As previously discussed, valuation services like Zillow (or Redfin, Trulia, etc.) are an unreliable source of home value information. To summarize: these services rely on AVMs, mathematical models that generate estimates mostly from comparable sales data. Limitations in the model and data—especially in non-disclosure states like Texas, where sales prices are not reported—compromise the accuracy of those assessments. With a variable and sometimes extreme margin of error, such services should not be the basis for significant financial decisions. In states that do provide such disclosures, this is not an issue, but if you’re looking in Austin, it is. Make sure to check your states provisions.

Inaccurate AVMs are prevalent and easily accessible, often the…

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Today's consumer is tech-savvy and, with unprecedented access to information, can be educated and discerning about even mundane transactions. For large transactions, like those involving real property, sellers and buyers are going to do their research, and generally that's a good thing. The problem is that their first stop will probably be an online real estate portal like Zillow, Redfin, Trulia, etc. and the information supplied by these third party providers can be largely inaccurate (which we will cover in the following sections). If sellers are thus misinformed before visiting a real estate agent the discrepancy in estimated value makes it difficult to trust the agent actually representing their interests.

The proprietary algorithm used by Zillow…

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I don’t write these posts to be advertisements; I want to provide helpful advice to all owners.  We’re often praised by our clients for our policy on late fees from tenants (we believe that any late fees from tenants belong to the property owners – not the property management team), but there are many more considerations to be made when choosing the best company to manage your property. I want to share 3 of the most notable with you here.

When you’re looking into property management services, it’s vital to find the right property manager. You’ll want to look for a management team that views your property as the asset that it is, not just another leasing company that handles rent collections, repairs and gets your property ready to be leased once again.…

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