Why You Should Protest Your Travis County Property Taxes
May 25, 2011
Every year your property is assessed and the taxes that you pay for the year are determined. This magic number comes from multplying your property tax rate and your assessed value. What do you do when you feel that your property is being taxed too high? You protest the value. But how?
The County Appraiser’s Office usually outsources the task to to come up with how much your property is worth. This number is usually way off and not often in your benefit as a homeowner. Many people incorrectly assume that when their property has increased in the tax assessment that it also means their property has appreciated. In reality, the assessed value and your market value are completely separate valuations.
Your property value in real life can be determined with a properly-prepared CMA (Comparative Market Analysis). A CMA is a good measure of how much your property should be assessed for because it will show the value which “will bring a ready and willing buyer” and it will show recent comps (real estate that is comparable to your property that has sold within the past few months.) That is very important and has to be taken in consideration during assessment protests.
In Travis County, you can protest your property taxes using two arguments: by citing the valuation of “equity” or the valuation of comps. A good example of how to win your tax protest based on the “equity” argument would be if you live in a condo, and your neighbors unit which is exactly identical to yours was appraised for a lesser value.
To protest your taxes based on market value, you will need a detailed CMA with recent comps (homes that are comparable to yours that have sold as recent as possible to the tax period.)
As a Texas Realtor, I will always will prepare your CMA for free to determine the real value of your property. This is a great investment because it has the potential to save you hundreds or possibly thousands of dollars every year in excess property taxes.
Read this article on how I managed to save 225% in property taxes for my own business:
http://www.kcbd.com/story/10630561/hotel-owners-fight-225-tax-appraisal-hike?clienttype=printable
Round Rock Community Open House on July 18, 2010
July 13, 2010
Following the success of the Teravista event, we are once-again joining up with other real estate brokers in Round Rock West, Creekmont West and Cimarron to host a community-wide open house! Large-scale events like this are exciting, and they provide home sellers with increased exposure and traffic. The more traffic a home gets while it’s on the market, the greater the likelihood of it selling.
There are 13 Open Houses scheduled to be on the tour, all of which are in the highly-regarded Round Rock school district.
Round Rock Open Houses – July 18, 2010
706 Riverlawn Dr
2606 Hunlac Cove
1611 Messick Loop
2013 Shadowbrook
1902 Creekview Dr
1607 Blanchard Dr
1607 Scenic Loop
1101 Aqualine Cv
1003 Crestview St
608 Lake Creek Dr
1202 Saint Williams Ave
1008 Bluff Dr
907 Blue Jay Way
Be sure to come out this weekend for a wonderful opportunity to see 12 open houses, and see a great sampling of the homes that are available in these areas. We will have refreshments at our listing, 706 Riverlawn Dr, and I’m sure other brokers will be doing the same. See you on Sunday from 1-4pm!
Where: Creekmont West, Round Rock West, Cimarron
When: Sunday, July 18, 2010 from 1-4pm
NACA Program Helps Low to Moderate Income Families Achieve Home Ownership
July 7, 2010
In addition to loan programs like Bond 77 and USDA financing, there is yet another program that is out there for the consumer in need of assistance buying a home. NACA, a non-profit organization and consumer advocate, offers free services to the consumer. NACA offers both a Purchase Program and a Home Saver Program. Best part: it’s all free.
NACA Purchase Program
The Purchase Program is for the low to moderate income community. It offers loans with no down payment, no closing cost fees, no fees whatsoever! The NACA Purchase Program is funded with $10 billion dollars in mortgage money to loan to consumers. Interest rates are competitive, and can even be below the current market rate. NACA works particularly well with new home builders. Since NACA loans carry no fees, require no down payment, and have no closing costs, any and all of the incentive money that builders offer can be put toward rate buydowns to even further lower the cost of home ownership. Based on a 40 percent debt to income ratio, the mortgage company will only approve what a consumer can afford. NACA will also approve loans with less than perfect credit. For consumers who are really serious and want to purchase a home of their dreams, but have been stonewalled by typical buyer restrictions, this mortgage program could be just for you.
