austin tx real estate: Nominated for the Texas REALTOR Leadership Program - 07/13/17 05:46 PM
I have been a REALTOR for nearly 17 years. I've worn many hats within the Realtor community including Ombudsman, Mediator, and property tax Arbitrator. I also sit on the Professional Standards Committee for the Texas Assocaition of Realtors.  After all this time, I've just been nominated to the Texas Realtors Leadership Program.
It says, "...one of your peers feels that you are in possession of natural leadership qualities, and has nominated you for the Texas REALTOR® Leadership Program!"
I will be required to complete a pre-test personality and leadership assessment. I've taken these type tests before, and during my Mediation classes, I was … (3 comments)

austin tx real estate: Texas is Not Experiencing a Bubble- Gradual Appreciation - 09/17/14 02:10 AM
Is Texas going through a Real Estate Bubble?  My personal opinion is no, we are not.  Take a look at the below graph.

What you see is the real estate pricing of property starting in 2007, when the experts say the recession "hit", through the second quarter of 2014.  The Blue is the United States and the Red is Texas.
This graph almost doesn't need words, but I'll say some. As the rest of the country started to decline in 2007, Texas was still going up a little before leveling off.  At the very end of 2008 into early 2009, … (3 comments)

austin tx real estate: 12324 Paloma Blanca - Del Valle TX 78617 - for sale $145,000 - 09/07/14 10:13 AM
This is a cute little house in Del Valle TX, just SouthEast of Downtown Austin TX.  Welcome home to the inviting front porch where you can meet and great your neighbors and just relax with a glass of iced tea or cup of coffee.


This house has 4 bedrooms and 2 full baths. The master is split from the other three.  The master has a garden tub and separate shower in addition to a walk in closet.

There is plenty of counter space and a great kitchen bar making the floorplan very open for entertaining.


The … (3 comments)

austin tx real estate: Does the Listing Agent Need to Disclose if There are Multiple Offers? - 08/26/14 06:16 AM
If there are multiple offers on a property, does the listing agent have to disclose this information?
The Austin market, in many ways, is a very hot market. There are some people who would disagree, but those people are not currently in the buying world with multiple offers that can go over $50,000 above the asking price.  These areas, for the most part, are in South and East Austin. Most of the suburbs are less competetive, and aren't seeing such drastic over asking offers.
Last year, I wrote about how I sold 14 houses to one couple, and never got paid. … (10 comments)

austin tx real estate: Donna Harris Officially Creates Donna Homes - 08/16/14 11:43 PM
I've known many of you following my blog for years. I apologize for being sporatic with my postings the past couple of years. I'm going to get back to it as I get messages all the time from people asking how I've been.
Many of you know me as Donna Homes because that's what my website address is as well as my email address. Over the years, I've walked into real estate seminars and gatherings and people shout out, "Hey, Donna Homes!"  

Well, after almost 14 years as a Realtor®, I am now the proud owner of Donna Homes, a … (8 comments)

austin tx real estate: Why Don't Agents Listen to What I Want and Show Me Only These Houses? - 09/16/13 02:01 AM
Why don't real estate agents show buyers only the houses they have asked to see? I was reading a real estate forum this weekend, and someone posed this question. He was very upset that the agent he is working with won't send him listings he wants to see, but instead is only sending him listings she thinks he wants to see. He went on to say what he was looking for, and throughout his statements he would put things in parathesise like (but I didn't tell her that) or (she doesn't know this).
My response was "... If you are talking … (10 comments)

austin tx real estate: Where has Donna been? Time off? Working? Kids? - 08/19/13 04:35 AM
Hello everyone! I can't believe it's been over a month since I've written a post. Since I started blogging back in the Summer of 2006, when Activerain started, I have never gone this long without writing something. It was always a way for me to write down my most recent experiences with clients.
It's been a very busy Summer.  I switched Brokers. I've had a ton of closings. And we're gearing up for "Big School" for my daughter.
I took this Summer to balance work and life and spent a lot of time in between my clients to watch my kiddos … (13 comments)

austin tx real estate: Stainless Steel Appliances or Something New? Ice White by Whirlpool - 05/29/13 12:34 PM
I have a buyer coming in from California next week and we were talking about the differences in what you get in what price point out here in Austin. He's looking in a lower end price point and was curious why that wouldn't come with stainless steel appliances.  Stainless is still for the middle and higher end homes during new construction. If someone has updated their home, you might see stainless, but you'll usually see black.
I was reading somewhere that Whirlpool is coming out with a new "white" appliance package. It's called "Ice White". It's a new look to white … (49 comments)

austin tx real estate: 4617 South 1st Street - Austin TX 78745 - 4 beds on Over 1/3 Acres - 05/28/13 06:06 AM
What a great listing this is on South 1st Street in popular 78745 area of South Austin.
 

