The $26,000 Mistake I Made

Today, Dan from S&D Plumbing joins me to discuss how his company got started, what they do, and why static pressure tests are so important to home buyers.

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Today I’m here with Dan from S&D Plumbing. S&D Plumbing is a family-owned business that Dan’s parents started in 1980.

One thing that separates S&D Plumbing from all of the other plumbing companies out there is their outstanding customer service. If you need plumbing help, a live person will answer your call 24/7. Dan’s company also provides same day service and leak protection. They also have special equipment that allows for minimal access, whether it’s trenchless repairs or locating water leaks in the slabs.
I made a big mistake when I bought a home not too long ago. As a Realtor, I should’ve known better, but I did not call Dan at S&D Plumbing to do a static pressure test on the property. That mistake wound up costing me $26,000.
A static pressure test simulates what a sewer stoppage would look like in your home. They put a test ball outside of the sewer exits, fill all the drain lines with water, and let that sit for 30 minutes to make sure that there are no leaks in the drain system.
Static pressure tests are especially important in the Austin area because of the clay soil. If there are unforeseen leaks in the drain system, then moisture will get into the clay soil, which will expand, contract, and cause foundation issues.

You need to get a static pressure test in Austin, no matter how old the home is.

Even if you are buying a home that isn’t brand new and the previous owners didn’t have any issues, you should still get a static pressure test. Just because the plumbing system isn’t backed up doesn’t mean it’s not leaking. Whether you are buying a one-year-old house or a 100-year-old house, you need to order a static pressure test.

Like I said, as a real estate agent, I should have known better. My house was built using cast iron plumbing, which got corroded. We had to trench underneath the house and $26,000 later I got a new plumbing system. Still, if I had called Dan and run a static pressure test, I could have avoided this problem.
Another benefit of working with S&D Plumbing is that once they locate a leak, they can pinpoint the location of the leak and go through the repair process. That way, you only have to work with one company from start to finish. They can even repair any cosmetic issues for you as well.
S&D Plumbing also offers hydro-jetting, which is basically like power washing the inside of your pipes. If you have issues with grease from your kitchen sink, Dan and his team can go in there and clean everything out.
S&D’s Plumbing covers all aspects of residential and commercial repairs. They have a great customer loyalty agreement for residential customers that allows for priority scheduling, discounted pricing, and other great perks. They also offer a similar program for commercial clients.
Back in 1980, S&D Plumbing was one of the only companies that handled static pressure tests, leak detections, and repairs all in the same place. Whenever you have an issue or order a static pressure test, you can work with one plumber throughout the whole process.
If you have any questions for Dan, you can contact him at (512) 746-1510 or check out the website for S&D Plumbing. As always, if you have any real estate questions for me, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. We would be happy to help you!

How Can You Prevent Frozen Pipes This Winter?

We'll see some temperatures cold enough for a freeze here in Central Texas soon. I've brought in my trusted home inspector for some advice on how to prevent freezing and burst pipes.

Looking to buy in the Austin area? Get a full home search. 

Selling your Austin area home? Get a free market analysis report.

Today I'm joined by Jeff Thorp, a licensed inspector here in Austin that we use a lot. Today, we're discussing what to do if your pipes burst due to the coming freeze here in Central Texas and how to prevent pipes from freezing in the first place. As Jeff says, your first step is to turn off the water. In most Austin homes, you'll find the water shutoff valve adjacent to the water meter, which should be located near the street or near the sidewalk. There, you'll find a small hand valve that either looks like a circular dial handle or a flat blade lever valve handle. Don't forget—righty tighty, lefty loosey.

So how can you prevent this from happening in the first place? Freeze protection is a must, Jeff says. We don't get cold temperatures often, but with those cold winds, hose bibs can freeze over, Jeff says. Once the water in there freezes, the expansion of the ice causes the leakage. To combat this, you can insulate hose bibs.

If you go out of town, you may be tempted to turn your heat off, but you should leave it on. The house doesn't need to be toasty, but you do need to keep some heat inside. Jeff says 55 degrees is enough heat.

"IF YOU LEAVE FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, DON'T LET YOUR HOUSE GET COLDER THAN 55 DEGREES."

In many modern homes, water lines run through the attic. Sometimes they are even insulated by the ceiling insulation. That insulation could change, though, if a security system is installed or cable wiring is run through the attic. If the insulation has been disturbed enough to where you can see blue, red, or clear piping, it needs to be insulated.

