The Heart of Austin

The Home Seller Could Pay the Price

I have some clients that are pretty interested in making an offer on a luxury home in Austin.  Since the home is shown "by appointment only" with the listing agent, I called several weeks ago to make an appointment. My clients had driven by the house that they had seen on a list that I emailed them daily and they really wanted to see the interior.  The first call to the agent was unanswered.  After showing my clients all of the other homes in the neighborhood, I called the listing agent's real estate office and asked them to please have him call me. Several minutes later, I got a call from the agent who was boating on the lake.  When I asked if another agent in his office could show us the house, he told me that the key to the house was locked in his car at the marina.  No showing. My clients left town.  Two days before they returned, I called the listing agent again to make an appointment to show them the house.  He had a conflict.  I asked him to put the key in a lock box, with the seller's permission, and let me show the house. We finally got inside. A week later, the agent lowered the list price of the house, and my buyers wanted to see it again.  I called and left a message, emailed and sent a text message to the agent on Saturday requesting a showing. Nothing. I called again on Sunday evening and reached the agent on his cell phone. He apologized for not returning my call.  My request to show the property again on Monday was honored.  I requested a copy of the Seller Disclosure and Survey by email. A return email told me that I could go to the Austin Board of Realtors website and download them. I requested a copy of the plat. His return email said that he "will run down the information about the surrounding landowners".  He did not say he would get me the plat.  I left him another message again requesting the plat. My clients want to make an offer!  Yet, I do not have the information that I need to write one.  Two lessons here.  First of all, not all real estate agents are created equally.  After 30 years in the business, I know that servicing my clients real estate needs is a lifestyle and not a job---their needs come first or it costs them.  Does this seller realize that this agent is going to cost him money?  Choose an agent carefully.  Timing is everything in our business.  An agent must be in constant communication using a cell phone or Blackberry and email and text messaging. Our clients expect it!  The second lesson is that buyers want access to all of the information about a house and won't make an offer until they get it.  We build information-rich websites for each of our listings so that buyers can get all of the information that they want about our listings---photos, survey, plat map, seller disclosure, school information, deed restrictions, even a contract to purchase. The web address is the property address so it is easy to remember. View one of our listings "homesites" at www.12021SelmaHughesPark.com  Our sellers deserve this type of marketing and it helps us get our listings sold more quickly and for more money. I wonder if a price reduction would have been necessary if the seller of the home my clients like had chosen more carefully?

Austin Real Estate Market Statistics for May

May is typically one of the hottest months of the year in our real estate market locally.  Schools are winding down, kids are leaving the nest for college and summer vacations make it an ideal time to move the family. The Austin real estate market has slowed over the same period last year, but it is still a good market even though our inventory is up by close to 25%. Last year at this time, we had 9843 active listings, and today there are 12,249, good news for those buyers who haven't found the perfect house. The supply, however, is still not meeting the demand of a "normal" market. In a normal market, there is a 6 month supply of homes. Today we have a 4.5 month supply in many areas of town. And, we are still seeing multiple offers on homes that are priced right and in good condition.

However, our May pendings were down by 68% and solds decreased by 28% indicating that inflated gas prices and the doom and gloom constantly blaring from the national media could be starting to influence our numbers. There are still more people moving into Austin than moving out, and the entrepreneurial spirit here continues to be a magnet for growth and new business.  The outlook looks good!  Austin keeps getting national attention in list after list and still remains a favorite destination for those seeking a respite from the ordinary.

If you want more specific numbers on sales in your neighborhood, please let me know!  We can set you up on an automated system that notifies you each time a home comes onto the market or sells in your neighborhood.  For the latest information on homes we have listed, please visit our website at www.WestAustin.com   

We appreciate your referrals!  For more than 30 years, referrals have been the heart of our business!

Summer Magic in the Texas Hill Country

Looking for some fun places to go this summer without leaving the country?  The New York Times cited 31 great places to go if you don't want to trade your dollars for Euros. Leading the list was the Texas Hill Country, their number one destination!  Citing the similarities and lure of the rolling hills, numerous wineries and the multitude of food and music festivals, the area west of Austin and north of San Antonio is reminiscent of the best of the Old World.  Wine enthusiasts will enjoy tasting the best Texas has to offer at many of the fantastic wineries. (www.TexasWineTrail.com) 

Brad and I have enjoyed driving to Fredericksburg and Johnson City (don't miss the amazing tour of the LBJ Ranch in Stonewall) for many years. We loved to stop at the road side peach stands this time of year and pick up fresh peaches or go to Burg's Corner for a basket of peaches or homemade peach ice cream. (www.BurgsCorner.com ) The vegetable stands are prolific with a bounty of summer veggies and berries.  There are some wonderful German bakeries and restaurants in Fredericksburg as well as some good beer gardens.  Shopping in Fredericksburg is nirvana for those who love antiques, country goods and Texas fare.  It is truly a fun destination! (www.Fredericksburg-Texas.com)

Our girls both went to summer camp at Camp Mystic so we made the yearly trek through these three hill country towns to Hunt, Texas just outside of Kerrville to deliver our excited campers to camp and then back again a month later to retrieve them in in a sea of tears until the next summer arrived. Camp Mystic is one of the magical places in the Texas Hill Country where girls grow to be women and one never forgets the friendships or the fireflies. My mother began this family tradition many years ago with all of her buddies. My sister, Ellen and I went as well. One of the first things I thought about when my girls were born was the need to get them on the camp waiting list!  "There's a camp on the Guadalupe River. It is the camp of my dreams, where the whipperwills call softly and the bright moon beams. There's a camp on the Guadalupe River where hearts are loyal and true. Camp Mystic I will pledge my true and faithful love to you!" (www.CampMystic.com)

As always, summer is a busy time for real estate and a key time for a move. If you know someone who needs our expert real estate service, please refer them to me. Referrals have been the heart of my business for over 30 years and there has never been a better time to buy real estate in Austin, Texas!  (www.WestAustin.com)