The average home price in 2008 was $220,921; in 2009, it was $223,123, and in 2010, it was $199,996.  Those figures, in our opinion, represent what we have been seeing happen.  In 2008, sales were still strong and prices were at their height.  In 2009, sales were off, but prices were not coming down like one would expect.  During 2010, prices are definitely lower.  We have been telling our clients that prices are down by about 10%.  These figures substantiate that information.

We feel like it is a really good time to buy.  Prices are down and interest rates are still low.  If you have been sitting on the sidelines waiting for the right time, now is the time to jump in!  Give us a call. We’d love to help you find what YOU are looking for.

There are so many factors to consider when choosing a place to stay in the Hill Country.  Location, price, ambiance, and comfort are, in our minds, the most important.  We currently have 3 wonderful places to choose from in the Comfort – Center Point – Kerrville area, each with their own uniqueness to offer.

• Old School House B&B – Romantic Weekend Get-a-way in a One Room School House just outside Comfort, Texas – Private – Top Notch Amenities – Hill Country Views – Close to Wineries – $115 p/night, $220 p/ weekend (includes 1 complimentary bottle of “Old School Chardonnay”).

• Verde Creek Cabin (with Full Kitchen) – Creekside Cabin under a canopy of Cypress & Pecan Trees in Center Point, Texas – Very Serene – Relax on the Porch & Calm the Stresses of Life – Weekend and Vacation Rental Rates – $198 p/weekend.

SORRY, Both Locations booked through the Summer. For availability after that, please give us a call at 830-995-2511.

Not surprisingly, real estates sales were down in the Kerrville area during 2009. There were 442 sales in 2009 totalling $80.013 Million as compared with 512 totalling $99.687 Million in 2008.  Average days on market increased from 174 days in 2008 to 188 in 2009 and Average List/Sold Price declined from 94.33% in 2008 to 92.33% in 2009.  Overall, the market was down 20% for the year … No surprise given the economic slowdown last year.

The number of total sales for June & July was up by 7; however, days on market increased  from 138 to 200 from July, 2008 to July, 2009 reflecting increased inventories.  Pending sales as of August 3, 2009, total just over $11.2 million.

We watch the Boerne market daily.  If you have something specific that you are interested, we’d love to help you find what you are looking for.

Recently, we were contacted by a gentlemen.  He had previously been in contact with a listing agent on a property, tried to make an offer, but did not get the property as there were competing bids.   The moral of the story (as he found out) is that Buyers need their own representation.  It eliminates conflicts of interest and it provides you, the buyer, with the best market information possible.

Our goal is to EXCEED YOUR EXPECTATIONS BY GIVING YOU ABOVE & BEYOND SERVICE.

We’d love to visit with you.  Call us at 830-995-2511.

However, during the last several weeks we’ve seen a number of new properties come on the market.  Be sure and check our MLS Search engine to find out about those properties.

One recent buyer client told us that we provided them with the BEST experience that they EVER had with a real estate agent!  Our goal is to EXCEED YOUR EXPECTATIONS WITH ABOVE & BEYOND SERVICE!

Our offices are located in Comfort but we sell from San Antonio to Kerrville, from Bandera to Fredericksburg.    Give us a call. We’d love to help!  830-995-2511.

It would seem that the Kerr County market is continuing to adapt to the changing, slower market as we take a closer look at other available data.  List/Sales Price decreased from 95% in July, 2008 to 93% in July, 2009 meaning that buyers are still getting better deals, overall.  Inventory, which as been very high (there were 1121 Active listings as of July 31, 2009 as compared with 923 a year earlier) is finally seeing some improvement.  Days on market, a number that tells us how long it takes an average property to sell, decreased from 168 in July, 2008 to 152 in July, 2009.

Our Motto is “Connecting Buyers & Sellers for a Win/Win Result”.  We work hard to bring YOU the results you want!  Ask us , we’ll tell you how!  We can be reached at 830-995-2511.

Our tag line for our business is:  “Connecting Buyers & Sellers for a Win/Win Result.”   It pretty much sums up who we are and how we do business.  First, our belief is that the real estate business is about matching willing buyers and willing sellers.  We’re not trying to convince anyone to do anything they don’t want to do.   Secondly, we believe that we can do that that in a win/win way for all.

There are some in the real estate business who would take exception to our strategy about the win/win aspect and say that representation is exclusively about getting your client the very best deal (e.g., it’s not a win/win, but a win/lose, with the “win” in favor of MY client and the lose in favor of  YOUR client).  Another way of saying it is, “We absolutely won’t leave anything on the table.”

While it certainly IS our goal to get our client the very best deal possible (and we really are quite good at it), the problem with the Win/Lose approach is that it creates an adversarial relationship between the parties.  Win/Lose negotiators often have strong egos and they have an extremely limited view of what the client’s REAL interests are.  To say it a different way, they are negotiating based from their own ego, not in the true interest of the client.  Even though the strategy sounds like a good idea for the client, quite often the results are less than what you might expect.  The problem is that adversarial negotiating quite often ends up in compromise in order to get the deal done and so …  sometimes they win, sometimes they lose.  And sometimes the adversarial relationship continues … even into the courts.

The alternative way of negotiating is based on interests. It’s a bigger picture view and it provides for many more possible solutions.  The truth is that people and situations are complex and every transaction has multiple factors that influence whether a person is getting a good deal or not.  For example, who wants a great price on something that doesn’t interest them? or work for their family?

What we are trying to do is match interests and so we we feel like it is our job (and we spend most of our time observing and anticipating) what the changing interests of both parties are so that we can create a contractual agreement that both parties want to live up to.   Sometimes, the hardest task is getting people to “see outside the box” … that their interests truly are being served with the creative solution that we are offering.  See future articles with the keyword, “Interest Based Negotiations” for further elaboration the subject.

Connecting Buyers & Sellers for a Win/Win Result:  It’s what we do. It’s who we are.  And, it takes advantage of what people truthfully want to do.  It is our feeling that if we are creative in putting deals together, we will get much better results than the next guy … and those results will be win/win for all!

If you are looking for win/win results, give us a call at 830-995-2511.  We’d love to visit with you.

There were 57 Sales last month (June 2009) with an average List/Sold % of 91.23% as compared with 54 Sales during the same period in 2008 (June 2008) with an average List/Sold % of 92.99%.  A few more sales and at a slightly deeper discount.  Hopefully, this signals a good finish for the year!

As always, we are here to help you with your real estate needs.  830-995-2511