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Houses have lost value (in some places significant value), loans are trickier to obtain and buyers that can afford to make payments appear to be getting more and more scarce. The plain fact is that the way you conducted business a few years ago may not work as effectively today. That means that if you need to stay in real estate, you need to be accessible to make a few changes. So how does the real estate heavyweight change so he or she can expand in the current slumping market?

If you're facing the prospect of foreclosure, you're probably feeling overwhelmed and desperate. Fortunately, there are companies out there that can help you, but there are also those that feed on people when they're most vulnerable. It's important that you only accept help from a reputable company, and not from a dishonest mortgage modification firm whose goal is to make a buck at your expense.

For Sale - 432-acre oceanfront estate with stunning views of San Francisco Bay. Sitting on prime Marin County waterfront land, this sprawling property has more bedrooms than you can count, multiple outbuildings, staff accommodations, and a large recreation area. Opportunities for subdividing a definite possibility.

Is the Real Estate market even worth investing in these days? Has the makret hit rock bottom yet, or will I just lose money if I invest? How can I be sure I can turn a profit in this market? These queries are in the thoughts of all investors right now, particularly with day after day of bad news about the markets. But the good news is that not only is Real Estate still a solid investment, but the time to make big profits is NOW! Yes, Real Estate investing can still be your sacred cash cow! Lets look at a few reasons why.

While this has never been verified by an independent study, enough people believe (or are desperate enough to try anything) that some businesses have sprung up around the sale of statuettes and instructions on how to place them on the property.

Invest in real estate in this economy?  It’s true that we’re in a full-scale recession, but even so, many financial advisors are suggesting that savvy investors can still make money in the real estate sector. Unfortunately days of flipping homes to make a fast profit have vanished and making a quick buck in real estate is doubtful.  Today’s real estate investments are likely to be long-term investments.  This is a sound idea simply because over the long term, homes always rise in value due to the rising cost of living and increasing inflation.  So is Austin Texas real estate investing worth a look?  Yet bet!

Today the real estate market is flooded with available homes priced to sell.  With interest rates very low, the right investor with the right piece of property could make a fortune from a single investment.  This is a genuine possibility… even in this economy.

Much of the media has consistently placed Austin on top of the “best places to live” lists. These praises have brought an influx of families, businesses, and organizations to Austin.  Forbes placed Austin on top of their list of America’s Fastest Growing Metros in 2008.  Job growth, available talented workforce, high median family income, exports, manufacturing, and the relatively undervalued real estate market all contribute to the Austin area’s appeal.  And let’s not forget the effect the high-tech industry, the booming film industry, and the University of Texas continue to have in 2009. As a result, investors can find profitable opportunities in this are of the Lone Star State.

Fortunately for Texas, the recession began a lot later than it did in the rest of the country. Although the national recession started in December 2007, the Texas economy didn’t begin to slow down until six months later.  Key indicators such as job growth and manufacturing fell in the second half of 2008, but that still didn’t dim the luster from Austin’s coveted position on the “Best” lists.  Forbes.com named Austin #3 on its new list of “Recession Proof” cities, with the unemployment rate, real estate prices, and gross metropolitan product growth as criteria. That said, Austin is best positioned among the nation’s metropolitan areas to ride out the current crisis.

All of this gives Austin prime real estate investment potential even during this recession.  And yes, no one can predict the future of Austin’s economic condition, however, using historic date we can determine that this city is among the better places to invest and as a whole is one of the few pockets of prosperity in the country today.

So… where in Austin should one invest?  Long-term investors may want to look at neighborhoods with high rents, prominent growth, and developing infrastructure. Local Austin real estate firms can direct you to current areas with these potentials.

If you’re looking to buy a property that you yourself can improve and maintain, downtown is a good choice for local investors. On the other hand, a remote investor would benefit from a purchase situated in a more suburban area where newly constructed homes with fewer maintenance problems are in abundance with competitive pricing.

Bottom-line, when you’re looking at these two scenarios, suburban areas tend to have less maintenance and greater cash flow while inner city neighborhoods tend to have finer and older properties with higher appreciation potential.

