Austin Real Estate

Your move will go a whole lot smoother and easier if you take the time to get organized before the movers arrive. Being organized before you start packing will help you move more quickly, will help you get settled quickly and will improve your moving experience overall. The following tips will help you get on track with your organization before you move.

1. Get rid of clutter before you start packing

Most people start getting rid of clutter while they are trying to pack boxes and are getting ready for the move. Rather than trying to do two jobs at once (de-cluttering and packing), why not de-clutter weeks before your move? Not only will you get your packing done faster but you’ll be under less stress. You’ll know that you’re only taking the things that you really need. Schedule a yard sale a few weeks before your move so you sell old but still useful items to people that need them. Whatever you don’t sell at the yard sale should be given away to Goodwill or another local charity.

2. Create a moving notebook or folder

This is essential to helping you move in an organized way. Your notebook will contain all of the important information related to your move, including checklists, essential numbers for your move, details about box contents and any other important information that you’ll need. You can also include a small calendar in your notebook where you can schedule and track all of the tasks you need to complete before moving. Keep the number of your moving company, local utilities and your real estate agent in this notebook as well.

3. Color code your boxes

You can use colored masking tape or colored permanent markers to color code your boxes based on the room they belong in and their level of fragility. Color coding will help your family members or the movers keep things organized for you. You’ll appreciate this extra step when it comes time to unpack and settle into your new place.

4. Create an welcome home box

Although most of your items should be boxed according to their room, you should have a box that contains items you’ll need as soon as you arrive or within the first day or so. Your toiletries, bed linens, pajamas, coffee maker and other necessary items should be placed in a special box that will be easily accessible. This way you don’t have to hunt around for things that you need while you are unpacking.

5. Consider getting a professional organizer.

If you have trouble being organized at home or are unable to get rid of the vast majority of your clutter, you should consider hiring a professional organizer for your move. Many organizers specialize in helping people move. They can also put you in touch with housecleaners, carpet cleaners and other professionals that can assist you with all of the details involved in your move.

By following these tips, you’ll be sure to have an organized and somewhat relaxing move.

Joe Cline writes articles for Austin Texas real estate. Other articles written by the author related to Austin real estate and Realtors Property Resource can be found on the net.

If you’re looking for a place to live near downtown Austin that still has a community feel, look no further than the Great Hills neighborhood. This area has been part of the Austin landscape since the 1970s and it has grown by leaps and bounds, while still holding onto the neighborhood feel. It’s got a lot of freeway accessibility, a variety of restaurants and stores to choose from and it’s very close to downtown Austin so residents can take part in the amenities there as well.

Great Hills resides near the intersection of Loop 360 and Highway 183. The northern boundary of the neighborhood is Fireoak Drive/Rain Creek parkway and it is bordered by Rain Creek parkway and Yaun Drive on the east and west, respectively. Although most residents travel by car, there are a few Capital Metro stops in the Great Hills area.

The residents are a good mix of young married folks, families, older students and young professionals. About half of the people in the area rent their homes, and there are many apartment complexes in the area. If you’re interested in buying in this area, there’s something for every price range. In 2008, the prices ranged from $200,000 up above $700,000. Although the neighborhood was established in the 1970s, there are homes that have been built as recently as the early 2000s.

It isn’t as family oriented as other areas of Austin, but there are still a lot of families to connect with if you do have children. There are two different school districts represented in the Great Hills neighborhood, depending on where you live. The Austin Independent School District includes Hill Elementary, Murchison Middle School and Anderson High School. The Round Rock Independent SchoolD District includes North Oaks Elementary, Canyon Vista Middle School and Westwood High School.

If you like outdoor activities, there are many different options in the Great Hills neighborhood. Social memberships are available to the Great Hills Country Club which afford you access to the tennis courts, the pool and the club house. The club also features an excellent golf course. The Austin Hills Park is another popular location in the neighborhood for outdoor activities. It has a nature trail for hiking, playground equipment and picnic tables. Bull Creek Park features wide open green lawns, swimming and hiking.

