Category Archives: Home Selling

Pools

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If you did not already know…I teach the Sell a Home class to both new and seasoned agents who join Keller Williams. Last week, I had a student ask me what I do differently when selling homes with pools. I guess the look on my face wasn’t one that my class expected; because ‘POOL’ is literally and can be figuratively a four-letter word in real estate. For Buyers, who want a pool… houses with them are that much easier to sell. Forget the condition of the house– that oasis in the backyard, especially on a hot day kind of sells itself; doesn’t it? After all, they make great sources of entertainment for children and adults alike. They are an instant vacation.

For Sellers, pools can be more of a hindrance than a help. Not everyone wants a pool. In fact, I’ll say 65% of people don’t. Pools cost money and time to maintain. In addition, there are safety concerns for people with small children. They can also take up a lot of yard space.

So, here are my dos and don’ts for pools, for both Buyers and Sellers.

Sellers: Maintain and update your pool. Nobody wants to buy a money pit (literally). If you can switch to saline – do it.

Buyers: If you buy in a subdivision where most homes have a pool…make sure the pool is up-to-date. You want to have one of the better pools in the subdivision. If you want to know how much it costs to maintain a pool and how much you will spend on electric – the answer is – you don’t want a pool! They can be costly and if you are already watching your budget – a pool is going to blow it.

Now, I am not anti-pools. I grew up having one. My experience is that they are great for certain moments in time. But, remember: you will spend more time staring at your pool, then you will spend in it. Once more, pools don’t necessarily add monetary substance. I rarely, factor them into a list price, simply due to the lower buyer pool they attract. So, if you have one….make sure it shines.

Doreen Zelma

Realtor, GRI

Going Green

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After spending some green on my car last week, it was time to get out and see some green; green construction that is. I traveled from Crestview to Buda to see some interesting green building projects.First, let’s talk about Crestview. I got to watch some 5-star green modular condominiums.

Modular construction lends itself to green standards because it produces far less waste then site built homes. That is, of course, only the beginning, from front and back porches to reduce solar heat gain from entering the home, to on-demand (tankless) water heaters, these homes produced by Town Builders, are extremely energy efficient.

In Buda, I went on a tour of Elm Grove Homes, a subdivision built by GreenBuilders, Inc. Like Crestview, these homes have been awarded the city’s 5-Star energy rating. Located right off of 1626, they are convenient to get to, and close to the elementary school. These homes are so green, they even include gutters with rain barrels that capture water that can be used for landscaping. One story and 2 story units are available. Everything I saw was between $220 and $260k.

Both green projects had blown insulation in the roof – not in the attic floor. It is more efficient to ’seal’ the home at the roof line then to allow the heat to enter the attic. It also keeps molds and other allergens from entering the house.

Do you need my services? I support local Austin, after all I think its only neighborly.

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Doreen Zelma

Realtor, GRI

The Unforeseen

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Have you watched The Unforeseen, the 2007 documentary about the development of Barton Springs?  Directed by Laura Dunn, and produced partially by Robert Redford, it a must see for any Austinite or anyone who loves Austin.  

Redford is personally tied to Austin spending most of his childhood here, even learning to swim in Barton Springs Pool.  If you don’t love documentaries, you should at least enjoy the historical footage of Barton Springs, S. Congress Ave and Circle C.  The movie is shown a couple of times a year at the Alamo Drafthouse, but you can rent it through Netflix and probably Blockbuster.

How to Sell It

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I have spent some time in Western Austin.  From West Lake Hills, all the way up to Milwood.  I have to say overall, I am a little disappointed some listing agents and owners aren’t preparing a home as well as they could for sale.  Basic things like replacing the carpeting, touching up nail holes….how about vacuuming?  When you sell your home, it should shine.  If ’shine’ is too much to ask for…how about clean enough for company.  You are going to have company when selling your home. I am calling them company, but they also happen to be your harshest critics.

My top 2 goals as a listing agent, are to sell your home in the shortest amount of time, for the most money possible.  When I’m listing a home, I don’t really care how many homes are on the market.  I just want my listing to shine, so it’s the next one to sell.

Now, I’m not telling you to install $30,000 in granite.  All I am saying is make that Formica the best it can be!

Resale vs. New Construction

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I taught the Buyer Consultation class to new agents this week. When you are buying a home, especially in an area where there is still building going on, you need to be mindful of its resale potential. If you are planning on selling in less than 3 years, you may very well be competing against new construction.

One year young – is not new. You will not be able to price your home equal to a new build, if all other things, like lot location, are equal. This is why certain areas have excess inventory right now. The Resale market is slower in price points in areas where new construction going on. Why buy used, when you can buy new? If your home is listed for resale in these areas, you need to be competitively priced. Its like picking a car off the lot, instead of ordering one.

I always say money has a way of making things disappear. So, maybe you can’t ‘pick your colors’ as with new construction, but if a buyer can save some money on your resale…you may be able to make that existing paint color vanish.

I support local Austin, after all I think its only neighborly.

The Age Wave Theory

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Downsizing; it’s a trend we hear more often then not these days. For those that buy into the concept that living with less, de-cluttering can be good for the soul. For those, that can’t part with the Christmas plates, they haven’t taken out in 15 years, the concept of downsizing is stressful. At some point, there is a natural progression to live on the lighter side.

The most spending, in your life, is done in your 40’s and early 50’s. After that, you start migrating from a spending lifestyle to a saving lifestyle. It means spending less and downsizing. As baby boomers start shifting from this spending to saving mode, downsizing is becoming more apparent. So part of what is happening with our economy has to do with the majority of our population changing their spending habits naturally with age. It is a slow shift that started about a year ago. It’s called the Age Wave Theory, you can Google it for more information.

I support local Austin, after all I think its only neighborly.

Do the Right Thing

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It is now mandatory that all Realtors have their fingerprints taken to obtain my real estate license. I think it’s a good idea overall. Gone are the days of the blue inked mess on a piece of paper though. Now, you role your fingers on a scanning bed and they appear before you on a computer screen.

I also, attended a city wide meeting on fraud. It is amazing how creative people can get, to make something work. Imagine what they could if they used their superpowers for good. Remember, as with anything in life…karma is a boomerang. Try to position yourself with people who do the right thing and tell you what you need to hear – not what you want to hear. There’s a big difference.

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