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New home communities are more popular than ever! With good reason – new home builders are using popular, open floor-plans, including appliances, sod, and blinds, and helping make it easier than ever to get into a new home with little or no money. New home transactions typically seem a lot easier, as well. If a buyer chose to, they could get through a new home transaction without contacting anyone except the on-site sales agent! However, this would open you up to HUGE losses. Take these simple steps to protect yourself in a new home transaction, and to ensure that yours is a success.

1. Use a Realtor Who Has New Home Sales Experience Many people think that they can save money by not using, or don’t need the services of a Realtor when buying a new construction home. This couldn’t be further from the truth! New homebuilders typically try to monopolize a transaction – they only give you their attractive incentive packages if you agree, in writing, to use their lender, their title company, and sometimes even their insurance company! A Realtor will walk you through the transaction and will make sure that you’re protected every step of the way. If you’ve agreed to use the builder’s lender, your Realtor will make sure that you get a fair interest rate & fair closing costs. Your Realtor will know what the industry standards are, and will make sure that the builder doesn’t try and stretch beyond these. And best of all, a Realtor with a lot of new home transactions under their belt will have established relationships with your homebuilder. Because of this, the homebuilder will be on their “best behavior.” The homebuilder doesn’t want to run the risk of getting a bad reputation in the Realtor community, who can potentially bring the builder lots of homebuyers in the future.
2. Don’t Sign ANYTHING Until You’ve Worked Out Every Detail of the Sale Buying a home can be very emotional – and it should be. You’re not simply picking out a house; you’re picking out where you’ll spend the holidays next year, where your parents will come visit you, and where you might raise your children. However, the on-site sales agent will try and play on this emotion and get you to “write up the contract so that no one else can get your house.” That’s just fine, as long as you understand what you’re signing, and everything is okay with you. Just remember – no matter what is said, everything will be done as it is outlined in the contract.
3. GET A HOME INSPECTION!!! Most people who buy new construction homes don’t bother to get a home inspection. Most new homes come with a one year “bumper to bumper” warranty that includes everything, and many homebuyers feel that they can find out if there are any construction flaws during those 12 months. The problem with this mindset is that many problems won’t surface until well after the 12 months. Remember, your home was built by humans, and humans make mistakes. And, no matter how much experience and reputation a builder brings to the table, it’s still next to impossible for that builder to double check every part of the job their subcontractors have completed. A licensed inspector will go through a very thorough checklist to make sure that everything has been accounted for. At the very least, get an inspection so that you can sleep soundly at night, knowing that an independent third party has given your new home their stamp of approval.
4. Don’t Agree to Use Their Lender Production builders (builders who can develop whole communities on their own) are now large corporations, many of them traded publicly. The corporations have realized that there is much more money to be made than simply selling you your new home – they’ll also try and sell you a loan. Builders will offer HUGE incentives to get you into your new home, sometimes up to 15% of the value of the home. However, they will typically put one BIG stipulation on those incentives – that you use their lender. There are many problems that will come up when you pigeon-hole yourself to one lender – higher rates and higher closing costs are the two biggest. The on-site sales associates will typically tell you that their hands are tied, you have to use their lender to get the incentives. I can tell you, from experience, that this is seldom the case. Remember, the builder’s job – first and foremost – is to sell homes. If you refuse to sign on the dotted line unless this stipulation is removed, you will be successful – most of the time. There are rare occasions when a builder will lose sight of the fact that they build and sell homes – and will absolutely insist that you use their in-house lender. In these circumstances, walk away, no house is worth taking a bad loan and paying THOUSANDS more for that house in the long run.
5. Research the Builder
   Most builders are “good” builders. They take simple steps to protect their neighborhoods. Research your builder, or ask your Realtor if your builder takes these simple steps to make sure that your neighborhood won’t instantly go down in value:

   1) Limit the # of investor purchases – this makes sure that the neighborhood doesn’t turn into a “rental” neighborhood & allows the “pride of ownership” to shine through.

