Have you hugged your Realtor Today?

Realtors are people too. Ha.

They go to Concerts!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They like to go out to eat!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They like sports.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Best of all they love helping you find a home that you will enjoy with your family and friends! They work hard to make sure you get the most for your money. So don't be afraid to hug a Realtor. 

 

 

So whats the big deal? Who needs a Realtor?

Fun with Real Estate...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I thought about using the Title "R U smarter than a Realtor"? Buying and selling real estate has become more and more complex. Not just contract law or 1031 exchanges or REO's and such but the market has become so much more sophisticated. HGTV over the last decade aired some very popular Real Estate shows that educated buyers and sellers. The Real Estate boom of the past 6 to 8 years brought many into the market place in ways they had not been before. Many people took IRA's from old jobs and turned them into self directed IRA's used that money to form an LLC and buy rental property for the first time in their lives.

The term "Flip" became a part of common language as young and old bought distressed properties and fixed them up then sold them for a profit. Owning real estate became much more accessible with the exploding secondary lending market. One could borrow 100% or even more on a property they were purchasing. Yes, in the end it was a very bad thing but my point is that many more people than ever before have jumped in to the real estate market place.

Now, more than ever before the services of a quality Realtor can be a very worthwhile investment. It is our job to know what is happening in the marketplace. To understand our local markets better than anyone else. A few days ago a friend called me to inform me what growth and expansion was to take place in a key 3 mile zone in my city. He would start the sentence and I would finish it. Finally, frustrated that he was not imparting new information to me he asked: "How did you know about this? The report only came out today." 

It is my job to know. I have researched that 3 mile zone for the past year. I have logged more than 100 hours at the county records, while there I met several key builders and their planning counter parts. I attended council meetings, key functions and asked lots of questions.

Regularly, Realtors will attend classes and training so that they stay current legal issues, market trends and so much more.

Give a Realtor a call and see how they can help. In the Austin/Round Rock area, you can call me: 512-709-3336 or email me at roundrockhomes@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have you seen Texas in the Spring?

 A quick tour of Texas in the springtime may change your opinion of Texas. The recent strong job markent in Texas may change your address.

 From the West to the East the North to the South, Texas has something beautiful for everyone.

Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and El Paso are Texas cities you might at least know by name but each of them has a unique flavor and pace. Each has a different taste and feel.

Experience Texas this summer! You will love what you see! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

San Antonio is a picturesque city that is noted for its plazas, numerous parks, spacious residential districts, and many buildings of historic interest. The city itself covers a land area of 862.2 sq km (332.9 sq mi). It is the heart of a metropolitan area, composed of the counties of Bexar, Comal, Guadalupe, and Wilson, with a land area of 8616.4 sq km (3326.8 sq mi). Some 34 cities and towns are located in the metropolitan region, most of which are relatively small.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Riverboat tour in downtown San Antonio.

 

 

Is Austin recession Proof?

 

Yes, I am knocking on wood. This recent article in the Austin Business Journal is more good news for the Austin area.

 

Austin Business Journal


Austin was named third on the Forbes.com list of the top 10 "Recession-Proof Cities" in the United States.

To create the list, the magazine looked at the 50 largest U.S. metros, examining key measures, such as unemployment data, non-farm related job growth, median home prices and data from a 2007 report, "U.S. Metro Economies: The Mortgage Crisis" by the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

At number three, Austin was right behind San Antonio, which grabbed the second spot thanks to solid employment figures and affordable home prices that continue to rise.

Oklahoma City took the No. 1 spot because of its strong housing market and solid growth in agriculture, energy and manufacturing.

For its part, Austin was lauded for being a hip town with one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country.

Forbes magazine's list of recession-proof cities also included: Houston, Dallas, Charlotte, N.C., Raleigh, N.C., Salt Lake City, San Jose, Calif. and Seattle.

Forbes says that Texas cities such as San Antonio, Austin, Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth have benefitted from historically lower home prices, land availability and 'little zoning'.

All four Texas cities boast falling unemployment rates, according to Forbes, with Austin dropping from 3.8 percent to 3.6 percent.

Teravista in Round Rock Texas

Teravista is a beautiful master planned community in North Round Rock. It features an 18 hole Golf course, workout center, two community pools, club house, biking and walking path, Intranet and this fall will open a brand new elementary school.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Home in Teravista is a little over 2200 sq. ft and features:

· 3 Bedrooms / 2.5 Baths

· 4 Sided Brick Home

· Extremely Spacious    Upstairs Game Room with  Walk In Closet

· Formal Living /Study

· Formal Dining Room

· Fireplace

· Master Bath Separate Shower/Garden Tub / Large Walk In Closet

· Private Backyard with Covered Patio

· Upgraded Kitchen with   Corian Counters/Bar  Stainless  Appliances

· Breakfast Area

· Oversized Cul-de-sac Lot with Beautiful Landscaping

· Wood Blinds / Art Niches /Security System

· Hard Tile Thru Out

· Super Location-Minutes to Everything. Bike Trails, Community Pool, Golf Course, New Elementary School

You can buy it now for 238,000 plus get $3000.00 toward your closing costs.