Finally, letting a faucet drip is Jeff's last tip. This will keep a small amount of water moving and prevent freezing. Jess says it's best to have a kitchen or bathroom sink that's near an exterior wall dripping; you don't need all your faucets to drip.

A big thanks to Jeff for joining us today. If you're interested in any kind of home inspection or you just have questions for Jeff, you can contact him at 512-585-8726 or email him at propertydoctorjeff@gmail.com.

If you're thinking of buying or selling a home, give us a call or send us an email soon. We'd love to help!

How Long Should Your Home Stay Listed?

How long your home should sit on the market depends on the absorption rate in your neighborhood and your specific price range and whether or not you have your three Ps in alignment: price, promotion, and product. 

Looking to buy in the Austin area? Get a full home search. 

Selling your Austin area home? Get a free market analysis report.

What’s a good number of days on market when your home is listed for sale?

That’s a tricky question. What’s important for you to understand is the absorption rate in your neighborhood and your specific price range. Location and price range are both important because in some price points—anything in excess of $2 million, for example— you can see homes sitting on the market for up to a year. 

If you have a home in the $200,000 to $300,000 price range, buyers are going to expect to see that home move rather quickly. One of the very first questions a buyer asks Mr. or Mrs. Realtor when they walk in the door is, “How many days has this home been on the market?” If your home is in this price range and your days on market exceeds two to three months, buyers are going to start wondering why the home hasn’t sold. They’ll then start walking through your home and picking it apart to see what’s wrong with it. This is what you don’t want to happen.

That’s why it’s critical that you get the three Ps in alignment: price, promotion, and product. If they aren’t in alignment, your home will sit on the market for a long time. 

A healthy days on market is contingent on the absorption rate.

A healthy level of average days on market is contingent on the absorption rate. When interviewing a real estate agent, it’s important that you ask them what the absorption rate for your neighborhood is. Once you exceed that number, I can guarantee you that any potential buyer will start wondering what’s wrong with your home. 

If you have any further questions about days on market or anything else real estate-related, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me via phone or email. I look forward to hearing from you!

How Does Our Guaranteed Sale Program Work?

Our Guaranteed Sale program isn’t too good to be true; it’s just our way of showing you how confident we are in our home selling abilities.

Looking to buy in the Austin area? Get a full home search. 

 Selling your Austin area home? Get a free market analysis report.

You’ve probably heard about our Guaranteed Sale program, but you may also be a bit skeptical about it. You may think it’s a gimmick or that it’s too good to be true.

In reality, it’s actually very simple. We will come to a predetermined price and deadline for your home together. If the deadline passes, we will simply buy your home. We are not going to buy it at a wholesale price either. In fact, if we make a profit from buying your home and reselling it, we will give that profit back to you.

One of our greatest tools is marketing. We have two local banks who have underwritten our Guaranteed Sale program because they are so confident in our ability to sell your home.

We have to earn your business each day.

You don’t have to worry about getting stuck in a long-term contract either. We have a one-day listing agreement, which means we have to earn your business every day. You can fire us at any point if you are unhappy. It’s a great way for you to hold us accountable. If we don’t come through for you, you can just get rid of us.

If you have any questions for us or would like to know what your home is worth in this market, give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you!

Eight Things Your Realtor Isn’t Telling You About

Looking to buy in the Austin area? Get a full home search, 

 Selling your Austin area home? Get a free home value report.

Realtors work very hard to sell homes. We like to talk about all of the different things that we do to get your home sold, but we will do even more for you behind closed doors. Here are some extra steps that we take to get your home in Central Texas sold quickly!

1. We shop for properties online, and we explore investment properties, FSBO properties, and even homes that are not currently available on the MLS.
2. We prospect for you. We go inside homes and look at them so you don’t waste time looking at homes that you won’t like.
3. We attend ‘pitch sessions’, and this is how we find out about other listings that Realtors have. This is where we find most of our off-market properties.
4. We spend our own money on your marketing. This is how we put our skin in the game, and this is just another reason why we care so much about selling your home for top dollar. Anywhere from 25% to 35% of our commission is spent on marketing.
5. We write offers and counteroffers to help you get the best possible deal. This sounds pretty simple, but there is a lot of thought put into these offers. These are all customized for your particular home sale.
6. We stick around for inspections to take notes on what needs to be done in order to buy or sell a given property. We’ve seen hundreds of inspections, and we know which items you need to pay attention to.
7. We smooth out bumps in the road. This is just part of being a good Realtor. We want your experience to be painless.
8. We keep calm under pressure. There is a lot of emotion involved in a transaction, but we keep our cool. This is part of the reason you hired us, and you can count on us to be more rational when you may be a little more emotional.

