“What’s going on in the market?”

Ever ask a Realtor this question at a party or social event? Surprised at the generality of the answer?

We as Realtors are taught to respect the Agent/Client relationship. If you are not formally working with an agent you are what we refer to as a customer.  In an Agent/Customer relationship there is no general understanding about the respective roles of each individual.  A Realtor sounds guarded because we are taught not to give advice that others may act on if they are not clients. Seems trivial but it is rather fairly straight forward. You might not reveal all the particulars about a property or transaction you have in mind when you ask the question. You act on agent’s thoughts and later feel you were misadvised about the state of the market. This has actually happened and as a result Realtors have been faced with having to defend themselves in law suits.

In an Agent/Client relationship there is full disclosure of motive, fiduciary responsibility of the Realtor to protect these motives and all personal information disclosed in the relationship. This fiduciary responsibility survives any contractual dates and a good, professional Realtor will make certain you are advised of these facts. Thus when advice is given it is specific and well thought out.

There are several misconceptions a professional Realtor deal with on a daily basis “every Realtor should be advising me on the market conditions” and “why should I pay a commission, I know plenty of people who want to buy my home”.

Well 1^st and foremost I am a professional and I earn a living and pay my bills by advising my clients about the sale and purchase of real estate. If I were to come into a consumer’s work place admire a particular item or service and say “great, I like that can I have it for free” I don’t think I would get a very good reception. Unfortunately this happens quite a bit in Real estate.

There is also a general misunderstanding in regards to the costs of a Real estate professional participation in a real estate transaction. Some consumers look at the commission as an inflated cost that no one agent can justify. I like to educate my clients explaining that the total commission does not reach my pocket intact. There are typically broker fees, expenses that are paid out of pocket by the agent (in 90% of the cases there is no expectation of reimbursement, even if a deal does not happen), Federal tax liabilities and regular expenses associated with maintaining license/ association memberships etc. 

It is just like every other business out there. You have a gross and a net compensation. The goal of every Realtor is to increase his/her sales to help average the costs of maintaining their license and professional designations.

Commissions are such a touchy subject with some consumers and Realtors that they tend not to talk about the costs associated with a transaction. In my business plan I have a mix of business. Client referred, repeat clients, new client associations through marketing and market exposure, Realtor/Broker referral business and 3^rd party relocation referrals. All of these types of clients are treated equally by me even though they all have some different fee structure associated with them. The goal at the end of the year is to achieve an income level that allows reinvestment back into the profession and earn a sustainable living.

There is a reason that Real estate plays such a large role in our current economy. It is not only the Realtor commissions that generates income, all of the inclinatory services from Property inspection, appraisal, title or attorney fees, mortgage lending, credit reporting, moving services, home improvement if you think about it one transaction generates a lot of momentum into the economy and it is no wonder we were in such dire straits when the markets ceased in 2009/2010.

So next time you are talking to a Realtor at a party or social gathering ask “how his/her business is going” instead of “what is happening in the market”. You might get a different response then what you are used to. And don’t be surprised if the Realtor asks if you are in the market and if so do you have an agent representing you interest. They are asking for a reason.

I wish you all the best of luck in 2014.

May your dreams come true, your goals be realized and your health well

Kind Regards,

Bob Kenney, Realtor

VP Turnquist Partners Realtors

Mobile/Text: 512-922-4922

Email: rkenney51@gmail.com

What is a CMA? Who do I ask for more information about pricing my home?

Hi Frank,

If you were in Austin Texas,  I would tell you to give me a call!

CMA stands for Comparative Market Analysis. There are a couple of avenues you can go to obtain a CMA based on available data in your area.

The most obvious is your trusted Realtor. Realtors as professionals belong to locale organizations that compile market data in your area. From this data a Realtor can pull together a comparative analysis of current properties on the market, Number of days on the market, number of homes pending waiting to be closed and number of home closed or sold.

Some people are surprised when they receive their CMA and a home 5 door’s away is not on the analysis’. I try to include close proximity homes in the comments section of the report but do not always use them for comparison. Why? When doing these analysis it is important to have as many features between your home (target home) and the comps (comparative) homes.

The CMA helps give the consumer a clear picture of what the value of his/her home is at a given time in the market. I try to stay as close to what an appraiser is going to be looking at the time the home is sold so there are not any surprises when the finale appraisal comes in for the new buyer. Appraisers try to keep sold comps to w/in 90 days of the appraisal but sometimes may have to go back further depending on activity in your area. It is not un-common to have some areas that do not have close by comps.

