Robin Scott - Broker CRS ABR SRS Austin Texas REALTOR®

Did you protest your property taxes last year?

In Texas we do not have state income taxes so our property taxes can be big (like everything in Texas is.) If you live in Texas you should keep your eye on the taxes your property is assessed every year. The protest deadline for 2008 has expired but I'm writing to share my experience.

First, I received my notice as to what the county appraisal district had valued my property. They had lowered the value from the previous year. We all know property values have dropped. And I did some research to see if I could justify an even lower evaluation. Yes, I could.

I found homes in my area of similar age and condition that sold for much less than the reduced value the district had assigned so I mailed in a protest - step one.

This month they send out letters to those of us who mailed in a protest with the districts comparative market analysis. They had agreed to reduce the property taxes even further. Sounds good. So I researched the homes that they had provided on their analysis and found that one of them wasn't even a sold property, 3 were upgraded to a level far more than mine and one was right on at the price I had proposed. If I don't mail back an acceptance form, the issue automatically goes to the review board. I'm going to the review board - step two.

To whatever level I can get the taxes lowered, it is a win for me. It's definitely worth the effort.

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

One of the things that make my job so fulfilling is when I help a seller sell their home and a buyer find something they want.

As an Accredited Buyer's Representative in the Austin area, I relocate a lot of people and recently I had the pleasure of helping Shirely find a new home. When we first started the process, Shirley was living in corporate housing having unexpectedly been offered a job that required her immediate relocation. She wasn't sure whether to lease an apartment for 6 months or buy something. She wanted to move quickly. Corporate housing was verytemporary.

One of the things I really pride myself on is the ability to identify what the buyer wants and needs. Usually a buyer will tell you what they want but after the first outing at which time we look at several homes, I find it easier to really pinpoint what will make the buyer happy.

The first time out with Shirley, I observed her reactions to homes and their features. I listened carefully to her comments and the second time we looked at property, I nailed it. She found 3 she was interested in and one she loved. She settled on a spec home built by Highland Homes. It was ready to go and everything she was looking for - close to work, one-story, an office and very upgraded. Over the phone I negotiated for them to replace the carpet in the dining and living rooms with hard wood and of course the price came down considerably. She should be moving in a couple of weeks.

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

If you are from Texas, you can appreciate the beauty of the desolate landscape. It's all about the big sky. Texas is so large it is very diverse. From the coast on the Gulf of Mexico to the mountains along the Rio Grande River on the Mexican boarder, the sky is always big.

This photo was taken at what we call "the farm" even though no one has farmed it for over 60 years. My husband is the 4th generation to own this land and we lease it to a rancher who runs cattle on it sometimes. We used to spend time fishing and picnicking on it but it's very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter.

My husbands great grandfather owned this land and divided it up among all his children. The others sold theirs but John Pike kept his and tried to farm the rocky soil. There are great stories of Indians, Jesse James and oil speculators. They never found any oil. My mother-in-law was born on "the farm." The house was moved to town in the 50"s so the only buildings are the old barn and the new barn. The new barn is about 100 years old.

This is a picture of my husband and youngest daughter. We are all very proud of our ownership of this land. You know what they say - Land, they aren't making any more of it

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

Austin finds it's self on a number of noteworthy Top 10 Lists.

#7 on Top 10 Best Places to Live - CNNMoney.com, July 2008

#10 on Best Cities for Young Professionals - Forbes.com, July 2008

#2 on Cities Where American's Are Relocating - Forbes.com,March 2009

#10 on Top 10 Greenest Cities - Popular Science, February 2008

#1 on America's Best Bargain Cities - Forbes.com, May 2009

#1 on Ten Best Big Cities for Jobs - Forbes.com, May 2009

#2 on Best Cities to Do Business - Inc.com, July 2008

#10 on Top 25 Cities for Independent Filmmakers, Moviemaker.com, February 2009

#6 on Top 10 Cities to Live, Work and Play - Kiplinger.com, June 2008

#10 on Top 10 Healthiest Cities - BestPlaces.net, 2009

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

The demographer for the City of Austin, Ryan Robinson, has complied a list of the top 10 demographic trends:

1. No demographic group comprises more than 50% of the Austin population.

2. There is a decline in the percentage of families with children living in the urban core of Austin.

3. The African-American population of Austin is declining and is expected to continue to decline.

4. The steadily growing population of Hispanics could outgrown the Anglo populationin Austin in the next 25 years.

5. The Asian population has experienced significant growth in the Austin area.

6. African-American Austinites are moving into the suburbs as well as throughout the greater Austin area.

7. The Hispanic population continues to congregate in the southern east side of Austin.

8. There is more disparity between the affluent and less-than-affluent in Austin.

9. Indigent health care is a growing problem in Central Texas.

10. Urban sprawl is a continuing trend in the Austin area.

Other interesting facts include:

The unemployment rate in Austin has dropped with new jobs being created in the government, education & health services and leisure & hospitality industries

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