Category Archives: Home Selling

The Best Time to Sell a Home in Austin

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Cottages at NorthwoodsIt’s that time of year again when homeowners start to question whether to sell now or wait. The answer lies in the advantage for each individual seller.  If the goal is to sell for the highest price, that number is determined by what the market will bare.  Remember the real estate market when you are selling is centered around the price, condition and location of the home in question. 

Where Homes are Selling in the Austin

The only thing that matters is how the market specific to that home is moving.  If there are a lot of similiar homes currently on the market (competition), then it may best to wait.  If there is hardly any inventory out there, you are in a good position to sell now.  Waiting for more competition to hit the market doesn’t make much sense when you ideally want scarcity.

The Holiday Season has Ready, Willing and Able Buyers in Austin for Ready and Willing Sellers

The holiday season is upon us and if that means to a potential seller that friends and family are coming every weekend making it hard to show the house – wait until January.  After all, it is hard to sell a home that can’t be shown. If a seller is not ready and willing to sell a home, it is best not to introduce potential buyers to it prematurely.

The Best Time to Sell a Home in Austin

We don’t have magic potion to predict the future.  What a specific real estate market is going to look like for any particular seller in January or even April is dependent on what the competition looks like at that particular time.  The market now, combined with the owner’s willingness to show it during the holidays, will help determine whether it is the right time to sell.

Home Sold in Shiloh l South Austin 78745

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Shiloh Austin, TXJust sold in the Shiloh neighborhood in South Austin. Sweet single story charmer on a tree lined street lets the sunshine in. Great layout offers: Large living room with fireplace, plenty of  cabinetry and sprawling granite counters in kitchen, separate dining area, with access to outdoor deck and fenced in backyard.

2716 Cameron Loop, Austin Texas 78745

2716 Cameron Loop features 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and a 2 car-garage. Extra details
include silestone counters in baths, laminate and tile flooring throughout along
with surround sound.

Shiloh South Austin 78745

2716 Cameron Loop was built in 1982 and is just under 1,400 square feet. 2716
Cameron Loop is located zip code 78745, in the popular South Austin neighborhood
called Shiloh, with a park located across the street.

Changes in Closing Timeline

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DollarsFall is here. Leaves and wardrobes are starting to change and closings are too. New rules from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, going into effect October 3rd, will change your closing timeline. These changes are happening on the federal level, not just in Texas.

Know Before You Owe

Two forms, the Truth in Lending Disclosure and the Good Faith Estimate, that every current home owner is familiar with will be replaced. The Loan Estimate will replace the Good Faith Estimate and initial Truth in Lending disclosure and must be given within 3 days after receipt of the loan application.

The Closing Disclosure replaces the HUD-1 and final Truth in Lending Disclosure and must be given to home buyers 3 business days before the closing. For example, if the closing is on a Friday, the borrower will need to have the Closing disclosure by Tuesday.

A business day is considered every calendar day except Sundays and 10 specific public holidays. With a few exceptions, changes can be made to the Closing Disclosure without triggering another 3-day mandatory timeline prior to closing.

New rules do not apply if a loan application is submitted prior to October 3rd.

Closing Timeline now 45 days

Lenders and title companies cannot implement the new forms into their business practices until they are mandatory on October 3rd. Like any change, the beginning may be a little bumpy when the new deadlines take affect. In order to keep closings on track and avoid delays, it has been encouraged that buyers and sellers allow for a 45 day closing timeline. Contracts will be written with closing dates 45 days out instead of the standard 30 days we are accustomed to in Texas. Remember, closings are set to happen on or before to date in the contract, so if everyone is in compliance with the mandatory timelines we may be able to move the date up and close sooner. For now though, after October 3rd, closing timelines will be 45 days with few exceptions.  The changes are directed toward the lender and mortgage timeline.  Cash buyers would be an exception along with a few other specific loan programs.

May the Chi be with You

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zenTake a look at the dining room table you never use, the toys on the floor or maybe the pile of dishes in the sink. Clutter, for many people, can induce stress and is often the source when you can’t quite put a finger on what is bothering you. Understanding some basic principles of Feng Shui can help bring you and your home back into balance. A stress free home is not only important for every homeowner, but it is important to a potential buyer as well. A happy home is easier to sell.

Feng Shui Principles when Selling a Home

Chi is energy. Star Wars fans may identify more with the idea of The Force. The energy that binds the galaxy together is the chi that flows through us and our homes. When our chi is blocked, energy is zapped and we feel sad. Houses are no different than living beings when it comes to chi. When chi is constantly flowing through our homes – we feel good. That is why we often feel better after cleaning them. Clutter blocks chi, which is why we feel suffocated when it starts to build up.

Buyers pick up on positive and negative chi very quickly. When the energy is good, they immediately light up even if the house is not exactly a match. On the flip side, when the energy is bad, buyers either can’t wait to leave or start picking the house apart.

Home Selling Tips

If you are just trying to feel more at harmony with your home, sometimes a good cleaning is all you need. That cleaning also includes a certain level of decluttering. Everything on that dining room table needs to go to its proper home, papers need to be filed and everything lining the stairs needs to go to the second floor. If you are selling a home, it is time to take things to the next level. You have all seen the TV shows – it’s time to keep it, sell it, toss it or donate it. Don’t move things you don’t want and don’t shove them in the closet either.