So SQFT, Location, age of home, construction, lot size and schools are the main things to begin an analysis’. From there you want to try to keep sold comps to w/in 3 months or 90 days. So I usually start with a SQFT range of 200 SQFT on either side of target property, Range in home age and I plug in elementary, middle and high school campuses and see what activity there is. I might add 30-60 days onto the sold’s if there are not enough comps.  Once I get a selection of listings I then start to analyze each listing and see how they compare to target. # of stories will have an effect, lot size, amenities etc.

Once the listings are narrowed down for active I repeat same for any Pending listings and sold listings. Most Realtors have a presentation method that is unique to them. I like to show the client the average, minimum and max values for the final selection. This will help guide the client as to how to price their home and help manage expectations on expected final sale price range.

If an area does not have a lot of comparables then the Realtor must expand the search area until they are able to come up with more listings to use in the analysis. This becomes a little more complicated because you then take into consideration what another community might have to offer then start making adjustments in comparison to the target property criteria (either up or down).

A second alternative to the Realtor is to hire a locale licensed appraiser to come in and do an appraisal in their format using their set criteria. Their analysis is sometime more subjective depending on the market data they have access to. In a lot of cases it may be the same source as the Realtor but they may also use other resources outside the locale real estate data base.

Whatever route you go you can see that this report entails quite a bit of work to make sure you get an accurate picture. Once you receive the CMA and go over it with your Realtor it is perfectly acceptable to ask questions, point out areas where you think the Realtor may have missed a property ( It is not uncommon for a client to have more direct knowledge about a neighbors recent sale) and let the realtor make adjustments accordingly. The whole purpose of the CMA is to assist you the client in determining the best list price and help determine expectations of selling price.

I would be privileged to help refer you to an experienced Realtor/Broker in your area. Please feel free to contact me by Text/Phone @ 512-922-4922 or Email rkenney@gmail.com

A happy safe and healthy new year to you all!

Regards

Bob Kenney, Realtor

Vice President, Turnquist Partners Realtors

MLS what is it and how does it matter to me?

Hi Ashley, great question.

From Wikipedia:  A multiple listing service (MLS, also multiple listing system or multiple listings service) is a suite of services that enables real estate brokers to establish contractual offers of compensation (among brokers), facilitates cooperation with other broker participants, accumulates and disseminates information to enable appraisals, and is a facility for the orderly correlation and dissemination of listing information to better serve broker's clients, customers and the public. A multiple listing service's database and software is used by real estate brokers in real estate representing sellers under a listing contract to widely share information about properties with other brokers who may represent potential buyers or wish to cooperate with a seller's broker in finding a buyer for the property or asset. The listing data stored in a multiple listing service's database is the proprietary information of the broker who has obtained a listing agreement with a property's seller.

 

In the city you live in there may be an organized MLS. These MLS’s are typically run by a Realtor organization. For instance in Austin Texas, ABOR Austin Board of Realtors is the organization and administers, enforces and maintains the MLS for the greater Austin Real Estate area.

All Realtors and Brokers must maintain a membership separate from any State required licensing boards to participate in the MLS. This gives Realtors access to the listings maintained by the MLS and allows them to compile comparable sales information and trends in the market place so you are the best advised in the negotiation process.

Not all cities have their own MLS’s.  Some areas are combined with larger metropolitan systems simply because of economy of scale. These systems are complicated and expensive to develop and maintain and funded by the membership they service. Some larger cities have been slow in developing MLS’s simply because of fragmentation of a service area or the area Brokers desire to maintain and protect it’s clients listing information.

The consumer greatly benefits from these investments by their locale Realtor associations. Having the relevant sales information and all of the attending property information helps the consumer have better and more accurate data when making a buying decision.  

I hope this information is helpful.

Kind Regards

Bob Kenney, Realtor

Mobile: 512-922-4922

I have heard home inventory is expected to be tight again this year. What does that mean?

 “Inventory” refers to the available homes for sale. You sometime here new home inventory and resale or existing home inventory. All real estate markets are different so you really need to find out what is going on in your own particular market.

In the Austin Texas market there is simply a higher demand for “Housing” in general. There are areas where there are homes for sale waiting for buyers and there are areas where anything that comes on the market is snapped up. One contributing factor to this later example is the influx of new people into the Austin market.

