Texas Realty Blog

Living in Austin...You're in a Great Place

I'm finally getting used to the move to South Austin. I've been in Austin since 1999, so have had ample time to live in various parts of the city. A very cool realization that every area I've lived in Austin is a great place to live.

Far South Austin. Far South Austin and South Austin are great areas. They're growing, so retail shops and nice, new communities are popping up everywhere. Just this week, the huge Southpark Meadows shopping area opened their Cinemark Movie Theater.

East Austin. East is one of the most diverse and up-and-coming areas in Austin. I love East Austin and am glad it's growing. Hip, cool condos are on the way as well as the Mueller Austin master-planned community.

North Austin. North Austin used to be THE area for relocating families or great shopping. It's still very cool. The Arboretum shopping area has now been overshadowed by The Domain as the best outdoor shopping in North/Northwest Austin.

University of Texas/Campus Area. UT area is a great place that helps "Keep Austin Weird". There are some great eclectic shops like Toy Joy and restaurants like Tapioca House or Kerbey Lane Cafe.

Downtown Austin. Downtown Austin has been growing towards a more residential area. Years ago, you'd only come to downtown to party, work or go to a convention. Now, we have the Amli and other residential towers and condos.

I'm proud to be in Austin and plan to be here for a while. Moving soon? Reduce the trauma!

Your House May Look Like a Mullet

I was driving from the office and noticed a nice-looking businessman walking in our parking lot. He was distinguished, with short gray hair. Then, it happened. He turned his head and I saw...a mullet. I was shocked. I'd thought mullet haircuts were long gone and that the mullet pioneers had faded away into extinction.

The younger generations may not remember this fascinating hairstyle that both men and women sported in the late 80s/early 90s. Hallmarks of the mullet were short, cropped front and sides with longer hair in the back. I have to be honest and say I took a double-take, then vowed to somehow weave this encounter into a blog about real estate.

THE WAY OF THE MULLET...

The reason I like the mullet is because of the notion that it's "all business in the front, party in the back." If you think about it, I'd pre-judged the gentleman in our parking lot as a "businessman" because of the way he looked.

Buyers judge houses the same way. If your house is boring and plain in the front, it doesn't matter what's inside or in the back yard. On the contrary, if your house looks "all business" in the front and the back is a mess, that can shock someone and disappoint.

If you understand and internalize the way of the mullet, you understand their shock value, then make sure your home speaks to the right buyer.

Contact a home stager for additional help setting the stage before your next home sale.

Read all about: The mullet (haircut) at Wikipedia

Does Generation Y Scare Your Agent?

A friend of mine was in the grocery store this past Mother's Day weekend. A young lady who appeared in her late teens had a blank envelope with a stamp on it. She was confused and seemed as if she needed help. She held up the envelope and asked, "Where do I put the address on this? I haven't had to send a letter before".

Just then, he realized it. He's out of touch with the "new generation". He's a Generation X-er, but already, we're not as hip and cool as Generation Y. In combination with this blow to our psyche, I'd been realizing that I'm behind on a few real estate internet trends. I'm an avid blogger, but started feeling as dated as a cassette tape.

Real Estate Industry Should Be "Anti-Competitive"

  By DeeinAustin™

I was speaking with an agent who moved to Austin from Dallas. She marveled at how open and sharing my fellow Keller Williams Realty agents are here in Austin. I recently held several classes for agents to share our insights, resources, tools and ideas about how they can improve their business.

On the contrary, the nature of real estate business in larger cities like Dallas or Houston and at other brokerages can be different, as there isn't much sharing due to the fact that 90% of agents view each other as "competition". This may be why the real estate industry is sometimes held in a bad light.

SAGE BUSINESS ADVICE FROM ATOP THE "SOAP BOX"

I believe sharing in the real estate industry sparks creativity and inspires change. Business owners, agents and brokers are not all the same.

Clean Energy Summit Looks for Bright GREEN Ideas from Austin

I'm not one who likes to lose. I was pretty disappointed to see that Austin was not on Forbes American's Greenest City, but we won where it counts with GreenGuide's Top Green Cities in the U.S. for 2006.

Now Austin is really stepping it up by hosting the Clean Energy Venture Summit this week. The purpose of the summit is to be a sounding board for more clean energy ideas around the topics of green building, clean transportation and Infrastructure.

Take a look at the schedule: Clean Energy Venture Summit 2007.

Check out Austin's rankings and spot on lists as one of the "best place to live", "most innovative cities", etc.

Gotcha Guide™: Real Estate Matchmaking, Finding the right agent

NOTE: This information is part of a forthcoming book, the Gotcha Guide™ to Buying and Investing in Real Estate.  
by DeeinAustin™

I'm a moderator at REIclub.com,so am often asked for advice on the real estate industry or working with real estate agents.

First, finding a great real estate agent isn't any harder (or easier) than finding the best doctor or lawyer. Each agent has their own personality, systems, tools, background, lifestyle, expertise and advanced education that may be better suited for your situation or needs. Second, be picky!

A great agent will often become your friend, confidant, advisor and resource. Some people spend more time choosing new socks than finding an agent.

