Becky\’s Blog – SA Real Estate & BEYOND

Folks, time is running out fast for the $8,000 tax credit from Uncle Sam.   If you’re working with an agent, get out your cattle prod and get a move on because if you don’t have a house closed by the end of November, you’re plumb out of luck.   Unless of course, Uncle Sam decides to extend this wonderful incentive however, it appears our great leaders have a full plate on their hands.   So, get your running shoes on and get out there and find yourself that dream home.   If you don’t have an agent (What???   You don’t have an agent???), get one!   There’s plenty to chose from and they won’t cost you a dime either!   Just had someone call me today and said they aren’t working with an agent, just calling on the signs.   Why, I asked, would you do that?   Then, patiently, I ‘splained all of the benefits of working with an agent and how it was FREE, yes, I said, FREE to a buyer.   Who would pass up FREE, expert advise on the BIGGEST financial purchase of their life?   Good question.   Who would pass up a FREE $8,000 to purchase a home in the BEST real estate market for buyers in years?   Another good question.   Call me if you need help with the answers!     210-710-6478

Folks, time is running out fast for the $8,000 tax credit from Uncle Sam.   If you’re working with an agent, get out your cattle prod and get a move on because if you don’t have a house closed by the end of November, you’re plumb out of luck.   Unless of course, Uncle Sam decides to extend this wonderful incentive however, it appears our great leaders have a full plate on their hands.   So, get your running shoes on and get out there and find yourself that dream home.   If you don’t have an agent (What???   You don’t have an agent???), get one!   There’s plenty to chose from and they won’t cost you a dime either!   Just had someone call me today and said they aren’t working with an agent, just calling on the signs.   Why, I asked, would you do that?   Then, patiently, I ‘splained all of the benefits of working with an agent and how it was FREE, yes, I said, FREE to a buyer.   Who would pass up FREE, expert advise on the BIGGEST financial purchase of their life?   Good question.   Who would pass up a FREE $8,000 to purchase a home in the BEST real estate market for buyers in years?   Another good question.   Call me if you need help with the answers!     210-710-6478

I love educating my clients about real estate transactions.   But I am still surprised that so many buyer’s don’t know how a Realtor works and why they should have one in the home buying process.  

Did You Know…..?

• A professional Realtor’s services for the Buyer is usually FREE OF CHARGE.   Our commission is paid by the Seller.
• If you decide to drive around and call on the signs that are in front of homes, you are most likely speaking with the SELLER’S agent who CANNOT represent  YOU in the transaction.  
• Realtors are professionals and are licensed by the State.   We are required to treat you fairly and have your financial interests above our own.   Realtors who break the rules could be fined or lose their license.

Are you a CUSTOMER or a CLIENT?

What’s the difference you ask?   Simple.   A customer (in the real estate world anyway) is someone who is NOT committed to an agent  NOR is an agent committed to them.   A client is someone who has signed an agency agreement and has a professional Realtor committed to them and their interests, and in turn they are committed to working with the agent.  

What happens if you pick a REALTOR’S brain?

• Knowledge of local neighborhoods &  school districts
• Can help you find reputable lenders
• Can provide you with a list of insured home inspectors
• Proximity of local shopping and restaurants
• Lots more, just ask!

If you’re seriously looking for a home, have found an agent that you like and trust, give him/her the opportunity to work hard for you.   Sign a Buyer’s Representation  agreement.   We want to find you a home you’ll love so you’ll tell your friends and family about what a professional and committed agent you’ve found!

Well not rumors exactly.   I’ve been hearing some positive news from various sources about the real estate market.   Let me share some that I’ve picked up on over the past few days.  

•  According to Forbes.com, Matt Woolsey, San Antonio is among the top ten cities in the US that home prices are expected to rise.   These cities are likely to be  ”vibrant markets because  jobs are increasing and the housing market  wasn’t overbuilt during the boom.”
• Headline in the San Antonio Business Section, August 27, 2008:   “Consumer outlook rises by most since 2006.   Two reports hint bottom may be nearing in the housing market.”
• Headline in the San Antonio Business Section, August 26, 2008:”Existing home sales rose in July, Bargains bring back the buyers.”
• A loan officer whom I work with frequently told me that her business has increased recently.  

