Shiny City Chronicles

The giving and the thanks

2011-11-20T22:44:00.000-06:00

The holidays are right around the corner and the eat fest that is Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, primarily because of the aforementioned eat fest. I have been noticing a number of friends on Facebook doing this thing where for the month of November they make their daily status a "something I am thankful for" statement. I decided to make a list of things I am thankful for and while there are too many to list--I think I have some of the crucial stuff nailed down.

1. Air : I think I really appreciate you the most when I have a stuffy nose or almost choke on a too big bite of funnel cake. Without you I am nothing. Honorable thankful mention goes to water, food and shelter.

2. Band-Aids: What was the world like before Band-Aids? Oh, I know--an infected mess where adult life expectancy topped out at 40. Being a very accident prone person, I am so thankful for Band-Aids. Although, I must say they spent a lot of time being borderline racist until they came out with the clear ones.

3. Dogs and Cats: Only the really nice ones. The really nice ones can really turn a bad day around.

4. Air Travel: Can you imagine if it took 2 weeks to go from Texas to California? Or if it took 2 weeks to get anywhere? My best friend lives in Philly and if I could not fly to go see her, I might have to think about replacing her with someone closer to home---heartbreaking. In all seriousness she's not replaceable (she's totally going to read this). Honorable thankful mention goes to highways, automobiles and mass transit.

5. Pockets: Without pockets where would I put my gum, brass knuckles, $5, worry stone, miniature hedgehog, keys, dream journal, polaroid camera, stinkbombs and machete? Right? A tip of the hat to you pockets!

6. Flyswatters: I don't own one, but if I did I would be thankful for it and I would enthusiastically use it to kill this fly that keeps flying really near to my face while I write this post. Oh man, it just landed on my pinky toe. Gross.

7. Hand Sanitizer: I can't believe I ever used a port a potty before the existence of hand sanitizer, but I did and it probably has something to do with why I had pink eye a lot in High School. So-- thanks hand sanitizer! Love, Brandi "hasn't had pink eye since the 90's" Weber

8. Email: It is really an effecient way to communicate AND when you pair up email technology with scanner technology it eradicates the need for FAX technology! I am thankful for no more stupid faxing.

9. The movie Bridesmaids: I know it's just a movie. I know it's just a little old funny movie and that in a world where the gross mistreatment of peaceful protestors goes unchecked, hate crimes and intolerance run rapant and war, greed and poverty afflict most nations we need funny stuff to keep us from going nuts---Bridesmaids does that.

10. My really long monkey arms: I can reach ALL KINDS OF STUFF!! I can also scratch most places on my own back if necessary. I can get stuff that falls into the floor boards of my car while driving and I can high five a million angels.

There's 10, but in all seriousness---I am really thankful for all kinds of stuff, like my friends and my cool job and the roof over my head and the sandwich I am about to eat. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope everybody gets some pie and down time with people they like to be around this week!

P.S.This is a hilarious holiday essay for you, but be warned profanity abounds. 11. McSweeney's

What the--- House Hunters?

2011-08-31T19:51:00.002-05:00

So, there's this show on HGTV called House Hunters and I am sure most of you have heard of it or watched it at some point. It's a reality show that follows homebuyers and their Realtor around while they look at houses and then at the end of the show they reveal which house is chosen.

I wrote a post last year about the things that never happen during an episode of House Hunters (you can read it here) and while the post is not critical of the show per se, it does indirectly point out a certain "formality" that is part of the formula of shows like House Hunters. So imagine my suprise when I found my sassy ass filming an episode of House Hunters last week!

It was a really cool experience (not literally, thanks for nothing 105 degree temps. and AC units that are too loud to run during filming) and the clients I was working with are super fun. Here's some photos of them:

Uhmmm maybe the prettiest couple ever, not shocking that HGTV picked us!

Again, who wouldn't want to watch these two on T.V.?

The crew was great and very patient with my attempts to get euphemisms for the f-word on film and my nervous talking and my nervous sweating and my nervous " I am going to make lots and lots of hand gestures in order to fully communicate whatever point I am trying to make". We looked at some great houses and you will have to watch to find out which one Eva and Tyson end up buying. I mean don't you want to watch? If not to hear the story of a charming couple's search for the right East Austin digs, then watch to see me act weird and stifle the urge to look directly into the camera.

All of that said---I guess we did something right. The three of us got some really nice texts today from the field producer we worked with on the segment and she was really happy with the footage and maybe used the word "fave"---just saying.

I also received an email from another producer and they would like to do another episode with me! Whhhaaaat? So crazy. So, if you or anyone you know would like to be on House Hunters---hit me up!!

It's super fun and they have snacks like wasabi peas and Cheez-its. Who doesn't love Cheez-its?

People Making Stuff Right

2011-08-16T14:42:00.000-05:00

Today I was reminded that sometimes people still do the right thing, just because it's the right thing to do.

I represented a buyer on the purchase of a property that closed yesterday. Yesterday evening her AC stopped working. The property had changed ownership and technically the AC issue was now my client's--the new owner of the property.

The seller of the property, who is also a Realtor --took care of the problem today without any objection.

I meet a lot of nice people in my line of work, but I also meet a lot of people that only do the right thing when contractually obligated to do so---Donna Fullerton is one of the good guys that does the right thing for the sake of doing the right thing. Very cool.

Thanks Donna for making things right for my client and for reminding me that there are still lots of good folks out there!

7806 Lowdes Drive in Cherry Creek! The antithesis of my previous post!

2011-07-22T11:55:00.003-05:00

If you read my previous post about the dirtiest ceiling fan in Austin, please know there is none of that nonsense at 7806 Lowdes Drive Austin TX 78745. If you or someone you know does not buy this house---I may just have to-- because it's so BAD ASS! Located in the Cherry Creek neighborhood in South Austin (shout out to the 78745!) ---super close to Central Market South, Westgate Shopping Center (Yoga Yoga, Whole Earth Provisions, Amy's Ice Cream and a Movie Theater, that's right.). Come see why Cherry Creek and it's "all of our houses don't look alike" vibe is so desirable.

Owner removed a half wall and opened up the space between living and dining, well done owner.

This total remodel of the master bath is spatastic. Not to be confused with spastic---SPA-TASTIC!

This room makes me want to curl up with a book and a bag of gummy bears and not come out for like 4 hours.

If you don't want to climb that tree, you may be dead inside.

Come on in and have some gummy bears!

So, yeah---this is a pretty cool joint. If you want more information click here. Or just get in touch with me!

And remember---no filthy ceiling fans ---not now, not ever.

Dirtiest Ceiling Fan in the World to Convey with Purchase

2011-07-21T20:46:00.002-05:00

The dirtiest ceiling fan in Travis County

So, here we have another stunning MLS (MLS = Acronym for Multiple Listing Service, A proprietary member owned database that expresses listings held by member Real Estate Brokerages. ) photo that a Realtor KNOWINGLY uploaded into the Austin MLS in an effort to- I don't know, GROSS ME OUT?

This photo of this dirty, dirty ceiling fan is kind of sad. It's as if it's saying "Hey, I know I am a filthy ceiling fan and if you turn me on, I will fling five years worth of accumulated filth into your eyes and mouth, but why don't you stop in and see me anyways?" or maybe it's saying "Dirty ass ceiling fans in dirty ass houses need love too."

Whatever this photograph and the Realtor who posted it is trying to communicate, I don't want to hear it.

Here's the crazy thing folks---when we load photos into the MLS it is laborious and slow. It is very hard to load something by mistake and if you do, it's very easy to remove.

This kind of sloppy work always reminds me that some of my "competition" out there is no competition at all!

Oh snap! Look out! I am in a throwing shade kind of mood! I have been watching too much Ru Paul's Drag Race on Netflix! Is that possible?

Summertime Selling Season!

2011-06-10T12:19:00.000-05:00

Summertime is always a busy time for Realtors. This year I have been lucky to be representing some sellers with some pretty amazing properties for sale!

Like this one that sold near the beginning of the year on the Eastside in the Holly Street neighborhood.

and this is just the kitchen, the rest of the place was equally as cool

Presently, I have a gorgeous condominium over at SATSUMA 53 available! It's a 1/1 1100 sq.ft. It's right up the street from Foreign & Domestic and walking/biking distance to all of the cool stuff on North Loop.

For more information about 508 East 53rd St. #203 click here

And then there's this AMAZING remodel in the University Hills area. 4 beds/ 2.5 baths with 1900+ square feet and a 2 car garage. New HVAC and roof as well as artful finish outs in the baths, kitchen and throughout!

For more information about 5712 Wellington Drive click here

This is just a sampling of what I have working right now. Hit me up if you want to talk Real Estate! Or other stuff---like good places to go swimming or thrift stores or libraries or sno cones!

TAX Benefits of Owning Investment Property

2011-06-10T07:14:00.000-05:00

While I dutifully recorded my own tax deductions this year, it put me in a list making mood. Here's a list of some of the tax benefits of owning investment property.

• Depreciation

Depreciation is a deduction available to real estate investors. It allows you to deduct the cost of assets such as buildings and substantial improvements to buildings over a period of time defined by the IRS. The cost of a building can be depreciated over a period of 27.5 years. This is done by dividing the cost by 27.5 and then subtracting the resulting quotient from the property's income each of 27.5 years. If the cash flow on a property is just above the property's carrying costs, this would result in your making an actual profit but not paying any tax.

• Expense Deductions

Just about every expense associated with rental property is deductible. Mortgage interest, real estate tax, maintenance, property management, even your transportation costs to visit the property are all expenses, fully deductible in the tax year they are incurred.

• Capital Gains

When you sell a rental property, the profits are taxed as capital gains as opposed to ordinary income. The difference is important, because the maximum capital gains rate is 15 percent, whereas the maximum tax rate on ordinary income, as of 2010, is 35 percent.