Can you sell a Home that is Overpriced in this Market?

 

 

 The past few years lenders made it so easy to get a home loan that many did it once, twice even three times on the same home. Now they owe more than the appraised value of their home. Unfortunately, life goes on, people get transferred to new cities, family crises arise, retirement and many other life events cause people to pack up and move across the country.

It is at such times that the harsh reality of the lending trap reveals itself. The comprabiles on homes sold around the area reveal a problem. It may not even be possible to break even.

What do you do?

 

Just about a year ago, I lived in a home that was in one of the most troubled markets in the country. I put my home up for sale along with 220000 other home owners. That number did not include all the thousands of newly built homes that were on the market as standing inventory. The long and the short of it is we sold it at a profit in a very difficult market.

The market I was in was over priced and it continues to correct week by week and month by month. The complete story is in my blog in an article titled: What I learned in Vegas

Real Estate 101 is this: A Home is Worth what someone is willing to pay for it. This article is not to excuse foolishly over pricing a home but rather to point out that even if you are in a difficult situation and cannot price your home with the comps there may still be hope.

1. Enlist the professional help of a Realtor

2. Get creative in your thinking. How can you sell it that will make your home look more attractive to a buyer? Who do you know that may be able to buy it if they had a little help?

3, Be willing to make the changes your Realtor suggests.

 Let me show you what I can do to help you sell your home: contact me at roundrockhomes@gmail.com

A HOUSE or A HOME? Which do you like best?

 

 

Over the years, I have lived in some very different homes. My first Home was a trailer my wife and I bought shortly after we were married. It was an older Mobile home in a park filled with mostly retired people. As I remember it our monthly space rent was about 125.00 and our payment was about 250.00 it was financed over five years. We did a lot of work to that home, not all of it was well done, the landscaping as an example. We took our cues from neighbors and had some pink flamingos. Ha.

Everyone has an idea of the kind of house they would like to live in. The truth is you can live in just about any kind of home you want to. The trick is to make that house a HOME. We moved into a house we always moved out of a HOME. So many memories. Our first baby came home to that trailer. It was a two bedroom one bath. The second bedroom was a nursery. Some of the neighbors came over to help us fix it up. They would often pop over after she was born.

I would love to help you find your next HOME in Austin/Round Rock.

 

Still one of the top real estate Markets in the country!

Austin consistently ranks high on lists of best places to live, work, and play. Forbes, Men's Journal, Sperling's BestPlaces, and others regularly publish lists of the best cities to live, best vacation destinations, healthiest cities, and top places for businesses based on research, facts and figures, polls, and surveys. Singled out as the best city for Hispanics, Singles, Seniors, and Families, it's Austin's high ranking in specific categories that help keep it high on the best cities lists overall. Cost of living is only one factor bringing people to Austin. Weather and climate, unemployment rates, and general quality of life make Austin a favorable choice for singles, seniors (retired or not), families, and kids. To stay one of the best places to live in the United States austin offers a great business climate, thriving social scene and first class arts, entertainment and attractions. If you want to know more about the Austin.Round Rock area email me at roundrockhomes@gmail.com

A complete dining Guide where Kids Eat for Free!

 

  There are some great place where families can go to eat and best of all children will eat for free.

 

GREAT PLACES TO EAT FREE IF YOU ARE A KID. All these in the Austin Area. Every family loves to enjoy a meal out once in a while and now you know that when you are in Austin Texas you can find some great places to take the kids.

Enjoy!!!

 

What Would a Duplex in Austin Texas Cost?

 

Multi-family properties are a great way to get started investing in Real Estate. Live in one of the units and rent out the other. You get help with the loan paymend and you have some help building equity.

 

 So how much would it cost to buy a duplex unit in Austin Texas? As with other properties it is relative to the location. Properties that are closer to downtown can be more expensive but this unit is listed for a real bargain price of: $160,000

Type:	Multifamily Duplex/Triplex/Fourplex
No. Units:	2
Building Size:	1,920 SF
Lot Size:	0 SF
Price:	$160,000

That is 80,000 per unit. With the rental market continuing to be very strong it is a great investment opportunity.

Want to learn more about the Austin Real Estate Market. Check out my blog or email me at roundrockhomes@gmail.com