HOW TO FIND YOUR REAL ESTATE AGENT SOUL-MATE

1. Network for referrals. Treat buying or selling a property like a business. Know where you spend most of your time, then ask others for referrals. Good places include houses of worship, after-school activities, volunteer organizations, your place of work, circle of friends, non-profits you support, investment clubs, recreational clubs, etc.
2. Choose a market specialist. Who are the listing agents in your area? Who sends flyers and postcards? Who is sponsoring your neighborhood events and newsletters? Even though these can bug you when you don't need to buy or sell a home, these people are supporting a healthy neighborhood economy. Interview them to find their expertise, such as investments, listings, relocations, etc.
3. Avoid working with a generalist. In real estate, one size does not fit all. I may get backlash over this, but any agent who says they work ALL areas and work ALL client types will not be as skilled in a niche as someone who devotes 50% or greater of their effort with a particular focus.
4. Work with an agent who buys what they sell. If you want to invest, get an agent who invests. If you want to buy a resort property, get an agent who has purchased a resort property. Would you trust a stock broker who doesn't invest in stocks?

Remember: the bottom line is whether you LIKE and TRUST this person. A lifetime of experience is meaningless when you are not valued by your real estate agent. Once you find the right agent, help support their business by sending referrals since they typically comprise 50-80% of their client base.

Read more: What's the difference between a REALTOR, broker, agent, etc. What do you think? Agree or disagree? What's the best way to find an agent that's right for you?

Weekend Events: PodCamp Nerd Conference Coming to San Antonio May 19

Hello. My name is Dee...and I am a nerd. I've been a nerd for many years. I blame my condition on my parents and the internet.

You may be well aware that I like Macs, gadgets, blogging and all things geek. On the top of my geek "to do" list is the upcoming Podcast Camp in my home town of San Antonio, Texas. You may ask, "What should one expect at a podcast gathering, besides extremely interesting people?"

According to my internet sources (the event website), this FREE conference will provide ample opportunity for Margaritas as well as discussions on video blogging, audio and video podcasting as well as blogging. As real estate blogging, video blogging, and podcasting become more prevalent in the industry, I imagine I'll see more enthusiastic real estate agents and brokers at these events.

Even if you aren't a geek, maybe you can show up to enjoy the Riverwalk and do other site-seeing in San Antonio.

Read more and register today: PodCamp Community UnConferences / PodCampSanAntonio.

San Antonio Launches Hispanic Homebuyer Assistance Center

I was just discussing how much I miss speaking Spanish since moving from San Antonio to Austin years ago. Although Texas has a large Hispanic population, smaller cities like Austin seem to have a smaller multicultural population.

We have great programs here in Austin that target the Hispanic market, but it looks like San Antonio is making great strides in providing services to the Hispanic home buyers.

The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) opened a new office in San Antonio to help Hispanic consumers wade through the mortgage process and, hopefully, prevent more homebuyers from facing foreclosure.

LULAC officials say millions of families nationwide will lose their homes through foreclosure this year and sub-prime lending is a major culprit. About 40 percent of these homeowners are expected to be Hispanic homeowners.

Read more: LULAC opens new San Antonio homebuyer assistance center

Treat Yourself to Texas-sized Amusement

I just realized today that we all need to relax. Wars, gas prices, tragedies at schools and real estate busts; it's all too much for a country to handle. Not to make light of these serious situations, but each day can be more intense unless we make a conscious effort to enjoy our lives.

Besides eating bar-b-que or fried stuff and having the best real estate market in the country, Texas has many fun attractions to entertain your entire family (or business partners). A good site to visit is AllAcrossTexas.com, which lists theme parks, attractions, zoos, wineries, water parks, etc.

Here's just a few links to help you relax in Texas:

• SixFlags theme parks in Arlington or San Antonio.
• Visit a Texas state park.
• Keep cool at a water park.
• Go on an adventure vacation in Texas.

The earlier you plan, the better. The Texas heatwave will be pretty intense in July and August.

Link: Texas Amusement Parks, Water Parks and Zoos....Texas Travel.

Read more about the Texas economy.

Gotcha Guide™: Condo Conversions, Let's not lose money on these

NOTE: This information is part of a forthcoming book, the Gotcha Guide™ to Buying and Investing in Real Estate.
by DeeinAustin™

I had a great conversation yesterday about condo conversions in Austin. Our market is so hot that more developers and buyers are deciding to purchase multifamily units of 2-4 units to convert them to condos. While this is generally a good strategy in the right market, buyers need to be careful.

I read some articles today about the markets in California and Arizona, where condo conversions were once very high. Once the market dropped, buyers of converted units became unhappy with the fact that many of their neighbors were now renters.

Condo conversions can be a win/win for a buyer and seller, but they can also be a headache. Here are some tips for making condo conversion a winning deal:

1. Choose the right area. This is key! Work with a market expert who can help you determine if all signs point to a good area thats ripe for new condos.
2. Know the city development guidelines. Austin is a tough area to build in, but have a developer assistance department that will help you hash our your idea before you get started. Houston is different and has no zoning, so you can almost do whatever you want, where you want.
3. Know the market. Have you chosen the right area for the conversion? Are there any new projects coming on the market that you should know about? How fast will your unit sell?
4. Buy right. You need to buy well enough and have a back up plan in case you cannot convert or there's a problem that will cause you to lose money should you continue with your plan. Some areas will hold their appreciation even if the market slows.

THE #1 TIP FOR BUYING A CONVERTED CONDO: Be happy with your purchase even if your neighbors change! Some things will change, but your location, the price you paid and the local amenities will not.

The golden rule for buying anything is to be satisfied when you buy instead of hoping for payoff when you sell.

Link: Early Buyers Feel Condo Conversion Sting.

-All Rights Reserved.