What does all of this mean?   Well, If I had  a crystal ball,  I could pick the next six lotto number, …. no I mean, so I could see if we were at the turn in the market but I don’t.   We’ll just have to wait and see what happens however,  good news is always better than bad news!

According to MSN, San Antonio is among the “great, affordable treasures” regarding bargain places to live.   Hey we made number 5 out of the top 100.   That’s pretty good!  

Here’s part of the article that appeared on MSN.com:

To develop the 2008 MSN Real Estate Most-Livable Bargain Markets list, we asked Bert Sperling of Sperling’s Best Places  to evaluate the most affordable housing markets from the 100 largest U.S. metro areas and pinpoint the nine most livable areas: places where unemployment is low, commute times are short and there’s enough interesting entertainment or recreation to keep most people busy. We defined affordability by the ratio of median income to median home price.

Moving to one of these cities could allow you to “sell your two-bedroom bungalow in Southern California ¦ and buy a house on a number of acres and suddenly have a nest egg you’ve never had before,” Sperling says.

The cities chosen for our list have a population of at least 500,000 between the major city and surrounding county. They range in size from Harrisburg-Carlisle, Pa., with a population of 525,380, to one of the nation’s largest metropolises, Dallas-Fort Worth, with a population of 6 million. Three are state capitals, and many have universities or colleges to provide cultural amenities.

Here’s a look at what makes these cities in the middle of America great, and the drawbacks you might find in moving from another area.

San Antonio

For such a big city ” eighth-largest in the nation ” San Antonio feels remarkably like a town. It has a strong sense of community and plenty of festivals, shopping, theme parks and other entertainment to keep most families happy. The modern city is home to numerous historic neighborhoods and sites including the Alamo, the Spanish Governor’s Palace and the River Walk, which contains shops and outdoor restaurants along the San Antonio River, just below street level downtown.

Thanks to the current demand for oil, the economy here is booming and there is a mix of neighborhoods catering to just about every taste and income level. The Texas Hill Country, which surrounds the city, provides numerous opportunities for outdoor recreation and tourism.

Cons: The city’s biggest drawback can be summed up in one word: heat. Extreme heat and humidity in the summer can make it hard to enjoy the city’s wealth of cultural and recreational amenities. And crime is higher here than in other cities of the same size.  

FREE money sounds like a come on but it’s for real!   I received some information from a lender regarding a Down Payment Assistance Grant from the City of San Antonio.   Here are a few details:

• Up to $20,000.00 for Down Payment and Closing Costs
• Forgivable over 5 years
• Property must be in City Limits of San Antonio
• No Sales Price Limit
• Only 1% of sales price out of pocket
• MUST be first time home buyer
• Limited time in August and September, 2008
• HURRY — HURRY   — HURRY!

That’s it, there are some income limitations but contact me for more information!

I can be reached at 210-710-6478 or beckysellssa@hotmail.com.

Hurry, free money doesn’t last forever!

The weather is hot and so are the builder incentives here in San Antonio.   So check out these great incentives listed below and give me a call if I can help you find your new home.   Remember, these are not all inclusive and do have expiration dates so if you are interested in a certain builder, give me a ring and I’ll check it out for you.  

• RYLAND HOMES:   Buy before July 31, get $12,000 in Flex Cash, $5,500 in closing costs, plus price protection.
• MCMILLIN HOMES:   Zero move in:   0 closing costs, 0 pre-paids, 0 downpayment.
• MAIN STREET HOMES:   Up to $5,000 in incentives on select homes.
• KB HOMES:   Zero down on any built to order homes

Lots of builders are offering bonuses for Realtors.   As always, I’ll split this bonus with you.   That’s free money!   Call me today for more information.  

