Dianne Bartlett's Lakeway Lake Travis Real Estate Blog

You may not know this, but mountain biking in Austin Texas can be extreme!  Vancouver, Colorado, Arizona, California and many other mountain states may offer extreme trails, but Austin Texas can compete if you know where to go.

Austin Texas is home to all types and levels of bike riders, including, of course, one road biker in a yellow jersey.  But, even Lance has been spotted on the milder mountain bike trails in the Austin area.  The "inner circle" extreme mountain bikers love to gaffaw at him when they see him step off.  Everyone else, I'm sure, just admires the guy for everything he's done for his sport, his charity, and for the Austin area.  But extreme mountain bikers enjoy giving each other a hard time.

What are the extreme trails like in Austin?  Single track winds through scrub cedar over and along caliche rock ledges.  Some sections are littered with rubble-ly piles of limestone that turns to slippery marbles when wet.  Most trails wind along creeks, which are either dried up or gushing, depending on whether Austin is in a drought or a flood.  Extreme mountain bikers hate it when hikers or "regular" mountain biking folks "groom" the trail.  "Grooming" is when novices or other intruders move rocks aside to keep the trail smooth.  Almost all of the extreme trails in Austin were built by the "inner circle" extreme riders.  They've worked hard to make the trails challenging and fun, so they don't appreciate when Sunday strollers and cruisers adopt their trails and change them.

If you're not in tip-top physical condition with a high-end bike, stay away from the extreme trails.  You would spend most of your time walking and carrying your bike.  Extreme mountain bikers in Austin ride approximately 20 miles of grueling up and down single track at least 3-4 days per week.

Kinder, gentler mountain biking trails can also be found in the Austin Texas area.  The Barton Hills greenbelt, Walnut Creek greenbelt and many other areas provide miles of smoother trails with fewer rocks and ledges.

The Old Pecan Street Festival hits Austin, Texas this weekend, September 26-27, 2009.  Temperatures are already in the 90's, and there isn't much breeze, so wear light clothing and plenty of sunscreen.  I found parking in the Convention Center garage at 5th and Brazos (southeast corner).  UT gameday traffic is heavy right now, so you may want to wait until it clears out in about an hour.  If you go tomorrow, I recommend that you get there early.  We arrived at 10:50 am this morning, and all the booths were open.  Get there by 10:30 am tomorrow morning, and you'll beat the crowds.

This year's Pecan Street Festival offers plenty of shopping and food.  We didn't stay long enough to enjoy the entertainment but with plenty of stages, the music will be great as well.  I was impressed with the prices for plenty of homemade arts and crafts.  If you like to do your Christmas shopping early, bring your wallet and select from a variety of unique presents.  Evidently, pooches are welcome downtown on a leash, but I felt a little sorry for them in the heat!  Maybe the breeze will pick up later this afternoon.

My favorite real estate vehicle was my giant, gas guzzling, V-8 Toyota Sequoia SUV.  It was stealth real estate agent silver with no identifiable markings (I'm a bit of an aggressive driver, so I have to blend.)  One cool feature of this car was that it had extra large, extra cozy second row seating.  The leather was firm enough but also smooth and inviting.  The ride was very quiet, and the second row seating was far enough away from the driver that you truly felt as though you were gliding along in first class seating.

Enter the real estate buyer.  If I had a single buyer, they rode up front with me.  We both remained alert and focused on the task at hand:  Find the right home and buy it today!  The problem arose when I worked with a married couple.  Most of the time, the husband politely offered the front seat to his wife, while he climbed into my luxurious, quiet back seat.  Can you guess what happened?

Yep, that's right.  Many a husband has snoozed his way right through the home buying process because he fell asleep in my back seat.  I've had snorers, purrers, raspers and droolers back there.  And, you know, the wife and I have never had any problems finding a home while the cats napped.

Oh, I miss that big old beast of a car that could barrel across town and still rock buyers to sleep!

Ever wondered where all those old sayings came from?  Hannah from PA shares these origins.  Enjoy!

Yesterday, I had the privilege of attending Mo Anderson's Associate Leadership Council Clinic in Austin, Texas.  I am new to Keller Williams, so this was only the second time I've been exposed to Mo.  I heard her speak at Mega Camp last month just days after I switched to KW.  I thought I would share some of what I learned in case it helps anyone here.

Mo focused on helping real estate agents get the most out of their real estate businesses.  Even though this was a training for how to conduct the ALC for the market center, Mo stressed that it's really about helping top KW agents be their best so that they can truly be role models to all of the agents in the office.  I liked her ideas because if you follow her suggestions, you WILL be a successful agent.

Mo would like us to make KW growth our first responsibility.  She says that KW agents should all receive their part of the "gift."  The "gift" is profit share.  How can you receive your part of the gift?  Mo says:  refer 15 agents who join within 5 years.  I really got excited about this idea because I had just heard Jay Pappasan go over the details of how much passive income you can receive from having just 10 - 15 agents in your down line.  When I was with EXIT Realty, I sponsored in over 20 agents in 3 years.  EXIT is single level, so it's instant gratification but there's no long term return.  I can't wait to refer just 15 agents to KW.  I think I can do that in one year, and I'd like to do it by the end of this year!

