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On any given day less than 10% of the available home listings are posted on those online search sites. The other 90% are never advertised on Craigslist, the newspaper etc… Picture an iceberg. We know with an iceberg only about 10% of the iceberg is visible above the water. The... Continue reading

Don and Jillian were referred to me by my sister Gretchen who works with Jillian. Jillian mentioned in conversation that she and her husband were looking to move. Don was starting a job in South Austin soon and because they currently lived in Pflugerville, the commute was going to be a killer. It just so happened the Jillian was 9 months pregnant at the time too, so logically they wanted to move closer to Don's... Continue reading

When we need a job done right or a service for a reasonable price, we always look for a company that provides excellent service as evidenced by satisfied clients. As a business professional, I have the good fortune to meet many people in all lines of work. As a resource... Continue reading

I did a Google search on Warren Buffet for something else I was doing and I came across this excerpt of a Q&A that he did with some graduate students a couple of years ago. While I'm sure his answers to the investing questions were wise, (admittedly I care less about that) his insight into life in general is what drew me in. Here is an answer to a particular question that I found captivating.... Continue reading

I received a disappointing call this morning from one of my best clients. She called to inform me of multiple unpleasant experiences that she has had with a home warranty company that I've referred a lot of business to over the past couple of years. If you aren't familiar with what a home warranty company does, they basically provide coverage to the home buyer for the first year of the home purchase to make sure... Continue reading

Overview Maps Photos Features Description Virtual Tour $369,900 Single Family Home For Sale Main Features 4 Bedrooms 2 Bathrooms 1 Partial Bathroom Interior: 3680 sqft Lot: 0.18 acre(s) Location 515 Fallen Oaks Drive Cedar park, TX 78613 To get updates on open home dates and other property events, please click... Continue reading

Overview Maps Photos Features Description Virtual Tour $369,900 Single Family Home For Sale Main Features 4 Bedrooms 2 Bathrooms 1 Partial Bathroom Interior: 3680 sqft Lot: 0.18 acre(s) Location 515 Fallen Oaks Drive Cedar park, TX 78613 To get updates on open home dates and other property events, please click the "Like" button below: Continue reading

RISMEDIA -- A government audit has found that thousands of taxpayers have fraudulently claimed the first-time home buyers' credit, and the Internal Revenue Service apparently missed them all. The fraudulent claims — some from prison inmates serving life sentences — totaled about $134 million, according to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. Some of the "questionable claims" for refunds were made by 87 IRS employees nationwide, according to Michael R. Phillips, the deputy inspector... Continue reading

As the nation struggles to shrug off the worst housing crash since the Great Depression, it may be hard to believe a housing shortage could be on its way. The nation is simply not building enough homes to keep up with potential demand. Just 672,000 new homes were started in April, an annualized rate and less than half the long-term run rate needed to meet the nation's natural population growth. Read the article: Is a... Continue reading

Inman News - For borrowers with good credit and cash for a downpayment, mortgage rates remained at or near record lows this week, according to Freddie Mac's latest weekly rate survey. The survey found rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 4.75 percent for the week ending June 17, with an average of 0.7 point. That's up slightly from last week, when 30-year fixed-rate loans averaged 4.72 percent, but down from 5.38 percent a year ago.... Continue reading

RISMEDIA, June 16, 2010--(MCT)--For many homeowners, electricity use is highest during the summer — that means steeper energy bills are just around the corner. But a lot of the energy you're paying for is squandered through air leaks around doors and windows, or through cable boxes and appliances that sap energy when no one is around. Before you shell out the cash for a professional home-energy audit, however, here are some do-it-yourself ways to measure... Continue reading

Their making a list and checking it twice . . . . We thought the worst was over but it seems like every month there is some new federal guideline tied to final mortgage approval; an extra hoop to jump through. First it was full disclosure on the good faith estimate, then it was raising FHA fees and now its extensive credit checks. Its probably going to get worse before it gets better. The most... Continue reading

