Hyde Park is an Austin Texas neighborhood that dates back to the late 1800s.  Founded in 1891, the neighborhood was designed with its own streetcar line and an artificial lake, making it commutable for those working downtown and offering a lifestyle that Texans were looking for in a suburb.  The original homes that were built in Hyde Park were opulent and designed for the affluent Austin community.  As time went on the vision of Hyde Park changed and was marketed to the average citizen. 

Over the years Hyde Park has grown to be one of the most populated neighborhoods in Austin, complete with its own association and its own newspaper.  The Pecan Press is put out monthly by the Hyde Park Neighborhood Association and hand-delivered to each residence.  Each issue of the Pecan Press updates residents with happenings in the area, minutes from the HPNA meetings, any issues that affect the neighborhood and advertising from local businesses.

Hyde Park represents one of the first true suburbs of Austin.  If you would like to learn more about this Austin Texas neighborhood or any other neighborhood please contact me today.  Austin is a city rich with history, offering a diverse population and unique neighborhoods.

Click here to visit the website for the Hyde Park Neighborhood Association.

Contact Todd Smith today for up to date information about Austin Texas real estate as well as free access to the Austin Texas MLS and all properties currently for sale in the Austin area.

If you are selling your Austin Texas home there are some things to consider if you are leaving it empty.  Today there are more empty homes for sale than usual as many people have moved on to new homes before selling their old homes.  What poses the most risk to a seller is insurance on an empty home.  Home owners insurance is meant for primary, lived-in homes and leaving your Austin home empty and un-lived in could mean an insurance risk.  It may be a good idea to contact your insurance company to make sure that your empty home is covered.

There are many things to consider when selling your Austin real estate, insurance coverage being just one aspect.  If you would like to learn more about what is involved in selling and marketing your Austin home please contact me today for a free consultation.

Click here to read the full report from RIS Media regarding the importance of insuring your empty Austin home.

Contact Todd Smith today for up to date information about Austin Texas real estate as well as free access to the Austin Texas MLS and all properties currently for sale in the Austin area.

Round Rock Texas is a great place for families, so great in fact that it was named by Family Circle magazine as a top town for families.  What makes this Austin Texas suburb so great for families?  It has miles of trails, great schools, affordable homes and a low crime rate to name a few key ingredients.

Round Rock is affectionately known as the sports capital of Texas, providing ample playing fields for soccer and baseball, miles of hiking and biking trails, a number of tennis courts and ample open space.  The town of Round Rock also has a huge heart, with many individuals and businesses taking part in the Partners in Education foundation which raises a great deal of money for local education. Located 20 miles from Austin Texas, Round Rock is a family friendly town, offering a healthy and safe lifestyle, as discovered by the magazine’s investigators.

Contact me today to learn more about Round Rock and the real estate opportunities that exist there.

Click here to read Family Circle’s report on Round Rock Texas.

Contact Todd Smith today for up to date information about Austin Texas real estate as well as free access to the Austin Texas MLS and all properties currently for sale in the Austin area.

The volume in Austin home sales dropped a bit in June compared with a year ago but the change is neither catastrophic nor unexpected.  The expiration of the home buyer tax credit was expected to affect the sales volume of Austin real estate, but the drop in June sales was only 4% compared with June 2009.

Summer in Austin Texas typically sees a small drop in home sales.  Last June was the height of the first time home buyer tax credit and the biggest month of real estate sales in Austin in 2009.  The small decrease in volume compared with a year ago appears even smaller when able to examine historical data and compare it with what was going on during the middle of our great recession.

A positive for Austin real estate is that the average number of days that it takes to sell a home has decreased.  The average days on market (DOM) has been steadily decreasing for six months now.

Please contact me today for an in-depth look at Austin real estate and get to know our wonderful Central Texas area and the neighborhoods that surround Austin.

Contact Todd Smith today for up to date information about Austin Texas real estate as well as free access to the Austin Texas MLS and all properties currently for sale in the Austin area.

Do you know what your Austin Texas real estate is worth?  Technically a home is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it, no matter what you price it at.  When you are trying to price your Austin home you want it to sell.  Pricing a home too high can deter potential home buyers from looking at it.  When you decide to sell your Austin home it is a good idea to use the guidance of a qualified real estate professional who will use his expertise to help price your Austin Texas property appropriately.

The first thing a Realtor will do when looking at your real estate is conduct a comparative market analysis (CMA).  A CMA is a standard way to price real estate to sell.  When doing a CMA to price a home a broker or individual will examine the current Austin real estate market, evaluate what is selling for what and averaging the price per square foot.  Of course certain factors can affect the price of a given home, its condition, neighborhood, and upgrades to name a few.

When demand is high and inventory is low, a house could very easily sell for more than its value.  Similarly, when the market is suffering, demand is low and inventory is high, houses stay on the market longer and often go for below asking price.  In any circumstance if you want to sell your home in a timely manner your best bet is to price it fairly.  A qualified real estate professional can price your home appropriately, but in the end it will come down to what someone is willing to pay.

