Austin Texas Real Estate Blog

Austin Texas RealtorsWhat is a REALTOR® and why should I use one?

Only real estate professionals who are members of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (NAR) can call themselves REALTORS®. All REALTORS® adhere to NAR’s strict Code of Ethics, which is based on professionalism and protection of the public. That’s why all real estate licensees are NOT the same. Dedicated to serving America’s property owners at both local and national levels, the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, the Voice for Real Estate®, is the largest professional association at over 900,000 members strong. So, whether you’re buying or selling a home – it pays to work with a REALTOR®. Look for the REALTOR® logo when choosing your real estate agent.

What Do Recent Home Buyers and Sellers Say About REALTORS®?

The 2003 NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers provides research results on the experiences home buyers and sellers had when purchasing or selling their home. The majority of the respondents used a REALTOR® (a member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®). Here’s what they had to say:

HOME SELLERS

Sixty-two percent of sellers reported that an agent’s reputation was the most important factor in their selection process.
More than four out of five homeowners sold their previous home with the assistance of a real estate agent.
The top three home seller expectations of real estate agents are: 1) find a buyer for my home (27%); 2) sell my home within a specific timeframe (27%); 3) properly price my home (25%).
Seventy percent of respondents would use the same listing agent for their next home sale.

HOME BUYERS

Fifty-seven percent of home buyers reported that the most important service provided by a real estate agent is helping them find the right home.
Nearly 86% of home buyers used a real estate agent as an important information source and to assist in the transaction.
Seventy-five percent of home buyers used a real estate agent and/or broker to complete their transaction.

The Code of Ethics: A Commitment to the Public

The Code of Ethics of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® is the promise to the public that when dealing with a real estate agent that is a REALTOR®, they can expect honest and ethical treatment in all transaction-related matters. Only REALTORS® are held accountable for their ethical behavior. Some of the basic principles of the Code of Ethics include:
Protect and promote your client’s interests, but be honest with all parties.
Avoid exaggeration, misrepresentation, and concealment of pertinent facts. Do not reveal facts that are confidential under the scope of your agency relationship.
Disclose present or contemplated interest in any property to all parties.
Avoid side deals without your client’s informed consent.
Accept compensation from only one party, except with full disclosure and informed consent.
Keep the funds of clients and customers in escrow.
Assure, whenever possible, that transactional details are in writing.
Provide equal service to all clients and customers.
Be knowledgeable and competent in the fields of practice in which you ordinarily engage. Obtain assistance or disclose lack of experience if necessary.
Do not engage in the unauthorized practice of law.

Make the right choice – work with a REALTOR®.

SELLERS
REALTORS® provide sellers invaluable services, and there are many reasons to work with one. A REALTOR®:

Can give you up-to-date information about the market, prices, financing, terms and conditions of competing properties.
Will market your property to other real estate agents and to the public.
Will know when, where, and how to best market your property.
Can help you objectively evaluate every buyer’s proposal without compromising you marketing position. Can help close the sale of your home.

BUYERS
REALTORS® provide critical assistance with the home buying process. A REALTOR®:

Has many resources to assist you in your home search.
Can provide objective information about each property.
Can help you negotiate.
Can help you determine your buying power.
Provides guidance during the evaluation of the property.
Can guide you through the closing process and make sure everything flows together smoothly.

How a REALTOR Can Benefit Sellers

REALTOR® Can Reduce Liability
The business of buying and selling real estate is becoming more complex. Rapid technological improvement and its application in the real estate industry, as well as changing state and federal laws are making it difficult to buy or sell real estate without the help of a professional. For the seller, consumer protection laws bring a high degree of liability into the transaction. It is worth noting that the seller's liability is not diminished by ignorance of applicable laws.

REALTORS® Save Time and Money
It is becoming increasingly important to have the assistance of a REALTOR® to reduce liability, expedite the sale and save time and money for both buyers and sellers. A REALTOR® is very helpful in doing market research to help you set a realistic selling price, pre-qualify potential buyers and help negotiate the best price for your home. The agent will save your time by taking calls from people who are interested in the home and make appointments for potential buyers to view the home when you are away or at times most convenient for you.

REALTORS® Use Technology to Market Your Home
If you list a home with a REALTOR® who participates in ACTRIS, the home will have wider exposure to other participating agents who will market that property to their own clients. Data from the MLS is used to publish listings online for buyers to see through sites such as AustinHomeSearch.com, Realtor.com and Homeseekers.com. In addition, the REALTOR® can utilize comparative data to assist the seller list their home to their advantage.

