Austin TX Real Estate - Hill Country Austin Lakeway Homes for Sale: February 2012

For a couple of years, the view outside my office window was a vacant lot across the street. The builders had not put a house there yet.  I thought it would be fun to capture the entire building process on video, so I waited and waited for them to start "moving dirt", as they say.  One day, I finally saw the dumpster appear. That means they're ready...

Each day that there was some type of progress on the house, I went out and shot a very short video from approximately the same spot each time. I then stitched all the videos together and produced this:


As I was creating videos, I thought for sure that this would become a 5 minute video that would be way too long to interest people, but it's just over a minute. I've watched it a few times. I think it's pretty cool to watch it all come together.

If you live in a market where it's all older homes, and you've never actually seen a new construction house being built, you would enjoy this little video I created.

Falconhead West, where this video was shot, as this is where I live, is on it's final closeout. The builders should be gone within the next few months. Some of the model homes have already been sold. There are other communities these builders are moving to or already at in addition to other builders. I can help you build your very own home in the Austin TX or surrounding areas like out here in the Lake Travis area. Call me today!

New and Newer communities still building in the area are Rocky Creek, West Cypress Hills, and Rough Hollow. New Communities on their way are Serene Hills, Sweetwater, and Ladera.  All these are Lake Travis ISD neighborhoods, and the new schools are on their way!

**Are You Packed Yet?**

Donna Harris, REALTOR®
RE/MAX Austin Skyline
www.DonnaHomes.com
Donna@DonnaHomes.com
austin-texas-homes-for-sale.com

Austin TX Real Estate and the surrounding areas of Lakeway, Bee Cave, West Lake Hills, CedarPark, Round Rock, Spicewood, Circle-C, Steiner Ranch, and everywhere in between... Hill Country Austin TX Real Estate and beyond. Whether you're buying or selling an Austin home, I'll be with you every step of the way. 

For real time Austin TX listings,click here.

** Multi-Million Dollar Producer Year after Year **
** Platinum Top 50 Finalist 2011 out of almost 9000 agents in Austin TX**
** Five-Star Professional 2011 **
** RE/MAX 100% Club **

Copyright© 2012 By Donna Harris, All Rights Reserved. You may re-blog with links back to this post.
* Video - New Construction Home Built from the Ground Up - Falconhead West Austin TX * was first published on donnahomesblog.com.

Donna Harris Earns Real Estate, Short Sale Designation to Help Homeowners in Danger of Foreclosure

Austin, TX – February 21, 2012 – Donna Harris of RE/MAX Austin Skyline in Austin has earned the prestigious Certified Distressed Property Expert® (CDPE) designation, having completed extensive training in foreclosure avoidance, with a particular emphasis on short sales. At a time when millions of homeowners are struggling with the possibility of foreclosure, the skills and education amassed by Harris will help benefit Austin-area residents and communities.

Short sales allow the distressed homeowner to repay the mortgage at the price that the home sells for, even if it is lower than what is owed on the property. With plummeting property values, this can save many people from foreclosure and even bankruptcy. More and more lenders are willing to consider short sales because they are much less costly than foreclosures.

Today, more than 13 percent of homeowners are delinquent on their mortgage or in the foreclosure process. This is occurring across all price ranges, and the fastest-growing category of homes in foreclosure is the luxury home market.

“The CDPE designation has been invaluable as I work with homeowners and lenders on complicated short sales,” said Harris. “It is so rewarding to be able to help families save their homes from foreclosure.”

Alex Charfen, co-founder and CEO of the Distressed Property Institute in Austin, Texas, said that agents such as Harris with the CDPE Designation have valuable perspective on the market, and training in short sales that can offer homeowners real alternatives to foreclosure, which can be devastating to credit ratings.

“These experts better understand market conditions than the average agent, and can help sellers through the complications of foreclosure avoidance,” he said.

The Distressed Property Institute provides live and online courses to train real estate professionals how to help homeowners in distress, with a strong focus on handling short sales.

