This year I got a bee in my bonnet and decided to protest taxes on all my properties and my daughters as well. We all know that the market has plummeted although not as much in Central Texas as other places across the country. I figured it was worth my efforts to try to reduce my tax liabilities so I started by filing a written protest. The counties (Travis and Williamson) sent me adjusted property values that were lower than the original value and appointment dates to come speak with them if I wasn't in agreement.
Last week I went to the informal hearing at Williamson County Appraisal District to protest the taxes on my homestead and my experience was different than the one I had in Travis County. I was told that the improved features in homes was not included in the tax appraisals.Only exterior improvements like pools, decks, etc could increase or decrease the property value. If the homes in the comparatives that the county used had interior upgrades that my home did not, that information could not be used to lower my taxes. Although the county appraiser was willing to use the comparatives from homes that I wanted included in the analysis, the plan was to use 5 homes as compatibles and I had only brought 3 so they chose 2 of their own. The county appraiser didn't agree with me about my reduced value but he did agree to reduce my value even further than offered in the written proposal. I was satisfied so I accepted.
The following day I was back at Williamson County Appraisal District to protest the taxes on my daughters home. I thought I had it made because since her home is right next door to mine, similar size, upgrades, same age and same builder; it made sense that the price per square foot should be the same. The appraiser said "no." Since my daughters house is 75 sq.ft and only 75 sq.ft. smaller, I was told that the price would be higher per square foot.
I went to the formal hearing before the review board to argue my point.
The review board is comprised of three private citizens who have been chosen to hear the protests. I sat at a table opposite the three and next to a representative of the county. I explained my reasoning, the county representative explained hers, the review board determined the value county appraiser has assessed was correct and that was the end of that.
It was worth the effort to get the taxes reduced. They did agree to reduce my daughters taxes further than the original proposal. They just didn't agree to reduce them to the same as mine.
So far I have successfully reduced the taxes on my investment property in Travis County, my home in Williamson County and my daughters home in Williamson County.
Robin Scott, BROKER. Certified Residential Specialist, Accredited Buyer's Representative, Seller's Representative Specialist. Amelia Bullock Realtors. 512.589.7988.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Another Successful Closing - Shirley
Something that makes my day is when I can help someone find their dream home. My buyer, Shirley was relocating to the Austin area for work and wasn't sure she could quickly find a home that would satisfy her needs. After listening to her describe her dream home, I was able to present her with a few options. She chose a new build that was only 15 minutes from work and a straight shot down the highway to her sisters or up the highway to her sons home in Dallas. We were able to negotiate a great price for the home plus the builder agreed to rip up the carpeting in the dining and living rooms and put in hardwood at no extra expense.
Congratulations Shirley and Welcome Home
If you are looking for a REALTOR who will really listen to you and can find what you are looking for, giive me a call. I want to be your REALTOR.
Robin Scott, BROKER. Certified Residential Specialist, Accredited Buyer's Representative, Seller's Representative Specialist. Amelia Bullock Realtors. 512.589.7988.
Congratulations Shirley and Welcome Home
If you are looking for a REALTOR who will really listen to you and can find what you are looking for, giive me a call. I want to be your REALTOR.
Robin Scott, BROKER. Certified Residential Specialist, Accredited Buyer's Representative, Seller's Representative Specialist. Amelia Bullock Realtors. 512.589.7988.
Fall Fun in Austin
It's hot out there but that doesn't stop dedicated Austinites from enjoying the many fun things to do in the Austin area.
Some of the Annual events coming up on the calendar include:
The Hot Sauce Festival on August 30th in Waterloo Park at 403 E. 15th St. There are more than 350 hot sauce entries to sample. If you think you like spicy, this is your opportunity to prove it. 512.454.5755.
Old Pecan Street Festival September 26-27 on east 6th St. (formally Old Pecan Street.) This festival has been in the spring and fall for decades. There is live music (we are the live music capital of the world,) arts and crafts vendors and a children's carnival. It's fun for everyone. Where sunscreen and come enjoy the fun. 512.469.6060.