   2) Continues to build equal or greater value homes in the same and surrounding neighborhoods. Builders who avoid doing this create a “vacuum” in home prices and instantly devalue new home purchases.

6. Choose Your Appraiser You’re going to pay for an appraisal one way or another! The lender will require that you have an appraisal in order to loan you the money for the home! Additionally, most appraisers charge about the same of money for the service – so why not choose your appraiser? Ask around until you’ve been referred to a good appraiser and request that they perform the service. Ask for a copy of it and read it! Call your appraiser if you have any questions. This will give you an in-depth knowledge of the market area – and it’s something you would pay for, regardless!
7. Research City Plans New neighborhoods are typically on the outskirts of town – the land is readily available and less expensive, which means that you can buy a bigger house for the same amount of money. In these outskirt communities, it’s very important to know what the city has in store in the way of roads, zoning, public transportation, parks, and schools. These factors will dictate whether your new neighborhood will become the next “big thing,” or the next “cheap thing.” If you’ve decided to use a reputable Realtor, your job will be easy! Simply ask your Realtor and he/she will be able to provide you with lots of information about city plans that have been approved, and city plans that are still being talked about.

Eric Bramlett Austin Texas Real Estate is Broker/Owner of One Source Realty Austin Texas Real Estate
in Austin, Texas. He has seen considerable success in real estate, and looks forward to many more years in the business. Eric currently invests, renovates, and develops real estate in the Greater Austin Texas Market. He spends his time working with select clients, helps his new agents get started in their real estate careers, helps his experienced agents progress their careers to the next level, & when he has time…he takes his dogs to the lake.

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Everyone loves to update their homes, and if you live in an older home in an appreciating neighborhood, it can be a fantastic investment. There are some pitfalls to avoid, which can cost a homeowner quite a bit of money because of no return on investment. However, it’s better to focus on what TO do and stay the course.

1. Raise the Roof!!! Not literally, but gut the attic, and raise the ceiling in, at least, the living room. Older homes typically have 8 foot ceilings, and it’s one of the first characteristics that buyers notice. It’s relatively inexpensive, when you compare your return on investment, to demolish the ceilings of your older home and sheetrock over your new, vaulted ceiling. It’s amazing how much larger and lighter your home will feel.
2. Knock Down Walls Literally, knock down as many walls as you can and still retain the integrity of the home, and the NECESSARY separation of rooms. If you compare older homes to newer homes, you’ll notice that older homes are typically “choppy” while newer homes feel “open and flow well.” This is due to “line of sight.” Newer homes opt for less separation in rooms. You can create this same feeling by demolishing a half-wall that separates your kitchen from the living room or knocking down the wall between the living room and dining room to create one grand room. You’ll be AMAZED at the difference it makes.
3. Overhaul Your Kitchen and/or Master Bathroom These are the two rooms in the house that you can ALMOST go overboard and still get your money back when you sell the home. Refinish or replace the cabinetry, put in new tile and sinks – even install a new, stand-up shower! When (or if) you put your home on the market, you should see a GREAT return on investment.
4. Add a Master Bathroom The 1-Bathroom houses from the 1970’s and earlier are now obsolete. Americans have decided that we like a private bathroom for ourselves and another bathroom for our guests and children. While 90% of the house additions are bad ideas because they don’t flow well or create poorly usable space, a master bathroom addition is a fantastic way to add more square footage, and more value to your home. Make SURE that your builder ties in the new slab to the old, and make sure that the addition is done properly. A poorly designed or executed addition never adds value – most buyers immediately imagine demolishing the work.
5. Xeriscape Your Lawn It’s trendy, it’s cheap – it should be a go! Your homes curb appeal is the first thing that buyers notice, and it’s how buyers decide whether or not they’ll “click on your house” online to further investigate the interior. You can xeriscape a ¼ acre lot for around $3000, and you’ll more than make up for that when your home goes on the market. Furthermore, it’s environmentally & fiscally responsible. Stop wasting water!
6. Paint!!! It’s fairly obvious, but painting your home modern, neutral colors makes a HUGE difference in the appearance of the home. And when you factor in the cost – roughly $0.75/s.f. – it would be a HUGE mistake to forego painting your home when you decide it’s time to modernize it. If you’re planning on staying in the home for some time, paint it whatever colors you wish, but plan on repainting right before it’s time to put it up for sale. If you plan on updating your home in order to sell it, go with neutral colors so that it will appeal to the widest audience.
7. Put in Wood Floors You won’t ALWAYS get your money out of installing wood floors. If you’re in a great area, and it’s time to replace the floors, look at the cost difference between tile, pergo, and wood. If your home will sell for $250k+ then forget about pergo and, if you choose tile, make sure it’s not cheap tile. If the cost difference between wood and your other options is negligible, then go with wood – it appeals to the most buyers.

