GO O D L IF E R E A L T Y Krisstina Wise , Broker/Owner
a goodlife deserves a good home.
g May 2015
CONTENTS Magazine Issue 01 - Edition 2015
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Editorial
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Introduction
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Austin Modern Home Tour
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Interview by Audrey Dyer for Stone Textile
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Appealing the Property Taxes
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When I founded the tour, it’s purpose was simple: bring appreciation of Modern Architecture and design to Austin. Krisstina Wise
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EDITORIAL Magazine Issue 01 - Edition 2015
I
have to apologize for being MIA these past 24 months. As many of you know, I suffered a nearly fatal illness in 2013. Thanks to divine powers, amazing doctors, my loving husband and kids, supportive friends, and my stubbornness, I am now fully recovered.
And that leads us to 2015 - the year of re-emergence and growth. I’m back, refreshed, recharged and ready to help my real estate clients with their home buying and home selling needs. I’ve assembled a first-class team whose only job is to take exquisite care of my personal network. I promise you the best of real estate consultation, service, marketing and technology. And, in the spirit of growth, I am now offering my exclusive real estate network a new personal concierge service to help you with the details of your move or provide assistance during what tends to be a hectic time of life.
As much as 2013 was for me about staying alive, 2014 was about rebirth (both personal and in my business). You may have heard that at the end of 2014, I wrote an Amazon best-selling book, Falling for Money and launched a new company, Krisstina.com -- to teach women how to live full, financially-free, happy lives. We are experiencing great success and I am excited about the future of this endeavor.
I am also very excited to introduce you to Kate Hamlin. I’ve chosen Kate as my real estate sales partner and her only role is to take care of you. Kate is a total professional with the highest degree of real estate knowledge and ethics.
That being said, don’t think for one minute that I am letting my real estate roots die off! That will never happen. Real estate is in my blood; it’s just a part of me. In fact, my real estate brands are doing better than ever, and got a little “rebirth” of their own in 2014.
When you or someone you know is considering a move, please know that Kate and I and our specialized team (plus the GoodLife Realty team, to boot) are here to help. My promise always has been, and always will be, to take care of you with the highest level of care and respect.
GoodLife Realty got a fresh look and feel from a complete rebranding that included a new logo and website, new mural and an office renovation and remodel. See what you think!
Thank you for your continued friendship and trust.
Paperless Agent, my real estate technology training company, got some rebranding too. And with the help of a new business partner, the company is doing better than ever. We had serious growth in 2014 and can proudly say that we serve customers all over the world!
by Krisstina Wise
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INTRODUCTION Magazine Issue 01 - Edition 2015
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i! I am so excited to formally introduce myself to you as Krisstina’s real estate partner, because, seriously, who wouldn’t want to live the GoodLife?!
family dinners, where your kids took their first steps, where you celebrate holidays and milestones, and where you share fun times with friends. Your home helps feed the soul of your family. Let’s not forget to mention that your home is also often your greatest financial asset.
My name is Kate Hamlin and I am teaming up with Krisstina to assist her (in other words, YOU!) in taking care of her personal real estate clients and referrals. I am extremely blessed to have this opportunity because if you’ve spent any amount of time with Krisstina, you know that her wit, drive, innovation, under-promise-and-over-deliver attitude and general get-the-job-done ability is as motivating as it is infectious! As an added bonus, it’s become clear that many of the traits that make her who she is, we in fact share. We joke that we may indeed be sisters and never knew it!
My goal is to always keep my clients moving in the direction of their GoodLife. I do this by listening to my clients and understanding their wishes and timelines so we can create a true partnership for success. And just wait until we start the negotiating phase! The expert problem solving skills I have acquired over my decade in real estate, as well as my degree in engineering, have made me a force to reckon with that my clients always appreciate. Do you remember the “oh my goodness, it’s perfect!” feeling you got when you found your dream home after looking at so many others? It felt so right that you were ready to throw down the welcome mat right then and there! That’s the feeling I have working with Krisstina. I am confidant that there is no better match to care for your real estate needs.
Not only does Krisstina have all of these dynamic qualities that make her an extremely successful business woman, she also has a deep caring and sensitivity for others. Hyper productive people, like Krisstina, don’t always have, or like to show, a softer side. Krisstina defies this law as well; her authentic caring nature runs deep with her soul. I feel like I am gushing, but in all honesty, I cannot think of a better person to surround yourself with than an ultra-competent, intelligent, motivated, laughter-loving person like my “sister”.
Live the GoodLife, by Kate Hamlin
At GoodLife Realty, we have a shared belief that where you live is a much bigger place than simply where you lay your head at night. Your home is part of YOU. It’s
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VIDEOGRAPHER Patrick Schect
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01 Bath 502 Park Blvd. by Chris Perez
02 Living Room 600 Terrace Mountain Dr. by Chris Perez
03 Bookcase 1306 Clifford Ave. by Ryann Ford 04 Dining 602 Ledgeway W. by Anna Veselova
05 Side 7904 Lenape Tr. by Ryan Hand
06 Bath 7904 Lenape Tr. by Ryan Hand
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07 Stairs 13017 Zen Gardens Way by Alan Barley
08 Kitchen 603 Jessie St. by James Leasure
09 Outside 2112 Haskell St. by Jonathan Garza
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AUSTIN MODERN HOME TOUR WRITER
Krisstina Wise
2015 marked our 8th year of hosting and producing the Austin Modern Home Tour (AMHT), and I am so grateful to see the growth that the Austin community has allowed us. In just a few short years, the AMHT has become one of the Austin’s premier events; bringing out over 2,000 people to enjoy the some best of modern homes in Austin.