Mo's dialogue is simple.  Just say this to your coop agents or agents you meet at social/business events/tours:  "I just love my office.  Have you ever met my team leader?  Hey, I know you're not going anywhere, but you just have to meet my team leader.  You need to know her (him).  Could I have my team leader call you?"  This dialogue actually came from a KW agent who used it successfully to earn hundreds of thousands of dollars in profit sharing.  (I'm sorry, I didn't take good enough notes to be able to quote her name and exact story.)  Mo's point was that this agent did not have especially high production and wasn't a particularly outgoing type of person.  Anyone can use this dialogue - it's very non-threatening.  It's up to KW team leaders to "recruit."  All you have to do is build relationships and BE NICE to your fellow agents.

Mo's second topic was agent productivity.  She suggested that top-producing agents in each KW office should get together, mastermind and support each other in reaching their production goals.  She likes to see agent goal numbers posted so that everyone knows what each other is trying to achieve.  Her main point was that ALC agents should have high intentions and make a sincere effort using intelligent direction and skillful execution.  Intelligent direction means following the MREA model!

I didn't like this next topic but you can't deny that profitability is crucial to any real estate agent's business.  Mo wants us all to be able to accurately project our net income by tracking and taking a look at our monthly P & L's.

Mo's last topic focused on company culture and making sure that KW is a company that agents never want to leave.  Well, I just got here, Mo, and I don't have any plans to leave!  Mo says BE NICE, behave in public and practice a random act of kindness every day.

Best deal on Hunters Pass Lot #620 in the Apache Shores subdivision in Austin, Texas.  This lot is over one half acre and has outstanding, panoramic hill country views.  Build your dream home within 20 miles of Downtown Austin.

Enjoy access to Lake Austin through the private homeowners' park in Apache Shores where you can launch your boat, tie up to a day dock, fish, swim and picnic.

This lot is located on one of the most beautiful streets in Apache Shores where you will find most homes were built in the last few years.  The larger size of this lot allows you plenty of privacy from your neighbors and backs to a greenbelt where you will overlook a dense, wooded area.

The lot has 3 terraced areas where you can choose your building site.  If you build on the middle tier, your home will be set back off the street, will still be high enough for stunning views, and you'll have a large terrace below for your spacious backyard.  This is a hard to find contour for a lot with views for miles!  The best part is the price:  $29,900 for a recently cleared lot.

Click here for detailed listing information and additional photos.

The most essential real estate tool is the least expensive.  In fact, you may still be able to find it on sale amongst Walmart's back to school supplies.  The most essential real estate tool is a simple, spiral-bound notebook.  (If you don't like the metal spiral binding, you can use the cloth-bound - whatever will hold those pages together forever).

I am married to the "absent-minded professor."  My husband does not appear to be an organized person and still doesn't think about cleaning up after himself.  He has many other wonderful qualities but you just wouldn't want him to be in charge of re-organizing your closet.  However, I learned the most valuable organizational tool from this man right at the beginning of my real estate career.

I think of myself as fairly organized, and I'm very good at writing things down to help.  In real estate, we have to do a lot of remembering and a lot of writing down.  Well, I did what the typical agent does.  I wrote phone messages on sticky notes.  Isn't that what they are for??  I used separate file folders for each client and kept my notes on the clients in each folder.  It made logical sense to me.  BUT, it drove me crazy.

Here's what happened.  In real estate, you don't sit at the same desk every day from 9 to 5.  You drive around, you sit down at the title company and do some work, you go to the office and sit at a desk there and you come back home and sit in your home office.  It's when you are away from those files and sticky notes that the phone call comes in from a client who has a question - and the answer is at home in your files.  Or, you need to call someone who just left you a message that you wrote on that sticky note and hadn't had a chance to input it in your phone yet.

I guess if you're a super fast typist on a tiny keyboard, you could ditch the paper files and notes alltogether and always take your notes on your smart phone.  In fact, I'm pretty diligent about going straight to an electronic format.  Still, I get busy.  Maybe I'm talking on my smart phone when I need to jot down some notes!  I don't know about you... but I'm not paperless, yet!

In comes the most essential real estate tool.  My husband said:  Keep all your notes in one place.

You will find that the most essential real estate tool is a simple, spiral-bound (or cloth-bound) notebook.  Because we are open to a lot of legal liability in real estate, it is imperative that we keep very good documentation at all times.  In addition, this documentation will help you stay organized!  Get in the habit of writing down everything in ONE PLACE.  This one place should be a bound spiral or notebook that you can label with a date range once you have used it up and go on to another blank spiral.  Write EVERYTHING in this notebook.  Avoid sticky notes and phone message pads.  Instead, write phone numbers and notes in your ONE notebook.  Carry this notebook with you everywhere, and do not lose it.

I have 10 years worth of spiral notebooks in my file cabinet.  Boy have they come in handy!  I write all my "to-do" lists in these.  I can find any old phone number simply by remembering the approximate date I last used it.  I can find any old notes on a house I listed because it's all in one place.  I jot down notes during phone calls that turn contentious - just in case.  I've even saved my clients money at the closing table or cleared up potential confusion when I've been able to pull out my notebook and read my notes from phone calls where agents said certain things would happen before closing.

