Texas real estate

The North Loop neighborhood in Austin, Texas is a vibrant, yet quaint place to call home. Over the past few years, and throughout the Austin real estate boom, it has managed its increasingly high profile while generally preserving its qualities that make it so unique and desirable.

Situated about 25 blocks north of UT campus, North Loop has always been a safe haven for students and other left-of-center folks, who have contributed greatly to the neighborhood personality and activism since it was built (mostly in the Fifties). The most defining aspect of this area are the small, attractive houses with well-proportioned yards and lots of tree cover. Most houses fall into the one-to-two bedroom with one bathroom size, although, like many older Austin neighborhoods, many have converted garage apartments and other nifty conversions. Converted duplexes are also common, as are full-on remodels with two stories. Such homes make it somewhat more difficult to justify moving a family, but for married and expecting couples North Loop is a perfect fit.

The main reason North Loop has been able to resist the increasing development associated with much of central Austin (and for its low rent by Austin standards) has much to do with its less than desirable location in previous years- namely, underneath airplanes. Austin’s old airport placed North Loop squarely underneath the flight path of descending planes, thereby rendering the properties much less valuable. I remember many days playing at my father’s house when all conversation would be interrupted by the mellifluous tones of jet engines roaring into the runway to the north. Those days have passed, and as the new George H.W. Bush Intercontinental airport opened, the property values soared. Yet many residents who have been in the neighborhood for decades stayed, and with them the charm of North Loop has been mostly preserved, along with its attraction for the kitschy and unorthodox. When I lived on 51st and Avenue F, our house was purple and yellow with too many trees for our medium-sized yard, and we didn’t stick out.

North Loop has also fostered a variety of small local businesses, from guitar repairman extraordinaire Walter Hutchison’s Musical Exchange to the aptly named Flightpath Coffehouse. While these two specific examples have resided in the North Loop area for decades, the area has expanded to include many interesting stores such as Monkeywrench books, a self-described “anarchist book store” where activists meet to help shape the world around them. Between Monkeywrench and local pizza restaurant The Parlor, about 3-4 shows for local bands of all persuasions go down weekly. Other personal favorites of mine include Sound on Sound Records, local bike shop The Peddler, and the self-explanatory Sign Store, although that covers less than half of the recent additions to the North Loop shopping experience. The majority of these businesses have arrived in the past ten years, but there is one common thread that unites them: local owners who are looking out for the benefit of the neighborhood.

In conclusion, if local businesses and smaller, unique houses sound like a great place to spend your days, then North Loop is the right place for you. Austin real estate has many choices, and this neighborhood is one of the unique places to end up.

By: Ki Gray

Breckenridge Colorado is a premier ski and summer destination resort community located in Summit County, about a 1.5 hour drive west of Denver, and the Breckenridge Colorado real estate market is feeling the effects of the Great Recession.

Breckenridge homes, condos and land have all seen an increase in the available inventory and a reduction in the number of sales when compared to the market highs during the 2005-2007 time frame. This has lead to a reduction in sale prices for all three property types.

Breckenridge land sales have been especially hard hit. In 2006 there were 260 vacant lots sold in Breckenridge. In 2009 there were only 40. And about half-way through 2010, it would appear that this year is going to be about the same as last.

The decline in land values that have resulted from the reduction in the number of transaction has been dramatic. The following are just a few examples of Breckenridge Colorado land sales during the past year showing the magnitude of the losses that vacant lot Sellers are experiencing:

1. LOT 146 HIGHLANDS AT BRECKECKENRIDGE (835 GOLD RUN ROAD): The Seller had paid $550,000 for this land on 05/31/07 and sold it for $403,000 on 08/14/09.

2. LOT 200 HIGHLANDS AT BRECKENRIDGE (834 PRESTON WAY): The previous owner of this land had paid $427,500 for it on 07/24/07. Now the bank has it under Contract after having listed it for a price of $297,900.

3. LOT 109 HIGHLANDS AT BRECKENRIDGE (517 HAMILTON COURT): The previous owner of this vacant lot bought it for $435,000 on 10/01/07. Now the bank has it listed for $265,500.

The above are just a few examples. There are many more like these in Breckenridge and all throughout Summit County Colorado. And land value loss paints only part of the picture when it comes to the Breckenridge Colorado land market. Another important aspect of this market is the relation of available land inventory to the number of vacant lot transactions taking place.

