informed conversation designed to help agents price, position, and advise clients with confidence in today’s market.Links: Unlock Stats Unlock Stats Lab registrationBroker Forum