Bradley Pounds

Wondering if you should refinance? 7 Things to Consider

2010-07-27T17:06:00Z

With rates at an all-time low, it seems like my clients who have been in their homes for some time have all developed the same symptom: "rate fatigue." Rates have been low for some time now but the fact that they're continually lowered and then lowered again the following week has most folks holding out for the true bottom of the rate market. Analysts think there's not room to go much lower because at some point the yield will become too low for banks to write the loans. Time will tell. For now, check out this handy tool from Bankrate.com at the link below.

Bankrate.com Slideshow

If you're curious about a re-fi, start with our in-house lender, Todd McDougall at AmCap Mortgage.

Http://McDougallMortgages.com

Open House in The Colony on Sunday

2010-07-23T11:25:00Z

The Colony, Bastrop - We invite everyone to visit our open house at 140 Carriage Ct on July 25 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

Property information

Would you know the signs of termite damage if you saw them?

2010-07-05T00:56:00Z

I've been very lucky in my career in that I've only had two transactions that were affected by the discovery of termite damage. One of the transactions was canceled completely and the other was complicated by a very costly repair. What's the worst part? In both cases, the homes were occupied with otherwise responsible residents who could have spotted the damage much earlier on and saved themselves thousands of dollars if they would have been familiar with the signs of a termite infestation.

I have a couple of online resources that will help you learn how to spot a termite problem. The first is a concise article from Terminix that outlines the basics. The second is a photo page with some pretty good shots of typical damage.

http://www.terminix.com/Exterminator/FAQs/Signs_of_Termite_Damage/

http://unexco.com/gallery/

Are you interested in purchasing rental property in Austin?

2010-07-05T00:40:00Z

Deals on small investment properties like duplexes, fourplexes, etc., have rarely been better for a couple of reasons. First, distressed property sales have made the markets super-competitive. When I say distressed property, don't just think of foreclosures and short sales. In fact, there are many cases of properties that sell conventionally but that are offered by very motivated sellers that will slash their net proceeds from a transaction just to get out from the under the property for whatever reason.

The other cause of a sluggish investment property market is the massive shift that began with the subprime mortgage crisis. As a result of the crash, banks generally require 20% down to purchase rental property - - - cutting many potential investors out of the market as a result.

Do you have questions for me regarding investment property? Call me at 512-736-3353 or email at Bradley@BradleyPounds.com.

The New Formula One track site in Austin --- Could this be it?

2010-07-03T17:30:00Z

No inside information on this end - - - but CNET ran an article this week stating that this might be the new site of the Formula One track in Austin.

What do you think?

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-20009165-48.html

Austin job site launched

2010-05-27T10:57:00Z

Careerboard.com just launched the site that charges Austin employers for listing its local jobs online. Check out http://www.careerboard.com/

Protesting property taxes in Travis County, Williamson County

2010-05-12T15:42:00Z

Last week I took an enlightening continuing education course on protesting the Travis/Williamson County tax appraisals. Wow. I've helped clients in the past with their protests but even I was shocked by some of the things that I learned! The information couldn't have come from a better source, either - - - a former member of the Appraisal Review Board, who shared the methodologies (as well as idiosyncrasies) of the central appraisal districts. While no one can guarantee a protest will be effective since you're are almost literally "fighting City Hall" when attempting this, the instructor left us feeling much more prepared to help our clients reduce their property tax bills.

When I help clients buy a home, I help advise them through the process and prepare the protest calculations for them. That's just another way I give them service after the sale. My satisfied clients are my best advertisement and their referrals have helped me build my business in a way that's much more effective than any billboard or television ad could be!

What did your last agent do for you after the deal was closed?

Bradley Pounds, ABR®, e-PRO®

Home Team of America

8920 Business Park Dr.

Suite 200

Austin, TX 78759

cell: (512) 736-3353

fax: (512) 857-0004

email: bradley@bradleypounds.com

10% down Jumbo Loan program at fixed 5.35%

2010-04-28T21:20:00Z

I was so excited to speak this afternoon with a local lender who has a great program for jumbo loans in the Austin, Texas area. The lender can do 10% down at a fixed rate of 5.35% with 10% down. That's blowing most of the 20% down and 7+% interest big box lenders out of the water in the Austin market. Call me for details, (512) 736-3353.