“Our goal is to help as many homeowners as possible, by educating as many real estate professionals as possible,” Charfen said. “Donna Harris has demonstrated a commitment to struggling homeowners, a commitment that can provide much-needed stabilization to the community.”

**Are You Packed Yet?**

Donna Harris, REALTOR®
RE/MAX Austin Skyline
www.DonnaHomes.com
Donna@DonnaHomes.com
austin-texas-homes-for-sale.com

Austin TX Real Estate and the surrounding areas of Lakeway, Bee Cave, West Lake Hills, CedarPark, Round Rock, Spicewood, Circle-C, Steiner Ranch, and everywhere in between... Hill Country Austin TX Real Estate and beyond. Whether you're buying or selling an Austin home, I'll be with you every step of the way. 

For real time Austin TX listings,click here.

** Multi-Million Dollar Producer Year after Year **
** Platinum Top 50 Finalist 2011 out of almost 9000 agents in Austin TX**
** Five-Star Professional 2011 **
** RE/MAX 100% Club **

Copyright© 2012 By Donna Harris, All Rights Reserved. You may re-blog with links back to this post.
* Donna Harris Earns Real Estate Short Sale CDPE Designation - Helping Homeowners Avoid Foreclosure * was first published on donnahomesblog.com.

I saw this article from Market Watch over the weekend, and I was just dumbfounded by it. In today's market, I don't see how something so market specific and so general could be published to say it's a national trend.

This Market Watch article is called "Kiss These 10 Once-Popular Home Features Goodbye". I had to laugh when reading this list.

• Outdoor Kitchens
• Outdoor Fireplaces
• Sunrooms
• 2-story Family rooms
• Media Rooms
• 2-story foyer
• Master Planned developments
• Luxury Master Bathrooms
• Formal Living Rooms
• Whirlpool Tubs

If you're in the Austin TX market, or Dallas or Houston or San Antonio or other popular Texas towns, you probably agree with me that this list is completely wrong.  Do I agree with anything on the list? Yes, there are two things I agree with. I agree that people don't care for Formal Living rooms anymore. They're a waste of space and are being switched out for a downstairs, enclosed study. I also agree that Whirlpool tubs are not as popular anymore. With the added maintenance for them, and people's busy lifestyles, they don't take as many baths anymore, and who has time to sit in there for that long to enjoy bubbles?

However, everything else on the list is extremely popular for buyers, and especially relocating buyers. When buyers are relocating, they're coming here from other markets, so how are these things not popular in other markets to where they have to have them here?

In many floorplans, not all, in order to make room for a Gameroom or Media room upstairs, the 2-story family room ceiling is lowered and the Gameroom or Media Room is above it. If Media Rooms were going away, the 2-story ceiling would come back even more. Again, this might be market specific, but for the most part, the exterior facades of houses have gotten taller with taller roof lines and pitches. To keep the look that people like, you aren't going to build a lower ceiling and put in a 10 foot attic. That's wasted space, and we like to use every inch of space around here.

Does your market agree with this list?  Where are you?

**Are You Packed Yet?**

Donna Harris, REALTOR®
RE/MAX Austin Skyline
www.DonnaHomes.com
Donna@DonnaHomes.com
austin-texas-homes-for-sale.com

Austin TX Real Estate and the surrounding areas of Lakeway, Bee Cave, West Lake Hills, CedarPark, Round Rock, Spicewood, Circle-C, Steiner Ranch, and everywhere in between... Hill Country Austin TX Real Estate and beyond. Whether you're buying or selling an Austin home, I'll be with you every step of the way. 

For real time Austin TX listings,click here.

** Multi-Million Dollar Producer Year after Year **
** Platinum Top 50 Finalist 2011 out of almost 9000 agents in Austin TX**
** Five-Star Professional 2011 **
** RE/MAX 100% Club **

Copyright© 2012 By Donna Harris, All Rights Reserved. You may re-blog with links back to this post.
* Kiss These 10 Once-Popular Home Features Goodbye - I disagree with the Market Watch List * was first published on donnahomesblog.com.

