How REALTORS® are like ducks

You know that saying about ducks being calm on the surface but paddling energetically below the water? I think that's a fair description of most Texas REALTORS®. What you see is a composed professional guiding you through your real estate transaction. Behind the scenes, where you may not notice, your REALTOR® is working hard on countless important tasks: • Analyzing data to help you with pricing and offer decisions • Marketing the property through multiple channels to provide maximum exposure (sellers/lessors) or sifting through multiple properties to find all options that meet your criteria (buyers/lessees) • Calling, emailing, and texting the other party's agent to keep the transaction moving • Monitoring deadlines to ensure nothing slips through the cracks • Dealing with complications related to financing, inspections, surveys, appraisals, and insurance • Learning about the latest state government-mandated changes to real estate contracts and managing details brought about by recent federal lending changes to ensure the transaction goes smoothly. This list could go on-and each of these activities could be further broken down into multiple steps-but you get the idea: Your Texas REALTOR® is working hard on your behalf in all kinds of ways.

New Listing at Saida Towers IV Unit #105

Beautiful ground floor condo in one of the nicest complexes on the island! Breathtaking views of the Gulf of Mexico from your personal patio. This 3 bedroom, 2 bath condo offers an open concept floor-plan, the kitchen has stainless steel appliances, granite counter tops and granite in the baths. Saida complexes are known for their excellent rental history and offer many amenities. 3 pools, tennis courts, palapa bar/restaurant. Located a few short steps to the beach, make this condo your next vacation getaway! More Information

5:01 LADIES NIGHT OUT

5:01 LADIES NIGHT OUT HAPPY NEW YEAR 2016 THIS MONTH OUR GATHERING WILL BE HELD @ THE MOVIE THEATER, ISLAND CINEMA OUR HOSTESS IS COURTNEY HAYDEN WE WILL BE CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF MOVIES ON THE ISLAND. DATE: JANUARY 21ST, 2016 PLACE: ISLAND CINEMA 4700 PADRE BLVD LOOKING FORWARD TO CELEBRATING WITH THE 5:01 LADIES AT OUR 1ST GATHERING FOR 2016 PLEASE RSVP, Anna Stahl 210-861-5266 or: a_stahl@outlook.com

New Listing Las Costas #2 on South Padre Island

Las Costas is an impressive 7 unit beachfront condo complex. Enjoy breathtaking views of the Gulf of Mexico from the expansive balconies. This condo is spacious and has top of the line appliances in the kitchen. Unit includes a single covered parking place and a single car garage with a mother-in law suite above it. Palapa and grill area include TV, surround sound system & fire pit. Gated beach access, heated pool/spa. Offered furnished, excludes paintings. More Information

6 reasons to contact a REALTOR® in 2016

Does your list of New Year's resolutions include real estate-related goals? One way to ensure you achieve them is to work with a professional. So, if one of these situations arises, be sure to reach out to a Texas REALTOR®. You think you're ready to buy a home. A Texas REALTOR® can walk you through the process and ensure you get answers to your first-time-homebuyer questions. You're considering selling your home. He or she can help you determine how much your home is worth and what you can do to best prepare your home to attract buyers. You want to buy a second home or investment property. Whether you're planning to be a landlord or you'd rather hire a property manager, a Texas REALTOR® can explain the best practices and requirements in your market. You're new to the neighborhood. If you have questions about the community or want recommendations for local businesses, contact your Texas REALTOR®. You'd like to protest your property-tax appraisal. If you think your appraisal was off-base, your Texas REALTOR® can help you collect evidence that supports your claim. You have a home improvement to-do list. He or she can help you determine which upgrades will generate the biggest return when you're ready to sell. Plus, your Texas REALTOR® is tapped into a network of service providers, including contractors, landscapers, and repairmen, that you may want to consult.

Strengthen your negotiating position with this one tip

There's a simple thing you can do to put yourself in a powerful negotiating position: If you want something, don't care about getting it. Does that sound crazy? Can you see yourself not caring when negotiating the purchase of your dream home, the one you can see yourself blissfully happy in for years to come? Don't misunderstand me. I'm not suggesting you don't try to get the house. Not caring means you sit down with your Texas REALTOR® and put together a data-driven offer that makes sense for your situation. Then you divorce yourself from the outcome. Not caring-removing the emotion-makes your decisions easier because you'll be assessing objective criteria. Either the seller meets your price or he doesn't. Either he agrees to make a repair or he doesn't. You won't win every negotiation this way, but you'll be less likely to pay more than you wanted to or compromise on something that you'll regret. There's no line in the contract that says, Check this box if you really want this house. Focus on the particulars of the deal without caring about the outcome. It's easier said than done.

How can you buy a home you don't know is for sale?

Not many homebuyers would ask to see 70% of available homes for sale. But that's what's happening if you're visiting certain websites. Realtor.com recently provided a real-world demonstration of its competitors' incomplete data by wrapping an Austin home in a black covering with a statement printed on it that said, "Searching for a home to buy on Zillow? You're missing out on thousands like this." The point is that not all real estate sources give you a complete picture. Some websites don't list thousands of properties currently for sale, show homes for sale that have already sold, and provide inaccurate values and data. So how do you know you're getting the most complete, accurate information? My suggestion is to work with a REALTOR®. They are the folks with the most real estate experience, the best information, and the ability to help you interpret that information.