They Won the Contract! - 03/30/09 08:52 PM
In a previous blog
Competing Offers in This Market?!
I wrote about my buyers having to compete for  a house. It's hard to believe that is the case in this market but it did happen. and as a follow up - the good news is that their offer was accepted. No, they didn't offer full price but apparently the other offer was much lower. I'm happy for my buyers and in no time this young family will be settled into their new home.
Robin Scott, Broker. Certified Residential Specialist, Accredited Buyer's Representative, Seller's Representative Specialist. Amelia Bullock Realtors. 512.589.7988.
… (5 comments)

The House Was Overpriced - 03/27/09 09:46 PM
I love buyers and even my daughter and son-in-law are thinking of buying a home because it's such a great time with prices and interest rates down. They decided to look at for-sale-by-owner (FSBO) listings as well as those in the multiple listing service system (MLS) and found something on craigslist that looked intriguing.
A buyer may still have representation through a REALTOR buyers agent even when buying a FSBO. The REALTOR will call the homeowner to schedule a showing and confirm with the home seller that they are cooperating with REALTORS and paying the buyers agents commission. I've never had … (2 comments)

Why Didn't She Call Me First? - 03/27/09 09:07 PM
This afternoon I had a call from the daughter of a past client. She had responded to an ad on craigslist for a home advertised for sale by an agent who was not the listing agent. The daughter met with the agent and didn't feel as though the agent was working in her best interest or knew what she was doing. After thinking it over, the daughter decided to call me.
That's great! I think I have a new buyer. She knows me and trusts me. But why was she calling someone she didn't know from craigslist?
that's a mystery yet … (3 comments)

Competing Offers in This Market?! - 03/27/09 08:47 PM
What's a buyer to do?
Yes, it's true. I had sent the offer to my buyers so they could sign the offer and as we were on the phone discussing it, the other REALTOR called to say she had another offer coming in. Wow!  Did I see that coming? Yes I did.
The house my buyers have their heart set on is owned by a REALTOR and in the popular community of Avery Ranch. When it comes to selling a house, a REALTOR knows what he/she is doing. This house was very clean, beautifully staged and priced RIGHT. It had only … (4 comments)

It Scared the Cat and Me Too. - 03/25/09 06:47 PM
Oh the weathermen are all in a tizzy. It hailed! This is a picture of our deck littered with leaves from the beating the trees took as they were pummeled with hail. I've lived in Austin for 22 years and although it does hail here, I've never seen a size larger than a pea. This hail was about 1 inch in diameter. And it was making such a sharp noise as it struck the kitchen window, I was afraid the window would break. Our Cat started yeowling but the hail didn't last long. Time for a new roof.
 

Robin … (0 comments)

Bluebonnets - The Texas State Flower - 03/23/09 09:50 PM
It's wild flower season in Texas. The Bluebonnets cover large expanses of land and are the Texas State flower. Many people from Texas believe it is against the law to pick a Bluebonnet but that is not true. The law is against stopping on the state highway to pick Bluebonnets.
Lady Bird Johnson loved Texas and was responsible for many wonderful things our state has to offer and especially in the Austin area. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is dedicated to educating people about the environmental necessity, economic value, and natural beauty of native plants. Anytime is a great time … (1 comments)

Crime Reports for Austin Area - 03/23/09 09:42 AM
Often buyers ask me about crime in the areas in which they are interested. REALTORS are not allowed to provide crime information but we can provide the resources where you may find the information yourself. Below are links for Austin and Round Rock crime information.
AUSTINYou may search by geographic boundaries, neighborhood associations, police districts, zip codes, and more through an interactive mapping program provided by the Austin Police Department.
ROUND ROCKPolice activity reports issued by the Round Rock Police Department.
CEDAR PARKThe Cedar park police department link also has a link to community information.
 
