Shin Oak Realty is a full service Real Estate office specializing in the Central Texas Real Estate market.
Our Team: Randy O'Dell, Suzy Bates, Candice O'Dell, Bradley "BJ" O'Dell & Barbara Childers

Friday, January 29, 2010

WATER PARK PLANNED FOR CEDAR PARK

CEDAR PARK (Austin Business Journal) – Schlitterbahn Waterparks plans to build a $360 million resort development and convention center in this city north of Austin.

The city will provide $6 million for the 95-acre project’s infrastructure costs.

The Lower Colorado River Authority has not yet determined how the water park may affect local conservation efforts.

The Cedar Park location is a partnership between Rick Redmond, Schlitterbahn Waterparks and Cedar Park city hall.

Saturday, January 16, 2010

IPHONE APP AIDS IN HOME SEARCH

HOUSTON (Houston Chronicle) – The National Association of Realtors has turned the iPhone into an industry tool with this week’s launch of a free application that allows users to access four million listings nationwide.

Realtors with this application can:
• search nearby homes based on their current location using the iPhone’s GPS;
• sort, refine and filter search results for every property listed on Realtor.com;
• find open houses within a 20-mile radius of the user’s location;
• call or email the listing agent; and
• make notes about a property.

The Houston Association of Realtors is also developing an iPhone application, which should be available in early April.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

FARMERS INSURANCE SCALES BACK RATE HIKE

AUSTIN (Dallas Morning News) – After originally proposing a statewide rate increase of 10 percent for Texas homeowners, Farmers Insurance has agreed to cut the rate hike by more than half.

State Insurance Commissioner Mike Geeslin, who called the initial rate plan "excessive and unfairly discriminatory," signed a consent order Monday agreeing to a 4.5 percent increase for the 300,000 customers of Farmers' largest home insurance subsidiary.

Farmers, the state's third-largest home insurer, said the rates were necessary because of increased property losses and a jump in the cost of reinsurance, which insurers buy to help pay claims after a catastrophic event.

The order does not require the company to lower its rates until March 16, and the new rates will stay in effect until at least March 16, 2011.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Federal Housing Tax Credit

Wondering if you would qualify for the Federal Housing Tax Credit as a 1st time home buyer or a repeat buyer? Check out their website to see if you qualify! Lots of useful information on the site.

http://www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com

Let me know if you have any questions - I can recomment several wonderful lenders that would be happy to answer any additional questions that you might still have!

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

BEST PLACE TO INVEST? TEXAS, REPORT SHOWS

AUSTIN (Austin Business Journal) – Grubb & Ellis Co. ranked Austin the best U.S. city for long-term investment in commercial real estate, while Houston placed sixth.
The California-based company expects commercial real estate to falter at a slower rate in 2010, bottoming out at the end of the year and beginning a slow recovery in 2011.

Grubb & Ellis forecasts the investment market to rebound slightly in 2010, with some assets entering the market. This uptick should prompt increased sales volume of 20 to 30 percent. The forecast also predicts the record-high office vacancy rates to continue, stretching as high as 19 percent by the end of the year.