• 1031 Exchange

If you plan to sell your rental property and buy a larger one, there is only one smart way to do it: through a 1031 exchange, also called a deferred exchange. In this process an exchange facilitator takes the cash that comes out of your sale and holds it until you close escrow on a replacement property. You must identify that property within 45 days and close within six months. It must be purchased for more than the price for which you sold your first property. If you keep using exchanges to sell and then buy, you defer the tax due forever.

• Tax-Free Cash-Out

When you sell without doing a 1031 exchange you pay taxes on the profit; when you take cash out through a refinance, the money is tax-free until you sell. If you never sell, you never pay taxes. This is an excellent tax strategy for retirement: once you pay off or pay down the mortgage on a rental property you can refinance it and take cash out and still have the monthly rents coming in.

What Did You Say?

2011-06-09T21:29:00.000-05:00

So have you seen this ? It's only awesome pictures of Ryan Gosling with phrases every lady would want to hear from Ryan Gosling superimposed over them. Simple but genius. Genius but silly. Silly but serious.

If anyone said any of the things on the following list to me I would be as happy as this guy.

this guy

Hey, let's drop what we are doing and go to the library RIGHT NOW!
You should totally have another milkshake!
How did you get to be so good at everything?!
Do you want to watch the movie "Fletch" with me for the 10th time? I just watched Fletch for the ninth time but I think I'm gonna go for ten.
Did you see that study that came out that said drinking Dr. Pepper in the morning is totally acceptable and good for you?
Hey, I had some free time today so I went to the grocery store and I got all your groceries for you and paid for them and put them away. Is that cool?
We should have peanut butter and banana sandwiches every day!
I have killed all of the mosquitoes in the entire world. Just letting you know.
Instead of sending all these emails, what if we went swimming instead? Without mosquitoes!
I know---Ira Glass IS really dreamy!
I think you may be a genius.
Those pajama pants look great on you!
You know, you remind me of someone. Oh right! You're like a mix of Amy Poehler and Tina Fey, only a little bit funnier!
I got you this $1 million gift card to amazon.com. I hope you like it!

Places that I Love on the Internet!

2011-05-26T13:51:00.002-05:00

This is a map of the Internet. Turn left at the 85,000th little green strand and I will be there!

I love real estate and I work really hard at it a lot of the time, but we all need a little break from whatever it is we do most of the time right? So, when you find yourself with a little break in your day and you want to do some fun and easy internetting---here are some of my favorite blogs to visit on the world wide web. You will notice that a majority of the stuff I like to "waste time" on is funny stuff. I can't ever get enough funny. Ever. My friend Erin often sends out lists of places she likes to go on the www and I am always turned on to something new. I would love to know about some of your favorite places as well!

The Bloggess Oh man, oh man this lady is funny and manages to write about the mundane in a way that elevates the mundane to the highest heights of hilarity.

27b/6 If you look up "snarky" in the dictionary, there's probably a picture of David Thorne there. He's too mean for some folks, but not for me. Here you will find a collection of David's correspondence with colleagues, random folks that write to him via the blog, neighbors, landlords and educational administrators. He never misses an opportunity to mess with people and the results are pretty brilliant and funny.

Oh, Noa. So Noa Gavin states that she is funnier than your Grandma, which in and of itself is not a ringing endorsement (my Grandma is notoriously unfunny, but she does kind of look like Roy Orbison and that's funny, but not "on purpose" funny)---but Noa is really funny. She writes about politics and crazy stuff that happens to her and she does it all with humor and insight.

Hyperbole and a Half Great and ridiculous drawings made in MS Paint accompany every story. One of the best blog entries ever (Why I Will Never Be An Adult) can be found here.

Cake Wrecks Crazy cakes---really crazy cakes.

The Oatmeal I think the maker of this blog is a programmer/super techy type in his day job. I love the layout of this blog and the size and style of the comics. Whenever I visit this blog it reminds me of reading the funny pages in the paper when I was a kid.

So, there's a few for you! I hope you find something here that makes you laugh and after you have taken a little break at any of these awesome stops on the web, you can go back to being super productive. Like me!

Productive like me--right after I go check on what's going on at http://wwww.tomhaverfoods.com/ Go there and keep refreshing you won't be sorry!

Fighting the Tax Man! Steps for Protesting Your Property Taxes.

2011-03-23T15:12:00.000-05:00

Another in a series of posts about money and real estate and taxes. I know it's kind of dry---but you will thank me someday. That day may be when you successfully contest your property taxes!

Filing the Protest

The first step is to file a protest. The appraisal district has protest forms available, but you can hand write it on a piece of paper and fax it in. It simply needs to identify you as the owner, identify the subject property, and state that you disagree with the appraised value and wish to protest. If you’ve waited till the last minute, it would be best to fax it and then send a follow-up copy by certified mail.

The Informal Hearing

Next, the Travis County Appraisal District will schedule what they call an “informal hearing”. This may be months from now. The purpose of the hearing is for you to present your evidence that the appraised value is too high.

I’m going to stop here and point out a couple of things. It’s important before you attend a hearing that you understand the fundamentals of what the Travis County Appraisal District does. They simply set the appraised value of your home based on what they believe to be the market value. The tax rate multiplied against the appraised value determines the amount of property taxes you pay.

The Appraisal District does not establish the tax rate. Your elected officials do that. You can’t protest the amount you are paying, or the tax rate. All you are protesting is the Appraised Value.

When you show up for the hearing, make sure you bring data to support your protest.

Have Your Fact and Data Ready

Opinions and emotions are not data. In order to change your appraised value, the person you are working with at the informal hearing must have evidence and data to support the change. I’ve sat in the cubes over the years at the informal hearings and overheard other protesters arguing completely irrelevant gripes to the tax people. They don’t care how unhappy you are, how little you earn, etc. You’re there to discuss whether or not the appraised value on your particular home is too high or not, and that’s it.

If you know a Realtor, ask for a written market analysis on your home to determine the market value. You can take that along with you to use as your data and evidence. If your home has condition problems, take pictures and bring those. If you back up to a busy street, take pictures and print out your home’s location on a Google Map, and bring it in with you to show the tax people. Any “fact” that helps you prove a lower value may be helpful, but bring something to show to support it.

If the appraised value is higher than the amount you’ve recently paid to purchase the home, bring your Settlement Statement showing what you actually paid, and they’ll lower the value to the price you paid without a fuss.

You may be angry about the higher taxes, but unless the Appraisal District assessed your home at too high a value, and you can prove it, you have no grounds for a protest and you’ll lose. Since you know an awesome Realtor, me---you can get in touch with aforementioned awesome Realtor and I can do a free market analysis for you to determine the current market value of your home.

Be polite and courteous.

The person helping you at your informal hearing with has dealt with plenty of rude and uninformed people already – all day every day. You’re not going to get far if you present yourself as just another angry, unprepared and uneducated person coming in to yell at them and gripe about your taxes. Be nice, smile, dress professionally and have your facts ready with an extra copy for the appraisal person to keep. Make it easy for them to decide to help you by presenting yourself as a reasonable person who is well prepared and understands the process. As the saying goes, you catch more flies with honey than vinegar.

Two Bites at the Apple

If you are not satisfied with whatever reduction offer you receive at the informal hearing, you can move on to a formal hearing in front of a panel of the Appraisal Review Board. There will be an Appraisal District Representative arguing against you in support of the Appraisal District valuation, and a panel of three (usually old) people listening to both sides and making a decision.

If the informal hearing results in a deal you can live with, take it and avoid the time and frustration of the formal hearing.

If you truly are being hosed with an unreasonably high appraised value, then try your luck at the formal hearing. But know that once you forgo the offer made at the informal hearing, the formal hearing can result in an even higher value than what you passed up at the informal hearing. Your informal hearing deal ends when you decide to try your luck with the ARB.

For more information, check out the Taxpayer’s Rights, Remedies and Responsibilities document published by the State Comptroller.

Why is Real Estate a Good Investment?

2011-03-09T10:40:00.000-06:00

Something a lot of Real Estate folks won’t tell you is that real estate historically does not offer a better rate of return than the stock market. It also does not offer you the liquidity that the stock market offers. You can buy and sell stocks and bonds much more easily than you can buy and sell property. So, why do people choose real estate as an investment?

• It’s easy to understand. Property is tangible and appreciation is easily measurable. Flipping and running rental property are two very different types of real estate investing, but the math involved with each is pretty basic.

• Tax benefits. Owning property gives you lots of stuff to write off.

• Long term appreciation.

• It can be kind of fun depending on your personality and interests.

6 Reasons Real Estate is a good investment:

Stability

Real estate is less volatile than stocks. While real estate may be less liquid, and you may have to wait indefinitely before a buyer agrees to purchase your property for the price you seek, the prices are not as volatile as the stock markets. The transition towards a correction or boom takes place gradually, giving ample time for investors to read the transition and safeguard their positions.

Price correction

The economic slowdown had an impact on this sector. The rates have come down over the past few months. Wouldn't it make a lot more sense to invest in real estate when a price correction is taking place rather than in a heated market? People with a large disposable income can explore investing in real estate for diversification of their assets. Lowering home loan interest rates and lower property prices makes it an opportunity hard to resist.

Good in recession

Some investments are considered safe in times of recession like precious metals and foreign currencies. In this list of investments that are popular during times of financial uncertainty, real estate can be included. Focus on achieving positive monthly cash flows rather than immediate appreciation. Cash flow refers to the amount of cash coming in relative to the amount going out.

Hedge against inflation

Real estate and gold are considered a hedge against forces of inflation. Inflation has led to the rupee value depreciating and property prices travelling upwards. Property investments are typically held over a long term.

Tax benefits

Home loan borrowers are eligible for tax deductions on their interest and principal repayments subject to a certain limit. Further, you can use the rental income from the property to make a portion of the EMI repayments.

Good returns in long term

Investments in property has always proved to be stable and yielded good returns over the long term. With lesser risk and probability of higher returns, this is a much favoured investment option.

