Robin Scott - Broker CRS ABR SRS Austin Texas REALTOR®

Have you received letters in the mail informing you that your property taxes are too high and offering to protest on your behalf and get your home evaluation, thus your property taxes reduced? Mee too.

In fact, a company out of Houston sent a comparative market analysis showing homes in my nieghborhood with the prices for which they sold to demonstrate that my evaluation was too high.The Houston company used very clever marketing with what looked like a handwritten note. Since I have 5 properties, it was humorous to see the exact note on each correspondence.

Out of curiosity, I researched on our MLS the properties that were listed on the comparative to see what the true story was. Did they really sell for those lower prices, did they really exist? What i found was that the homes did really exist and they did really sell for those lower taxes - in 1995,1996 and 1997!

To me this represents FRAUD. This is just a note to recommend that if you choose to hire someone to represent you in lowering yur property taxes, make sure they are a reputable company. Get a referral from someone or check them out with the Better Business Bureau.

Robin Scott, BROKER. Certified Residential Specialist, Accredited Buyer's Representative, Seller's Representative Specialist. Amelia Bullock Realtors. 512.589.7988.

In Austin, we have been experiencing an incredible drought. Our house has a small front yard with a big tree in the middle so our grass is only suffering around the edges. Our neighbors tree died and now her grass is fried. If El Nino (the weather condition in the Pacific which usually brings a lot of rain in the fall) doesn't bring us rain this year, I think we may have to reconsider the concept of grass as a landscaping option. After all, Texas once experienced a 10 year drought.

Starting today, the city of Austin is implementing a mandatory watering restriction schedule. Violations will be fined starting at $400 for each occurrence.

For single family homes: Odd numbered addresses water on Saturday and even numbered addresses water on Sunday. That's right - only once a week! Best of luck. With temperatures exceeding 100 degrees almost every day, I just don't see how we can keep our grass alive.

In addition there are time restrictions: With automatic sprinkler systems you may water ONLY between midnight and 10a.m. With hose sprinklers and soaker hoses you may water between midnight and 10 am and between 7pm and midnight on your day only. With a hand held hose, you may water any day.

Also consider other water conservation ideas like washing your car less often, turn off the water while brushing your teeth, fill the kitchen sink with water to wash dishes instead of letting the water run. If you have other ideas, please share them here.

Robin Scott, BROKER. Certified Residential Specialist, Accredited Buyer's Representative, Seller's Representative Specialist. Amelia Bullock Realtors. 512.589.7988.

Active Rain is really great but yesterday we had actual rain for the first time in weeks. In Austin, we have had an unusually hot and dry summer. the weatherman reports it as the worst drought in Texas history and the hottest summer in decades. Austin has experienced over 40 days of triple digit temperatures most of them near the 105 degree mark. Surprisingly, it's easy to acclimate. I don't spend much time outside but it's not that bad.

When I saw the rain it was thrilling. There has been rain all around us but none on us. It was truely great

Robin Scott, BROKER. Certified Residential Specialist, Accredited Buyer's Representative, Seller's Representative Specialist. Amelia Bullock Realtors. 512.589.7988.

YES! This week I've met with three different potential first-time homebuyers. They all seem to feel insecure about whether it's a good time to buy and if it's a risk they want to take. That's understandable after the chaos that has struck the real estate industry.

The good news in the Austin area is that our market has not suffered as much as other areas and according to everything I've read, we a poised to make a market come back before most of the other markets as well. In May we had under 10,000 homes for sale which is less than in year 2000.

3 REASONS TO BUY A HOME

1. To have control over your own environment. To be able to paint a room, have a yard for your pets or kids, be further from your neighbor than a thin wall and be able to control your monthly living expenses.

2. For the income tax deduction. Your mortgage payment is comprised of your principal, interest, taxes and insurance payments combined. Most of the cost of your mortgage will be the interest you pay on the loan and your property taxes. Those two expenses are deductible from your income for the purposes of paying your income taxes. That should be enough reason to own a home but there is more.

3. To build equity. Yes, I know that some people were caught owning more than their home was worth and that's unfortunate. Done correctly that can largely be avoided.The two biggest ways to assure your homes value is to make a reasonable downpayment and plan to keep your house for 5-10 years. Over time the market dips and always returns to a higher position.

3 REASONS THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO BUY

1. Home prices. Home prices have gone down over the last couple of years and are expected to rise again. Buy now while they are low.

2. Interest rates. Interest rates have been historically low. Take advantage of low interest rates.

3. First-time homebuyer $8,000 tax credit. If this applies to you, this is a huge advantage. You must be a first-time homebuyer and the deadline is December 1.

If you live in the greater Austin area and are considering buying a home, I'd love the opportunity to meet with you and help you decide if this is a good time for you or how to achieve your goal of home ownership.

Robin Scott, BROKER. Certified Residential Specialist, Accredited Buyer's Representative, Seller's Representative Specialist. Amelia Bullock Realtors. 512.589.7988.

This year I got a bee in my bonnet and decided to protest taxes on all my properties and my daughters as well. We all know that the market has plummeted although not as much in Central Texas as other places across the country. I figured it was worth my efforts to try to reduce my tax liabilities so I started by filing a written protest. The counties (Travis and Williamson) sent me adjusted property values that were lower than the original value and appointment dates to come speak with them if I wasn't in agreement.

Last week I went to the informal hearing at Williamson County Appraisal District to protest the taxes on my homestead and my experience was different than the one I had in Travis County. I was told that the improved features in homes was not included in the tax appraisals.Only exterior improvements like pools, decks, etc could increase or decrease the property value. If the homes in the comparatives that the county used had interior upgrades that my home did not, that information could not be used to lower my taxes. Although the county appraiser was willing to use the comparatives from homes that I wanted included in the analysis, the plan was to use 5 homes as compatibles and I had only brought 3 so they chose 2 of their own. The county appraiser didn't agree with me about my reduced value but he did agree to reduce my value even further than offered in the written proposal. I was satisfied so I accepted.

The following day I was back at Williamson County Appraisal District to protest the taxes on my daughters home. I thought I had it made because since her home is right next door to mine, similar size, upgrades, same age and same builder; it made sense that the price per square foot should be the same. The appraiser said "no." Since my daughters house is 75 sq.ft and only 75 sq.ft. smaller, I was told that the price would be higher per square foot.

I went to the formal hearing before the review board to argue my point.

The review board is comprised of three private citizens who have been chosen to hear the protests. I sat at a table opposite the three and next to a representative of the county. I explained my reasoning, the county representative explained hers, the review board determined the value county appraiser has assessed was correct and that was the end of that.

It was worth the effort to get the taxes reduced. They did agree to reduce my daughters taxes further than the original proposal. They just didn't agree to reduce them to the same as mine.

So far I have successfully reduced the taxes on my investment property in Travis County, my home in Williamson County and my daughters home in Williamson County.

Robin Scott, BROKER. Certified Residential Specialist, Accredited Buyer's Representative, Seller's Representative Specialist. Amelia Bullock Realtors. 512.589.7988.