1. Hire a real estate agent who will be HONEST with you and then LISTEN to your agent.
2. If possible, agree to use the same agent to buy your next house or let the agent do a referral to an agent in you destination city before asking the agent for any kind of commission discount. Keep in mind that your agent needs to earn a living and has up front marketing expenses plus you want to be your agent’s first priority.
3. Price your house at your bare bones rock bottom price from day 1 with a comment directed to the Buyer that “If you need closing costs paid, please add to price.” This will get your property shown to more buyers and create a sense of urgency in the Buyer’s Agent and their Client.
4. Your house must show like a Builder’s Model Home because Builder Homes are your main competition. Have yard sales, donate unused items and/or rent storage space to de-clutter your home.
5. Ask your agent to help you with staging and furniture arrangement and put excess furniture in storage. Use throws and throw pillows to camouflage worn furniture.
6. Replace burnt out light bulbs and use the maximum wattage bulbs allowed by your light fixtures.
7. DO all those minor repairs that you have been meaning to get to.
8. CLEAN EVERYTHING. Your home needs to sparkle!
9. Remove (and replace if necessary) anything that is attached to the home that you do not want to include in the sale.
10. Offer a Home Warranty. Your Seller’s coverage is free unless you use it and your Seller’s coverage could save you money when inspections are done and repair issues are found. Chances are that your Buyer will request a Home Warranty so you might as well benefit from it.
11. When you get an offer, have your agent speak with the Buyer’s Agent and the Buyer’s Lender before negotiating and/or signing an offer. If you get more than one offer, work with the Buyer who is strongest financially even though the strongest Buyer may not have offered the highest price. Today the challenge is getting a house closed in a timely manner once it is under contract.
12. Do NOT enter into a contract to buy another house until your house is under contract and preferably past the option period.
13. Do NOT schedule the closing of your current house and the purchase of your new home on the same day. Closings are not running as smoothly as they did 2 years ago. Have contingency plans. Keep in mind that the containerized moving companies such as “Pods” or “Pack Rats” offer one month free storage.

There is very little certainty in this economy because there are so many unknown factors. It may surprise you to know that a landlord’s foreclosed home in Cedar Park can cause a renter to be evicted. Here is what is known.

1. You have to live somewhere.
2. Cedar Park home mortgage rates are the lowest they have been in years.
3. Texas and particularly Austin is doing better economically than the rest of the country and Cedar Park is doing as well or better than Austin.
4. Owning a Cedar Park home puts you in a position to itemize your deductions on your federal income tax, which gives most people greater deductions (check with your tax preparer).
5. Most of the homes in Cedar Park and Leander are newer compared to Austin.
6. The new 183-toll road has made commuting to Austin much faster and more predictable even if you don’t take the toll road.
7. The IRS is offering a $7500 interest free loan to “1^st time home buyers” with a $500 per year payback over 15 years as long as the buyer completes the home purchase before the end of June 2009.
8. You only need a 3.5% down payment for a 30 year fixed rate FHA loan and properties in certain parts of Leander are eligible for a zero down U. S. Department of Agriculture loan.

If you are currently renting, have a stable job situation and plan on staying in the area for at least 5 years, contact me and let’s explore whether buying a home in Cedar Park or Leander this Spring is the right choice for you.