Everybody knows that Zillow primarily operates as an advertising platform. I get clients who often share stories of discovering their realtors through the platform after a quick skim through a list of local realtors from the search bar. You might get a real estate veteran or an agent fresh out of school. You never know, and you should be wary of who you hire to buy or sell your home; here's why...



In a recent report from real estate insider Mike Delprete, Zillow is reportedly applying pressure on realtors who advertise on their platform, urging them to direct business to Zillow's mortgage company. The catch? If realtors don't comply, Zillow might pull the plug on their advertising and stop sending leads to these agents. This revelation…

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Almost every day I get calls or have people attend our seminars thinking they can’t sell their house because of what they are hearing in the news. I assure you we are still helping people like you sell their homes and If what you are hearing has stopped you from making a move contact us to talk about your plans. Many people have benefited this year from scheduling a buying power and home improvement audit. I’ve found that even if what I tell them isn’t what they want to hear it allows them to make better decisions and move forward with their life. I’m not saying it’s easy but in the end our clients always say it’s worth it to move on to a better place.

Who Is Moving Right Now?

One of our recent clients were the original owner of their home. They…

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Make Your Voice Heard in the Avery Ranch Community! 


Hello, fellow Avery Ranch Residents!

The Avery Ranch community needs your votes for the upcoming 2023 Annual Meeting and Election! This is your chance to play a vital role in shaping the future of our community by choosing the individuals who will represent us on the Board of Directors.

Convenient Voting Options

The Avery Ranch Management team has made it easier than ever for you to participate in this important process. Here are your options:

1. Online Voting

How:  Simply visit https://vtnw.com/go/ARVote/ using your internet browser. You'll need your unique voter registration code to cast your vote electronically. Remember, do not use the search box if you prefer to search for…

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Hey there, Avery Ranch Residents!

Are you ready for a day of bargain hunting and treasure hunting? Mark your calendars for an event that's become a beloved tradition in our community—the Avery Ranch Fall Community Garage Sale! Clear out those garages, sheds, and closets because it's happening on Saturday, September 16th, from 7 AM to 1 PM. 

It's that time of year again! In the days leading up to the garage sale, watch for signs posted by the HOA at the four corners of our community announcing the event.

Homeowners are encouraged to put up their own signs on the day of the garage sale to help shoppers find their location with ease. Just remember, these signs should be promptly removed once the garage sale concludes. Let's keep our beautiful…

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Over the last year I have received more calls from divorcing couples to talk about their options. Here is one thing they often get wrong.

In most cases when a couple is getting a divorce and they own a home with a mortgage it is in the name of both owners. Typically in a divorce the property goes to the husband or the wife. The person who isn’t keeping the property will sign a deed to remove them from the property.

The problem is the mortgage is still in both names and the mortgage company doesn’t recognize that deed removing you from the liability. The only way to remove yourself is by including in your divorce decree the other owner has to refinance the mortgage or the property should be sold.

Many divorces are amicable. Things may be amicable…

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Sometimes I’ll hear someone saying they want a “hungry agent”. In reality hiring a hungry agent is your biggest risk in this market.

The number of homes in our area being listed and sold is down about 30%. Realtors are leaving the business left and right because there aren’t enough homes for everyone. If you’re looking for a hungry agent you will have a lot to choose from.

What you don’t realize is how much that will hurt you. When listing your home, the biggest risk you have is hiring someone who will tell you what you want to hear so you hire them. When an agent is that hungry you have to wonder if the advice they are giving is benefitting you or them.

I recently had a buyer’s agent on a sale tell me she personally needed that deal to…

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Lance Lambert, real estate editor at Fortune Magazine, called Austin the most interesting real estate market in America.

Prices went up like a rocket and came back to earth, but still up 43% since March 2020. Some people can’t get over missing out on timing the market. The truth is few people did because even those who sold at the top had to buy in the same market at the top.

If I told you in March 2020 your home would be worth 43% more in 3 years you would have been over the moon happy about that. If you’ve allowed yourself to get stuck because you missed out on the peak perhaps a change in perspective to thinking about how much better off you are than 3 years ago will help you get unstuck. Otherwise using 2021 and early 2022 as your baseline…

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Does the school tax ceiling transfer when a person who is age 65 or older or is disabled or is the surviving spouse (age 55 or older) of the individual moves to another home?

A percentage of the school district tax ceiling may be transferred.

The ceiling on the new residence homestead would be calculated to give you the same percentage of tax paid as the ceiling on the original residence homestead. For example, if you currently have a tax ceiling of $100, but would pay $400 without the ceiling, the percentage of tax paid is 25 percent. If you move to another home and the taxes on the new residence homestead would normally be $1,000 in the first year, the new tax ceiling would be $250, or 25 percent of $1,000.

To transfer the school district…

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About this time last year we saw interest rates increase at a rate never seen before along with a dramatic increase in the number of homes on the market. As a result, buyer demand dropped off the cliff which caused prices to fall around here almost as much as anywhere in the country. Of course, our prices had gone up so much we had farther to fall.

Many buyers, especially those influenced by social media predictions, held off buying thinking they could wait for prices to crash like in 2008.

Instead of seeing a 2008 crash, this spring has seen a resurgence in buyer demand. It appears buyers have gotten used to interest rates in the 6% range and have realize we aren’t going back to 3% rates any time soon and likely not forever.

In addition, we have…

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It’s hard to believe, but summer is already around the corner. Here in the Austin area, our home-selling “season” kicks off in spring and reaches its peak in the summer. It’s our busiest time of year, although this year things will be a little different.

With interest rates up, demand has slowed compared to last year. Prices remain high and sellers still have the upper hand, but buyers have a bit more leverage and homes are taking longer to sell on average. This season, homes that are attractive to buyers and marketed aggressively will sell fast and high. Here are the strategies we’re using to position our summer sellers for the best result possible.

I have to give myself a little grace here because I haven’t gotten much sleep lately and I’ve…

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