When Kristin and I moved into our new house over two years ago, we had to work fervently to bring the lawn up to speed. Lots of bags of dirt, mulch etc. . . . If the high temperatures weren't enough, we were dealing with hap-haphazardly laid sod by the builder's landscaper. I have since found everything from large pieces of brick to huge metal rods in the dirt our yard was built upon (another... Continue reading

As an aside to my recent post below about the effects that the recently expired tax credits will have in the months to come, mortgage applications have slipped dramatically in the past month. I rarely watch the evening news but I did catch a segment on this topic last night. While it is a little bit troubling from my stand point as a Realtor, I want to just say, DUH! Of course this is going... Continue reading

Dear Friend, Before you consider buying a new home, you need to find out how much homes are selling for in today’s market, so you can make your plans based on the most up-to-date information available. Now you can do that for free over the phone or via email in... Continue reading

Im reading a book by Robert Cialdini about the "weapons of influence." One of the major weapons of influence is scarcity and/or artificially imposed deadlines. In the real estate market, we've recently gone through one of the biggest time periods of scarcity in recent memory, in dealing with the impending expiration of the first time and repeat home buyer tax credits. By imposing a final deadline (scarcity) for receiving the $6500-$8000 the government did a... Continue reading

As you probably know by now from reading my newsletters and keeping up with the goings on in my world, I put a high value on personal growth and continuing education. I know some Realtors who have been in the business for years and years who do the bare minimum necessary to renew their license every couple of years. That doesn't necessarily make them bad people, nor does it make them bad Realtors. There are... Continue reading

I'm a little bit tardy in actually posting this, but over the Memorial Day weekend my family went zip lining to celebrate my Dad's Birthday which is actually today. Kind of confusing, I know. The last couple of years, instead of doing the traditional dinner and gifts we have had an experience to celebrate his birthday. Last year we went on a wine tasting tour in the hill country - this year it was zip... Continue reading

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Austin Texas and Real Estate news for the week . . . Austin was picked as the No. 1 best city to live in for the next 10 years in Kiplinger's Personal Finance ranking Wednesday. The magazine cited the capital city's innovative thinking, plentiful music venues, lakes, parks, unique business climate and job-creation tendencies. The report said "arguably the country’s best crucible for small business, Austin has spawned many companies with unique twists that have... Continue reading

From REALTOR Magazine . . .Missing the tax credit deadline might have seemed like a big mistake to some home buyers, but waiting could have been the smartest thing to do. Interest rates have fallen so dramatically since April 30th that the typical purchaser of a $350,000 home, financed with a $280,000 mortgage, would have saved a bundle by waiting until May. At April’s average rate of 5.34 percent, a home buyer would have locked... Continue reading

With over 12,000 properties actively listed in the Austin Real Estate market, where do you even start? You've got condos and town homes, single family and duplexes, vacation homes and investment properties. Finding the perfect house for you and/or your family can sometimes seem akin to searching for a needle in a haystack. The answer is you start here. Better Austin Living provides you with the exact resources that you need to prepare yourself to make the best purchase decision possible. We provide you with multiple map based property search options so that you can narrow down your search to include on the types of properties that suit your needs. We offer you a comprehensive library of home buyer resources; from free reports to rental vs. purchase analysis to loan options. It's a step by step process that you can follow with ease. Get started immediately with your property search... Continue reading

If you're in the market for a new refrigerator, dishwasher or other appliance, shopping Memorial Day weekend will save you money. During Memorial Day weekend, Texas shoppers get a break from state and local sales and use taxes on purchases of certain energy efficient products. The 2010 Energy Star sales tax holiday begins at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, May 29, and ends at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, May 31 (Memorial Day). You must purchase an... Continue reading

The May 2010 Better Austin Living Newsletter is now posted on the Newsletter Tab. In this month's newsletter you will learn how to de-clutter your mind, how to infuse more energy into your normal workday, and determine your problem solving style. Did you know that in early drafts of Shakespeare's "Romeo & Juliet" the male and female leads were called "Charles" and "Diana"? Figure out what to do and not to do when you are... Continue reading