There are a variety of opportunities in the Austin Real Estate Market for buyers who are looking to buy a new home. The benefits of buying a newly built home include the luxury of picking out all the features you do or do not want in your home and the peace of mind knowing that the condition of the house & the appliances are brand new.

There is a saying in real estate that you make your money when you buy. One way to make a good purchase is to enlist the help of a Realtor when buying a new home. Here are 3 ways we can help you if you are thinking about buying a new home in the Austin area:

Why You Should Have A Realtor When Building A New Home

1. Lot Selection

A home’s lot can greatly contribute to the future resale value of the home. Many lots in a new home development will not be appealing to…

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Austin-area home sales top 3,000, $1 billion in volume in June 2015, prices remain high;
Mid-year results show 2015 on pace to exceed historical sales volume in 2014

Austin Board of REALTORS® releases real estate statistics for June 2015 and mid-year 2015


AUSTIN, Texas – July 21, 2015 – According to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) report released today by the Austin Board of REALTORS® (ABoR), Austin-area home sales topped 3,000 sales for the first time since July 2013, increasing five percent year-over-year to 3,051 sales for the month of June. Mid-year statistics show that Austin-area home sales increased an average of four percent year-over-year to 13,917, putting 2015 on pace to potentially exceed 2014’s historical high in sales volume.

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One of the most misunderstood aspects of real estate is dollars per square foot ($/sf). Even with my own clients it can be difficult to get them to realize there are too many factors that go into pricing real estate for this to be a reliable statistic.

What is $/sf?

If you take the sales price divided by the size of the home you will have calculated $/sf. Comparing 2 homes by $/sf would be fine if both homes are exactly the same, but that rarely happens.

Here are some of the reasons why comparing homes by $/sf may not be accurate:

1. Lot value as part of the overall home value.

The value of the lot is not considered when calculating $/sf. A home that is on a more valuable lot for whatever reason (size, greenbelt, swimming pool, etc)…

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Austin-area home prices remain high, home sales decrease in May 2015

Austin Board of REALTORS® releases real estate statistics for May 2015

AUSTIN, Texas – June 19, 2015 – After setting a record in April, single-family home sales dipped two percent to 2,767 home sales in May, according to the May 2015 Multiple Listing Service (MLS) report released today by the Austin Board of REALTORS®.

Single-family home prices remained high, both setting a record for the month of May and increasing at a rapid rate that is outpacing historical appreciation, which is typically four percent annually according to the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University. The majority of homes entering the market continue to be priced outside of an affordable price range…

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I was talking with a woman who took her home off the market after it didn’t sell in 3 months. When I asked her why her home didn’t sell she said, “Someone told me the pictures sucked, but I never checked.”

With the advent of affordable digital cameras and camera phones many agents will tell you that they can take real estate pictures that are just as good as a professional photographer. I have heard many agents say the pictures they take are “good enough.”

Even though camera phones and consumer level digital cameras have incredible sensors there is a big difference between the photos an agent can take and what a professional can do.

We offer professional photography for all of our listings. Let’s look at some of the differences between…

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When you are buying or selling a home in Avery Ranch you will want to work with a Realtor who knows the market here.

We have been Avery Ranch homeowners since 2007 and we know the area better than anyone else.

When you’re selling your home wouldn’t you like a Realtor on your side who loves the neighborhood as much as you do?

We can talk to you about the schools, restaurants, trailheads and real estate in Avery Ranch because we live here every day.

There are almost 4,000 homes in Avery Ranch split up into many different sections. You should work with Realtors who specialize in the neighborhood like us, and who can tell you the best areas to help you find the perfect home.

Many of the best homes in Avery Ranch sell before they are listed, or…

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1. People Live Here From All Over The World

Avery Ranch may be the most diverse neighborhood in Austin. People move here from all over the world, including Joyce who was born in Malaysia. As an example of the diversity in our neighborhood fantasy football league we have players who were born in 7 different countries.

2. Avery Ranch Has Been A Great Financial Investment.

Since buying our home in 2007 we have seen tremendous appreciation in real estate values. Because of the great schools in the area and proximity to major tech employers such as Google and Apple we expect that appreciation to continue.

3. Annual Fireworks Show

One of the most anticipated events in our area is the Annual Avery Ranch HOA Fireworks Show. This event is usually…

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In this radio clip Eric and John Schutze talk about how to get multiple offers on your home on Talk Radio 1370AM. Some of the highlights include:

  • Why it’s important to hire a Realtor with a system to get multiple offers.
  • What’s the best and worst day to list your home.
  • What can happens if you accept the first offer that is submitted.
  • How an open house can sell your home despite most Realtors believing it doesn’t.

If you would like to talk about a multiple offer strategy for your home call Eric Peterson at 512-791-7473.

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AUSTIN, Texas – May 21, 2015 – Austin-area single-family home prices once again hit an all-time high, while single-family home sales volume set a record for the month of April, according to the April 2015 Multiple Listing Service (MLS) report released today by the Austin Board of REALTORS®. This marks the eighth-straight month of annual home sale increases, as housing affordability continues to be a challenge in the Austin market.

Barb Cooper, 2015 President of the Austin Board of REALTORS®, explained, “The summer selling season doesn’t usually start in April, but it arrived early this year with significant increases in single-family home sales and prices for April 2015. Showing the impact of these increases, it cost nearly $20,000 more to buy a home…

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