Advice to Ensure a Successful Transaction
A REALTOR® also provides the professional assistance needed to ensure appropriate laws and regulations are followed when selling a home. Like doctors, lawyers, architects and engineers, REALTORS® are educated and licensed professionals. They will assume your risks should they make errors or omissions in the performance of their duties. A REALTOR® also conducts a market analysis of your home to determine its market value and advises you on what needs to be done to best prepare the home to show to prospective buyers.

How a REALTOR Can Benefit Buyers

Helping in the Home Search and Protecting Your InterestsStarting your home search with Internet databases such as our home search is a good idea. But the advice and assistance of a REALTOR® can be of great use in this process. Before you contact the agent who lists the property on the database, consider whom that agent represents. Only a buyers agent will solely represent your interests. (Click here to read more about who represents whom in a real estate transaction.) If you choose to have a buyers agent represent you who participates in the Austin Central Texas Realty Information Service (ACTRIS/MLS), they will be able to find homes that meet their criteria more quickly. The REALTOR® can use ACTRIS to not only screen properties that fit your preferences, but also find important information such as tax roll data, sold data for comparative analysis and school data.

Negotiations, Inspection and Contract Help

When buying a home, a REALTOR® leads you through the contract negotiation and insures that your rights are protected and your liability minimized as contracts and agreements are prepared. They advise you of financing options and coordinate the inspection and appraisal processes. Furthermore, they make sure the inspection process is handled properly and subsequent negotiations concerning any repairs are completed within the specific time frames required in the contract. Finally, a REALTOR® leads you through the lengthy closing process and protects your interests. Feel comfortable buying or selling a home with a professional. Find a REALTOR® you trust and be sure to take their advice. Since you are both partners in this transaction, neither of you can succeed without the other.

Click here to read about who represents your interests in a real estate transaction

By Ronnie Bredahl, Broker/Owner/Realtor of Austin Referral Realty, Inc.

Licensed Real Estate Broker with over 6 years experience in the Austin Real Estate market.
Internet savvy Realtor with many unique websites to properly market your home with the most exposure.
No pressure approach - We inform, you decide!
Automated Austin MLS search functions without giving your us your contact information!
Relocating to Austin, Texas? Email us for a FREE copy of the Austin Relocation Guide!

Real Estate Affiliations or Memberships of Austin Referral Realty:

Member of the National Association of Realtors
Member of the Texas Association of Realtors
Member of the Austin Board of Realtors
Member of the Austin Apartment Association
Member of the Texas Apartment Association
Member of the National Apartment Association
Accredited Buyer's Representative Designation
e-PRO Certification Designation
Member of the Austin Central Texas Real Estate Information Services (ACTRIS - Austin MLS - Austin board of Realtors)
Member Loopnet.com - the world's largest commercial real estate listing database
Member of Co-Star - The leading provider of information services to commercial real estate professionals in the United States
Registered Broker with HUD

Information on Real Estate Closing Costs

In Austin, TX and anywhere else you may live, if you get use to doing anything a certain way for a long enough period of time, it kind of becomes the norm, or the customary way. As many things in Texas, we do real estate transaction a little different than other parts of the country. Neither better or worse, just different. For example, in California it is fairly normal for the buyer to pay the title insurance policy which can run a little more than 1% of the sales price. Here in Austin, Texas, while everything is negotiable, MOST of the time the seller pays for the title insurance policy. Just a little fun fact for you California buyers ;)
If you are relocating to Austin and planning on purchasing a home, I want you to be prepared on what to except when you get ready to make an offer on a home and all the way to the closing table. Click here to read about what the "typical closing costs" are in Austin, TX. On this page we breakdown what closing costs items home buyers and home seller can except to pay and what they don't have to pay.

By Ronnie Bredahl, Broker/Owner/Realtor of Austin Referral Realty, Inc.

A city renowned for its casually elegant lifestyle, Austin is known as “The Live Music Capital of the World”. Austin, the capital of Texas, is at the heart of a 3 county region recognized for its talented workforce and superior business environment. Diversity defines the region and Austin's economy thrives on a balance of technology industries, business services, education, and government.

Austin Area Facts:

Austin is located in Central Texas along the Colorado River, which forms a chain of lakes 150 miles long.Austin has a temperate climate with 300 days of sunshine annually. Average temperatures range from 42° to 62° in the winter and 75° to 95° in the summer. Average rainfall is 32.49 inches.Austin has over 14,000 acres of parkland. The U.S. Census Bureau ranks Austin 16th in the nation in population size; as a metropolitan area it ranks 38th. The 2002 census indicated Austin’s population to be 671,873 and the Metropolitan Statistical Area to be 1,249,783. Historical data shows that Austin's population doubles every 20 years and projections are that the Austin MSA will top 2.2 million by July 2015.