Shady Oaks is my neighborhood, hard to find but easy to love.   We are one of those little communities that was founded back in the late 1950′s and used to be waaaaaayyyy out in the country but of course, San Antonio has grown so now we are in a fabulous location tucked in the woods right off of 281 and Brook Hollow.   A little personal  history:    My family lived in San Pedro Hills for 10 years and during that time we were very happy.   I always said that if I were ever to move, it would be to Shady Oaks.   Well one day on the way to a garage sale in Shady Oaks, I spotted a little, tiny “For Sale By Owner” sign.   We looked at the house twice that day and SOLD!   So being a resident for the past four years, I feel somewhat qualified to put together this list.   So here goes…..

1. Location, Location, Location.   OK, OK,  I’m a Realtor and we always say this BUT it’s true!   The location is absolutely great!   We are 5-15 minutes drive from almost anywhere I need to go in town including:   highly rated schools, great shopping, local grocery store, the airport, parks, hotels, hospital, downtown/River Walk, fantastic variety of  restaurants, major freeways and any tourist attraction in town!      BEST of all,  rarely any  traffic to deal with near our neighborhood!  
2. Charming Older Homes – More Character.   Most of the homes in this neighborhood are 20-40+ years old.   We are definitely not a cookie cutter neighborhood.   Different age homes, different builders, different styles.    Some of the variety include a  stucco Spanish style, two story Colonial style, sprawling brick Ranch style, a stunning Frank Lloyd Wright style home and a Hill Country Limestone homes.   Some homes have been totally remodeled inside and out and some retain their original exterior.   So variety is the spice of our neighborhood!
3. Big Lots (Not the Store!):   The homes in our area are on 1/2 to 2 acre lots which adds to the variety and the country feel.   None of this “Hey neighbor, pass the soap!” for us, we truly enjoy our elbow room.
4. Deer and Other Critters:   Since we have a lot of areas for water runoff that are wooded, we have an abundance of deer and other woodland creatures. I’ve seen raccoons, skunks, possums, hawks, coyotes and the always lovable vultures.   Last spring, a Cardinal built a nest inside the top of my patio umbrella.   We watched the whole cycle from nest  building, to egg laying, hatching, feeding  and the birds leaving the nest, all  from the comfort of our patio chairs below!    Some folks feed the deer, we’ve  seen  quite a few fawns recently and they are just adorable to watch.   Kids just love visiting us, it’s like a stay at the petting zoo.
5. Country Living in the City!   This neighborhood is very wooded, most homes enjoying the shade of many Live Oaks and a variety of other trees.   Some are very large and probably more than 100 years old.   Also, it’s dark here at night, although we have some street lights, there aren’t too many,  I enjoy the darkness, not a big old light blaring in your windows at night.   It’s quiet, although being in the middle of the city, we do hear some noises like sirens if they’re close but mostly we hear the crickets and cicadas.   My home faces a wooded water run off drainage area.   So I am not looking at another neighbor’s house, I look at trees!   There are several of these run off areas and other neighbors are as fortunate as I am.
6. Great Schools Nearby:   We’re in the highly rated Northeast Independent School District, with the schools being Coker, Bradly and Churchill.   Quite a few kids in the neighborhood walk to Bradley since it is located directly behind the neighborhood, Coker Elementary is just a few minutes drive away and Churchill is serviced by the district bus.  
7. Great Neighbors!   Many of the neighbors are the original residents!   As I say,  once you live in Shady Oaks, you don’t leave!   I’ve had the privilege to meet many of the older neighbors who built their home here.   It’s great to hear their stories of how the city has grown around Shady Oaks.      
8. No Mandatory HOA:   Our Homeowners Association is voluntary, with whopping $15 per year dues.   Quite a few people I’ve met as a real estate agent have told me they love the idea of no HOA and it seems to work well for us.   Our HOA does meet quarterly and have recently done some improvements such as sign repair and speed bumps but overall we’re pretty much on our own.
9. Walkers,  Joggers and Cyclists  Love Us!   Because we seem so rural and there are lots of trees and hilly streets, our area is very popular with walkers, joggers and bicyclists.   When I go walking, I get to meet my neighbors and folks from nearby neighborhoods as well.   I then meet these same people at my open houses in Shady Oaks, they know how great this area is and want to live in here!
10. Great Resale Value:   Although nobody has a crystal ball to know what the future will hold, this neighborhood has been very sought after in the past years because of all of the reasons listed  above.   Houses typically don’t stay on the market very long, some selling in days.   Even in this  recent challenging real estate  market, houses in this neighborhood have sold relatively quickly.   I have a list of folks wanting to live in Shady Oaks and they are set up on email notification anytime something comes up for sale in this neighborhood.   It’s nice to be popular!  