As of this writing, there are 283 vacant lots for sale in Breckenridge Colorado. This is more than has ever sold in a single year and is about 6.5 times more than has sold in the previous 12 months. This concept can be further broken down by price range:
Between $250K and $400K, there are currently 51 active vacant lot listings with 8 closings in this price range during the previous 12 months. This equates to about a 6.5 year available inventory. Below $250K there are currently 111 active vacant lot listings with 21 sales in this price range during the previous 12 months. This equates to about a 5.25 year available inventory. Above $400K there are currently 124 active vacant lot listings with 15 sales in this price range during the previous 12 months. This equates to about a 8.25 year available inventory. By comparison, there is about a 2 year inventory of single family homes for sale in Breckenridge and about a 2.25 year inventory of multi-family properties (i.e. condos, townhomes, duplexes, etc.).

Of course all of this is bad news for those who have Breckenridge real estate for sale. But it could be great news for those looking to buy Breckenridge real estate, especially when it comes to those interested in purchasing vacant land.

Copyright 2010 – All rights reserved by Ted Amenta

Notice: Publishers are free to republish this article on an ezine or website provided the article is reprinted in its entirety including copyright and author information, and all links remain intact and active.

By: Ted Amenta

The world of real estate is highly competitive and a wide sector in our society, so therefore everything about a home will help it sell. If you are considering selling your house in less time and at a reasonable price, then it is necessary to consider ways to make sure that your house does not stay on the real estate market for a considerable amount of time.

A house that is left unsold for a long period of time can be a potential void that home sellers may begin to find themselves falling into. Make sure that you know of several ways and techniques to make your home sell fast and with positive results in order to avoid this from happening to your home selling. There are some ways to make sure that your home has a promising future among the many homes for sale in the real estate market. Aside from the quality of your home and it features, there are some things you can do to enhance or improve its selling capacity and attract more potential homebuyers.

Here are some ways to help make a house sell:

1. Sit down with your REALTOR® to establish a marketing plan and strategy to the whole selling process. Create a clear and concise plan putting every detail in writing, and stick with it for consistency. Make use of the many resources made available to you by your REALTOR®, especially the internet to make your marketing strategy sell your house more effectively. Along with a thorough marketing plan, you should have high quality and powerful presentation materials available to convince buyers why they should consider buying your home.

2. Staging your home is one of the best ways to help sell it. Home staging is necessary because it helps display the different functions and potentials of your home at its best. It helps enhance all of the strong points needed to attract homebuyers. This technique is also very important to lessen the worries and hassles during a home viewing by prospective buyers. It also helps you focus with only the necessary maintenance that is required to take care of your home’s quality. Staging is a great way to build your credibility as a home seller and creates confidence in homebuyers, knowing your only offering them a pristine looking home.

3. Price your home at a reasonable price. Your REALTOR® will research prices of the real estate market in order to compare prices with similar homes in your area. Remember, a reasonably priced home will undoubtedly sell faster than one that is overpriced. If you find your home is hard to sell, and it is suddenly getting less showings, it is probably time to lower the price. This may not be an attractive idea for you as a home seller, but it is far better than watching your home remain on the market for weeks, months and even years.

Communicate with your real estate agent and always be looking for a better way to sell you home.

By: Liz Voss

The South by Southwest Music Festival has been running strong, and getting stronger, since it originated in 1987. Austin considers itself the live music capital of the world, and though cities would like to battle that claim, musicians and music industry types clamor to the capital of Texas every March from around the globe.

Austin has had an entertainment district for several decades. As the home of the state government and the University of Texas, Austin has always had lively nightspots, some of which date back to the 1800s, when many of General Custer’s troops poured into clubs after the Civil War. The majority of these clubs were located along 6th street and 4th street, where the entertainment district is still located today, and the musical styles varied widely due to the mix of Mexican, colonial and German settlers. The area today hosts the highest concentration of original music nightclubs of any other city worldwide.

In 1986, the New Music Seminar in New York invited many of Austin’s local bands to their popular music convention, and discussed having another one in Austin the next year, and it would be called the New Music Seminar Southwest. Though the New Music Seminar group pulled out shortly after their announcement, Louis Black and his cohorts ran with the idea, and started up their own festival and conference, calling it South by Southwest.

In 1986, those working on the festival announced the idea at a BMI seminar at the Hyatt, and the buzz began. A few of those working on the event were also working at The Chronicle at the time, and they began getting the word out to other alternative newspapers around the country. Knowing they didn’t have the serious industry connections on the east or west coast, an ad and story was run in Billboard magazine, which really fueled the fire. Executives from major record and publishing companies from New York, Nashville and Los Angeles began to register for the conference. Though the South by Southwest crew originally shot for 150 registrants their first year, more than 700 turned up.