5 Tax Tips For Homeowners

2011-03-08T09:32:00.002-06:00

Ask a roomful of homeowners what's so great about owning versus renting, and you'll hear them holler in unison: "the tax deductions!" And it's true – homeowners who itemize their taxes are able to deduct 100% of their mortgage interest and property taxes from their income tax returns.

That means that if you're in a 28% tax bracket, Uncle Sam effectively subsidizes about a third of your borrowing costs or more, making your home more affordable or allowing you to buy a larger home than you could have otherwise. Also, big chunks of your closing costs are tax deductible, and hundreds of thousands of dollars of any profit (or capital gains) that you realize when you sell your home are exempt from income taxes.

At tax time, it's critical to know what you're entitled to, so you can claim it. So, here are five essential need-to-knows about home-related income tax tips to help you get the most tax-reducing bang out of your home-owning buck – and to avoid hefty home ownership-related tax traps.

1. You Have to Itemize Your Return to Claim Your Deductions

During the recent debate on Capitol Hill about whether the mortgage interest deduction should be eliminated (it won't be, not anytime soon), it came out that nearly 40% of homeowners lose out on their major tax advantages every year when they fail to itemize their income taxes. If you own a home and otherwise have a fairly simple return, it might be tempting just to take the standard deduction – and if your mortgage, property taxes and income are low enough, the standard deduction might outweigh your homeowners' deductions. But you'll never know if you're losing out on the tax advantages of itemizing unless you try; before you grab a pen and start filling in that 1040-EZ grab those forms from your mortgage company and answer the questions on tax software like TurboTax, which will automatically do the math on whether itemizing or taking the standard deduction will result in the lowest tax bill – or the highest tax refund – for you.

2. Plan Ahead and Be Strategic When Taking a Home Office Deduction

According to the Small Business Administration, the average home office deduction is $3,686 – multiply that by your tax bracket – 15%, 20%, 30% or whatever it is, and that's what you'll save on your taxes by writing off your home office. Know, though, that the space you designate as your home office cannot be exempted from capital gains tax when you sell your home later. The $250,000 (single)/ $500,000 (married filing jointly) income tax exemption for capital gains is only good on your personal residence, after all – not including any space in your home you've claimed as your tax-advantaged office. If you foresee selling your home for much more than you bought it in the future, near or far, discuss this with your tax preparer to see if the few hundred bucks you save is worth the capital gains complication later.

3. Tax Relief for Loan Modifications, Short Sales and Foreclosures Is Only Around Through 2012

While the long-term housing outlook is beginning to look up, 2011 is projected to be the peak year for foreclosures during this market cycle. Distressed homeowners who are on the brink of a short sale, loan modification or foreclosure should be aware that normally, any mortgage balance that is wiped out by one of these outcomes is taxed as what the IRS calls Cancellation of Debt Income, or CODI.

Under the Mortgage Debt Forgiveness Relief Act of 2007, the IRS is currently not charging income taxes on CODI incurred through a loan mod, short sale or foreclosure on most primary residences through 2012. But right now, banks are taking many months, or even years, to work out mortgages in all of these ways; the average foreclosure in New York state right now occurs only after 22 months of missed mortgage payments. If you foresee any of these outcomes in your future, don't put things off. Do what you can to get to closure on your distressed home and loan, ASAP, while you won't have income taxes to add as the insult on top of your significant housing injury.

4. Project the Income Tax Consequences of a Refinance or Property Tax Appeal

Homeowners everywhere are working on applying for a lower property tax bill on the basis of the last few years' decline in their home's value. Those who have equity have flocked en masse to refinance their 7% home loans into the 4% to 5% rates of the last few months. These strategies offer some of the heftiest household savings out there for the corresponding investment in time and money they take. But here's a caveat for savvy homeowners who slash these costs: remember that property taxes and mortgage interest, the very costs you're minimizing, are also the basis for the major tax benefits of being a homeowner. So plan ahead for your income tax deductions to go down along with your taxes and interest.

5. Don't Forget Those Closing Costs

If you bought or refinanced your home in 2010, you may be so focused on your mortgage interest and property tax deductions that you forget all about your closing costs. Any origination fees or discount points that were paid to your mortgage lender at closing are tax deductible on your 2010 return, get this – even if the seller paid your closing costs. If you can't figure out exactly what you paid, look for your HUD-1 settlement statement, that legal sized paper full of line item credits and debits that you should have received from your escrow provider or title attorney at, or just after, closing. Can't find it? Drop your real estate agent or mortgage broker an email; they can usually get a copy to you quickly.

Note: This post first appeared on WalletPop.com on 2.28.2011.

Want a mortgage loan? 10 ways to screw up your chances of approval.

2011-03-04T17:05:00.001-06:00

Our credit is a magical and delicate thing that can be thrown off balance very easily. Qualifing for a mortgage post "economic major meltdown circa 2008 - present" has become a bit tougher and credit scores are more important than ever when it comes to getting a loan to buy a house.

Please let me apologize in advance for my potential overuse of capital letters in this post. That said--I do want the following 10 titles to read like I am screaming at you. IT'S THAT IMPORTANT!! I WANT TO SAVE YOU FROM YOURSELF!!! :)

1. DON’T DO ANYTHING THAT WILL CAUSE A RED FLAG TO BE RAISED BY THE SCORING SYSTEM. This would include adding new accounts, co-signing on a loan, changing your name or address with the bureaus. The less activity on your reports during the loan process, the better.

2. DON’T APPLY FOR NEW CREDIT OF ANY KIND. Including those “You have been pre-approved” credit card invitations that you receive in the mail or online. Every time that you have your credit pulled by a potential creditor or lender, you lose points from your credit score immediately. Depending on the elements in your current credit report, you could lose anywhere from one to 20 points for one hard inquiry.

3. DON’T PAY OFF COLLECTIONS OR CHARGE OFFS during the loan process. Unless you can negotiate a delete letter, paying collections will decrease the credit score immediately due to the date of last activity becoming recent. If you want to pay off old accounts, do it through escrow – at closing.

4. DON’T MAX OUT OR OVER CHARGE ON YOUR CREDIT CARD ACCOUNTS. This is the fastest way to bring your scores down 50-100 points immediately. Try to keep your credit card balances below 30% of their available limit at ALL times during the loan process. If you decide to pay down balances, do it across the board. Meaning, pay balances to bring your balance to limit ratio to the same level on each card (i.e. all to 30% of the limit, or all to 40% etc.)

5. DON’T CONSOLIDATE YOUR DEBT ONTO 1 OR 2 CREDIT CARDS. It seems like it would be the smart thing to do, however, when you consolidate all of your debt onto one card, it appears that you are maxed out on that card, and the system will penalize you as mentioned above in 4. If you want to save money on credit card interest rates, wait until after closing.

6. DON’T CLOSE CREDIT CARD ACCOUNTS. If you close a credit card account, you will lose available credit, and it will appear to the FICO that your debt ratio has gone up. Also, closing a card will affect other factors in the score such as length of credit history. If you HAVE to close a credit card account, do it after closing.

7. DON’T PAY LATE. Stay current on existing accounts. Under the new FICO scoring model, one 30-day late can cost you anywhere from 50-100 points, and points lost for late pays take several months if not years to recover.

8. DON’T ALLOW ANY ACCOUNTS TO RUN PAST DUE --EVEN 1 DAY! Most cards offer a grace period, however, what they don’t tell you is that once the due date passes, that account will show a past due amount on your credit report. Past due balances can also drop scores by 50+ points.

9. DON’T DISPUTE ANYTHING ON YOUR CREDIT REPORT once the loan process has started. When yousend a letter of dispute to the credit reporting agencies, a note is put onto your credit report, and when the underwriter notices items in dispute, in many instances, they will not process the loan until the note is removedand new credit scores are pulled. Why? Because in some instances credit scoring software will not consider items in dispute in the consider items in dispute in the credit score - giving false data to the lender.

10. DON’T LOSE CONTACT WITH YOUR MORTGAGE & REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS. If you have a question about whether or not you should take a specific action that you believe may affect your credit reportsor scores during the loan process, your mortgage or real estate professional may be able to supply you with the resources you need to avoid making mistakes that could drop your credit scores or possibly, cause you to lose the loan.

To refinance or not to refinance? That is the question.

2011-03-04T16:35:00.001-06:00

There has been a lot of talk in the news recently about the low mortgage rates and it's true! They are really low! So, if you have been on the fence about buying, low rates are a good reason to get off the fence---but if you already own a home, now may be a good time to think about refinancing.

It's time to think about refinancing your home loan IF:
• rates are 2% + lower than your current rate

• you are paying mortgage insurance and you have 80% equity in your home,

• you’re current loan is an ARM and your term is up and your rate is looking at resetting

And most importantly ---only refinance if you are planning on sticking around in your home for at least 2 years post refi.

Here are some more things to consider when thinking about refinancing:

Four Reasons to Refinance Your Home

There are many situations where refinancing a mortgage is a good decision. It can save your house, save you money, or help you with other financial needs. Read on to learn the four reasons to refinance your home.

1. Avoid Foreclosure with a Refi

If you are on the brink of foreclosure and are desperate to save your home, refinancing may be the answer for you. Whenever you are having trouble paying your mortgage, it is always a good idea to approach your lender and discuss the issue with them. They may be open to helping you through a refi. This can help you lower your current interest rate, lock in a fixed rate, and/or change the length of the loan. This can lower your monthly payments and make your mortgage more affordable, helping you avoid foreclosure. You can also talk with other lenders or mortgage brokers to see if they have programs available for you. The biggest obstacle in this situation is going to be whether you have enough equity in your home. If you do not, you need to talk to your lender and review your options.

2. Changing an ARM to a Fixed Rate Mortgage

Maybe you are not on the brink of foreclosure, but you do have an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) whose rate is going to increase in the near future, making it harder for you to afford your mortgage. Many people are solving that problem by refinancing their homes to get a fixed rate, so they no longer have to worry about when and how much the rate on their mortgage will increase. This can help you avoid financial trouble before it starts.

