forsalebyowner.com website (Alamo: new home, to buy, construction)

[TexasRedneck]

One thing to bear in mind.....especially when it comes to selling your home. You DO get what you pay for. There are a LOT of ways for a crooked buyer to take advantage of you. A Realtor works FOR you and is looking out for your best interests. I've seen folks hosed because they tried to "save that overpriced commission"!!
For the record - I'm not a Realtor. Wouldn't want to be one. I can understand those that are, but folks, you REALLY don't begin to understand the BS they put up with from both buyers AND sellers! IMO, they earn EVERY penny.

[daluu]

FYI, one could also try to market a home for sale via Zillow.com by publishing/listing your property, or claiming it if listed already, and then marking it as "for sale".

If not sure whether to sell or not, or gauging the market, can also mark home on Zillow as "Make Me Move" with a desired price. If it's a hot (or maybe good?) market or your home is quite desirable, you may get offers even though you just listed it as potentially for sale.

[kevcrawford]

Originally Posted by sshurgot

If San Antonio's a cold market, nobody bothered to tell me. It's been a busy year for some of us.

Same here. Have 4 under contract with another coming on Monday. I've been busier this year than ever, and I've had huge years in the past.

[pburghfan]

Originally Posted by kevcrawford

Same here. Have 4 under contract with another coming on Monday. I've been busier this year than ever, and I've had huge years in the past.

I apologize if I have missed this in the thread but may I ask what areas are hot right now?

[sshurgot]

Originally Posted by pburghfan

I apologize if I have missed this in the thread but may I ask what areas are hot right now?

If we measure "hot" by 30 days or less on the market, sold or under contract no more than 60 days ago the following zip codes:

78260 and 78258 (281N outside 1604, W side of 281)
78245, 78253, and 78254 (West side of SA, outside 1604, between 90 and Potranco and both sides of Culebra)

The areas near downtown keep me busy (Alta Vista, Mahncke Park, Dignowity Hill, Beacon Hill and Tobin Hill to name a few), historic homes usually, but I also do a lot of business between Bandera Rd and IH-10 between 410 and 1604.

[daluu]

Originally Posted by sshurgot

If we measure "hot" by 30 days or less on the market, sold or under contract no more than 60 days ago the following zip codes:

78260 and 78258 (281N outside 1604, W side of 281)
78245, 78253, and 78254 (West side of SA, outside 1604, between 90 and Potranco and both sides of Culebra)

Good to know 78254 is in the list. What's the typical/median "hot" price range of the sales/contracts?

[kevcrawford]

Originally Posted by pburghfan

I apologize if I have missed this in the thread but may I ask what areas are hot right now?

I don't really buy into the "this area is hot" thing. What's moving are homes priced correctly & that show well. A home that's staged, has professional pics shot and is priced properly will sell.

Most of my business is up the 10 corridor outside 1604, but I've also been busy at the 281/1604 area and in King William.

Now, certain PRICE RANGES are hot right now. Anything under $150K is moving well. The 200k to 600k ranges are slow. 600k to about $1.2 million is selling well. Over that is a little slow, but there are only so many people looking in that price range. There are 15 homes over $1m under contract right now, though.

[Stabart47]

78253 may be "hot" from a buyer's perspective, but not for those of us who wish we could sell. This was one of the fastest growing zipcodes during the "boom", hence all the foreclosures and rentals today. If only I could turn back time, we would be in 78209

[sshurgot]

Originally Posted by daluu

Good to know 78254 is in the list. What's the typical/median "hot" price range of the sales/contracts?

The houses that popped up as having sold quickly in 78254 had a median list price of $169,950 (some haven't closed yet) but real estate tends to be highly localized so that doesn't necessarily work very well. I used zip codes because people understand that and have at least some idea of where they are. I prefer searching by MLS area then narrow down to neighborhood; it really depends on the reason for my search. From there you'd also have to look at the properties themselves within the neighborhoods.

Kevin makes a good point when he talks about hot price ranges but still, within a price range some areas (neighborhoods) sell better than others for various reasons (schools would be a simple example). And of course the house has to be priced correctly, show well, not need a bunch of repairs, etc. I thought that went without saying, but I suppose it's not obvious to everybody so thank you for mentioning that, Kevin. Typically houses under $150K move well; that's not a new trend. Since October 26 days 422 houses (single family detached) under $150,000 sold (closed) in SA, compared with 348 for $150,000 and above. Tighter guidelines being enacted in the mortgage industry since October will probably make that even clearer.

Unfortunately our MLS system doesn't allow us to quickly analyze the data in more interesting and perhaps more meaningful ways. I remember our previous MLS system being more statistician-friendly. What would be really cool is for our MLS to have GIS capabilities; then I could really be entertained. Come to think of it...I bet BCAD has that.

[Joer1622]

There are many reasons for homes not selling. Alamo Ranch is a classic example. Many homes are selling in Alamo Ranch but and I bet many of the home sold in 78253 are in Alamo Ranch, but I also bet they were new constuction or specs. There is tons of builders and tons construction still going on there, and any one trying to sell a home there must compete with new constuction. Also about 75% of the homes in Alamo Ranch are between 200 and 500K, and this further compounding the problem for a home owner who wants to sell.