austin real estate: The Benefits of Buying Real Estate in a Bad Neighborhood - 08/07/07 11:12 AM
When people call me, typically one of the first requests they make is for a house in a "nice" neighborhood. And this makes sense to want a neighborhood that is safe and enjoyable. But there are some benefits to buying real estate in the rough part of town or on the wrong side of the tracks. This article highlights some of them.
- There is less worry of your neighborhood going downhill because it is already downhill. Good neighborhoods can get bad and bad neighborhoods can get better. Since the price usually reflects the current condition, buying in a neighborhood … (3 comments)

austin real estate: Myths About Realtors - 07/30/07 06:21 AM
Myth #1: They have big hair. Fact: Though occasionally realtors do have big hair, most are regular people who get up in the morning just like you do, and go to work just like you do. Many realtors, in fact, are going bald due to stress related hair loss. Same with the fancy dagger-shaped manicures—in actuality, many realtors have bitten their nails down to nubs.
Myth #2: Realtors are descended from dragons. Fact: While some realtors may indeed have spotty pasts, they all have human parents. Though they may seem bloodthirsty and greedy on the surface, it helps to remember … (4 comments)

austin real estate: How much does Rain affect your Business - 07/27/07 11:18 AM
So had more rain in June than typical in Austin Texas. When the numbers came in for the month of June we saw alot less sales for the Austin Real Estate market. This was similar to January. In January we had a few snow days which lowered our numbers as well. Anyway I was wondering if other people have seen similar trends in their real estate market. What weather has the strongest effect on your market. What has a positive impact what has a negative impact.
Ki Gray works in Austin Texas and runs a website about the Austin Real … (0 comments)

austin real estate: Apple Leasing more Austin Real Estate - 07/22/07 03:21 PM
Unless you live under a rock (or have Tivo [and hate commercials]), you know the Apple ads, with the Mac-a cool guy who seems so nice you could bring him home to Mom, and the PC-a nerdy guy who's bitter about not being as hip, and can't even begin hide it. And with the ipod and the new iphone (don't have one? How do you still live? I ask myself this question every day), chances are you are very aware of Apple Computers and their products.
Well, I‘ve got good news. Apple Computers, the "hippest" computer manufacturer out there is … (0 comments)

austin real estate: What to Look For in a Condo Conversion - 07/20/07 08:51 PM
When you’re thinking about investing in an apartment that’s been renovated into a condo, there are several things to look for. A conversion isn’t as simple as it may seem on the surface—a lot of work (or lack there of) goes into making a place that was once leased out into a permanent home.
1)Common Space Many apartment complexes are designed for working people who commute—students who come home at night for school, dayshift employees who return to their rented one- bedroom in the evenings—thus many apartment areas don’t have a well kept common area. If you buy a condo … (1 comments)

austin real estate: Austin Real Estate Stats through June Released - 07/20/07 06:10 PM
I compiled the average prices for different neighborhoods in the central Austin area. For the most part the prices are continuing to go up. The compiled stats are located here Austin Neighborhood Prices. The price per square foot increased in 20 of the 23 neighborhoods we looked at. So overall central Austin continues to do well. Ki Gray works as a realtor and runs a site covering the Austin Real Estate market. … (2 comments)

austin real estate: Clients that don't want to fly in and see the Property before Purchasing. - 07/19/07 07:55 PM
So we currently have some clients that don't want to fly in and see the properties. We have repeatedly said we thought it would be better for them to fly in and see the property before they purchase it. This seems like a problem. Its not just whether they will like the house but also if they will like the neighborhood. Their are alot of different neighborhoods in Austin. We have taken alot of pictures but as everyone knows its different when someone sees a house and a neighborhood in person.
Anyway I was wondering if anyone has any advice … (4 comments)

austin real estate: Finding your Maximum House Price - 07/17/07 07:28 AM
When someone decides to buy a house, one of the first tasks is to talk to a lender and determine the maximum loan they can get. The max loan will determine the cap on real estate prices for that the buyer. There’s lots of calculators out there that will help determine this.
But what if you want to have a certain payment per month and you want to know what the max house price would be for that payment? For example, you are renting at $800 per month right now, and you could deal with a couple hundred more per … (3 comments)

austin real estate: 100 or More Days on the Market - Why is this House on the Market for so long? - 07/15/07 07:47 PM
A common question that Buyers ask is how long a house is on the market. If it is too long, interest is lost quickly. It is a natural reaction to not be interested in something that no one else is interested in. The natural assumption is that there must be something majorly wrong with the home. But there are many reasons why a house has been on the market for a while.
A very common reason is that the home was originally listed to high. When a home is first on the market, it will get a large amount of … (5 comments)

austin real estate: Now is not a good or bad time to buy Real Estate - 07/15/07 09:26 AM
People always ask me if this is a good time to buy real estate.  Or they ask me if now is a bad time to buy real estate.  I have the same answer for both questions:  I don't know.  More importantly, I don't care. 
Don’t get me wrong—if you’re buying a property and plan to flip it in a few months, then the current direction of the market is very relevant.  But if you’re buying a house to live in its less important.
Ok, wait—let me explain that.  I’ve been in real estate a long time, and have made … (0 comments)

austin real estate: Million dollar houses in Austin - 07/14/07 03:54 PM
So I have been noticing alot more million dollar houses for sale and selling in the Austin Real Estate market. I decided to run some stats to see what I came up with. So here is what I found.
2004 - 152 houses
2005 - 213 houses
2006 - 341 houses
2007 - 181 houses

