The June Newsletter is here!

Enjoy the June version of my monthly newsletter.

Remember, the next time you're talking with someone about housing, remember this:

If they are looking to buy or sell or rent a new place to live, even if it is not in central Texas, I can help or put them in touch with someone who practices the same way I do. I know you want them to experience the best service possible, don't you?

A wedding gift NOT to give???

Every once in a while I see an interesting headline at the top of my gmail inbox.

The one today was "the worst wedding gift"....so I started thinking...what could the WORST gift be.... My first throught was a membership to eharmony or match.com - but I was off. According to this story, the worst gift ever is an mp3 player??

So if you have purchased an ipod with the intention of using it as a wedding gift, and the article has made you think again, I'm happy to help you out. Just send it to me - you don't even have to gift wrap it. ;)

You know I'm always here to help!

The Revenge Song...

Some funny tune for your holiday! ;)

Why a coach?

Lots of people hear me say something like "I was talking to my coach, and..." or "my coach suggested that I"...and they usually respond with "What's this about a coach" or something similar.

My coach, Scott Gordon, is awesome. He keeps me on track, helps me identify goals and challenges, and plans to meet goals or overcome challenges. He lets me vent, and he kicks my @$$ when I need it. Seriously...he's usually a nice guy but knows how to get things done! ;)

As I have been working on a few finishing touches for the Technology 101, 102 and 103 courses I'll be teaching at the Austin Board of REALTORS® in the 3rd quarter, I ran across this "how coaching works" video - and it is really quite good. Isn't it amazing the resources you can find on youtube?

On a side note - who would have thought we'd have all this information at our fingertips!

Want a time share?

So I have this time share... I used to really dig it. Over the past 3 years it has kind of lost the special place that it once had in my life. It costs about 750/year for maintenance fees....which isn't all that bad if you actually use the thing. Plus if you pre-pay you get a 10% discount and $10 in Silver Bucks you can use on yummy (really bad for you) food from the cafe.

Unfortunately I just haven't been using it....

As I've been thinking about what to do with it, I have discovered that there is a huge market for resale time shares. Not that I wasn't aware of the resale market - that's how I actually ended up getting it, too.

Buying resale is much cheaper than buying from the developer, and if you are only looking to use it during the actual ownership week or do an inhouse exchange (my week is is #43 at the Hill Country Resort in Canyon Lake, TX), there really isn't much of a drawback. One of the cool things Silverleaf allows is inhouse exchange, so you can use the week at any other property they own for a small exchange fee of $75 bucks. You can also trade this week with RCI, although I never really had any interest in doing that.

The current "price" for a deeded red week is around $26,000.

What I have learned is that although you own the deed to the actual unit week you purchase, all those special "frills" they promise do not necessarily transfer (fully, anyway) when you sell the unit on the open market. So while I have enjoyed "bonus time" from Silverleaf for nearly 3 years now, there is always the possibility that it will go away. I haven't quite figured out if this is simply a really poor tactic to convince me to buy something from the developer, or if they really will take it away some day.

Anyway - if you or anyone you know are interested in a Silverleaf Resorts timeshare, please get in touch with me. I really don't have any intention of making a ton of money on the sale, I just want it to go away without loosing money. Closing costs will include about 400 to the title company and 250 for the resorts transfer fee. So, you could have this thing for under $1000....a good value considering they are seling for nearly 30,000 now. And the maintenance fees are paid through the end of this year.

I hope that someone will find the same joys in it that I used to...

Check out some photos of a typical unit in my picassa album.

Been thinking about your first home?

Some important news about the tax credit. This is a great big deal if you're thinking about buying your first home. Who's the first person you can think of that needs to know this information right now? Be sure and share my website with them and encourage them to give me a call so they can experience World Class Service!

Shaun Donovan, secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, said that the
Federal Housing Administration is going to permit its lenders to allow homeowners to use the $8,000 tax credit as a downpayment.

Donovan’s remarks came in an address to several thousand Realtors® gathered the Realtors® Midyear Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo in Washington D.C.

Secretary Donovan said that important changes, which the National Association of Realtors® has been calling for, will help consumers purchase a home. “We all want to enable FHA consumers to access the home buyer tax credit funds when they close on their home loans so that the cash can be used as a downpayment,” Donovan said. According to Donovan, the FHA’s approved lenders will be permitted to “monetize” the tax credit through short-term bridge loans. This will allow eligible home buyers to access the funds immediately at the closing table.

Donovan said the Obama administration plans to further stabilize the housing market. “I do think we have some early signs hat the market overall is stabilizing,” said Donovan. “Since January we’ve seen both home sales moving up and down around a relatively stable number and we are seeing the first signs that the rapid decline in home prices is starting to abate.”

A chuckle

You know how once in a while, when you're just out minding your own business, enjoying a beautiful night with good friends, and you see something that just makes you chuckle?

This was it for me tonight....

Tiny houses

Today a friend and I enjoyed lunch at the Hula Hut...great time, great conversation, and great food. Have you ever had a stuffed avocado?? YUM.

Anyway....we were talking about housing....I know that's odd huh. But seriously, often we as a culture lean toward bigger, better, more, etc. But as things in our world and country continue to change, we're seeing more and more about small houses...tiny houses...green houses. Marnie sent me this link with a great story and some photos of a few very cool tiny homes. Check'em out and let me know what you think!

May Newsletter is here!

The May issue of my newsletter is now available for download.

Very exciting news this month - I am now a Texas Real Estate Broker. Read the cover letter for more info.

Now...when a family member, friend or neighbor needs advice about buying or selling in Austin, please don't keep me a secret...because you want them to get the best possible result and be delighted that you introduced me, don't you?

Why is Texas Real Estate different??

If you're in the big state you've probably heard and read all kinds of stuff about why the Real Estate market here is different. For those of you that haven't gotten here yet, check out this video for a nice explanation of the current "state of the market" here in Texas.