If there’s anything that we can do to help you, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Whether you’re buying or selling, 2016 is going to be a great year to get involved with real estate!

The Pitfalls of Buying a Distressed Property in Austin

Looking to buy in the Austin area? Get a full home search, 

 Selling your Austin area home? Get a free home value report.

Today, we'll speak about the downfalls of purchasing a distressed property. A lot of people think that these homes are good deals, but there are some things that you need to be aware of prior to purchasing them.

1. Buy a clear title to the property: I have seen people purchase foreclosures that have outstanding liens on them from the prior owner. You will be liable for these liens once you buy the property.

2. Some lenders have troubles getting a loan because of the condition of the home: The lender will want certain parts of your property to be in good condition. This includes the roof and the foundation of your home. Wood-destroying insects can also be a worry if you're trying to get approved for a loan.

3. Not examining market trends: People don't often examine where the market is moving. Is there appreciation? If you buy a home in an area where homes are losing value every day, then purchasing a distressed property may not be the best idea for you.

4. Unforeseen damages and deferred maintenance: This probably seems like common sense, but I've seen some bad situations arise. I have a lot of horror stories about this happening to people who have bought distressed homes, so you need to be careful not to cut any corners when you're doing renovations or making repairs.

Hopefully this information has been helpful to you! If you'd like to learn more about real estate in Austin, please don't hesitate to contact me!

Is Starbucks Affecting Your Home's Value?

Looking to buy in the Austin area? Get a full home search, 

 Selling your Austin area home? Get a free home value report.

Hey everyone, thanks for joining us. Today I want to talk to you about "The Starbucks Effect" and what it has to do with your home's value. 

Whether you are a coffee drinker or not, if there is a Starbucks located near your home, the chances of your home going up in value are far greater if you have a Starbucks located within close proximity of your home. 

If you're in an outlying area of Austin, such as Liberty Hill or Kyle, whenever you see a Starbucks pop up in your area, you can expect to start to see home values on the rise. 

I just wanted to share this fun, interesting fact with you today and I hope it's useful to you. If you have any questions for us, or are thinking about buying or selling in Austin, give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to speaking with you!

What to Do If You Need to Move Out of a Home You Just Bought

Looking to buy in the Austin area? Get a full home search, 

 Selling your Austin area home? Get a free home value report.

I recently had a client ask me what happens if he moves into his home and after 12 months he decides that he doesn't like it, or if he's relocated or loses his job.

This is a tough situation, but we have a rare program that allows us to deal with this problem. We like to call it the 'Love It or Leave It' program, and this allows you to move out of your home if you don't like it after a year.

We will sell your home at no cost and help you get out from underneath your home if you have a life event occur.

Please be sure to ask us about this program because as a former client of ours, it will come at no cost to you!

As always, if you need to buy or sell in the Greater Austin area, please don't hesitate to contact us!

The Pros and Cons of a Short Sale

There are a variety of opportunities in the Austin Real Estate Market for both buyers and sellers. If you're a prospective buyer click here for a full home search, or if you're considering placing your home on the market, get a free home value report, right here.

A short sale is a complicated process. It's not always the ideal outcome for homeowners, but sometimes it's the best option you have. There are 2 sides to every decision, however, so we will be examining the pros and cons of short sales and why, sometimes it may be your best option, but in other cases, it isn't. 

The first thing we need to talk about is: What is a short sale? Well, let's put it this way. Say you bought a house for $150,000 and took a loan out for that house for $125,000. Now, let's fast forward a few years. You need to sell the house, but now it is only worth $100,000. What happens to that extra $25,000 you have from the loan?

 Well, in  a short sale, you get the bank to sell your property and release your liability for the loan. They sell it for less than the home  balance. Now with this type of sale, there are positives and negatives. First, lets look at the pros. 

