Kinan Beck is the Broker and co-owner of One Source Realty in Austin Texas. Visit Kinan’s Lakeway Real Estate Guide, visit his Steiner Ranch real estate company’s website, & his Avery Ranch real estate website. He has seen considerable success in real estate, and looks forward to many more years in the business.
Archive for Realtor
Dec
25
Real Estate Investment 101: Avoiding Scams
Posted by: | CommentsAustin Safe High Return Investments
“The sad reality is that there are always people out there that are looking for people they can take advantage of. In most cases, scammers will take advantage of those that are already down because those that are already on hard times tend to be more desperate. Since desperation often leads to gullibility, scammers are more than happy to prey upon them in order to make a quick buck.
Whether you are in a desperate situation or not, you are always at risk of being taken advantage of by a scammer if you do not remain continually alert. Therefore, it is best to follow these simply tips to avoid being scammed when investing in real estate.
1. Never send money to an “interested buyer.” One of the most common real estate scams is selling to a person in another country. With this scam, the scammer claims to live in another country and says he would like to buy your real estate. There is only one problem: he needs you to send some money his way to pay for travel expenses or some other expense that is standing in his way. Once you send the money to the scammer, he seemingly drops off of the face of the earth.
Remember, you should only be receiving money when you sell your real estate.
2. Never turn over mortgage documents to an “interested buyer.” Identity thieves will sometimes pose as an interested buyer and will then request to see mortgage documents. Since these documents often contain personal information such as your social security number, you are essentially handing over your identity when you hand over the papers.
Remember, you should never hand over your personal real estate documents to anyone other than a lawyer.
3. Never continue negotiations with someone that has never seen your real estate. Some scam artists will claim to be interested in purchasing your real estate without ever having seen it. This is simply a ploy to win over your trust so you can be taken advantage of later.
Remember, no honest person is going to invest a large amount of money into real estate without having seen it first.
4. Never complete a deal without the help of professionals. Even if you are dealing with a person on a face-to-face basis, you can still be taken advantage of if you are not careful. Therefore, be sure to enlist in the help of a number of different professionals when investing in real estate. Before you sign any contracts, run them past an experience real estate attorney. Enrolling in a real estate club will also put you in contact with a number of legitimate professionals that can help steer you in the right direction.
Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Use the help of professionals in the real estate field to make sure you are not being taken advantage of.
5. Never put your trust in a handshake. Unfortunately, a person’s word and handshake is not enough to keep you out of trouble in the world of real estate investment. Make sure to get everything that you agree upon in writing and don’t assume the other person will make good on anything that was agreed upon verbally.
There are plenty of ethical people working within the real estate investment field that will buy and sell real estate honestly and professionally. At the same time, there are some people that are just waiting to take advantage of another person’s misfortune. Be cautions and follow these few simple tips and you will not find yourself falling victim to a scam.”
Texas Safe High Return Investments
Dec
19
Land and Balcones Club Apartments Sold in Austin
Posted by: | CommentsAustin Safe High Return Investments
There is news of two big purchases in Austin. The first involves the purchase of over 1.5 million acres of timberland. Temple-Inland Inc. sold the property to an affiliate of the Campbell Group. The selling price was reportedly $2.4 billion. 0.4 of the purchased acres are in Alabama, Louisiana, and Georgia, but the bulk of the purchase is located in East Texas. Temple-Inland Inc. is expected to make net cash proceeds of $1.8 billion and is expected to grant common stockholders $1.1 billion, or $10.25 per share after the purchase.
The timberland agreement includes a 12-year fiber saw timer supply agreement and a 20-year pulpwood fiber supply agreement. In addition, affiliates of The Campbell Group have promised to maintain Temple-Inland Inc.’s commitment to the environment. This likely means that the new investors will have to continue the conservation efforts started by Temple-Inland Inc. and will likely have to adhere to the same environmentally-conscious use of the land. During the deal, Temple-Inland Inc. used Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. as financial advisors and Sutherland, Asbill & Brennan LLP as legal advisors. The Campbell Group LLC, used Morrison & Foerster LLP and Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt as legal advisors during the deal.
In addition to the timberland purchase, another key purchase in the area occurred recently when a Los Angeles-based company, M&A Real Estate Partners, bought Balcones Club Apartments. The 312-unit Balcones Club Apartments were owned by Equity Residential Properties Trust. The new investor hopes to renovate the building, which is now 23 years old. It is possible that the new owners hope to turn this Class B apartment building into something a little more upscale. The 13 acres on 9218 Balcones Club Dr are certainly a great investment and a great place for tenants. Currently, Balcones Club Apartments features one- and two-bedroom units that span 464 to 1,150 square feet each. Rents for the units range from a very reasonable $506 to $859.
