James Brinkman

Realtor, Broker, CRS

1 Listings 171 Past Sales 20 Client Reviews

My family moved to Austin from Houston in 1976, when I was just 4 years old, and I have literally grown up with the town. Folks always joke with me that I'm about as native an Austinite as it gets, and in a town with 110 people moving to it every day, finding someone with the breadth of knowledge I have on Austin becomes an ever increasing rarity. When my parents bought their home in the Spicewood/Balcones neighborhood, 183 (Research Boulevard) was only two lanes; now it's a highway!

From Spicewood Elementary all the way through The University of Texas (BBA, Finance/Real Estate, 1994), Austin served as my home for education. Over the 25 years since graduating college and getting into real estate, Austin has remained the backdrop as I continue to learn, grow, and pass on the knowledge that I've accumulated.

To the point: I know Austin.

I understand and have lived, and worked, through several Austin real estate cycles. The oil and S&L crisis and downturn of 87-92, the tech (stock option) run-up at the end of the 90s into 00, the downturn of 01-05 as a result of the tech bubble, the boom of 05-08, the national recession pushing into our economy in 08-12, and our latest iteration of Austin truly becoming a progressive city in the US. I have researched and followed the local economy, and the real estate market, since my initial step into the real estate business as a market/site selection analyst at Brock Consulting Group in 1992.

Having been licensed since 1995, I've helped hundreds of people with their real estate needs and, due to my unique perspectives and knowledge, guided them towards making smart decisions. Being a licensed Texas Broker since 2002, I hold myself to a higher standard and understand that the most important thing I can provide to my clients is knowledge and information. In 2005 I earned the Certified Residential Specialist (CRS®) designation, a designation awarded to only 4% of Realtors.

Any real estate agent can say they will help you sell or buy a home, but not every real estate agent will help you make the best, most informed decision, so that you can, as a seller, sell your home for the best price and in a timely manner, or, as a buyer, make a smart choice and get the best value on your new home.

You are smart. You don't need me to point out where the kitchen is in a home. I get that, and understand that in a world where information regarding homes is readily available, the value of the Realtor is that of knowledge. Knowledge of the market, of neighborhoods, of the city, of construction, of the most effective marketing tools, of repair issues, of the contract and transaction process, of how to best fight for you. Incidentally, I was one of the first people in the country to work for the first company, eRealty, to put homes online (in 2000) because I have always believed that providing you, the consumer, with more information and knowledge is always the best policy.

For as far back as I can recall my clients have been telling me, as a compliment, "you don't seem like a real estate agent". What I've grown to understand is that

implicit within that compliment is the thought of "you don't seem like someone just trying to sell me on something". That is true. I am someone who will share my insight, experience, and knowledge, who will advocate for my clients, and who will work diligently and professionally on my client's behalf using the best tools available.

I can't wait to do that for you too.