For amenities, there are several shops and restaurants in Great Hills. It’s also close to the Arboretum area which has a lot of shopping and eating opportunities. This outdoor mall like structure features popular stores and restaurants like Barnes and Noble, the Cheesecake Factory, REI and Whole Foods. There are also two movie theaters and several coffee shops.

All in all, Great Hills is considered to be one of the most convenient places to live in Austin. It’s close to shopping, has great schools and a real community environment, along with some terrific outlets for outdoor activities. If you’re interested in seeing homes in the Great Hills neighborhood, contact your Austin real estate agent today.

Joe Cline writes articles for Austin texas realtor. Other articles written by the author related to Austin realtor and Westlake Hills real estate can be found on the net.

The Internet makes life easier in a lot of different ways. It certainly has improved and expanded the capabilities of real estate agents to market their properties for sale and put buyers in touch with sellers. In fact, as a buyer, one of the first places you may start looking for properties is online.

Searching for a home online is a bit different than the traditional methods of finding a new home. Although there are some similarities there are enough differences to make it necessary to go over a few do’s and don’ts for shopping for real estate online.

Do look at several different real estate websites. Although a good listing agent will take the time to list everywhere possible, you may find some properties that are on one site but not on the other.

Don’t start looking for homes until you consider your price range. Work on your budget so you know how much you can afford. Consider getting pre-qualified so you can be absolutely sure how much you can afford.

Do decide on your ideal location before you start shopping. Drive through your potential neighborhood if possible to get an idea of the streets so you’ll be able to determine exactly where a house listing is. Several sites will let you narrow your search to certain parts of town, so be sure you know where you want to live.

Don’t hesitate to visit the listing agent’s website if you are interested in a property. Often the listing agent site will have additional information on the property, including extra pictures. Some listing agent websites also include walk through photo tours of the property, which are great if you are out of the area and can’t do an in person walk through.

Do read the description of the home carefully and take a look at all of the specs. Even though the listing may come up based on your criteria, it may have features that you would find undesirable. For example, you may not want a carport or a detached garage.

Don’t forget to look at the map of the listing and drive by when you get a chance. When you take the time to familiarize yourself with the neighborhood beforehand, you’ll be able to tell by the map whether it’s in the right location. You should try to drive by the property to see the property in person. Often times a photo will be cropped to eliminate undesirable features, like a run down house next door or a large commercial building a few blocks over. You’ll only be able to get an accurate picture by driving by.

Do sign up for the real estate website’s newsletter and updated listings. If you put your criteria into their system, they will e-mail you when new properties appear that fit your needs. This is a great way to stay on top of the local market.

With these do’s and don’ts you’ll be able to effectively search the Internet for your next home and find the best deal for you.

Joe Cline writes articles for Westlake Hills real estate. Other articles written by the author related to Austin Texas real estate and Austin real estate can be found on the net.

If you’re currently renting or are looking to downgrade from a large home, this may be the perfect time to purchase a condo. While condominium units were once not treated with the same level or respect as single family homes, the real estate market and people’s perceptions have changed. Condos grow in value just like homes and purchasing one now, especially while price are low, makes a lot of sense.

The number one reason to buy a condo instead of continuing to rent is saving on rent. If you’re paying $1500 in rent right now, you can expect for that rent amount to creep slowly toward $1800 over the next several years. Rental management companies are notorious for incrementally increasing a rental rate higher and higher. In the next five years, you can expect to pay several hundred dollars more for the same apartment or rental home.

However, if you purchase a condo, your mortgage payment will stay the same for the long run. You won’t have to worry about coming up with more money for rent or adjusting your budget so that you can afford the same place you’ve been living in. Having a stable housing payment can be a relief as rental prices go on the rise.