Balcones Club Apartments currently features a number of amenities that appeal to tenants. Corner fireplaces, wet bars, oak cabinets, built-in microwave ovens, window seats, vaulted ceilings and plenty of storage room are just some of the features of the residential units. In addition, the apartment complex does offer lofts and town homes as well as more traditional apartments. This pet-friendly building is close to major thoroughfares and major employers, including IBM, Lakeline Mall, 3M, TI, and State Farm. The building boasts two pools as well as well-maintained common areas. Many units features great views and there is a fitness center available for tenants as well. Students in the building attend Spicewood Elementary, Canyon Vista Middle School, and Westwood High School. It will be interesting to see in the upcoming months what sort of upgrades and renovations the new investors have planned for this residential community. The building, nestled between Highway 183 and the Balcones Country Club golf course, was 97% occupied at the time of the sale.
Kinan Beck is the Broker and co-owner of One Source Realty in Austin Texas. Visit Kinan’s Austin Apartment Guide, visit his Austin Apartment Locator company’s website, & his Austin Apartments website. He has seen considerable success in real estate, and looks forward to many more years in the business.
Texas Safe High Return Investments
Dec
12
New Homes for Sale in Austin Texas
Posted by: | CommentsAustin Safe High Return Investments
Austin is a growing and vibrant city offers plenty of investment opportunities for business and employment. The real estate market is very happening and is one of the few states that maintained quit well through the current mortgage crisis. Buyers in Texas can be sure that their home investments will rise in value in the years to come, as this city is looking towards more growth and development.
There are varied types of homes for sale in Austin. These include condominiums, custom homes, and single family homes. Each home type is intended to serve the liking of a particular type of buyer. For example, young people may prefer to buy a loft or a condominium unit, while those with large family would like to take a larger custom or single family home.
The latest constructions are built to cater to the requirements of modern day living and they come with new amenities, fixtures and facilities, to offer more conveniences and comforts for residents. It’s not surprising to find that new homes get booked easily and are sold out as soon as they are built. Many of them are built strategically close to important resident requirements such as transportation, schools, shopping plazas and so on. This makes them all the more attractive for purchase and highly comfortable for the buyer.
Price ranges on homes offered in this city are very attractive and buyers can be sure to get a reasonably priced spacious home. Specific neighborhoods will have a certain type of home so buyers should first decide on the kind of property they want to see and the price range that is suitable for them before going about their search. Doing this will certainly make their search process easier.
Realtors and real estate agent services facilitate home searches. In seeking such services, it’s important to take up reputable ones, so that the entire process of buying a home goes through correctly and without any issues. Similarly, in case of buyers taking up homes through a home mortgage process, they should be certain on their ability to repay the mortgage payment every month as failure to do so will result in a foreclosure.
Search Austin real estate, Austin home builders and new homes in Texas today!
Texas Safe High Return Investments
Dec
03
Two Big Austin Real Estate Purchases at Bull Creek
Posted by: | CommentsAustin Safe High Return Investments
Austin based Ardent Residential and Atlanta-based Post Properties have purchased almost five acres of land in a highly desirable area for redevelopment. The two companies, working in partnership, bought up Kingswood Apartments and Bull Creek Townhomes. Bull Creek Townhomes at 4320 Bull Creek Road is a 140-unit residential community. Kingswood Apartments is a 32-unit community situated at 4318 Bull Creek Rd. The two buildings were purchased in two separate deals, apparently as part of a plan to scrape and rebuild.
The new Alexan City Lights apartment complex, a Class-A complex of homes, has been purchased by Los Angeles-based SCI Real Estate Investments LLC. The building was completed only last year by Trammell Crow Residential and Opus West Corp. According to Travis County tax records, the property at 501 East Stassney Lane has a value of $33 million. At the time of the deal, Alexan City Lights was 96% leased. According to reports, the sale was brokered by Apartment Realty Advisors.
Alexan City Lights received a great deal of press last year, when it was built near Congress Avenue in South Austin. This upscale apartment development has many amazing amenities, including remote-controlled limited entry, paved entrance, a coffee bar, a high-tech fitness center that is open 24 hours, a business in conference and center that boasts computers copiers and faxes, a resort style pool, a veranda area, a built in barbecue, and outdoor fireplace, a carport, and an attached parking garage. All common areas of the building include wireless Internet access, and most resident entries have ceramic tile. Most residences include side-by-side refrigerators, built in microwave ovens, gourmet island kitchens, designer cabinets and countertops, faux hardwood floors, vaulted ceilings, crown moldings, large closets, ceiling fans, and large utility rooms. Residence units boast Satina Whirlpool appliances, private patios, linen closets, garden tubs, marble sink vanities, walk-in closets, multiple cable and phone lines, and much more. For truly comfortable urban living, Alexan City Lights certainly delivers with lots of space and a great modern style. The building is comfortable and modern and has all the amenities needed for a modern family or couple.