Having the SXSW Music Festival in Austin was beneficial for the music industry as well as the local musicians: the music business was curious about Austin’s live music scene and had a reason to visit the city, and the musicians, who are normally isolated from the rest of the country in the middle of Texas, get a chance to do business with the industry from the comfort of their own backyard.

In 1988, SXSW fever had hit the international stage, after the hometown bands found some success in Europe, and the interest from those attending the festival in seeing international acts perform. Now SXSW has offices in Europe, Australia, and Japan to help those international bands with their travel arrangements, get their visas in order, and find housing upon arrival.

As Austin changed and grew, hi tech companies moved in and the film industry deemed Austin as “The Third Coast.” In 1994, SXSW added a film festival and an interactive festival that tied into their music festival, stretching SXSW over two weekends during spring break, when many students have left the town. Now the festival, which started with 700 in attendance, has grown to 10,000 participants this past year.

By: Ki Gray

Ten women go whizzing past wearing wild fishnet hoses. Their colorful get-ups also include helmets and kneepads and flying scarves and the skates on which they are racing around the oval track.

Elbows fly, legs lock, bodies go careening and sliding along the masonite track. Occasionally two shapely lovelies go at each other, swinging hard and fast, falling to the ground, rolling and grappling as the beer-soaked, capacity crowd roars in approval. It’s Sunday afternoon at the roller derby bout; roller derby with a Texas twist.

Austin, the city that likes to keep itself weird, has given birth to yet another entertainment craze that has gone national. All-girl roller derby, loosely fashioned after the co-ed roller derby teams of yesteryear, took root here in 2001 with the founding of the TXRD Lonestar Rollergirls. A couple of years later, most of the teams in the league spun off to form a second league, Texas Rollergirls, due to a difference of opinion about how the original league was managing things. In addition, the Texas Rollergirls play on a flat track, rather than the traditional banked track that the Lonestar Rollergirls prefer.

Volunteerism and inclusion are two of the philosophical and practical pillars of the success of this Austin-born movement. The women risk bodily injury for the thrill of extreme sport and the glory of winning; they don’t get paid. Proceeds go to local charities and to the expense of running the league. Texas Rollergirls, in particular, are fiercely committed to their slogan, a league for the skaters, by the skaters.

Both leagues boast an independent, tough-girl spirit and are proud of the way their movement grew from their own sweat and muscle to grow within a few short years into a national phenomenon as all-girl roller derby leagues have sprouted up all over the country. Several documentary films and one reality-style national TV show have helped propel the popularity of this fast-paced, contact sport for women. The leagues in different cities have begun to hold inter-city and inter-state competitions and a national tournament as well.

The sport has been hugely successful in Austin as both local leagues constantly draw sell-out crowds. Enthusiasts swill ice-cold cans of Lone Star and local bands fill the arena with loud, raucous Austin rock and roll. Fans of the flat track version of the sport love to sit in the first two or three rows where the chances are likely that they’ll become part of the painful action when some blocker or jammer gets knocked off the track-there are no rails or barriers-and goes sailing into someone’s lap.

Rough and tumble roller girls with names like Raquel Welts, Misty Meaner and Lucille Brawl plaster and pummel each other all through the four 20-minute periods of the game. By day, they are moms, special ed teachers, maternity nurses and art school graduates. On the track though, they assume their alter egos and put on a show that one of them, Melissa Joulwan (Melicious), describes in her book, Rollergirl: Totally True Tales from the Track, as a “dazzling carnival on wheels”a sport of speed-skating and brutal body checks, played out against a backdrop of head banging rock. The spectacle drives fans into a hormone-and-beer induced frenzy.

AE channel produced a 13-episode television program in 2005 called Rollergirls that was about the TXRD league, their skating and scrapping escapades, and their life off the rink with boyfriends and bosses. The website for the show describes the sport as raucous bouts that combine fierce competition with jaw-dropping outfits and crowd-pleasing personalities.

The rollergirls impact has even had an effect on the local Austin real estate market. Texas Rollergirls marketing director Rebecca Guitierrez (RadioActive) said that we’ve had many folks move here because of the derby movement.