3. Saving Money When You Refinance Your Home

Not everyone who refinances a home does it because they are experiencing some sort of financial trouble. Usually, refinancing is an effective way to save money on your monthly payments. For the same reasons that it can help people avoid foreclosure, it can help you save money by lowering the interest rate, lengthening the term of the mortgage, locking in a fixed rate, or paying off other higher-interest rate debt.

4. Getting Money Out of Your Home

Another reason to refinance is to get money out of your house, which is known as a cash-out refinance. This type of refnance allows you to access the equity in your house to use that money for other purposes. Many people do this to pay off other high-interest debts they may have. It is also a very popular choice for finally doing those improvements around the house. Of course, any time you take equity out of your house, you want to make sure you assess any possible risk involved and confirm that you are not putting your house in jeopardy.

Two Reasons Not to Refinance a Home

A refinance is not an easy fix to complicated problems, nor is it an ATM for making unneeded purchases. As with anything relating to mortgages or your house, you need to be smart about a refi and know when it is not the right decision.

1. When a Refinance Does Not Save You Money

Lower rates do not necessarily mean that a refinance will save you money. You need to thoroughly assess the situation and evaluate how much you will save, if anything. It is important to remember that with any mortgage, including the one you are about to refinance, there are always fees involved, such as closing costs. These can add up to several thousand dollars, which can prevent the refinanced loan from saving you money. You also need to consider how long you plan to stay in that specific house. If you plan to move in the near term, a refi may not save you money. Talk to a mortgage professional or trusted financial planner if you are not sure where you stand.

2. Cashing Out for Frivolous Purchases

We all would love to go on a two-week Caribbean vacation or buy the luxury or sports car we have always dreamed of driving, but using a cash-out refi for such purchases is not a very smart choice. Once you get into the habit of using your mortgage as a way to pay for things you can not really afford, you run into the danger of going into debt you cannot handle or losing your home. Using equity for home improvement projects can increase the value of your house. Using equity for luxury purchases saps the value from your home.

Another Crazy MLS photo and by Crazy--- I mean Sad

2011-02-17T10:33:00.000-06:00

So, really? Not only does this make me not want to bring a client to this house this makes my stomach hurt.

I sent this over to the mad genius over at my favorite Real Estate blog, Real Estate Rumble and this is what she had to say---I could not have said it better.

News Flash : It's Cold in Austin

2011-02-09T14:03:00.001-06:00

I am fighting my second cold of the winter season! What gives? I am generally a one cold per season kind of gal. This Austin weather could have something to do with it. It is really cold for Austin and I love how we kind of collectively go crazy as a city when it gets cold here. We drive weird or refuse to drive at all and we openly complain to anyone that will listen about how cold it is, even though in many other parts of the nation/world folks are resorting to full body sweater wearing as pictured here:

I include myself in the collectively crazy for sure---I mean, as we speak I have on a lot of socks---like multiple pairs of socks and my pantry is stocked in a way that suggests I am expecting company---all because the temperatures have dipped into the 20s. A few days ago we had a little snow. In the time that it took me to contract my second cold of the season, it had melted. This is the type of snow we are more familiar with:

Soon enough it will be so hot that we won't even be able to remember the wonder of Wintertastrophe 2011. So, drip your faucets and make some soup and wear that crazy scarf I knitted you that one year when I was knitting A LOT because I had just quit smoking---and try to enjoy the wonder that is winter in Austin.

Tupac vs. the MLS

2010-12-27T14:20:00.000-06:00

Another great interior photo from a property listed in the MLS. We have Tupac on one wall and if you look closely at the right wall, I think that's Biggie in the photo over the T.V.

I like to think that this room's inhabitant is in their own small way trying to ease Biggie and Tupac towards some type of afterlife reconciliation.

Knock Knock. Who's There? The Holidays.

2010-12-02T15:51:00.001-06:00

The holidays are upon us. I feel more like the holidays are UP ON me, but semantics schmantics. I am not a holiday hater, but I have also never been one of those people that gets really into decorating or sets up a gift wrapping station in the guest bedroom. This year I did put up some little trees. Both artificial and one is black, so take from that what you will.

I know this is not a new or original sentiment, but my main "issue" with the holidays is that the year-round consumer culture that is so prevalent in America, is greatly magnified during the holidays. In year's past, I have participated in Buy Nothing Christmas and made gifts for friends and family. This year has been pretty busy and I can already tell that my approach to my holiday gift giving is going to be less handmade than in year's past. That got me to thinking about ways to shop locally and support the efforts of local artists, craftspeople and really, any business/person doing something unique or socially relevant. I have come up with a few recommendations that I think are worth sharing. If you have any ideas that you would like to share, PLEASE post them in the comments.

Places to Shop

Blue Genie Art Bazaar has been around awhile and now over 300 artists have their wares on display. Lots of variety. I got a small painting of a cupcake here once and it was a big hit with the recepient---who loves cupcakes.
Community Renaissance Market I just read about this place recently in my neighborhood newspaper. The concept is that this place is a "microbusiness incubator for people who want to start a business, but don't have a great deal of money to do so". It is located in what used to be the Albertson's on Westgate. So, not only are they working to help small business, but they are making use of a space that sat unused for MONTHS! Also, this was started by a lady. Go lady business!
Cherrywood Art Fair will have work by 80 artists and a portion of the proceeds go to beautifaction projects in East Austin.
Giving the Experiential Gift

Check out Not That Martha. Local lovely, Martha Pincoffs is writing about food, catering it up and also teaching cooking classes! Cooking classes would be a fun group gift type deal. I can speak from experience...this girl can cook and she is super cool and fun to be around.
The Alamo Drafthouse is running a deal right now where if you buy $100 in gift cards, you get a $20 credit for yourself. Be a hero to that film geek on your list that loves to quote along to Roadhouse and drink $5 milkshakes.
Farmhouse Delivery offers local produce, meat, dairy, eggs and local artisinal products to customers in Austin. They will deliver to your house or office. Sustainability on your doorstep AND they are another lady owned and operated business!

Charitable Gift Giving

HAAM (Health Alliance for Austin Musicians) is an organization that helps uninsured musicians in our area obtain affordable healthcare. Their affililate the SIMS Foundation also does great work for the working musician community. We all love to hear live music, and by donating to HAAM/SIMS you can prove it!
Since 1974 SafePlace has been working to eliminate sexual and domestic violence. They provide services for men, women and children. SafePlace often needs volunteers as well---so there are multiple ways to give!
Communitites in Schools work to keep kids in school AT school. They work directly within the public school system to teach life skills and to provide alternatives to dropping out. They are also looking for volunteers and mentors in addition to donations.

We can define the holidays and gift giving on our own terms by opting out of the consumer frenzy that is all too common for many during this time of year and in doing so hopefully set good examples for our kids and our friends and our families.

Again, if anyone reading this has suggestions for unique gift giving, please share!

That would never happen on House Hunters!

2010-11-10T13:57:00.002-06:00

I don't have cable. I have access to it sometimes, but even when I do I have to admit I am not compelled to watch reality shows about folks trying to buy, remodel or redesign houses. I love my job and I spend a lot of time doing my job, so when it comes to "down time" I like to try to get a bit of a break from the business.

That said, I am familiar with the format of TV shows like "House Hunters" and I had an experience this week and thought to myself---"Why don't you ever see this on a reality Real Estate TV show?"--To be fair I have had that thought before.

Often when I am taking buyers to view properties, the properties for sale will have alarm systems. Most of the time you will, prior to your visit, get the needed instructions for how to disarm and arm these alarm systems. Sometimes even when you have done all of that, something will have changed and that alarm will go off--- LOUDLY and repeatedly and you look like kind of an ass and your poor client(s) are under assault by the sound as they try to check the place out.

This happened to me this week and after multiple phone calls and failed attempts at disarming the alarm system, we went through the property and did our best. I already knew that these particular clients were really great, but I now know that they are also very cool under pressure and would probably do very well in a war zone---good people to know.

Does this ever happen on "House Hunters"? Hell no. Here is another list of things that I am guessing never happen on "House Hunters".

1. Realtor attacked by dogs/cats/rabid children

2. Realtor has gun pointed at her as she is asked to leave.

3. Realtor walks in on a naked guy.

4. Realtor narrowly avoids being stung by hornets INSIDE the house.

5. Realtor stumbles upon grow room.

The only thing on this list that has NOT happened to me is that I have not yet encountered any rabid children, but the day is not over!

Again, I love being a Realtor in Austin and I am rarely bored. I do wonder if there would be a market for a reality show that portrays what I know to be the true nature of working in this business---if so, sign me up!

PS: It is worth noting that in the 15 minutes we were at the property with the alarm screaming-- the cops did not show up.

Fun Fun Fun Fest 2010: The year Brandi is reminded of her age and her mortality

2010-11-09T19:00:00.003-06:00

Fun Fun Fun Fest 2010 was the fifth year of a music festival that we are so lucky to have in Austin. It has a markedly more DIY (in the best way possible) and less corporate feel than the better known ACL music festival and the programming is more punk rock centric (hip hop, indie, metal and electronic music are also well represented). This year along with great acts like The Gories, Strike Anywhere, The Hold Steady, OFF!, Peelander Z, "Weird Al" Yankovic, The Bronx, Bad Religion, Deerhunter, The Casualties and The Dwarves---the Descendents were booked as a last minute replacement for Devo (who are also so GREAT) because they had to cancel due to a band member's injury.

The Descendents are a band that I loved as a young Brandi and still love as an older Brandi. My love affair with punk rock started around my 14th birthday and has waxed and waned over the years, but it is a genre of music I hope I will always have in the mix. It is rare that a band's music endures for me over really long periods of time. Not to imply that I am fickle, it's just that as we change and stuff happens/is happening in our lives certain music may speak to us more at one time than another. The Descendents wrote songs about food and girls and coffee mugs and not wanting to grow up and turn into boring jerks. They wrote songs about being yourself and questioning authority.