 

Robin Scott, Broker. … (0 comments)

It was a Funny Coincidence and I Was Glad to See Her - 03/20/09 10:23 PM
Did she come from my Active Rain blogging, my great Web site or any of the other extensive marketing I do? She doesn't remember but a couple of weeks ago, I got a call from a member of our wonderful REALTOR community in NC. She told me that her daughter and husband were in the market to buy a home and wondered if I would be available to help them. You betcha!
I started working with the daughter and husband. Great people focused and sure of what they want. After a few days the daughter told me  about a funny coincidence. … (7 comments)

Austin Home Sellers and Agents Must Know. . . - 03/18/09 12:20 PM
About the Austin Energy Efficiency Ordinance. In Austin, we love our city and green is a popular concept here. The new energy efficiency ordinance is intended to move Austin along the path of GREEN as a whole community. Keep in mind that this does not apply to those of us living in Round Rock, Pflugerville or Kyle. Just Austin residents.
Effective date is June 1, 2009.
Under the new ordinance, home sellers will be required to obtain an energy audit and disclose those findings in the required seller's disclosure.
This ordinance applies to homeowners in the Austin city limits and those … (1 comments)

You can walk away from your home, but not your problems!! - 03/17/09 09:13 AM
 
Mike said it best in a recent blog about about the financial responsibility of purchasing a house and the consequences of a short sale. It may be too late for some but moving forward, remember when you purchase a house you are signing legally binding agreements. Make sure you can honor them.
 
Via Mike Sher (Real Estate One):
Often, sellers think that sending house keys to bank will satisfy their obligation.  It will not.  When the borrower closed their loan they signed two documents; first, "A Note" which is a promise to pay and second "The Mortgage" offering the home … (0 comments)

ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL LEASE - 03/16/09 09:05 PM
I love to help people find homes. Especially my firends. When A and R  told me that they wanted to move I was thrilled to be able to help. We found a great house with large rooms that was close to a large park. My clients are getting married this summer and next year plan to buy a house. Enjoy the home A and R!

Robin Scott, Broker. Certified Residential Specialist, Accredited Buyer's Representative, Seller's Representative Specialist. Amelia Bullock Realtors. 512.589.7988.
… (1 comments)

IT WAS HILARIOUS! - 03/14/09 07:04 PM

Last night we went to see Monty Python's Spamalot and had the best time. It was hilarious! I'm not a Monty Python follower and wasn't expecting it to be so good but it was. Everything from the story, set design, singing, costumes, dancing and just plain silliness was great. If you get a chance and want to laugh, be sure to go. Oh, also it stared Richard Chamberlin! For those of you from the '60's he was Dr. Kildare, from the '70s and '80's he starred in TheThornbirds and Shogun.
 

Robin Scott, Broker. Certified Residential Specialist, Accredited Buyer's … (2 comments)

6 Tips for a Greener Home - 03/14/09 06:32 PM
Here are some quick, easy and inexpensive ways to make your home greener.
1. Look for the Energy Star. The federal government has a program that rates the energy efficiency of products. Choosing these products may lead to a significant savings in energy and expenses.
2. Switch to CFL. Compact florescent light bulbs (CFL) use up to 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs. Replacing incandescent bulbs with CFL wherever possible will make a huge difference. Yes, I know they cost more but we replaced all of our bulbs and our electric bill went down $50 a month. It was well worth … (2 comments)

Understand the Absorption Rate - 03/13/09 01:18 PM
 
Only a limited number of properties will sell in any market and the absorption rate will give you an idea of what your chances are. This calculation will tell you how many months it may take to sell your home and here is how it works:
In your market area
DETERMINE HOW MANY HOUSE SOLD IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS
DIVIDE THE SOLDS BY 12 (12months) and THAT WILL TELL YOU HOW MANY HOMES SELL IN A MONTH (ABSORPTION RATE)
DETERMINE HOW MANY ACTIVE LISTING ARE ON THE MARKET
DIVIDE THE NUMBER OF ACTIVES BY THE MONTHLY ABSORPTION RATE AND … (54 comments)

Remodeling Report - 03/13/09 09:26 AM
You should be happy in your own home so if you want to update, upgrade, remodel, add on or redecorate, enjoy the results.
It's sometimes necessary to make improvements if you are planning on selling a house so that you will be competitive in the market. When it comes to making decisions about which improvements to make, you should consult a REALTOR because REALTORS are in the market place every day and know what buyers want and what they will pay.
According to a study by Remodeling magazine, exterior home projects bring the biggest return on investment.
80% of costs are … (0 comments)