That’s because it’s not just about the thrill, the sex-appeal and the colorful, carnivalesque atmosphere of the sport. It’s the community-based, locally controlled, creative and free-wheeling spirit of fun and competition that sets Austin apart from so many other cities in the country, that has been attracting people to come and settle here for decades.

By: Ki Gray

The 2010 real estate market in Helena was on a roller coaster: up, then down, then up again late in the year. Overall, the number of homes sold lagged behind the previous three years, but slight gains in December we encouraging for a period of the year when home sales typically are at or near their lowest point. The slight rise in interest rates in December may have encouraged Buyers to start looking, get pre-approved for financing and making offers on home purchases before rates rose any higher. The number of homes that went under contract in December was relatively high. Those contracts will be closed in January and February which should be an impressive start for the new year. The media is reporting positive economic indicators for late 2010 and predicting this to continue into 2011 which should help buoy the housing market. Further, the number of homes on the market at the end of December – about 850 – was 15% below the number in October when over 1,000 homes were on the market. This reduced number of homes on the market is now just one years’ inventory which may also indicate additional stabilization in the housing market.

Have we hit the bottom and begun the climb? It may be too early to tell, but all signs are encouraging at this point. When looking at all the data is important to keep in mind a point that has been made previously: Although the national media has brought lots of negative attention to the declining real estate markets throughout most of the country, we in Montana, and particularly in the Helena area, have been fortunate that our market has not suffered as badly. Historic data shows that we have experienced a general decrease in sold home prices of about 7% over in the past 4 years since 2007 when the average sold price was $211,230. The average price for a home in Helena, including single residence homes, condos and townhomes is now just below $200,000.

There’s some GREAT deals out there right now for Buyers…. if you are a new buyer, a “move-up” or down-sizing buyer, it is a great time to buy as prices are now more affordable than they have been for years and interest rates remain lows. Even with recent increases, rates are still around the 4.6% range for a 30-year fixed mortgage. For more Buyer information and reports go to my web site and click on Buyer Information. If you’re ready to buy, call me to get a list of all homes in the Helena that meet your criteria and for assistance in getting pre-approved for financing. Together, we can put you in the home of your dreams.

If you are considering selling your home…. inventory is down, which means the competition is also down. Price is key to selling your home within a reasonable time frame. Sellers who price their home correctly with help of their agent are selling their homes within the average number of “days on market”. You do not want to be one of those sellers who mistakenly believe their home is still worth what it was a few years ago and who are unwilling to adjust to current market conditions. For more Seller information and reports go to my web site and click on Seller Information.

By: Jack G Thomas

Real estate lawyers are lawyers whose practices specialize in cases involving real estate transactions, land disputes, and property claims. These lawyers assist buyers and sellers of real estate and property by answering the questions they have regarding the legal aspects of real estate transactions and by guiding them through the entire process of buying or selling real estate. Virginia real estate lawyers are lawyers who offer their legal services for real estate transactions in the state of Virginia. Most of the real estate lawyers in Virginia provide the entire spectrum of real estate legal services like counseling their clients, summarizing documents, and discussing and finalizing the terms of the contracts or transactions.

If you are planning to engage in a real estate transaction in Virginia, then you need to consult a Virginia real estate lawyer. The lawyer must have experience in all commercial and residential real estate transactions. Expertise is particularly required in matters related to the sale of property, financing and development, construction contracts, and real estate and property investments. Typically, experienced real estate lawyers in Virginia are well aware of their clients’ business concerns and objectives.

Real estate lawyers seek both individuals and companies as their clients. Companies that wish to hire a real estate lawyer have to be careful to ensure that the lawyer is not only faithful to the business objectives but is also a thorough professional who can represent the company in a respectful manner. Companies should also make sure that the real estate lawyer that they select has enough experience and adequate training in handling the kind of transactions that the company normally engages in.

An experienced real estate lawyer would prepare the contracts favoring their client. They would conduct a title search to ensure that no claims exist against the property that is being bought. Such careful handling of cases is warranted to ensure that the deal is completed in a secure and hassle-free manner.

By: Richard Romando

You might have questions about the state requirements for taking the real estate license exam and becoming a practicing salesperson. We have made it easy for you! You will find information from the Commission (TREC) in one convenient place.

How to get your Texas real estate license? Following guidelines are useful information about how to get your license easy and fast.

