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What are the most important features you look for in a new house? Depending on your age group the answer could be different. Developers and builders follow the trend set by majority of buyers. Millennials, as the second-largest segment of home buyers ranking behind baby boomers, are currently a major force in determining what features are offered in the houses built.

Although it seems some features are desired by most buyers, but  recent National Association of Realtors survey finds theMillennials first time home buyers prefer the following five features the most.

• An open floor plan
  Formal dining room isn’t of much importance to the millennial group. An open floor plan with no separating walls in the kitchen, living and dining areas is preferred. These plans give the space a sense of more room, and make smaller areas seems to be bigger. A smaller space thus a lower price fits the first time hime buyer’s budget just fine.

• An up-to-date kitchen and bath
  A functional kitchen is on top of the list for most people, right behind master bathroom. With a limited funds, younger buyers are less likely to spend money on renovations. It is very important that these two focal points of the house to be functional and ready to move-in.

• Friendly location
  Location is always an important  a consideration in real estate. For younger first time home buyers a convenient location is a must. Who wants to pay extra money for gas and get stuck in endless traffic!  Many millennials prefer walking, biking, or some form of public transit for their commutes. A great location is the key.

• Energy savings
  Younger generation are  often more conscious of energy conservation and efficiency. Availability of newer technology in energy-efficient appliances, windows, and a better quality home insulation can make a huge difference.

• An office space
  This doesn’t have to be a separate room, but has to be a dedicated space. With people working from home more and more and all the freelancers and telecommuters among millennials, a dedicated space to  get work done is  a huge attraction.

Regardless of your preference for features in a new house, you  should know about financing, affordability and availability of new place to buy. You can increase you chance of success by:

• • • saving as early as you can
    • being thorough with mortgage shopping
    • picking a neighborhood that fits your life-style
    • . . .

As a realtor, I am often asked “How is the Housing Market?” or “Is it s good time to buy a house?”. In an attempt to provide an answer, I write about topics related to real estate and home buying process. Additionally, I prepare monthly reports about the real estate activity on houses sold and houses currently on the market.  For viewing all previous reports and more information,  please take a look at my blogs  on my site or on the ActiveRain    (real estate information) blog site. 

Best wishes,

Moe Dadseresht Austin Skyline Realty, Inc. p: (512)740-6945                   c: (512)740-6945 w: www.moeproperty.com e: [email protected] a: 11507 Hare Trail Austin, TX 78726        Texas Real Estate Commission

• May 31st is the last day to file a request and protest your 2017 property appraisal and property tax bill. You can file a protest online whether you live in Travis County or Williamson County.  Once you are called for an in-office interview to present your case, you are expected to back-up your claim for a lower valuation and lower taxes. Your chances for a reduction is enhanced by presenting a recent comparative market analysis (CMA) that is prepared for your house.  This is a report that compares your house against recent home sales in the neighborhood and come up with an estimated value; it can be prepared by a real estate agent. If you plan to protest your property taxes and would like to have such a report, contact me for a FREE CMA report tailored for your house.

• As a realtor, I am often asked “How is the Housing Market?”. In an attempt to provide an answer, I prepare these monthly reports. It summarizes the real estate activity for houses sold and houses currently on the market. There reports are tailored for some of the neighborhoods in Cedar Park. You can view all previous  reports as monthly blogs on my site or on ‘ActiveRain‘  (real estate information) blog site.

• Recent trends in Cedar Park housing market has seen continued decrease in active listings of houses for sale.  However, the demand has been steady or increasing. This high demand results in continued increase in prices. In short, until demand subsides or there is an over-supply of new houses, we are in a long term pattern of price growth.

• Below is a summary of the Housing Market in Cedar Park along with break-down for two of the largest housing communities in the city, Avery Ranch and Cypress Creek. You can get more details about the houses sold and currently in the market for sale by expanding appropriate section.

Cedar Park	Cypress Creek	Avery Ranch
Sold	Sold	Sold
For Sale	For Sale	For Sale

All this activity has affected your home’s value!

If you plan to move, you need to know the value of your home right now. You can find this out in two easy ways:

1. Go to the website I created specifically for this purpose at: www.myCedarParkPropertyWorth.com
2. Text 52388 to (888)264-1910, to receive your property valuation

I hope you find this helpful. Referral is a big part of my business and as always I appreciate your consideration in referring any friends, family, or colleagues my way. Thank you for supporting me and my business endeavors. Please don’t hesitate to ask me questions about real estate, your desired neighborhoods, or your house value!

