Georgetown, Texas Real Estate Blog      Your Host: Edward Lui

If you live in Central Texas, this may have been a scene you may be familiar with:

The Bastrop Wildfires

This was one of the worst natural disasters in the state of Texas, burning over 34,000 acres during the worst one-year drought in Texas’ recorded history.  Some of my neighbors are complaining about dead grass, maybe this will give them some perspective!

Texas received just over 7 inches of rain from January through August 2011, less than some states get in a month!  As a result most of the state is in “Exceptional Drought” conditions as indicated by the dark red in the graphic below:

We all know water is essential to our survival, but we take for granted it’s availability.  According to the EPA, the average American consumes 100-150 gallons of water per day, compared to 74 gallons for Europeans and 23 gallons for Chinese.  It’s simple, just turn on the faucet and BOOYAH, you have some water.  However, this summer, some Texans got a small taste of what it would be like if our water supplies were threatened.  I say a “small taste” because the only sacrifice some of us made was not having to water the grass as often as we like and seeing it turn brown.  Boo hoo. According to the UN, Right now, 35% of the world’s population, or 2.4 billion people, do not have access to safe drinking water and sanitation.  Think about that the next time you tell little Johnny to finish his peas because there are starving people in Africa while you stare out at your lush green lawn.

If water is so valuable, what would you do to protect your family if there was a shortage of it? If a disaster struck, forget about going to the grocery stores because the supply chain would be disrupted and the shelves would be bare.  City services can easily get overwhelmed as everybody decides to hoard resources at the last minute.  Will you pray for rain?  Or pray that your current water supply from the city won’t be compromised?  Will you be prepared?

I think the best way to protect your family is to build a storage of immediate drinking water and begin purchasing cases of bottled water that you rotate through normal usage.  I find a 30 day supply of drinking water sufficient or about 1 gallon per person per day for 30 days.

To increase your water accessibility and independence from city water, create a rain water collection system.  I recently purchased two 60 gallon barrels and after a really light rainfall, these babies fill up fast!  My wife and I use these to water our vegetable and herb gardens.  We have another 50 gallon barrel in the front of our home to water a tree and landscaping. Between these three barrels and our 50+ gallon water heater, we have over 200 gallons in reserve to use for cleaning, drinking, and/or cooking.  If you’re fortunate enough to have a well on your property, swimming pool, natural spring or some other body of water, then those are excellent long-term sources for water.  If disaster struck, I’d be filling up my bathtubs and tupperware too!  You can never have too much water.

That brings us to the next question:  How do you ensure that the water you have is clean and safe to drink?

For us, it’s simple.  We just purchased a Berkey water filter.  It’s gravity fed (no electricity needed) and takes out a whole bunch of nasty stuff in your water like pathogenic bacteria, cysts and parasites and extracts harmful chemicals such as herbicides, pesticides, VOCs, organic solvents, radon 222 and trihalomethanes. It also reduces nitrates, nitrites and unhealthy minerals such as lead and mercury. This system is so powerful it can remove food coloring from water without removing the beneficial minerals your body needs.  We use it for our day-to-day drinking water and take it with us on extended camping trips.

As you can see, preparing for an emergency is something that can be very practical.  By incorporating these strategies into our lifestyle, we’re able to have a 30-90 day water supply that is independent of “normal” supply chains and distribution channels.  By stocking up, we never have to “run” to the grocery store for bottled water and we can purchase it when it goes on sale.  Our vegetables and landscaping grow much better with rain water that we collect.  Lastly, having a water purification system is great for day-to-day use and doubles as a convenient way to clean water when camping.

Got more ideas?  Start a discussion on our facebook page:  www.YourFavoriteHOMEboy.com and share them!

