My little Sammy with her trophy from the Austin Rodeo '09! She rode that lamb across the finish line and ended up being thrown 30 feet! And still had sheep fur clutched in her hands! If that damn lamb hadn't given a vicious head twist at the last minute she would have come first!
Amazing Place Photo
World heritage Site: Us at Angkor Wat Cambodia
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Mutton Bustin Anyone?
My little Sammy with her trophy from the Austin Rodeo '09! She rode that lamb across the finish line and ended up being thrown 30 feet! And still had sheep fur clutched in her hands! If that damn lamb hadn't given a vicious head twist at the last minute she would have come first!
A Gem of a House on Jewell!
A Gem on Jewell! Exquisite soft contemporary in the heart of Austin's SoCo neighborhood featuring 3 bedrooms, 2 living areas a gourmet kitchen with Dacor and Wolf appliances, terrazzo center island, concrete and bamboo floors, sleek Zen-like bathrooms, French doors, double verandas with city views, a detached 2 car garage, a private and deep yard and a gorgeous xeriscaped front yard with a unique Escher-like handmade geccko tile pathway that winds up to the aante-bellum front porch. An elegant master suite, laundry up and within walking distance of galleries, restaurants, the Austin music scene and Zilker Park. Grab this hot gem before the bling goes to someone else!
Realtor Loyalty & Etiquette
Don't Rip Off Your Realtor Inadvertently (or deliberately)!
A lot of people don't seem to realize the nature of a Realtor/Client relationship and end up blowing off their Realtor and costing them a commission. When you begin a relationship with a Realtor and they show you property, please realize that even if you have not signed a Buyers Representation Agreement with them, they are entitled to any commission for a property you purchase that they showed you. If you Realtor hop, you do not really gain the benefit of having a sole professional who is devoted to your needs and wants. A Realtor's fiduciary duty is always to their client and they go to great lengths to protect your interests...you should do the same by showing them the loyalty and professionalism they deserve. If you are working with a realty agent, who has taken the time (and the gasoline!) to show you many properties and hunt out listings for you, you really do owe them something! Just because you happen to be at an Open House and decide to make an offer on it, do NOT suddenly have the agent holding the open house represent you. It is not fair or acceptable. Call your own agent! Do not hesitate to disturb them on a Sunday! They will be very grateful and happy to write up your offer on Christmas Eve at midnight, if it means they can recoup a portion of the money they have already spent on you by earning a commission. Once you find a Realtor you click with, stay in touch and do not assume they are too busy for you. No matter how busy they are they will appreciate your loyalty even if it is years down the road from when you first talked. And if you suddenly decide to look in another geographic area, give your Realtor a chance to refer you to a good agent they trust in that vicinity. They can even receive a small referral fee from this but more importantly they will send you to someone they trust who will truly represent your interests. And do not underestimate the Realtor network...it is HUGE and spreads all across the continent (or world even)
Remember all Realtors are not created equal, but a good one builds a relationship with their client and wants what is genuinely best for them! Regardless of commission. A good Realtor will often talk you out of a purchase they know is a bad investment for you or vice versa. If they are listening to you, they will always keep your goals in mind and are constantly searching for the right property for you. Like a caring doctor, they are a professional and it is not appropriate to ask them to reduce their commission. Of course there are discount Realtors out there, but if they are so willing to reduce their earnings, they are probably working on volume and will happily reduce your sales price if it suits the!. You would probably not ask your Heart Surgeon to cut his rates but people routinely ask this of their Realtor. A Realtor could easily spend a year or longer searching for the right investment for your family and for you to suddenly enter into an agreement with another Realtor at the last minute is truly a nasty slap in the face that they do not deserve. Having said all that....if you are listing your house for sale and also purchasing a new property through the same Realtor, then it is fine to request a commission reduction. Since they are netting 2 commissions instead of one, they will usually be happy to do this and save you some money on the selling side.
And of course if you are not happy with your Realtor...CALL ME! I promise to take great care of you and anyone you send to me.
Remember all Realtors are not created equal, but a good one builds a relationship with their client and wants what is genuinely best for them! Regardless of commission. A good Realtor will often talk you out of a purchase they know is a bad investment for you or vice versa. If they are listening to you, they will always keep your goals in mind and are constantly searching for the right property for you. Like a caring doctor, they are a professional and it is not appropriate to ask them to reduce their commission. Of course there are discount Realtors out there, but if they are so willing to reduce their earnings, they are probably working on volume and will happily reduce your sales price if it suits the!. You would probably not ask your Heart Surgeon to cut his rates but people routinely ask this of their Realtor. A Realtor could easily spend a year or longer searching for the right investment for your family and for you to suddenly enter into an agreement with another Realtor at the last minute is truly a nasty slap in the face that they do not deserve. Having said all that....if you are listing your house for sale and also purchasing a new property through the same Realtor, then it is fine to request a commission reduction. Since they are netting 2 commissions instead of one, they will usually be happy to do this and save you some money on the selling side.