What are the state requirements? To be eligible to apply for the R.E. salesperson license, you must meet the following criteria: Be at least 18 years of age. Be a legal resident of Texas. Be a U.S. citizen (or lawfully admitted alien)

The Texas state Commission (TREC) requires that 210 hours of courses be completed in order to obtain your license. Required courses include:

Texas Principles of Real Estate (60 Hours) Texas Law of Agency (30 Hours) Texas Law of Contracts (30 Hours) Elective Courses (90 Hours)

TREC lists approximately 10 approved elective courses that can enhance your education. Here’s an example of three popular choices:
Texas Residential Inspection for Real Estate Agents Texas Real Estate Appraisal Texas Real Estate Finance

Whether you need to fulfill the entire 210 hour requirement, or just need to fill in the gaps, choose an established pre-licensing school. For example, an accredited online school can offer a 150 hour, 180 hour or Whether you need to fulfill the entire 210 hour requirement, or just need to fill in the gaps, choose an established pre-licensing school. For example, an accredited school can offer a 150 hour, 180 hour or 210 hour course that helps you meet your individual real estate education goals. Plus, an online school is a convenient, self-paced alternative to sitting in a classroom for weeks at a time. 210 hour course that helps you meet your individual real estate education goals. Plus, an online school is a convenient, self-paced alternative to sitting in a classroom for weeks at a time.

Once you complete your courses, prepare for the state exam with an exam prep kit. Before you know it, you’ll be on your way to a rewarding career.

By: Sean Kim

Texas is a non-judicial foreclosure state, otherwise known as a 21-day state. There are only 6 states with this designation in the U.S. This simply means that when a mortgage company decides they are going to foreclose, they don’t have to use the judicial court system. The requirement in this type of foreclosure, also known as a Notice of Trustee’s Sale, is that the lender post the notice at the County Clerk’s office in the county where the property is located, at least 21 days PRIOR to the sale date. Foreclosure sales in Texas are always on the 1st Tuesday of the month, in good or bad weather, holiday or not, so determining the properties that are ready for auction is just a matter of researching the information at the County Clerk’s office or using the Short Sale Monkey’s Homeowner Search Tool (for Williamson or Travis Counties only).

Even though it may be simple to determine which properties are facing the foreclosure auction, preventing that from occurring is a very different matter. Be mindful of this fact, the foreclosing lenders really don’t want to own the property and sell it as an REO (Real Estate owned property). However, once a property gets to this point, there are only two things that can stop the foreclosure auction, 1) catch up the past-due payments, in-full, or 2) get an offer property that the meets the investor’s guidelines for review as a short sale. Well there are really three things, if you include Bankruptcy, but I won’t be discussing this option here.

The homeowner is in foreclosure because of a particular hardship, so being able to catch up the delinquent payments directly isn’t very likely. Alternatively, the delinquent payments can be paid by a buyer, in what’s called a “subject-to” purchase. Simply put, this is when a buyer, catches up the payments, takes full ownership of the house “subject-to” the existing loan and maintains the payments to the lender in place of the prior owner. The current owner moves and the new owner continues to make on-time payments for the remaining term of the loan, or resells it later, paying off the lender in full at that time. In certain situations, this is a strategy used by investors to obtain property without utilizing a conventional mortgage, and while the payments are being made, can help improve the prior owner’s credit rating.

Our area of expertise is the strategy of utilizing the short sale process to stop foreclosures. The discussion of foreclosures usually includes statements like, “the bank is foreclosing”, or the “bank foreclosed”. Technically, what’s really happening in most cases is the investor that owns the loan is the one initiating the foreclosure, and the lender-servicer is simply acting on their behalf. The investor instructs the servicer to begin foreclosure proceedings through the use of a foreclosing attorney, and the attorney has a Trustee conduct the auction. So, if an offer on a property that has a foreclosure sale date set in Texas is submitted to the servicer, the terms of that offer must meet the investor’s guidelines for a short sale in order to stop the foreclosure. If the offer is accepted as “reviewable” based on those guidelines, then the servicer can request either the postponement of the Trustee’s Sale or that it be put “on hold” to allow for ample time for review. It’s important to understand, that even if the servicer does postpone the auction, they will very likely re-post another notice of foreclosure for the very next month due to the fact that many short sale offers don’t get approved. By doing this right away, the servicers are preparing themselves for the possibility of the deal falling apart and missing the 21-day deadline to re-post.

Ideally, we are best able to help our clients when they contact us after only missing 3 or 4 payments and a notice of foreclosure hasn’t been posted yet. It becomes very challenging to stop the foreclosure when the homeowner waits until the notice has been posted before contacting us.

By: Aaron M. Ayotte