Dear Friend,

After the bluebonnets in April, the red and yellow flowers take over in May. The gaillardias and coreopsis are putting on their show right now.

Looking for things to do? Check out the May Events Calendar.

There are lots of thing going on in Georgetown in the coming weeks. Be sure to check out all the fun festivals and events coming soon!

I want all my clients and friends to know that I am so thankful for the privilege of being able to assist you with your real estate needs and counting you as a friend. Working with people to help find their new or resale home in Sun City allows me to learn so much, improve my service and do a better job each time. My success depends upon your business and referrals and I am grateful for your support.

Learn the benefits of home ownership. Purchasing a home is most people's largest purchase and can be very stressful. I want you to have the best real estate experience when you allow me to help you with your Sun City real estate needs or questions. ActiveLife Realty is the only exclusive Buyer's Agency and specialists in Sun City Texas.

Appraisals were sent out to homeowners in March. If your appraised value increased by a large amount, it may be advantageous to file a protest. You can file an online protest and schedule your hearing.

In order to contest the valuation, comparable sales will be needed to lower your property value. I will be happy to provide a comparable sales report for you if you will provide me with your floor plan, square footage, and address.

News from Alice

Alice and Casey have been in Baja California (Mexico) since April 27th and have been enjoying the great seafood and warm people and weather. They arrived in Loreto on the Sea of Cortez a little over a week ago and call it paradise. Casey has posted some of their adventures on her blog, Case of the Nomads.

I have created several ways to follow Alice on her journey. You can follow her on her personal Facebook page or she has a new website, 4th Quarter Adventures, a blog that will chronicle her travels with a weekly post of stories, photos and video and a Facebook page that will include the blog and the opportunity to comment on her posts. Be sure to like her page and follow along!

I continue to work with Alice's clients so please feel free to contact me with your real estate needs. I have been mentored by the best and I am lucky to call Alice my best friend.

Let me sign you (or a friend) up for the exclusive ActiveLife Buyer Direct Access Program. I get the inside scoop on Sun City real estate that isn't always available online and share that with you. This gives you a distinct advantage over other buyers and it is completely free. Learn more & sign up here.

If you need a quick move-in home, there are currently 9 builder spec homes ready now through August.

I can represent you if you need a move-in ready new home now! I can also help you with a new home purchase and it doesn't cost you anything. If you are out of town, I visit the home weekly, take photos, monitor the construction and make sure you receive all the discounts and incentives. Prices are subject to change at any time by the builder.

Want to Build?
I would love to help you build the home of your dreams and make the process easier. It doesn't cost you to have a buyer agent, in fact, it could save you money. Check out the 6 Reasons to Buy a New Home in Sun City Texas

Current discount incentives are:
MAY INCENTIVES…for building a brand new home AND Inventory Homes!

Build time is approximately 6 months, so if you purchase a home now it would be complete 9/30-10/31/19. Sometimes a slight delay can be requested that could extend the build time by a month. The builder also offers a 60 day Contingency for a customer to sell a home. If the home doesn't sell within 60 days, you can cancel the contract on the new build and have deposits refunded.

North Point- New Name for the Somerset Tract

The tract of land near Rock Hollow and Pedernales Drive, previously referred to as Somerset, has now been renamed North Point. North Point refers to the future development areas of land within the bounds of Sun City Texas which are south of Ronald Reagan Boulevard (see map below.)

As a reminder, this area is still under construction. For your safety and the safety of construction crews, do not explore the area until the roadway and infrastructure have been officially completed and opened. Please do not ignore or move the barricades placed on the bridge; they are for your safety as building materials and heavy equipment could cause damage to tires and injury to people and pets.

The bridge and connected roadways are expected to be opened later this spring and a notice will be sent to the community once this area is accessible.

Community Build Out Update

The Queens area near SH-195 infrastructure work is complete. There will be 750 homes in this section, 400 of those are closed. The North Point (Somerset) area near County Road 245 has paved the first neighborhood, N72, and opened some classic lots for sale. There were 7995 homes in Sun City at the end of January with the projected final number estimated at 10,000.

I make sure you get the discounts and incentives you deserve, I send you photos of your home being built, I help with the walk-thru, review your closing documents and make sure you enjoy your new home at no extra cost.

Contact me for more information about building a new home and available lot choices with beautiful nature, golf course and vista views.

The average sales price in Sun City Texas increased last month to $313,500 compared to the previous month as shown in the chart below. Inventory of homes on the market has decreased and days on the market has seen an increase since last July. If a home is move-in ready, backs to nature or a golf course, it sells very quickly and sometimes receives multiple offers. Older homes which need updates are on the market longer until there are significant price reductions. Most buyers do not want to take on the work and uncertain costs of remodeling.

For Buyers, softening of resale prices and lower interest rates are favorable. Home prices for new builds is rising because of increased material costs and competition for labor force as this area experiences the fastest growth in Texas. Market predictions for the Austin area in 2019 are still very good but there are factors which may slow growth from last years' robust pace.