While I don't carry all my notebooks with me, I have found that just having the latest one in my possession at all times keeps me super organized.  I seldom need the older notebooks but have them just in case.  Of course I still keep an electronic database of contact information, and I have client folders.  But, the initial information usually starts out in my most essential real estate tool - the spiral notebook.

Taking photos of the front of a home:

• Take lots of photos from several angles so you can choose the best later.
• A cloudy day or light behind you is best.
• Avoid shooting from the garage angle but include garage if there is one.
• Get the whole house but not the neighbors' houses.
• Include the front door in the photo if possible.
• Shoot between trees but include trees.
• Crop out street, dry grass patches & too much sky.
• No cars, pets, people, toys, mailboxes, yard signs, etc.
• Update photos to show the current season.
• Make sure everything looks fresh & manicured.

Taking photos of interior rooms:

• Turn on all the lights.
• Get as much of the room in the picture as possible.
• Take pictures only of furnished rooms.
• No people, pets, clutter, kid's photos/names, etc.

Taking photos of land or views:

• Have an interesting feature as a focal point:  plant, post, rock, etc.
• Do not zoom in on views - show the real thing!
• Crop photos as needed.
• Greener greens and bluer blues are best - sunny day and lushest landscaping.

Posting photos on the MLS:

• Post photos when the listing is first entered.
• You should include a front photo of the property.
• Place your photos in order:  1. Front, 2. Best Feature, 3. Best Main Rooms.
• Post as many GOOD photos as possible.
• Don't repeat same or similar photos.
• Post appropriately-sized photos.
• Include comments that explain benefits or use to potential buyer.

The time to buy a home in Austin Texas is now!  Home prices in Austin Texas have remained relatively steady compared to the rest of the US.  Local buyers seem to be waiting for Austin to experience a "crash" in home prices or a flood of foreclosed properties.  I don't see that happening.  Austin remains in the top ten desired places to live, and the population continues to increase.  Even 100 degree summer heat didn't keep buyers away this summer!

Some savvy home buyers in Austin have already taken advantage of the $8000 tax credit by purchasing their bargain homes this summer.  What are you waiting for?  This may be your last chance to buy at low prices and ridiculously low interest rates.  What if you bought a home now and the prices went down in the coming months?  If interest rates rise, you could still be way ahead in your quest for a bargain.  Did you know that a 2% rise in interest rates is equivalent to a 20% increase in purchase price if you are buying an average priced home in Austin?  I'm not a mathematician, but just the few numbers I've given you in this paragraph should be enough to convince you that a real estate purchase is probably a really good bet right now!

I love shopping for homes in the fall and winter in Austin Texas because most home buyers and investors are busy with kids at school, football games and holidays.  You'll have less competition when you find that perfect bargain.  Still, you need to be prepared to move quickly when a good deal comes on the market.  Be ready by getting your mortgage pre-approval letter in hand.  Just like fishing, when the big one hits your lure, you can't be slow to reel it in, and you must have your net handy.  In any real estate market, a well-priced, high value home is going to sell quickly to the most prepared and willing buyer.

Here's ONE example of a bargain deal in Austin Texas right now.  This solidly built home is dated on the inside but priced appropriately.  It's located less than one block from Lake Travis, with lake access and boat ramp is available.  Less than 20 miles from Downtown Austin!  And the price?  Just $150,000 for over 1500 square feet of living space.  Click here for more details.

Here's a chance to own a cool, contemporary, waterfront home in Lakeway, Texas on Lake Travis.  This immaculate waterfront home offers breathtaking views of Lake Travis from almost every room.  It features soaring ceilings with walls of windows for panoramic views.  Completely updated with stunning marble floors, granite counters, updated fixtures, stainless appliances, you'll appreciate all the modern conveniences you want set in an established waterfront community in Lakeway.

 This home features enormous living spaces and an open plan that truly makes it perfect for entertaining.  Your guests will be delighted with the fun, retro flavor of this home and impressed with its elegance.  You'll enjoy living in a unique, architectural stand-out for the incredibly low price of $1,050,000.  This is a bargain for a home that includes its own private boat dock accessed by your private stone walk way right out your back yard.  Why the low price?  Lake Travis is currently 50 feet lower than full pool elevation.  Historically, this has only happened one other time.  So, the boat dock is dry right now and awaiting some of that infamous Texas flooding rain.  It will come.  It's just a matter of time.  Meanwhile, you could pick up a bargain while other buyers turn up their noses.

What I love about this home is its uniqueness and fun atmosphere but also the fact that it is BIG.  With over 4000 square feet of living, all the rooms are Texas-sized.  Even the decks are expansive.  I also love all the extras - a wine cellar, sub zero refrigerator, 4 full bedrooms, awesome master closet with tons of built-ins.  Oh, and did I mention the views?  Even with the lake low, it's still picture perfect out all these windows.  Plus, you can still launch your boat just down the street at the Lakeway Marina.

Click here to see 25 photos of this home!