We have a fairly good economy when compared to other markets in the US. Fueled primarily by good job growth, lower cost of living (compared to more expensive areas) , access to well educated employee pool and good school/education systems.

Also thrown into this mix is the fact that home builders cut back production drastically in 2009/2010 in response to the market correction that affected most of the US. The builders have done an excellent job managing growth since then. They have been only starting new construction to meet approx. 80% of demand, thus pushing a % of buyers into the existing home market. This helps keep demand for their future products and helps keep prices at a level where they can make money.

The existing home inventory then has traditional buyers who prefer not to purchase new and those who want new. So you will see areas in sought after school districts or w/in reasonable commutes becoming more desirable and upward pressures on those homes.

For  2014 in the Austin market. There is no drop off in demand and no noticeable increase in inventory (new or existing) being seen. So in a perfect storm if you are a seller looking to reduce your expenses (downsize) and you can afford to do so now would be an excellent time to buy your smaller home and sell into a strong market in the spring market (Feb-June). If you are in the process of planning a move to the Austin area you will want to reach out sooner rather than later to an experienced Realtor to start looking at your alternatives.

There are other real estate markets in the U.S. where inventory and demand are at different levels.  Check with your locale Realtor to see how the market looks to either buyer or seller. Find a Realtor that is going to give you the right information! Unfortunately there are Realtors that are going to tell you what you want to hear so don’t give them too much info on your expectations. Let them do an honest comparative analysis to see where your market value is.

 Call me if you have any questions or need any referrals

Mobile: 512-922-4922

Email: rkenney51@gmail.com

Bob Kenney, Realtor

Sleepwalking Austin - Great art

Fannie, Freddie Fee Hikes Delayed for Review

click on Link to get latest info regarding proposed cost increases

Fannie, Freddie Fee Hikes Delayed for Review

Dose anybody really read blog’s??

I hope you all had a great holiday break

Well I have asked myself this question many times. And the answer is yes, there are people who read blobs. I guess the question should be does anyone act on the information that contained in blogs.

I will be honest. I have had a couple of comments but no real market inquiries at this point. Yet I have not been blogging consistently in a long time I have been on and off of the blog world over the past 8 years.

What I do know is that there are people viewing my posts and when the view the post they are gathering information and hopefully will think of me when they have a need for a Real estate agent in Austin, Texas.  

My whole goal is to provide a place where a relocation consumer can find out the facts and get honest opinions about moving to the Austin area. Having made the transition myself 15 years ago I feel I can help newcomers navigate some of the areas unique qualities and given my exposure and experience in relocation services can assist them in finding the right broker to sell their existing property if required.

 So if you are thinking about a move to the Austin, Texas area ( or have a relative of friend moving) and you want an expert and experienced agent to help you understand your community choices, locale housing customs, traffic patterns, and property tax values. Then give me a call. Mobile 512-922-4922

I will be glad to visit with you, Set up appointment to meet with you and take you on a comprehensive area tour highlighting some of the living communities within an easy drive of your intended area of focus.

I wish you all a healthy, successful 2014 and look forward to receiving your comments/inquiries.

Regards

Bob Kenney, Realtor

VP Turnquist Partners Realtors

Email:  rkenney51@gmail.com

“I am ready to look for a new home. What should I do first?”

Congratulations!

OK 1^st thing you want to do is determine how you want to purchase the next home. Several options

A)     Cash

B)      Mortgage

C)      Borrow against assets

These are but 3 most conventional options. The point is to have a financing plan in place so you do not spend time looking for something you might not be able to purchase.

When you contact a mortgage professional there are a few things you want to make sure of.  Like any vendor relationship get referrals from people you trust then do some checking on your own.

A)     They are a licensed lender

B)      The company the work for should have reviews/ratings on various web sites

C)      Find out what fees are involved above and beyond the amount borrowed and how long it will take to close a transaction once you go under contract.

This is as serious step as making the actual purchase. You will be providing the selected mortgage company and individual with very sensitive financial information and you need to know that the information is not going to be disclosed to anyone outside the transaction.  Be prepared with 2 years of Tax returns, Debt information, all sources of income verification. This is all used to calculate your debt to income ratio which will be used to determine how much you will be able to borrow and the terms of the loan.