I may know myself better now than I did when I was 14, but I still sometimes have a hard time being myself and I am self employed primarily because I don't like being told what to do. I also really like food.

So, here's where I get to the part about being reminded of my age and my mortality. Because this was possibly going to be my only chance to see the Descendents play live I decided I needed to be near the front of the stage for the show. This is something younger Brandi would have done and therefore older Brandi--having been very in touch with younger Brandi over the past 48 hours---did and the result was the opposite of cool. The minute the Descendents started playing the crowd crush was dramatic to say the least, and I quickly found my feet literally off the ground (and I am really tall) as my body became not my own as it was absorbed into a mass of movement. The feeling was one of total lack of control and since I was pressed between what felt like 1000 lbs of weight I could not get the space or leverage to throw an elbow as I so jubilantly recall doing in my younger years. I realize now that when I was going to shows as a teenager I was often one of maybe 50-100 people in the crowd and that's totally easy to maneuver ---Sunday night was not easy to maneuver and along with not really being able to focus on the show, I was about to lose it if I did not get out of there. It is also worth mentioning it smelled really bad---really, really bad, which was weird because there was so much dust in my nose and it was not very hot outside. I was able to grab the boyfriend just long enough to yell in his ear that I was getting out of there and that I wished him luck and good fortune. Amazingly, once my mind was made up I successfully escaped the crush of the crowd pretty quickly and found a very civilized spot with a great view and proceeded to have my mind blown by one of the most fun shows I have seen in a long time. The boyfriend also escaped unscathed.

The crowd that would later crush me

Descendents at FFF

The whole FFF weekend was really great and even though I was reminded of my age and my mortality---that's ok. Sometimes I need reminding.

Crazy Ass MLS photo, whaaaatt?

2010-11-04T23:09:00.000-05:00

This is a photo of a bedroom in a property for sale in the MLS. For real. Does the giraffe convey?

Austin Film Festival or A fun thing to do when it will not be 105 degrees outside

2010-08-24T14:54:00.001-05:00

The high temperature in Austin today is going to be 105 degrees. This is not news. We have hot summers here and every year it's like I somehow forget how hot it gets. The same way women have evolved to forget the pain of childbirth so they will continue to procreate---I forget how hot it gets in August and do not plan accordingly. I guess my evolutionary path is meant to keep me in Austin. So, when it gets this hot I like to think about the other times of year here when the weather is so nice and then that got me to thinking about October.

The weather is awesome here in October. Breezy and cool and sunny. October is also when the Austin Film Festival happens! In recent years Austin has become a hotbed of film making activity and we count some pretty famous directors and actors among our permanent residents. I hear a lot of folks talk up the SXSW film festival, but I am telling you that the AFF is not to be missed.

I have gone for the past 3 years and plan on attending this year as well. I have participated (and by participated I mean sometimes I was just present---sometimes I had a question) in Q. and A. sessions with Danny Boyle, Jason Reitman, and Diablo Cody. In my opinion, often the most interesting post film discussions are actually at many of the smaller narrative films and documentary screenings.

I am a huge film dork and I love going to the movies. During the AFF many of the screenings are at the Paramount Theater and while the leg room may be lacking for this one and her tall self, the theater makes up for this small discomfort with it's gorgeous design and turn of the century pedigree. Screenings are also held at other theaters around town, so there are a lot of options.

The AFF also makes me reconnect with my city. During the 7 days it happens I find myself downtown more than I usually do and walking more from place to place. People are always really friendly and eager to talk about films they have seen or plan on seeing. All in all it's a great experience that I look forward to every year.

You should totally come get on my film dork train, there's plenty of room---and get yourself passes to the film festival.

My First Place TV Show Filming in Austin!

2010-08-04T13:58:00.000-05:00

Hey first time home buyers! If you want to have your home buying process chronicled for a T.V. audience and get a free gift -check this out! I am working with some clients presently and we are looking into this, but if you or anyone you know is interested and they need a Realtor---send them my way!

From the Press Release:

BUYING YOUR FIRST PLACE?

Then HGTV is looking for you!

MY FIRST PLACE, HGTV’s hit series, is coming back for a ninth season and we’re looking for first-time homebuyers (and their agents!) in the Austin area RIGHT NOW!
We are looking for fun, high-energy people who are just starting the home-buying process for their first place and would like to share their story with HGTV! Our goal is to capture all the trials and tribulations of looking for, bidding on and buying your first place.
Taping takes place this summer. Ideal candidates will be enthusiastic buyers with a great story to tell and a desire to share their experiences. Singles, couples and families are all invited to apply!
Candidates who complete taping will receive a surprise housewarming gift as part of the show and also a DVD copy of their episode to document their first home buying experience for all time!

Request an application by emailing:

cbaggish@highnoontv.com

Or call cindy baggish at (303) 712-3093

East Austin Neighborhood Profile: French Place

2010-07-28T14:28:00.000-05:00

Where can a food trailer selling BBQ and a 1900's Victorian coexist? French Place in Austin TX, that's where!

Geographically French Place is defined as the area between Manor and 38 1/2th, west of Airport Boulevard and east of I-35. French Place is also sometimes referred to as Cherrywood. Whatever you want to call it--in my opinion, this neighborhood is one of Austin's coolest places to live.

The houses here are older (30's and 40's mostly), charming and have good sized lots. Prices range from $250k-$375k.

The proximity to both Concordia University and The University of Texas makes this neighborhood attractive to students and professors and also makes it a good option if you are looking for a property to run as an income generating investment. The proximity to downtown is also very appealing to young professionals and really, anyone who wants to be close to the cultural centers of Austin.

The tree lined streets and eclectic architecture make this a great walking/biking neighborhood. You could never describe French Place as homogenized or ordinary. All along Manor Road you can find many great restaurants and coffee shops. There's Eastside Cafe where they serve vegetables grown in their awesome garden that you can stroll through while you wait for your table, Thunderbird Coffee has a great outdoor patio, good coffee and is a great place to work. I often schedule meetings there. El Chilito's tacos and agua fresca are so good and so affordable. And then, of course the new addition of Franklin's BBQ food trailer---get there early, they sell out fast.

In December, the Cherrywood Art Fair is a great place to get holiday gifts that are made by local crafters and artists. The Vortex Theater has youth programs as well as regular performances. All in all there's just a lot going on in and around the French Place neighborhood.

So, if you are looking to be in a neighborhood that is in a great urban location and has tons of personality, consider French Place!

Contact me if you would like more information about French Place or other Austin neighborhoods.

South Austin Neighborhood Profile: Southwood

2010-07-14T14:00:00.003-05:00

I am working on a series of Austin neighborhood profiles. Those of you who know me, know that South Austin is where I live and often work---so it seemed like the best place to start!

Do you like to avoid IH 35? Do you like Sno Cones? Do you like to go to a corner store that is not corporate owned? Would you like to have a couple of chickens? Do you value space over status? If so, Southwood could be the neighborhood for you!

Geographically, Southwood is defined by Ben White Boulevard to the North, Manchaca Road to the west, W. Stassney Lane to the west (to the RR tracks) and to the east, South First Street including the greenbelt surrounded by Williamson Creek east of the intersection of South First Street and Emerald Wood Street .

You see a lot of bumper stickers around town promoting the virtues of South Austin and their corresponding zip codes and there is an undeniable sense of neighborhood pride that exists south of the river. South Austin represents a lack of pretense and harmony for many of it’s residents and I am really proud to count myself among them.

In recent years, home values in the Travis Heights, Bouldin Creek, Zilker and SOCO neighborhoods have increased greatly, pricing out many first time home buyers. In my experience, those buyers are heading south of Ben White and it’s easy to see why.

In Travis Heights a 2 bedroom / 1 bath house under 1000 sqft can cost $350,000 and up. It will probably be really awesome and charming. It will be within walking distance to all kinds of cool stuff. Don’t get me wrong, I love Travis Heights and the surrounding neighborhoods, but for many folks this is not a viable financial option.

In the Southwood area you can find a 3 bedroom / 2 bath house, 1200 sqft + with some good yard space for under $225,000! A majority of the houses were built in the 60’s and 70’s. These eras don’t always conjure up charm and style for many folks (much like the 30’s and 40’s era houses do), but these properties have great potential and many creative folks are making great design choices and are realizing that you don’t have to sacrifice style for space.

This neighborhood is also shaping up to be a good place to invest. We have seen very healthy appreciation in this area in the last 5-7 years and there is no indication that it won’t continue.

People who want to buy in the Travis Heights, Bouldin Creek, Zilker and SOCO neighborhoods, but can’t--don’t want to go north, so south of Ben White is where they are choosing to live. It's easy to get to downtown and avoid IH35, Central Market and a Newflower Market are nearby, there are many parks and public pools around, and lots of taco stands and sno-cone trucks.

Contact me if you would like to know more about Southwood or other South Austin neighborhoods.

Austin is voted super bad ass, again.

2010-05-28T12:13:00.001-05:00

Kiplinger's magazine, the source for all things financial, loves to make best and worst lists. I really love these lists because I, much like many of us in this day and age find that I suffer from information overload and lists are a great way to present information in a concise way. The quality of life in Austin is something that is often mentioned in the media and those of us who live here understand why. There's lots to do here indoors and out, the people here are friendly and the local economy has weathered the recession very well.

Well, look out decade to come because Austin is on track to own your ass! Read more about Austin being voted the top city to be in the coming decade here!

Also in recent "Austin is rad" news, yesterday the Austin City Council voted to rename 2nd Street after Willie Nelson. Look, I know that there are bigger and more important issues before our city council, but the fact that we live in a city that will name a street after a pot smoking, tax evading musician is fine by me! Read more about the street name change here. I hope we get a Kris Kristofferson Avenue next!