Leading the Way

In the last decade, Austin has established itself as the Silicon Valley of Texas with a strong technology presence through software development, electronics design, and computer hardware manufacturing. However, Austin does not rely solely on these industries. Life sciences, film, music, business services, and distribution firms are industries that also have a strong presence.
Forbes magazine last year rated Austin the best place to do business and advance your career. We are known as the "City of Ideas" and are proud to have highly educated , skilled and creative professional call Austin home. We ranked #1 in Creativity for US Regions in February 2004. According to an article in the Harvard Business Review, Austin beat out Seattle and San Francisco to take the lead position in creativity. Austin ranked as the nation's 10th top city in March 2004 by Plants Sites and Parks. For the third time in four years

Austin Real Estate Homebuyers

If you want to find a top-quality home in Austin, TX and would like to save time and money, you’re in the right place!


Do you want FREE quality buyer's representation with no ties to the seller?

After much consumer confusion of "who represented who" in real estate transactions, a lot of smart, knowledgeable Realtors got together in 1994 to change agency laws to provide buyer agency. This ensures that the buyer has representation on their side and has no fiduciary duties to the seller. The best part about buyer representation is that it is FREE to the buyer. Commissions are paid to the listing agent by the seller on their agreed upon percentage or fee. *Commissions are always negotiable* Austin Board of Realtor members have co-op agreements, the listing agent then offers compensation to whoever brings a buyer to the specific property listed. This also applies for new homebuilders in the Austin area. If you choose to buy a new home, the builder pays for YOUR representation, not you. This doesn't increase the price of the home nor would you get a better deal on the new home if you did not have buyer representation. The only thing it affects is the builder's bottom line. However, builders are very willing and greatly appreciative to Realtors who bring them buyers. So why wouldn't you want FREE professional representation? You have nothing to lose! Even if you don't choose Austin Referral Realty to represent you on your next home purchase, get professional buyer representation. Don't cut yourself short!

Texas Real Estate Law allows you, the Buyer, to have Buyer Representation - someone that represents you only!

When you begin working with a Real Estate Broker or Agent you should be aware that the duties of the Broker/Agent depends on whom the broker/agent represents. The Broker/Agent ONLY becomes the Buyer's Agent by entering into an written agreement to represent the buyer. This agreement defines each parties responsibilities, the time period of the relationship, the geographic areas and/or properties covered and who and how fees are paid to the Buyer's Representative.


To provide unsurpassed service to help you buy your home at a fair market price with the least inconvenience to you, I will:

1. Explain real estate agency relationships
2. Maintain communication during the term of the agreement
3. Analyze buyer's property needs and desires
4. Orient buyer to current market conditions
5. Provide helpful community data
6. Explain local real estate practices and procedures
7. Provide information on lenders and financing alternatives
8. Search the MLS for suitable properties
9. Coordinate appointments and show all properties of interest.
10. Explain the process of offer presentation
11. Carefully explain and prepare Offer to Purchase
12. Deliver required Seller Disclosure Forms
13. Arrange to present all offers to seller in a timely manner
14. Explain post-purchase activities and responsibilities
15. Follow-up on all post-purchase activities
16. Keep confidential any information buyer designates in writing as confidential

I will do WHATEVER IT TAKES to be your... Personal Realtor For Life!

Looking for a Home in Austin?

Is that special home now for sale? Whether you are relocating or moving locally, submit the following form to find out! Your answer can be by way of e-mail, fax, snail mail, or telephone! The search will include all real estate listed on the MLS and the response will be from a local real estate agent who knows the market!

The more information that you provide, the more accurate the real estate search will be, and the fewer properties will be found. Click here for find that perfect Austin Home!

Austin Home Sellers

"The more buyers that know your home is on the market the higher the price you will get, in the shortest amount of time, with the least amount of hassle to you and your family. Please don't hire an agent with a national template website that they are keeping a secret from Yahoo! and Google, hire a Internet savvy marketer with 21st century technology, or heck, at least make sure they have broadband! " - Ronnie Bredahl

Get the Straight Facts About What Can Make or Break the Sale of Your Home.

Most REALTORS® list homes, We market homes! There is a difference.

