Author Archives: Doreen Zelma, REALTOR

About Doreen Zelma, REALTOR

Doreen Zelma, Broker Associate, GRI, CLRA with Sky Realty, serving the Austin Round Rock MSA and Central Texas for 17 years.

Turning Projects into Home Improvements

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kitchen floorsThe last month in Austin has been a little crazy for many people. School is out which means graduations, graduation parties and vacations. Memorial Day weekend and Father’s Day lend themselves more to backyard barbeques then house hunting. Austin also hosted the X Games.

South and Central Austin Home Finds

I have been spending quite a bit of time in South and Central Austin with buyers looking for homes, specifically Circle C Ranch, Hyde Park and just south of South Park Meadows. I’ve seen some of great laminate that looks so much like wood you can’t tell the difference and really nice stained concrete; both great – low maintenance alternatives to wood and tile.

Turning a Project into a Home Improvement before Selling

I’ve also seen a few unfinished projects. We have all been there. We start projects with the best intentions full of excitement and a tank of energy. Home improvement projects vary from installing new flooring, to replacing windows or even repairing a water leak. Whether it is a do-it yourself project or professional remodel there are typically things left undone when the project is over. Quarter-round molding, a ceiling or even window sills may need to be repainted.

I know, I know – those new floors look great and you are tired, wanting the furniture back in place and your life back. I get it, but finishing the project completely is like putting a ‘period’ on the end of a sentence. Buyers are looking in the now, they do not know the history of the stress and aggravation you endured getting the project done. The Seller sees the beautiful windows and the buyer sees that the windows need to be painted. To the Seller, it is almost done but to the buyer the project is just starting.

When you run out of steam, the best thing to do is hire a handyman. The truth is most people run out of steam when the project is about 90% complete. Having a handyman come in a finish the job with make the project go away and allow prospective buyers to appreciate your hard work for the masterpiece it is.

Lakeview and Lakefront Homes for Sale in Austin

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viewSome of my clients are looking for lakefront property or at the very least, one with a lake view. Austin waterfront homes are scarce simply due to the limited real estate available that surrounds the lake. What can limit the search even further is the intended use one expects to gain by owning waterfront property.

Homes Near the Lake in Austin Texas

Lakefront homes do not always mean easy access to the lake. Even direct access can vary from walking across a lawn to descending a steep flight of stairs. Maybe you want to have a boat docked in the water or the potential to have one. All of these are points to consider including the biggest one — do you even need to access the lake? Sure, water access may be nice to have, but maybe you only really want the view.

For many, water activities are seasonal. A nearby public boat dock or neighborhood park may offer enough convenience for water access. Maintenance, on the other hand, is not seasonal. If a home has direct lake access, there may be a boat dock and a steep flight of stairs used to access the lake to maintain. These are added expenses that can be costly. Another data point to be mindful of is flood insurance. Flood insurance is often required, which is another expense a buyer will need to budget for.

Homes for Sale in Austin Texas

There is nothing like having the lake as your neighbor. The lake can provide constant entertainment like kayaking, stand up paddling and boating. For others, a lake view affords homeowners some added privacy and a peaceful setting. Just consider what you want and what you need from it — before starting your search. The greater Austin area touches Lake Austin, Lake Travis and Lady Bird Lake.

Downtown condos can offer easy access to the Town Lake Hike & Bike Trail along with unparalleled views. Downtown lakefront condos like the Milago, offer the luxury of lakefront living without the maintenance of the expansive decking, stairs and dock. There is a waterfront page on my website that captures lakefront properties for sale or I can customize a search.

Staging with a Thinking Chair

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Where do you put a dining room table or large TV?   The answers may seem obvious, but for potential real estate buyers – they often are not. In Austin’s current hot sellers market, owners are often moving on prior to selling their current home. Home owners  move first because of a job transfer or owners can afford to buy without having to sell. Buying another home often leads to moving furniture, which often leads to an empty home.

Vacant homes for sale can be harder to sell

When a house for sale is vacant it is often hard for a buyer to figure out how to place furniture. It becomes more of a mental stumbling block and less of a question than one might think. When a buyer cannot figure out where a table might go or if a couch will fit somewhere, it takes them from enjoying the space to now figuring out the space – which means they aren’t even looking at the house anymore. When agent feedback starts coming back that the floor plan is odd or where did the owner put a couch, staging is often needed. Renting furniture can be expensive and there are some strategies to that can be taken before going that route.

Staging Strategies

  • Have pictures taken before the move to give buyers a visual of what the home looked like furnished. Pictures can be very helpful in dining areas and flex space. Flex rooms often confuse buyers so knowing how a seller utilized the space can be very helpful.
  • Don’t move everything at once. Yes, it is more expensive to move twice, but the alternative of keeping your house on the market or renting furniture could cost you more.
  • Floor plans that show furniture, pool tables and even pianos can be produced to show a buyer options on how to configure a space.

The Power of the Thinking chair

Often the best part about staging has nothing has nothing to do with furniture placement at all. It is about the buyers feeling at home when they are looking at a house. Sometimes a buyer just wants to sit and take in the space to envision actually living there. When there is a table and chairs or a sofa to sit on, buyers feel like they can take a breather and just take it all in. Every house for sale needs to have a thinking chair. As a seller, you want the buyer to stay and feel at home. Staging can not only make a house look like home, but feel like home too.

South Austin Open Saturday May 17th: 213 Camperdown Elm Drive

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213 Camperdown Elm FrontSingle story South Austin home for sale located at 213 Camperdown Elm Drive in the subdivision of Oak at Twin Creeks. Home offers direct access to neighboring Mary Moore Metropolitan Searight Park through the backyard. Features include masonry exterior, granite counter in kitchen, double ovens, island with breakfast bar and a wall of windows facing the backyard and greenbelt.

