I recently listed a wonderful well maintained home ready for some new owners! The home is located in Oakmont Downs off DeZavala Road, the location provides easy access to IH10, Medical Center, USAA and La Cantera.

The house is a 1 story with 4 bedrooms (the 4th bedroom is off the master and would be perfect for an office or nursery) and 2 bathrooms. This is a great open floorplan at 2100+ square feet with plenty of windows. Oakmont Downs is located in the Northside School District.

Take a look at the virtual tour: http://propertypreviews.com/realestate/11400/12323_stable_road_dr_san_antonio_tx  

For more information and pictues check out http://yvetteallenproperties.com/inc/pmisc?pid=491

The San Antonio Board of Realtors just published the Single Family Home Sales Report for March 2009.
Take a look! In March the average sales price for a single family home in San Antonio, Texas was $174,388.

As you can see the top 3 price ranges are:
$120,000 to $139,000 with 161 homes sold $140,000 to $159,999 with 140 homes sold $200,000 to $249,000 with 136 homes sold.

As of March 31, 2009:
Number of homes pending: 946 (14 were condos)
Average listing price for a home on the market: $186,724 and for a
condo $110,655.

Next month I will share with you April's housing numbers.

For the full report, click here!

Before I came into real estate I have to admit I was one of those neighbors who (at night) would go take a flyer from a neighbors brochure box to see what they were asking for their house. After the initial rush of taking the flyer I would compare and see if they have all the great things I have in my house. If they were priced too low then I would have to make adjustments. For example...their fireplace does not look as clean as mine or I have black appliances and they have white - that has to add about $10,000 in value right? We are all fans of our own house and rightfully so, but we must remember that in real estate it's not all about the size of the house, or location or even the amenities that determine value. We have to be mindful there are external factors that can play a large role in the pricing of your home.

What external factors?
1. Job losses reduce available buyers
2. Interest rates rise and that can reduce buying power (lucky for us interest rates are at an all time low)
3. Your neighbor reduces their asking price (how dare them, right?)
4. New listings add competition
5. Brand new homes going up in the area that creates new inventory.

As most sellers like to do before they list their home they want to do some research. If you would like a monthly snapshot on the real estate activity in your neighborhood go to www.yvetteallenproperties.com/market_snapshot. I often get asked how accurate is the information. All the information is pulled from the San Antonio MLS.

Market Snapshot is for you if you want to know: 1. How many homes are on the market in your area, 2. The listing price of the home down the street and 3. The SOLD price of all the homes in your area. As a bonus you get to click on each home that is for sale in your mapped area and get details (picture too) about the property. Details include address, how long the home has been on the market, listed and/or sold price, amenities, etc.

You can learn about the happenings in your area all from the privacy of your own home. So no more going out late at night to snatch a flyer!

Yvette

I have been going to this restaurant for several months now and thought I should share this wonderful place. I’m talking about Hazuki Sushi located in the Bandera Trails shopping center (Bandera Road and 1604 next to Gold’s Gym). As a Helotes resident I’m always looking for good places to eat that are close to my house. I should say I like sushi, but I’m a newbie and pretty picky about what I’ll eat. I’m not too adventurous, but every now and then I’ll try something new! My first visit to the restaurant I ate Teriyaki Chicken it came with soup, veggies and white rice all for $9.95! Their rolls are reasonably priced as well. I like the spider roll and that’s $7.95 and the spicy tuna roll is $5.95. My husband eats all sorts of sushi and they love suggesting to him their different rolls. I’ve attached a copy of the menu. FYI: They do not have a liquor license, but you can bring in your own.

I encourage you to go out and support this wonderful couple...you won’t be disappointed with the food or service!

Click here to view Hazuki Sushi's menu.

Having a pre-approval letter gives you leverage when making an offer on a property. Here’s how:

1. Sellers prefer to negotiate with pre-approved buyers because they know the buyers are financially qualified and that results in the closing of the transaction.

2. A pre-approval letter can make or break a multiple offer situation. Be the one with the letter!

3. Time saved is another great advantage. If you have a seller motivated to move or has already moved, your offer will look more attractive since you already completed one of the more time consuming steps. In the seller’s eyes it could mean a quicker close.

For a seller it’s about selecting a buyer who can close the deal. Be the buyer who can accomplish that by being pre-approved.