Your Favorite HOMEboy, Edward

A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences. Proverbs 22:3

Read more articles on the topic “It’s the End of the World as We Know It”

The one commodity you can’t live without:  Water

A Lesson on Community:  Homestead Heritage in Elm Mott, Texas

122 Summers Green is 1 of 21 homes that faces the lush and green Summers Green Park in Georgetown Village. In fact, 122 Summers Green is the only home for sale on this street, meaning there are no other homes for sale that faces Summers Green Park. In the past 3 years, only 3 homes have sold on this street because no one wants to sell their park-facing home!  [By the way, Mars Hill Realty Group was involved in all 3 of those transactions.] The number “21″ tells you how big Summers Green Park really is. Imagine 21 large homes and put them side by side in a circle and that’s the size of Summers Green Park.  Let me tell you there is plenty of room to share it with 20 other homeowners in this exclusive part of Georgetown Village. Listed at $183,000 it’s also the lowest price on this street since 2005! Finally, here’s a chance to own a piece of the pie (or park) that is so hard to get.

Windows - the more the merrier when you're facing a park like Summers Green.

The location of this home is great for the park view and it’s also within walking distance to the Village Elementary School and community swimming pool.  Like any other home that faces a green park, this home has a covered front porch to enjoy the views and the weather in the morning, afternoon, or evening.  The 2,189 sf home is big enough to hold 3 bedrooms, a living room with fire place and vaulted ceilings, two dining rooms (a formal and breakfast), and a centralized kitchen great for dinner guests.  In addition to the spacious interior, the back has features other homes on this street do not have: a huge back yard with extended roof to cover the concrete slab.  The yard already contains a gardening area, towering trees, and still has room for a pool to complete the package.

See below for pictures, video, and information regarding 122 Summers Green.  Please contact Edwin @ Mars Hill Realty if you’d like to schedule an appointment.

122 Summers Green – Sellers Disclosure
Inspection Report for 122 Summers Green, Georgetown TX 092211

Ok, I admit it’s not the most optimistic sounding category, but let me introduce it to you anyway.  First of all, I’m not talking about this end of the world:

I’m referring to the lifestyle that most spoiled Westerners, like myself, take for granted every day.  The world of convenience, safety (for most of us), and not knowing what sacrifice and suffering really means.

Over the past few months, I’ve been studying the economic decisions of our country, both past and present, and I have lost a lot of confidence in the business climate and stability of America.  A lot of what I agree with can be found on this website:  www.wealthcycles.com.  Never in history have the world markets been so closely tied together through the US Dollar and so if America suffers, so goes the rest of the world.  I may be wrong, but if I’m right, what harm will a little preparation do?

If anything, think of this as my personal “survival guide” and the decisions I will be making to protect my family for any type of emergency, whether it’s an economic collapse, a natural disaster, or just cool stuff to go camping with.

Hope you enjoy it, feel free to check out my facebook page if you want to discuss these topics further, have questions or want me to write on a specific topic: www.YourFavoriteHOMEboy.com.

Your Favorite HOMEboy,

Edward

A home that has thrived in Austin's drought!

11416 Flushwing is a 2,432 sf home for sale at $180,000 ($74/sf!) ready for you to move in right away.  Dual income families will love the minimum commute time as it’s conveniently located 20 minutes to downtown Austin and 20 minutes to Round Rock.  No need to spend out of pocket money on maintenance, repair, or sod!  It’s been done!  This home is in pristine condition as evidenced by the ocean of green in the front and back yards.  It’s maintained by automatic, in-ground sprinklers installed in just the right spots to cover the every square inch of  yard in the front and back.  Even with today’s mandatory water restrictions, the grass is so healthy that you are way ahead of the curve.  With temperatures decreasing by the day and Fall fast approaching, the health of this grass should last for the next season without any extra effort to re-sod.

Huge rooms and open floor plan great for entertaining!

The interior of this home is as well-maintained as the green grass on the exterior.  Once you step inside the home, you’ll see that this floor plan flows like a river.  The seller bought this home brand new after looking at many homes, probably just like you, and stopped at this one because the floor plan “just works.”  It’s rare to find a practical floor plan in a home with this level of care located 20 minutes from downtown Austin and Round Rock. The owners’ desire to downsize creates an amazing opportunity for you to purchase a large 3-bedroom home with a home theater, office, and pristine yards below market value.

The large living room, kitchen, and dining room are perfectly connected for entertaining groups of 5-20 people at a time.  Open up access to the back patio and yard and you can easily double your group size while maintaining luxurious comfort.  If you aren’t into entertaining, the open floor plan is still elegant, spacious, and great for enjoyment by any number of persons.