If you decide to purchase a condo, make sure to live in it for at least two years. When you live in it for 48 months or longer, you’ll see the financial benefits of owning rather than renting. During that time, rental rates will have increased at least twice and you’ll be saving money by owning your own condo. Not to mention during that time you’ll also have the added benefit of increasing your credit score with on time monthly mortgage payments.

Before you jump into the purchase of your condo, there is an important consideration you need to keep in mind.

As a condo owner you’ll be working directly with the condo management company. These companies take care of the grounds and handle all of the exterior needs of the condo buildings. Be sure to do some research on the condo management company. Find out whether they run any additional condo complexes. Drive through those complexes, in addition to the one you’ll potentially be living in, and see how they’ve taken care of the grounds. Evaluate how they are doing so you can get a good sense of how responsive they are to issues that may arise. For example, a well manicured grounds, working parking lot lights and signs that are in good shape are all signs of a good condo management company.

You can also ask around the condo complex and get the scoop on what it is like to live in the community. The residents can give you a feel for how well the condo management company is doing. Looking up the company in the Better Business Bureau is also a good measure of security.

If the housing market hasn’t quite rebounded in your area, a condo can be a good choice. Research the management company carefully and you’ll be able to make a smart purchase.

Joe Cline writes articles for Austin Texas real estate. Other articles written by the author related to Austin homes and Rollingwood realtor can be found on the net.

If you are in the position of being a first time home buyer in this economy, you may be stuck in a quandary. With a depressed real estate market, is it better to rent or own a home? Before you make this important choice, there are a few factors you should consider. After going over these points, you should be in a better position to make this life changing decision.

The biggest issue for most people when it comes to making the decision to rent or buy is the costs involved. You should look first at the current local real estate prices and use a mortgage calculator to figure out how much you can expect to pay for a home. Look at the rental listings and take note of how much rentals are currently going for. Use websites like Realtor.com or Craigslist.com to keep tabs on the current prices. You may also want to consider getting pre-approved for a mortgage loan to figure out your exact APR and price range.

Even if your potential mortgage payment price is lower than a rental monthly payment, you need to keep a few factors in mind. First, as a homeowner, you will be responsible for your water and garbage payment each month (something that most landlords take care of). This can total between $100 and $200 per month. In addition, there are several other costs involved with buying a home including closing costs and fees for the realtors. You will also have homeowner’s insurance to take care of and various maintenance costs involved (like caring for the lawn) that many new home owners don’t consider.

The true cost of your mortgage can also be affected by the type of mortgage loan that you get. A fixed rate APR loan is preferable if the interest rates are low because the amount of your loan payment will never change. However, an adjustable APR loan will fluctuate with time. If interest rates are high, you may have lower payments when they go down. But on the flip side, your payments will increase when the rates go up as well.

If the rental cost is cheaper, you need to take into account that rental prices increase from time to time, sometimes as often as once a year. Even if you have a good rate now, you may be paying several hundred dollars more in the coming years as your landlord increases your rate. In addition, as a homeowner you can use the equity in your home to consolidate bills or complete home improvement projects. Your mortgage payments actually pay you back but your rental payments are lost forever.

In some cases, it might make more sense to rent. If you are in the area only temporarily or you’re not sure what part of town you want to live in, renting a home or a condo can make a lot of sense. Financially speaking, even with the extra costs, the ability to build equity makes buying a superior choice, even in this economy.

Joe Cline writes articles for Austin Texas real estate. Other articles written by the author related to Austin homes and Rollingwood realtor can be found on the net.

If you have a young family and want a safe and fun environment to raise your children, look no further than Circle C. This area in Southwest Austin is a master-planned community that began in 1988. Although it’s a very popular place to live there are still properties available for couples who want to raise their children along with other young families.

Circle C is in Southwest Austin approximately 15 minutes aware from downtown Austin (if there’s no traffic to block your way). The community is very large so it is spread over several streets. There are many homes in this community off of Slaughter Lane and MoPac and there are also homes south of MoPac. Since Circle C is distanced away from campus and downtown there are virtually no college students in the area, which is a plus for couples with small children.