The company you choose will need to be able to conclude the transaction based on the terms of the purchase agreement. So it is important to ask how long you will need for the loan process to be completed and the loan funded.

This is part of the contact that deals with ‘Time is of the essence”. If you are financing any portion of the purchase the 1^st time deadline is usually the time negotiated in the contract to get financing approval. There are several things associated with this 1^st step all of them have to happen in order for you to get approval for the mortgage

 

A)     You must make written application with a mortgage company. This is when you are going to need all of the records that will be needed to determine your ability to receive your loan. I strongly suggest you ask your representative as soon as you talk to them a list of the required documents. Each company has slightly different underwriting standards so the things they require from you may vary.

1)      Tax Returns – They will pull what is called a tax transcript from the IRS. This should be done very soon after you make application. This will verify that you have submitted your tax return to the IRS and that the information matches the copy of the return you provide them with. It is important to provided them with the return tht matches what the IRS has on file. So if you submit an amended return include it with what you provide the mortgage compay. Any discrepancies can delay your loan approval considerably.

 

2)      The lender will pull your credit report (typically you only need to provide them with permission to access the report on your behalf) some people will pull credit reports on themselves within 6 months of making a large purchase. One reason is to see what the score is and the other reason is to see if there are any mistakes on the report. You would be surprised what come people find on their reports and if you have a little time to try and get them straightened out before a big purchase than it will help the process along

If a lender finds something that if adversely affecting the report rating, they can sometimes help fix the issue so this step is usually taken very close to the application date as well. Some time fixes can take up to a week or more depending on the reporting institution.

3)      The period from the application date to final approval is typically referred to as the 3^rd party Financing Option period. This can be anywhere between 15-21 days typically but varies by lender. Please make sure you ask your vender how long it will take them to get financing approval. If you contract at 15 days and then find out you need 25 days then you put additional pressure on all parties and if the lender is feeling rushed or cannot process the load application w/in the time line they may reject it based on incomplete information.

 

4)      Interest rate – The lender is going to give you information on what the interest rate is for loans on a given day (Yes it fluctuates daily). Once the lender feels good with the information you provide and has a handle on the application process they should begin to talk about “locking the interest rate”. What this means is that they will offer to close your loan on the negotiated closing date based on the “lock rate”. So if you apply and the rate os 4.5% and you see it inching up to say 4.75% you will want to talk to the mortgage person to see if you can keep it from floating on you. This is called “locking” and is an agreement by both sides to close the transaction at a set rate. This option is available to all consumers but you should be aware of what the economic conditions are. Most lenders will only lock out so far (typically 30-45 Days) they are taking a risk when they “Lock” so everyone has to be aware of what factors may influence the rates either up or down.

 

5)      Appraisal – This is property appraisal and part of the approval process. In today’s fluid real estate market this is a very important component of the whole process. The financial entity you will be using is going to lend you money based on your loan to value ratio(LTV).  The term is commonly used by banks and building societies to represent the ratio of the first mortgage lien as a percentage of the total appraised value of real property.

 

For instance, if a consumer borrows $130,000 to purchase a house worth $150,000, the LTV ratio is $130,000 to $150,000 or $130,000/$150,000, or 87%. The remaining 13% represent the lender's haircut, or amount at risk if the loan is defaulted on, all adding up to 100% and being covered from the borrower's equity. The higher the LTV ratio, the riskier the loan is for a lender.

 

Appraisals are responsible for more deals falling apart in some markets than any other factor.  Selling agents and buying agents will have done their due diligence to make sure the home is being marketed at current market price. Unfortunately appraisals are sometime behind the market values if an area if very popular. It could be because they can only use data from homes that are comparable to the subject property and if a particular neighborhood has not had many homes for sale then they will need to expand outside the area and adjust prices according to makeup of the other neighborhoods. Another determining factor is what sale information is available to the appraiser. A home closing w/in a week of the appraisal my not have the information in a place that can be used to help determine value.

 

Having a knowledgeable appraiser who is educated on a particular areas values and sale histories is crucial but not always possible. As a result an appraisal may come in “Under value” which will adversely affect the LTV ratio and may cause a loan to be denied based on the lenders criteria. There are solutions to these issues but they may well add delays to the closing of the transaction.

