Location is probably the golden rule of real estate and i think everyone knows that.

Price – DO NOT OVERPRICE YOUR HOME.  Now that is an easy statement to make when it’s not your home.  Not all buyers out there are looking for the cheapest, but they are not going to overpay in this market and there are lots of homes out there for buyers to consider.

Maintenance – Don’t put your house on the market if it needs a ton of work and expect to get a good price.  Take the time to touch-up paint or weed the flowerbed.  It is better to wait to put the house on the market than to put it on if it’s not ready.

Cleanliness – Nothing sells a home better that the buyers walking in and it is just perfect.  It’s not enough for it to just be clean, it needs to be staged well.  This doesn’t mean you have to go out and hire a stager.  Most Realtors should be able to give you some tips on staging.  Make sure the yard is in good condition, flowers, attend to brown spots in the yard, mow and edge regularly.

Marketing – This is something you may take for granted that your Realtor is going to do, but DON’T.  Ask questions of how and where they are gong to market you home.  Do they have a marketing plan or are they just going to “do the normal”?  Do they have a calendar of events for the home?  Internet, print, property tours, single property website, relo, blog, photos and virtual toug are just a few marketing tools that you should ask about.  A little more about photos quickly.  I can’t stress enough how important great photos are.  Most people are starting their home buying process on-line and if your photos just so-so the buyer will skip right on past the house.  Make sure your real estate agent hires a professional to take the pictures!!!  I take a pretty good picture myself, but the company I use takes a great picture and that is why I pay the money to have them do it.  The same reason you are paying the real estate agent to help you sell your house, because they are a professional.

Anyway off my soapbox for now.  Hope this information helps and please don’t hesitate to post back or call if you have any real estate questions.

Eric Hunke

512.699.3742

Realtor ®

Prudential Ultima Real Estate 512.699.3742

Austin area home sales volume continues to increase; Statistics indicating future demand show positive signs

Austin Board of REALTORS® releases February 2010 real estate statistics

March 18, 2010 – According to the Multiple Listing Service report by the Austin Board of REALTORS®, the volume of Austin area home sales in February 2010 was 1,145, up four percent from the same month in 2009. The median price of real estate in the Austin area remained unchanged in the same time period at $189,500.

“These results demonstrate that Austin’s recovery is continuing steadily,” said John Horton, Chairman of the Austin Board of REALTORS®. “Our area has been identified as one of the first to emerge from the recession and the real estate trends of recent months clearly support this assertion.”

According to Forbes Magazine, the Austin area tied for first place on a list of large metropolitan areas where the recession is easing first. Austin’s low unemployment rate and job growth from 2007 to 2009 – just below one percent, which was more than any other city included in the research – were cited as key factors for the ranking.

Mr. Horton continued, “It appears we’re beginning to see an impact from this steady improvement, particularly in increases in pending sales and new listings, as well as a decrease in the length of time homes are staying on the market, all of which are indicators of future demand.”

In February 2010, homes remained on the market an average of 77 days, a 13 percent decrease from the same month in 2009. This is a substantial year-over-year decrease when compared to the fall of 2009, during which the average days on market for properties changed less than five percent from the prior year each month. In addition, pending sales were up 24 percent to 1,738; new listings increased by 16 percent to 3,067; and active listings remained unchanged at 9,335.

“It’s encouraging to see steady increases in sales volume and stability in price,” said Horton. “Those two factors combined with positive changes in pending sales and days on market are good indicators for the Austin market.”

February 2010 Statistics

$279,778,460 – Total dollar volume of single-family properties sold, a 5 percent increase from February 2009.

$189,500 – Median price for single-family homes, unchanged from February 2009.

1,145 – Single-family homes sold, a four percent increase from February 2009.

The Austin Board of REALTORS® is a non-profit, voluntary organization representing more than 8,000 licensed REALTORS® in Central Texas.  For more, please contact Angela Brutsché at 512-454-7636.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2010/02/22/foreman.building.up.america.cnn?hpt=Mid

Set to expire at end of November, plan will remain until end of April

WASHINGTON – Senators agreed Wednesday to extend a popular tax credit for first-time homebuyers and to offer a reduced credit to some repeat buyers.

The tax credit provides up to $8,000 to first-time homebuyers but is set to expire at the end of November.

Senators agreed to extend the existing tax credit for first-time homebuyers while offering a reduced credit of up to $6,500 to repeat buyers who have owned their current homes for at least five years, said Regan Lachapelle, a spokeswoman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.

The tax credits would be available to homebuyers who sign sales agreements by the end of April. They would have until the end of June to close on their new homes, said a congressional aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to publicly discuss the deal.

Senators were still negotiating the expansion of a separate tax credit that lets money-losing businesses get refunds for taxes paid in previous years, providing them with an immediate source of cash.