Pros

• The financial implications of a short sale is a significantly better alternative than going through the foreclosure process. If you foreclosed, you could have to wait 7 years to buy another home. With a short sale, you are put on credit probation for 2 years and through certain loan programs, can qualify immediately for another home loan. 
• It also gives you a little more time to stay in your home and more time to sell it. 

Cons

• Your credit score will drop, by at least 100 points.
• If the bank takes a loss on your short sale, they could potentially file a judgement against you and require you to pay it in the future. 

If you are thinking about going through with a short sale, consult with a real estate attorney first. We know some great ones we can refer you to. After that, it's important to sit down with a real estate expert to figure out what your goals are and how you can accomplish them. 

This city council candidate has some big plans for our city!

There are a variety of opportunities in the Austin Real Estate Market for both buyers and sellers. If you're a prospective buyer click here for a full home search, or if you're considering placing your home on the market, get a free home value report, right here.

The Watters International Realty office is located in the heart of Austin at Mowpack and 2222, in District 10. If you're thinking of buying or selling a home in Austin, it's really important to understand the hot button topics and know about the leaders in the community who are making decisions. Since we feel it's our duty to keep you informed, we've interviewed Robert Thomas, who's running for city council of District 10. We were lucky enough to hear him talk about his plans to improve our city:

Q: What sparked your interest in city council?

Robert: I've been active in the community for over 20 years. I moved here to go to law school and later got my MBA from the University of Texas at Austin. I got super engaged in the entrepreneurial community, spent some time at a high-tech start up, started investing in local businesses, creating my own businesses, as well as buying and selling businesses. Through all of this experience, I started to gain an appreciation for the impact of regulation on business people who are trying to build good jobs for folks. I also started serving on the Austin Child Guidance Center Board and Safe Place Board to try to give back to the community in a meaningful way. As my children got older, I got involved in the school district and people have encouraged me to continue contributing.

Q: What's your action plan for the city? What should we do about the traffic problems?

Robert: People were saying the same thing 10, 15, 20 years ago. There are no new ideas, there has just been a failure of leadership to implement them. We have to have a multimodal, strategic transportation plan that includes all of Austin, but also all of the surrounding region because there are many commuters from around the area. We need to have a strategic plan that talks about how we're going to develop our roadways, and prioritize those where the greatest need is and then expand out. I'm also looking at bringing real affordable public transportation to all of Austin, not just parts of it. If Proposition 1 doesn't pass, we need to sit down with the community and come up with a real plan.

Q: A big problem we're dealing with here in Austin is affordability. Property tax rates are through the roof, forcing many people to move outside of Austin. What do you suggest we do to keep Austin affordable for the people who live here?

Robert: The problem is not property evaluation. The real problem is the tax rate that's set. It matters how much local governments want to raise taxes to fund inefficient government, to fund wants and luxuries as opposed to core municipal services. I propose we do a top to bottom audit of all city departments and the city budget - both a performance review of the departments and an audit of the finances - to find out whether we need to tax the people of Austin at such a high rate, which is really what creates an affordability issue.

Well, there you have it - Robert Thomas on what he plans to do if he is elected to the District 10 City Council. It's important to stay informed so you can vote for the leaders who will make our city a better place. We want to give a big THANKS to Mr. Thomas for granting us this interview and helping us keep our great readers in the loop on an important topic.

Thanks for stopping by the blog. If you have any questions about Austin real estate, or are interested in buying or selling in the area, don't hesitate to reach out to us. We would love to hear from you! 

Q & A with Steve Adler

There are a variety of opportunities in the Austin Real Estate Market for both buyers and sellers. If you're a prospective buyer click here for a full home search, or if you're considering placing your home on the market, get a free home value report, right here.

Today we have something very exciting to share with you. We had the opportunity to interview Austin mayoral candidate Steve Adler about what he would do if he was elected mayor. We asked him a few questions about some hot-button topics. Here are his answers:

Q: A lot of homeowners in Austin are saying their taxes are going up, and they are having issues getting permits in order to build. What steps would you take to improve affordability in Austin?

A: It's tough, because we absolutely have an affordability crisis in Austin. A $250,000 home in Austin is a $140,000 home in Houston. This happens in part because of supply and demand, but is also determined by utility prices determined by the city council. That's where we have to start.

Q: How do we fix the traffic problem in Austin?

A: Well, it begins with the government becoming more pro-active. In 20 years, our population will double. We can't build our way out of this, but we can pick better places and practices to grow our city. Staggered work hours and more telecommuting could help a lot in solving our traffic problem. 

