Austin Real Estate Blog

 
You have decided it’s time to sell your home and move on to one that is bigger (or smaller) or in a better neighborhood.  Maybe you are relocating to a new city.  You know where you want to go, but now you have to sell your home to make your move. 

Asking the right price for your home is very important!  Some sellers believe they will price their home high and if it does not sell, they feel they can always drop the price.  This is not a sound idea!  When a home is placed on the market for some time and does not sell at the initial asking price and then has to be dropped to become more in line with similar homes, it is no longer considered a “hot property” and is often passed over by real estate agents and buyers.  Of course, you want to sell at the

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Foreclosures have been a hot topic in the news lately.  We have all heard the stories about homeowners who have Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARMs) and are now unable to cope with the pending increases in their monthly mortgage payments.  In many parts of the nation the number of foreclosures has risen sharply in the past year.  The Austin market has been mildly affected by this.  Foreclosures are actually down in Austin, but they are up in Round Rock (a suburb city north of Austin.)   

Many people have asked about the process of a foreclosure.  It starts when a borrower is unable to make payments on his mortgage loan to the lending institution or bank.  The lender then files a notice of public default.  The foreclosure process allows the lender to

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There are many good reasons why someone may wish to refinance their mortgage loan.  One reason to consider refinancing could be the incentive to switch from an adjustable rate product to a fixed rate loan.  Another reason is that borrowers may wish to use a "cash out" refinance loan that allows the homeowner to access the equity in their home to use for various purposes (like paying off credit cards or funding a college education.)

Of course the most common reason for mortgage refinancing has to do with interest rates.  Mortgages interest rates always fluctuate up and down, and when rates are lower than your current rate it is always worth consideration.  You will need to determine the upfront refinance costs versus the savings of the lower rate.  You…

You have found a home that you love.  The neighborhood is convenient for shopping, schools and commuting to your workplace.  It has the right amount of rooms and is spacious.  The kitchen has modern appliances and the grounds are landscaped.  How do you get the owners to sell to you at a price that will not strain your finances?

Before you make the serious decision to make an offer on the house, walk around the neighborhood to be sure it is well kept up.  You should also speak to some of the neighbors who will probably tell you if the area is noisy or if there has been a problem with crime.  You can also find out about crime statistics from the local police department. 

A comparative market analysis should be done by your real estate agent relative to…

When making a decision as to whether to buy a home or to rent one, considering the tax deductions on mortgage interest a homeowner receives should tip the scales in favor of owning your home.  The tax deduction provides a significant decrease in your monthly mortgage payment which - if you were a renter - would go to your landlord. 

The deduction allowed by the IRS is based on a number of factors in your financial picture.  However, whether you owe money at the end of the year or if you are lucky enough to receive a refund, the interest paid on your mortgage for the year is an allowance that is deductible from your taxes. 

When calculating the costs of renting a home as opposed to buying, first time home owners are usually very pleasantly surprised…

When buyers are looking at purchasing a home they often focus on inspection reports and appraisals, but there is another important report to consider.  It is the property’s record of insurance claims.  When a claim is made on a home the insurance company sends a report to an insurance industry database.  This database is known as the Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange (CLUE).

When you apply for homeowners insurance the insurer not only checks your credit, but they also check the claim history for the property itself.  Did the home have a claim for flood damage, fire damage, or were medical claims paid for injuries at the property?  The insurance company may not issue coverage for a property with this type of history, and that could prevent the

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The Monarch is a 29-story luxury high-rise condo that will be located on West 5th Street, less than one block from Whole Foods and the hike and bike trails.  The project was initially planned as a luxury high rise apartment building that would only offer rental units, but just recently the developers have decided to sell them as condominiums instead.

The Monarch will have 305 residential units and over 9,000 square feet of street-level retail.  Residences will range in size from 680-3,500 square feet, and prices should range from the mid $200k's to almost $2 million.  This should be a hot property when it is completed in 2008.  If you are interested please contact us for floorplans and pricing.  1-800-790-7910

 

Austin, Texas is a great place to live.  The national media has been giving Austin lots of recognition the last few years.  Here are some of the highlights -

• Austin ranks 2nd among the 10 Best Places to Live judging on financial, educational, and quality of life criteria by Money Magazine, July 2006
• Austin ranks as the 3rd Smartest City in the country by BizJournals.com, June 2006
• Austin ranks 2nd  among the "50  Best Places to Live" by Men's Journal, March 2006.
• Austin ranks 2nd among the Top 10 Best Big Cities in country by cnn.money.com 2006
• Austin ranks as the 2nd Best Place to Live for Moviemakers by Moviemaker Magazine, Dec. 2005
• Austin was ranked 1st among US cities for "Best Cities for Future Business

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Austin will have a another option for public transportation soon!  The new commuter train line will be called the Capital MetroRail, and the first section is set to open in Fall of 2008.  Sleek new trains will provide service for suburban and central Austin residents.


Capital MetroRail's initial service will run on 32 miles of existing freight tracks between Leander and Downtown Austin.  This should give the Cedar Park and Leander housing market an extra boost as homeowners in that area will be able to commute to and from downtown while using WiFi on the new trains.  Further expansion of the system is planned to begin soon.

If you are interested in finding a home or condo located near the new rail stations give us a call at 1-800-790-7910.













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The Austin, Texas housing market continues to do well despite the lending woes plaguing the rest of the country.  Our market has only seen modest effects from the fallout in the subprime market.  The buyers that seem to be affected are those with poor credit or limited funds for a down payment.  If you have good credit then there are still many good financing options available to you.

In other areas of the country foreclosures are skyrocketing, but Austin is currently at a seven year low for foreclosure activity.  The local market should remain strong due to the local job growth and the popularity of the city.  In addition to the strong economy, the Austin housing prices are still very reasonable when compared to many parts of the country.   This should…