Fresh vegetables, herbs, and fruit can be part of your daily meals.

The upstairs is fitted with an intimate home theater ready to stream the new Netflix blockbuster, yet large enough to host the Sunday football game.  It has been wired for surround sound and video so all you need to do is plug in your equipment and press play!  Additionally, it can be easily transformed into a game room as it’s located centrally among the three large, upstairs bedrooms.

For more information, pictures, and video scroll down.  To set up an appointment and experience this free flow design for yourself, contact Edwin Lui.

Inspection Report – 11416 Flushwing Dr. Austin, TX 78754
Flushwing Checklist
Flushwing – Sellers Disclosure
11416 Flushwing – Upgrades
Flushwing – Floor plan
Flushwing – Survey

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Guess who’s the next lunch sponsor at Champions School of Real Estate?

Well, tomorrow’s the big day!  I’m sponsoring lunch for the students of the Principles of Real Estate II class on Monday.  This is the first time I’ve tried something like this, and I still don’t know what I’m going to do with the 20 minutes of time I have alloted!

Why am I doing this?

a.  I have so much money that I like to buy free lunches for rookie agents

b.  I am practicing my speech-giving skills

c.  I’m starting a revolution and I need a few volunteers

(Hint:  The answer is C)

Slow down there tiger, I don’t mean that type of revolution.  I mean a REAL ESTATE REVOLUTION!

At Mars Hill Realty Group, I’m offering real estate agents a revolution from the traditional real estate norms that plague our industry.

A revolution from the public distrust of real estate agents.

A revolution from the myriad of confusing marketing options available.

A revolution from ineffective negotiation expertise.

A revolution from poor pricing and predictive analysis skills.

Want to learn more?  Visit our brokerage website at www.MarsHillRealty.com or read our latest blog article on what makes us different from other traditional Austin real estate companies.

- Your Favorite HOMEboy,

Edward

Two more homes for sale sprang up in the Sendero Springs neighborhood in Round Rock.  Unfortunately neither of these reaches the Gold standard, but they aren’t too bad and the $/sf is very low so these can still be seen as great deals!

4421 Angelico Lane – Silver

How often do you see a 6 BR, 4 BA home come on the market for $70/sf?  This 4,700 sf home is huge and is listed at $330,000.  The master and 4 bedrooms are located on the top floor along with a 5th bedroom downstairs, separate office, and formal dining room.  The kitchen has granite counters, breakfast area is big, the backyard isn’t huge but it’s nice, and it’s located in a cul-de-sac with only one neighbor to its side and a greenbelt behind.  So why isn’t it Gold?  It’s really close to being gold, but as I previewed the home, I counted about 12 beds and three refrigerators throughout the home!  It’s in overall solid condition, but it also means the home is taking as much wear and tear as three homes combined!

3008 Asombra Lane – Silver

This 5 BR, 3 BA home has the exact same floor plan as the home three doors down from it (3002 Asombra), which has been withdrawn from the market.  This one is offered at slightly lower price of $259,900 ($74/sf), which makes it a better value.  It’s also in better condition with granite counters, and custom floor tiles and back splash.  Carpet in the entire house will be replaced and most of the walls will have a fresh coat of paint on it.  But I still can’t get past the guest bedroom and bathroom in the middle of the home.  It creates an uneven flow to the home.  I’m sure someone out there will like it, but it’s a turn off for the majority of buyers.  It’s a good $/sf, but there are smaller homes out there for less money and a more efficient and pleasant floor plan.

Gold Index:

There are now two Gold homes in Sendero Springs for sale.  3203 Lazada is one of the most expensive homes on the market at $399,900, but has tons of extras and is a very nice home with good value ($88/sf).  4307 Pasada lowered their price to $198,000 ($77/sf) and should be snatched up quickly.  There aren’t many Gold homes for sale in Sendero Springs and to find one under $200,000 makes this a great purchase.

If you’ve got a home in Sendero Springs that you want to sell, get in touch with me to make it a Gold home.  If you are in the market for real estate in Round Rock or Sendero Springs and you need a Realtor, give me a call or email and I’ll gladly help you.