Lease terms for the apartments are a minimum of 12 months. This three-story building has central air-conditioning and is conveniently located close to a number of good schools, including Pleasant Hill Elementary School, Bedichek Middle School, and Crockett High School. Pets are allowed in the building with no damage deposits or fees. SCI Real Estate Investments LLC certainly brought a building with lots of potential and a good location. The low vacancy rate will only help the investors. At this time it is unknown whether any major renovations are planned, but it will certainly be interesting to see what long-term plans SCI Real Estate Investments LLC has for Alexan City Lights.
Kinan Beck is the Broker and co-owner of One Source Realty in Austin Texas. Visit Kinan’s Austin Real Estate Guide, visit his Austin Texas Real Estate website, & his Austin Apartments website. He has seen considerable success in real estate, and looks forward to many more years in the business.
Texas Safe High Return Investments
Dec
02
Finding a Home in Austin on Craigslist
Posted by: | CommentsAustin Safe High Return Investments
Under the real estate section of Craigslist, you will find that many people, including Realtors place their numerous Austin real estate sales and lease listings. It has no charge and is sometimes effective, so there is no cause not to place your listings along with pictures. But after doing this and looking from the browsing point of view, the Craigslist interface is user-unfriendly, I consciously came to some realizations.
Searching for keywords is the only method that functions when using Craigslist to find Austin real estate For example, there have been nearly 300 latest real estate listing on the Austin Craigslist real estate for sale part so far today (4/13/2007). Scrolling along the page understanding the listing titles is time wasting and isn’t very productive. Then there is the “Next 100 Postings” found below the page, and look through all of them is all the more time-wasting. if you set on this path, you would just end up looking through the more than a thousand postings just so you find to spot the latest 4 days of entries. As postings stay available on Craigslist for 45 days, it’s improbable that anyone is going to look through all accessible listings. They are instead going to search for keywords.
So if I was searching for a property in Circle C or Legends Oaks or Western Oaks or Shady Hollow, I would be typing a search for those area names. Or I’d be looking for some other attribute such as “South Austin,” “Kiker” Elementary, or “Bowie” High School, for example. If a property near Westlake High School is what I like, then I would probably utilize keywords like “Westlake” and “Eanes.”
This instant that it is clear my posting in Austin Craigslist is more to be viewed as a outcome from a search engine, then it is best to print content with plenty of keywords in them.
If I have a Travis Heights listing in South Austin, off South Congress (soco) that is for sale, say that is the circumstances. Would the subsequent be good ad copy?:
A near-to-everything older cottage, charming, and accessible within minutes from the downtown. eating places, local stores, pool, and area park are a walking distance away.
Do you notice that the sample sentence is short with relevant keywords? For example, a browser likes to locate a Travis Heights property, how would he do so if the area itself is not revealed? The browser wouldn’t. On Craigslist I can guarantee you that there are a lot of poorly written ads such as this.
A better copy would be:
An attraction of South Central Austin found in Travis Heights a few minutes to the Austin downtown. Stroll to Stacy Park and pool and to South Congress (soco) stores and restaurants.
Notice the dissimilarity? Fundamentally it means the same thing, but in a keyword viewpoint the last one is more likely to be viewed by a Travis Heights property browser or by a browser for homes near (soco) South Congress.
We can take this concept a step more through thinking of derivative keywords to add in an ad. I have a currently listed Craigslist Western Oaks rental listing. I start the ad with :
Superb property, finely updated in a wonderful Western oaks area, specifically a South Austin area, Circle C and Legend Oaks are near by.
Why am I stating “near to Legend Oaks and Circle C”? it is for the reason that those searching for Circle C or legend Oaks homes may as well discover the Western Oaks home attracting. The point here is to get the interests of as many as possible. Another is that quality schools are good encouraging factors for the South Austin area so it is best to mention the full name of such schools in case there are some browsing for homes specifically attending such schools.
So writing a Craigslist ad is not that different from writing website copy. One has to inquire “what keywords and search phrases may be utilized by people whom I like to find this content?” Then take pains to incorporate those keywords in the ads you print.
This article was drafted by R Chandler Smith, an established real estate professional in the Greater Austin area. As a state licensed real estate appraiser and business man, he now manages several real estate appraisal offices across Texas including Houston and Austin areas. He maintains He oversees Houston Texas Appraisal along with Sugar Land Texas Appraisal Real Estate Appraisers in Austin
Texas Safe High Return Investments