Best wishes,

Moe Dadseresht Austin Skyline Realty, Inc. p: (512)740-6945                   c: (512)740-6945 w: www.moeproperty.com e: [email protected] a: 11507 Hare Trail Austin, TX 78726        Texas Real Estate Commission

March 2017 Market Summary Report for Central Texas; including Austin area, Travis, Williamson, and Hays Counties:

Moe Dadseresht Austin Skyline Realty, Inc.  p:  (512)740-6945                   c: (512)740-6945  w: www.moeproperty.com  e: [email protected]  a:  11507 Hare Trail       Austin, TX 78726        Texas Real Estate Commission

In a March 16, 2017 press release, the president  of the the Austin Board of REALTORS® described the signs of slow home sales as “the market catching up to itself after years of unprecedented sales growth”. He further explained that current figures are compared to a very strong housing market activity in 2016, so a decline in home sales growth is understandable and does not automatically mean that “the market is softening.”

If you follow these monthly reports, you may have noticed a similar trend in the Cedar Park housing market in recent months. For the second consecutive month the median price of the houses sold remains flat.  However, as another metrics (below) indicates, a decrease in the active listings and a lower inventory of available houses for sale points to a high demand and a strong market.

I have started to report a new metrics for “Sale Price to Original Asking Price” ratio in the report card. This measures how close to the asking price a house is sold. It is a good indicator for the level of demands and how ‘hot’ the market may be.

In case your are considering a move in the coming months, start with bringing your house up to date. Get an inventory of needed repairs and bring your house in tip-to shape for maximum sales value. Whether you are refinancing or buying a new house, take into account all the the selling (closing) costs. Like any other business decision, knowledge is key in a successful real estate transactions. Find out how you can sell your house at the right price.  Get an estimate of the closing costs and who pays them, and contact a knowledgeable agent for consultation.

The Cedar Park single-family home sales during March is summarized below. All comparisons are relative to March 2016.

You can explore details (click on the marker for details of each sale) of all the 120 Cedar Park home sales during March 2017 in the interactive map below.

All this activity has affected your home’s value!

If you plan to move, you need to know the value of your home right now. You can find this out in two easy ways:

1. Go to the website I created specifically for this purpose at: www.myCedarParkPropertyWorth.com
2. Text 52388 to (888)264-1910, to receive your property valuation

I hope you find this helpful. Referral is a big part of my business and as always I appreciate your consideration in referring any friends, family, or colleagues my way. Thank you for supporting me and my business endeavors. Please don’t hesitate to ask me questions about real estate, your desired neighborhoods, or your house value!

Best wishes,

Moe Dadseresht Austin Skyline Realty, Inc.  p:  (512)740-6945                   c: (512)740-6945  w: www.moeproperty.com  e: [email protected]  a:  11507 Hare Trail       Austin, TX 78726        Texas Real Estate Commission

In a March 16, 2017 press release, the president  of the the Austin Board of REALTORS® described the signs of slow home sales as “the market catching up to itself after years of unprecedented sales growth”. He further explained that current figures are compared to a very strong housing market activity in 2016, so a decline in home sales growth is understandable and does not automatically mean that “the market is softening.”

If you follow these monthly reports, you may have noticed a similar trend in the Leander housing market in recent months. For the second consecutive month the median price of the houses sold remains flat.  However, as another metrics (below) indicates, a decrease in the active listings and a lower inventory of available houses for sale points to a high demand and a strong market.

I have started to report a new metrics for “Sale Price to Original Asking Price” ratio in the report card. This measures how close to the asking price a house is sold. It is a good indicator for the level of demands and how ‘hot’ the market may be.

In case your are considering a move in the coming months, start with bringing your house up to date. Get an inventory of needed repairs and bring your house in tip-to shape for maximum sales value. Whether you are refinancing or buying a new house, take into account all the the selling (closing) costs. Like any other business decision, knowledge is key in a successful real estate transactions. Find out how you can sell your house at the right price.  Get an estimate of the closing costs and who pays them, and contact a knowledgeable agent for consultation.

The Leander single-family home sales during March is summarized below. All comparisons are relative to March 2016.