And of course if you are not happy with your Realtor...CALL ME! I promise to take great care of you and anyone you send to me.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Jeremy's Aborted Football Career
Jeremy decided to join the football team as seventh grade is their first opportunity for extra curricular team sports at school. The day we picked up his textbooks, got his locker and bought his athletic uniform, the Coach asked Jeremy if he was going to be on his football team. Jeremy looks up at the big, scary, guy with a desire-to-please gleam in his eye and responds ‘YES’ much to my amazement. I felt my inner stage-mother persona begin to unfurl...Playing football never crossed his mind before, (nor mine!) but now he goes to practices 5x per week at 6:40 am and spends 120 minutes per week in the weight room! However this is TEXAS with a capital T and is true football country...you are either a Longhorn Fan or an Aggie and there is no other option. Kids here grow up on football and eat pigskin for breakfast. They have private quarterback coaches and fly to L.A. on Sundays for inspirational talks with NFL greats. Of course on Sundays we eat eggs Benedict, swim in the pool and read all day. But still we are part of the greater Austin community and feel the seasonal excitement in the air. I actually bought a football at Randall’s yesterday imagining me and Jeremy and Peter tossing the skin on the front lawn...
Somehow Jeremy missed getting the play book and does not quite understand the game. But he looks darn cute in his shoulder pads and helmet. His jersey comes down to his knees but he has not tripped over it yet. At this point, I still have high hopes for his football scholarship to an A list college. Though they did have to go to an elementary school to borrow a helmet small enough for his head. And then they had to get a mouth guard that was small enough but would not mess up his dental apparatus. (But we accidentally boiled it too long and it shrunk to pygmy size and cracked. So we had to get another one. Long story). We spent $75.00 on his life-size sports picture in complete uniform with matching trading cards. In my head I was thinking up amusing anecdotes I would need for the Sports Illustrated interviews that would surely follow.
Yesterday was their first scrimmage game against Lake Travis Middle School and I was there bright and early with my lawn chair and Sonic Burger slushy with 3 other moms eagerly anticipating my son’s debut as a football jock. The crowd was screaming, the sun was beating down on us and the game was tied. I have visions of Jeremy running down the field scoring touch down after touchdown, slamming the enemy quarterback and being carried on his teammates shoulders in triumph. I am sitting with Melissa Arnold who knows all the players names, positions, and numbers, has a Longhorn folding chair, and matching visor and whose son started playing Pop Warner ball before he could walk. The excitement builds as the crowd boils in the hot sun and slurps their Sonic Slushies, while texting their son’s private coaches the game scores.
Suddenly, the coach decides to send Jeremy in the game and (as I discover later) much to my horror, he bursts into tears and says he is going to vomit. By the time they get his helmet off him he is hyperventilating and the guys are crowding around him and hugging him instead of chest butting him. I of course think they are just giving him some last minute instructions and am cheering wildly yelling “Go number 2”! Soon it becomes clear there is something wrong as Jeremy lays down on the field and refuses to play. The scrimmage continues (without Jeremy of course) and we kill Lake Travis. Occasionally they have to move Jeremy so he doesn’t get run over when the players run off side. Finally Jeremy returns (upright) to the sides and I can tell his is upset. Apparently he was terrified he would make a fool of himself by running the wrong way and also get killed by the bigger kids. He also thinks the coach is GOD and will sentence him to sports hell for this imagined infraction. I told him just to run as fast as he can and no one will catch him. Clearly I am still envisioning the newspaper headlines as he receives the scoring touchdown in the big game against the state champs. I am treated to a sardonic look that virtually screams “get real mom, I could die” as he sits back down with his team to watch the “A” team play. I feel the Texas euphemisms “Buck up son and hunker down” spill from my lips while the other moms look away in embarrassment.
So I think my brief career as a football mom is over before all the glory began...today he went to practice but is probably going to tell the coaches he is quitting. Which means back to virtual reality sports like guitar hero and Wii tennis. And making origami frogs complete with biographies and girlfriends, individually colored and named. Have we done something wrong here??? His best friend Klee and he play a game called “Evolving Cellular Life”, which consist of wrapping them selves in blankets and pretending to be single cell amoebas that evolve over millennium into plankton and take to the sea. It just cracks them up! Can you see why I’m attracted to the football thing??
