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.
Monday, July 13, 2009
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.
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Friday, June 19, 2009
Anniversary of Trip to France
One year ago, we took a trip to France to participate in many celebrations commemorating an incident where two airmen (my husbands uncle James Scott and Gerand Allen, crashed into each other over the small village of Connerre in 1945 during WWII. After listening to the eyewitness accounts it sounded as though Scott was fired upon and injured or killed causing him to send his plane straight up clipping Allens plane. They were flying air missions to prevent the Natzis from transporting men and artillery to Normany. Scott was killed but Allen parachuted out and was rescued b the terrified villagers who helped him get to the French Resistance unit hidden in the woods until the American soldiers came through. The village of Connerre wanted to thank the families of these two brave men for helping to save them from the Natzis. It was a fantastic experience and among all the friends we made were the sister and son of Allen who it turns out live only 30 minutes away.
We got together for an anniversary party and here we are: Doug, John, Katherine, Me and Elle.
Robin Scott, Broker. Certified Residential Specialist, Accredited Buyer's Representative, Seller's Representative Specialist. Amelia Bullock Realtors. 512.589.7988.
If you are from Texas, you can appreciate the beauty of the desolate landscape. It's all about the big sky. Texas is so large it is very diverse. From the coast on the Gulf of Mexico to the mountains along the Rio Grande River on the Mexican boarder, the sky is always big.
This photo was taken at what we call "the farm" even though no one has farmed it for over 60 years. My husband is the 4th generation to own this land and we lease it to a rancher who runs cattle on it sometimes. We used to spend time fishing and picnicking on it but it's very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter.
My husbands great grandfather owned this land and divided it up among all his children. The others sold theirs but John Pike kept his and tried to farm the rocky soil. There are great stories of Indians, Jesse James and oil speculators. They never found any oil. My mother-in-law was born on "the farm." The house was moved to town in the 50"s so the only buildings are the old barn and the new barn. The new barn is about 100 years old.
This is a picture of my husband and youngest daughter. We are all very proud of our ownership of this land. You know what they say - Land, they aren't making any more of it.Robin Scott, Broker. Certified Residential Specialist, Accredited Buyer's Representative, Seller's Representative Specialist. Amelia Bullock Realtors. 512.589.7988.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Austin Area Demographics
The demographer for the City of Austin, Ryan Robinson, has complied a list of the top 10 demographic trends:
1. No demographic group comprises more than 50% of the Austin population.
2. There is a decline in the percentage of families with children living in the urban core of Austin.
3. The African-American population of Austin is declining and is expected to continue to decline.
4. The steadily growing population of Hispanics could outgrown the Anglo populationin Austin in the next 25 years.
5. The Asian population has experienced significant growth in the Austin area.
6. African-American Austinites are moving into the suburbs as well as throughout the greater Austin area.
7. The Hispanic population continues to congregate in the southern east side of Austin.
8. There is more disparity between the affluent and less-than-affluent in Austin.
9. Indigent health care is a growing problem in Central Texas.
10. Urban sprawl is a continuing trend in the Austin area.
Other interesting facts include:
The unemployment rate in Austin has dropped with new jobs being created in the government, education & health services and leisure & hospitality industries.
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.
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1. No demographic group comprises more than 50% of the Austin population.
2. There is a decline in the percentage of families with children living in the urban core of Austin.
3. The African-American population of Austin is declining and is expected to continue to decline.
4. The steadily growing population of Hispanics could outgrown the Anglo populationin Austin in the next 25 years.
5. The Asian population has experienced significant growth in the Austin area.
6. African-American Austinites are moving into the suburbs as well as throughout the greater Austin area.
7. The Hispanic population continues to congregate in the southern east side of Austin.
8. There is more disparity between the affluent and less-than-affluent in Austin.
9. Indigent health care is a growing problem in Central Texas.
10. Urban sprawl is a continuing trend in the Austin area.
Other interesting facts include:
The unemployment rate in Austin has dropped with new jobs being created in the government, education & health services and leisure & hospitality industries.
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!
Monday, May 18, 2009
Texas is a Great Place to Live
Watch this video from Youtube and pay particular attention to why Austin is a great place to live.
Thinking of relocating to Austin? Call me. 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.
YOUTUBE VIDEO ABOUT THE GREAT STATE OF TEXAS
Austin is Number 1
If you are interested in relocating to the Austin area, I want to be your REALTOR.®.
