As Samsung inches closer toward Taylor plant, all eyes turn to housing market

TAYLOR, Texas (Austin Business Journal) — With Samsung Electronics Co. inching closer toward picking Taylor for its new $17 billion plant, those in the housing market are paying close attention to a city that has historically been behind some of the rapid housing growth of its neighboring cities.

The tech giant was approved this month by the Taylor City Council and the Williamson County Commissioners Court for a slew of incentives for the project, which would create at least 1,800 direct jobs, along with thousands of indirect jobs, at a 6 million-square foot facility on 1,200 acres near Taylor.

While Samsung has maintained it's still considering other options for the site — including Austin, Phoenix and upstate New York — housing experts said there have already been signs that even the consideration of Taylor for such a large project has kicked the housing submarket into a slightly higher gear.

After Taylor was first publicly mentioned by the Wall Street Journal as a contender for the plant in January, the average median sales price for homes in the submarket has been on an upward climb, according to data from the Austin Board of Realtors.

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