My wife and I recently purchased a home in Sendero Springs in Round Rock, Texas.  This was our first resale purchase and we wanted to make sure we went with a good builder.  The builder of the home is Streetman Homes.  They build a high quality home and it speaks volumes that as other builders are going bankrupt or not able to secure construction loans, Streetman Homes continues to build new homes in a new section of Sendero Springs.  In addition to a quality builder, we wanted some home protection.  No, I’m not talking about guns!  We decided to purchase a home warranty protection from Old Republic Home Protection.  My brother has been recommending Old Republic to clients for many years and has always received positive feedback from them.  It may have been the best (and most affordable) “upgrade” to the value of our home and to our peace of mind!

As the Texas heat approaches historic records for most 100-degree days in a year, what could possibly go wrong with a three-year old home built by a quality home builder?  The air conditioning, of course!

My first call was to Old Republic.  Actually, I went to their website and did everything online – it was fast, easy, and very convenient.  I was very excited to put my warranty plan to use.  The plan charges me $60 for the service call.  I was contacted by Adams Air Care and promptly scheduled the next available appointment (two days).  The technician was very professional in assessing the situation.  He suspected a leak in the system as he refilled about two pounds of 410A.  He even poured vinegar down the drain pipe for me and hosed down my condenser in the scorching sun!  A couple of hours later, he left my home feeling cooler than it had all summer!

A couple of weeks later, the air conditioner wasn’t keeping up with my thermostat so I called Old Republic to have Adams Air Care come out again for a service recall (no charge).  The technician came back, added about four pounds of 410A and was determined to find the leak.  He said my evaporator coil needed to be replaced.  No problem.  I’ve got a warranty plan that will cover the parts and labor for this.  Upon further investigation by the technician, he would need to remove and re-install the furnace and several ducts in the attic in order to have proper access to the coil.  That would probably cost me about $2,000 and would certainly not be covered by my warranty plan.  Problem.

So I called my local Old Republic account executive and told her the mess I was in.  An hour later I got a call from an Old Republic representative telling me I had the option to get a second opinion and I could get a cash settlement from Old Republic to the tune of $953, which is what they would’ve paid Adams Air Care.  That means if it costs me $1,000, I pay $47 out of pocket.  It also means if it costs me $900, I pocket $53.  Originally, I thought having a leak in my air conditioner would make a major dent in my wallet, but after hearing this news, I couldn’t wait to shop around (my specialty) and find someone to “git-r-done.”

I contacted the original company that installed the unit.  They said it could be done and would charge a $650 flat rate to replace an evaporator coil.  Two guys spent over five hours to git-r-done.  The air conditioner is cooling like a champ and I’m about $300 wealthier.  Thanks to Old Republic, I can’t wait until something else needs fixing or replacing at my home.  Just kidding!  In all seriousness, I wish my home could be 100% problem-free, but it’s still great to have a back-up plan.

On your next real estate purchase, make sure you get a home warranty plan from a company like Old Republic.  It should give you immediate peace of mind and if anything were to happen, it just might save you some money and pay for itself.

In today’s economy, people are pinching pennies any chance they get. In my line of business, that means more and more sellers trying to sell their home without the expertise or skill of a real estate agent. Central Texas has been home (no pun intended) to the most stable real estate market despite the crash the rest of the nation has experienced, yet I still see plenty of For Sale By Owner signs on yards across Georgetown, Round Rock, and Austin. No community is immune to the temptation of saving money.

Not only is the owner potentially saving thousands of dollars from paying the agent’s commission, with the internet at our fingertips, there are great websites like ForSaleByOwner.com that help owners sell on their own. So it must be pretty easy and money-wise to sell without a licensed real estate agent. Or is it?

The founder of a popular for sale by owner Web site used a real estate broker to help sell his 2,000-square-foot, two-bedroom New York apartment after it lingered on the market for six months. Colby Sambrotto, the founder and former chief operating officer of ForSalebyOwner.com, tried to sell the property himself by listing it online and through classified ads, but after six months of it sitting on the market, he sought the help of a real estate broker. The condo soon attracted multiple offers and ended up closing recently for $150,000 more than the original asking price.

It’s like Dieter Zetsche (CEO of Mercedes-Benz) buying one of these for his daughter:

In other words, he got a much better product and paid less.