Austin City Limits Music Festival know as ACL is October 2-4 is an international event with bands from across the county and the world plus food and arts and crafts. It's held at Zilker Park, 2100 Barton Springs Rd. and you must acquire your tickets asap if you would like to attend. For a lineup of who's performing (famous and nonfamous alike) visit the Web site.
Austin Film Festival is also an international event with a conference October 22-25 and the festival October 22-29. There will be celebrities in town for this event and the premier of many independent films. 512.478.4795 or 800.310.3378.
Robin Scott, BROKER. Certified Residential Specialist, Accredited Buyer's Representative, Seller's Representative Specialist. Amelia Bullock Realtors. 512.589.7988.
Some of the Annual events coming up on the calendar include:
The Hot Sauce Festival on August 30th in Waterloo Park at 403 E. 15th St. There are more than 350 hot sauce entries to sample. If you think you like spicy, this is your opportunity to prove it. 512.454.5755.
Old Pecan Street Festival September 26-27 on east 6th St. (formally Old Pecan Street.) This festival has been in the spring and fall for decades. There is live music (we are the live music capital of the world,) arts and crafts vendors and a children's carnival. It's fun for everyone. Where sunscreen and come enjoy the fun. 512.469.6060.
Austin City Limits Music Festival know as ACL is October 2-4 is an international event with bands from across the county and the world plus food and arts and crafts. It's held at Zilker Park, 2100 Barton Springs Rd. and you must acquire your tickets asap if you would like to attend. For a lineup of who's performing (famous and nonfamous alike) visit the Web site.
Austin Film Festival is also an international event with a conference October 22-25 and the festival October 22-29. There will be celebrities in town for this event and the premier of many independent films. 512.478.4795 or 800.310.3378.
Robin Scott, BROKER. Certified Residential Specialist, Accredited Buyer's Representative, Seller's Representative Specialist. Amelia Bullock Realtors. 512.589.7988.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Calling Texas Home
Other interesting facts show that Alaska only has a 28% retention of original residents.
Nevada attracts 86% of it's population from other states.
Only 19% of the population of New York are relocation.
And California which has a reputation for attracting people is 28th on the list of state that actually do.
Search for homes through Austin MLS
Find your home's value
Buying or selling? Hire an experienced professional. Call Robin Scott, Broker at 512.589.7988.
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Sunday, July 19, 2009
For Sale or Lease - Open House July 19, 2-4
COME MEET ME AND SEE THIS GREAT HOUSE. Sunday, July 19th. 2-4. If you live in the Austin area, I'd love to meet you and show you this awesome house I have listed for sale or lease.
Location, location, location. This is a great opportunity to live in one of the hottest & coolest areas is Austin in a new home - no rehabbing for you. Just move in and enjoy being walking distance to Central Market, 10 minutes to the medical center and 15 minutes to downtown Austin, Zilker Park and all the special events that take place. This is a new 3-story home with tons of upgrades: handscraped wood floors in living area, tile in baths, Silestone countertops throughout, stainless appliances, custom doors, crown molding, 6" baseboards, designer colors and fixtures, sprinkler system and more in a 1512 sq.ft. house with 2 master bedrooms - one on each floor. For sale at $369,999 and for lease at $1,999/mo.
Visit http://www.robinscottrealtor.com for a virtual tour.
Search for homes through Austin MLS
Find your home's value
Buying or selling? Hire an experienced professional. Call Robin Scott, Broker at 512.589.7988.
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Shooting for the Moon - Placing the US Flag on the Moon
Planting the US Flag on the Moon - That's Some Real Estate!
It's the 40th anniversary of Neil Armstrong's walk on the moon. Do you remember where you were? Many of you may not have been a conception but I remember that afternoon very clearly as the astronaut Neil Armstrong planted the United States flag firmly in the soil of the MOON.
I was sitting in my grandmothers den watching the event unfold on the evening news ( live TV had not been introduced at that time) and annoyed that my friend was late picking me up. It was the summer before my senior year in highschool and my parents had moved to Houston. I was angry that I would miss my senior year with the friends I had known all my life and asked to stay with my grandparents for the summer. That evening I had been invited to a slumber party and couldn't have cared less about the historic event unfolding on the TV and yet I remember it all very clearly.