The next game is Monday but I suspect we will be practicing flute instead of bonding with the Hudson Bend Buccaneer parents at the Westlake High School field. Damn I was so close I could smell the locker room sweat and athletes foot! I even bought a team visor!
On the other hand he does enjoy the Cotillion...and he can foxtrot quite nicely.
I’ll keep you posted,
Sheila
(AKA Mommy Dearest or Joan Crawford)
Ps. Toulouse, our Bichon-poo is showing real promise though by dancing on his back legs for 10 minutes at a time...I’m thinking maybe Ringling Brothers might be interested in him...
Somehow Jeremy missed getting the play book and does not quite understand the game. But he looks darn cute in his shoulder pads and helmet. His jersey comes down to his knees but he has not tripped over it yet. At this point, I still have high hopes for his football scholarship to an A list college. Though they did have to go to an elementary school to borrow a helmet small enough for his head. And then they had to get a mouth guard that was small enough but would not mess up his dental apparatus. (But we accidentally boiled it too long and it shrunk to pygmy size and cracked. So we had to get another one. Long story). We spent $75.00 on his life-size sports picture in complete uniform with matching trading cards. In my head I was thinking up amusing anecdotes I would need for the Sports Illustrated interviews that would surely follow.
Yesterday was their first scrimmage game against Lake Travis Middle School and I was there bright and early with my lawn chair and Sonic Burger slushy with 3 other moms eagerly anticipating my son’s debut as a football jock. The crowd was screaming, the sun was beating down on us and the game was tied. I have visions of Jeremy running down the field scoring touch down after touchdown, slamming the enemy quarterback and being carried on his teammates shoulders in triumph. I am sitting with Melissa Arnold who knows all the players names, positions, and numbers, has a Longhorn folding chair, and matching visor and whose son started playing Pop Warner ball before he could walk. The excitement builds as the crowd boils in the hot sun and slurps their Sonic Slushies, while texting their son’s private coaches the game scores.
Suddenly, the coach decides to send Jeremy in the game and (as I discover later) much to my horror, he bursts into tears and says he is going to vomit. By the time they get his helmet off him he is hyperventilating and the guys are crowding around him and hugging him instead of chest butting him. I of course think they are just giving him some last minute instructions and am cheering wildly yelling “Go number 2”! Soon it becomes clear there is something wrong as Jeremy lays down on the field and refuses to play. The scrimmage continues (without Jeremy of course) and we kill Lake Travis. Occasionally they have to move Jeremy so he doesn’t get run over when the players run off side. Finally Jeremy returns (upright) to the sides and I can tell his is upset. Apparently he was terrified he would make a fool of himself by running the wrong way and also get killed by the bigger kids. He also thinks the coach is GOD and will sentence him to sports hell for this imagined infraction. I told him just to run as fast as he can and no one will catch him. Clearly I am still envisioning the newspaper headlines as he receives the scoring touchdown in the big game against the state champs. I am treated to a sardonic look that virtually screams “get real mom, I could die” as he sits back down with his team to watch the “A” team play. I feel the Texas euphemisms “Buck up son and hunker down” spill from my lips while the other moms look away in embarrassment.
So I think my brief career as a football mom is over before all the glory began...today he went to practice but is probably going to tell the coaches he is quitting. Which means back to virtual reality sports like guitar hero and Wii tennis. And making origami frogs complete with biographies and girlfriends, individually colored and named. Have we done something wrong here??? His best friend Klee and he play a game called “Evolving Cellular Life”, which consist of wrapping them selves in blankets and pretending to be single cell amoebas that evolve over millennium into plankton and take to the sea. It just cracks them up! Can you see why I’m attracted to the football thing??
The next game is Monday but I suspect we will be practicing flute instead of bonding with the Hudson Bend Buccaneer parents at the Westlake High School field. Damn I was so close I could smell the locker room sweat and athletes foot! I even bought a team visor!
On the other hand he does enjoy the Cotillion...and he can foxtrot quite nicely.
I’ll keep you posted,
Sheila
(AKA Mommy Dearest or Joan Crawford)
Ps. Toulouse, our Bichon-poo is showing real promise though by dancing on his back legs for 10 minutes at a time...I’m thinking maybe Ringling Brothers might be interested in him...