Back in December, I was at the Austin Music Hall for an awards ceremony. I played it down. I didn't tell but a couple of people. I didn't think it was a big deal.  I still consider myself "new" to Austin, so to be up for some type of award, I figured it was either a mistake or they had a small pool of people to pick from.

The award I'm talking about is the Platinum Top 50 award.  The PT50 is not all about production, but also about commitment to the real estate industry as well as outside contributions.  Do you have real estate designations? But also what committees do you sit on that helps the community and the industry?

As I mentioned, I didn't tell but a couple of people that I was up for this award, not thinking much of it. But then at the ceremony, they announced that over 1000 people out of almost 9000 agents in the Austin TX market were looked at.  Over 1000 people?  And I was picked to be in the PT50 top 150 Finalist group?  Now it started to sink in!!  My legs started shaking, and I was thinking, How in the world did I get into this group of 150 people?  I also started thinking about how this was a big deal, and that I couldn't believe I didn't tell anyone.

Well, the ironic thing is that even though I didn't think too much about winning, I was then disappointed when I didn't make the top 50. I mean, I didn't think I had a chance, but was still disappointed.  Probably one reason why it's mid-February and I'm just not talking about it even though it was in December. I'm honored to be a Finalist for the PT50.

I know I posted the video before, but I never mentioned exactly what it was. This is a video that the Platinum Top 50 people put together for all Finalists for release.  Even though I'm not part of the actual top 50, to be in the top 150 in all of Central Texas, mainly Austin, is a great honor.  For those who missed it, here's the Austin Rocks video about why Austin is doing so well in Recession Recovery. Jobs, we've got 'em!!

**Are You Packed Yet?**

Donna Harris, REALTOR®
RE/MAX Austin Skyline
www.DonnaHomes.com
Donna@DonnaHomes.com
austin-texas-homes-for-sale.com

Austin TX Real Estate and the surrounding areas of Lakeway, Bee Cave, West Lake Hills, CedarPark, Round Rock, Spicewood, Circle-C, Steiner Ranch, and everywhere in between... Hill Country Austin TX Real Estate and beyond. Whether you're buying or selling an Austin home, I'll be with you every step of the way. 

For real time Austin TX listings,click here.

** Multi-Million Dollar Producer Year after Year **
** Platinum Top 50 Finalist 2011 out of almost 9000 agents in Austin TX**
** Five-Star Professional 2011 **
** RE/MAX 100% Club **

Copyright© 2012 By Donna Harris, All Rights Reserved. You may re-blog with links back to this post.
* The Award I didn't Know I Wanted - Disappointed to be a Finalist? Honored by the PT50!! * was first published on donnahomesblog.com.

This is my sweet Valentine, Alyssa. The first picture is at age 4. The bottom picture is Valentine's at age 2. She's grown into her Poodle Skirt...

**Are You Packed Yet?**

Donna Harris, REALTOR®
RE/MAX Austin Skyline
www.DonnaHomes.com
Donna@DonnaHomes.com
austin-texas-homes-for-sale.com

Austin TX Real Estate and the surrounding areas of Lakeway, Bee Cave, West Lake Hills, CedarPark, Round Rock, Spicewood, Circle-C, Steiner Ranch, and everywhere in between... Hill Country Austin TX Real Estate and beyond. Whether you're buying or selling an Austin home, I'll be with you every step of the way. 

For real time Austin TX listings,click here.

** Multi-Million Dollar Producer Year after Year **
** Platinum Top 50 Finalist 2011 out of almost 9000 agents in Austin TX**
** Five-Star Professional 2011 **
** RE/MAX 100% Club **

Copyright© 2012 By Donna Harris, All Rights Reserved. You may re-blog with links back to this post.
* Wordless Wednesday - My Sweet Valentine * was first published on donnahomesblog.com.

As a Realtor, do you refer your buyers to mortgage professionals that you have worked with in the past, and have had a good experience with? I always try to refer my Austin TX home buyers. Some times, the buyers feel they want to go another direction, and I can't control that. It's their home purchase, and it's their decision. I'm just there to help give them options...