Contrary to popular (and unsubstantiated) belief, real estate agents can save you time and earn you more money than you realize. Contact your local REALTOR today if you are thinking about selling your home and if you don’t have one, contact your favorite HOMEboys!

Read the full story here.

You think the exterior is nice? Wait til you step through the front door.

109 Bronze Cove is not your typical Sonterra home in Jarrell, Texas. For starters, it’s a home that is kept in immaculate condition. Built in 2008 and finished in early 2009, it was purchased by a caring woman in August 2009. As you can imagine, this 3 BR, 1,224 sf home was more than enough for one person. Thus, it was very lightly used in the past two years. Not only has it not been tread on by many feet, the owner is very clean and meticulous. You will need a magnifying glass and a lot of patience to find dust or debris in this wonderfully, well-kept home.

In today’s market of foreclosures and short sales, the care and condition of this home is about the best it can get for home buyers.  Think about all the savings from not needing to do any touch-up paint, carpet replacement, tile repair, popcorn removal, dusting, appliance replacement, bathroom cleaning, or window treatment.  It’s bad enough you have to deal with bank to get a loan, why deal with them on a short sale or foreclosure and double your headache for minimal savings?  This home’s fantastic condition can save you thousands of dollars out of pocket and months of coming home to a house that is in “renovation mode.”  That’s something your lender and your family should be ecstatic about!

All you need to do is replace the furniture in this well-kept home.

The amazing thing is that the excellent condition of this home isn’t even the best part.  That honor goes to the ultra low asking price of $100,000!  That price will get you 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, spacious living room (as you can see in the above picture), dining room and kitchen both peering out to the living room, a  2-door garage, an indoor utility room to do your laundry in reasonable temperatures, and a huge, private, fenced-in backyard with a patio.  Phew!  And if that’s not enough, the home is situated on a premium lot in a cul-de-sac.  Talk about maximizing your dollars on a home purchase!

This is all you need to bring to the table. Figuratively speaking, of course.

See below for more pictures, video, and information.  If you have any questions or would like to see this property, please call Edwin – available by appointment only.

109 Bronze – sellers disclosure
109 Bronze – Survey

There is a new home for sale in the Sendero Springs community of Round Rock, Texas.  Not too long ago, I previewed every home for sale in this community.  I created a system to categorize these homes in a gold, silver, or bronze group for potential home buyers looking in Sendero Springs.  [Click here to read more about gold, silver, and bronze homes for sale.]  I will continue to use this criteria for all the real estate that is for sale in the Sendero Springs neighborhood.

3011 Luminoso – Silver

This 3 BR, 2 BA home is kept in good condition with great landscaping with an asking price of $224,900 ($100/sf).  It has some nice features like wood floors in the living room, a big master bedroom, and nice landscaping in the front and back yards.  However, $100/sf is at the premium end of the spectrum and we should not expect to see an outdated kitchen (that has a center island painted a different color than the rest of the cabinets!) or a home that backs to the main road entrance (the most through traffic).

Here’s a quick update of the Sendero Springs real estate market and how it affects you as a potential buyer in this neighborhood.

4204 Cancelo (Gold) lowered its price from $285,000 to $282,000 ($98/sf) making this a steal – remember this is a brand new home!  It was under contract 10 days later.

5301 Sendero Springs (Gold) lowered its price from $249,000 to $239,000 ($80/sf) making this an even better deal than 4204 Cancelo for the resale market.  It was under contract 7 days later.

4105 Pasada (Gold) came under contract on July 22 with no price adjustment – just 6 days after I had labeled it a gold home!

This means that three out of the five homes I targeted as gold homes are now under contract.  Not a bad ratio considering there were 20 homes on the market during that initial review.  There have been no other homes under contract since then, which tells me these gold homes had something that none of the silver or bronze homes had.  This also tells me in Sendero Springs, there are currently 15 homes for sale and there are only two gold homes left – 4307 Pasada and 3203 Lazada!  So if you’re looking to purchase in this community, or are comparing to other Round Rock homes for sale, you should definitely check these homes out before making any final decisions!  Call me if you need a Realtor to assist.