2010

Will recent low interest rates stunt future Austin move-up activity?

December 16, 2010

One of our buyers closed last month with a 3.87% interest rate. We saw many sub-4% loans the past several months, though rates have now climbed back above 4.6%. Let’s imagine hypothetical first time buyers with a toddler who closed this year with an interest rate below 4%. Fast forward 5 years to 2015 and [...]

18 comments Read the full article →

Are You a Home Owner Just For the Tax Break?

December 13, 2010

As a Realtor, I’m in the loop and a part of the massive “call to action” machine that goes into motion anytime local, state or national governments appear to be heading toward regulations or changes in the law deemed harmful to the real estate industry and its consumers. The latest call to action is regarding [...]

23 comments Read the full article →

Is Some Austin Real Estate Worth Zero? Yes.

December 6, 2010

I previewed some real estate listings today that I wouldn’t own for free. These were condos in SE Austin priced in the $30Ks range. I’ve seen these listings online and I know the area, but curiosity finally got the best of me so I went and had a look to see just how bad a [...]

18 comments Read the full article →

Do Group Homes Harm Austin Neighborhoods?

December 2, 2010

We have a listing that is a good candidate for a Group Home, and we’re marketing it as such. This has earned the ire of some of the individuals living in the University Hills neighborhood in NE Austin. Let’s have a look at an emailed received from one of the concerned neighbors: Do NOT advertise [...]

20 comments Read the full article →

Austin Real Estate Market Update – Oct 2010 Sales

November 17, 2010

Sales volume continues to drop year over year in Austin while prices continue to rise. Let’s have a look at the chart below. Austin Real Estate Sales Monthly Update – Oct 2010 Homes only (condos, duplexes, etc. not included) compiled from Austin MLS data Sep 2010 Oct 2010 Oct 2009 Yr % Change # Sold [...]

9 comments Read the full article →

The Weird Stuff People do to Their Austin Houses

November 15, 2010

I’ve been showing and previewing lots of homes in central Austin neighborhoods lately, and taking note of some of the horrendously dumb things people do to their house. Often, these are do-it-yourself remodel projects or (apparently) paid projects that fall into one of 2 main categories. Category 1: What in the world were you thinking? [...]

4 comments Read the full article →

Austin Home Sales Breakdown by MLS Area – Jan-Sep 2010

November 11, 2010

Below is the breakdown of YTD home sales in Austin (Jan-Sep 2010) by MLS area. Of the 48 Austin MLS areas reported below, 18 are up from a year ago, 14 are down, and 16 are mixed. By “up” I mean all three metrics of average sold price, median sold price, and avergage price per [...]

4 comments Read the full article →

Austin Real Estate Market Update – Sept 2010

November 2, 2010

The number of residential home sales in Austin continued to fall off for September. Even record low interest rates are not enough to motivate buyers. Most buyers who really need to buy already did so earlier this year. Looks like everyone else is hunkering down and waiting. Let’s start with the year to date stats. [...]

7 comments Read the full article →

If Politicians Had to Abide by the Realtor Code of Ethics

November 1, 2010

As we’re all bombarded for one last night on radio, TV and our mailboxes with the offensive and intellectually insulting ads produced by maggot politicians seeking our votes, I thought it would be interesting to see what the world would be like if these scumbags had to follow the same Standards of Practice and Code [...]

2 comments Read the full article →

I Was Reprimanded and Lectured by a Travis County Polling Worker

October 29, 2010

Sylvia and I stopped by Randalls in Westlake yesterday for early voting. Upon presenting my voter registration card to the lady who checks ID, she reprimanded me for having trimmed it to a size that fits into my wallet. The voter registration cards in Texas are the size of a standard postcard. This makes it [...]

7 comments Read the full article →

← Previous Entries