NACA Home Saver Program
For those who fell victim to predatory loans or perhaps are caught upside-down.or are otherwise having trouble keeping up with their mortgage payments, the NACA Home Saver Program may be the solution for you.
How To Qualify for NACA Programs
If you are interested in these programs, or would like additional details regarding how to qualify, please do not hesitate to contact Allan Mexas for more information. Allan is here to help you achieve your homeownership goals, and to make you a more informed consumer.
Teravista Community Open House: A Huge Success!
June 28, 2010
Thank you to all who helped make the Teravista Community-Wide Open House a huge success. We had an unbelievable turnout! We would like to thank the event sponsors: John McClellan with Supreme Lending, Laurie Nunnallee with First American Title and Nunnallee Inspections, and also Newland Properties for providing The Ranch House as a venue for visitors to relax in the shade.
We were excited for the opportunity to help bring together all of the community for an event of this scale. Our contributions at Team Ensor included submitting a press release, organizing the list of homes to be held open with other Realtors, promoting it on a local radio show, and placing ads in the Statesman. We believe that anything we can do to increase the traffic for our Teravista home for sale is a worthwhile endeavor!
Here’s some pics we took as we were just setting up at The Ranch House:
Builders and Realtors to Host Community-Wide Open House in Teravista on Sunday, June 27, 2010
June 23, 2010
Teravista Community Open House to Showcase 40 (yes, forty!) Homes
Realtors and new home builders are teaming up together to host a community-wide open house this Sunday, June 27, 2010 from 1-4pm in Teravista, a golf course community in Round Rock, Texas.
Excerpt taken from our Press Release on the event:
“In Teravista, homes are listed for sale by numerous Round Rock real estate brokerages and agents. Today’s modern real estate brokerage understands the power of a team effort, and will often participate in collective efforts such as this to help their sellers home get noticed. “It is a buyers market, and sellers desperately need exposure to get their home sold. This is a wonderful way to get that exposure.” said Shannon Ensor, principal of Team Ensor at Sky Realty.”
Developer, Lender Show Their Support
Newland Communities, the developer for Teravista, has expressed an interest as a result of our marketing efforts, and we are thrilled to have their participation. Newland will be providing us with use of The Ranch House at Teravista as a place for visitors to relax, and John McClellan of Supreme Lending will be providing a free BBQ lunch. Lender representatives will be on-site to answer mortgage-related questions and to pre-qualify any potential buyers.
List of Participating Teravista Homes For Sale
Below is the growing list of Teravista homes for sale that are going to be open to the public. All prices are deemed to be accurate but are not guaranteed:
| Property Address | List Price | Listing Agent / Builder Representative |
| 1694 Greenside Trail | $187,000 | Shannon Ensor, Sky Realty | Team Ensor |
| 1712 Greenside Trail | $258,192 | Centex Homes |
| 1713 Stonehaven Lane | $219,000 | Nancy Moore, Keller Williams |
| 4215 Meadow Vista Trail | $277,900 | Carol Chafin, C-21 Summit |
| 1105 Winding Creek Place | $238,900 | Paula Thomas, Prudential Texas Realty |
| 1129 Winding Creek Place | $255,880 | Janet Murdock, J.B. Goodwin |
| 4210 Flat Stone | $176,500 | Teresa Roberson, Private Label Realty |
| 531 Centerbrook Place | $244,000 | Katherine Ditchman, Coldwell Banker United |
| 4119 Hidden View Court | $169,500 | Shelly Finleon, Canady Realty |
| 1011 Hidden View Place | $237,900 | Doug Mellen, Hill Country Lakes Realty |
| 4124 Green Vista Place | $284,900 | Pat Gunter, Re/Max, Capital City III |
| 706 Old Ravine Court | $298,000 | Sabrina Butler, Re/Max, Heart of Texas |