You can explore details (click on the marker for details of each sale) of all the 128 Leander home sales during March 2017 in the interactive map below.

All this activity has affected your home’s value!

If you plan to move, you need to know the value of your home right now. You can find this out in two easy ways:

1. Go to the website I created specifically for this purpose at: www.myLeanderPropertyWorth.com
2. Text 52101 to (888)264-1910, to receive your property valuation

I hope you find this helpful. Referral is a big part of my business and as always I appreciate your consideration in referring any friends, family, or colleagues my way. Thank you for supporting me and my business endeavors. Please don’t hesitate to ask me questions about real estate, your desired neighborhoods, or your house value!

Best wishes,

Moe Dadseresht Austin Skyline Realty, Inc.  p:  (512)740-6945                   c: (512)740-6945  w: www.moeproperty.com  e: [email protected]  a:  11507 Hare Trail       Austin, TX 78726        Texas Real Estate Commission

Can you afford to buy a house?

You have heard it countless time that buying a house is the largest purchase you make in your life. For many, that is absolutely true and for that investment it makes perfect sense to get as much information as possible about the how to buy a house.

Even with prior knowledge and preparation, many first-time home buyers, make a mistake or two along the way. Buying more house than you could afford, or taking on a more decrepit house than you could realistically make habitable, are examples of those mistakes. Despite their best intentions, agents can only do so much with their advice.

The first-time buyers who are happiest are those who had done their research, and planned their purchases, communicated with their partners and agents and did not step too far outside of their comfort zones.  A home is often a big part of your lifestyle, so when you find the right house that meets your criteria, be prepared to pull the trigger and follow through. Waiting to get absolute best possible deal may not be the best strategy. Creeping interest rates and lost opportunities could eat up any saving in the deal.

Financing is one of the major obstacle in most home buyers decision making process.  Even though affordable housing is out of reach for lots of people, there are still programs to help people in their home ownership dreams. If you live in Travis Country, I would like to introduce two such programs.

My First Texas Home Program

This program allows qualified Texans access to low interest rate home loans, and help with down payment and closing cost assistance. The benefit is simple, you get more house for the same down payment or qualify for house easier. You can begin a lifetime of homeownership through My First Texas Home.

Homebuyers who meet the following minimum requirements are eligible to apply for a loan under the program:

• You must be a Texas resident who has not owned a home for the past three years
• Your combined income (s) may not exceed program’s income limit:
  • For Travis and Williamson counties median family income (2 people): $77,800
• Purchase price of home may not exceed program’s purchase price: limit:
  • For Travis and Williamson counties  maximum purchase price: $332,470
• Credit Score, minimum 620
• Maximum Debt-to-income (DTI) ratio: 45%

To verify eligibility and apply for these loans, take your personal financial information to your lender. At the time of loan application, you will need the following:

• Recent bank statements for all of your accounts
• Pay stubs for the past 3 months
• Tax returns for the past 3 years
• W-2 forms for the past 2 years(your employer can provide you this)
• Information about your long-term debts, including the names of the creditors, account numbers, payment amounts, etc.
• Proof of any other current income
• The executed sales contract (if available)

Texas Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) Program

This program hat increases a family’s disposable income by reducing its federal income tax obligation. This tax savings provide a family with more available income to qualify for a loan and meet mortgage payment requirements. It is available to teachers, fire fighters, peace officers, veterans, and low and moderate-income homebuyers.  This program is available through a network of lenders across the state and provides the following benefits:

• A dollar for dollar savings %40 of interest paid, up to $2,000 every year as a special tax credit
• Saves the homebuyer thousands of dollars over the life of the loan
• Exclusively for first-time homebuyers or individuals who have not owned a home in the last three years
• Can be used with TSAHC’s Down Payment Assistance

The example below assumes a family purchases a home for $200,000 at a 4.75% interest rate.  Interest paid the first year is approximately $9,500.  The 40% of the interest paid would equal $3,800 (40% x $9,500 = $3,800).

Mortgage Amount	$250,000
Interest Amount	4.75%
Interest Paid	$9,500
MCC Rate	40%
Tax Credit	$2,000

In this example, the homebuyer would be entitled to a tax credit of the maximum $2,000.00. It is important to note that the homebuyer will still be able to take a mortgage interest deduction

• Tax Credit          = A $2,000 tax credit reduces your taxes owed dollar-for-dollar by $2,000
• Tax Deduction  =  A reduction of your taxable income by $7,500 ($9,500 – $2,000 = $7,500), results in lesser tax liability

So the question if affordability should be, have your explored all available options to make the home buying easier on your pocket? Let’s get started!