If you watch the national or local news every day, you probably feel like taking a trip to the Grand Canyon right about now and making the last jump.   BUT don’t take that trip just yet especially if you live in Texas and more specifically, my neck of the woods, San Antonio!   We like everyone, are experiencing a slowing in the market but not in such a degree as those cities hit especially hard.   We do however, continue to receive encouraging news from several sources regarding our real estate market and I thought I’d share these with you!  

Increased Appreciation in 2008!   What you say?   INCREASED appreciation, you mean this year, the year of the “R” word, where all news is doom and gloom, wow!   Surprised you didn’t I?   Well it’s true and as reported by the San Antonio Express News, on July 13, 2008.   Of course, some neighborhoods are doing better than others, but an increase is an increase and this is good news  to be sure!   The following are ranked based on average price appreciation between January 1 and June 24, 2008:

1. Stone Oak         +29.0%
2. The Dominion         +12.2
3. Colonies North         +8.6
4. Olympia         +5.9
5. Olmos Park         +5.4
6. The Vineyards         +5.3
7. San Pedro Hills         +4.7
8. Elm Creek         +4.3
9. Alamo Heights         4.1
10. Harmony Hills         +2.8
11. Churchill Estates         +2.4
12. Westcreek         +2.2
13. Deerfield         +1.5
14. Camino Bandera         +0.9

The article  says that the appeal of these neighborhoods are buyers looking for homes near highways, near major retail areas and plenty of trees.  

Top 10 Cities to Buy a Home   Forbes magazine conducted a survey of the 40 largest metropolitan areas  looking for cities where home prices have appreciated over the past two years, also measuring vacancy rates.  

Forbes said “Financially, at least, the best places to buy houses are those where buying costs less than renting, tax incentives are attractive and there’s an opportunity to build equity.”   Without further adou, here is the list.   (Being a native Texan, I should point out that Texas does dominates the list but I won’t brag as my  Mama told me it wasn’t nice….)

1. Houston
2. Austin
3. St. Louis
4. Philadelphia
5. San Antonio
6. Dallas
7. Charlotte, NC
8. San Francisco
9. Jacksonville, FL
10. Atlanta

Source:   Forbes, Mauma Desmond (7/14/08)

Investor News:   And for your investors out there, you know who you are, good news also!   According to the Investor’s Business Daily, Kathleen Doler (7/7/08), “Cash is king and this is the best time for investors since the early 1980′s.”  

“What we’re seeing today dwarfs [the 1980s] by five or 10 times,” says Bob Leonetti, president of SMI Funding, an Austin, Texas, company that originates and acquires private and conventional mortgages. “There are huge opportunities for investors.”

“People who have cash positions now are going to do very well,” says Central Florida real estate practitioner Mike Norvell of Developers Capital Realty in Leesburg, Fla. “It’s just crazy the prices you can buy for right now for cash.”

So there you have some GOOD NEWS about our local and state real estate market.   It’s not $1.00 a gallon gas but if you’re in the market to buy real estate, you’d better get on the buyer’s bandwagon before it’s gone!  

I was pondering the  phrase the other day…. customer service, hmmmm.   Doesn’t that imply that there’s some type of SERVICE involved or connected with  the process?   A hint at what the person’s job function may be?   A clue to what is expected?  

I had the unfortunate and rare occasion to visit the emergency room recently.   Now I know how hard these folks work.   Please don’t get me wrong.   I am in sincere awe of the medical profession in general, there are so many skilled and caring individuals that I have run across in my lifetime, I am amazed by their ability to care for the human body and spirit.  

