buying a home: Another Successful closing - Congratulations Vicki - 12/05/11 02:02 PM

Congratulations to Vicki and Daughters on your home purchase in Cedar Park.
In a survey, here is what Vicki had to say:
Rating: 10 Comments: "This was the first home purchase that I have made on my own. Robin Scott was informative, took me through this process step by step, listened to my needs and worked for me as the buyer's agent. I was able to purchase the house that I needed at the price that I could afford. I would recommend her as an outstanding agent."  
HOME FOR LEASE IN MILWWOD FOR ONLY $1300/month
This is a … (0 comments)

buying a home: Advice for Home Buyers - 10/19/11 12:07 PM
After recent changes in the mortage insudtry, it's become more important than ever to be prepared when you apply for a mortgage loan and occasionally I find a buyer who has "no credit" and therefore cannot qualify.
What does "no credit" mean? One method mortgage companies use to determine a buyers credit worthiness is to run a credit report from the 3 major credit reporting agencies. If a person pays everything in cash and does not have a current mortgage, car loan or credit card, there will be no information on that person and it will show "no credit."
How can … (1 comments)

buying a home: Buyers Are Buying Larger Homes - 10/27/10 02:14 PM
Now that's what I'm talking about! For years I've been reading that the homebuyer is downsizing and that has not been my experience. Possibly in dense communities with high home prices like New York City, people were down sizing so they could move to an afordable property but here in Austin, Texas I see people looking at homes larger than previous surveys have shown.
According to a 2009 survey from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development buyers want bigger homes. Apparently statistics have changed a lot since the '70's and why not - that was 40 years ago. So, … (3 comments)

buying a home: We Found Something She Liked - 07/05/09 10:24 AM
 One of the things that make my job so fulfilling is when I help a seller sell their home and a buyer find something they want.
As an Accredited Buyer's Representative in the Austin area, I relocate a lot of people and recently I had the pleasure of helping Shirely find a new home. When we first started the process, Shirley was living in corporate housing having unexpectedly been offered a job that required her immediate relocation. She wasn't sure whether to lease an apartment for 6 months or buy something. She wanted to move quickly. Corporate housing was verytemporary.
One … (2 comments)

buying a home: Another Successful Closing - Kelly and Jim - 05/18/09 04:25 PM
Kelly and Jim are moving today into their beautiful home in Avery Ranch. It was an easy decision for them to make when they chose this home because it was clean, beautiful maintained and in a neighborhood with great amenities plus an easy commute to work for them both.
Here is an added story for my friends Dale and Frank and any other of you who are Vets: We were the first offer in but in the end there were 5 offers on this house. During the final walk-thru, Jim asked the seller why they had chosen his offer. The answer … (2 comments)

buying a home: Understanding How Homeownership is a Good Return on Your Money - 04/17/09 09:41 AM
Often I have a conversation with home buyers about the return on their money related to homeownership and it's such an important computation for prospective homeowners to understand so here is some valuable information to help you determine if buying a home is a good investment.
According to the National Association of REALTORS a homes value appreciation average 4.5% annually. That's sounds like an acceptable rate of return but it gets even better. Since you are unlikely to be paying cash for your home the actual investment is the amount of money you invest (your downpayment.) To explain in simplified terms … (3 comments)

buying a home: On the Fence About Purchasing a Home? - 04/05/09 09:24 PM
This is your opportunity to take advantage of some positive situations in the real estate market.
First, there is a lot of inventory from which to choose has driven down the price of homes.
Second, interest rates are very low and your REALTOR® will be able to refer you to a reputable mortgage lender.
Third, the first-time homebuyer tax credit which provides a tax credit up to $8,000.Basically this credit applies to anyone who has not purchased a home in the last 3 years, is purchasing a personal residence, lives in the home  for 3 years,  is equal to 10% of … (0 comments)

buying a home: Lead-Based Paint and Your Home - 04/02/09 11:26 AM
Prior to 1978, latex paint didn't exist and we didn't know that lead-based paint was hazardous to your health. Now that we know, any home built before 1978 must disclose upon sale the possibility of lead-based paint.
The federal government has made it all very easy for us by providing an Addendum for Seller's Disclosure of Information on Lead-based Paint which must be signed by the buyer and seller previous to the sales contract and the pamphlet Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home  published by the EPA which explains how lead can get into your body, what harm it … (0 comments)

buying a home: 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)

buying a home: Interesting Statistics on Consumers Confidence in Housing - 01/09/09 11:31 AM
I love to quote National Association of Realtors (NAR) statistics to my clients because they are so absolute and a recent NAR survey showed some interesting results from questions asked regarding consumer confidence in the housing market.
Even though 2008 was a challenging year in real estate and home prices have continued to fall in some areas, the number of consumers who reported having concerns about housing affordability fell to 39% which is the lowest in the last 6 years and down from 48% in 2007.
The NAR 2008 Housing Pulse survey showed that 85% of Americans still believe purchasing a … (0 comments)

buying a home: Sales Incentives for Buyers - 01/07/09 05:20 PM
According to a customer satisfaction study of homebuilder conducted by J.D.Power and Associates, 92% of new home buyers say they received a sales incentive for making their new home purchase. The incentives includes reduced pricing and credit towards upgrades or closing costs averaging $16,500.
Although 75% of the buyers say the builder did not identify their home as a "green home," 28% believed their home to be environmentally friendly. The features in the home that buyers felt were environmentally beneficial were energy-efficient air and heating, energy-saving appliances, lighting and windows.
If you are considering purchasing new construction and taking advantage of … (0 comments)

