Condominium ownership is a very special kind of home ownership. There are a myriad of issues affecting how much you’ll enjoy living in the unit and what you can sell it for when you are ready. Recognizing the early warning signs of trouble and researching the potential risks is an important first step in the […]
Buyer Beware!
What should buyers be aware of during their home search? Any land mines they should watch out for? Find out some of our best buyer cautionary tips on our Buyer Beware Blog.
Don't miss our Austin Home Buyer section and our Buying a Home in Austin Blog for more insider home buying tips!
Using Price Per Square Foot When Determining Home Value
Attempting to measure a home’s true market value using a price per square foot calculation is more often confusing, misleading and quite possibly deceptive. Using price per square foot as a valuation tool is a little like predicting the local high and low temperatures by using a national weather temperature averages. But, even with its […]
Why I Tell All My Buyers to Ignore Square Footage
Square footage is one of the metrics most buyers focus on when buying a home in Austin. They think about the places they’ve lived, how big they were, and come up with an arbitrary number as to the minimum square footage they can live in. Though this works to a point, it is not a […]
Do I Really Need a Survey?
Those of you relocating to Austin from other parts of the country might not be familiar with the idea of getting a property survey as part of your purchase documentation. Invariably, usually because of the cost, the question arises whether or not you really need a survey when you buy a home in Austin? The […]
Should I Inspect a New Home?
Should I inspect a new home in Austin? Buying new construction from a builder does not necessarily mean a problem-free home. Don’t assume that a brand-new home was built right or well. A home is an expensive purchase and the cost to repair the other guy’s mistakes can be expensive as well. Why Inspect? Far […]
8 Things Home Buyers Should Notice But Don’t
There are certain things that will greatly affect how you live in a home. The ironic thing is most Austin home buyers never think to investigate or even notice the things that will most affect them. To help you think through your next purchase, here are the 8 things home buyers should notice but don’t. […]
Can a Buyer Do Repairs on a Home Before Closing?
Austin home buyers sometimes ask if they are able to do repairs on a home before closing. This usually comes up with houses that don’t qualify for financing (homes with no stove, no heater, missing toilets, etc). For the purposes of the question allow me to greatly oversimplify. The answer is “No” even if the […]
What Should Buyers Look for in the Sellers Disclosure?
Texas state law requires that a Seller’s Disclosure Notice be delivered to the prospective home buyer as part of the contractual process. The idea of disclosure is simply to tell prospective buyers what the seller knows about a property. Most, but not all, single family home sales (several exceptions apply), require the seller and a […]
Buying REOs (Foreclosures) – Fact vs Fiction
Foreclosures have presented a lure of a deal for years as the real estate market has had its ups and downs. Over the past few months, we’ve been hearing a lot of buyers with some incorrect ideas about how buying foreclosures in Austin works. Here are some foreclosure buying facts and fiction to help set […]
The Two Scariest Words in Home Buying: Inspection and Appraisal
Buying a home is scary, especially if you don’t know what to expect. For most, the scariest events are the home inspection and appraisal. Inspections and appraisal evoke feelings of doubt, anxiety, and uncertainty in both home buyers and sellers. Fear of the unknown is a fairly common human condition, especially when it involves large […]