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deeinaustin: New 'Austin Real Estate Today' Community Website to Launch in April. We're Moving! - 04/02/08 07:46 AM
We're excited to announce big changes to the Texas Realty Blog website!
Upgrades will occur within the next few weeks and completed by end of April. Planning has been in the works since last Fall to create an interactive Austin Real Estate community.
You spoke. We listened. Here is the Press Release Sneak Peak...
"AustinRealEstateToday.com is the virtual water-cooler and interactive online community for Austin real estate news, developments, builder alerts, market updates and insight."
Top 'Austin Real Estate Today' Features That You're Going to Love
Continue reading "New 'Austin Real Estate Today' Community Website to Launch in April. We're Moving! " … (1 comments)
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deeinaustin: Top 10 Ways Find the Best Off-Market Deals in Your Area - 03/28/08 08:21 AM
Use this guide to learn how to find the best off-market deals in Austin or any U.S city by using common online and offline methods.
"Off-market" homes or investments are those not already listed in your area's Multiple Listing Service (MLS), which is provided by your local Board of REALTORS®.
If you're an agent, buyer or investor looking for a good deal in commercial real estate, a home or land, non-MLS listings are the holy grail. You should also read our previous article on 33 Ways to find a Motivated Seller.
Top 10 Ways to Find Off Market Deals for the Best … (5 comments)
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deeinaustin: $2.5 Billion Villa Muse Takes Titanic Downturn after Critical Austin City Council Vote - 03/21/08 07:57 AM
By DeeinAustin™
The Titanic-sized Villa Muse development is in trouble and sinking fast.The viability of the project in Austin took a controversial downturn after Austin City Council narrowly denied their request to release acreage in East Travis County.
As a result, News 8 Austin reported that developers are seeking bids from other cities.
You may recall that Villa Muse consists of a mixed-use arts and entertainment community and complex. The slated location is in East Travis County near Manor, just outside of Austin's jurisdiction.
Villa Muse is an extremely critical decision for Austin. The $2.5 billion project promises up to 110,000 … (2 comments)
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deeinaustin: Woohoo, It's 2008! The Real Estate Market Better Improve! - 01/03/08 09:30 AM
HAPPY NEW YEAR to all of our readers! Texas Realty Blog was started March 2006, the heyday of the Texas real estate market. I'm looking forward to a great 2008 since the real estate market should improve as mortgage lenders ease borrower requirements.
This year, we plan to provide more interviews with local specialists video and photos, Texas real estate updates, market forecasts, community spotlights, commercial news real estate, and expert advice. We'll continue invite local experts to blog for us and topics in their area of specialty, may bring on additional staff writers, and will increase coverage of green-building … (4 comments)
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deeinaustin: Texas Real Estate Broker Spotlight: Castle Hill Investments and Crossland Team - 01/03/08 09:11 AM
I normally post a community or builder spotlight each Friday, but the short week led me to try something different. This week's spotlight is about two real estate investment rock stars in Austin, Castle Hill Investments and the Crossland Team.
Both Texas real estate brokers specialize in single and multi-family investment property. I chose these two companies because I respect how they do business.
I'm preparing for the upcoming year-end market update, so expect to hear from both Robert Grunnah, Jr. and Steve Crossland on how they think the Austin real estate market will perform in 2008. The 3rd Quarter Austin Market Update … (0 comments)
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deeinaustin: Quick! Grandma is Snatching Up the Downtown Austin Condos - 11/14/07 07:48 AM
Here's a quick rundown of where the Downtown Austin condos are in the development and sales process.
So who is buying all of these condos? ANSWER: Downtown condo buyers are typically young professionals and empty nesters in any city. Boomers often buy second homes here to be near their grandchildren attending (or who graduated from) the University of Texas.
Here's the Downtown Austin Condo update from April Downey at Independence Title. There are 4,000 condominium units currently permitted in downtown Austin. The completion cycle is anywhere between 2 ½ - 4 years from start to finish. 800 units per year will … (2 comments)
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deeinaustin: Gotcha Guide™: What to do when you need to fire your agent - 11/07/07 03:42 PM
NOTE: This article is part of the forthcoming book, the Gotcha GuideTM to Buying or Investing in Real Estate.Being a real estate agent can be tough. Some clients think agents drive people around, show houses all day, and make easy cash so they can buy fancy cars or clothes and spend weekends on the golf course. On the contrary, most full-time professional real estate agents care deeply about our clients and just want to do a great job.
