Author Archive for Crossland Team
Austin Sales Market - June 2008 and Mid-Year Stats Update
Closed Published by Crossland Team July 14th, 2008 on Crossland TeamBelow is the June 2008 Austin real estate market update, including YTD stats. For starters, I thought I’d post a graph showing Average Sales prices in Austin from 1999 through June 2008 for houses, condos and multi-family properties. Austin’s real estate market has historically moved in fits and starts. The …
Living in a World of Low Accountability and False Pride
Closed Published by Crossland Team June 25th, 2008 on Crossland TeamI had to hold accountable a sheetrock guy the other day because he spent money advanced for a job on his personal bills instead of the job. Then he whined and complained when I temporarily fired him and refused to advance further funds.
There is a process I follow when …
Austin Real Estate Market - May 2008 Update
Closed Published by Crossland Team June 23rd, 2008 on Crossland TeamThe average sales price for houses in Austin increased 5.14% in May from $259,958 in May 2007 to $275,711 May 2008. Sales prices had been flat or falling since Feb 2008, but May has us heading the other way again. We continue to have a large number of “failed sales” …
Location now has more weight in home selection
Closed Published by Crossland Team June 19th, 2008 on Crossland TeamI have my first anecdotal evidence that gas prices will hurt values in far flung areas and help real estate values in closer areas of Austin. I just helped someone relocate from Wimberley to Austin. The reason for the move? Gas prices have made the commute costs unacceptable. For this …
Missed Flip Opportunity or Prudent Caution?
Closed Published by Crossland Team June 13th, 2008 on Crossland TeamA couple of months ago I made an offer on a home to flip. I’m not actively looking for homes to flip in Austin, and I don’t help buyers locate flip opportunities, but when I come across a candidate property that I like, I’ll make a run at at. All …
Southwest Austin Future Looks Solid
Closed Published by Crossland Team June 12th, 2008 on Crossland TeamThis article about real estate in Southwest Austin was emailed to me today. It supports what we’ve been telling investors and buyers for almost three years now - South and Southwest Austin are the places to buy real estate in Austin.
Nicely written, the article is from the online “Community Impact …
You may not know it, but what we call a “house” in Austin has run into a semantics challenge. The photos to the left are of homes in a new neighborhood in which one of my buyers just purchased a new home. Look at the pictures. Do you see …
Remaining Cheerful When Under Verbal Assault
Closed Published by Crossland Team June 6th, 2008 on Crossland TeamI had an angry Realtor unleash a vulgar cursing tirade on me today and challenge me to a fight. He said he’d come to my office “and settle this man to man”. I declined, not because I’m a wussy, but because it wouldn’t be prudent or professional. Plus, I have …
Gas Price Pain - Media Hype and Consumer Illusion?
Closed Published by Crossland Team June 1st, 2008 on Crossland TeamI just bought a new 2008 Chevy Silverado Crew Cab and have been taking some heat for it from friends and on this blog where I wrote about the purchase experience, how I got a great deal, and the experience of interfacing with dealerships.
The main themes: “How shortsighted”, “wouldn’t a …
When Inspectors Miss Important Defects - What Happens?
Closed Published by Crossland Team June 1st, 2008 on Crossland TeamWhat happens when an inspector misses something during an inspection?
Courtesy of Bob Petersen, Precision Inspection
Many parties to the real estate transaction think that inspectors, like many other professionals, carry some sort of insurance for any oversights made in the course of their work. This was not the case (required) until …