And the "Thanks for Nothing Award" goes to---LOST!!!

2010-05-25T15:42:00.005-05:00

Let me begin by saying the only television shows I have ever watched in their entirety are Freaks and Geeks and The Wire, and now LOST. I like T.V., but I am also very aware of the dangers it presents (time wasting, brain rotting, Fox News, weight gain, etc.), so I don't have cable and only watch television shows on the internet or on DVD. I try to limit the amount of television I watch so that I can avoid the previously listed dangers, but also so that I never feel like a slave to a show. My free time is really important to me and I don't want the way I spend my free time dictated by the T.V. Guide. Then LOST happened and all my high-minded personal philosophies went out the window. I was hooked on LOST from the beginning, like crack, or cake, or late night trips to the CVS (I really love going to CVS, a lot.)

Oh LOST, you were so intriguing and mysterious in your infancy. In the early days LOST was a perfect mix of science and mysticism with really interesting characters that you cared about. There was a potentially science (?) based cult/subculture (The Dharma Initiative), characters named after philosphers (Hume, Locke, Rousseau), polar bears, a smoke monster and flashbacks! The flashbacks to the characters lives pre-crash were always super interesting making this viewer get really invested in what was to become of these castaways.

Granted, it got really weird into the later seasons. Time travel, dead people coming back to life, shifting allegiances that made no sense, the island disappearing! I, much like other folks, got the sense that the writers did not have a grand mythology that they had planned out and would conclude in a way that--for the viewers would be revelatory, but instead they were making it all up as they went along. Many people quit watching for just this reason, but not me---oh no, this sucker was (as I mentioned earlier) hooked, and I was not ready to quit--I had not yet hit my bottom. If I had known what the LOST finale had in store for me I think I would have been able to quit LOST cold turkey. Cold turkey people.

When I was in the 4th grade I read all of the books in C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia series and when I got about halfway through the series I had a sneaking suspicion that the stories were allegorical but I wasn't certain. At this moment you may be thinking "It was so obvious that those books were about God and C.S. Lewis was a theologian, duh." Well, 4th grade me did not know about Mr. Lewis and his other writings and their theological significance. Anyway---when I finished those books and had a very in depth conversation about their deeper meaning with my 4th grade teacher, Mr. Olmstead, my suspicions were confirmed and I felt tricked and manipulated. The conclusion of LOST makes me feel the exact same way!

(Spoiler alert--if you have not seen the final episode of LOST and you still want to be suprised stop reading now)

They are all dead. Dead, dead, dead. The final scene takes place in a church with all of the Oceanic "survivors" we came to know over the course of the series reunited and hugging and smiling and blah blah blah. Jack is the last to arrive, as it was hardest for him to "let go". This whole "letting go" theme was very prevalent in the episode's lead up to this final scene. The room which Jack uses to enter the church is decorated with stained glass and objects that are meant to represent the symbology of many of the world's religions which I found to be such a pandering move on the writers' part. I know that there are a lot of viewers and pop culture journalists that really liked this ending, but this viewer had hoped for more. I don't think that the writers were purposefully trying to put forth a religious agenda, but while I was watching it unfold---it felt that way for a moment, and I was thrust back to 4th grade and the indignation I felt at being tricked by Mr. Lewis and realizing that Aslan was not just a talking lion, but a representation of Christ. I hope that the writers just got in over their heads and maybe got lazy or maybe they could not in good conscious assign a scientific explanation to polar bears in the tropics and smoke monsters. Regardless, tying the conclusion to the afterlife with some nods to religion just feels cheap and easy to me.

In conclusion I will contradict my post title and say- thanks LOST for the good stuff and for helping me hit bottom.

The days when I love my job even more....

2010-05-06T12:13:00.000-05:00

I am presently working a deal with a buyer client and one of the CONTRACTUAL stipulations of our agreement with the seller is that my client buy the seller a sixer of Arrogant Bastard Ale at or prior to closing. This stipulation was initiated by the seller and that is the total jam. I love my job most days, but when stuff like this happens, I love it even more.

Another Reason to Love Austin --- Knitta Please!

2010-04-26T15:46:00.001-05:00

For Art Week Austin Magda Sayeg knit bombed Trominski's blue signs on South Lamar. Driving into the office this morning, on South Lamar-- I actually felt lucky that traffic slowed enough for me to spend some time enjoying the transformed blue signs. I hope there is a time in the near future when I get to meet Magda. I am an amateur knitter at best, but Magda gives a girl inspiration! I love that she is bringing the art of crafting into the larger arts community. Read more about Magda and her plan for world domination one knit and purl at a time on her awesome blog KnittaPlease.

Turner Residential makes the Ellen Degeneres website!

2010-04-26T11:56:00.000-05:00

My brokerage, Turner Residential, regularly advertises in The Onion and recently one of our print advertisements was featured on the Ellen website!

Check it out here.

Perception

2010-04-20T14:56:00.004-05:00

In the real estate business your clients are everything. No clients, no business, no business, no late night shopping sprees on iTunes. I am really fortunate to have a lot of cool clients who then refer their cool friends, family and co workers to me and the cycle of being around fun and interesting people continues!

My clients needs are sometimes very similar but often they aren't. At any given time I could be working with a buyer that wants a move- in ready place, a seller that is looking to downsize or an investor who wants to buy cheap and sell high. In any of these scenarios or in any real estate transaction--the key to successfully getting a client what they want is clear and honest communication on my side and theirs.

I was thinking about the way I communicate with clients and people in general recently. Specifically, I was thinking about the way we perceive ourselves and then communicate this perception and how sometimes our perceptions may differ from reality. I see this manifested in the client-Realtor relationship most often with first time homebuyers who perceive themselves to be fixer upper types.

The idea of taking something rough and making it into something lovely and all your own is such an inticing idea and I fully understand why it is so appealing to people, especially creative people. DIYing is also very attractive financially to many people. "Sweat equity" is a term that exists for a reason.

Ok, so here's the straight dope. Everything will be harder and more costly than you thought it would be, a total remodel will take up all of your time and if you are living in the property while remodeling, it will suck. If you are cool with all of that, you should totally do it. Also, just like with everything in life there are degrees of difficulty and ease involved in making changes to a property. For example-- pulling up carpet is easy, but installing a sink is harder than you might think!

This brings me back to my original discussion about how we perceive ourselves. It is so important that clients engaged in the home buying process are honest with themselves and their Realtor about who they are as people, what they like to do on a daily basis and what they hope to achieve from home ownership. I meet many clients that initially want a fixer upper, and once they get out and look at properties that need work and they start to be more honest about who they are and how they want to spend their time, they discover that remodelers they are not. It is always interesting how people come to this realization.

So, what I am getting at is that it's always good to be honest with oursleves about who we are, but it is not always easy. I want to be the person that can knock out a wall, plant a garden, fix the dishwasher and give myself a home perm all at the same time, but I am not that person. It has taken me quite awhile to admit that--but now that I have, I am better at the stuff I am good at doing.

If you work with me, I will ask you all kinds of questions about your lifestyle and what you want out of your home. Questions like :

How important is it that you are near places you can walk to and get a coffee or the paper or whatever?

Do you need lots of yard space for gardens, dogs, babies, bunnies, chickens, underground tunnels etc.?

Have you ever painted a room?

Did you take wood shop in High School and if so, did you do well?

Have you ever been inside an attic space? Did it freak you out?

Are you REALLY going to cook every meal at home or do you have Pizza Hut on speed dial in your phone? You can tell me and I will not judge you.

And last but not least---Do you need help with that home perm? I am available. I am a FULL SERVICE REALTOR.
Those questions are kind of a mix of silly and serious, but I think you get the point. It is not just the "am I fixer upper or not" question that we need to ask ourselves when we are shopping for a home, but the "how do I want to spend my time and what is important to me about where I live" type questions that require a lot of self awareness to answer honestly.

I am here to help you get there if you aren't there already.

Oh- and PS: I have been in more attic spaces than I can count and I still get a little freaked out. Every time.

Austin Woman Magazine -- Who are these women?

2010-04-14T15:58:00.000-05:00

While enjoying an awesome birthday on Monday, I came across Austin Woman Magazine in the waiting room of the place where I was having a massage (an awesome gift from an awesome guy, the massage--not the magazine).

I have seen this magazine in the past, but had not formed any strong opinions about its content. The primary mission of the magazine, as far as I could tell from reading it and then from a visit to the website, is to profile, promote and support strong and interesting women making contributions to Austin in the worlds of business, community, the arts, etc... This all sounds really good to me. The website refers to women like Liz Carpenter and Molly Ivins as inspirational.

So, imagine my disappointment when every other advertisement in this magazine is for a plastic surgery center. Seriously, like every other ad. I would assume from the number of these ads that the readers of Austin Woman magazine all have augmented breasts and are hard at work dealing with their varicose veins. If the readers are indeed spending time and money on surgeries and "beauty" treatments --where do they find the time to affect change in their businesses and their communities? While resting up after the last tummy tuck?

It is no news flash that women in our culture are confused about how to feel about the way we look and how we age. There are very few places where we can find positive reinforcement about dealing with these issues in an organic and enlightened way. Many women feel that they must look a certain way in order to be successful and to stay competitive in their chosen professions. I know that this is a very commonly held belief among women working in real estate. I feel very lucky to be able to run my business successfully and find fulfillment in my work in t-shirts and jeans and without a nose job.

Now, I would imagine that running a magazine is hard and to run a magazine you must have ad revenue. Can you turn away advertising dollars because you don't agree with the product for sale or the message it sends? Would that constitute censorship? These are all questions that I don't have answers for, but I do know this--plastic surgery and appearance are not a part of the conversation when it comes to men and the way they do business or participate in their communities. If there are any men out there that disagree with this, I would love to hear from you.

