By DeeinAustin™

Use this guide to learn how to find the best off-market deals in Austin or any U.S city by using common online and offline methods.

"Off-market" homes or investments are those not already listed in your
area’s Multiple Listing Service (MLS), which is provided by your local
Board of REALTORS®. 

If you’re an agent, buyer or investor looking for a good deal in commercial real estate, a home or land, non-MLS listings are the holy grail. You should also read our previous article on 33 Ways to find a Motivated Seller.

Top 10 Ways to Find Off Market Deals for the Best Price on a Home, Land, or Commercial Real Estate Property.

NOTE: If you’re not an agent, you may need to get one to assist you.

10. "Drive for Dollars". Drive your area every 7 to 10 days to check for changes. Is there a new "For Sale By Owner" sign? Newspapers piling up on a doorstep? Home gone further into disrepair? Home being fixed up a little? You may have an owner ready to sell soon.

9.Out-of-town owners. Check your tax appraisal
records for owners with addresses in another state or city. Send them a
letter or offer directly. The further they live, the better the
deal.

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Popularity: 10% [?]

NOTE: This article is part of the forthcoming book, the Gotcha Guide™ to Buying or Investing in Real Estate. by DeeinAustin™

Want to guarantee that your home will be sold faster than the competition? Send for feedback after showings! Well, it’s not that simple. Agents rarely send feedback.

Need proof? Here’s my non-scientific, completely off-the-cuff experiment:

HYPOTHESIS: Despite having a guaranteed positive return, real estate agents rarely send or receive feedback because takes too much extra time and effort. This is too bad for the seller because the process is very simple and useful.

THE PROCESS: I visited 20 houses last week within a 2-day period. I used an electronic Supra ekey so the agent can automatically see that I’ve visited the home.

THE RESULTS: I received 1 feedback request within 24 hours. I then received another request this week.

That’s it! Out of 20 homes, only 2 agents bothered to ask me for feedback. Of the two, only one sent it within a reasonable time-frame so I could best remember the home.

THREE AUTOMATED TOOLS THAT TAKE THE EXCUSE OUT OF NOT SENDING FEEDBACK

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By DeeinAustin™

Earlier this week, we discussed the Boomerang Home Buyer trend in Central Austin. A style gaining popularity since 2005 is Prefab Modern, also called modern modular. 

Modern prefab (modular) homes can be designed to suit a variety of tastes and price ranges.

In a previous post, we debunked the myths of prefabricated homes. Top benefits included solid construction, shorter build times and green techniques.

WHAT’S SO COOL ABOUT MODERN PREFAB?

Most modern prefab home have green, sustainable elements. The companies in Austin use green construction materials, have less on-site waste, and use energy-efficient appliances. Modern prefab styles can be seen in all areas of Greater Austin, including popular "suburban" areas like Dripping Springs, Leader, and Buda.

TOP 5 TIPS TO AVOID THE DOWNSIDE OF PREFAB MODERN HOMES

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NOTE: This article is part of the forthcoming book, the Gotcha Guide™ to Buying or Investing in Real Estate. by DeeinAustin™

Today, we’re continuing with Green Week here at Texas Realty Blog. If you haven’t already read our first post, take a look at Green Real Estate Events in Austin and Texas in Spring 2008.

QUICK INTRO TO GREEN BUILDING AND GREEN REMODELING

Green homes don’t have to be odd-shaped and made out of materials that aren’t normally seen in your neighborhood. According to EcoManor the most efficient green homes have the following characteristics:

Environmentally-sound materials
 Energy-efficient appliances
 Recycled & Locally-sourced materials
 Rain water collection
 Drought-resistant landscaping
 Natural, chemical-free insulation
 Low-flush toilets
 Natural cleaning products

TOP 5 QUICK, LOW-COST FIXES THAT YOU CAN DO TODAY FOR BETTER GREEN LIVING

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By DeeinAustin™

If green building is not a big issue in your area, it will be in 2008. I represent 5-star green builders who were  ahead of the curve years ago when they first became concerned with sustainable home design.

2008 will bring increased pressure to build green. To stay on top of this trend, real estate agents, contractors and home builders in Austin and nationwide will likely obtain their green certifications.

Two popular programs include EcoBroker as well as the Certified Green Professional Designation from the National Association of Home Builders.

SPECIAL GREEN WEEK AT TEXAS REALTY BLOG

This week is a special green real estate week for the Texas Realty Blog. Each article will highlight green real estate and green home building.

• Today, we’re covering upcoming green building events that you may want to attend in Texas, even if you’re from another state.
• Our popular Gotcha Guide™ series will see a green post mid-week. Look for our Gotcha Guide™ Intro to Green Building and Remodeling. We’ll tell you which quick green fixes bring the biggest bang for the buck.
• Friday’s Spotlight will be on the top green built communities in Central Texas and the U.S. You may be surprised at which developments made the list.

WHERE TO GET YOUR GREEN REAL ESTATE FIX IN 2008

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By DeeinAustin™

I received a notice yesterday that Austin’s Home Auction Live! website launched. You may not realize that home auctions are one of the fastest-growing businesses in this national housing climate.

Increased foreclosures and luxury home inventory are the top real estate sales at auctions.

Have a home that won’t sell? Need to get rid of land or home inventory? Have equity, but no time to go through the real estate sales process? A real estate auction may be right for you.

Even better, the process is actually quite simple.

HOW THE REAL ESTATE AUCTION PROCESS WORKS

1. You or your real agent will contact the real estate auction website or auctioneer. You will need to have equity because you will sell at a discount.
2. The auctioneer will gather all details of your home. Some auctioneers will research and produce a marketing plan for the home if it’s an upper-tier.
3. The potential buyers will inspect the property 7-14 days prior to the auction, so you need to provide full access or risk losing money at the auction.
4. Auction Day! If the home is listed with an agent or broker, they will usually need to be in attendance. Same thing goes for a buyer’s agent.

WHAT CAN YOU BUY OR SELL AT A REAL ESTATE AUCTION?

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