Circle C is a great place for families, primarily because there are many other families in the same location. This makes for a lot of community involvement in the schools and in after school activities. You can be sure that your children will be able to make friends within a few blocks when you live in this community. However, since it is in the suburbs you will likely have to commute a short distance into the city in order to work.

Another important aspect of living in Circle C is the large amount of family friendly amenities in the area. There is a swimming center in the vicinity as well as a tennis club. The Circle C swim center has two pools, one for younger children and one that is Olympic size. There are eight courts in the Circle C tennis club.

There are also several parks and nature preserves in the area which allows children and families to explore the great outdoors and terrific weather. For example, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is close to Circle C and features gardens and nature trails. There are also hiking and bike trails in nearby Slaughter Creek Park. Golf enthusiasts will enjoy the 18 hole championship course at Grey Rock.

There are also many exclusive dining options in Circle C. The Waterloo Icehouse and Salt Lick BBQ are local favorites. The area is also home to the Circle C Café which serves burgers and pizza and offers delivery. Circle C is home to Kiker Elementary School which feeds into Bailey Middle School and subsequently Bowie High School. Most people in the community are closely involved with the schools since they have children.

Not surprisingly, Circle C is one of the most popular neighborhoods. The prices range between the low 200s to the low 500s. The average home is between 1,500 and 4,500 square feet with four bedrooms and a 2.5 baths.

All of these aspects make Circle C a good choice for young families of all sizes. If you’re ready to see what is available in Circle C, contact a qualified real estate agent.

Joe Cline writes articles for Westlake Hills real estate. Other articles written by the author related to Austin Texas real estate and Austin real estate can be found on the net.

Home buyers need to pay close attention to the inspection that their home receives. Buying a home is the most major purchase that you’ll make in your life, and you deserve to be insured that your investment is a wise one. Your home will require a lot of maintenance to make sure that it stays in top condition. In order to understand how much maintenance is involved, you need to have a home inspection.

A home inspection will also help you be sure that the asking price is fair. Hidden water damage, an old roof or termite problems should either be fixed or listed as part of the home description. You need to know what you are getting into and a home inspection can help you be absolutely sure that the listing agent and seller are delivering exactly what they are promising.

An inspection is a visual examination of the home’s physical structure and important systems, like heating and cooling. It is done by a professional who is not only familiar with home structure but the systems as well. A professional home inspector will be able to tell the quality and age of elements of your potential new home. He or she will also be able to tell how likely those elements are to need repair.

Your real estate purchase should be contingent upon the home inspection. This way if you find out anything particularly bad about the house you can opt out of buying the home. Once you’ve arranged to purchase the house, your real estate agent can refer you to a professional home inspector.

To prepare for the home inspection, make sure that the inspector will be able to have proper access to the house. The gas, electric and water should all be turned on in the home so that these systems can be tested. If the seller still has furniture in the home or items stored in the garage, they should be moved away from walls so the inspector has access to everything. If the home inspector cannot access something important, they have to mark it as an area of open risk on the official report.

It’s a good idea to attend the house inspection if you can. You can get deep insight into your home and all components that go into maintaining it. You’ll learn how to work the cut off valves and how different pieces of equipment need to be cared for. If this is your first home, this is especially important. Take notes of what you find important because it will be different from what is officially written up in the report.

The inspection will also give you a good chance to look at the home under a stronger microscope. Many people are blind to details when they are walking through the home. On this run through you’ll be able to focus in on small problems and make a list of how to take care of them.

A home inspection is one of the most important things you can do as a buyer, next to getting home owner’s insurance. When you take the time to hire a home inspector and attend the inspection, you’ll be much more aware of the ins and outs of your home. On top of that, you’ll be confident that you made the right choice.

Joe Cline writes articles for Rollingwood real estate. Other articles written by the author related to Austin Texas realtor and Austin real estate can be found on the net.