South Austin Texas Real Estate blog: March 2008

 Stop Identity Theft

 The City of Austin Texas is sponsoring a STOP IDENTITY THEFT day,  Saturday APRIL 19,2008 from 7:30am-2:30pm.   This is a great way to get rid of all that abundance of paperwork we all amass. You may bring up to 5 file boxes of paper records for shredding.  Oh, did I say it is FREE?

Mobile shredding trucks from AUSTIN SHRED, a Balcones Resource Company, CenTex Shred and Iron Mountain will be on-site to shred the material. 

 Heres the scoop.

April 19,2008, Saturday   7:30Am-2:30PM

AUSTIN HIGH PARKING LOT  1715 W Cesar Chavez   Austin Texas

Restrictions are..  NO WET MATERIAL, NO PLASTIC/BINDERS, NO ELECTRONIC MEDIA.

for further information contact jannette Goodall at 512-974-9045 or email Jannette.goodall@ci.austin.tx.us

The event is sponosred by ARMA, Association of Records Managers & Administrators and the City of Austin Solid Waste Services.

this information was brought to you by Gail Tassey, Realtor @ Keller Williams Realty, Austin Texas 512-217-9482, email gailnttexas@GMAIL.COM

Want to save on gas and live near work?  Bike to work?  Walk to work? walk to elementary school? 

11108 Seay St, Austin, Tx 78754OPEN HOUSE TODAY 3/15/2008  1-4PM 

Here is the perfect FAMILY HOME,  featuring 6 bedrooms, (master suite downstairs and its enormous) 5 Bedrooms up with large closets, ceiling fans, 3.5 baths, family-living, formal dining, gameroom upstairs, and large country kitchen. Custom hardwood floor in dining, new tile floors in entry, kitchen, and breakfast area. Privacy fenced backyard... neutral colors throughout.

PRICED AT $235,900.

Walk to work at APPLIED MATERIALS, short commute to SAMSUNG and DELL... minutes to the 130 TollRoad, ez access to Austin Bergstrom Airport, Round Rock with a wonderful new Outlet Mall shopping center.

Come by or call about this spacious beauty today,  Gail Tassey, 512-217-9482, gailnttexas@gmail.com

Texas licensed realtor, with Keller Williams Realty, 1801 S Mopac Expwy, Ste 100, Austin, TX

EACH OFFICE IS INDEPENDANTLY OWNED AND OPERATED.

Want to save on gas and live near work?  Bike to work?  Walk to work? walk to elementary school? 

11108 Seay St, Austin, Tx 78754OPEN HOUSE TODAY 3/15/2008  1-4PM 

Here is the perfect FAMILY HOME,  featuring 6 bedrooms, (master suite downstairs and its enormous) 5 Bedrooms up with large closets, ceiling fans, 3.5 baths, family-living, formal dining, gameroom upstairs, and large country kitchen. Custom hardwood floor in dining, new tile floors in entry, kitchen, and breakfast area. Privacy fenced backyard... neutral colors throughout.

PRICED AT $235,900.

Walk to work at APPLIED MATERIALS, short commute to SAMSUNG and DELL... minutes to the 130 TollRoad, ez access to Austin Bergstrom Airport, Round Rock with a wonderful new Outlet Mall shopping center.

Come by or call about this spacious beauty today,  Gail Tassey, 512-217-9482, gailnttexas@gmail.com

Texas licensed realtor, with Keller Williams Realty, 1801 S Mopac Expwy, Ste 100, Austin, TX

EACH OFFICE IS INDEPENDANTLY OWNED AND OPERATED.

Austin Texas has been announced this morning as the #1 city for movie making location by Magazine Movie Making in its 8th Annual list.

Austin is movie-maker friendly since the late Ann Richards enticed Hollywood to try Austin first.  With property a great value and scenery worth looking at and a population of talented folks plus the condusive weather to outdoor shooting its no wonder Austin is #1!!!

Moving up from #3 position of last year, being beaten out by #1 New York City and #2 Los Angeles, this year we are #1!!  Hooray for the hometeam!! 

If you have real estate needs in the Austin Texas area call me,  Gail Tassey of Keller Williams Realty, 512-217-9482 or email    gailnttexas@gmail.com

While reading Where Do All The Leads Go?  by David Slavin of Katy Texas this morning it brought to my mind about where do my leads come from and I realized many come from floor duty or what we call Phone Opportunity.