| 1723 Woodvista Place | $249,900 | Shannon Black-Hartzell, Market Point Realty Services |
| 1733 Woodvista Place | $260,000 | Karnika Campbell, J.B. Goodwin |
| 4300 Parkvista Trail | $319,000 | Rose Brown, 98th Meridian |
| 1607 Greenside Drive | $206,071 | D.R. Horton |
| 1616 Greenside Drive | $186,032 | D.R. Horton |
| 1618 Greenside Drive | $192,014 | D.R. Horton |
| 1620 Greenside Drive | $189,133 | D.R. Horton |
| 4210 Fairmeadow Drive | $224,990 | CastleRock Communities |
| 4235 Fairmeadow Drive | $215,330 | CastleRock Communities |
| 4237 Fairmeadow Drive | $224,520 | CastleRock Communities |
| 4215 Windberry Court | $265,283 | CastleRock Communities |
| 4284 Ridgebend Drive | $331,900 | Buffington Homes |
| 4286 Ridgebend Drive | $314,970 | Buffington Homes |
| 4297 Ridgebend Drive | $353,150 | Buffington Homes |
| 4520 Wandering Vine Trail | $239,900 | Cheri Alderman, J. Paul Real Estate |
| 4497 Wandering Vine Trail | $304,024 | Lennar |
| 2107 Green Tree Cove | $398,500 | Faith Laciste, National Agent Network |
| 1916 Kempwood Loop | $251,038 | Wilshire Homes |
| 1942 Kempwood Loop | $294,480 | Wilshire Homes |
| 4531 Monterosa Lane | $343,820 | Ryland Homes |
| 4533 Monterosa Lane | $308,169 | CastleRock Communities |
| 2013 Sunny Trail | $250,002 | Lennar |
| 1908 Summit Hill Drive | $268,082 | Lennar |
| 1910 Summit Hill Drive | $248,670 | Lennar |
| 2000 Sunny Trail | $248,270 | Lennar |
| 2008 Sunny Trail | $280,004 | Lennar |
Please contact us for additional information on the Teravista community-wide open house, and be sure to clear your calendar for this educational and fun-filled event!
Video of Home at 137 KLBJ in Smithville, Texas
June 16, 2010
Are you looking for a beautiful home in Smithville, Texas? This is the home for you. It sits on 1.5 acres with mature trees. What better way to enjoy the country afternoons.
Features Of Home at 137 KLBJ
You will find that this home has custom upgrades such as tiled counters, stainless appliances, jetted garden tub in the master bath along with a seperate shower and many more. There are walk in closets in each bedroom as well as his and her walk in closets in the master. This home spacious with vaulted ceilings.
Please visit our Bastrop Homes page for more information on this home.
Video of 137 KLBJ in Smithville, Texas
Bond 77 – The New First Time Homebuyer Loan Program
May 20, 2010
Feeling bummed out that the $8,000 Tax Credit for First Time Home Buyers has ended? Well, there is some light at the end of the tunnel. R.I.P. USDA Loans (for now!) and Tax Credit. Hello Bond 77!
What Is Bond 77?
Bond 77 is providing $500 million in tax exempt mortgage revenue bonds and sponsored by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) looks to be a viable new source for first-time low and middle income homebuyers to secure financing on primary residences. It features below-market interest rates OR (not both) down payment assistance grants in the form of second mortgages.
How Does Bond 77 Work?
Basically, a first- time homebuyer will be able to select from either a ZERO-down loan, or a mortgage with below-market rates. The down payment is actually a loan of up to 5% towards the purchase price which can include some of the closing costs. It will typically be paid back upon the subsequent sale of the home. According to my source, most of the Bond 77 dollars will be seen in conjunction with FHA loans. Existing homebuyers, if they are buying in targeted areas and meet the income limits, are also eligible for this financing.
Bond 77 For Owner-Occupied Buyers Only
Bond 77 Financing is for owner occupied single family homes, agency approved condos and planned unit developments (PUDS). It is not available for investment properties, recreational, vacation or second homes. Homebuyers are subject to income limitations and are required to complete a very short, online, homebuyer education class, which is probably something all homebuyers should be required to to do.
