Georgetown, Texas Real Estate Blog Your Host: Edward Lui

I have been wanting to write about my neighborhood, Georgetown Village, for quite some time. I live here. I buy and sell homes here. I invest in rental homes here. One day in the future, I will even shop here, once the developer starts working on the much anticipated multi-use development that many residents are waiting for. To get you a bit more familiar with my neighborhood, here are three good reasons to look at Georgetown Village if you are making a move to Georgetown, Texas:

1. This is the ONLY neighborhood in Georgetown, Texas with an on-site Elementary School. Yup, that’s right. And not only that, Village Elementary has been given the highest rating (Exemplary), making it one of the best schools in Georgetown, Texas. Now if that doesn’t give parents who send their kids to private school or who home school, a reason to switch, I don’t know what will!

2. The developer-owned Green Builders is making an industry statement in Georgetown by building environmentally friendly homes that are also friendly to the homeowner’s utility bills. All the other builders in Georgetown, Texas can say they have ceiling fans and double-paned windows…big deal. These guys take the next step and utilize foam insulation, low-volatile organic compound paints, and other architectural details like awnings or overhangs that provide additional shade in the home. Here are a couple homes in Austin they put their brand on:

3. Primo-location - Georgetown Village is super close to Hwy 195 (for those working in Killeen/Ft. Hood), SH130 and future Parmer Lane/Ronald Reagen Blvd (for those still stuck in their Austin jobs) and ofcourse the wonderful Interstate 35 for those who work in Temple or Round Rock. Even if you’re fortunate enough to work from your home, this makes it easier for friends and family to find you.

(”A” icon denotes location of Georgetown Village)

FREAK - Frequent Real Estate Asked Kuestions

“Back in the day” when we were just starting the accumulation of toys for our children we used to go after some real bargains on Craigslist. Sometimes we would get a toy for such a great deal that when the kids got tired of playing with it, we would sell it on Craigslist again…for a profit!

Well, unfortunately, selling a home in Georgetown, Texas is not the same as selling a toy. I just received this letter today from a lady in my neighborhood:

___________________

Hi Edward.

I believe we may have met once or twice in the village and it seems you do quite a bit of work out here.

I own a home in Georgetown Village and have just accepted an offer for a job with my company out of state. Because I’m only planning to be gone for about 2 years I am considering whether to try to rent my home rather than sell. My husband and I built this home and really like the floorplan, etc. so I’d like to hold on to it if it makes sense financially since we anticipate being back in this area in the future.

To help me make the decision of whether to rent or possibly sell I’d like to get an idea of what rentals in the village go for and how cumbersome the rental process really is - from observing the activity it seems many homes have been up for rent and appear to have people in them now. Is this something you can help me with?

Thanks,
Sarah

_________________

Wow, that’s a great question Sarah and you’re certainly not the first to ask it. That’s why I’m posting this in my new Frequent Real Estate Asked Kuestions Category. Ok, I know that’s not grammatically correct and there is maybe just one spelling error, big deal. How else could I make the acronym spell FREAK?

The thing with selling a home is…it’s EXPENSIVE! The costs you have to pay as a seller, although negotiable, are typically around 8% of your sales price! And if you plan on buying a home here in 2 years Sarah, you’ll also have to pay title fees and lender fees…adding up to an additional 2% (minimum) of fees. That means, if you decide to sell a $200,000 home and then buy it again in two years (assuming zero appreciation), you’ve already spent $20,000 just to make the two transactions happen! Good thing selling toys on Craigslist doesn’t cost this much!

Even if that $200,000 home sat vacant for 1 year and the mortgage was $1500/month, you would only be out $18,000! By the way Sarah, rents in the Village average $1200/mo. - $1600/mo.

If you make this decision for purely financial reasons, then it just seems as though keeping a home that you already love is the way to go. Two years goes by quickly. However, like Master Card says, “There are some things that money just can’t buy.” For $20,000, how would you like to:

1. Not having to ever worry about making two payments.
2. Be able to pull out the equity in your home (tax free) for investments or other uses.
3. Get out of the property management and/or landlord business
4. Have the option of buying another home/neighborhood when you come back to Georgetown, Texas
5. Having the freedom to stay longer and maybe never come back to Georgetown, Texas
6. Have the best real estate agent in Georgetown, Texas help you buy and sell a home!

Wow, I really like #6! Sarah, I hope that helps. Feel free to comment on this blog or call me anytime.

Flexible Lease Terms. Available December 1st.

Great Landlord too:) - Call 512-554-9594 if you know somebody!

Here are some more things to be thinking through when buying a new home in Georgetown, Texas.