Several years ago I was privileged to hear Neil Armstrong speak. It was at a Brian Buffini event in Las Vegas. Were you there? Five thousand REALTORS were. The entire event was a great experience and my first time to Las Vegas which was spectacular fun but I went just to hear Neil Armstrong. This time I was prepared to pay attention. Apparently he didn't do public speaking until that time when Brian Buffini convinced him to. He seemed an incredibly humble man for someone who was a space pioneer and it was well worth the trip to see him and hear him speak. Did you know that Apollo 11 went to the moon and back with a 65k computer! That's all!
Search for homes through Austin MLS
Find your home's value
Buying or selling? Hire an experienced professional. Call Robin Scott, Broker at 512.589.7988.
Like us on facebook!
It's the 40th anniversary of Neil Armstrong's walk on the moon. Do you remember where you were? Many of you may not have been a conception but I remember that afternoon very clearly as the astronaut Neil Armstrong planted the United States flag firmly in the soil of the MOON.
I was sitting in my grandmothers den watching the event unfold on the evening news ( live TV had not been introduced at that time) and annoyed that my friend was late picking me up. It was the summer before my senior year in highschool and my parents had moved to Houston. I was angry that I would miss my senior year with the friends I had known all my life and asked to stay with my grandparents for the summer. That evening I had been invited to a slumber party and couldn't have cared less about the historic event unfolding on the TV and yet I remember it all very clearly.
Several years ago I was privileged to hear Neil Armstrong speak. It was at a Brian Buffini event in Las Vegas. Were you there? Five thousand REALTORS were. The entire event was a great experience and my first time to Las Vegas which was spectacular fun but I went just to hear Neil Armstrong. This time I was prepared to pay attention. Apparently he didn't do public speaking until that time when Brian Buffini convinced him to. He seemed an incredibly humble man for someone who was a space pioneer and it was well worth the trip to see him and hear him speak. Did you know that Apollo 11 went to the moon and back with a 65k computer! That's all!
Search for homes through Austin MLS
Find your home's value
Buying or selling? Hire an experienced professional. Call Robin Scott, Broker at 512.589.7988.
Like us on facebook!
Monday, July 13, 2009
Protesting Property Taxes in Austin
As the Travis County Appraisal District (TCAD) started their process of appraising properties I published a Blog with their calendar information.
Austins Property Tax Calendar
Then I published a small Blog about protesting. I own properties in Travis and Williamson Counties so I plan to Blog about experiences protesting in both counties.
Protesting Your Property Taxes in Austin
Since property values have diminished over the year, I decided to protest. First the county sent me their evaluation on my property value with an opportunity to protest in writing which I did. After looking at the recent solds (the county determines what the property value was on December 31 of the year in question which in this case was 2008) I determined that the county had over appraised my property and I filed the form of written protest.
Then the county sent me a letter reducing my property value by a small amount along with information on 5 homes to which they were comparing. It seemed great that from my written protest they had reduced the value but I researched the homes that they were using as comparatives and found that 4 of the 5 where not true comparatives. As an example, one of the properties stated in their information that the house had $44,000 in remodeling upgrades and improvements of which my property had none. Therefore, I decided to attend the informal protest.
This morning I went to the informal protest and learned about the TCAD system. Some of the issues I encountered were as follows:
1. One of the comparatives they had provided was from January of '08. That is an entire year earlier. That was even before the market crash and should not have been considered a fair estimation of value. I was told TCAD could use sold homes from January 1 through February of the following year. Good to know when the market starts to go back up.
2. In Texas, the price you paid for your home is not public information so even TCAD doesn't have it unless you tell them - or someone else does. So, when I printed out my multiple listing system (MLS) sold sheets, I blacked out the house numbers. It seemed to me that it was the right thing to do to protect the other homeowners. After all, the MLS sheet provided all the information on a legitimate sheet from a computer generated system. The TCAD agent told me that they couldn't use the information without the house number. In other words, I had to provide the address to benefit from the information. I didn't have it, but the MLS sheet does have the legal description on the page so the agent was able to look up the house address.