Q: Why did you decide to run for mayor?

A: I was concerned for Austin. I want to hold on to the spirit of our great city and I want our local government to do things differently in the future. Our government needs to grow up and right now, we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to change the culture. 

Thanks for joining us today. To see our full interview with Steve, watch the video above. If you have any questions, feel free to give us a call. 

What Buying a Newly Built Home Means

There are a variety of opportunities in the Austin Real Estate Market for both buyers and sellers. If you're a prospective buyer click here for a full home search, or if you're considering placing your home on the market, get a free home value report, right here.

 If you are thinking about buying a new home in the Austin area, we have some helpful information for you about new construction. In Austin, new construction starts are up by double digits in terms of percentage and home builders are having a hard time keeping up with demand. A lot of buyers we have talked to are wondering if they should go the route of new construction as well. 

There are numerous benefits to buying a newly built home. You can pick out all the features you do or do not want in your home. You also don't have to worry about replacing appliances down the road because they are brand new. 

The key when buying a new home is getting connected with the right builder and right piece of land. You want to be in an area with a healthy market,  with probably less than 3 months of inventory on hand so prices are on the rise.

Working with a real estate agent on your side can really make this process a whole lot easier. An agent can not only connect you with a builder, but a contractor and mortgage lender as well. A real estate agent will be able to help you make a smarter investment in the land you decide to buy. 

If you have any questions about new construction or about real estate in general, reach out to us via phone or email. We would love to talk with you. 

Where is the Best Place for Real Estate Information?

There are a variety of opportunities in the Austin Real Estate Market for both buyers and sellers. If you're a prospective buyer click here for a full home search, or if you're considering placing your home on the market, get a free home value report, right here.

  Most of you have probably heard of Trulia and Zillow. They are 2 of the most popular online home search sites and 98% of home buyers start their searches online. Our opinion on these sites is that while they are great places to begin your home search, they have a lot of downsides that many people aren't aware of. We'd just like to take a moment to educate you on the subject so you can make a better decision for your next home. 

For starters, these sites use algorithms to determine home values that don't take into account all the necessary components. They don't include location, neighborhood characteristics like parks, schools, and nearby businesses. Without taking these things into account, the property valuation may be way off. If there were 2 identical houses, one in a nice neighborhood and one on a cliff, these sites would value them the same, although we all know that selling a home perched on top of a cliff is going to be a lot more difficult. 

Another thing that these sites don't take into account with their valuations is home improvements. All the remodels, upgrades, and improvements you have made to your house are not taken to account in any "Zestimate." 

It's important, if you are thinking of buying or selling in the Austin market, to get connected with a local real estate professional. A professional agent can take into account all of the local characteristics to get a true value for your home. Zillow, and Tulia get their information from agents, so by contacting an agent directly, you are going to the source with the most accurate and up-to-date info available.

Is Having an Open House the Right Strategy for You?

There are a variety of opportunities in the Austin real estate market for both buyers and sellers. If you're a prospective buyer click here for a full home search, or if you're considering placing your home on the market, get a free home value report, right here. 

When selling your Austin home, there are a handful of things you have to take into consideration before deciding whether you should have an open house. We put together this list so you can make the decision that's right for you:

1. The good: An open house will get people in the door that might not have otherwise seen your home. Many people are too busy, or simply forget, to schedule an appointment to view a home. When you have an open house, the door is open to any potential buyer who happens to have a free afternoon. Another positive is that you control the timing and can set the scene for your open house.
2. The bad: According to the National Association of Realtors, an open house will only get your home sold 7% of the time. Your location has a lot to do with whether your open house will be successful. You also run the risk of having nosy neighbors come by who aren't motivated buyers; inadvertently letting a burglar in your home is another potential risk.
3. Making the decision: What you make of the pros and cons comes down to your particular preferences. Are you comfortable letting strangers in your home? Are you in a location that would draw a decent crowd? Do you want more control over the home selling process?

As you can see, there is a lot to take into account when deciding whether to market your open in this way. In the end, we feel that having an open house can help drive demand, which, theoretically, could get you a higher price for your home. At the end of the day, it comes down to what you're comfortable with. If you would like to discuss what strategies might be best for your specific situation, give us a call or shoot us an email. We would love to help you get your home sold for top value.