But when financing is the hold up for your buyer's closing, do you say "I told you so?" or "You should have used my guy?"

I had a closing last week where this came up.  He was initially pre-approved with a mortgage company, and I didn't try to take him away from that company at all as I've worked with that company in the past. When he started talking with me about some issues, I suggested he call one of my other guys to compare things, which he did. He thought my other guy was great... and a couple of weeks later, I found he decided to start making other calls, to which he decided to use this other company because of many promises made.  Ironically, I had closed many deals in the past with this other company as well, and there was a reason that I no longer referred them to my Austin TX homes buyers.

We ended up closing a week late. The buyer kept apologizing to me for not using my guy and how he wished he used my guy and so on.  Of course, I was thinking, "Yes, you should have used my guy, I told ya so!" But instead, I told him not to blame himself. I reminded him that he made a decision based on information he was given, and he had no way of knowing the information was inaccurate.  He came to closing with more money than he was initially told. His rate was higher than he was initially told. He did sign the documents and close on the home because he just wanted it to be over with.

I write this to say to all buyers out there, just because your agent gives you a referral, it doesn't mean you have to use that person. However, you should ask yourself why the referral was given and what type of experience your agent has had with the person.  Customer service is a huge part of real estate. You don't want to be just a number, and when you use a Jack in the Box mortgage person, they might think you're just a number whereas someone who works personally with your agent wants repeat business and will probably treat you with a little more courtesy.

My buyer moved in last week, and is happy to own a home for his first time since the early 80's.

**Are You Packed Yet?**

Donna Harris, REALTOR®
RE/MAX Austin Skyline
www.DonnaHomes.com
Donna@DonnaHomes.com
austin-texas-homes-for-sale.com

Austin TX Real Estateand the surrounding areas of Lakeway, Bee Cave, West Lake Hills, CedarPark, Round Rock, Spicewood, Circle-C, Steiner Ranch, and everywhere in between... Hill Country Austin TX Real Estate and beyond. Whether you're buying or selling an Austin home, I'll be with you every step of the way. 

For real time Austin TX listings,click here.

** Multi-Million Dollar Producer Year after Year **
** Platinum Top 50 Finalist 2011 out of almost 9000 agents in Austin TX**
** Five-Star Professional 2011 **
** RE/MAX 100% Club **

Copyright© 2012 By Donna Harris, All Rights Reserved. You may re-blog with links back to this post.
* Realtors Give Mortgage Referrals for a Reason - Customer Service * was first published on donnahomesblog.com.

I was never a list writer. I could always tell myself what needed to get done, and my memory was awesome, and I hardly forgot a thing... Enter kids...

These days, my memory is shot!  I even write a list for the grocery store.  But get this, even with the list, I still forget some things on the list!!  Not sure how my eyes miss those things...

I hardly write a list for my day to day business stuff. I know what I need to do each day and I get it done.  I've been very busy the past couple of months, hence my absence in blogging (bad bad me), so this morning, I wrote a list.

I actually accomplished everything on the list, and then had time left over to write this blog post!  Amazing what a simple list can help you accomplish.  Maybe I'll write more lists... though I do like to test my memory and keep it sharp so I don't grow old...

I made my list, I checked it twice, and it was all done...

**Are You Packed Yet?**

Donna Harris, REALTOR®
RE/MAX Austin Skyline
www.DonnaHomes.com
Donna@DonnaHomes.com
austin-texas-homes-for-sale.com

Austin TX Real Estate and the surrounding areas of Lakeway, Bee Cave, West Lake Hills, Cedar Park, Round Rock, Spicewood, Circle-C, Steiner Ranch, and everywhere in between... Hill Country Austin TX Real Estate and beyond. Whether you're buying or selling an Austin home, I'll be with you every step of the way. 

For real time Austin TX listings,click here.

** Multi-Million Dollar Producer Year after Year **

Copyright© 2012 By Donna Harris, All Rights Reserved. You may re-blog with links back to this post.

* Making a List and Checking it Twice * was first published on donnahomesblog.com.