Get Your Home Sold

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IMG_2346Listing appointments are more than just about the paperwork, market data and pricing.  I tour the home with a buyer’s eyes pointing out things along the way that have often been there for so long the owner doesn’t even see them anymore.

My suggestions start from the street, not inside the house.  I tell sellers all of the time that I want the house to look ‘light, bright and happy.’ I want buyers to feel good when they visit one of my listings from the moment they pull up to the house.

Here are some tips to get your home show ready or maybe just a little happier:

Creating Curb Appeal

•Replace dead plants with flowers
•Place garbage bins and recycling containers on the side of the house or in the garage. Doing so increases curb appeal and aids in parking in front of the house.
•Put the garden hose away when not in use.  Buyers don’t want to be walking over it to get to the front door.
•Paint your mail box and door knocker (if rusting) with some metallic paint.
•Replace the door mat.
•Hose off the front of the house, if needed (you can power wash but just be prepared to paint)
•Clean the gutters
•Rake and sweep dead leaves

Buyers are guests too.  Make the house clean enough for company.

♦The #1 thing I want owners to do when I list a house is clean.  When buyers see a 1970’s kitchen that is spotless, they comment on how clean it is.  It’s a blank canvas that can be updated someday and is considered usable the way it is.  When the same Buyers see a modern kitchen, that is dirty, it is a turn off.  It’s funny how the brain works, it doesn’t say “I can clean this”, like you would think; instead it says “I could never cook in here”.  If you don’t like to clean, hire someone – it is money well spent.

♦De-clutter kitchen counter tops by moving vitamins, medicine, knives and every appliance that is not essential into a cabinet or storage bin.  The more you remove from the counter — the bigger and cleaner it will look.  In the bathroom, find a new home for the toothpaste, mouthwash, toothbrush and makeup.  Clutter becomes visual noise for buyers.

♦Organize kitchen drawers, pantries, shelves and closets.  Buyers will be looking in them.

Pride of Ownership

How a seller presents a home to a buyer says a lot about how they have taken care of it. A clean, organized home shows pride of ownership which gives the buyer a bit of confidence in terms of its overall condition.

Austin Garden Homes

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Cottages at Northwoods

Cottages at Northwoods at Avery Ranch

A client is in the process of building a garden home in Northwest Austin in the Cottages at Northwoods. Garden home communities in Austin are a very popular alternative to traditional condominium and suburban living. Whether referred to as a village, enclave or garden home in Austin, the look and expectation are the same. The community consists of +/- 40 single family detached homes that ooze with the charm of traditional architectural styles including bungalows, cottages, and even French quarter. These are master planned communities all the way down to the landscaping and fencing choices.

Single family houses in a condominium regime

Garden home communities typically have one main entrance and are often designed with a circular drive with lot sizes typically much smaller than average (about an 1/8 of an acre). These communities are typically developed as a condominium regime and therefore have a mandatory Home Owners Association (HOA). A condominium regime is not platted out with individual lots that have metes and bounds with individual surveys. Like with a traditional condo, you have a percentage of ownership interest in the land and may even have shared utility lines like water.

Austin Garden Home Communities

Not all garden homes are in a condominium regime, but managed by an HOA like the Village at Kinney Court in South Central Austin. Depending on how the community is designed will determine what elements are ‘common’ and therefore managed by the HOA, who will ultimately set the fees.

At the end of the day, the structure and operation of these communities does not detract from their  appeal. The attraction lies in the location, which is often not far from an urban setting, little or no lawn maintenance, a cozy community feeling and the grace of yesteryear.

Are you ready, willing and able Buyer in Austin?

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IMG_2370Low interest rates, little inventory and plenty of buyers have made it a busy winter. The biggest mistake a buyer can make right now is to not have a plan and thorough understanding of the home buying process. If a home comes on the market these days, that is better than most – whether it is because of features or price, rest assured there are plenty of buyers that are going to go see it – and they all have similar wants and needs in a house. As soon as a new home pops up – everybody runs to it. Like houses attract like Buyers.

Buyers need to be prepared to act quickly when viewing a house they are interested in.

Know your Numbers

Get pre-qualified or pre-approved for a loan before you ever step foot in a home – it will set the bar and/or comfort zone on what your price point should be.  An offer will not be accepted without a pre-approval which could take days.  Waiting for a pre-approval is valuable time to waste when you see a home you really want to act on in Austin.

Moving in Austin

Buying a home in Austin if you already own one can be tricky. Sellers are not eager to accept an offer if your current home is not under contract and will be less eager if your current home is not already on the market. Austin is in a very strong Seller’s market. You need to be a ready, willing and able Buyer.

Understand the contract up front…what is option money, earnest money, a MUD, how does a back-up contract work? Having an understanding of the contract and the home buying process will save time and maybe a bit of frustration before you actually purchase a home.

Make a list of contacts you will need once you are under contract. The option period goes by very fast once you are under contract. Knowing who you are going to call for an inspection is helpful. How much hazard insurance might cost, even how much common upgrades like having a room painted, replacing carpet or installing granite might be helpful to know upfront, so that you have an idea.

Preparing before looking at homes will give the buyer a leg up on the competition and the ability to act quickly when the ideal home becomes available.

Beyond Austin’s City Limits

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490 W Overlook Mountain RoadI held an open house in Elliott Ranch last week, which is located in the City of Buda. About 25 people toured the home which was a pretty strong showing for a 2-hour open house right in the middle of Sunday football.

