Real Estate in Austin

mapAustin inventory is so low right now that if you are on a search for a particular zip code or area, you may be lucky to find one or two new houses a week. The low inventory is prompting buyers to look in other parts of Austin in order to find the ideal home. I have spent quite a bit of time in North East, North West, Central, South and South West Austin over the last few weeks. I’ve seen a lot of really great properties and some not so great. What makes a home great is often about the location, not the house.

Real Estate in Austin

Austin Real Estate Market prices are rising as well which is making it tougher to get everything you could want in a house. No home is going to be perfect. It just needs to be perfect for you, but understand in order for it to be perfect it needs to be in the right location. Counter tops, flooring, popcorn ceilings and even windows can be changed over time. What can’t change is the location of the house. Austin is growing which is going to create more traffic and therefore more time in your car in order to get from point A to point B. Staying true to a realistic flight path to and from work as well as your leisure activities will keep you happier in your home longer and less stressed when you get there.

Austin Drive Times

There are lots of great tools available out there to help you get a realistic ideal of travel times. MapQuest and walkscore.com are 2 websites that will help determine distance to work or even the local grocery store. Many smart phones have a map app that will help determine travel time. The map app is really a great way to see how long it would take you to get from work to a proposed property at 5:00pm when you are leaving work. Just punch in the address at 5:00 and it will show traffic patterns and alternative routes to avoid them. It is a great way to give you an idea of how long the commute will be to an area you are considering.

Austin is Hot

hot earthAustin is hot and I’m not just talking about the weather.  Austin’s growth is outpacing the supply of homes in inventory which is making it a competitive market to buy and even rent in.  Over 25,000 people moved to Austin between July 2011 and July 2012, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.  The growth moved Austin’s ranking of the nation’s largest cities from the 13th spot to number 11.

Austin Real Estate Market sees more new construction

Austin is expecting to 27,000 people moving into town each year for the next 3 years.  The Austin Board of Realtors has reported a 32% increase year-over-year in new home construction in the second quarter of this year.

It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane

Austin BuyerFaster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive! Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound! It’s a bird, it’s a plane…no – it’s a successful Austin Home Buyer.  Now, you don’t need to be a superhero to buy a home in Central Texas, but you do need super speed.  Buying a home in Austin in this market requires you to be very prepared in order move fast.

I had a listing hit the market at 5pm on a Monday with no pictures posted.  Typically, I don’t go live with a listing without pictures, but the Austin MLS was switching software on Tuesday and I only wanted to worry about the pictures I was getting back on conversion day.  By noon on Tuesday I had an offer in hand and my phone was ringing off the hook. That first offer became a contract and I learned the next day that the buyer was only seeing the house for the first time on Wednesday.  He sent his sister Tuesday morning, and she knew him well enough to move on it – quickly.

Buying a Home in Austin

In the greater Austin Real Estate market you need to know thyself, know your numbers and be pre-qualified because the next buyer walking in the door is going to be.  I see buyers even writing offers for over list price just to sweeten the pot.  Understand, it’s not just about price; the other terms in the contract will influence a Seller as well.  Flexibility with a Seller can become the key factor. Just as not every Buyer can offer more than list, not every Buyer can be flexible with time either.  The closing date can become a tool or a deal breaker.   Flexibility with a closing date is often a super power.  In a Seller’s market, owners are often shocked how quickly their home has gone under contract and don’t always have a plan, so being able work with sellers on a date becomes valuable.

In a Seller’s Market it’s important for the Buyer to take time getting educated on the current market specific their needs and the buying process which includes the loan.  Taking your time upfront will allow you to move super fast when the time is right.

Pool Season

PoolSwimming pools: the instant source for entertainment, relaxation and exercise. They provide a backyard retreat and a tranquil view that is a luxury marker some buyers dream about having. For those buyers who want a pool, houses with them are 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?

Pools can be more of a hindrance than a help. Not everyone wants a pool. In fact, I would say 70% of people don’t. Pools cost money and time to maintain. In addition, there are safety concerns for people with small children and pets. They can also take up a lot of yard space.

Swimming Pool Tips for both Buyers and Sellers

Swimming Pool Owners
•Maintain and update your pool. Nobody wants to buy a money pit (literally).
•If you can afford switch to saline — do it, it is a selling feature.
•If you own in a subdivision where most homes have a private pool…buyers will be comparing your ‘pool’ appeal.
•Make sure the pool area looks clean, maintained and inviting.

Buying a Home with a pool
•A general inspector will not inspect a pool, but many pool companies do. Have a pool inspection – they can be costly to fix.
•If you want to know how much it costs to maintain a pool including what you will spend on chemicals, electric and water — 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.
•Remember, pools limit your potential number of buyers, so they can take longer to sell when the time comes.

As someone who grew up having a pool, I understand the appeal of having one from a lifestyle perspective. My experience is that they are great for moments in time. You will spend more time staring at a pool during your ownership, then you will spend in it. If you have a pool, don’t let it become another 4-letter word make sure it shines because it can make or break a sale.