That said, a nice gentleman recently contacted me for help with his brother's Northwest Austin listing with a problem that he didn't … (1 comments)
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deeinaustin: Austin Market Update: The Trends are In! - 11/01/07 08:46 AM
By DeeinAustin
You may already know that I was a Global Project Manager at Apple, Inc. back in "the day". When you're analyzing a business or managing projects, Microsoft Excel is your friend because you can use it to understand long-range and short-term trends. I decided to dust off my old Excel skills and analyze the Austin real estate market each quarter from here on.
My team gathered all of the available Austin MLS data from 1999 to present, which is through September.
| View | Upload your own WHAT DID THE TRENDS SHOW?
First, keep in mind that this … (0 comments)
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deeinaustin: Mobile Technology to Change How We Communicate Real Estate - 10/24/07 11:09 AM
By DeeinAustin
I'm old enough to remember when computers first hit the consumer shelves. Personal computers revolutionized the way the business world worked and the way human beings communicate with each other. Then came cell phones, video chat and conferencing, and broadband internet, which further connected far ends of the continent.
I believe we're in another revolutionary time, where mobile technology applications will put our communication in warp speed (Star Trek term, for readers Generation Y and younger).
WHY MOBILE TECHNOLOGIES WILL CHANGE REAL ESTATEI did an interview with Glen at Inman News last week to discuss the use of … (5 comments)
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deeinaustin: Texas Realty Blog's Top Real Estate Investor Articles - 10/19/07 11:59 AM
We get a lot of questions from Texas real estate investors. They often want to know where to start, how to grow their current investment business, what the market is doing, etc.
I answered many of these questions in my recent interview with Jay Papasan, co-author of three New York Times Best selling real estate books and current VP of Publishing at Keller Williams. Our interview discussed how I got started in real estate, advice on getting started and how to invest in any market.
Jay inspired me to start work on a real estate investor handbook. Some of these … (0 comments)
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deeinaustin: Think Your Offer Won't Be Rejected? We do it nicely here in Texas - 10/16/07 12:26 PM
My seller clients were negotiating with a cash buyer this weekend who made a seriously low offer
For background, their home is back on the market because the previous buyer backed out the day before closing. This new buyer made a cash offer that's $35k below the September appraised value. I gave the sellers their options on responding to any offer in Texas:
They can accept the offer in writing as-is. They can counter the offer by making changes and initialing them. They can reject the offer entirely by simply not responding or writing "rejected" on the contract. They can reject the offer … (0 comments)
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deeinaustin: Buying and Investing During the Mortgage Meltdown - 10/10/07 02:17 PM
I've been focusing on the mortgage market heavily this month because August and September were very tough for many Texas real estate buyers, agents and sellers. Inventory is up, home sales are down and the ability to obtain a mortgage has been tougher.
GOOD NEWS THAT "SOUNDS" BADAs expected, a great deal of Texas real estate agents, investors and loan officers are leaving the business. While this sounds like bad news, it's actually good. In our shifting market, sellers have to price homes well and buyers must meet more strict lending guidelines. Agents and loan officers who were previously under-performing really have … (0 comments)
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deeinaustin: Dallas Commercial Real Estate Continues Growth - 10/08/07 11:24 AM
Dallas, Texas is a pretty attractive real estate market. Like Austin and Houston, it has steady job and population growth although residential home prices have decreased about 1.4% since last year.
When I was on Austin Business District's radio hour, I noted that residential investors, home buyers and real estate agents should pay close attention to the commercial real estate markets. Commercial firms have the financial resources to know where to expand.
Houston will always be a commercial real estate haven, as will Dallas. Although Austin has seen a drop in the residential foreclosure rate, Dallas has increased. Still, now seems to … (0 comments)
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deeinaustin: Spotlight: Chestnut Commons Provides Hip Urban Living Near Central Austin - 10/08/07 11:12 AM
Each week, we're going to try to spotlight a builder or community in Texas. Over time, we hope to have a vast database of the Texas communities and why residents choose to live there.
Chestnut Commons is a "hip" urban bungalow community in East Austin that's entering it's final build phases. Armadillo Homes is the respected builder.