buying a home: ABR Membership Pays Off - 12/17/08 10:21 PM
This is the second time I've been sent a referral from another Realtor because of my ABR designation and membership. How great is that! Yesterday a Realtor from Ft. Collins called with a relocation referral and told me he found me in the ABR directory. My new buyer is coming to Austin next month to find a house and I'm looking forward to showing my Ft. Collins connection what a great job I can do for him and his referrals.
Buying a home is a big commitment and having a REALTOR  who has demonstrated advanced education and experience helping home buyers … (5 comments)

buying a home: Every Time I Do a Walk-thru on New construction I Feel It's Important to Remind Buyer's - 12/10/08 08:01 AM
That this is not a home inspection and that they should also hire a licensed, independent home inspector to check out the house. My latest buyers just did their walk-thru and it went pretty well. The builders representative walks through the house with tape marking every cosmetic flaw anyone finds and turning the lights on to make sure they all work. This is not an inspection and should not be regarded as one.
A professional inspector examines all working parts of the house from the temperature of the oven to the condition of the roof. Even new construction should have an … (1 comments)

buying a home: AVERY RANCH - Market Statistics for November - 12/04/08 07:31 AM
Avery Ranch is a large diverse home development and there is a lot of inventory available from which to choose. It's a great time to buy in the area because it's a buyer's market and interest rates are low. Here are the basic market statistics forAvery Ranch for the month of November:
AVERY RANCH
Currently active - 89
Sold - 12 Average price per sq.ft. - $100.72 Average sales price - $276,908 Average days on market - 76
If you are interested in buying a home, call me to find out how I can help you. 512.589.7988
Robin Scott, Broker. Certified … (0 comments)

buying a home: 10 Myths From First-time Homebuyers - 11/06/08 06:50 PM
This is a  list  intended to set first-time homebuyers straight about myths circulating about the real estate industry.
Myth 1. All real estate agents are the same. Of course not. Some agents have more experience than others and some are Accredited Buyer's Representatives who have demonstrated a special interest in helping buyer's through increased buyer education and experience to achieve this designation.
Myth 2. The agent on the for sale sign can help. The agent on the for sale sign is representing the seller. Not you. The seller pays a buyer's agents commission so take advantage of the opportunity to have … (0 comments)

buying a home: TIPS FOR FINDING THE RIGHT HOME - 11/05/08 08:56 AM
House hunting can be a big project so here are some tips to make it easier:
1. Get pre-approved through a lender. This will enable you to search for a home and neighborhood within your financial means. You don't need to commit to a lender at this point but it's helpful to know what you can afford, what your out-of-pocket expenses will be and what kind of monthly payment you may expect
2. Make some decisions before you start. Determine what features you want in a home, ie 1 or 2 story, master up or down, number of bedrooms, square footage. … (0 comments)

buying a home: Do You wonder why You would Need a Realtor When You Are Purchasing New Construction? - 10/25/08 06:06 PM
Oh, let me count the ways.
First of all, it's important to remember that the friendly salesman in the model home represents the builder not YOU.
Then, perhaps you think that the builder will give you a better deal if they don't have to pay the Realtors commission but did it ever occur to you that an experienced Realtor may be able to get you a better deal with the builder than you could get on your own without your agent.
And most important is having someone available who can separate the inaccuracies, misunderstandings and incorrect information.
Here are some examples:
… (1 comments)

buying a home: Which Home Did They Pick? Home #4 - 10/25/08 05:20 PM
Yes, they first picted home #2 but it had gone under contract the evening before we called, then to home #3 but the builder wouldn't negotiate with us (can you believe it?) so we found house #4.

House #4, built by Gehan, a local builder, who met all of our requests and my buyer's should be in their new home by November 20. The buyer's are happy, the Gehan representative is happy and I'm happy.
Robin Scott, Broker. Certified Residential Specialist, Accredited Buyer's Representative, Seller's Representative Specialist.
… (0 comments)

buying a home: MILWOOD MARKET STATISTICS - September - 10/07/08 04:48 PM
The Milwood area can easily be divided by Mcneil Rd as those properties south or north of McNeil so I've divided the market statistics as such. This information is compiled from Austin Board of Realtors MLS. It is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
MILWOOD - south of McNeil Rd.
Currently Active - 19 between $110,000 - $224,750
Pending - 5 between $114,900 - $229,900
SOLD in September - 4 between $156,000-$193,000
Average days on market before being sold is 47
 
MILWOOD - north of McNeil Rd.
Currently Active - 40 between $134,532 - $280,000
Pending - 9 between $199,000 - … (0 comments)

buying a home: AVERY RANCH - New Home Builders - 09/23/08 10:03 AM
Avery Ranch, Austin, Texas builders include: DR Horton, Dress, Gehan, Meritage, Morrison, Partners in Building, Pulte, Ryland and Wilshire. Prices range from the $150,000 to $800,000. There are single family homes as well as condominiums and garden homes.
Remember, the friendly sales person in the model home office represents the builder, not you. there are a number of great home builders still actively building in Avery Ranch and the model homes are fun to go into. If you are shopping be sure to take your REALTOR. A REALTOR represents your best interests and is experienced negotiating with builders reps, plus has … (0 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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