Selling your home in Austin is one of the most important decisions you will make in your life. How much is it REALLY worth? How long will it take to sell? How do you handle buyers making undesirable offers?

As top and Austin area REALTORS® with years of experience and a proven track record, it is our job to guide you through this complicated process, from beginning to end. We want you to get the maximum value for your home, within YOUR time frame. Here are just some of the things that we will do to market and sell your home:

- Buyers want to buy your home for as little as possible! Through detailed comparisons between your home and recently sold homes, and other properties currently on the Austin real estate market, together we can determine what your home is really worth in today's market. In the industry this is called a Comparative Market Analysis or CMA. We will do this for you, for free.

- Buyers have their own timelines, which might not be yours! We make sure they don't waste your time by qualifying them as to their real ability to afford your home.

- More buyers interested in your Austin home means more money in your pocket when it is sold. Our extensive marketing of your home assures you of maximum value. For example, this web site will market your property all across the web. It will appear on Yahoo Real Estate, Microsoft MSN HomeAdvisor, Google, AskJeeves, and most importantly Realtor.com, the most visited real estate website in the world. We can place your home on our web site within a few minutes time. We are not only real estate professionals, but Ronnie Bredahl, broker/owner of Austin Referral Realty, is a savvy search engine optimization specialist! Top search engine placement means more clicks, which means more exposure, which means more showings. Period!

- When we begin marketing your home, we will immediately notify all the buyers that we are helping find their ideal home. We'll also notify all the REALTORS® in this area that we work with, who quickly tell their homebuyers. It is a powerful way to jump-start the sale of your home!

- You and a member of our team will walk through your home. We will advise you how to present your property to maximize its selling price. Some improvements are worth it, and some are not! Be careful.

- Contracts are complicated, and intimidating. You don't want to go to a closing with some doubts. You will have the full benefit of our Austin real estate experience and knowledge for a smooth and successful closing. We recommend that you do not sign on any dotted lines without asking us first.

- We will make sure you conform to any and all Texas statutory disclosure requirements. We will also inform you of any inspections that you should consider having done ahead of time to smooth the negotiating process with buyers, and to ensure a successful escrow and closing.

You pay no up front costs for our services! So you can bet that we will work hard to get your home sold, for as much as this market will possibly bear. We will also work within your time frame and your needs. For example, sometimes it can be hard to sell and move out of your current home, and buy and move into a new home, all at the same time! We can help smooth this out.

Call or email us. Ask for a free home selling consultation with no obligation to list with Austin Referral Realty. We will come to your Austin home or office, and present you a plan that details exactly how we will market your home. There is absolutely no obligation so don't let this opportunity pass. It is part of our job as top real estate agents to offer you this service. We are committed to helping you selling your home fast for top dollar with the least amount of problems. We are....

Your Austin Texas Real Estate Connection!






Austin Referral Realty is a REALTOR.com Marketing System Member

Austin Referral Realty is a member of the REALTOR.com® Marketing System, increasing the impact of property marketing efforts for our clients. Is selling your home quickly for the highest price possible important to you? If we have the opportunity to market your home it will be of the utmost importance to us. In fact, I do everything in our power to attract buyers to the properties I market, both offline and online. A recent example of my commitment to attract buyers is my investment in the REALTOR.com® Featured Agent program.

Austin Referral Realty benefits from an enhanced presence on the Internet’s No. 1 real estate site, REALTOR.com®, the official site of the National Association of REALTORS®. Our efforts online through the REALTOR.com® Marketing System, will ensure our seller clients’ properties stand out to more than 5 million consumers each month who, on average, spend more than 50 minutes searching for homes on the site.*

The REALTOR.com® Marketing System enables Austin Referral Realty to customize the resources of REALTOR.com® – including property description text, Web site, Featured Homes™, property photographs and virtual tours – and provide our seller clients with added services such as detailed online activity reports.

Buying a home has never been easier. Once Internet users are at REALTOR.com®, they can select from a list of criteria including specific geographic area, price range, size of home, number of bedrooms and baths as well as desirable interior and exterior features. The site pinpoints the best matches from more than 2 million homes for sale, with results including property details and photographs for their review. This comprehensive real estate Web site enables consumers to easily find homes, REALTORS®, color photos, virtual tours and other helpful information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Austin Home Evaluation

How much are homes that are similar to your Austin area home selling for? Submit the following form to find out! Your answer can be by way of e-mail, fax, snail mail, or telephone - it's your choice! The more information that you provide, the more accurate the evaluation will be.

CLICK HERE FOR FREE ONLINE HOME EVAULUATION!