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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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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This adorable Pfugerville cottage in the Heatherwilde neighborhood will be listed for sale on May 15, 2015. Listed for only $150,000 you won’t see many homes offering this much value in our area. The large master bedroom is privately located on the 2nd floor away from the other bedrooms. 2 bedrooms and another full bath are located on the main floor. A 2 car detached garage is located just behind the home.

There are many upgrades in this home including recent ceramic tile in the living room and updated ceiling fans in all the bedrooms. The water heater and dishwasher have both recently been replaced. HVAC was replaced in 2004 and new shingles were put on the home in 2006.

The refrigerator conveys.

We will be holding an OPEN HOUSE on…

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It is not uncommon for a seller in the Austin area to receive multiple offers on their home. Multiple offers can be advantageous to a seller not only because it increases the chance to sell at a higher price but it also gives a seller the opportunity to select an offer with the best terms.

For some sellers terms such as waiving appraisal contingencies, higher option money, quicker closing date or a possible lease back may be just as attractive as more money.

Multiple offers and handling a multiple offer situation correctly doesn’t happen by chance. If you are selling your home make sure you have a Realtor on your side who has a system in place to attract multiple offers.

Here are some of the steps we will take to maximize your chances of…

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Last week I heard another Realtor refer to south Austin real estate as a “war zone.” That might be an exaggeration but it’s definitely pretty bad out there.

The number of homes sold in the Austin MLS during March reached an all time high for the month of 2,440. That is a 13% jump from March 2014.

The median price was up 10% and average price up 13% to $334,758.

These numbers don’t tell the whole story. Believe it or not in some parts of our area things are even hotter than those statistics would indicate. Several times in March and April we have seen properties with over 10 offers on them. Many of these homes are selling for well over the asking price.

Stories of multiple offers have become common in south and central Austin over the last…

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