Keep in mind that whether we’re in a recession or not, your decision should be sound.  The lowest-priced property may not be the best one. A great property is only as great as its surrounding community. And always get a new property thoroughly checked by an inspector.  If you are considering jumping on the Austin Texas real estate investing train, confirming that the property’s low price reflects today’s market and not the property and its issues is vitally important.

For more information regarding real estate investing see:
http://homebuying.about.com/od/buyingahome/qt/012108_HseReces.htm

Christine Andreski

Just because there is a recession and 2009 is proving to not be a great one for the housing market it is not all doom and gloom. Like most things you can always find the good or positive in bad or unfortunate situations and today is no different. Did you realise that this is the best time in years to build your own home from scratch. With cheap land and cheap labour and finance for self build available, now is the time to plan and build that dream home you once thought was unattainable.

The Caribbean Islands! The very name brings out the sound of the swaying palms and the surf. The Caribbean Islands enjoy tropical climate, with warm and moist trade wind blowing from the East. These winds create rainforest and semi-desert conditions.

When it comes to the housing market, Austin is faring better than most of the country. Nevertheless, with home sales sagging, you want your home to be the standout that makes the best first impression!  That first impression can mean the difference between receiving serious offers or being subjected to months of potential buyers who walk away without neither an offer nor a good impression. How can you ensure your home will make the best impression?  If you’re selling your home, you may first want to consider enlisting a professional Austin home stager.

Although home staging has been around since the early 1970’s, most home sellers probably aren’t familiar with what many real estate agents understand is a mandatory tool for quickly selling a home.  Not surprisingly, many home sellers often confuse home staging with interior decorating.  Interior decorating and home staging are completely different!  Home staging emphasizes the house while interior decorating emphasizes the homeowner’s personality. And when you’re selling your home, you don’t want your personal taste hindering a sale.

In the early 1970’s real estate agent, Barbara Schwarz realized that homes would sell for higher prices if they were properly prepared. She coined the term “staging” and has staged and sold more than 3,000 homes and taught the staging concept to 700,000-plus real estate agents and home stagers. Austin home stagers are among the thousands of professionals who are responsible for faster home sales at higher prices!

Because a staged home can appeal to a broader spectrum of prospective buyers, the chances of selling faster and for more money is increased dramatically. Simply stated, home staging involves turning an ordinary, lived-in home into a model home by virtue of swapping cluttered, personalized collections with de-cluttered, stylish, neutral pieces you probably already own. The goal of staging is to help potential homebuyers visualize themselves in the home. A professional stager understands that when you put your home on the market, it is no longer your home but a product that requires marketing. Unfortunately, this is usually the biggest hurdle for a homeowner to conquer and the most important step in staging.

Homeowners become attached to their things – those things that define their personality and life. On the other hand, when a potential homebuyer walks into your home, they want to see themselves there – not you.  Once your home is on the market, you want it as neutral as possible.  We’re not talking colors, but how the home is presented overall.  Psychologically, potential buyers need to see themselves living in this house with their things and a de-cluttered and neutral palette accomplishes this.

Living in this area, home sellers have access to dozens of professional Austin home stagers who will evaluate the interior and exterior of the property and with their keen eye for design, determine what items to remove, shift, clean and repair before the home is put on the market. Placing existing furniture correctly to create more open space, removing or placing personal items where they will not be too overpowering, and adding décor accessories to highlight the focal points of the home are just a few of the simple tasks they can assist with. Transforming homes so that they look spacious, clean and attractive is their goal. A minor change, such as a piece of furniture to make a room appear larger or packing away unnecessary clutter can be the fix that makes the sale.  Psychologically, you want buyers to see your home as their new, ready to move-in home and they can’t do that with family photos, a cluttered kitchen counter, or the cat’s litter box in full view.

On a personal note, a couple years ago we placed our home – which I thought was clean and tastefully decorated – on the market. We had a lot of traffic but no offers in two months of listing.  We hired a home stager who stripped our decorating down to minimum; rearranged our furniture; and moved a great deal of our furniture to our garage. In two days, a couple that had already been to the house twice, came back and submitted an offer that afternoon.  We accepted. We since have recommended staging to friends who had the same results.

Should you find yourself selling your home, you may want to contact an Austin home stager.  A variety of stagers with prices to fit your budget can be found at:
http://www.google.com/search?q=Austin+TX+home+stagers

Chris Andreski