This is a 4 bedroom, 2 bath house. It sits on more than 1/3 acrea. The backyard property line is a wet-weather stream. Many trees throughout for added shade, privacy, and character to the home.
Some updates inside are Hardwoods, Tile, and Custom Maple Cabinets.
Come on by and bring an offer!
**Are You Packed Yet?**

Donna Harris, REALTOR®
Regent Property Group
www.DonnaHomes.com
Donna@DonnaHomes.com
austin-texas-homes-for-sale.com
Austin TX Real Estate
and the surrounding areas of Lakeway, Bee Cave, West Lake Hills, Cedar Park, Round Rock, Spicewood, Circle-C, … (3 comments)

austin tx real estate: Will I Be Welcomed in Austin? - 03/25/13 04:57 AM
Will I be welcomed in Austin?  This is a very common question I read over and over again on a particular Real Estate Q & A Forum I visit.
I'm from New Jersey, will I be welcomed in Austin?  I'm from Montana, will I be welcomed in Austin? I'm married with 5 kids... I'm Gay... I'm Polish... I'm Agnostic...
Austin is made up of a mix of everything. Between 2000 and 2010, Austin grew 37%. Where do you think those people came from? You would be very hardpressed to actually find an "Austinite" in casual passing with someone. Austin has become … (4 comments)

austin tx real estate: Donna Harris RE/MAX Realtor - Austin Texas Real Estate - Top 1% Viewed - 03/21/13 12:13 AM

 
**Are You Packed Yet?**

Donna Harris, REALTOR®
RE/MAX Austin Skyline
www.DonnaHomes.com
Donna@DonnaHomes.com
austin-texas-homes-for-sale.com
Austin TX Real Estate
and the surrounding areas of Lakeway, Bee Cave, West Lake Hills, Cedar Park, Round Rock, Spicewood, Circle-C, Steiner Ranch, and everywhere in between... Hill Country Austin TX Real Estate and beyond. Whether you're buying or selling an Austin home, I'll be with you every step of the way. 
For real time Austin TX listings,click here.
** Multi-Million Dollar Producer Year after Year **
Copyright© 2013 By Donna Harris, All Rights Reserved. You may re-blog with links back to this post.
* Donna Harris RE/MAX Realtor … (6 comments)

austin tx real estate: Real Estate is a Game where you're Only Successful if you WIN - 02/21/13 02:23 AM
A few months ago, I had a buyer who submitted an offer on a property. There were multiple offers and we were told to submit "best and final". After some thinking, the buyer increased his offer a little. He won. He was excited, per se, but he was also disappointed. His reaction, "I knew I offered too much!"
What?
And I've also had a buyer (actually, many buyers) who was told for her "best and final" and in the end did not get the house because other offers were higher. She was also disappointed.
In both scnenarios, the buyers were disappointed...
(35 comments)

austin tx real estate: Should I get Licensed Just to Sell my Own House and Save Money? - 02/18/13 09:49 AM
A couple of months ago, I was asked if it was worth getting a real estate license to sell your own house.  The short answer? NO!
This person's theory was they had a $500k house and commissions would be upwards of $30,000. What this person wasn't thinking about was that fee is, in some way, split with a buyer's agent who brings a buyer to her, so say that number goes to $15,000.
Now, to get licensed, you have to spend about $1000 to take the courses for the licensing exam. You have to spend a couple more just to register … (30 comments)

austin tx real estate: Avery Ranch House for Lease - 3 Beds and Gameroom - Austin TX - 11/28/12 04:40 AM
Avery Ranch House for Lease. Avery Ranch is in Far North Austin in the 78717 zip code, just East of 183. This Avery Ranch home will be available for move-in on December 15 for $1695 a month.

This property is for the pickiest of tenants. It's barely lived in and in excellent condition.
The Kitchen features a Gas stove, Microwave, & Center Island, open to the main Dining area with lots of natural light.

2 living & 2 dining areas with 3 Bedrooms upstairs and the Gameroom.