To be clear, nowhere in the Austin Woman magazine mission statement does it state that the publishers are feminists or supporting a specifically feminist agenda. In a conversation with a colleague about this subject HE made the observation that plastic surgery and feminist ideals could coexist. I wonder what Liz Carpenter would have to say about that and I wonder if I have blown my chances of being featured in Austin Woman magazine? :)

Marijuana Law for Musicians

2010-04-09T09:49:00.000-05:00

Charlie Roadman is a friend and client. I helped him and his family buy their current house and sell their old one. I like the idea of being able to use this blog to promote my real estate business as well as the endeavors of my clients, especially when they are doing cool stuff. On April 19th, 2010 Charlie will give his 5th annual "Marijuana Law for Musicians" presentation at the Mohawk. You can read more about him here, http://www.roadmanlaw.com/ and below is an interview with Charlie that appeared in the ONION.

If the mere mention of April 20 (a.k.a. 4/20) makes you giggle, chances are you could do well to heed the advice of Charlie Roadman. A local musician (he fronts the Wilco-esque band F for Fake) and promoter, Roadman is also an attorney whose pet cause is defending people accused of marijuana violations — particularly musicians, such as Los Lonely Boys' JoJo Garza. In what's become an annual tradition on this stoniest of days, Roadman conducts a seminar called "Marijuana Law For Musicians," a humorous PowerPoint presentation in which he details many of the dos and don'ts of getting busted in Travis County. The A.V. Club recently spoke with Roadman about the common law violations musicians face, how not to get arrested (and what to do if you are), and what it's like being one of the town's most visible defenders of marijuana.

The A.V. Club: How does your being a musician aid you in defending them?

Charlie Roadman: I understand that $100 is a lot of money, which a lot of attorneys don't. And I've hung out with musicians all my life, so pretty quickly we can have a dialogue that doesn't have the dominant position of lawyer and client. [When I started], I thought there would be a lot more musicians getting arrested, and there really aren't. I think they're too busy making flyers and rehearsing to get in trouble.

AVC: Besides marijuana violations, what are musicians commonly in trouble for?

CR: DWIs, mostly. One of the things I talk about in my seminar is that — even though it seems funny to drive while you're stoned — if the officer thinks you're high, you will get a DWI, and that's not easy to get out of.

AVC: How would they decide that you're high?

CR: The eyes and the smell mostly. They're always looking for it. Then there's the field sobriety test.

AVC: What would spur them to give a field sobriety test?

CR: For them to let you go, they have to be willing to rish their job. They'll never, ever get in trouble for arresting people. So when they ask you to do the field sobriety test, nine times out of 10 they've already decided that they're arresting you, and they're just trying to gather evidence. Those tests are not designed for you to pass.

AVC: Let's talk about one of the most famous local cases: Matthew McConaughey, which you use in your seminar. What could he have done differently?

CR: The thing he did wrong was resist arrest and refuse to put on his clothes. He's an example of absolutely what not to do. He's standing there totally nude, screaming at these cops, "Get the fuck out of my house!" Don't resist. Don't be terrified to go to Travis County jail on a marijuana charge. You're gonna get out in eight to 24 hours, barring a few variables. You don't have to join a gang to stay alive, or whack anybody to prove you're a man. You can usually get a class C ticket if you haven't pissed off the cops, if you have a job or go to school, and haven't said too much that's incriminating.

AVC: But in McConaughey's case, it was his celebrity that got him off?

CR: Absolutely, yes. The punch line to my "Top 10 Ways to Avoid a Marijuana Conviction" is "Be a movies star and number one UT football supporter."

AVC: What about people whose celebrity is linked to marijuana? How is it that Willie Nelson isn't always in jail?

CR: [laughs] I have no idea. If it were you or me, we definitely would have been arrested. Cops don't want to arrest Willie Nelson, but really, the whole criminal justice system is based around people not wanting to lose their jobs.

AVC: So do you philosophically disagree with marijuana prosecution?

CR: There's no way I could prosecute somebody for any drugs, but absolutely not for marijuana. The first marijuana case that came across my desk, I'd dismiss it and I'd be fired. The system is really effective at stopping people from being cool. And not just marijuana, but the way we handle all drug users. If this culture ever has an enlightenment, 200 years from now, they'll look back at this and go, "Those guys were barbarians."

AVC: Do you think marijuana will ever be legalized?

CR: It pains me to say it, but I don't have faith that it will. There's just no rationality to it at all. Luckily in Travis County — which is a little bit of California surrounded by Alabama — you have the possibility that someone on the jury will be like you or me. So if prosecutors aren't reasonable in the plea bargain for a marijuana case, defense attorneys can say, "We're going to jury trial and we may win." You don't really have that option in Hays or Williamson County.

AVC: By putting yourself out there with these seminars and proclaiming yourself as a "defender of marijuana," do you find you're under closer scrutiny?

CR: People do the same thing with DWI charges, and that's a lot riskier in terms of public reaction. I think that people in Travis County smile when it's marijuana. The judges don't even want to deal with it. But they can't not deal with it, or the next time an election comes along a candidate will say, "My opponent is soft on drugs." It's a hypocrisy that everyone wishes they didn't have to deal with you, but it's not possible because of the bureaucracy. I wish it were.

But then you might be out of a job.

CR: That's okay. I could do something else.

Tradition

2010-04-05T13:16:00.001-05:00

Growing up in my family, the only real shared tradition was something that happened on Sundays called "Bloody Mary Morning", inspired by the song of the same name. It was pretty cool and allowed for a lot of observation of adult behavior that I found to be entertaining and sometimes funny and gross all at the same time. Some examples would be my uncle Jerry removing his false teeth on command, my grandfather telling stories that involved gun purchases made in parking lots in Mexico, and political discussions that were neither stimulating or progressive. I had not thought about these Sundays in a long time, but now that I have a Sunday tradition of my own I was reminded of the good old days (wink wink).

For the better part of a year, every Sunday morning/early afternoon I have been going to eat Dim Sum at this really authentic place here in Austin. I know that Austin TX and Chinese Dim Sum may seem like an incongruous marriage, but I assure you it is super tasty, really authentic and my new favorite tradition. I go with my boyfriend and sometimes other friends. My boyfriend and I are both super busy types so it's really cool that we have this immovable thing that we do on a weekly basis. We both feel very protective of it and if work/social obligations threaten it's occurence we both get very anxious. I know this may sound dramatic, but we both take food pretty seriously, for reals.

The other thing about having something that you do at certain times regularly is that it starts to give those interactions more meaning. The people that run the restaurant where we go for Dim Sum know us now and we have conversations with them and look forward to seeing them. They make suggestions for us, allow my boyfriend some space at their counter for him to leave postcards promoting a show he put on during SXSW and in this way become a part of our lives. I mean, I am not saying that if I were in jail or something I would call Yen from T and S Seafood to bail me out, but it's a big world with room for all kinds of relationships.

So, thank you Dim Sum and my boyfriend and my friends for helping me start my own tradition that I look forward to every week and that does not involve anyone removing false teeth....at least not yet.

Negotiating

2010-04-05T11:17:00.000-05:00

The following comes my way via Penelope Trunk's awesome blog (find it in the links section). I am generally wary of systems that advise a one way approach to matters as subtle as negotiating, but I like the BATNA idea in particular and it allows for flexibility. I think that women in business are faced with very specific challenges when it comes to negotiation practices. We are taught from a young age to please/placate and there is also the matter of our biology. We are wired to caretake and this can sometimes make negotiating challenging. In my line of work I am negotiating on behalf of my clients everyday and each situation is so unique, but I do think that being armed with some clearly defined strategies is a leg up---no matter what your gender! I hope you find this information as compelling and useful as I do.

Penelope writes:
So I was excited when I had the opportunity to interview the author of Getting toYes, William Ury. He's director of the Global Negotiation Project at Harvard, and his new book is The Power of a Positive No: How to Say No and Still Get to Yes. Here are his five best tips for doing well in negotiations.

1. Take a break.
Ury calls this "going to the balcony" in order to get a big picture handle on what's going on so that you are not getting too worked up over irrelevant details. He says, "When we negotiate when we're angry we give the best speech we'll ever regret."

2. Know your BATNA.
This is negotiator-speak for "best alternative to a negotiated agreement." That is, if you have to walk away, what's the best you can get? This tells you how much power you have in negotiations. The person who needs the agreement the least has the best BATNA and the most power.

3. Put yourself in the other person's shoes.
Ury describes negotiation as an exercise in influence. "You need to change someone's mind, so you need to know where they are right now." This means listening more than talking. And the first question to ask is Why. You will hear their needs, but you need to know the underlying cause for the need. For example, if your boss wants you to work a 16-hour day. To negotiate with your boss, you need to understand why – what needs to get done in those hours. Maybe you can get it done a different way.

4. Learn to say no.
"In order to get to the right deal, you need to be able to say no to the wrong deal. Saying no is fundamental to the process of negotiation."
Tip from the department of great-if-you're-him: Warren Buffet once said that he doesn't understand "getting to yes" because he just says no until he sees a perfect yes. Buffet says you only have to give four or five great yes responses in his work in order to be a billionaire.

5. Be clear on your values.
For those of us who might not see a perfect yes, deciding on no is more complicated, and we have to be really clear in our own minds about what we value and what we need. Sometimes a no is surrounded by a deeper yes. For example. You say yes to the values, no to the tactics and yes to going forward. Ury calls this a positive no. But he warns that if you're in doubt, then the answer if probably no.

What I take away from Ury is that good negotiation is a combination of good self-knowledge and good people skills. And, not surprisingly, this is the combination that gets you a lot of things in life.

There are opportunities in each of our lives to practice negotiations constantly – even, as Web Worker Daily points out, in email. You can do it with a spouse, with a boss, with your neighbor who doesn't clean the yard. The better you get at the small stuff, the easier the big moments of negotiation will feel.