Senators in both political parties were hoping to add both tax provisions to a bill that would give people running out of unemployment insurance benefits up to 20 more weeks of federal aid. The Senate could vote on the overall bill as early as Thursday, but lawmakers were still haggling over several unrelated amendments Wednesday evening.

Popular bills like the one to extend unemployment benefits often attract amendments that would have a difficult time passing on their own.

Republicans were demanding that they be given a chance to offer amendments to restrict federal aid to the beleaguered community activist group ACORN and on requiring that people receiving unemployment insurance be processed through E-Verify, an Internet-based system that employers use to check on the immigration status of new hires.

Majority Democrats have refused to add the amendments.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Information sent to me from…

Leahy&Associates LENDING INNOVATION

Powered by Cornerstone Mortgage

This great home has been meticulously maintained. Don’t miss this opportunity to own in the south Austin community of Sweetwater Glen. Competitively priced with builder. Get more square footage for your money. Enjoy professionally added room added off kitchen, great for dining or play area. Convenient location provides easy access to shopping, dining and entertainment. Easy commute to downtown, UT, airport, AMD, Freescale and other major employers.

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/2009/10/23/1023textban.html

Council bans texting while

driving

Some speakers say ban too broad; council delays

effective date to January.

By Sarah Coppola <mailto:scoppola@statesman.com>
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Friday, October 23, 2009

The Austin City Council unanimously passed a ban Thursday on text messaging while driving, though a few speakers raised concerns that the ban is too broad and urged council members to spend more time refining it.

The ban was supposed to take effect Nov. 2; instead, it will take effect Jan. 1. Council Member Mike Martinez suggested the delay, saying it will give the public and city commissions more time to review and suggest tweaks to the ordinance. He also asked city staffers to use the time to conduct an educational campaign about the ban.

Drivers will still be able to text when their vehicle is stopped. The ordinance will prohibit writing, sending or viewing electronic messages on a cell phone, BlackBerry, iPhone or any wireless communication device while driving. Electronic messages include text messages, e-mails, posts on social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook, and “a command or request to access an Internet site.”

The ordinance exempts placing a phone call, using a navigation system or a wireless device permanently installed in a vehicle and texting in emergency situations. It also exempts public safety personnel who use wireless devices while on duty. Drivers could still use a voice-activated mode on their wireless devices to send messages.

Violations will be Class C misdemeanors, which carry a fine of up to $500 and can be appealed in Municipal Court. The penalty could be increased if a driver is caught engaging in another dangerous driving behavior, such as speeding.

Chip Rosenthal, chairman of the city’s community technology and telecommunications commission, asked council members before the vote to take more time to review and revise the ban.

“I think the language before you will have unintended and unanticipated consequences,” he said. “The scope is so much wider than just a ban on texting.”

He said the language could potentially ban actions that drivers can do safely, such as glancing down at an electronic note or using Pandora, an Internet radio service.

Debbie Russell of the local chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union questioned why public safety employees would be exempt, saying texting while driving poses the same risks for them. She added that the ban could be tough to enforce and may lead to intrusive searches of wireless devices as police or prosecutors gather evidence against violators.

Council Members Laura Morrison and Bill Spelman suggested postponing the item two weeks to give city commissions more time to review it. Their motion failed and the council passed Martinez’s proposal on the ban now but delayed the effective date to January.

Martinez noted that the ban has been in the works for two years, since he first proposed it during meetings of a public safety task force.

The ban, he said, “is not about enforcement or revenue generation. It’s about safety and awareness.”

scoppola@statesman.com; 912-2939

Central Park Site Plan

The Central Park is a new community starting in south Austin.  It is located just off Stassney Lane at Emerald Forest.  Homes from 1173 sqft to 2067 sqft are being offered with prices starting around $188,999.  There will only be 42 homesites is the community and the houses are packed with luxury and energy efficiency features.

Eric Hunke – 512.699.3742

Realtor – Prudential Ultima Real Estate

Gaberdine Site Plan

The Gabardine is a new community going in on the south edge of Shady Hollow off Frate Barker.  This new and exciting concept really impressed me with what it has to offer for the right person/family.

This is a gated community with an HOA of $155 that covers all of your exterior maintenance, landscaping including seasonal plantings and your landscaping water expense (sprinkler system).  Courtyards and pool are in the plans.  A 13 acre tree covered open space for the exclusive use of Gabardine residents and guests.

Floor plans are available from a 1347 sqft 2 bedroom all the way up to a 1733 sqft 4 bedroom.

Schools include Baranoff Elementary, Bailey Middle and Bowie High School.

Eric Hunke – 512.699.3742

Realtor – Prudential Ultima Real Estate

Features: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, office/formal dining, breakfast area, additional dining added by the current home owners, refrigerator, laundry room on main level, master up with 2 walk-in closets, dual vanity, garden tub and separate shower in master bath, outside you will find large trees providing afternoon shade for the back yard.

Eric Hunke 512.699.3742

Realtor

Prudential Ultima Real Estate

Front of home