Good Chi in Homes

When selling, living space needs to have good chi and closets do as well. Buyers want to open closets and feel like there is room. When a closet is disorganized and stuffed to the max – the buyer’s brain says “there is no room in here for my things.” Garages and cabinets need to be organized too. If you want to keep things, but know your house is overstuffed, renting self-storage space may help. You can often rent climate controlled space for just a few months until closing on a new home. You may not need a very large space and can cram things in to your heart’s content.

Giving a home space to breathe will help you do so as well. The positive chi will flow, which will not only make you feel good, but feel good to be home.

The Reality of Remodeling

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remodel HGTV is powerful. I cannot even begin to tell you how many homeowners I speak to who got an idea to attempt a do-it-yourself project as a result of watching a home makeover show. If you are chuckling on the inside, it may be because you are one of them. I use the word ‘attempt’, because while these shows inspire and educate, they also tend to make projects seem simpler than they are.

Reality TV Shows vs. Remodeling in the Real World

Remember, it’s an 10 hour project shown in 30 minutes. TV shows have the power to edit and often have a team completing the handiwork behind the scenes. It’s a reality show, just like any other.  I laugh on the inside and try not to show my angst on the outside when I go on a listing appointment with those who lost their drive on a remodel. The results range from unfinished faux painted walls, tile put in place that was never grouted and crown molding that doesn’t completely go around the ceiling. All of these unfinished projects are going to affect the sales price of your home.

It is easier to sell a dated home that is fully functioning and completed, than a home that seems to stop mid sentence. To a buyer, the project needs to be finished. I often have to change the perception of the seller, to see these things with buyers’ eyes, because after a while the seller doesn’t see the projects anymore. They have been living with them for so long; they just tend to blend into the background.

Do-it-yourself Projects

Many home supply stores offer classes on do-it-yourself projects. I often recommend someone take one before making a decision to start a project. We are all good at something, but certainly not good at everything. Have a reality check with yourself when you are watching those reality shows. Get a real education on what’s involved with a do-it-yourself project, before you begin one.

It’s Always Spring In Austin

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photo by S. Nascimento

photo by
S. Nascimento

The notion that spring is the prime real estate season to buy and sell a home in Austin has not proven itself to be true in the last few years. There is so little inventory in the greater Austin area that fall buyers are becoming winter buyers, winter buyers are being pushed into the spring season and so-on. New buyers are entering the market all of the time and because existing buyers have not purchased a house yet, they don’t leave the market. In a balanced market buyers and sellers are flowing in and out of the market as inventory constantly turns over. The inventory of buyers right now, largely outweighs the inventory of homes.

Multiple Offers in Austin

When a house for sale receives multiple offers, there can only be one buyer. That buyer is not only relieved that the search is over, but truly feels like a winner. The rest of the buyers go back into the market pool and wait for the next home to try again. The lack of inventory has created an influx of buyers that stay in the market while new buyers are entering it. I get emailed lists of buyer needs daily from agents looking for homes for active buyers. They have seen everything available and are waiting for new choices.

Moving to Austin

There are some areas of Austin that will get an even bigger boost of buyers this spring and summer along with a little more inventory, because some buyers and sellers are driven to move based on the school year calendar.  Additional inventory would have to radically outweigh the number of buyers, which most likely will not happen. The seller’s market in Austin will continue to be a year round event until a change in economic conditions forces a shift.

Austin is a Global Market for Buyers

In real estate, we talk about the perfect marriage of price, condition and location to sell a home. When all 3 factors are in line with one another, buyers will come and a home will sell. Buyers are coming from all over the world to Austin because it offers the perfect marriage of price, condition and location for those who wish to call it home. When it comes to real estate, it is always spring in Austin.

1814 Village Oak Court, Austin TX 78704

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1814 Village Oak Ct-MLS_Size-001-Front yardUnder contract but accepting back-up offers, 1814 Village Oak Court in Austin’s trendy 78704 zip code offers an ideal balance of living in a suburban area while enjoying the convenience of an urban lifestyle.

SoLa district in Austin 78704

Austin’s 78704 zip code is home to hot spots like Zilker Park, the ZACH Topfer Theatre, the Long Center and Town Lake Hike & Bike Trail. 1814 Village Oak Court is located in the SoLA district of 78704, where South Lamar local favorites include The Broken Spoke, Alamo Drafthouse Cinema and a variety of retail and eateries.
1814 Village Oak Ct Austin, TX 78704This South Lamar area beauty features a well-balanced floor plan, soaring ceiling in living area, 3-sided fireplace borders living and dining, bonus loft space upstairs perfect for home office, cherry wood floors, cherry cabinets, island kitchen w/ granite counters, masonry siding, 3-sided wood burning fireplace, crown molding, flagstone patio, fenced backyard and no home owner’s association.

1814 Village Oak Court Austin, TX 78704

• 3 bedrooms
• 2.5 baths
• 2,002 sq. ft (tax records)
• Year built: 2004
• 1 car attached garage
• loft/study space
• fenced backyard with flagstone patio and deck
• 2nd floor deck
• cul-de-sac street

ML# 1584727