in this issue…
Putting a Face on Real Estate since 1995™
• WCAoR Golf Tournament • Austin Title Open House • Rough Hollow’s Highlands Village Ground Breaking • and much, much more!
Associates in Progress
100%
Commissions Page 15
page 25
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JULY 2011 • VOLUME 16 • ISSUE 3
www.privatelablerealty.com
Selling Quality of Life, Why Your Buyers Want to Live Here
Upcoming Events
have many choices, not only in the home or area they choose, but also the lifestyle.
Thursday, July 21 TREPAC REALTOR Night with Round Rock Express - Dell Diamond - 5 p.m.
By Stacy Stroud
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ustin has one of the healthiest real estate markets in the country, and it’s easy to see why. Our city consistently ranks among US cities with the highest quality of life, and has even been named “Best City for the Next Decade” by Kiplinger Personal Finance. A recent study by Portfolio.com/ bizjournals cited, among other factors, our strong population growth, well-rounded economy, healthy job market, impressive housing stocks and moderate cost of living as its basis for ranking Austin as having the ninth best quality of life in the US. Austin buyers
Selling the City: Get the Facts While it’s safe to say that the word is out about Austin being a great place to live, it’s helpful to have a handful of the latest stats handy to seal the deal with clients who are considering relocating. Here are a few of our favorite reasons to call Austin home:
Healthy Job Market Even in the down economy, unemployment in the Austin area has remained steadily below state and national rates. Meanwhile our wages have grown faster than anywhere else in the state. Austin ranked as 2010’s best city for job growth on Monster.com, thanks to its “favorable business environment, growing clean energy and technology initiatives, and collaboration between university and business researchers.” Austin is also an entrepreneurfriendly city, with more than 40,000 small businesses in Central Texas.
Healthy Population Living in Austin could be good for your health. Last year, Austin ranked No. 10 on the American College of Sports Medicine’s American Fitness Index. With its large number of parks, nearby hill country and young, active population, our city was also ranked the second most walking city in America several years ago by Prevention magazine, with seven percent of Austinites walking to work. Austin is also set to experience some healthy growth. Population is up 32 percent since 2000, and predicted to grow to three million by 2030, which is good news for the housing market in the long term despite recent decreases in sales volume. “Our real estate values have continued to appreciate, which indicates long–term strength in Austin’s real estate market,” said Judith Bundschuh, Chairman of the Austin Board of Realtors.
The Cool Factor Sadly, no, we don’t mean the weather— though the abundance of sunny days is a plus. No matter who you are or what your interests are, there’s always something to do or appreciate in Austin. With over 100 music venues, Austin is known as the “Live Music Capital of the World.” The city is home to two of the largest music festivals in the US, Austin City Limits Music Festival and South by Southwest. The Mother Nature Network has named Austin as one of the nation’s 10 greenest cities for its Climate Protection Program, a plan to go carbon-neutral by 2020, and because Austin Energy is the largest provider of renewable energy in the US. The city’s culture is defined by its eclecticism, and that goes for the neighborhoods as well. Wherever you roam with your clients, from funky SoCo to lively downtown with its growing development, up to homey Hyde Park or down south to Circle C, there’s a perfect neighborhood for every personality or family type.
Selling Austin’s Communities The lifestyles of Austinites are as diverse as the city itself, so once you have an idea of the general area your client needs to work and wants to live, it’s time to find out how they like to play. Do they have young children? What are their hobbies? Do they spend a lot of time at home and enjoy privacy, or do they like to get out into the community and mix it up with other families? These days, with gas prices on the rise and a growing population jamming up MoPac and I-35, many Austinites prefer to close the distance between work and play. For young professionals and singles, mixeduse developments like The Domain combine residential, commercial and retail development in an urban setting.
Wednesday, July 20 NAHREP Monthly Luncheon Cool River Café - 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
HBA Builder/Association Networking Social - HBA - 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 26 CCIM Networking Social TBD - 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, July 28 WCR Business Resource Meeting Cool River Café - 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, August 11 Capital Title Grand Opening Austin Office - 5 to 9 p.m. Monday, August 15 CRS Monthly Meeting Westwood Country Club - 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. More at www.myRealtyLine.com Master-planned communities are becoming more popular with homeowners of all ages. Unlike the traditional subdivision, these neighborhoods are focused on community, with a blend of housing styles, recreational activities, and amenities. The concept is to return residential development to the way neighborhoods used to be before suburban sprawl and a new focus on the automobile created the subdivision. The main difference between master-planned communities and traditional subdivision developments is that most master-planned communities include schools, parks, pools, restaurants, shops and green spaces throughout, reducing the need to drive very far for the things you need. What do your clients like to do on the weekends? What is their focus in life? Vaike O’Grady
Front Page: Continued on pg. 12