Utility Rm is upstairs for easy access. Master features a … (2 comments)

austin tx real estate: Austin Rocks! Austin Ranks #1 For Places to Be - 6.1% Economic Growth - 11/26/12 03:57 AM
Texas is the Place to Be!  Yes, it's true, according to a new report out by Forbes Magazine. Texas holds 3 of the top 5 fastest growing cities in the country.
Yep, you guessed it, AUSTIN tops the list!!  Austin Texas has a projected economic growth rate of 6.1% through the year 2016 with a population BOOM of 2.8%. Where are all these people going to live? Just another reason why there are so many new construction communities in the area, especially in the faster growing areas of Austin suburbs.
Three hours north is the Second on the list, Dallas Fort … (2 comments)

austin tx real estate: The Art of the Multiple Offer Situation - 11/13/12 04:39 AM
Writing an offer on a house for sale in Austin Texas is an Art. If you're working with the wrong agent, you might lose out on the house of your dreams. Why is that? Offers aren't just about the price, but about terms as well.
For example, take a house listed at $300,000. Comparable sales are looked at, and the house is priced very competetively at that $300,000. Because of that, there are multiple offers.  YIKES!
As a Home Buyer in the Austin Texas real estate market, you really want that house as you've seen a couple of others and you … (13 comments)

austin tx real estate: My Job Has a Longer Description Than Your Job! - 11/03/12 03:33 AM
You do Your Job and I'll Do My Job!
This is something I was told during a recent transaction. I had told the lender to not order the appraisal until after the inspection period was over. I always tell lenders this because I don't want the buyers' appraisal money to be used if they decide to back out after the inspections.  The day before inspections, the lender confirms the appraisal was ordered. WHAT?!  Why would you do that.
He starts asking the buyer if they would back out, and they kept saying they weren't sure because they didn't have inspections yet. … (12 comments)

austin tx real estate: Austin Chamber of Commerce- 3rd Annual State of Transportation Meeting - 09/26/12 04:38 AM
Many people who are "from" Austin think that "If you don't build it, they won't come."  If you've ever driven around Austin TX and the surrouding areas, you know what that means. The Highway Infrastructure is abysmal.  It's worse than abysmal.  Because of that, you have people who think "Is Traffic Congestion Stalling Austin's Future? "  I don't think so because there are still too many corporate companies and people relocating to Austin TX everyday and every year, but it is creating a lot more complaining with more cars on the roads.
With the mass amounts of people moving here, the … (4 comments)

austin tx real estate: Austin Real Estate - 21% Increase in Sales Year Over Year 2012 - 09/25/12 04:51 AM
Austin TX Real Estate is having a great year! Prices are going up. Days on the Market are going down. Inventory is going down. Demand is going up. Rates are low and buyers are buying. Can that be said in every market across the Country? Can that be said in every market across Texas? No, as real estate is local. Real Estate is not the same in every market.
For August 2012, there were 7262 Active Listings on the market. In August 2011, there were 8705 Active Listings on the market. That's about a 17% decrease in inventory. Did we have … (4 comments)

austin tx real estate: Springfield HOA - 6640 Marble Creek Loop - Austin 78747 House for Sale - 08/22/12 06:02 AM
House for Sale in SouthEast Austin in Springfield. It's located a couple of miles East of I-35 and just South of William Cannon.

6640 Marble Creek Loop - Austin - TX - 78747 - $117,900
This house has 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, 2 car garage, has been well cared for and is move-in ready! Open Floorplan with a Large Family Room.


The Island Kitchen features a Smooth Top stainless steel cooktop. Large walk-in Pantry with Utility Room.The Dining area is large enough for an oversized table and has a sitting ledge, great for reading by the … (0 comments)

 
Donna Harris, Realtor,Mediator,Ombudsman,Property Tax Arbitrator (Donna Homes, powered by JPAR - TexasRealEstateMediationServices.com)

Donna Harris

Realtor,Mediator,Ombudsman,Property Tax Arbitrator

Austin, TX

More about me…

Donna Homes, powered by JPAR - TexasRealEstateMediationServices.com

Address: 5113 Southwest Pkwy #140, Austin, TX, 78735

Office: (512) 592-7127



This blog is to help educate Buyers, Sellers and even other Realtors across the country.  Each market is different and the way Real Estate is done is different.  Austin Real Estate is completely different than Dallas, California and Florida and everywhere else in between.  Some times there will be other things besides real estate as I like to rant and rave as much as the next!!  Come back often!


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