It pretty interesting we have almost had as many million dollar Austin homes sold so far in 2006 as sold for the entire year in 2007. Alot of this trend is coming from more and more people from the east cost moving to Austin … (1 comments)

austin real estate: Top 8 things to avoid in the Real Estate Agent you choose to list your Home - 07/07/07 08:47 AM
1 *Agents that are rude. Sellers often pick these agents under the mistaken impression that it will benefit them because they have a "tough agent". But in most real estate markets, other agents typically don't want to deal with them and are less likely to show their listings. Additionally, when buyers run into a rude listing agent, they are more inclined to come away with a negative impression of the property.
2 *Agents that make it more difficult to show their listings. In most states agents, can put a lockbox on a house. Some agents in these states will put … (4 comments)

austin real estate: Lawsuits flying around over Walmart's Austin Real Estate plans - 07/06/07 11:53 AM
So a little backstory. Walmart decided to open a store in Austin. Not just a normal Walmart but one of the new mega 2 story Walmarts. At the time the information became public knowledge Walmart told residents that the real estate plan was already approved and that their was nothing anyone could do to stop it.
After some digging neighbors found that the correct approval process based on Austin city code was not followed. So last week the first lawsuit was filed by RG4N against the city of Austin. RG4N is a community group formed to fight Walmart's proposed plan … (1 comments)

austin real estate: Ninja vs Realtor - 07/03/07 06:57 PM
I'm a Realtor. I wanted to be a ninja. If you are currently deciding about whether to pursue a career as a Realtor or a ninja I have written a comparision. I have never been a ninja or know any ninjas. But that won't stop me from writing a review. If you were a ninja you could stop me but you're probably not.

Accessories:
Ninja - Ninjas have throwing darts. They have wierd bamboo poles they fight with. I even saw a ninja use his hair as a weapon.
Realtor - Realtors have PDAs. If you threw it … (5 comments)

austin real estate: A Guide to Buying your first rental property and becoming a landlord - 06/27/07 06:34 AM
As long as the bio is included anyone is free to repost this list. When you are buying your first rental property and becoming a landlord, there is lots to learn. How do I find tenants? What should I charge for rent? Should I update the places to get more rent? How do I tell the tenants they are late on rent?
I have read a lot about how you have rule with an iron fist to keep your tenants in line. Our philosophy is much more laid back, and it has worked out amazingly well for us. Every property … (0 comments)

austin real estate: 7 Reasons to use a Real Estate Agent - 06/26/07 10:48 PM
As long as the bio is included anyone is free to repost this list.
Some people choose to use a real estate agent and some people choose to go it alone. One thing I have noticed over the years is that a number of seasoned investors looking in a new city will seek out a good agent while novice investors will frequently go it alone. I have even had a number of successful real estate agents seek out my help when they are moving to our city. Why do some of these seasoned investors choose to work with an agent? … (6 comments)

austin real estate: A Guide to Going Bankrupt in Real Estate!!! - 06/20/07 05:45 AM
As long as credit is given anyone is free to repost this article anywhere.
There have been a lot of books and late night infomercials on how to become rich through real estate. Apparently, you can become rich overnight. Neat. But, no one has really written a good guide on how to go bankrupt. Sure everyone is doing it, but how can you get in on the action.
First, watch the late night infomercials on TV. And possibly order some real estate tapes from Carlton Sheets. This will provide you with a positive upbeat attitude and a sense of … (3 comments)

austin real estate: Austin underestimates budget and is 27.5 million in the hole - 05/22/07 01:16 PM
Apparently someone at the city underestimated the 2008 budget.   Although the revenue increased it looks like the increased cost and the lowered Austin real estate taxes will put Austin in the hole by 27.5 million for 2008.  The city might end up raising property taxes for 2008.  Considering the city portion of property taxes in Austin are 1/5 of the total tax bill and school taxes are set to be lowered the overall tax bill might still go down.  Additionally, since most people wound not notice an increase in the real estate tax rate because other taxes are being lowered is another … (0 comments)

austin real estate: A new 1.5 billion dollar mini Austin - 04/24/07 05:50 AM
So there are plans to create a 1.5 billion dollar mini Austin.  A film studio is looking at buying 683 acres and building a film studio with space for other creative ventures like music and television production.  This will be surrounding by houses where residents will sign off on having their houses filmed in productions. 
A new development in the works for East Austin Real Estate
… (1 comments)

austin real estate: Holding off on putting in an offer on a property you like - 04/08/07 06:39 PM
 I have a firm policy that I dont compete with my clients.  If I find a property that I am interested in I ask any clients that are interested in the area if they are interested in property.  I tell them it looks pretty interesting and seems like a good deal.  If they are interested that is the end of the story.  If they say they are not interested I tell them I am interested and again ask them if they are interested because I dont compete with my clients.  Generally I am pretty happy with this policy.
I have a few … (2 comments)