And an Opportunity it is.. back when I was in retail sales we as salepersons were taught, "someone enters our store to purchase something"  its our job to find out what they want to purchase.  That is the same with most calls that come into a real estate office. 

Someone wants to buy, sell or lease a home.  Simple right?  sounds like it should be but often we forget who we are talking to and what they have ultimately called us for.  (yes, sometimes the phone is another agent that need MLS Directions, this blog isn't about those calls).

Phone Opportunity does not come to you at your home office (not for most of us) it comes from being in the office, taking time to do the requirements that make one eligible for phone opportunity.  If we look at this as an OPPORTUNITY then it will be.  I have sold several homes thru first contact on phone opportunity. 

Meet the person, be personable, try to HELP.  People are looking for answers, give them the answers, establish a relationship, care about their circumstances, and smile .. did you know when you smile on the phone the smile comes thru as geniune and real to the other person?  Well, it does, try it and see.

If you have real estate questions or would like to sell or purchase in the Austin Texas area please don't hesitate to call on me, I'm happy to help you with your search for your dream home. Gail Tassey, Keller Williams Realty, 512-217-9482, or email     gailnttexas@gmail.com

March Winds have arrived in Austin Texas, this morning the mild unseasonably warm morning dropped 20+ degrees in 1 hour... yep my friends that was from 71degrees to 50 degrees.  Talk about running back to the house for a sweater.

March is a time of change, the lion and lamb showing changes, its also the time of the IDES OF MARCH, beware oh Mighty Caesar, March 10th Commonwealth Day in Canada, March 17th St Patricks Day, March 20th The First Day of Spring and this year the March 16th - March 24th the Holy Times of Easter for Christianity. 

All my life I have heard, if March roars in like a lion it will go out like a lamb... well the Lion arrived this weekend... so Im looking forward to a nice warm spring and I am hoping for enough rain to bring on the bluebonnets... one of my favorite times of the year here in Austin Texas.

Why not start your spring out with a new home?  Inventory is good, choices are plentiful, prices are great and interest is still low.  Now is the time to get out and look for your new dream home.

Looking in Austin Texas or the surrounding areas of Dripping Springs, Buda?  let me introduce you to the area, I specialize in matching buyers and property.   Call me and lets talk real estate.  Gail Tassey 512-217-9482  gailnttexas@gmail.com

Dear Future Homeowner,   This interesting piece of information was passed on to our real estate office last week by Gary Keller, CEO of Keller Williams Realty, the 4th largest Real Estate Company in these United States, so I sat up and listened.

Now I would like to share this information with you, so you can make an informed decision about buying your new home.  This applies if its a Resale Home or a New Construction Home.

Interest Rates have increased by 0.6% points in 5 weeks. 

January 24, 2008 rates: 5.48%                                                                                                     

February 21,2008 rates: 6.04%

Homeprices have continued to decline in some areas more than others.  so what does this mean to the average homebuyer?  Look at these scenarios.

Today                                      Scenario 1                                                         Scenario 2

HOME PRICE                        HOME PRICE  -5%                                    HOME PRICE -10%

 $218,900                              207,955                                                          $197,010

INTEREST RATE                   INTEREST RATE +0.5%                            INTEREST RATE +1.0%

6.04%                                    6.54%                                                               7.04%

YOUR PAYMENT                  YOUR PAYMENT                                          YOUR PAYMENT

$1,054                                   $1,056                                                                $1,053

What we are seeing is there is there is no need to put off your home purchase waiting for the final drop in the housing market.  Due to increasing interest rates the home price drop has most likely already happened.  Take advantage of it today, start looking for your new home and grab it.. Enjoy life today!!  The mortgage market is still active and alive and ready to loan with many good programs. 

Mr & Mrs Seller its not all bad news for you today ..  if your home is selling for less than you expected doesn't that mean the home you are buying is selling for less also?  If you are selling a home that is $150,000 and moving up to a $220,000  home the buying side will have more savings for you than the loss side.  Just food for thought!  Maybe it is time to move-up to the home you always wanted.

Are you looking in the Austin Texas area?  Buda? Dripping Springs..  call me I can help you find that great family home and the right lender for the best mortgages.  Gail Tassey  512-217-9482  Keller Williams Realty, 1801 S Mopac Expwy, Austin Texas     gailnttexas@gmail.com