3. The main reason I took the MLS sheets was because they contained pertinant information such as the house had $44,000 in upgrades so a true comparative would have been to reduce the sold price by $44,000. The agent told me that he couldn't make any adjustments in the system. What! How is that a fair comparison?
Next I'm going to the formal hearing. I'm determined to get those taxes reduced. I'll keep you posted. Please send your comments.
Robin Scott, BROKER. Certified Residential Specialist, Accredited Buyer's Representative, Seller's Representative Specialist. Amelia Bullock Realtors. 512.589.7988.
Austins Property Tax Calendar
Then I published a small Blog about protesting. I own properties in Travis and Williamson Counties so I plan to Blog about experiences protesting in both counties.
Protesting Your Property Taxes in Austin
Since property values have diminished over the year, I decided to protest. First the county sent me their evaluation on my property value with an opportunity to protest in writing which I did. After looking at the recent solds (the county determines what the property value was on December 31 of the year in question which in this case was 2008) I determined that the county had over appraised my property and I filed the form of written protest.
Then the county sent me a letter reducing my property value by a small amount along with information on 5 homes to which they were comparing. It seemed great that from my written protest they had reduced the value but I researched the homes that they were using as comparatives and found that 4 of the 5 where not true comparatives. As an example, one of the properties stated in their information that the house had $44,000 in remodeling upgrades and improvements of which my property had none. Therefore, I decided to attend the informal protest.
This morning I went to the informal protest and learned about the TCAD system. Some of the issues I encountered were as follows:
1. One of the comparatives they had provided was from January of '08. That is an entire year earlier. That was even before the market crash and should not have been considered a fair estimation of value. I was told TCAD could use sold homes from January 1 through February of the following year. Good to know when the market starts to go back up.
2. In Texas, the price you paid for your home is not public information so even TCAD doesn't have it unless you tell them - or someone else does. So, when I printed out my multiple listing system (MLS) sold sheets, I blacked out the house numbers. It seemed to me that it was the right thing to do to protect the other homeowners. After all, the MLS sheet provided all the information on a legitimate sheet from a computer generated system. The TCAD agent told me that they couldn't use the information without the house number. In other words, I had to provide the address to benefit from the information. I didn't have it, but the MLS sheet does have the legal description on the page so the agent was able to look up the house address.
3. The main reason I took the MLS sheets was because they contained pertinant information such as the house had $44,000 in upgrades so a true comparative would have been to reduce the sold price by $44,000. The agent told me that he couldn't make any adjustments in the system. What! How is that a fair comparison?
Next I'm going to the formal hearing. I'm determined to get those taxes reduced. I'll keep you posted. Please send your comments.
Robin Scott, BROKER. Certified Residential Specialist, Accredited Buyer's Representative, Seller's Representative Specialist. Amelia Bullock Realtors. 512.589.7988.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Making Buyer's Happy - Finding that Dream Home
As an Accredited Buyer's Representative in the Austin area, I relocate a lot of people and recently I had the pleasure of helping Shirley find a new home. When we first started the process, Shirley was living in corporate housing having unexpectedly been offered a job that required her immediate relocation. She wasn't sure whether to lease an apartment for 6 months or buy something. She wanted to move quickly.
Corporate housing was very temporary.
One of the things I really pride myself on is the ability to identify what the buyer wants and needs. Usually a buyer will tell you what they want but after the first outing at which time we look at several homes, I find it easier to really pinpoint what will make the buyer happy.
The first time out with Shirley, I observed her reactions to homes and their features. I listened carefully to her comments and the second time we looked at property, I nailed it. She found 3 she was interested in and one she loved. She settled on a spec home built by Highland Homes. It was ready to go and everything she was looking for - close to work, one-story, an office and very upgraded. Over the phone I negotiated for them to replace the carpet in the dining and living rooms with hard wood and of course the price came down considerably. She should be moving in a couple of weeks.
Robin Scott, Broker. Certified Residential Specialist, Accredited Buyer's Representative, Seller's Representative Specialist. Amelia Bullock Realtors. 512.589.7988.
Search for homes through Austin MLS
Find your home's value
Buying or selling? Hire an experienced professional. Call Robin Scott, Broker at 512.589.7988.
Like us on facebook!
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