Here's a dandy little house in Lakeway that is available for lease and or purchase and is in move-in condition! Formal dining, living and family room with fireplace, plus eat-in kitchen, huge yard that is fully-fenced with mature trees, a blossom covered arbor over the patio and 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, an attached 2-car garage! luxury master bath, vaulted ceilings and unlimited potential are hallmarks of this property! Acclaimed LTISD and 5 minutes from beautiful Lake Travis, hiking, biking, tennis, golf and the new Galleria mall. And close enough to downtown Austin to be there in 20 minutes, but far enough way to hear the birds sing, see the grass grow and enjoy the gorgeous hill country.
Lease Purchase Options
Is a Lease Purchase the Right Option for You?
In these trying times, when getting financing is more difficult than ever, a lot of clients are interested in executing a lease purchase transaction. However this process can be fraught with complications and should always be executed by experienced Realtors and legal counsel.
From a purchasers point of view, it is not normally beneficial. One can usually lease the property and then make an offer at the conclusion of the lease period. And you can always request the right of first refusal if you are renting a property anyway. This gives you the option of choosing to purchase the property should someone else come in with an acceptable offer. However in a lease purchase situation, you will then be obligated to purchase the property and if you have lived there for any period of time and discovered it is NOT the property for you, you are stuck contractually or else you will lose any deposit money you have put down. Benefits might be that property values have risen during your lease period and you have contractually agreed on a purchase price despite the upswing in market value. This gives you built-in equity if you do purchase the property, which of course if great. If you are not eligible for conventional financing, but can afford to lease and put a deposit down towards the purchase, are absolutely convinced this is the right property for you, and are eager to begin home improvements despite not having title yet, then perhaps this is a viable way to go. And it can be set up that a portion of your rent goes to decrease purchase price, which again gives you an equity advantage. Always use an accredited realtor in a transaction like this: beware a property owner who offers to have their legal counsel set up the arrangement. Yes, a lawyer is an excellent choice, but you need to have independent legal advice and the guidance of an experienced and caring realtor to ensure your best interests are being seen to.
From a seller's standpoint, usually an outright purchase is the ideal way to go. Most sellers have a mortgage on the property they need to cover, have a new mortgage or rental expenses they need to pay on their present abode, and also want to make a profit. Should a seller be in the lucky situation of owning their property outright, having no pressing financial problems and desiring only to have their property occupied by a caring individual, then perhaps they will be agreeable to a lease purchase option. However, if they do not have a a substantial amount of equity in their property, it may be difficult for them to offer any portion of the rent towards purchase price as they need to cover their own mortgage payment. A down payment percentage of the purchase price, along with the rental payment and an agreed upon sale price at the conclusion of the lease period may seem like a viable option. And if the market value of a property is expected to decrease, then this may be beneficial to the seller. They have a commitment for definite sale, they may be eligible to purchase something else if they have an executed rental contract on the property, and should their renter decline to purchase at the conclusion of the rental period they would forfeit the right to receive their deposit back, and obviously the seller has received some financial compensation for the period their house was off the market. However, interest rates may fluctuate, property values may decrease and they may also find themselves having lost a great opportunity to sell their property outright.
It can be a perilous journey and must be considered with care. Every situation is unique and sometimes a lease purchase, especially with owner financing is a great solution for all parties concerned. If a potential buyer is ineligible for conventional financing but has the means to purchase, it just might be the perfect method for achieving home ownership.
Once again, creative solutions can be beneficial to both parties but must be considered from all angles. And there are no guarantees in economic recessions that property values, interest rates and credit scores wont be negatively affected in unanticipated ways...
Having said all that there are times when a lease purchase is a win-win situation! So don't despair, but definitely know your market and work with a professional Realtor who can guide you through the process and protect your best interests.
If you have any questions about this subject, please feel free to contact me and check out my website for more information!
Good Luck! Real estate is always a smart investment and can gain you wealth and financial security, but be smart and know your options!
In these trying times, when getting financing is more difficult than ever, a lot of clients are interested in executing a lease purchase transaction. However this process can be fraught with complications and should always be executed by experienced Realtors and legal counsel.
