Real Estate Tips

Pillar To Post is Offering Homeowners Discount Packages With Their Home Inspections

Monday, April 26th, 2010 at 9:07am. 127 Views, 0 Comments.

Pillar To Post is sponsoring a program called Living With My home, that was designed to offer buyers, sellers, investors valuable information on the practical aspects of home ownership as well as special discounts on a variety of products and services.

They provide a fully integrated web site, and a booklet of special offers from some of the largest and most trusted brands in the country. The program is exclusive to Pillar To Post and comes free with every one of their professional home inspections. This could be a way that you can save potentially hundreds, even thousands, of dollars on items and services they'll need as you transition into a new home. 

Pillar to Post can be reached at 512/515-0021.

Open Houses

Monday, April 26th, 2010 at 8:49am. 110 Views, 0 Comments.

Sellers who want their Realtors to hold their homes open for the unrepresented public to come through should know the facts. You have less that a 1% chance of selling your home at an open house. Some sellers are under the impression that they are a necessary part of the marketing plan to get their home sold, when statistics show that 85% of buyers use an agent to find out about the home they will purchase and 80% of buyers are using the internet to find homes that they see with an agent. Make sure that if you are selling your home, that your home is aggressively positioned on the internet and MLS since that is truly where your buyers are coming from.

Solar Window Screens on Your House?

Friday, April 23rd, 2010 at 10:27am. 120 Views, 0 Comments.

Solar screens seem so beneficial in our hot Austin, Texas summers to keep some of the extreme heat out and the cool air in.  But, the decision of whether or not to put them on your house has several pro’s and con’s.  Some homeowners won’t put them on because the dark grey screens seem to change the street appeal of the house entirely.  They can make the house look dark, eerie and unwelcoming.  They cover the entire window, rather than just the lower half.  And, they will substantially darken an entire room by diffusing the sun light.  So, it may make the inside of the house seem unwelcoming also.  On the plus side, they claim to keep the house 10 to 15 degrees cooler and block the sun’s heat and glare.  The cost to have a company make the screens and put…

Home Improvements - Hiring a Contractor | Real Estate Tips

Wednesday, April 21st, 2010 at 12:31pm. 43 Views, 0 Comments.

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) consistently ranks contractor fraud as its number one complaint. Don't be a victim. If you (or someone you know) is thinking about hiring a contractor, please read or share these tips straight from the BBB before signing anything. Remember, a contractor may not ask for more than ten percent of the total contract price, or $1,000 (or two percent or $200 in the case of swimming pools), whichever is less, as a down payment. (Insist upon a lien release from all subcontractors and suppliers before you pay for any work). 

It's a Lender's Market | Understanding the Real Estate Market

Tuesday, September 29th, 2009 at 2:22pm. 112 Views, 0 Comments.

People are always asking if it’s a “Buyer’s Market” or a “Seller’s Market”.  With the current market conditions being as good as they are in Texas compared to the rest of the country, it is still a struggle to get a house sold.  But, it is clearly not a buyer’s or seller’s market.  We ARE still selling houses, but virtually every transaction involving a mortgage lender is held hostage by the lender and/or the appraiser.  Very rarely are closings happening on time.

Real Estate Market Stablizing | Austin Real Estate | Strong Real Estate

Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009 at 2:13pm. 107 Views, 0 Comments.

For the first time in more than 2 years the home sales were not lower than in the same month in the previous year.  It’s the first time since May of 2007 that home sales did not drop and it’s the strongest signal that the Austin area housing market has stabilized.  The Austin Board of Realtors reports indicated there were 2,068 sales in July of 2008 and 2,069 in July 2009.  More than 50% of the sales in July 2009 were for homes priced below the $200,000 price range; a market that includes first time home buyers. 

Short Sales | What is a Short Sale | Understading The Short Sale

Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009 at 2:00pm. 98 Views, 0 Comments.

The term “short sale” is often heard these days in the real estate market.  Many consumers don’t really understand the process or what it means.  Contrary to its name as a “short sale” the process can be very long.  So why again use the name, short sale? The reason it’s called a short sale is due to the fact the seller’s mortgage lender has agreed to take an amount less than (short of) the balance of the loan.  For example if the mortgage is $250,000 the bank may agree to an amount of $200,000 to pay the loan off.  Thus, you get the shortage of $50,000 that would have been due and the name, “Short Sale.”

Real Estate Market

Tuesday, July 14th, 2009 at 11:46am. 123 Views, 0 Comments.

Many people have been waiting to see what is happening with the real estate market these days.  To refinance or not, to move or not, has been the question in many home owners minds over the past few months.  The interest rates are steadily climbing back up.  They had hit an all time low hovering in the 4’s for quite some time.  But things are changing and rates are rising.  It’s likely home prices will begin to rise too as time passes.  If you have been sitting on the fence about what you should do, now is the time to act before the mortgage rates continue to climb.

Home Staging

Tuesday, July 14th, 2009 at 11:45am. 145 Views, 0 Comments.

A home that has been taken care of throughout the years will offer a stark contrast to a vacant, empty foreclosure.  If someone is living there the landscaping is not dead, there is warmth in the home, and that can go a long way in selling a property.  As with any home a fresh coat of paint, decluttering and the removal of unpleasant odors can go a long way to make a first good impression.  Ask your real estate agent if they offer professional home staging services before you sign a listing agreement.  If so, that could be the difference in your home on the market and the one across the street that didn’t have professional assistance.

Real Estate Tips | Real Estate Offers

Tuesday, July 14th, 2009 at 11:38am. 95 Views, 0 Comments.

Recently buyers are well aware that prices have fallen so they are being aggressive on their offers even if their realtor has recommended a higher offer.  Buyers just want to see what the seller is willing to take.  A seller should try to understand where they are coming from, don’t scoff at it, but try to compromise.  Obviously if they liked your home well enough to make an offer, they would like to own it.  Your realtor should be able to help you negotiate a fair offer for both parties involved.