Blog

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Real Estate Education

Rebecca’s Real Estate Education:

Principles of Real Estate I & II,

Law of Agency,

Real Estate Finance,

Promulgated Contract Forms,

Law of Contracts,

Roadmap to Success: Business Planning for Real Estate Profession,

Realtor Code of Ethics,

Adding and Editing Listings,

Fight The Texas Tax Appraisal And Win,

Legal Update I & II,

How To Not Get a No On a Condo Loan,

Broker Responsibility Course,

Residential Property Management Essentials,

Death and Divorce Issues in Texas Real Estate,

Texas Cash Out (Home Equity),

Agent Investor,

Know Your NEW Texas Real Estate Contracts,

New-Home Construction and Buyer Representation,

Legal Update I & II,

Realtor Property Resource

Advanced Property Resource

MLS on the Go

Real Estate Brokerage

ABR (Accredited Buyer’s Representative) Designation,

SRES (Seniors Real Estate Specialist) Designation,

GRI (Graduate REALTOR® Institute) Designation:  Brokerage, Finance, & Marketing

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Texas Real Estate Broker License – October 15, 2019

Legal Update I & II

NAR code of Ethics

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Dawson Neighborhood

Dawson Neighborhood changes on a daily basis!

Seeking a home in Dawson Neighborhood? Generally, lenders limit a mortgage payment (principal, interest, mortgage insurance, taxes, and homeowner’s insurance) to 28% of a borrower’s gross monthly income. When borrowers seek a home loan, lenders consider borrowers’ credit scores, debts, and types of loans available for the applicants, e.g. conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, etc.

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What I do for my clients

Provide market analyses of properties based on comparable active, pending, and sold properties in the Austin Multiple Listing Service.

Provide preliminary net sheets for buyers or sellers by anticipating fees for inspections, appraisals, loans, title insurance policies, closing costs with title company, and commissions.

Provide promulgated forms appropriate for specific transactions and my expert opinions for completing the forms for the benefit my clients.

Negotiate contracts, amendments, and addenda for the benefit of my clients.

Represent clients’ interests with the title company, lender, inspectors, and other agents to help each transaction move toward a successful closing.

Help buyers find houses, condos, duplexes, lots, and land that match their criteria. Question the criteria and suggest alternatives. Show properties and provide constructive critiques.

Help buyers find financing through a lender and loan that fits their needs. Financing options include conventional, FHA, VA, USDA loans, and different types of down payment assistance programs.

Help sellers prepare houses for sale. Suggest physical modifications and improvements that will likely add to the seller’s net gain. Help find repair people, cleaners, and contractors, as needed.

Research properties and people involved in transactions by using the Austin MLS, and numerous resources including austintexas.gov, county appraisal districts, Texas Real Estate Commission, etc.

Educate myself by attending virtual and real classes and reading broadly in areas related to residential real estate.

Exercise my integrity to maintain my client’s confidentiality and usher a transaction forward in a professional, conscientious manner.

Conduct myself in a professional manner in person, on the phone, and in writing to further the best interests of my clients.

Collaborate with my clients by providing my opinions and advise, but also listening and interacting with my clients to help them make the deal they desire.

I go the extra mile for my clients because I want to help make their dreams come true.

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I love what I do

I enjoy representing people in residential real estate, including buying, selling, leasing, and property management of houses and condos in the Austin area. I help my clients understand real estate contracts and the negotiable items in a transaction. My research, investigations, and evaluations allow me to provide an extra level of care for the people who choose to work with me.

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Taxes, Taxes, Taxes!!!

State of Texas Property Taxes:

County Appraisal Protest: For most of us, the deadline for filing a property appraisal protest with the Travis County Appraisal District (TCAD) is May 15. In some cases, with strong evidence, a settlement can be reached quickly with TCAD representatives. Sometimes a settlement can be reached at an informal review. If the outcome of an informal review is unsatisfactory, then take the case to an Appraisal Review Board.

Appraisal districts typically use recent property sales (12 months) as comparables to determine your property appraisal. If you send me a text message or email with your address, size, and age of your home/property, I will be glad to send you details from the Austin Multiple Listing Service (MLS) on recent comparable sales in your county’s neighborhood. (The Austin MLS serves 18 area counties, including Travis, Williamson, Hays, etc.)

Homestead: Benefits of a General Homestead Exemption include a reduced tax rate, protection of your homestead from creditors, and a cap of 10% per year on increases in property appraisals.

If you know someone who recently purchased their primary home, remind them to apply for a General Homestead Exemption. They can apply in the first year they owned their primary residence on January 1.

Do you know someone who can benefit from other property tax exemptions? Over 65? Disabled veteran? Information on exemptions can be found at here.

United States Income Taxes:

If you sell your main home, the first $250,000 of profit for a single person ($500,000 for married/filing jointly) is not taxable. Costs for improvements, that convey with the sale of your home (for instance, room additions, landscaping, new roof, siding, insulation, and central air/heat) are part of the” total basis” that can be subtracted from your initial “amount realized” to determine if you have a taxable “net gain”. (IRS publication 523)

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Walking Dawson Neighborhood

As daytime temperatures thankfully cool down, we are more likely to take a pleasant walk in the Dawson Neighborhood. We are fortunate to live in a family-friendly area where we walk our dogs, go for a jog, or take a stroll for food, drink, or exercise. Dawson has convenient groceries, easy-accessible gasoline, and many services. We are close to florists and veterinarians. We can walk for great treats like coffee, beer, wine, pizzas, burgers, and tacos.

In 1998, after much volunteer effort by our fellow Dawson residents, the City of Austin adopted the Dawson Neighborhood Plan which recommends zoning for retail businesses and services on the commercial corridors (the plan can be viewed on the DNA’s website). Our adopted neighborhood plan also recommends mostly single family zoning for the interior. This plan is represented in the Dawson Neighborhood Future Land Use Map (FLUM) which was adopted by the City of Austin in 2006.

Let me know if you would like to chat about specific details of residential real estate in Dawson Neighborhood. I can also answer questions about the potential market price for your property. Please let your friends and neighbors know that I would be glad to help them with their residential real estate transactions anywhere in Central Texas. I love to help!

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An important point about commissions

I hope you are staying cool and looking forward to fall weather. I am keeping in touch with you to remind you that I can help your friends and family with their residential real estate needs. I now have experience listing a house, a condominium, and an unimproved residential lot. On behalf of my clients, I have researched the probate process, commercial zoning, neighborhood gentrification, and the building of new homes in planned communities. I work with sellers and buyers.

One aspect of real estate that seems under publicized is that a buyer’s broker/sales agent works for a commission (percent of sales price) that is most frequently offered by the seller’s broker/sales agent. In other words, a homebuyer “pays” their agent by being sincere and loyal so that the agent can help the buyer find a home, negotiate a deal, coordinate inspections, and work with a lender and title company to close the deal. A good agent puts the needs of the client before the agent’s own personal interests.

Help me spread the word: I love to help people flourish & bloom!!!