Unfortunately, that’s not the caliber of a few  people I ran across, all in one day!   In some individuals, not  a hint  of caring or compassion did I witness.    Maybe “service” isn’t the right word to use in the medical profession, maybe “patient care” is what they’d prefer.   Whatever you call it, it all comes down to taking care of the “customer/patient”.   Case in point,  front desk person at emergency room.   Your first face person, the person who decides whether you live or die, ok, ok, ok, just kidding ….not that much responsibility but nonetheless, an important person in servicing the patients, I would think.   This person had less energy, caring and enthusiasm for his job than any human I have ever  seen.   I think they must have misplaced this guy.   Does the morgue  need a receptionist?   Oh, I digress.   Nope, no compasson there…   Oh, and a special thanks to the  burley guy  who’s idea of gently removing  the IV  imbedded in my hand is  by  ripping the tape, needle  and the whole unit  off sideways with one swoop!   Ouch!   Nope, no caring there…    Oh and not to forget the doctor’s office NEVER returned  my call or  the ER doctor’s call to their office.   Did they lose my file ….or the number to the hospital?   Hmmmm, nope, no concern there.  

So let’s give some kudos to those people who really understand that their job involves some type of service to the other humans.   Oh, I am pretty sure these folks make less money than folks in the medical profession so ……….more money doesn’t equal more caring apparently!   Money can’t buy you love!   Hey …the Beatles got it right!

Waterford Retirement Village:   Kudos to the employees and servers there.   They are always so kind and pleasant.   They are not allowed to take tips but once a year yet these are the friendliest and most accomodating people I’ve seen taking care of our elderly.   I’ve never heard one harsh word spoken there or never was a lack of service for the residents.  

Royal Caribbean Cruise Line:   Wow, kudos to all those people who work in the service industry.   The best service I ever experienced was on this cruise line.   I’ve always thought that every service person should take a cruise to see what  EXCEPTIONAL customer service looks like.   I’ve travelled Princess and Norwegian cruise lines.    No comparison.   Yes they work for tips, but they are really optional.   Excellent, excellent service from the wait staff to the room stewards and everyone in between.   Been on 4 cruises with them and never had a bad time nor subpar service.

USAA:   What a great company!   I’ve had a membership for years but only in the last few years switched my insurance to USAA.   Wow!   What great customer service.   Anytime I’ve had occasion to call them, they were quick, responsive, polite and got the job done!   Perfect.   Now I’ve also told my two grown kids about their service and they too have joined the bandwagon.   They were impressed, too!   Hard to believe their mother was right!  

Costco:   Have you ever had a problem with this company?   Every time I had an issue, it was resolved to my complete satisfaction.   My husband recently had some eye  glasses delayed in delivery.   They then sent us a small gift card to apologize for the delay.   Nice touch!  

Randall’s Supermarket:   When I lived in Houston years ago, Randall’s was the higher end supermarket.   One of the clerks told me that they weren’t allowed to say “I don’t know” to a customer, they were instructed to find the answer out.   I thought this was a great policy.   Think about this the next time a clerk tells you “I don’t know” and stares at you like a deer in headlights.   Snap out of it…. FIND OUT, it’s called CUSTOMER SERVICE!!!

Real Estate Agents:   Wow, you’re thinking, she’s really going out on a limb here, isn’t she.   Well, yes I am.   I expect you, Mr. & Mrs. Customer, to not take poor customer service.   I am personally  acquainted with many real estate agents who work 7 days  a week, taking great  care of their clients.   I personally strive to go above and beyond what is expected of me by my clients, and so do alot of my fellow agents.   On on the other hand, I get calls from people regularly who ask me questions about a property or want to see a house, when I ask them if they have an agent, they tell me yes.   When I ask them why they didn’t call their agent, they said “Well, he’s too busy” or “She hasn’t returned my call”.   Hello?   If you have an agent and you can’t get what you need from them, GET A NEW AGENT!   If you’re a reasonable client, not one that calls at midnight expecting an answer, mind you, I said reasonable, you should expect a return call within a rrealistic amount of time.   If your agent is leaving you frustrated, it’s time for a heart to heart talk…. or maybe a new agent!  

If you are in the customer service industry and  a great majority of us are, please review your own  service to clients/patients/customers  and see if it reflects the kind of service and care  YOU would like to receive if you were on the other side of the transaction.