Our clients like Chestnut Commons because of it's central location (click the picture to view or visit the site), proximity to upcoming commuter rail lines, and the great looking bungalows that suit their lifestyle.
BRIEF COMMUNITY DETAILS
667 square foot, one bedroom flats with a 1-car … (0 comments)
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deeinaustin: Seniors Get $93M in Upgrades in Houston, Dallas Projects - 10/02/07 01:43 PM
There's a lot of investors and commercial construction experts looking for senior housing projects in Texas. The Baby Boomer Generation has started to retire. Many look to Texas for affordable living space in a warm climate.
Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio are some of the most popular Texas cities for second homes or retirement besides the coast. i read today that a Dallas-based company refinanced a 649-unit portfolio for three upscale senior housing projects.
Due for completion in late 2007, the Class A portfolio includes a senior housing community and two traditional multi-family properties. Amenities at the properties include clubhouses, fitness centers, 40-seat … (0 comments)
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deeinaustin: Austin Agents Rally..."Buy Here!" - 10/01/07 01:51 PM
The real estate industry is making a backlash against the national news media for "overblown" hype around the supposed "real estate bust" for 2007. Texas REALTORS® have especially been trying to make it clear that, while the national market has cooled, Texas has always been considered one of the best places to buy. Austin, Dallas, and Houston are particularly great real estate markets and were reported among the Top 10 U.S cities to boom in 2008. Here's some of the recent acclaims for Austin:
Ranked by Business Week as having the most affordable housing of any metro area in the nation. In … (0 comments)
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deeinaustin: Just a Few of Our Top Rehabbing Tips - 09/28/07 01:07 PM
REHABBING HOUSES IN TODAY'S MARKET
My investor isn't a beginner, but he's putting about $50k into each project. My job is to make sure he makes the right choices and saves much money as possible. Keep these tips in mind BEFORE you buy:
Always know your final sales price. Base your final sales price on homes that have SOLD, then work with a market expert to calculate where that price will be once your project in done. They should give you a high, middle, and low range. Don't over-improve. This can sound simple, but investors think wood floors and granite counter-tops will always … (2 comments)
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deeinaustin: IRS Resources: Business Entertainment Expenses - 09/10/07 08:21 AM
I'm a member of several business groups. The topic was raised on how to handle business entertainment expenses, so I linked to the IRS site, which is pretty clear in explaining rules to avoid a tax audit. Although tax season has passed for many of us, it's good to be on our best behaviour year-round.
IRS RESOURCES FOR HANDLING ENTERTAINMENT EXPENSES
1. Publication 463 (2006), Travel, Entertainment, Gift, and Car Expenses. This is the comprehensive resource that covers the entire gamut of deductions that can often lead to an audit. 2. Publication 512 on Business and entertainment expenses. Explains that expenses must … (5 comments)
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deeinaustin: Leadership Essay: Painting With Passion - 09/09/07 02:21 AM
I was accepted to an extraordinary group called Leadership Austin. They nurture current and future leaders who serve the public. As part of the 9-month class commitment, we were asked to write a This I Believe essay, which are 300-500 word stories that convey what you believe about the world and what your values are. Learn more about these essays at the This I Believe website.
Allow me to share my essay.
PAINTING WITH PASSION
As a child, I pictured the world as a canvas that God created. Each person had a pencil to draw their paths so they can connect to each … (4 comments)
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deeinaustin: TexasRealtyBlog Favorite: How to Spot Mortgage Fraud - 09/06/07 09:16 AM
You'd be surprised at some of the clever ways that you can become involved in a fraudulent transaction without your knowledge. Knowledgeable or not, if you're involved in fraud, you may still pay for the wrongdoing.
EXAMPLES OF MORTGAGE FRAUD
Fraudulent appraisals. The lender may be in cahoots with the appraiser, so ask sellers or buyers to sit back and let them inflate the price of the home. Sometimes selling agents are asked to increase the list price in MLS or buyers are asked to "go with the flow" on how much they will offer on the home. Silent … (0 comments)
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Dee Copeland, Principal Broker
Austin,
TX
More about me…
Copeland Group Realty
Address: 6800 Westgate blvd, Austin, TX, 78745
Office Phone: (512) 697-9140
Cell Phone: (512) 784-4704
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