213 Camperdown Elm Drive was built in 2007 with 2,758 square feet of living space (per tax record). The floor plan includes a formal dining and living room, family room, 3 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths and 2-car garage.

213 Camperdown Elm Area Amenities

213 Camperdown Elm, Austin Texas 78748 neighbors Mary Moore Searight Park and is conveniently located in Southwest Austin near the popular Southpark Meadows shopping area. 213 Camperdown Elm Drive is not far from major roadways including 1626 and I-35.

213 Camperdown Elm Back213 Camperdown Elm Drive Open House Saturday May 17th 12:00 – 3:00

Directions: from I-35 take the Slaughter exit and continue on Slaughter to South 1st Street. Go left on South 1st and right on Camperdown Elm.

For Sale 213 Camperdown Elm Drive, Austin Texas 78748: Open House Saturday 11-2

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213 Camperdown Elm FrontSingle story South Austin home for sale located at 213 Camperdown Elm Drive in the subdivision of Oak at Twin Creeks. Home offers direct access to neighboring Mary Moore Metropolitan Searight Park through the backyard. Features include masonry exterior, granite counter in kitchen, double ovens, island with breakfast bar and a wall of windows facing the backyard and greenbelt.

213 Camperdown Elm Drive was built in 2007 with 2,758 square feet of living space (per tax record).  The floor plan includes a formal dining and living room, family room, 3 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths and 2-car garage.

213 Camperdown Elm Area Amenities

213 Camperdown Elm, Austin Texas 78748 neighbors Mary Moore Searight Park and is conveniently located in Southwest Austin near the popular Southpark Meadows shopping area. 213 Camperdown Elm Drive is not far from major roadways including 1626 and I-35.

213 Camperdown Elm Back213 Camperdown Elm Drive Open House Saturday May 10th 11:00am – 2:00pm

Directions: from I-35 take the Slaughter exit and continue on Slaughter to South 1st Street. Go left on South 1st and right on Camperdown Elm.

Negotiating Space when buying a Austin Downtown Condo

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Downtown Austin
Many buyers are looking to live in the downtown area of Austin. Downtown condo buyers enjoy going to the Town Lake Hike and Bike Trail, the convenience of living a close distance to a variety of eateries and entertainment venues and can often walk or bike to work.

Buyers choose living in an Austin condo because they don’t want the maintenance of a house and the yard that typically accompanies it. Every buyer is moving from somewhere, whether it is from an apartment, a house, a condo or even mom’s house. Knowing how much space you need can be challenging for some especially when downsizing.

Downtown Austin Condos for Sale

There are different types of space to consider too when deciding if condo living is right for you, specifically for living, storage and for guests. For most buyers, living space is easy enough for gauge especially if a unit is already staged. How does your couch or TV compare to the size that is there? How big is your table? Do you need a table? In other words, living space has parameters and within every given space you can either make it work – or you can’t.

Storage space is subjective which makes it a little harder to determine. This is when knowing thyself really well comes into play. Some of us are pack rats so unless a zen moment comes along, paring down is going to be a challenge. Sometimes we want that challenge. Downtown condos in Austin often have limited closet space but additional storage space may be available or assigned to a particular unit in the parking garage.

Downtown Condominium Amenities in Austin

Guest space is another thing to consider when moving into a downtown condo in Austin. There are some condominium communities that have a suite available for out-of-town guests. The suite is an amenity for residents and can usually be reserved several times a year at a rate less than a hotel room. The guest suite takes the question of where visitors might sleep when space is limited.

The typical Austin downtown condo buyer wants convenience and often enjoys the simplicity of limited space. Living with less space and more convenience is often a bit a negotiation. For those who can make it work – the trade-off is worth it.

Home Improvements and Accessories

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360-2006_10_15_(5)_kitchen_viewThe difference between a house and a home is you.  The memories, the pictures, the furniture, even the paint color combine to create a unique blend that reflects your own personality and style.  Improvements and accessories personalize, improve and/or allow for added functionality that a home may not have had before.  Consider them enhancements when it is time to sell an Austin home because they add appeal whether it’s monetary or simply enhances the functionality of a room.

So what items convey with the property and what items move with you when selling your home?  There are often many assumptions made here by the seller but make no mistake, the opposite thought process is often made by the buyer.  When I have a listing appointment I try to go through items I see and review a contract since many of the items are noted.

Austin Homes for Sale

When buying an Austin home Improvements generally affixed to the dwelling or property are considered permanently installed and built-in so they convey with the sale as real property.  They include items like: shrubbery, plumbing, light fixtures, wall-to-wall carpeting, garage door openers, shutters, mounts and brackets for televisions and speakers.

Accessories include items like stoves, curtains and rods, blinds, draperies, artificial fireplace logs, above ground pools and pool equipment.

Sometimes there are items Sellers want to take typically because they have some sort of personal attachment to them.  Grandma’s chandelier is hanging in the dining room, there are bookcases in the living room or maybe you just really like the curtains.  If it is yours and you want to take it with you, the best thing to do is to remove the item before we list it.  Removing grandma’s chandelier and replacing it with another fixture is simple enough to do and avoids discussions or assumptions later on.

If there is something that is going to stay visible that a Buyer would expect is staying, the best thing to do is to post of little sign on it so that potential buyers know up front that the item is not conveying.  Later on when an offer arrives any improvements and accessories that will be retained by the Seller should be listed into the contract under the exclusions section.  This way it is crystal clear to both parties.