Best wishes,

Moe Dadseresht Austin Skyline Realty, Inc.  p:  (512)740-6945                   c: (512)740-6945  w: www.moeproperty.com  e: [email protected]  a:  11507 Hare Trail       Austin, TX 78726        Texas Real Estate Commission

Like everything else in a real estate transaction, closing costs (costs associated with buying or selling a property) are negotiable. Part of the closing costs, such as title insurance, regulated by the state of Texas and is based on a predetermined formula. Others costs are such as association fees, realtor commissions, etc. are negotiable and depend on the price of the house.

Buyer can request the seller to cover some or all of the closing fees. One way is to offer the full purchase price provided that the seller pays all the costs associated with closing. Most sellers expect homebuyers to offer less than the listing price, so they are much more open to negotiate when they have a full price offer at hand. Another option is for the buyer to meet the seller halfway, dividing the closing costs between the two parties.

Regardless of who ends up paying the closing costs, the following steps help making an informed decision.

• Plan your budget – Carefully review options to reduce the closing costs. Online tools such as SmartAsset closing costs calculator can be used to get an estimate based on the amount of the mortgage loan.

• Examine Each Fee – When the loan estimate is received, take the time to carefully review and understand each item. Consult with your  , you may be able to negotiate some fees and request the lender to cover some costs.

• Shop around – Whether transaction is a refinance or a purchase, it pays to shop around for items such as title insurance and home inspections. Be sure to evaluate the cost versus the value; make sure you are getting the most value for your money, which may not necessarily mean you should choose the cheapest provider. Ask your lender to match the closing costs offered somewhere else.

• Negotiate with the Seller You can request the seller to cover some of the closing fees.

• Waive the Appraisal – If you are refinancing, you may be able to cut the appraisal fee if your home has been appraised recently. If this is the case, ask your lender for an appraisal waiver. You can also save on your title insurance by asking for a cheaper rate when you refinance.

• Skip the Points – Mortgage lenders offer discount points to lower the interest rate on the loan. This is essentially pre-paid interest pid to the lender, one point is the equivalent of 1% of the total cost of the loan. In a low-interest rate climate, you may opt to pay less at closing by passing on the points.

• Roll Closing Costs into Your Mortgage When refinancing, the mythical no-closing cost mortgage could become reality. Typically, you can skip paying fees at closing by rolling the costs into the price of your mortgage.  Don’t be fooled, however, not paying costs at closing may cost you more in the long run.

Moe Dadseresht Austin Skyline Realty, Inc.  p:  (512)740-6945                   c: (512)740-6945  w: www.moeproperty.com  e: [email protected]  a:  11507 Hare Trail       Austin, TX 78726        Texas Real Estate Commission

In a typical real estate transaction in state of Texas, there are many charges that are paid at the closings. Most, if not all, of these charges are negotiable.  Here is a list of some estimated costs.

