Learning how to speak real estate is like learning how to speak a new language.

There are seemingly countless never-before heard terms that you encounter on a regular basis that always leave you puzzled. But when you’re wanting to sell your home, knowing real estate terminology will keep you in the loop when you’re selling your home.

To make it simple, here’s a guide to some of the most common terms we are asked to explain:

Real Estate Terminology 101

APS (Agreement of Purchase and Sales)

After you’ve found a buyer for your home, you will be required to fill out an agreement of purchase and sales. This is a legally binding contract that spells out all the conditions of the sale of your home. In going through this…

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The 97-acre proposed development site dubbed “Indigo Ridge South” in eastern Cedar Park calls for offices, light manufacturing, and high-density residential, including up to 1,500 new housing units.

Located near the intersection of East Whitestone Boulevard and West Parmer Lane, the parcel is situated on the eastern fringe of Cedar Park, south of an Austin Wood Recycling location and west of a single-family home neighborhood on the outskirts of Round Rock. Originally slated to become a Schlitterbahn waterpark, development plans for the waterpark stalled several years ago. Currently, plans for Indigo Ridge South are moving forward, including rezoning the land into a “planned development” that would accommodate a general business or mixed-use…

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If you manage your own rental properties, it’s essential to have a “Rolodesk” full of numbers to help with common and not-so-common issues. Today, we’re sharing our list of helpful Austin-area phone numbers and web links for pesky problems. At Monte Davis Property Management, we strive to be a resource not only for our clients but also for investors who self-manage. Click here for a printable pdf of our “Helpful Numbers for Pesky Problems.” If you have questions, our team is here to help. Call us anytime: (512) 861-8089.

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As the Broadmoor campus continues to take shape, this massive 16-city-block development is projected to impact the greater North Austin area, along with residential property investors, significantly. All told, the development will include an urban oasis of parks and 23 trails, along with high-end retail, restaurants, and entertainment venues, sprinkled with modern offices and apartments.

While The Domain could be dubbed a competitor, the overall feel from those spearheading the project, Brandywine Realty Trust, is that the two will feed off of one another, creating an urban core that is predicted to rival Austin’s Downtown.

But that’s not all. If a secondary urban core area comes to pass, such a layout could significantly impact two of Austin’s…

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As the vision for Austin’s “Uptown” continues to take form, there are a few significant influencers that will shape the ultimate form of Brandywine Realty Trust’s Broadmoor development in North Austin.

To date, Brandywine has declined to comment on whether there’s something afoot with Amazon. However, it’s hard to imagine that this massive, 16-city-block development isn’t on the radar for HQ2. In fact, Amazon’s Austin executives and tech workers look out at Broadmoor from their current office towner in The Domain.

That aside, a diverse group of potential tenants and co-developers have indicated interest in “Uptown,” including firms who build retail, residential, and hospitality space.

Ultimately, Broadmoor’s most significant influence is…

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Seen as the center of North Austin’s fast-paced growth, 16 new city blocks near The Domain are the vision for Austin’s “Uptown.” Spearheaded by Brandywine Realty Trust, when completed, 11501 Burnet Road will include a massive oasis of parks, 23 miles of trails, high-end retail, restaurants, and entertainment venues, sprinkled with modern offices and apartments.

Although figures could change, initial estimates listed in the city’s analysis of traffic impact indicate that the project could include 3.2 million square feet of office space, 300 hotel rooms, 98,462 square feet of retail, 40,000 square feet for restaurants, 2,092 apartments, and 150 condos or townhomes.

Seen as a catalyst to possibly curb rapidly rising traffic and housing costs across…

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In a move that is already impacting nearby retail and residential neighborhoods, HEB Grocery Co. has announced plans on a new South Austin HEB store near West Slaughter Lane and the I-35 frontage road. If updates to the site plan are approved by the City of Austin, the 139,000-square-foot store, car wash, and gas station are slated to open in late 2019 or early 2020.

The 8801 South Congress Ave. store is expected to profoundly impact the trajectory of future retail and residential developments in the immediate area, including “South Congress Station,” a shopping complex across the street at 9000 South Congress Ave. Anchored by a Gold’s Gym, other tenants include Pet Supermarket, a Schlotzsky’s sandwich shop, and Deca Dental, while lease…

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There is no questioning that Austin’s property prices have become quite expensive. However, there is reason to question whether or not those in the market for homes should find this so upsetting. When investors and homebuyers can get beyond the sticker-shock and take a look at the reasons behind the higher cost of real estate, those prices can become much more reassuring than disconcerting.

Over the past several years, Austin’s many thriving industries have resulted in major population growth, and therefore, real estate demand. Just last year, Austin's population exceeded the two million mark and is projected to go as high as 3.2 million by the year 2030. According to The Chamber's monthly Economic Indicators report, Austin is experiencing a 4.0% job…

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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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I moved to Austin over 15 years ago, and I have never once regretted that decision. I’m certainly not alone in my love for the city, over the past ten years Austin has seen steady growth, but 2015 was a particularly special year.

According to the US Census Bureau, Austin is home to a few of the fastest growing counties in the country. Travis County, for instance, was ranked 105 out of 3,143 counties in 2015. As mentioned, Austin has been experiencing stable growth for the past ten years, but Travis County's population has increased by 13 percent in the past five alone. Even more excitingly, this type of growth isn’t exclusive to just Travis County. The entire city has continued to grow at a rapid pace and the demand for property has followed suit.…

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