Tracy Brister - Buyers & Sellers

Industry News

House Extends Home Buyer Tax Credit Closing Deadline

The House of Representatives introduced and passed a proposal to extend the original June 30 closing deadline for home buyers who want to get up to $8,000 in tax credits.
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Austin Ranks 3rd most recession-proof

In April of 2008, Austin was ranked the third most recession proof city by Forbes because of a lack of a housing bubble, low median home price, low unemployment, and strong job growth segments that would recover more quickly. Plus, Austin was known as “Silicon Hills” for its growing tech sector industries.

Now, over two years later, the Brookings Institute has released their quarterly in-depth analysis which also ranks Austin the third most recession proof city in the U.S.

The Brookings Institute analyzes the health of America’s 100 largest metropolitan economies. It examines trends in metropolitan-level employment, output, and housing conditions to look “beneath the hood” of national economic statistics to portray the diverse metropolitan trajectories of recession and recovery across the country. MetroMonitor looks at the particular industries that drive national economic trends, and takes into account metro areas’ unique starting points for eventual recovery.

Click here for the full report. You can also view many interactive reports for employment, REO properties and other economic measurements.

4 Things First-Time Homebuyers Need to Know About Home Inspections

RISMEDIA, April 21, 2010 -
A professional home inspection can not only provide a great education about the home’s systems, but also be a crucial tool in negotiating the most equitable price on the home, according to HouseMaster, one of the first and largest home inspection franchisors in North America. "Our experience and research shows that approximately 40% of resale homes have at least one defect that can cost a home buyer a minimum of $500 to repair," ... Read More

Buyers & Sellers

Buyers

The home buying process can be complex, but it can also be a great adventure. I’d like to provide you with as much information about the process as possible.

Getting Started: Buying a home is the largest purchase most people will ever make, so use this home buying guide to assist you with the process. With the current mortgage environment it is crucial that you know exactly your buying power before you start looking at homes. The first step is to visit with a lender who will review your credit report with you. Your credit report is a history of how you've managed your finances: it's a record of money you've borrowed and your history of paying it back. If you have good credit, you may have a much wider range of mortgage offers with lower rates. If your credit isn’t that great, a lender can advise you on steps to take to improve your scores. Read more....

Sellers

Selling a house can be relatively simple or it can be quite complex and difficult. Since it such a significant undertaking, it will benefit you to become educated about the process. Once you’ve decided that you want to sell your house, you’ll want to meet with a REALTOR® to talk about current market conditions so that you can set a realistic listing price; and you’ll want to have an open and honest discussion about the overall condition of the house, both interior and exterior. It may help to preview other homes on the market in the neighborhood to compare the selling conditions. Remember that there are a lot of factors involved in getting your home sold quickly but most of them can quickly be summed up to Price, Condition, and Location. Read more....

Getting the House Ready for the Market
Need some ideas on what to do to get the house ready for the market. This pamphlet outlines comprehensive steps that address steps you can take to put your home in the best possible selling condition.
Getting the House Ready to Sell