Reinae Kessler

Ok, I have to admit I learned a big lesson this week in karmic destiny. And, I have my husband, Kurt, to thank for this. This lesson for me was not easy, nor was it quick...it was actually several years in the making. You may ask what in the world this has to do with a real estate blog? Well to prove Austin, Texas really is one of the coolest places to live in the world.

The issue for me started about 4 years ago. My husband decided to trade his nice redone VW Bus for a bicycle. So you completely understand, this bus was in sweet condition. It had all the rust removed, had a new paint job, and was pretty nice. Now...since it wasn't my car, I really had no say in the matter, but boy did I try!!! "This is most stupid and fiscally ridiculous thing you could possibly do!" I shouted. He didn't care. He did it any way. He traded it to someone for a Bianchi road bike(value a few hundred dollars). I guess you need to be a cyclist to completely understand, but apparently to my husband this was an equal trade. IT WAS NOT...as he ended up getting rid of the bike a few months later. I know what you are thinking...my husband must be stupid. And, I have to say, that for the past 4 years, every time I saw the bus driving down the road, or even thought about the trade, I would cringe. My husband would just say..."Reinae, things come and they go, but they are just things. The person I gave the bus to had no place to live, so now he does." I truly like to think I am an evolved person, but I just did not understand how someone would just give their car away.

I guess I need to say a few things about my husband. He is happy. He always smiles. He makes me a better person. But most of all, people are drawn to him. He works for Starbucks at Slaughter and Escarpment in Austin. He loves his job and the people. But more than that PEOPLE LOVE HIM. He met a retired fireman, Mike, and struck up a quasi friendship. You know...someone you see everyday and you genuinely like but you only see in the confines of the job. Now here is where it gets good. This person and my husband had some things in common and one of them happens to be love of old classic cars. Mike happens to have a 1966 Mustang, he is the original owner, and we have a 1964 ½ Mustang convertible. Kurt and Mike drive each others cars around the parking lot and have a few beers at the local bar after work one day. That's it...other than seeing each other at Starbucks.

Fast forward to January 2010. I get a phone call from my husband. Seems his friend Mike, who I have never heard of, wants to give him his car. My first thought is this guy wants something. But, I step back from this thought and remember that this is Austin after all. It seems Mike has decided that he wants to simplify his life. This car is just sitting in his garage and doesn't get driven. He doesn't need the money, so he is going to donate the car to charity. He walks into Starbucks for his regular morning coffee, sees my husband and decides Kurt should have it. And just as quickly as my husband gave away his Volkswagon Bus, he becomes the owner of a desert brown 66 Mustang. I am not kidding here. The title has been transferred, the plates are in Kurt's name.

The whole reason I came back to Austin was because I wanted to be in a city that cared. I love the people here, and Austin really is an exceptional place where you can feel at home. People here are smart, almost half have college degrees. But people in Austin aren't just book smart, they are emotionally intelligent. Most have their priorities straight, and give their time and their money to many great causes. I think the thing that shocks many upon arriving here is that the neighborhoods are different than most major cities. People live green, they live small, they recycle, and they don't water their yards as they want to save the precious natural resource. Austinite's do keep things simple. And the motto "Keep Austin Weird" rules for a reason. People here prefer independent individual businesses to chains. There is so much to do, from live music to university sporting events, lakes and boating and just hanging with good people. So by all means, come to Austin. Try on the hospitality, follow your bliss, smile, and be happy. You never know...someone may just give you a free car!

I have a hard time listening or watching the news. The sky is falling so they say. Unemployment is up, home sales are down. While this is true, on a national level and somewhat on a local level, my business is up, up, up! Why is that? HMMM...let me ponder a moment on our current state of affairs, here in the music capital of the world.

Austin is by far a very energetic city. There is so much going on here with the music and film industries, the University of Texas at Austin, and the State Capitol bringing in folks. Our city has been fairly insulated from the national woes. Last quarter the chamber of commerce stated that city of Austin added 50,000 jobs to our area. Our unemployment rates are at 6%, less than the national average, and people are still moving here to escape the over inflated prices of their regions. Our town is still hopping. My listings are selling.

But, I have to help the consumer understand that while things are still moving here, things have changed from the height of the market two years ago. Right now it's all about value. There are plenty of buyers out there. They are taking advantage of the short sale markets and the foreclosures that are happening everywhere. Because of the state of the average consumers mind, and the fear of making the wrong choice, the homes that are selling are the ones that are the best value for the area. Seller's need to make this correction in their minds and we as agents need to help them understand that if they have to sell, there are two key factors that attribute to the successful sale. Pricing is the first. If seller's insist on listing their homes at last years pricing, it's our job to help them understand the dangers associated with this, mostly that there home is likely to sit for a very long period of time. Ultimately the house will likely sell at a much lower value, as the excitement on a listing lasts only for about 4 weeks. The other key to a successful sale is condition of the property. It's imperitive that the property be clean, uncluttered and staged appropriately. Take care to pay attention to the two key factors of condition and price, and your home or listing will sell.

I just got an offer and we are in negotiations on my most recent listing...only 46 days on the market. I am excited for my seller. If you need to list your home and want to understand exactly how to get it sold in this market, feel free to call me with your questions at 512.983.8556. I am happy to help.