A Look at Homebuyers - 03/11/09 10:32 AM
The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) is an authority with information I love to pass on to my buyers and sellers. They research all aspects of buying and selling real estate to best help REALTORS® and consumers. The 2008 information that NAR HAS PROVIDED shows:
41% of homes sales were by first-time homebuyers
30 is the average age of a first-time homebuyers
$60,000 is the average income of a first-time homebuyers
$165,000 is the average price paid by a first-time homebuyers
10 years was the average length of time a first-time homebuyers planned stayed in their home
4% was the average … (0 comments)

Don't You Love Statistics - Where do You call Home? - 03/10/09 09:56 PM
Did you know that 4 in 10 people have never left the town in which they were born? According to a survey by the Pew Research Center, most people move for economic opportunity and those that don't make their choice based on family and other connections.
3/4 of college graduates move at least once.
38% of Americans surveyed don't call their current habitat home
26% consider "home" the place where they were born
22% call home the place where they currently live
18% call home the place they lived the longest
15% call home where their family originated
4% call home … (0 comments)

BUYERS WANT TO KNOW . . . - 03/07/09 09:35 PM
Must I sign the buyer's representation agreement? YES! It's in your best interest to sign an agreement with your REALTOR® because it insures that the agent is working for you and not the seller. It commits you to the REALTOR® and the REALTOR® to you.
In Texas, the Texas Real Estate Commission provides a disclosure called "Information About Brokerage Services" which agents are required to present at the first face-to-face meeting with a buyer or seller. It explains brokerage options and the last paragraph says "If you choose to have a broker represent you, you should enter into a written agreement … (1 comments)

My first blog with a Subscribe Button - 03/05/09 03:59 PM
Whew! I didn't realize it would be so hard to figure out - even with instructions. I want to thank Glenn Sanford for his post that made it more simple than any of the other lengthy blogs I tried and failed to understand. Thank you Glenn Sanford.
 
 

Robin Scott, Broker. Certified Residential Specialist, Accredited Buyer's Representative, Seller's Representative Specialist. Amelia Bullock Realtors. 512.589.7988.
 
 
… (7 comments)

What Texas Buyers and Sellers Are Thinking - 03/03/09 11:13 AM
The 2008 Texas Profile of Homebuyers and Sellers conducted by the National Association of REALTORS® is based on 510 responses from Texas buyers who purchased between July 2007 and June 2008 and from those buyers who had also sold a home revealed some very interesting information about homebuyers and sellers in Texas.
32 is the average age of first-time homebuyers
$69,200 is the median income of first-time homebuyers
16% of homebuyers are single women
7% of homebuyers are single men
66% of homebuyers said they would definitely use the same agent again
44% said that commuting costs were very important
89% … (1 comments)

Austin REALTORS Are Members of Austin Board of REALTORS (ABOR) - 03/02/09 09:23 AM
To be a REALTOR®, real estate agents must be members of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). Did you know that REALTOR® is a trademark term coined by NAR.
When you are a member of NAR you swear by a higher code of ethics and are also a member of you state affiliate (Texas Association of REALTORS®) and you local affiliate, ABOR. The Austin board of REALTORS® was founded in 1926 and provides members with business resources, legislative representation,educational opportunities, networking opportunities and industry related products. ABOR's membership is over 8,500.
ABOR's MLS is a membership tool that was first introduced … (0 comments)

The Open House Was a Success - 03/02/09 08:56 AM
Yesterday I held an open house at my favorite listing, 1204 W. 43rd. and 9 groups of people came to see it. What a success! I advertised heavily online but all of the visitors came from the signs I posted. the best part was the positive feedback everyone provided. I heard wonderful comments like, they liked the floor, the bathrooms were beautiful, the slate backsplash in the kitchen was a hit and no one complained about the 3 stories. Thanks to everyone who came to visit.
For more information and photos about this house visit Robin Scott and select "featured listings."
… (2 comments)

 
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Robin Scott - Broker CRS ABR SRS Austin Texas REALTOR®

Austin, TX

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Robin Scott, REALTOR®

Address: 7515 Windrush Dr., Austin, Tx , 78729

Office Phone: (512) 589-7988

Cell Phone: (512) 589-7988

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