Eric Bramlett is the Broker and co-owner of One Source Realty in Austin Texas. He has seen considerable success in real estate, and looks forward to many more years in the business. Eric currently invests, renovates, and develops real estate in the Greater Austin Texas Market. He spends his time working with select clients, helps his new agents get started in their real estate careers, helps his experienced agents progress their careers to the next level, & when he has time…he takes his dogs to the lake. Visit Eric’s Austin Texas Real Estate Guide & visit his Austin Texas Real Estate company’s website.

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Purchasing a home is a big step, and a big decision. The average person spends around 1/3 of their income on their home. The home that you choose has a big impact on your life, and can have a big impact on your finances, as well. It always surprises me when Buyers attempt to “go at it alone” because of the possibility of mistakes. A good Buyer’s Agent is invaluable to a Buyer, and can be the difference between a wonderful transaction, and a nightmare.

1. Full Access to the MLSThe Multiple Listing Service (MLS) is a powerful tool that only Realtors have access to. When listing agents market a home for sale, they typically allow any Realtor to present the home to potential buyers, and to present contracts for purchase. The MLS is a database of all homes listed by Realtors, and represents roughly 99% of the homes for sale in any given market. As technology advances, so does the MLS. It has evolved into an extremely powerful search engine that allows your buyer’s agent to enter in search criteria, and returns only homes that match those specific parameters. Buyers can find a lot of this information online through IDX feeds available on many websites, but this information is a “watered down” version of the MLS because the IDX search engines aren’t quite as powerful, and don’t return as detailed profiles as the MLS.
2. Maximize Your TimeWhile driving neighborhoods is an excellent idea to help you decide which locations you prefer, it’s not a very efficient way to find your new home. Gas is expensive, and your time is valuable. Your Buyer’s Agent will listen to your needs, make fantastic suggestions based on your likes & dislikes, and provide you with a list of homes that ALL match your wants & needs. Your Buyer’s Agent has helped MANY new homebuyers through MANY purchases, and will help you better organize your search & decision making process – saving you valuable time.
3. RepresentationListing Agents enter into legally binding agreements that require them to ALWAYS act in the best interest of the seller. They are the seller’s “coach” and will make sure that their clients’ best interests are looked after. Luckily, your Buyer’s Agent is there to make sure YOUR best interests are accounted for. With your expert Buyer’s Agent in your corner, you can rest assured that you’re on, at least, even ground with the home seller. A football team would be at a pretty significant disadvantage without a coach – just as you would be without a Buyer’s Agent.
4. Negotiating PowerThe MLS maintains a record of, not only all homes listed by Realtors in a given market, but also the sales price of those homes. Your Buyer’s Agent will run a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) to determine a prospective home’s Fair Market Value (FMV). In simpler terms, your Realtor will look at similar homes in the same neighborhood that have sold recently. This way, you will know whether or not the seller has their home priced fairly. If the home is priced over Fair Market Value, your Buyer’s Agent can present your “under asking price” offer with plenty of firepower – and a greater chance that the offer will be accepted.
5. ExperienceThe average person buys 3-5 homes in their lifetime. A good Buyer’s Agent will assist in 3-5 home purchases every month. What might seem complicated and intimidating to you is fairly common and familiar to your Realtor. Your Buyer’s Agent will know what to expect, and will know when to alert you if anything out of the ordinary occurs.
6. Industry ContactsIt takes a lot of people to close a real estate transaction – Buyer’s Agent, Listing Agent, Loan Officer, Inspector, Appraiser, Insurance Agent, General Contractors, and sometimes more! A good agent will come with a strong closing team that has performed in the past, and will continue to perform. A transaction is only as strong as its weakest link – with your strong Buyer’s Agent & their closing team, you can rest assured that you will have plenty of support.
7. Piece of MindIf you are like most people, your home is the largest purchase you will ever make. The average person spends around 1/3 of their total monthly income on their home. This is a big decision and you don’t want to go at it alone. When you use a trusted Buyer’s Agent, you know that your best interests are accounted for, and that you can feel confident in your purchase.