From a purchasers point of view, it is not normally beneficial. One can usually lease the property and then make an offer at the conclusion of the lease period. And you can always request the right of first refusal if you are renting a property anyway. This gives you the option of choosing to purchase the property should someone else come in with an acceptable offer. However in a lease purchase situation, you will then be obligated to purchase the property and if you have lived there for any period of time and discovered it is NOT the property for you, you are stuck contractually or else you will lose any deposit money you have put down. Benefits might be that property values have risen during your lease period and you have contractually agreed on a purchase price despite the upswing in market value. This gives you built-in equity if you do purchase the property, which of course if great. If you are not eligible for conventional financing, but can afford to lease and put a deposit down towards the purchase, are absolutely convinced this is the right property for you, and are eager to begin home improvements despite not having title yet, then perhaps this is a viable way to go. And it can be set up that a portion of your rent goes to decrease purchase price, which again gives you an equity advantage. Always use an accredited realtor in a transaction like this: beware a property owner who offers to have their legal counsel set up the arrangement. Yes, a lawyer is an excellent choice, but you need to have independent legal advice and the guidance of an experienced and caring realtor to ensure your best interests are being seen to.
From a seller's standpoint, usually an outright purchase is the ideal way to go. Most sellers have a mortgage on the property they need to cover, have a new mortgage or rental expenses they need to pay on their present abode, and also want to make a profit. Should a seller be in the lucky situation of owning their property outright, having no pressing financial problems and desiring only to have their property occupied by a caring individual, then perhaps they will be agreeable to a lease purchase option. However, if they do not have a a substantial amount of equity in their property, it may be difficult for them to offer any portion of the rent towards purchase price as they need to cover their own mortgage payment. A down payment percentage of the purchase price, along with the rental payment and an agreed upon sale price at the conclusion of the lease period may seem like a viable option. And if the market value of a property is expected to decrease, then this may be beneficial to the seller. They have a commitment for definite sale, they may be eligible to purchase something else if they have an executed rental contract on the property, and should their renter decline to purchase at the conclusion of the rental period they would forfeit the right to receive their deposit back, and obviously the seller has received some financial compensation for the period their house was off the market. However, interest rates may fluctuate, property values may decrease and they may also find themselves having lost a great opportunity to sell their property outright.
It can be a perilous journey and must be considered with care. Every situation is unique and sometimes a lease purchase, especially with owner financing is a great solution for all parties concerned. If a potential buyer is ineligible for conventional financing but has the means to purchase, it just might be the perfect method for achieving home ownership.
Once again, creative solutions can be beneficial to both parties but must be considered from all angles. And there are no guarantees in economic recessions that property values, interest rates and credit scores wont be negatively affected in unanticipated ways...
Having said all that there are times when a lease purchase is a win-win situation! So don't despair, but definitely know your market and work with a professional Realtor who can guide you through the process and protect your best interests.
If you have any questions about this subject, please feel free to contact me and check out my website for more information!
Good Luck! Real estate is always a smart investment and can gain you wealth and financial security, but be smart and know your options!
Friday, March 13, 2009
KW
Keller Williams is the 3rd largest Real Estate company in North America! And I am privileged to work for this brokerage. We have market share in Austin and throughout most major cities and as a company KW is debt free and not leveraged financially in any way. Plus I get to work with the legends in the business, from Elaine Garner, Peg Braxton and Amber Hart to Gary Keller, Mary Tenant and Mark Willis. I work with the best coaches including Allison Crow Flanigin and get to take advantage of all the wonderful real estate education opportunities KW offers every day. I am truly lucky!
Real Estate in Austin Today!
For anyone wanting to buy or sell real estate in Austin, I am your specialist! I focus on the Lakeway, Lake South, Westlake, Cedar Park, Bee Cave, Spicewood, Steiner Ranch, & River Place areas but can handle any transaction in Austin. There are some great buys out there now and interest rates are at an all time low...and that wont last. Getting financing is tougher than before, but rightly so given the sub prime market collapse and economic situation. I work with great lenders and and can have you pre-qualified in 24 hours. I can talk you through the process and educate you along the way. Times are changing but real estate is still the best investment you can make and realize that property values can only go up from here...bringing you instant equity and making you money for the future.
Be careful of shopping only for REO, foreclosures and short sales in today's market. Banks must recoup their losses on sub prime foreclosures and thus are not necessarily offering great deals on pricing. Recognize this and be savvy in your searches.
Have questions? Call me! I am in this business to make people happy and if you are not 100% thrilled with your transaction, then neither am I. If you know anyone who wants to buy or sell or invest or relocate in the Austin area, I can help. If you just have questions about your home's value or renovating versus selling, please don't hesitate to ask me...that is why I am here. And it doesn't always make sense to sell when you can do a refi and upgrade your home more inexpensively. I can also speak to specific home improvements that will get you the most return on your investment.
I want to be the first thought on your mind when the subject of real estate comes up and not just for a single transaction, but for life!!
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Feeling Peevish???
Feeling Peevish??