Contact me today for a free consultation on selling your Austin home and get the process rolling in a positive direction.

Contact Todd Smith today for up to date information about Austin Texas real estate as well as free access to the Austin Texas MLS and all properties currently for sale in the Austin area.

Austin Texas is a city of walkable neighborhoods, and walkability has become a priority when it comes to looking for a home these days.  While good schools, amenities, and low crime levels still weigh heavily, the ability to walk within a community has achieved a level of importance that helps to maintain property values and attract potential home buyers.  Many areas even have a “walk score”.  When it comes to Austin Texas real estate it makes sense to use a real estate professional who knows the different areas and can help find a home with a good “walk score”.

When looking for the ideal Austin property a potential home buyer may want to know what restaurants, shops and amenities are located within walking distance.  There is also a great deal of open space in Austin and being able to get connected to the trail system from your home is quite an asset.

Learn more about Austin and its walkability by contacting me today.  Austin Texas is a unique city with a great deal of personality and matching the ideal neighborhood with each individual home buyer is my specialty.

Contact Todd Smith today for up to date information about Austin Texas real estate as well as free access to the Austin Texas MLS and all properties currently for sale in the Austin area.

Austin Texas is seemingly recession-proof.  The latest examination of 100 of the largest metropolitan areas across the United States examined data, statistics and more to compile a list of ten recession-proof cities and Austin is one of them.  In fact three out of the ten cities are from Texas.  In addition to Austin, Dallas and Houston are also on the list.  Austin is number three on the list, behind Albany NY and Augusta GA.

What appears to make these ten cities recession-proof are two main characteristics:  none of the cities on the list were caught up in a housing bubble and none rely on the automobile industry for their economies.

Austin Texas has a lot going for it, its economy is diverse and it is dedicated to changing with the times and attracting new business.  If you are interested in relocating to Austin Texas contact me today to learn more about life here and what opportunities exist.  Click here to read a recent article from Realtor Magazine and view the list of the 10 recession-proof cities.

Contact Todd Smith today for up to date information about Austin Texas real estate as well as free access to the Austin Texas MLS and all properties currently for sale in the Austin area.

Leander Texas has recently received Hollywood attention.  A movie titled “Dadgum, Texas” chose Leander as a location for some of its scenes, thanks to the Texas Film Commission program “Film Friendly Texas”.  The “Film Friendly Texas” program is helping to make smaller Texas communities prepared for issues that may arise during the filming of movies, television programs or commercials.

There is no better exposure or advertising than that offered by Hollywood and the choice to use Leander as a film location was great PR for the city that lies five miles north of Austin Texas.  The film will be released sometime next year and will surely be a draw to Leander’s residents as well as to those from all around the Austin Texas area.

Contact Todd Smith today for up to date information about Austin Texas real estate as well as free access to the Austin Texas MLS and all properties currently for sale in the Austin area.

Austin Texas is a great place for a second home.  The unique Texas city is not just the state’s capital but is widely known for music, one-of-a-kind shopping, dining and more.  Austin has recently been noted as being the top metropolitan area out of the 100  largest metro areas in the United States as well.

A recent article in USA Today Travel points out how Austin Texas has revitalized its downtown and how the city has chosen to buck a national trend of “big box” stores and has remained a mecca for unique shops and restaurants.  For those who enjoy music Austin is the place to be, know as the “Live Music Capital of the World”, with music festivals and live performances occurring consistently and constantly.

In addition to a fabulous downtown Austin Texas also has some fabulous lakes that provide an excellent environment for a second home.  In a nutshell if you like a city with a small town feel, live music, a great quality of life, and an aversion to “big box” and chain stores, Austin could be your perfect getaway city.

Click here to read a recent article from USA Today regarding Austin Texas and all that it has to offer.

Contact Todd Smith today for up to date information about Austin Texas real estate as well as free access to the Austin Texas MLS and all properties currently for sale in the Austin area.

Texas is looking good according to all reports and Austin is topping that list.  As far as job reports go, Austin is one hot metro area.  A release of data from the Texas Workforce Commission and the US Department of Labor Statistics shows that Austin created the most jobs in May, year over year, with an increase of .5%.  When examining the top 50 metropolitan areas of the United States, Austin Texas is ranked number one for job creation, for non-farm jobs, and is the overall best performing city.

The recession has taken its toll and the road to recovery is a slow one but Austin’s performance is being noticed and noted.  The capital city has been attracting technology jobs, as well as those in the health, education and government sectors.

Contact me today for information on relocating to Austin Texas and learning more about the opportunities that exist here.

Click here to read a recent article regarding the Central Texas economy.

Contact Todd Smith today for up to date information about Austin Texas real estate as well as free access to the Austin Texas MLS and all properties currently for sale in the Austin area.