Pools in Austin

Austin Texas has a variety of options for people who want to enjoy a pool, but don’t want to maintain one. Many planned single family home communities in Austin have pools that are included with HOA fees or may require a nominal additional fee. Condominium communities in Austin often have a private pool as well for residents. An automated home search can be customized to only include properties with community with pools.

There are many public pools in Austin as well. There are 27 neighborhood pools and 6 municipal pools in total. The most well known pool is Barton Springs, located in Zilker Park. Centrally located in the neighborhood of Barton Hills, Barton Springs Pool is spring fed, just over 900 feet long and maintains a consistent temperature of 68 degrees year round.

The Wizard of Oz

wizardWhen I bought my first house in 1993 and had a lot of questions to answer.  No, they weren’t to my parents or even my friends, they were written to the underwriter who was processing my loan.  One of the questions was what I spent $1,000 on because they saw the funds withdrawn from my bank and wanted an explanation.  I played the guilt card and told them it was for my wedding dress, when in reality it was for a vacation.

The world we live in today is very similar to that period of time.  Yes, it is certainly easier for people to get loans than say 2 years ago, but lenders are cautious and are analyzing quite a bit to make certain people can actually afford what they are trying to buy.

There is a lot of dialogue when a buyer initially purchases a home between a seller’s agent, a buyer’s agent and loan officer.  A seller’s agent looks at the pre-qualification letter to see if the lender has completed certain steps to make certain the buyer is viable.  The buyer’s agent initially has a buyer talk to a lender and get pre-qualified before even shopping for a home to ensure they can afford it.  The loan officer reviews credit scores, the debt to income ratio, loan programs and funds to find a product that meets their criteria and is affordable.

After all is said and done with the buyer under contract, the wonderful wizard takes over.  This is the final stretch to the finish line.  I refer to underwriter as the Wizard of Oz because it paints a picture people can relate to.  It is the underwriter who blesses the file before closing to make sure all of the loan conditions have been met.  The underwriter doesn’t always know everything.  The underwriter simply opens a file, reviews it and may ask lots of questions along the way.  The process can be extremely frustrating for a buyer as it may seem repetitive and even invasive.

Remember that a buyer who requires a loan is buying a house with the underwriter’s blessing. Appease the wizard and go with the flow, keeping in mind you are almost at the finish line.

Buying in a Seller’s Market

Like a G6What am I seeing lately in the Austin real estate market?  A whole lot of craziness!  There are days right now that I feel more like a fire fighter and less like a Realtor.  The Austin real estate market is favoring sellers right now.

Austin Real Estate Market Activity

Inventory is low for tenants, so lease prices have been on the rise.  Higher leases and low interest rates have created an environment where a monthly mortgage payment is cheaper than rent.  This dynamic has added more buyers to the market and  many of them for the first time, where before owning a home was only a dream.  In addition, investment purchases are on the rise as well.  Higher leases and low interest rates are making it easier to positive cash flow than in the past, making purchases attractive to investors.

When there is less than 3 months of inventory available, it is known to be a seller’s market.  Neutral markets are defined as having 4 to 6 months of inventory.  Buyer’s markets have greater than 6 months of inventory.

Austin Homes for Sale

We are miles away from a buyer’s market right now.  With so little inventory buyers need to be creative when purchasing a home in this market.  Buyers need to see a house within 24 hours after it comes on the market if it looks good.  Some buyers are submitting an offer before they even see the property.  They will submit an offer early because hours can go by while waiting for a response, which gives them time to see it.  If the house looks promising and a buyer has been in the market long enough to know what is out there – it is not unusual for a buyer to offer even a little more than list.  Money is cheap to borrow right now.  It’s about $50 a month for every $10,000 you borrow.

Don’t wait for someone else to buy your home and make an offer based on what it’s worth to you.

Take a Test Drive

traffic jamI have spent the last few weeks in Mueller, Clarksville, Barton Hills and Downtown districts, the Oak Hill area of Austin, and a little time Round Rock and Pflugerville for good measure.  I had a conversation with someone recently regarding distance versus travel time.  Time is a very hard thing to judge in Austin simply due to the unpredictability of the traffic if you are not used to a flight path.  As you probably know, my office is close to the corner of Spicewood Springs Road and Mesa.  I can get to the office from Mopac, 360 or even I-35.  With no traffic on a Sunday afternoon, it will take me about 15 minutes regardless of my flight path.  During the week the story changes quite a bit.  During morning and evening rush hours, it can at least 45 minutes to get to and from the office on Mopac and 360. For many,  I-35 at end of day can be equivalent to sitting in a parking lot.

Austin Real Estate

It’s important to find the time during the initial stages of the home buying in Austin to see if a particular area is going to work for you.  Getting around Austin on the weekend is easy breezy for the most part, but during the week can be a much different story.  Nine miles doesn’t necessary mean about nine minutes of travel time.  It’s hard to plan for because buyers are often looking at homes on the weekend, because that’s when they have time.  It’s important to take the time though at least once before work or after to just to a test drive.

Austin Traffic

If you are tech savy, phone apps and GPS devices can also be helpful.  Very often current traffic conditions are taken into account when the program is calculating the estimated travel time.  You can often see the traffic to on the device.  Plugging the address into these devices when you would normally be doing the drive will help you estimate commuting times as well.