Homestead Exemption 2022
April 22, 2022
I hope your 2022 is off to a great start and you have been enjoying your home, but this is a friendly reminder you have some business to attend to!
First, I want to thank you again for trusting in the team and I for your real estate needs. We had a record breaking 2021 and appreciate your business and referrals!!
Secondly, You are probably aware that as a homeowner you are entitled to a discount on your annual property taxes for your primary residence called a ‘Homestead Exemption.’ (This has to be your primary residence, however).
*As an FYI, if you have not changed your address on your driver’s license, you need to do that first (because the county will ask for a photocopy when you send in your form (or file online)*
3 No’s for Home Buying
March 11, 2022
You know that you are supposed to get pre-approved to get started in the home buying adventure, but here’s a few more No-Nos for you to keep in mind:
1. Don’t start looking at houses and getting invested without knowing your budget.
2. Don’t just hire the first agent ya meet, make sure it’s a good fit first.
3. Don’t skip over important parts of your option period. Inspection, running numbers, reading through HOA documents, meeting neighbors and taking measurements for changes should all be done in the time you have to make your outs.
Homeward
March 7, 2022
1. Do you want to buy a home with ca$h?
2. Do you have a home to sell, but don’t want to list until you find a home to buy first?
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If you answered yes to either of these questions, then Homeward may be a good option for you. Yes, you have to be pre-approved but cash on the spot vs long close times and financing contingencies may work to your favor!
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We have been utilizing this tool in the competitive market and if you want to hear more–reach out, we can get ya started! Let’s get ya a home!
Cheers,
The Brinkman Team
Market update 2/25/2022
February 25, 2022
When is the best time to buy a home?
February 18, 2022
Ashley here!
Spittin’ more real estate tips…this one is for my buyers. A reminder that my tips are based on what I see in the market and experience, but when it comes to buying or selling–do what is best for YOU and your timeline, we make it happen year round and cannot predict the future (but boy I wish I had a crystal ball!)
Pros of Buying in Spring and Summer:
— Usually a better timeline
— More homes on the market to choose from
— Prices haven’t necessarily peaked (topped out, early Spring)
Pros of Buying in Fall and Winter:
— Less buyers to compete with
— Sellers that NEED to sell, not want to sell
— Nice to move when it isn’t 100 degrees out!
Should I sell my home sooner or later?
February 4, 2022
Happy “snow” day!
I have a batch of chili made, a blanket on my lap and attempting to be productive today is proving difficult, but while inventory is very low a few of my sellers have reached out asking if they should sell sooner than later…here’s a little video on that (can you tell I filmed last year after I had my hair and make up done? ha)
Pros to selling Fall and Winter months:
— Less competition
— Less hot to move in
— Serious buyers usually not making more than one offer on a home in a weekend
Pros to selling Spring and Summer months:
— More buyers looking and ready
— Better timed moving with school/events etc.
— Typically pricing on the rise/at peak
If you want to chat about your specific neighborhood’s selling stats and more, feel free to reach out!
Buying a condo and financing it
December 20, 2021
Ashley here! Spittin’ some real estate facts today about purchasing a condo. As Austin becomes increasingly popular and dense, condos are a great option for many homeowners.
A few tips on purchasing a condominium vs a single-family home to keep in mind!
— Purchase interest rates for condos are usually a bit higher than single family homes
— Condos need to be in good financial standing or a lender may require you to put more money down
— A condo needs to be warrantable if you plan to owner occupy, this usually means more than 50% owner-occupied, no more than one investor owns more than 10%, no lawsuits and ample money in the reserve account
— There’s a few more stipulations but it often depends on the building and lender requirements–but always happy to chat further!
If you are considering home buying a goal in 2022, we would love to chat with you!
Airbnb Tips
October 27, 2021
Airbnb tips:
As y’all know I love working with people to help get their short-term rentals up and running. Here are a few tips and tricks to get you started.
— Get 2 recycling bins if you are in the city of Austin recycling is free. Most of the guest’s trash can be recycled.
— Have black make-up towels to save your towels.
— Stock up provide enough for the guests that are staying as well as having extras. towels, sheets, paper products etc.
— Label everything so that you can mitigate issues later, lights, breakers etc also add this type of info to your guest book.
If you have any other questions or are interested in chatting about starting your own short-term rental always happy to chat.
Referral Based Business
October 22, 2021
Another real estate tip about referrals.
-Did you know we can refer ya to other agents out of town and out of state?
Top 3 Remodeling Tips
September 29, 2021
Do I sound like a newscaster trying to make a story sound more serious than it is? Great. Because remodeling is serious business. I am talkin’ bout remodeling AGAIN today because ya girl learned a lot over this last year and I always like to share what I learn to remind you in case you haven’t already heard of what a pain in the ass it actually is hehe.