Investment Property Update: Austin Texas

2010-04-01T16:34:00.000-05:00

Here is some really good information about buying and running investment properties in Austin.

Outlook for Rest of the Year

Along with the stellar Spring weather comes the historical high point of the real estate sales season. Several factors suggest that 2010 will continue to see surging demand for small multifamily real estate in the Central Texas area:

Reasons for Optimism:

• Central Texas unemployment is the lowest in the US at 7.2% and continues to drop. (link to http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/2010/03/22/daily45.html) As we've said many times, job growth is the single most important factor in real estate values. And our jobs are good ones. Most recent announcements of thousands of new jobs include Facebook, Yingli Solar Energy, and Hangar Orthopedics.
• Interest rates remain at all time lows.
• Our prices remain relatively affordable compared to other cities with a similar quality of life in other areas. U-Haul rates from California to Texas are still twice as expensive as rates in the opposite direction.
• We continue to be heralded in national publications as the best city in the U.S. for whomever and whatever (you name it). After watching the swarms of people attending this year's South by Southwest festival, I wasn't surprised to hear that $100M is injected into our economy every year from this event alone.

Potential Pitfalls:

• The $8,000 homebuyer tax credit expires April 30th. Some fear that the market will slow without this incentive, but I don't see the expiration as deeply reducing demand.
• The Federal Reserve will soon stop buying mortgage backed securities. This will almost certainly increase mortgage interest rates, though probably not too steeply.
• The Double Dip Recession seems increasingly unlikely, but remains a potential threat.
• Pressure to reduce the deficit will eventually require Washington to make some tough choices about taxes such as long term capital gains and possibly the mortgage interest deduction (which would both have an impact on real estate prices). Given how politically unpopular such moves are, however, we probably will not see any action here until 2011 or beyond, when the recession is an increasingly distant memory.

Remember, the days of rapid appreciation are gone, and will not return any time soon. Investors should always assume that real estate prices will rise in tandem with job growth and inflation. The more vibrant the area's economy, the more people moving to the area for jobs, and the more people buying real estate.

The Golden Rules of Property Investment Revisited

• Income must exceed debt service and operating expenses.
• Equity appreciation is nice, but should never be the primary factor in acquiring real estate.
• Focus first on cash flow, then on neighborhood, then on property.
• Working class neighborhoods are fine if they're in the path of progress and not at the end of their life cycle with deteriorating demographics.
• Like most experienced Central Texas investors, I like to stay as close to Central Austin as reasonably possible
• Keep a vigilant eye on operations.
• Are you protesting your appraised value with the county each year?
• Are you holding your property manager and leasing agents accountable for their performance?
• Make readies and maintenance shouldn't be eating up more than 20% of your monthly rental income.
• Don't raise rents! Wait until the tenant moves out, and then readjust to slightly under market value for the next tenant. Vacancy is the worst enemy of cash flow. Don't be penny wise and pound foolish.

Help Save the Cathedral of Junk

2010-04-01T16:16:00.000-05:00

The Austin landmark, the Cathedral of Junk is in danger of being outlawed! Read more about it here---

http://austinist.com/2010/03/24/cathedral_of_junk_may_be_junked.php

Cathedral of Junk

2009-12-01T13:38:00.000-06:00

Another reason to love South Austin, the Cathedral of Junk. Started in 1988 and evolving ever since . Here's a link http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/7816 to more information about the Cathedral of Junk and it's creator Vince Hannemann.

Austin home sales up by 38% for 10.09!

2009-11-19T14:43:00.001-06:00

The Austin American Statesman reports that existing home sales are up by 38% for the month of October. The Austin market has weathered the economic storm so much better than the rest of the nation and this article verifies it! Check out the full story at:

http://www.statesman.com/business/content/business/stories/realestate/2009/11/19/1119homesales.html

Writing a Professional Biography

2009-11-18T15:12:00.001-06:00

I think most folks can feel me on this one...it is no fun writing resumes or bios of ourselves. Turner Residential (this is the brokerage where I run my business) is planning a major website redesign and I will need to freshen up my information. When faced with this task a few years back, here's one of the "gems" I came up with prior to breaking down and submitting a pretty innoucuous, but accurate bio.that can be viewed at www.turnerresidential.com. Please keep in mind that this faux bio is ficticious, satirical and all in good fun.

Real Estatic Force

Brandi Weber is a real estatic force. If there was one word to describe Brandi and her approach to real estate it would be Kafkaesque. Brandi Weber is the Eddie Van Halen of real estate. When it comes to real estate Brandi Weber’s philosophy is “take no prisoners”. Brandi Weber brings a “take no prisoners” and also a “no holds barred” approach to real estate. Brandi is like an ultimate fighter when it comes to doing her job….which is real estate. This means she is not afraid to punch someone in the nuts if that’s what needs to happen. If real estate were a violin, Brandi Weber would be a virtuoso. Brandi Weber is the Harvey Keitel of real estate. Brandi Weber wakes up every morning and eats an entire house for breakfast. Brandi Weber does not believe in God, she believes in real estate. Once, Brandi Weber gave birth….to real estate.

Austin is a Performer!

2009-11-18T12:33:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, Milken Institute/Greenstree

Real Estate Partners released its ranking of Best Performing Cities Index. Austin jumped from number 4 to the number 1 position and is the only city to have achieved the number 1 ranking twice – the last time being in 2000!
The study ranked U.S. metro areas based on their ability to create and sustain jobs, measuring employment, salary growth and technology output. An explanation is listed below for how Austin obtained an overall first place ranking. The favorable Texas business enviornment also helped Austin and other Texas cities along with a pattern of low taxes. The recent $500 million research funding for Tier One Universities was also cited.

Check out the full report here!

http://bestcities.milkeninstitute.org/bestcities2009.taf?rankyear=2009&type=rank200

The meaning of stuff

2009-11-18T11:29:00.001-06:00

In my line of work, I am in homes all the time. Sometimes the homes I am visiting are vacant, but often they are still occupied and furnished. We Realtors advise our clients about what to or not to display in their homes while the home is on the market for sale. Our advice usually leans towards doing things that will make the home feel more spacious (decluttering),"depersonalizing" by putting away personal photos etc. to allow a potential buyer to envision the home as theirs, and advising certain color palettes that are neutral and unlikely to solicit strong reactions. All of this stuff is proven to be effective and it's pretty easy to see why, but the things that I often notice (and often my buyer clients do also) are a bit more subtle. For example; the books on the book shelves or the ABSENCE of books, the clothes in the closet, the type of products left lying around the bathroom, and in my case specifically, because of personal interests-- is there music around in any format, or instruments? Recently, I was in a home that had an entire room dedicated to the owner's AWESOME vinyl collection. I know nothing of the person that owns this home, but I am undeniably curious about them and find myself wanting to know them. It is not a rational reaction, but an emotional, even sentimental one that I find very interesting. I mean just because some person has an interest that I share is no guarantee that they are a cool person, but in my mind the odds are already stacked in their favor.

On my list of things to read presently is a book by local author Sam Gosling called -
Snoop: What Your Stuff Says About You.

The following is from www.monitortalent.com:
"Sam Gosling is an author and associate professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. He is a nationally regarded researcher and innovator in the field of personality and social psychology. His work has been widely covered in the media, including The New York Times, Psychology Today, NPR, and "Good Morning America," and his research is featured in Malcolm Gladwell's Blink. Gosling is the recipient of the American Psychological Association's Distinguished Scientific Award for Early Career Contribution.

Gosling’s recently published book, Snoop: What Your Stuff Says About You, is a provocative and witty look at how our private spaces—from boardroom to bedroom—reveal our personalities, whether we know it or not! Does what's on your desk reveal what's on your mind? Do those pictures on your walls tell true tales about you? For the last ten years Gosling has been studying how people project (and protect) their inner selves. By exploring our private worlds, he explores not only how we showcase our personalities in unexpected—and unplanned—ways, but also how we create personality in the first place, communicate it others, and interpret the world around us."

My home is furnished with a pretty motley assortment of items that I have collected over the years and many of them are from thrift stores, Craigslist, and sometimes the garbage (for reals)or the side of the road. I like to think that what this says about me is that I am frugal and whimsical, however perspective is all relative and one person's whimsy is someone else's tacky. One thing is for sure, in this economy (or any economy) decorating your home or yourself with second hand or found items saves money and creates a unique look that you won't see in the pages of the West Elm catalog or at The Gap.

I have included some photos of them here for admiration or ridicule.

Go Hug Yourself!

2009-11-17T17:27:00.000-06:00

Hello! I am Brandi Weber. I am a Realtor in Austin Texas. Check me out at http://www.turnerresidential.com/

Choosing a name for this blog was tough. My main goal in writing this blog is to create a forum to share interesting information about the real estate market in Austin Texas as well as nationally, to have a place to brag on my super great city and a place to post weird and random stuff I encounter. I originally thought I would come up with a name for my blog that was a play on the name of an already established and well known blog (see above post title) , but I quickly discovered that as clever as I wish I would be, I am only clever like 50 % of the time and often that is only really late at night. So, hence the name Shiny City Chronicles.

There's a great line in the song Fake Empire by the National that goes "tip toe through our shiny city with our diamond slippers on", that line always make me think of Austin. So, in trying to come up with a name I borrowed a little from a great song.

I hope that you will find fun and interesting stuff in this blog in the coming days and weeks.
I am excited to see what it becomes!

Oh, and if you are looking for something cool to do this weekend check out the East Austin Studio Tour, http://www.eastaustinstudiotour.com/. An awesome way to check out art, meet artists and fellow art lovers and spend some time in a great part of the city!

Extension of the Home Buyer Tax Credit

2009-11-17T15:43:00.000-06:00

In an effort to further stimulate the economy, the government has extended the home buyer tax credit to April 2010. In addition to the $8000 tax credit offered to first time home buyers there is now a credit in the amount of $6500 offered to "move up" buyers. Read more about it here http://www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com/