Buda borders Austin on its southern end, so some visitors were not even aware they had left the city limits. The mindset of many people who live in Central Texas is that Buda is a suburb in South Austin.

Austin Real Estate and Beyond

From a market perspective, Buda is considered part of the greater Austin area and has been experiencing the same growth challenges and low inventory of homes for sale. Buda is an area I reference, along with Kyle, Dripping Springs, Manor and Cedar Park when I talk about how Austin is growing up and growing out. Buda offers buyers a little more for their money when compared to Austin. The dollar goes further in Buda, offering a larger home, maybe a newer home and/or larger lot size for buyers when compared to the City of Austin.

Featured Home: 490 W Overlook Mountain Road, Buda Texas

  • 3 bedrooms
  • 2.5 baths
  • 2,566 square feet (tax record)
  • 2.269 acres
  • in-ground pool
  • fire pit
  • 3-car garage

Located in the gated community of Elliott Ranch

New Home for the New Year

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new years As we ring in 2015, many buyers have a new house on their list of New Year’s wishes. Historically the day after Christmas is the busiest day of the year to look of a house online. I alone, have shown 4 properties since Christmas, so buyers are out there. One of the benefits of looking this time of year is that school is still out of session in Austin, which makes it much easier to get around town. Many people also take off from work between Christmas and New Year’s which makes it a little less stressful with extra time available to shop for a home.

Holiday Buyers

Yes, this time of year can be a hassle for sellers who want to have a few pajama days and don’t want to leave the house. Keep in mind if people are looking for homes in Texas, in 30 degree weather during the holiday season — they are serious buyers. Buyers who are intent on buying now are the people your want looking at your home as opposed to the Looky Lou’s who are not buying until Spring.

Sell a Home by Showing a Home

The easiest way to sell a home is when the seller matches the intent of the buyer. You can’t sell it if you don’t show it, so if that buyer wants to see it and you want to sell it — let them come. Plug in that Christmas tree, throw on a coat and take a drive around the neighborhood. You can even stay in your pajamas.

Cheers to a safe, happy and prosperous 2015!

A Home for the Holidays

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happy holidaysThe holiday season is upon us. Sometimes, it is easier for people to sell a home during the holiday season. People tend to shy away from it because they don’t want to move, but forget they are only marketing the house for sale. There are lots of ways I can keep someone home for the holidays – not to mention, most buyers need a loan, which takes time.

People often find it easier is keeping their house cleaner during the holiday season. This is a social time of year with friends and family visiting, so people tend to keep up with household choirs. The house also tends to be naturally staged with holiday decorations. Even the yard becomes lower maintenance this time of year.

Benefits to Buying and Selling Real Estate During the Holidays

There are benefits to both buyers and sellers to stay active in the real estate market during the holiday season. For buyers, one of the main benefits is that less people tend to shop for a home. Investors and owner occupied buyers benefit this time of year because there are less buyers to compete with. There are often tax reasons for a buyer or seller to purchase a property in the current year over the next one.

Advantages of Selling a Home

For Sellers, one of the major advantages of selling a home in the Austin Real Estate market is the positive influx of out-of-state buyers moving to Austin. More people move to Austin than leave and many new hires start in the January. Job transfers often limit or do not include relocation packages, so many new residents are eager to get themselves settled in a new home as soon as possible.

Looking to Buy a Home

A home is what people are buying. Those four walls generate the feeling of home this time of year, more than any other. So, its not a bad time to sell your property, after all it’s a home people are looking for, not a house.

Buying the Perfect Home

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house graphSo you think you’ve found the perfect home, but is it perfect for you? The path to actually buying it can prove otherwise if you haven’t done your homework. The Austin Real Estate market is very strong. Interest rates are low, the current unemployment rate is 5.1% (a six-year low) and companies are consistently moving in creating more opportunities.

Austin Texas Homes for Sale

There is a consistent supply of willing and able buyers in Austin that for the most part, still out number the amount of properties for sale. The demand as we have moved into the fall season has remained high for Austin housing. Finding the perfect house today without knowing if it is affordable, may only be setting yourself up for disappointment. After all, if you can’t afford it…the house is not so perfect anymore.

Housing Financial Criteria

Whether purchasing a first home or simply want to move to another, you need to do some homework and come up with a plan. Everyone has an idea of what they want to spend on a home, but many don’t know how that translates in terms of how much of a house they can actually afford. Your debt to income ratio is only part of the formula. The other consideration that lenders look at is your credit score. Many buyers I talk to have no idea what their credit score is. Credit scores run between 300 and 850. A credit score of 650 – 699 is generally considered moderate, while numbers between 700 and 850 are considered good to excellent. The combination of the debt to income ratio, credit score and available down payment will determine what loan programs are available, what the interest rate will be and ultimately how much you will qualify for.

Housing Lifestyle Criteria

A lender will explain what your options are and then we will talk about them. I always try and keep lifestyle in the mix to help you decide what you want to spend. You may need to be at the high end of what you can qualify for if living near Downtown Austin is important. Likewise, if you are planning to expand your family or will need to purchase a car and know your monthly expenses are going to increase as a result; you may want to spend less. Once you do your homework, you will find a home that fits your financial and lifestyle criteria. It will be the perfect home – that is perfect for you.

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