So as you can see it is very important that everyone involved in the transaction is active and aware what is going on during this initial financing option period. Everyone from the agent(s) to the borrower needs to be actively updated and advised on any delays or early acceptance so that the expectations of the contract can be managed effectively. Make a note on your calendar for a reminder to check in with the mortgage person at regular and short intervals and keep notes when possible about the conversations so you have a clear understanding on where in the process your loan application sits.

The Agents do not need to know the personal financial particulars of your loan only whether or not the criteria is being meet or if something is going to be a factor in successfully making the contract close as per the contracted date.

So the short story is: Make sure you are dealing with a competent, seasoned and trusted lender when making a loan application. Talk to friends and your Realtor and get referrals and PLEASE make sure you ask for references.

If you should have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me anytime

Mobile: 512-922-4922   email rkenney51@gmail.com

Bob Kenney, Realtor

December - The month of reflections and celebrations

Whatever your belief, whatever your heritage

December is a significant and important month for a lot of people all over the world.

* some of these days float from year to year but for 2013 here are major celebrations that people all over the world will be celebrating in December of 2013.

1-5 - Hanukkah* (Jewish) Actually began on Thanksgiving day and runs through 12/5/2013

6    - St. Nicholas Day (International)

8    - Bodhi Day - Buddha's Enlightenment (Buddhist)

12  - Virgin of Guadalupe (Mexico)

13  - Santa Lucia Day (Sweden)

16-25 - Las Posadas (Mexico)

21      - Yule

25 - Christmas (Christian, Roman Catholic, International)

26 - Boxing Day (Canada, United Kingdom)

26 - Jan 1 - Kwanzaa (African-American)

 I wish that everyone will take advantage of these days in their community to lean respect, admiration and perhaps become inspired by all of these traditions as they are celebrated in your communities. Embrace these events, ask questions and wish the celebrants well.

All of these special days tell a story and the tradition associated with each one needs to be preserved for all generations, today's and tomorrow's..

May you all have a healthy, happy holiday season and be safe in your travels.

Regards,

Bob Kenney, Realtor
Austin Texas

Mobile: 512-922-4922

** Apologies for any celebrations not mentioned in the above list. If you know of a special day I did not include please forward the information to me and I will update this information!

I am thinking of moving to Austin, TX. Where do I stat!

Great question Jen,

Thank you for contacting me. If you are moving to Austin why of course you want to call me! 512-922-4922 is my mobile.

This is an important question no matter where you are relocating to. why? because you are not only choosing a Realtor to assist you in getting set up in a new place but you are also choosing a partner in the transaction. Your Realtor of choice should be keeping your best interest in mind at all times, guarding your privacy and giving you the time you need to make the best decision. This will help reduce the ever present stress involved with any move and also helps manage your valuable time.

If you find someone that will send you listings and tell you to drive by the listings when you are in town and call them if you want to see anything you may want to reconsider engaging them for your search. This is a true scenario I have seen times and in my opinion is not the sign of someone that is going to spend a lot of time representing your best interest.

1st thing you need to do is contact a licensed Realtor so that you can discuss your goals relative to a move into the Austin area.

If you know a trusted Realtor/Broker in your home town ask them if they have a recommendation of a broker. Now of course this might single that you are moving so their ears may perk up a bit so make sure you have a plan of action on your current housing situation. Also be aware that if this Realtor/Broker refers you to the right agent they may be receiving a referral fee from the agent on the other side. It is OK because this is a professional courtesy and should in no way affect the services you are going to receive by the new agent. It also makes asking for the referral a little easier because some folks think it may be an imposition to ask. don't let it be Realtors love the opportunity to refer a client to a new market even though they may be a little sad you are leaving!

Why is it important to choose the right Realtor? because they will become a partner in your search for your property. If you find someone that will send you listings and tell you to drive by the listings when you are in town and call them if you want to see anything you may want to reconsider engaging them for your search. This actually happens and is not the sign of someone that is going to spend a lot of time representing your best interest.

There are a few ways you can find the right agent. You can search the commercial real estate sites like Trulia and Zillow but I will caution you not to go solely on the recommendations of "neighborhood experts" or "top producers" on these sites. These are usually paid positions that the agents have invested in to get to the top exposure and more leads. It does not always mean they are the experts in the areas they appear in. They aren't cheap either and this is a testament to consumer trust in "if it says they are the expert than they must be the expert".