Eric Bramlett is the Broker and co-owner of One Source Realty in Austin Texas. Visit Eric’s Lake Austin Real Estate Guide, visit his Austin Real Estate company’s website, & his Downtown Austin Condo Guide. He has seen considerable success in real estate, and looks forward to many more years in the business. Eric currently invests, renovates, and develops real estate in the Greater Austin Texas Market. He spends his time working with select clients, helps his new agents get started in their real estate careers, helps his experienced agents progress their careers to the next level, & when he has time…he takes his dogs to the lake.

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Purchasing your new home is very exciting, but can also be a bit intimidating. If you make a decision hastily, you run the risk of buyer’s remorse. However, if you don’t organize your search well, it can drag on much too long – which can cause just as much stress. A systematic approach will ensure that you are able to make a sound decision in a reasonable amount of time. Follow these steps, and you will find a great home, with confidence & ease!

1. Get Pre-Qualified & Choose Your Top Monthly Payment.
   Pre-qualification is one of the most important steps in the home buying process. It still amazes me how many buyers want to skip this process and immediately begin looking at houses – and how many Realtors are willing to work this way! Pre-qualification is what gives you buying power and allows you to make an offer on your dream home when you’ve found it.
   More importantly, pre-qualification will let you know how much that home will REALLY cost you – in monthly payments. A $150,000 or $300,000 home doesn’t mean a lot to most buyers – but $1200 per month and $2500 per month are tangibles that everyone can understand. After your lender pre-qualifies you, ask them for a “payment table” that shows you a rough estimate of TOTAL monthly payments based on purchase price. Pick your payment, and you know how much you can spend on your home!
2. Use a Realtor!
   Most people buy 3-5 homes in their lifetime. A good Realtor will have helped many people into their homes throughout their career – and will have been through the process many, many times. There are not many home buying situations that your Realtor won’t have seen – and if you run into one, your Realtor can refer to his office, and a wealth of knowledge. Additionally, your Realtor will have access to the MLS, which gives him a database of 99% of the homes for sale in your given area. Good Realtors don’t sell, they simply listen to their buyers, and present the options that they feel most suit their needs.
3. Make a list of your “Must Haves.”
   Many buyers claim that they “will know” when they “walk into the one.” If you begin looking at houses without “doing your homework” this will not be the case. Start your search by making a list of your “must haves,” or qualities that are a “deal killer” if the home doesn’t fit. These are typically price, neighborhood, size, 1 or 2 stories, etc… Sometimes, you will have very strong opinions about seemingly minor details – but these aren’t minor to you, if they’re on your “must have” list.
4. Make a list of your “Wants.”
   After you’ve identified what you “must have” in your new home, it’s time to make a list of what you want. Your “wants” are what you would like to have – but could possibly live without. These can include paint color, type of appliances, exterior façade, etc… While it would be nice to find a home with all of your “wants,” you will be happy as long as the home has a good number of these attributes.
5. Choose your favorite neighborhood(s).
   “Location, location, location” is the cardinal rule when shopping for your home. The reasoning is simple – you can always upgrade your home, but once you’ve closed, you have no control over location. Think about how close you would like to live to work, what school districts you think are favorable, & how near you want to be to recreational activities. Look at your “zone” & identify the neighborhoods that are within your price range. Of these, choose your favorites – and you’re halfway to choosing your new home!
6. View Every Available Home That Matches Your Criteria – And Take Notes.
   After you have identified your “must haves,” “wants,” & neighborhood(s), you have one fun step left in the process: Touring every home that matches your criteria! Your Realtor will run a search for every home that matches your search criteria, and you simply choose which homes you would like to tour. Your search results will hopefully return a good number of properties, so make sure and take notes while viewing. Write down what you like & dislike about each home – it will help you with the decision making process.
7. Review your list & choose!
   After identifying what you want in a home and where you would like to live, it’s very normal to fall in love with a home when you walk into it. However, if this doesn’t happen to you – don’t worry! You’ve carefully identified your likes & dislikes, you’ve identified the most appealing locations, and you’ve taken good notes! Simply review your list, weigh the pro’s & con’s of each, and make a sound decision. You have exercised “due diligence” & you can feel confident in your choice.