Charge	Description	Amount	Who Pays
Appraisal	The appraisal is required to determine the fair market value of the home. A property appraisal is generally required by a lender before loan approval to ensure that the mortgage loan amount is not more than the value of the property. Therefore, an appraiser is needed to make this determination.	$300-400	Buyer
Courier/FedEx	At times, documents need to be shipped to other places. This can be for the buyer or the seller and it is charged to the benefiting party. Not commonly negotiated in the formal contract for sale, your closing agent will collect these charges at closing.	~$50	Buyer, Seller
Document Preparation	Covers the cost of preparing the final legal papers, such as a mortgage, deed of trust, note or deed.	~$125	Buyer
Escrow Fee	Fee for title company’s services  in receiving and holding funds (earnest money, buyer purchase money funds, loan funds, etc.) and disbursing those funds to the various parties. This requires a separate accounting for each transaction. All funds must be received, and the account must be balanced before any checks are sent cut.	~$200	Buyer, Seller
Home Warranty	$Fee for an insurance policy to protect you from cost of unexpected failures in the major systems and appliances of your new home.	~$500	Buyer
HOA Resale Certificate	Some neighborhood Home Owner Associations  require a transfer fee at the time of home sale.	$500-$700	Negotiable
Mortgage Insurance Premium	The lender may require you to pay your first year’s mortgage insurance premium or a lump sum premium that covers the life of the loan, in advance, at the settlement	Varies	Buyer
Prepaid interest	This is money you pay at closing in order to get the loan interest paid up through the first of the month.	Varies	Buyer
Property taxes	The property taxes for the balance of the year from the closing date. This is collected from buyers and seller pays for the previous months, so the title company can pay the first ear’s property taxes.	Depends on closing date	Buyer
Realtor Commission	Generally the seller is represented by an agent. This fee is negotiated by the listing agent and seller when the property was listed for sale. A portion of this fee is offered to the other agent (buyers agent) . There is no law requiring this co-brokerage arrangement and sometimes listing agents are unwilling to share their commission with a selling agent. In this case, unless the buyer expects his agent to work for free, both seller and buyer may pay a brokerage fee. This fee is almost always paid at closing, except on some owner-financed deals.	Depends on the loan amount	Seller
Recording Fees	These are the fees that the county charges for recording the new deed and mortgage into the public record. These are sometimes referred to as Deed or Mortgage taxes and is based on the sales price of the property, the number of pages, number of documents, and when recording mortgages, the value of the mortgage. In cash transactions, sometimes it is left up to the buyer to physically carry the deed to the recording authority after the closing. This is a negotiable cost but realize the seller has no interest in whether or not a buyer’s documents get recorded. Thus the buyer usually pays the fees and is calculated for each page of documents to be recorded (e.g. $26 for the first page and $4 for each additional page).	~$15	Buyer
Survey	The lender may require a property survey. This is a protection to the buyer as well. Unless there is a very recent survey, it is a advised to get a survey done that corresponds with the physical boundary lines that are evident on the property. Having a current, clear survey is one of the best sales tools a seller can have. This is one that you just work out by negotiation. Care should be taken as to what type of survey you are negotiating. It could be as simple as having the corners marked, and a legal description derived from the information gathered in the field and previous deeds. It could also include fences, roads, and structures located on the plat of the property, boundary lines marked. Sometimes it may be necessary to include a topographical survey as well.	~$400	Buyer / Negotiable
Title Policy –Lender	When a lender agrees to issue a mortgage for a piece of property, the lender must receive a guarantee that the property is indeed owned by the seller. Title fees pay the lender for the costs associated with determining the current owner of the property and legally certifying that the title information is correct. In addition to the formal title search, your lender is likely to require a title insurance policy to protect it against an error in the title search.  Errors are rare, but they do occur. Premiums and the scope of coverage can vary widely. As a rule, look for a policy with the least exclusions from coverage as possible. The title insurance required by the lender protects only the lender. To protect yourself against unforeseen title problems, you may also want to take out an owner’s title insurance policy. Normally the additional premium cost is only a fraction of the lender’s policy.	Depends on the loan amount ~$1800 for $250K	Buyer
Title Policy –Owner	The owner’s policy protects the homeowner’s investment for as long as they, or their heirs, own the property. This fee charged by the title company to search public records to determine if there are any title issues such as breaks in the chain of title, any unsatisfied mortgages, liens or judgments which have been recorded. When it comes to houses, providing clear title is not a simple process. Public records affecting real estate title are spread among several local government offices, including recorders of deeds, county courts, tax assessors, and surveyors. Records of deaths, divorces, court judgments, liens, and contests over wills also must be examined. Examinations also review the history of ownership, including all trusts, will and deeds associated with the property in the past. This is called reviewing the chain of the title, and inspects whether the property’s ownership may be legally tied to anyone other than the current buyer and seller.	Depends on the sale price of the house ~$1800 for $250K	Seller

 

Moe Dadseresht Austin Skyline Realty, Inc.  p:  (512)740-6945                   c: (512)740-6945  w: www.moeproperty.com  e: [email protected]  a:  11507 Hare Trail       Austin, TX 78726        Texas Real Estate Commission

February 2017 Market Summary Report for Central Texas; including Austin area, Travis, Williamson, and Hays Counties.

Moe Dadseresht Austin Skyline Realty, Inc.  p:  (512)740-6945                   c: (512)740-6945  w: www.moeproperty.com  e: [email protected]  a:  11507 Hare Trail       Austin, TX 78726        Texas Real Estate Commission