The key to all of the social media platform based Realtors is you need to take additional steps once you have identified an individual. When I have a vendor/client I want to know more about I start with a Google or Bing search. This usually produces additional web exposure on the individual. Including Linked in, personal web sites, yelp reviews etc..

All successful realtors will be able to provide you with references of previous clients so make sure you ask and follow through contacting these references. Like job applications you want to make sure the references are real (one good indication about the agents character!) and gives you a chance to ask the reference about things you find important when working with agent. for instance:" Were they professional", "helpful and honest in opinions", "dedicated", "trustworthy" whatever criteria you are looking for in a representative.

Jen I hope this helps you with the beginning of your thought process. Wherever you end up moving I wish you the best and hope all of your transactions are successful ones.

Holiday wishes for everyone

Bob Kenney, Realtor
VP Turnquist Partners Realtors

Mobile/Text  512-922-4922

Texas Education Accountability Rating System

The Texas education system uses an accountability Rating systems for all public schools in the state.

In a lot of cases families moving to the state will want to know what the performance levels of the public schools in a given geographic area are. Austin like most metropolitan areas, is comprised of several independent school districts (ISD 's). In my earlier post I touched on funding through property taxes for the education system.

 The link below is to the Texas education agency. The link will bring you to a page of the latest 2013 school ratings for all public schools in Texas. There is also information on how the ratings are calculated.

http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/account/2013/index.html

For a quick district report you can click on this link : Scroll to the district of interest http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/account/2013/statelist.pdf

You can get more information by accessing the reports on the left.

The goal of the system is to evenly compare individual campus performance on an apples to apples basis. This is a great tool for a family trying to narrow down possible areas of relocation.

The following ISD's serve the greater Austin area:

Austin ISD
Westlake ISD
Lake Travis ISD
Leander/Cedar park ISD
Round rock ISD
Dripping springs ISD
Hays ISD
Georgetown ISD
Pflugerville ISD

You can see other area ISD's on the map below.

Map courtesy of Austin Chamber of commerce

As always if you have any questions please feel free to email me @ rkenney51@gmail.com  or call/text 512-922-4922

Relocating to Austin TX?

If you or someone you know is thinking about relocation to Austin TX. I encourage your inquiries!

I am a transplant to the Austin area from Massachusetts and have been in Austin for 15 years and selling Real-estate in the Central Texas area for 12 years.

I have extensive relocation experience both listing houses and representing buyers who are relocation to the area. I have the following designations for relocation education: GMS, CRP as well as my GREEN designation in effort to become more aware and proactive in social preservation.

Austin is a unique place even w/in the boarders of Texas. We are central to most of Texas main destination cities and boast "hill country" and 'Lakes region" that have been entertaining Texans, as well as visitors from other parts of the world, for generations.

There is a lot of different things that bring people to Austin (not in ranked order)

1)   Capital of Texas
2)   Music and social life style
3)   F-1 racing at its best
4)   Lakes and recreation
5)   Easy relaxed lifestyle
6)   Affordability
7)   Climate
8)   Education
9)   Employment
10) Location

Austin is a great place to be relocation. it has a vast and varied real estate market affording newcomers with all ranges of budgets. several of the school systems (or Independent school districts ISD's as they are known in Texas) are a welcome change to a lot of transferees.

Taxes - in Texas we do not have a state income tax :)!! However we do have 2 other taxes :(

A) Sales tax - state mandated at 6.25% with a 2% taxing authority discretion. In most cases you will find the sales tax to be 8.25%

B) Property Tax - This can be a shocker if you are not aware of it but you have to look at the whole picture.

Tax % rates vary according to the taxing districts (usually based on what county you are in) I have seen rates between 1.8% to 3%  based on 100% valuation of a properties value. Texas does offer a Homestead for your main residence as well as other exemptions and they are all covered in the link below.

These Taxes are made up of several components but majority of the tax is used to funds education with in that taxing jurisdiction.

When you consider that most other areas of the country have a similar property tax structure for education and services like ems, fire and police and an Income tax on top of it you really are a little better off but the 1st tax bill can be alarming if you are not expecting it.

I have included a link to the Texas 2013 Property tax guide for fuller explanation

State of Taxes property tax guide 2013

This is the 1st blog of this newly entitled site. I encourage questions, corrections, opinions and commentary. Please share my contact information with anyone looking for an unbiased assessment of the Austin and central Texas area.

Bob Kenney
Mobile: 512-922-4922

email: rkenney51@gmail.com