And, I want to be your REALTOR®! If there is any information you would like regarding relocating to the Austin area, let me know. You can contact me at robin@robinscottrealtor.com, 512.589.7988 or just comment on this blog entry.
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!
Another Successful Closing - Bundoran
Kelly and Jim are moving today into their beautiful home in Avery Ranch. It was an easy decision for them to make when they chose this home because it was clean,beautiful maintained and in a neighborhood with great amenities plus an easy commute to work for them both.
Here is an added story for my friends Dale and Frank and any other of you who are Vets: We were the first offer in but in the end there were 5 offers on this house. During the final walk-thru, Jim asked the seller why they had chosen his offer. The answer was that Jim was a Vet and the sellers wanted to show their appreciation. Itbrought tears to my eyes and made the day brighter.
Robin Scott, Broker. Certifies Residential Specialist, Accredited Buyer's Representative, Seller's Representative Specialist. 512.589.7988
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Color Your House - Paint Choices
According to color experts and experienced REALTORS®, the color choices you make when painting your home can have a positive effect on the saleability. There are four areas that are the most distinguishing to a buyer - the front door, the living area, the kitchen and the master bath.
The Front Door. The entrance of your home is the first and last impression that the buyer will have. Most importantly, make sure it's clean! It's helpful to have a large colorful plant at the entrance. Choose the color of the door carefully. It needs to be something that will stand out from the house and draw attention to it. For instance, a light colored door on a light colored house gets lost in the picture. Unusual colors like purple are a deterrent to many. Reds and other warm colors have the most appeal and are inviting.
The Living Area. White walls were once thought the perfect blank slate for the buyer to paint the color they desired. Now white seems a harsh backdrop; unwelcoming and incomplete. Choose a mid-range valued color which will punctuate the architectural details and give a finished look to the room. If you are unsure which colors to use, visit model homes in your area to see what professionals have chosen.
The Kitchen. As is a gathering place for family and friends, this room should project warmth and comfort. Colors like gold, terracotta , sage green, banana creme or coffee are appealing choices.
The Master Bath. Because of the reflections from the mirrors in a bathroom, the colors should be complimentary to anyone reflected in them. Many buyers are attracted to the idea of a bathroom as a spa so use mild colors to reflect a peaceful place like peaches, beiges, tans or pale blues.
If you are planning to sell or buy a home, I want to be your REALTOR®. I work with consultants to provide you with the best look for your home whether moving in or moving out.
Robin Scott, Broker. Certified Residential Specialist, Accredited Buyer's Representative, Seller's Representative Specialist. Amelia Bullock Realtors. 512.589.7988.
And, I want to be your REALTOR®! If there is any information you would like regarding relocating to the Austin area, let me know. You can contact me at robin@robinscottrealtor.com, 512.589.7988 or just comment on this blog entry.
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!
The Front Door. The entrance of your home is the first and last impression that the buyer will have. Most importantly, make sure it's clean! It's helpful to have a large colorful plant at the entrance. Choose the color of the door carefully. It needs to be something that will stand out from the house and draw attention to it. For instance, a light colored door on a light colored house gets lost in the picture. Unusual colors like purple are a deterrent to many. Reds and other warm colors have the most appeal and are inviting.
The Living Area. White walls were once thought the perfect blank slate for the buyer to paint the color they desired. Now white seems a harsh backdrop; unwelcoming and incomplete. Choose a mid-range valued color which will punctuate the architectural details and give a finished look to the room. If you are unsure which colors to use, visit model homes in your area to see what professionals have chosen.
The Kitchen. As is a gathering place for family and friends, this room should project warmth and comfort. Colors like gold, terracotta , sage green, banana creme or coffee are appealing choices.
The Master Bath. Because of the reflections from the mirrors in a bathroom, the colors should be complimentary to anyone reflected in them. Many buyers are attracted to the idea of a bathroom as a spa so use mild colors to reflect a peaceful place like peaches, beiges, tans or pale blues.
If you are planning to sell or buy a home, I want to be your REALTOR®. I work with consultants to provide you with the best look for your home whether moving in or moving out.
Robin Scott, Broker. Certified Residential Specialist, Accredited Buyer's Representative, Seller's Representative Specialist. Amelia Bullock Realtors. 512.589.7988.
And, I want to be your REALTOR®! If there is any information you would like regarding relocating to the Austin area, let me know. You can contact me at robin@robinscottrealtor.com, 512.589.7988 or just comment on this blog entry.
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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