Real estate is a viciously competitive business in Austin. How do you choose your REALTOR®? How do you choose any professional?
Forbe’s has just announced the top-10 most recession-proof cities and two central Texas cities made the top 3! #2 was San Antonio and #3 was Austin.
I still don’t recommend playing the housing market like the stock market unless you are dedicated to being an investor, but I would like to show you yet another bit of proof that the housing bubble is absent in Austin. Don’t stress over your home’s value! You can make a great deal of wealth in real estate if you can learn to take everything you hear with a grain of salt. Investing and moving every few years can build a great deal of wealth, but is not for everyone.
Just rest assured that Austin is an amazing city that is keeping your home’s value in a steady state of growth. Think of it as a Blue-chip stock rather than a Tech Stock!
Headlines read “Commercial Real Estate Markets Hold Steady“, “Commercial Real Estate Loans to Weaken as Economy Slows“. But the first quarter of 2008 showed that 6 of the 7 sectors of Commercial Real Estate are holding strong. Returns on commercial investments are still stronger than many other options, even if they have slowed. The cost of financing remains a concern, but long-time investors are still optimistic. Their greatest fear is the unforeseen, but good investors don’t let that deter them. Risk is all part of the game.
Living in Central Austin, I have a knack for Central Austin, so I am frequently hired to work in Central Austin. Do you have a property that you have been trying to sell? Whether or not you’ve hired an agent, let me know about your property and I will forward the information to my buyer-clients.
I currently have qualified buyers looking for the following:
If you are selling your property and it matches any of these descriptions, call me at (512) 771-1776 or email ariakristen@gmail.com.
New websites mean different problems in different browsers so while I’m fixing issues with my new website, I’ve bee carefully watching what browsers visitors are using. Don’t worry, my reports give me your name or any private data, just which browser and operating system you are using. Here is the break down:
Browsers by Visit:
Browser / Operating System by Visit:
I am shocked at the number of Internet Explorer users that are still out there. Are you afraid of using Firefox? Are you surprised that so many people use Firefox? Well here’s the news, Firefox is the Google of web browsers. It’s 100% free and developed by a company out to make the best possible browser, not to make the most money by hording software. Did you know that Internet Explorer is no longer supported for Mac? Why on earth is it still the standard? Firefox has tons of free add-ons that make viewing the web, creating reports, checking email, listening to music, downloading files, and tons more easier, more efficient, and just plain better?
I design my website first and foremost for Firefox, then I fix any problems in Internet Explorer. It is a problem prone browser. If it works in Firefox, I find that it works in Safari (Apple’s browser) and Opera. Internet Explorer limits code and is updated infrequently.
Please, give Firefox a try. It is truly a superior browser that will help protect your privacy and your computer from viruses and spyware. It actually works better with Windows than IE does!
Also, Realtors®, I know that most Real Estate Software is incompatible with anything other than IE7. These developers are lazy and not designing with web standards in mind. If we create a demand for better software, we just might get it. And I only use IE for MLS and Point2, never for general browsing. It’s just not safe!
This is what my site should look like:
It’s quick and easy to find out! Visit Real Estate Financing or use this calculator!
| Mortgage Rates |
| Mortgage Rates |
After my recent post “We Are the Real Estate Experts, Aren’t We?” you may argue that large, national chain brokerages may be better because they have the resources and the budgets for agent raining and education. And while I think that these Brokerages are a great place for new agents to start for that reason, if you are serious about buying or selling a home or investment property in Austin, chose a boutique real estate company.
Why? Let the new agents get their start with one of the big guys. They often have in-house training, which is truly needed to get these agents competent enough in their careers after relaxed education requirements by the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC). And many great agents emerge from the big guys — into small, boutique-style companies with a focus on customer service. The rest are eaten up by the business, and pursue a better-fitting career.
Quality vs. Quantity
Do you want the agent you hire to be focused on quality or quantity? The big companies play the old-fashioned, used-car-salesman numbers game. No wonder REALTORS® are getting the Used Car Salesman reputation, huh? The instruct agents to go after every listing, no matter the quality of the clients and the property. If you have 10 listings and 5 drop out, you still have 5 listings! This is why you receive post cards all the time from agents with the big companies, especially if your listing expires in MLS.
Although some small Austin brokerages still focus on quantity, most focus on quality. Quality listings, quality clients, take 3 clients, have 3 happy clients who make it to closing with smiles on their faces. Shouldn’t quality over quantity matter when you’re hiring someone to guide you through such am important time in your life?
Do you want to be a number or a person?
Although I sometimes want to shop quietly and anonymously, be it at the mall or for real estate, I still want the customer service when it counts. I want the answers and I want them when I need them. I want guidance and I want it when I need it. What will I get that with a frazzled agent shuffling 10 listings and 15 buyer-clients (with 8 over-priced listings, 5 don’t show well, 9 haven’t heard from her in weeks, and all 15 buyers are represented without pre-qualification and a buyer’s rep agreement)? I doubt she’ll answer when I call, how can she? I doubt she’ll have the answer and will have to get back with me. Why am I paying her again?
I won’t take a number, I’ll move on to the next guy. I don’t want to waste time, effort, and money. I want to get it done and get it done now. That’s why I recommend a small company — a Boutique Brokerage — headed by a great Owner/Broker who has a vast amount of knowledge and experience. Don’t take a number, be number 1. Hire someone who will earn their money by giving you guidance and advice every step of the way, even before you asked the question. Hire a REALTOR® who will take the time to be your friend, because trust me as someone who moves a lot, a friend is what everyone needs when they are moving!
Naturally, I recommend BridgeOne Properties headed by Michelle Cain. Yes, she got her start with one of the big companies. She used everything she learned by being successful with the big guys to create a company supportive of both its agents and its clients. BridgeOne is Austin’s Boutique Real Estate Company… We don’t sell an exceptional number of properties, just exceptional ones.
$2,850,000
Hill Country Views
Panoramic View
3 1.71+/- ac. private Lake Austin waterfront lots (PENDING TAKING BACKUPS)
1.0+/- acre lot; gated Barton Creek community (SOLD)
ariakristen@gmail.com
talk/txt 512.771.1776
gtalk ariakristen
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