Monthly Archives: December 2010

It’s $3,000 carpet – not a $3 lipstick

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Home Colors vs. Personal Colors

Pantone has announced its color for 2011.  It’s Honeysuckle and you will see it everywhere. Here in Austin, I have seen great color schemes in homes, and of course, I have seen some poor choices.   Home color choices are not like clothing and makeup. With personal color choices you are working with individual skin tone.   Different colors and hues will complement your natural beauty.  Different colors enhance different people.  Personal color choices are also very temporary.

House colors are different, because they tend to be more universal in appeal.   If you are selling your home, the color scheme needs to appeal to the masses.   House colors affect our inner senses.   When done right, they inspire and relax.   When done wrong, they can enhance stress levels or depress you.   Choosing a color can be a long term commitment and investment, so neutral colors span the test of time.

Color your Home Happy

So, what are the rules for coloring your home?   The #1 rule is the simplest to follow – pick your palette from nature.   Green is a very soothing color to the eye.  It is relaxing.   That’s why actors are placed in ‘green rooms’, before they take the stage on a talk show.   A soft yellow is another great color to incorporate into a home. It is bright and cheerful.  Follow an Autumnal color palette, which appeals to all.  Think of browns and greens with touches of gold, yellow and red.

Buyers want a Blank Canvas


Can you use a bold color in your home? Sure, but use it sparingly.  It is often best to test a color, with a bedspread, pillows or even artwork.  See if you can ‘live’ with it, before committing to it with a slightly more permanent fixture.  Understand if you do plan to go with the honeysuckle carpet, be prepared to change it to a more neutral color before selling your home.  It will be hard for most buyers to see past the color and many will not want the task of re-carpeting after the purchase.  Bold color choices not only affect time on the market, but may affect your sales price as well.

Austin Market by Zip Code

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Some people know Austin areas by name; others know them by zip code.  Looking at market data by zip code gives you an overall snapshot of how an area is performing.  Understand there are a variety of factors within a zip code that will affect how different subdivisions and neighborhoods perform.  Some subdivisions are near the lake, while others are near a major roadway.  Factors like walk ability and proximity to a park or a school, can affect market performance within a particular zip code.

Taking a look at market data by zip code does give us a good overview of how different areas of Austin are performing.  It also helps us capture all of the data in a particular area.  Certain locations like Travis Heights and Tarrytown are comprised of dozens of micro-subdivisions.  So, looking at market data by zip code gives us a snapshot of overall performance.

Be mindful that price will affect the size of the buyer pool for a particular market.  A higher priced market area naturally has less buyers who can afford the homes there.  The result means longer time on the market.

Austin by the Numbers

78759 (North West: includes Great Hills)
Number of Active homes on the market:            98
Number of Sold homes in the past 90 days:       73                   
Median Current Listing Price:                           $345,975

78746 (West Lake Hills Area)
Number of Active homes on the market:            158
Number of Sold homes in the past 90 days:       56       
Median Current Listing Price:                            $1,172,000

78703 (Central:  includes Tarrytown, Pemberton)
Number of Active homes on the market:            126
Number of Sold homes in the past 90 days:       43                   
Median Current Listing Price:                           $599,450

78757 (Central:  includes Crestview)
Number of Active homes on the market:            90
Number of Sold homes in the past 90 days:       51                   
Median Current Listing Price:                            $247,250

78702 (East: includes just east of Downtown)
Number of Active homes on the market:            107
Number of Sold homes in the past 90 days:       22                   
Median Current Listing Price:                           $209,900

78749 (South:  includes Circle C Ranch and Western Oaks)
Number of Active homes on the market:            99
Number of Sold homes in the past 90 days:       74                   
Median Current Listing Price:                          $234,975

I support local Austin; after all, I think it’s only neighborly.

Doreen Zelma
REALTOR, GRI
E: doreen@SupportLocalAustin.com
W: www.SupportLocalAustin.com
T: 512-761-0567