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Ever wonder what the sales price, number of bedrooms or square footage is of a home you randomly drive by?  Are you curious to know what the homes are selling for in your own neighborhood?  Do you sometimes wish you knew what homes were holding an open house so you could drop in and get ideas?

Well, the answers to all of these questions and more are delivered right to your phone when you download the Keller Williams Realty Real Estate Search App to your Android or IPhone for FREE!  You can get the app by going to http://app.kw.com/KWGK09DT.

In fact, you can send me search areas and questions from this app when you insert my code KWGK09DT. This app allows us to stay connected and can help you find the information you are looking for quickly.

Additionally, you can enter a drawing to win $50,000 until March 31^th!  The winner will be announced on or around April 9, 2014.  (*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Legal residents of the 50 United States (D.C.) 18 years and older. Ends 3/31/14. To enter and for Official Rules, including odds, alternate method of entry if applicable, and prize descriptions, visit http://bit.ly/1jgVljU. Void where prohibited.)

Features of the app include the following:

• Easily connect with your agent and send property inquiries instantly.
• Draw a circle on the map or drop a pinpoint to search that area.
• See property details and full-screen photos, get driving directions, mark your favorites, create notes about what you liked, or share it with family and friends.
• Estimate your home loans with a free mortgage calculator.
• View Open Houses in your area. View Rental Properties in your area.

The Keller Williams Realty Real Estate App saves time and is highly recommended by Keller Williams’ clients who have already had the chance to use it!  And…it’s helpful regardless of whether you are buying, selling or just curious!

Please take the time to download the app today and let me know what you think!

Mary Lynne Gibbs and the Gibbs Team would be honored to serve you in any and all of your realty needs!  Please contact us at austinluxurybroker@gmail.com or 512.431.2403.

Lakeway Commons makes it easy to pamper your Valentine this year!  Just because it’s the most romantic holiday doesn’t mean you have to travel far to spoil your loved one.

Our very own Lakeway Commons located at the corner of Highway 620 and Lakeway Boulevard offers Lakeway residents and visitors a convenient and exceptional experience right here at home.  Plus, Valentine’s Day is just a good excuse to try out the shops and restaurants that our well-located shopping center provides.

The Gibbs Team, having lived in Lakeway for years, has frequented the Lakeway Commons often.  Today, we wanted to highlight our favorites in case you were in need of Valentine’s Day suggestions.

However, again, we stress that the best thing about our top picks at Lakeway Commons is that they are available throughout the year whenever the occasion arises.

ARTISAN BISTRO – Experience this quaint French restaurant and savor the fabulous fare cooked by an excellent chef.  They have an outstanding wine selection and their sauces are absolutely delicious.  We’ve been served a scrumptious duck dish, along with many other mouthwatering pleasures.   Definitely a place the Gibbs Team recommends.

ROCCO’S – Relish some of the best Italian food this side of the Atlantic by Rocky and Linda Piazza.  Their friendly, family and fun atmosphere lends to a comfortable feel while enjoying great cuisine.   Dine in or take out to suit any situation.

FORE – Delight in the Gibbs Team’s favorite salmon dish in the greater Austin area by restaurant owners James & Ose.  This casual eatery serves American comfort food and you don’t want to miss out on the bone in pork chops either because they are scrumptious!  They also have a full bar and lounge that are open until 2 a.m.

LUXURY NAILS – Visit this great nail salon for a manicure, pedicure or Shellac manicure.  They are kind, affordable and very accessible.

SPA AT THE LAKE – Sit back and relax while others pamper you at this full service spa and salon!  We love the facials, but they offer many more services including massages, manicures, pedicures, eyelash extensions, haircuts and more.  Make sure you ask them about their Valentine’s Day specials that are running through February 28^th.

LAKE TRAVIS WINE TRADER – Stop by this family operated Wine Shop and Wine Bar that has over 30 wines by the glass and over 1,000 selections by the bottle.  Stay and unwind or pick up and go!

Clearly, Lakeway Commons delivers convenience, fun and festivity to our great town!  Make sure you shop local and experience the many opportunities we have right here!  For more information about the shops and restaurants in Lakeway Commons, please visit their website at www.lakewaycommons.com.

The Gibbs Team would be honored to serve you in any and all of your real estate needs.  Please contact Mary Lynne Gibbs at 512.431.2301 or austinluxurybroker@gmail.com!

We hope you have a marvelous Valentine’s Day!

Despite lower sales than expected in December, Austin real estate finished 2013 with a bang!  The fact that December was not as stellar as hoped is not a surprise being that it was definitely colder than usual and the holidays always make the month a challenge.

The great news is that new home sales in 2013 were up overall by 16.4 percent from the previous year.  Additionally, 2013 new homes sales were the best since 2008 and existing home sales were at the highest they had been since 2006.

According to a presentation by 360 Real Estate Analytics, the market drivers for the Austin area are continued strong job and population growth, pent up demand, a tight apartment market, more communities to choose from, a builder’s growth mentality and more builders.

They cited the challenges that Austin might face include home price increases versus lower income levels, rising interest rates and the fact that Austin’s luster may lessen.

No one knows what the future may hold.  However, the Austin area has several things going for it that will continue to allure newcomers, visitors and students.