Georgetown is the 6th fastest growing city in the country with a population of 50K+. Texas ranks 2nd for incoming residents. The national trend is that home price gains are beginning to hurt sales.

Interest rates have dropped in the last few weeks. Conventional 30 year rates are around 4.25%. Mortgage News Daily has interesting articles about mortgage rates. Home price growth is actually slowing which is good news for consumers. Read more about the housing market and economy.

For information about Texas Mortgage rates (and other useful financial product comparisons) check out Nerdwallet. Mortgage rates are close to national rates at 4.243%.

A new mixed use project on the east side of IH 35 at University Ave. (across from Wolf Ranch Shopping Center) has broken ground and will include restaurants, medical facilities, neighborhood services, a hotel and a grocery store.

There will be an Aldi Grocery in the new Wolf Crossing Center Take a look at the map and brochure that describes the property and other retail merchants that are already planned. Aldi is actually owned by two brothers that also own Trader Joe's. Lidl Grocery is the chief competitor to Aldi but is owned by a different organization. Both German grocery store chains focus on cost-conscious grocery shoppers.

Retailers anticipated for Wolf Crossing include Marriott Fairfield Inn & Suites, Verizon, P. Terry's Burgers, Jason's Deli, Tiff's Treats, First Watch Cafe, Care Now Urgent Care, and Olive Garden.

A reverse mortgage could help your money go farther. Instead of paying all cash, funds from a reverse mortgage can be used for a portion of the cash required. READ MORE.

I have a lot of people inquiring about lease properties in Sun City Texas. Take a look at properties that are listed in the Multiple Listing Service and are available now. Most require a one year lease, however, there are a few properties that may be available for a 6 month lease.

If you are a homeowner who has a lease property or a home you may want to lease while on an extended vacation, please contact me. I always have people wanting to lease while a new home is being built or during the winter months.

Also with my Direct Access Program, you can receive email notification as soon as a lease property comes on the market. Sign up now and let me know how I can custom tailor your lease search.

Unfurnished Home

Available June 1, 2019
103 Hummingbird Cove, Georgetown, TX 78633
For Rent: $1,600/mo for 12 mo. lease, negotiable for shorter term
2 Bed + Study, 2 Baths, Sqft: 1,404
Includes washer/dryer/fridge
Contact Doug Dittberner, (361) 779-7670
Click Here to view details on Zillow

If you are a Sun City Texas homeowner or know a homeowner who may be considering selling their home, please let me know. Although ActiveLife Realty is an Exclusive Buyer's Agency, I can help homeowners who may want to sell their home by referring you to one of my preferred listing agents. I provide a free Comparable Market Analysis Report to help you determine the value of your home in current market conditions. And because I am an expert when it comes to homes in Sun City Texas, I know what sets a home apart from others in the community.

My brokerage has long-standing relationships with experienced Sun City Texas listing agents who are dedicated to doing the best job in preparing, staging and marketing homes, and have their client's best interest foremost. With that knowledge, I can refer the best and most qualified listing agents to get your home sold and for the highest amount possible.

If you choose to work with one of my referred listing agents, I work to help you sell your home by letting my buyers know all about it. On a number of occasions I have had one or more buyers looking for a particular home model or other specific criteria in a home, and I was able to bring a buyer offer before the home even came on the market.

Make the selling process easier by contacting ActiveLife Realty when it comes time for you to sell.

What to buy and avoid in May.

Need some ideas on how to improve your home's value, especially if you are thinking of selling? Check out these DIY ideas. Also, see what remodeling projects provide the greatest return on your investment in the Austin area Cost VS Value Report for 2019.

Here's an interesting report about "Location-Based Differences in Homeowner Expenses" published by the Texas A & M University Real Estate Center. The report compares costs among all U.S. states and within metropolitan areas of Texas. Great data to understand how Texas compares to other locations.

I get lots of questions about what grows well in Central Texas and deer resistant plants. Texas A & M University researches and develops plants that grow best in our area and have a great article listing plants that aren't as attractive to deer as others.

Feel free to share this email with anyone who may be interested in Sun City Texas. ActiveLife Realty is the only exclusive Buyers Agency in Georgetown and specializing in Sun City Texas, so I appreciate referrals should you have friends or family who may be interested in our wonderful community.

When you want exclusive representation when buying a new or resale home and experts in Sun City Texas, call ActiveLife Realty.

I look forward to helping you and your friends and family with all of their real estate needs. ActiveLife Realty hopes to hear from you soon!

ActiveLife Realty

Sandy Hanner, Broker/Owner
Cell: (512) 818-4426
Office: (512) 943-4224
Email: Sandy@ActiveLifeTeam.com

Alice Gardiner, Consulting Broker, retired
Cell: (512) 818-0389
Email: Alice@AliceGardiner.com