The classic question you always hear in the new home industry is “What is standard?” True there are certain things that will set new home builders apart with standard options. Things like crown molding, chair rails, window finishes, or a covered patio, maybe even sod & sprinklers. You’ll even see a difference in countertops, cabinets, fixtures, and other upgrades. What you want to be very careful of is thinking that “it’s included” in the price. Really take a look at the price of the home and homes that are comparable in size with other builders. Are they just adding in the price of the upgrades and driving the price of the home up or is it truely “included?” Do you have the option to reduce the price of the home if you don’t want all the bells & whistles or if you want to do it yourself later?

You also want to take a look at the quality of things that are included. Are they including a cheap level 1 that you are probably going to upgrade at the design center and increase the price again? Just some food for thought…

Brandon Marek

(Editor’s Note: As a professional real estate agent, I will be able to help you look at comparable homes so that you know you’re not overpaying for a home because of all the upgrades. Make sure you make me “standard” in your next homebuying decision!)

Here’s an interesting report on the Village from KVUE and my comments below:

BY TOM HARRIS, KVUE NEWS
06:35 PM CDT on Monday, October 29, 2007

Green homes appear to be the wave of the future when it comes to building houses in Central Texas. A development in Georgetown promises some of the best state-of-the-art technology for environmentally friendly houses.

Developers are building more than 2,000 green-built houses. When it’s done, Georgetown Village should be the largest development of its kind in Central Texas. Emily Thomson of GreenBuilders says they are using high tech construction as well as recycled materials. “We are using eco-cycled tiles in our homes so it is made out of recycled materials and some clay to even down to the floors we are walking on,” Thomson said. They are also using water base stains on the cabinets — which is better for the environment — along with detached garages so fumes don’t leak into the house.

Madison Wickham of GreenBuilders says the most important feature is the air-tight foam for insulation. “This particular insulation is quite a bit more expensive but pays for itself in the long run,” said Wickham. “The idea is to include a lot of different features like this insulation that in the front are more expensive, but in the long run they pay for itself.” Thomson says another advantage to an airtight home is that it helps keeps out the pollen. “What we are doing with green building is we are not only giving you an affordable home, but we are also giving you a healthier home for you and your family,” Thomson said.

CEO of GreenBuilders Clark Wilson says building green just makes sense, “It’s a smart thing to do and the right thing to do and a green built home will save you 50 to 60 percent on your energy bill, freeing up hundreds of dollars to do something else with,” Wilson said. The homes’ prices will run around $250,000. The company is also planning on two more green communities in Central Texas — one in Buda, the other in Driftwood.

I live just a few houses down from these environmentally friendly homes. My main concern is that with such “air-tight” precision being built into these homes, have they thought about the effects of indoor air pollution? Check out this site: www.tryfreshair.com and find the best solution…

What’s most important to you when buying a new home? Is it material quality, craftsmanship, style, energy efficiency, or is it floorplan? Well who could chose just one because they are all important!

The fact is that many buyers do not pay attention to the smaller details and ask questions like: How much insulation do I have or where do the materials come from? If a builder is including tons of stuff are they just raising the price of the home? Where are the materials made and are they quality? When shopping for a home I know I sure didn’t think about asking these things.

When you’re out house shopping don’t get discouraged, it’s supposed to be fun! Look at all the details… trim work, window treatment, sheetrock work, compare these things with others to see what the differences there are. I know time can be a big issue sometimes but hopefully resources like this can help speed the process. If you have an arsenal of questions before you go out looking it will make things much easier and these are questions all on-site managers should know.

Brandon

Editor’s Note: Brandon Marek is a sales manager with Bowen Homes and provides excellent customer service. If he doesn’t know the answer to any of your questions, he has a habit of finding out quickly! If you’re interested in New Home Construction or New Home Builders in Georgetown, Texas simply contact me and I’ll arrange a lunch appointment!

Add new owners and enjoy. Welcome to a home that is completely upgraded. All you have to do is move-in, arrange your furniture and call this place yours. Not only is this home in an ideal location, close to a park and located on a quiet street, but it is one of the few homes you’ll see on the market where you can move in without already planning your next renovation!

Click here to view flier: 122 Hickory Flier

Click here to see my most recent homes for sale in Georgetown, Texas!

Click here to view: June Sales Report

Landscaping is an art. If you’ve ever walked by new construction homes, you’ll notice that good landscaping is hard to come by…Welcome to another David Weekley-built home located on the quiet street of Rosebud Lane. 120 Rosebud is a prime candidate for the Yard of the Month…

Click here to view flier: 120 Rosebud Flier

Click here to see my most recent homes for sale in Georgetown, Texas!

Click here to view:  May Sales Report