Future attractions of the Austin area include:

1. New film studios in the Bee Cave area
2. The Dell Medical School
3. A new teaching hospital to be connected with the new medical school
4. Google Fiber implementation
5. X-Games to be held in Austin from 2014-2017
6. JW Marriot Hotel
7. Westin Hotel
8. Whole Foods Resort
9. New water park in Pflugerville

And those are just the planned benefits that make Austin enticing!  We shouldn’t forget that we already have the only Formula One track in the U.S., SXSW, ACL Festival, University of Texas and the capital of Texas!!

All of these values give the Austin real estate market a great forecast for the future!!

The Gibbs Team and I invite you to visit our lovely city and see why we are expected to double in size by 2040!  We would be honored to help you in all of your real estate needs!

The 22.5 acre site on W. Hwy. 71, two miles west of the Hill Country Galleria in Bee Cave, is just one more retail project to add to the list of developments in the Bee Cave and Lakeway areas.

The project is slated to cost $1.4 million and is expected to include several restaurants, banks and other service providers.

It is no surprise that Bee Cave and Lakeway are feeling the impact of the robust growth that Austin is currently experiencing.  In fact, the entire Austin metropolitan area is growing at a rapid rate due to our strong economy and the healthy forecast for the years to come.

Moreover, it was predicted during the Angelou Economic Forum that Austin’s population would double by 2040 to about 4 million people, 29,000 jobs would be created in 2014 and about 18,500 homes would be built in the next two years.  This is quite a change from the steady and quiet expansion we have seen in past years.

The development explosion just in our Bee Cave and Lakeway areas include (but are not limited to) the following:

1. The Backyard in Bee Cave – set to include six movie and television production sound stages, three office buildings, a 125- to 150-room hotel, a 6,000-person standing capacity amphitheater, a 2,000-person standing capacity amphitheater, restaurants, shops, two parking garages, water features and a nature trail system.
2. The Terrace in Bee Cave – proposed as grounds for Supernature Studios and has plans to include four sound stages with attached office space, a mill, two office buildings, three residential condominium buildings with a parking garage below, three free-standing parking garages, restaurants and retail in the residential and office buildings overlooking preserve land.
3. Lake Travis ISD – two new schools are scheduled to open for the 2014-2015 school year and include a new Lake Travis Middle School and West Cypress Hills Elementary School.
4. The Oaks at Lakeway – the 250,000 square foot downtown center at the corner of Hwy. 620 and Glen Heather Drive is scheduled to open in mid-2015 and will include an HEB, restaurants, shops, green space, a pond, trails and will be golf cart accessible.
5. Revival Square in Bee Cave – this outdoor mall will feature a 110 year-old church from Ohio and will cover a 2.25-acre parcel on Hwy. 71.  A vegetable market, soda shop, bookstore, compounding pharmacy, vintage arcade and clothing store are planned for this development.
6. Trails at 620 Phase 2 – this section of the Trails at 620 complex will feature two medical buildings, two retail sites, a credit union and two restaurants.  Completion is scheduled for mid-2015.

The Lake Travis area is growing fast and furious, so please make sure you check back often to find out what else is happening around town!

My team, The Gibbs Team, and I would be honored to represent you in any and all of your real estate needs.  Please contact Mary Lynne at 512.431.2403 or at austinluxurybroker@gmail.com.

Mary Lynne Gibbs sold her listing at 11930 Meadowfire Drive in twelve days.  Yes, that’s right…twelve days.

11930 Meadowfire Dr. is located in the Gracywoods subdivision at the corner of Metric Blvd. and Gracy Farms Lane in north Austin.  It is a three bedroom and two bath home that was built in 1984.

So, why did 11930 Meadowfire Dr. sell so quickly?

The short answer is that Mary Lynne’s clients listened to her suggestions and made the necessary changes to maximize the interior and exterior of the home.

Even though the home was priced at the top end of the market at $249,995, the straightforward and expeditious updates and repairs lead to multiple offers and ultimately an offer for the list price in the middle of the Christmas season!

The holiday season is not the easiest one to sell in because sellers are competing with a grandiose time of year when people’s time and attention are elsewhere.

Mary Lynne suggested her clients make some critical revisions for their home to shine above the others on the market in their price range to get top dollar.  These updates included fresh paint, new flooring, new fixtures, professional cleaning and updated appliances.

If you are looking to list your home in the future, there are a few things that every seller should look into doing:

1. Price AT or below market value.  Any home that is priced above market value is likely to sit on the market without any offers no matter what time of year it is, which in turn costs the seller money and causes frustration.
2. Invest in a storage unit.  Get rid of personal items and all clutter in the home.  The goal is for the home to look like a model home!
3. Paint the home a neutral color inside and out.  This is an inexpensive way to get more buyers…quicker.
4. Laying new carpet is critical BEFORE you show your home because buyers cannot see past stains and blemishes.
5. Keep the home clean and picked up every day.  Fresh, clean and shiny things always sell faster!

Clearly, Mary Lynne’s expertise in selling homes for the past 12 years helped her clients at 11930 Meadowfire Dr. get top dollar in a quick timeframe!  And she can do the same for you!

Please contact Mary Lynne at 512.431.2403 or austinluxurybroker@gmail.com.  She would appreciate the opportunity to earn your business.