Austin Homes That Qualify for Bond 77 Financing
This loan program is not going to work for all first time homebuyers in Austin and it does have associated costs. It’s not a silver bullet, but if you have a first-time buyer who is really strapped for cash, take the time to check this program out. It can even be an option for a non-first time homebuyer if they are looking in a targeted area.
706 Riverlawn Dr, Round Rock, Texas 78681
May 15, 2010
Team Ensor recently listed a stunning home at 706 Riverlawn Dr! Plenty of color and warm space invites you in as you enter the front door. A loft space upstairs can be used as a second living room. Schedule an appointment to see this home today!
We're sorry, but we couldn't find MLS # 8762994 in our database. This property may be a new listing or possibly taken off the market. Please check back again.
Why Buyers Should Consider Davis Spring in North Austin
April 28, 2010
Davis Spring, located in far North Austin, offers its residents all the perks of a traditional suburban neighborhood such as a park, pool, tennis and basketball courts, and nearby public and private schools. Yet at the same time, it is closely accessible to the urban center of Austin.
Davis Spring Schools
The Davis Spring neighborhood, which was developed between 1995 and 2000, offers brick and native stone homes that range from approximately 2,000 to 3800 square feet in size. It feeds into the Round Rock Independent School District campuses of Patsy Sommer Elementary School, Cedar Valley Middle School and McNeil High School, all of which are within a few miles. Additionally, there are two private schools in the neighborhood as well, Holy Family Catholic School, and St. Dominic Savio Catholic High School.
Easy Commuting From Davis Spring in North Austin
One of the main arterial roads leading into Davis Spring, Neenah Avenue, has recently been extended west beyond Parmer Lane and eventually feeds into and becomes Lakeline Blvd. Traveling west on Neenah about a mile past Parmer Lane is the new Lakeline MetroRail Station. The MetroRail offers commuters five morning southbound trips into downtown Austin and five afternoon return trips each lasting about 50 minutes. Check the train schedule here.
In addition to light rail access, Davis Springs is within a few minutes access of the 183A Toll Road, the TX-45 Toll Road, and MoPac Expressway. With a location just east of Parmer Lane, South of Avery Ranch Blvd., and north of FM620, it truly does offer the benefits of a suburban neighborhood and the convenience of accessibility in virtually any direction.
Davis Spring Photos
Road to Austin MetroRail
Davis Spring Tennis Court
Great Way To Downtown Austin!
Swimming Pool in Davis Spring
Anyone with a weekday commute who is considering a move to north Austin will want to put Davis Spring on their shortlist of contenders for their next home address!
Photos of Buttercup Creek in Cedar Park
April 7, 2010
It’s spring-time in Buttercup Creek! The flowers are blossoming, trees are blooming, and construction of new homes are in full-gear! As a resident of Buttercup Creek, I am always on the lookout for changes in my neighborhood, and I was able to recently snap a few photos for your enjoyment:
Buttercup Creek Photos
Bluebonnets in Buttercup Creek in Cedar Park, Texas
Flowering Trees in Buttercup Creek in Cedar Park, Texas
New Home Construction by Meritage Homes in Buttercup Creek in Cedar Park, Texas
Homes in Buttercup Creek
Most notable was the rapid construction of new homes in Buttercup Creek. Meritage Homes is putting up this 2,570 square foot one-story home on the corner of Nelson Ranch and David Cove in Buttercup Creek. The picture above is one of the final-four-closeout homes that Meritage will build in Westside Preserve at Buttercup Creek. The last three homes will be built on Nancy Jean Cove and construction on those will begin soon!
Take the opportunity while the weather is still pleasant to get out and see what’s blooming in the neighborhood! Please contact me for additional information on the new Meritage Homes that are being built in Buttercup Creek, or for details about any homes for sale in Cedar Park.