"Foundations, Gutters, and Flooding - Oh My!" Five Articles Every Homeowner Should Read.

2010-04-21T22:37:00Z

Understanding Foundation Problems
Foundation problems may mean expensive repairs. Here’s what to look for and what you need to know to keep small concerns from becoming big headaches. Read
Fast Fixes for Common Gutter Problems
Maintaining gutters is the most important thing you can do to prevent water from damaging your house, and keeping them in shape is an easy homeowner task. Read
Protect Yourself and Your Home from Flooding
Few places in the country are considered free from flooding, so protect your home and family. Read
7 Signs You May Have a Drainage Problem
Finding and addressing drainage problems when they’re smaller and easier to fix can save you thousands of dollars and plenty of headaches down the line. Read
8 Solutions to Common Wet-Basement Problems
Solving wet-basement problems is one of the most important things you can do to protect the value of your home and health of your family. Read

Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.

You have to be under contract by April 30 to take advantage of the $8000 tax credit!

2010-04-21T21:52:00Z

Whether you're a first-time homebuyer or a an existing homeowner looking to capitalize on the $8000/$6500 tax credits, the deadline for getting under contract on a property is next weekend. I'm getting a rabid rush of calls from folks who don't quite get it that most buyers don't go under contract on a property ont he first day they start their home search. I've got some appointments available over the next few days so if you want to use your time wisely, let's go see some houses!

Follow me on Twitter!

2010-04-21T21:14:00Z

@BradleyPounds

Report says Austin home prices will increase beginning in 2011

2010-04-09T18:08:00Z

From the Austin Business Journal:

Austin area home prices are expected to stop falling in the final quarter this year, according to Federal Housing Finance Agency and Moody's Economy.com data.

Read more: Report: Austin home prices will increase Q1, 2011 - Austin Business Journal:

Austin Earth Day Events

2010-04-09T18:04:00Z

Austin has something for everyone when it comes to celebrating Earth Day this year. From twilight hikes, to live music to film screenings, check out www.austinearthday.org for more info.

So the homebuyer tax credits are going away - - - but what about the energy efficiency and other tax credits?

2010-04-06T14:16:00Z

I spoke to an environmentally conscious Austin client who assumed that the energy-efficiency upgrade tax credits would expire the same day as the homebuyer tax credits, which is April 30, 2010. It made sense to me, but we looked into it just in case.

Actually the energy efficiency upgrade tax credits fall into two categories, depending on whether you're talking about a project like new windows or HVAC, or whether it's a larger project like solar paneling, etc.

USAToday.com has a concise primer on the remaining "green" tax credits, and luckily it looks like we can continue to capitalize on those throughout 2010.

Most folks want to know about the windows, and here's the gist.

"The non-business energy property tax credit. This tax break provides a credit of 30% of the cost of new insulation, energy-efficient windows and doors, furnaces, air conditioners, heat pumps, water heaters or boilers, up to a maximum of $1,500. To claim the full credit, you would need to spend at least $5,000 on qualified energy-efficient home improvements...."

Here's the full story on USAToday.com:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/columnist/block/2010-04-06-yourmoney06_ST_N.htm

Will mortgage rates climb next month? They've started already . . .

2010-03-26T18:16:00Z

Next month the government will stop buying mortgage-backed securities. Many of those securities on the market still contain toxic assets, and experts are divided on whether there's enough demand in the private market to support the sale of those securities. Remember that the securities include many mortgages packed together, and banks need them to be purchased so they can regain the capital and issue new mortgage loans.

So what does this mean for you? Depending on how this plays out, we could see some substantial interest rate hikes. Because it will take weeks to really see what direction this will take, there is still time to lock rates at today's 4.9+% rates. Are you on the fence about whether to lock now? Call Paul Zabal with Elite Financing today, (512) 663-0043.

See this Reuters story from today - - -

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2616224220100326