Curb Appeal

We often focus on the inside of a home when planning to sell it and forget about the outside. Curb appeal gives a buyer a first impression, not only of your home — but also of you. To a buyer, a well kept home on the outside tends to reflect pride of ownership on the inside. Whether or not the assumption is true, is irrelevant when you are selling your home. You may never get a second chance to make first impression.

When we live for awhile in the same space, we often become blind, deaf and well, sometimes even dumb. How many times have you walked around that overgrown bush that has taken over your walkway, instead of just trimming it back? How often do you look at the weeds in your planting beds and try to convince yourself they are wild flowers? We all do it to varying degrees, so here are some reminders of things that need tending to when you are going to sell your home — clean the gutters, weed and mulch planting beds, cut back bushes, paint or power wash if the house looks dirty.

Sellers worry about the foyer in the entry, because in their minds it is the first thing a buyer will see. The truth is that the first thing a buyer sees is the front lawn.

Flooring has a Fashion Season

When I bought my first home way back in 1993, I installed hardwood floors. My options were pretty basic, so it was an easy choice, simple traditional oak floors that would match the aesthetic of my 1929 built home. Oh how 18 years have changed the options for hardwood flooring. Now we have engineered hardwood, a greater selection of green materials, exotics and colors galore. We have a variety of textures to choose from and sheens as well, making the selection not only overwhelming, but somewhat confusing, since not all of these newer woods hold up the same over time.

Sometimes we remodel because we want to and other times it is because we have to. Foundation repair may require drilling through those hardwood floors, dishwashers leak or at some point we decide to replace the carpet in bedrooms with wood. It’s important to note that flooring whether  wood, tile or even carpet goes in and out of style these days just like clothing. Matching up flooring becomes a nearly impossible task, so plan ahead. Buy extra tile and wood flooring, so if disaster strikes, you have some backup. My clients picked a home last year, purely because it was original. From the bathroom sink to the tile floors, it was mid-century modern throughout and it was being sold by the owners who built it. The house failed the static test which required the plumbers to go in through the 1965 tile flooring in order to fix the leak. It was so wonderful that the owners had planned ahead and had two extra boxes of the original tile, which really saved the aesthetic of the house. So, when you think about flooring, think ahead it may save you some grief and money in the future.

The Power of Wow

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Every house needs a wow factor. As a listing agent, I try to highlight one when marketing a home to appeal to buyers. Buyers often have their own wow factor when touring a home as it can be a personal thing. A wow factor can be anything: an island kitchen, hand scraped floors, even a great price can turn a buyer’s head. I was in Driftwood two months ago and the neighboring house has an outdoor fireplace that was amazing. My clients and I just stood there and said “wow” in unison.

Austin area real estate is unique in that the hill country landscape adds some natural wow factors.  City, hillside and lake views all add an additional backdrop to many of the homes here.

A wow factor puts the exclamation point on a home and really sells it. Do you know what’s really interesting though? Rarely does the wow factor translate over the internet. You might be in like over the internet, but you won’t be in love until you see it in person. Even when price is the wow factor, it is often hard to see what might appeal to you over the internet.

Subdivisions by the Numbers

How many homes are for sale in an Austin subdivision near you?  What are the median list prices?  Let’s explore some random subdivisions look at the numbers.  Note these numbers are by specific subdivision name, not by local market area.  There may certainly be more homes available nearby. 

When Austin real estate buyers are looking in a general area, like Spicewood or Northwest Hills, I typically set up a map search.  Older neighborhoods are made up of many micro-subdivisions as the land was and is developed. 

The subdivision list below is random.  It will give you an overall idea of what to expect in terms of available inventory and price points.  If there is a particular subdivision or neighborhood you would like me to highlight in the future, please ask.

 Milwood

Number of homes for sale                       57        

Median List Price                                   $187,500          

Where is Austin?                                   North

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Hot Rods Hit SoCo

Last weekend, South Congress Avenue was once again transported back in time for the 10th Annual Lonestar Round Up.  The event brings visitors from all over world, and hot rods, classic and custom cars from all over the country.

The SoCo area in Austin, already exuding a 50’s vibe, becomes a hot spot as car enthusiasts line the streets to view the cars and take in some live music.

SoCo Real Estate Market

Let’s take a look around the SoCo area of South Congress, which will include the Travis Heights and Bouldin areas.

The picture shows a ½ mile radius setting Doc’s Bar & Grill and Jo’s in the middle.  There are currently 14 homes for sale.  Available houses for purchase in this area range in age from 90 years to newly built.  List prices range from a $299,000 for a tear down/needs TLC, to $717,500 for new construction.  Average time on the market, is currently 77 days.

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

  

Eanes ISD: The Tale of 3 Cities

Available homes in the City of West Lake Hills

The Eanes Independent School District is currently comprised of 9 schools in the West Lake Hills area.  The Eanes district is known for its consistent exemplary status, which is the highest designation awarded in the State of Texas.   When most people think of Eanes, they think of the City of West Lake Hills.  The City of West Lake Hills is indeed in the Eanes district, as well as the City of Rollingwood, but an even larger portion of the district is in the City of Austin.

Currently, there are 224 single family houses for sale in Eanes ISD.  The City of West Lake Hills has 25 within the city limits, and the City of Austin has the remaining 199.  There are only 29 condos available for purchase in Eanes ISD and all are in Austin. (see maps to see general areas, I can only put 100 homes on a map, which is why there are 2 for the City of Austin.)

Looking by zip code?  There are 70 homes in Eanes ISD available for purchase in the 78733 zip code and 154 in 78746.  All of zip code 78733 is in the City of Austin which is on the west side of 360 (Capital of Texas Highway).

first 100 Available homes in Eanes in the City of Austin

Why haven’t I mentioned the City of Rollingwood?  Rollingwood is very small, so the inventory of available properties is always low.  I typically recommend buyers widen their search to include the City of West Lake Hills, if they are considering Rollingwood.

When considering looking in Eanes ISD, it is important to consider location to points of interest and distance to work.  As you can see from the pictures it covers a bit of ground which can mean an extra 20 minutes in commuting time depending on your destination.

second 100 available homes in Eanes in the City of Austin

Zilker Kite Festival

The Zilker Park Kite Festival celebrated its 83rd year Sunday with little wind, but plenty of fun.  The South Austin event has the honor of being the longest continuous kite festival in the United States.  Thousands turned out for a beautiful day at the park, which proves to be yet another reminder of the wonderful city we live in.

Let’s take a look at the Zilker Park area real estate market, for those who live close enough to walk or bike to the park.

Local Austin Market Data

There are 82 houses actively for sale within a 1.5 mile radius of Zilker Park, which includes part of 4 different market areas.  All of the homes are in the City of Austin, with the exception of one which is in the City of Westlake Hills.  List prices range from $225,000 to $8.9 million.  The median time these homes have been on the market is 52 days and the median price is $537,400.

The same 1.5 mile radius has 114 condominiums actively available for purchase.  That number includes everything designated as a condo, whether it a duplex style, or tower like Spring Condominiums.  Active list prices here range anywhere from $124,900 to $4.9 million.  The median time on the market for a condo in the 1.5 mile radius surrounding Zilker Park is currently 59 days.

Zilker Park is located at 2100 Barton Springs Road and encompasses 351 acres.