Eric Bramlett currently manages his Steiner Ranch Austin Guide, his Round Rock Real Estate company’s website, & his Downtown Austin Condos Guide.

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Home sellers and owners refinancing their mortgages often have to endure a unique ordeal: the home appraisal. If you’re selling, you want the highest appraisal value possible to make sure the sale goes through. If you’re refinancing you’re probably cashing out equity. Either way, each dollar of appraised value is potentially a dollar in your pocket.

It’s never a good idea to try and fool the appraiser – most of them have seen every trick in the book – but there are simple things you can do to squeeze some extra value or equity out of your home.

1. Make the place presentable.
   You don’t have to be able to eat off the floors – the house doesn’t even have to be as spotless as it would be for an open house. But impressions matter. Strewn laundry, dirty dishes, full wastebaskets, all can contribute to the wrong kind of impression.
2. Fix or replace broken windows, railings, steps, and other hazards.Your chances of being able to avoid this, even if the buyer doesn’t care, are slim to none now that the mortgage lender wants an appraisal. (And zero if your buyer is going through the FHA.) So take care of it beforehand. And any appliances that are staying with the house, if you’re selling? Those have to work, too.
3. Have your real estate agent present during the inspection.You can’t usually fool an appraiser – and your agent can’t either. But your agent is trained better to think on his feet at times like these, and is more likely to address nagging concerns of the appraiser’s than you are. Sellers, your agent works for you – put him to work during the appraisal.
4. Love what you’ve done with the place?Hardwood floors four years ago? Bathroom remodeled two and a half years ago? Lawn re-sodded last summer? Bring these to the appraiser’s attention. Don’t expect your appraised value to go up by the amount you invested, but don’t be shy about pointing out what you’ve done.
5. Control your pets and kids.The less stressful the appraiser’s inspection, the better off you’ll both be. An appraiser worried about being attacked or who is constantly distracted isn’t as likely to come through with the highest value.
6. Control the urge to do the appraiser’s job for him.You will often hear that you should suggest homes sold in the area recently the appraiser can compare yours to. In truth, the appraiser considers that his job, and is more likely to resent it than be grateful. And he may have a point. You – and your agent – are interested in getting the highest value possible. The appraiser knows that, and may actually discount a comparable sale you come up with.That being said, information and suggestions offered will often be graciously received. Just don’t overdo it. Understand where the appraiser is coming from – he understands where you’re coming from.
7. Cooperate.A lot of people don’t like a stranger wandering around their home sizing it up. But it’s for your own good. And a friendly, cooperative owner makes a much more favorable impression than a contentious one.

Eric Bramlett currently manages his Austin Real Estate Guide, his Tulsa Real Estate company’s website, & his Cat Mountain Austin Guide.

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