Real Estate Blog

Ways to Spend Father's Day in Austin | Spyglass Realty

Posted by Ryan Rodenbeck on June 16th, 2020

Some things might have changed with this year's Father's Day but this won't stop you planning the best weekend for your dad. Whether you are planning to make the most of social distancing or spend it at home, here are some 10 fun activities to help you plan out a memorable Father's Day with your dad.

1. Camping

Pack your camping gear and take dad for an adventure in different camping spots around Austin. Do take note that during these times, if you plan to go camping, don't forget to visit the park's website for any reservations, alerts, and closures before you plan your camping trip ahead.

2. Fishing

Reel 'em in! Cast your line in some of Austin's top fishing spots. You can catch catfish, sunfish, and largemouth at the Walter E.…

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Best Places to Invest in Austin, TX | Spyglass Realty

Posted by Ryan Rodenbeck on May 28th, 2020

Austin, Texas has one of the best real estate markets in the nation. The strong job market, natural outdoor beauty, and laid-back lifestyle entice renters and homeowners to flock to the Lone Star State. What makes Austin the best place to buy investment properties? Why should investors buy rental properties in Austin? Is Austin a good place to invest in real estate? We'll be answering your questions on why you should invest in the Austin housing market and the top 5 next best places to invest in Austin.

Why Should You Invest in the Austin Housing Market?

The Austin economy continues to be based strongly on technology and high learning. It earned the nickname of Silicon Hills due to the number of tech companies from Silicon Valley building their…

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Where to Spend Mother’s Day in Austin | Spyglass Realty

Posted by Ryan Rodenbeck on May 6th, 2020

With social distancing, stay at home orders, and restrictions in Austin, celebrating mother’s day surely be different this year. A vast majority of restaurants and event recreation areas are closed for safety reasons, However, there are still plenty of things to do to celebrate mother’s day at home. Some restaurants in Austin will also be open during the said date where you can get your favorites by pickup and delivery. Here are some ways to spend Mother’s Day in Austin during the quarantine.

1. Write a thoughtful letter

Express your love and gratitude to your mom with a Happy Mother’s Day or thank you card. Write a special letter to your mother and give it to her this Sunday. Bonus points if your card is DIY-ed/designed by you.

2. Bring Your…

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April Newsletter | Life in Quarantine | Isabel Affinito

Posted by Isabel Affinito on May 2nd, 2020

Quarantine: Not Ideal, but Not All Bad

Well, April has been a month to remember, hasn't it? I saw something online recently that said "2020 sounded like the most futuristic year and now we’re all like 'I traded my neighbor a handkerchief for some carrots' "

That pretty much sums it up. I had big plans for 2020. I was going to get three businesses up and running, take a big trip to the British Virgin Islands with my family, and launch a whole new, perfectly planned decade. But it was not to be.

My big plans these days are:

• Keep one business alive
• Pay my team members
• Watch the sunset
• Order enough groceries to last a week
• Keep a sourdough starter alive (her name is Rona)
• Don't throw away any food unless absolutely necessary
…

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Short Sale Austin: How Does it Work? | Spyglass Realty

Posted by Ryan Rodenbeck on April 24th, 2020

A short sale is when a homeowner sells their property for less than the amount owed on the mortgage for where the lender is willing to accept less than the amount that is owed on the mortgage.

Let's say you're in a situation where you recently bought a home for $300,000 and you placed a 20% down payment. The other 80% is from your lender and you pay it off monthly including the interest. But what if something unfortunate happens such as losing your job, or your partner losing your job, or you're having difficulty paying it?

This is where you can ideally make use of a short sale where you can thoroughly vet the options and avoid having a foreclosure.

How does a Short Sale work?

Here are the steps on the process of a Short Sale in Austin:

For…

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Buying a Home in Austin During a Pandemic | Spyglass Realty

Posted by Ryan Rodenbeck on April 20th, 2020

By now, the novel COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on public health and the nation's economy. However, the largest cities in Texas — including Austin — are among the areas least likely to see the pandemic shake-out of a major housing market.

The main lesson is that Austin and Texas economically turned quicker than the rest of the country after the last crisis. Why? Because we did not have the amount of speculation or financial leverage that so many markets had. Travis County ranks 457 out of the 483 housing markets surveyed in vulnerability, meaning it is one of the 30 markets expected to be least vulnerable to effects from the coronavirus pandemic (Source: ATTOM Data Solutions). 

Presently, the Austin economy continues to be based…

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Choosing the Right Floor Plan for My Home | Spyglass Realty

Posted by Ryan Rodenbeck on April 15th, 2020

The key to building the perfect home is by figuring out the floor plan that will suit your needs and cater to your lifestyle. There endless ideas when it comes to building your home whether you plan on having customized one-of-choose options provided by your home builder. Choosing the right floor plan for your home is one of the first steps to achieving your dream home. Now, this guide is not just for people looking into building a home. This is also helpful for homebuyers in order to determine if a home meets their needs.

Types of Floor Plans

First, here are the two types of floor plans buyers can select from when shopping for a new house.

Open Floor Plans

An open floor plan refers to a house with two or more spaces that are joined…

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What's the Deal with Hardwood Flooring | Spyglass Realty

Posted by Ryan Rodenbeck on April 6th, 2020

When remodeling or constructing your home, you have different options to choose from for your flooring. One of the most popular options is wood flooring. It is naturally inviting, and it's a timeless material that beautifies your home. Deciding between the type of wood material may be a hard choice to make. This blog is your guide for your hardwood flooring. Know the difference, pros and cons, and the costs of laminate and hardwood flooring.

What is Hardwood Flooring?

Hardwood floors are harvested from trees and formed into plants, sanded down to become smooth. Hardwood flooring is 100% wood which also includes a petroleum-based factory finish. This type of flooring is known to be more durable compared to other wood counterparts. Hardwood…

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Building a Home in Austin Checklist | Spyglass Realty

Posted by Ryan Rodenbeck on April 4th, 2020

Are you looking into building your dream home in Austin in the future? Building a home is one of the biggest commitments anyone can have in their life. The process is exciting as it gets. However, there are some instances where mistakes are unavoidable, a reason why it's important to familiarize yourself with each process and stage in homebuilding. In this blog, we'll walk you through the different stages of building a home in Austin so you can see and understand what is involved.

As you build your own house, you will be dealing with various professionals with different roles and responsibilities. Most decisions will be coming from you while these professionals will be here to navigate you and bring your dream house to life. An Austin real estate…

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Come Back Swinging From COVID-19 | Spyglass Realty

Posted by Ryan Rodenbeck on April 3rd, 2020

I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe right now. We're having our monthly Spyglass Realty meeting. And we're going to do it on all the realty hack groups. Right now is just like such a trying time in our life and I don't think anyone has seen anything like this.

What we need to do is to try to normalize our lives, we need to be engaging with our clients, we basically what are you gonna do, you're gonna sit home or go crazy, or you're gonna like try to make the best of this. And the way that we can do that the number one thing that you can be doing, anybody that you have worked with, or potentially work with is conversations.

That is the hardest thing to do because it requires picking up the phone and making calls. But, it's the most…

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