W
When I founded the Tour, its purpose was simple: bring appreciation of Modern architecture and design to Austin. I have to admit, I was a little self-serving in this purpose. I was growing tired of showing my real estate clients home after home in one of two styles: Tuscan or French Country. Our city, quite frankly, needed more variety. As a lover of the modern style, I wished that we would incorporate more of these design principles into our housing. So I thought, why not show Austinites what they were missing out on versus waiting for it to catch on. Fast forward 8 years later, and I am overwhelmed with the response we have seen from the community. Not only have Austinites begun to appreciate modern homes; they crave them! I am proud to say that the 2015 tour grew from the original 8 homes in the downtown area only to 16
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OSCAR DAVILA I always look forward to Modern Home Tour Austin for the eclectic modern home designs and artwork throughout the homes...it makes for a wonderful day of photography. www.oscardavila.com
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01 Downstairs 502 Park Blvd. by Chris Perez
02 Kitchen 2218 Brackenridge St. Unit #1
homes that are located all around Austin’s premiere neighborhoods. I have really enjoyed watching modern architecture hit the luxury market in Westlake and other more suburban areas. The sweeping hill country views in this area aren’t being lost on the talented architects, either. Large picture windows showcase the stunning views and are becoming a key feature in their design plans. It’s an incredible juxtaposition you won’t find anywhere but here! This year’s sweet 16 are an excellent example of the design, construction and decor that encapsulates the Modern Home style. This is no doubt the result of the incredible homes that Ingrid Spencer, contributing editor at Architectural Record, has been curating since the inception of the Tour. She is responsible for vetting the long list of submissions and selecting the homes that meet our strict standards and criteria. She also has to make sure they represent a range of scales, neighborhoods, and architectural techniques. Let’s just say she hit
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03 Outside 1880 Westlake Dr. by Oscar Davila
it out of the ballpark this year and I can’t wait to see what Ingrid brings us in 2016!
We also saw many stories told through the travels homeowners had taken, fine art pieces used as focal points, and the recycling/reuse of materials. I loved seeing old wood floors being used to make a sliding barn door or an old gymnasium floor being restored and reused as home flooring.
Each home on the tour has a story. After surviving a serious toxin-related illness in 2013, I could identify with Adam Reiser’s story. Adam, founder of Shelter Home Building, discovered a noxious mold in his own house and took it upon himself to construct a home that is 100% toxic free. Working with architect Gordon Wittenberg, Adam has constructed a clean, healthy and harmonious home for his family.
Austin truly is growing up and setting an example for the rest of Texas when it comes to Modern architecture! We are developing a culture that is passionate about sustainable growth, environmental responsibility, green building and sticking to the principals of the 3 Re’s: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. I am proud to play a part in developing and sustaining this culture each year, and thrilled that the Austin community continues to embrace the Tour.
Ingrid Spencer’s home was also on the Tour this year and served as inspiration to many tour-goers who wanted to tackle a fixer-upper project. Her 50s ranch-style home was a great example of transforming small, closed-in rooms and dark hallways into gorgeous open spaces by knocking down walls, adding floor-to-ceiling glass doors, and a hiring great architecture and design team.
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Not only have Austinites begun to appreciate modern homes, they crave them. Krisstina Wise
DESIGN BY Allen Bianchi
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01 Kitchen
01 Living Room
603 Jessie St. by James Leasure
603 Jessie St. by James Leasure
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ast weekend I had the pleasure of attending the Austin Modern Home Tour, a showcase of a dozen of Austin’s freshest contemporary spaces. I was also fortunate to get to interview this amazing east side abode’s owner, Royce Flournoy, who also presides over the company that built the home. It’s safe to say he was involved in every last detail of this gorgeous space, and we really enjoyed getting the inside scoop from him. Check it out below!
veratio et dolorror mintotate culpa doluptaep teoloriberfero ommod quas maios qui culpa qui reris miliciis et et explam volut et. ST: The minimalist color palette is quite soothing. Was it difficult to zero in on the perfect white for all of the walls? RF: Fortunately we had already fought that battle at our last home, so this was an easy selection. Our Architects helped us at our last home and gave us the direction to the white we used, so I suppose they had fought the battle before us.
Stone Textile: First of all, what a kitchen! What led you to dedicate so much space to this room and to forgo upper cabinets?
ST: The minimalist color palette is quite soothing. Was it difficult to zero in on the perfect white for all of the walls?
Royce Flournoy: My partner is a professional baker as well as an avid home cook. Culinary arts are a big part of our life and we wanted a space that could handle all his experimentation as well as all the entertaining we like to do. One great feature is our dining table, which is an industrial mill table from the 1800’s, that we found in Chicago. The biggest feature of this piece is it can be raised and lowered so that when cooking or rolling dough it can be at counter height, but when we have a dinner it can be lowered to table height. We feel that drawer storage is the most practical and useful in a heavily used kitchen. Also, we wanted to have the space feel pretty open and upper cabinets can create an unnecessary weight to the space.
RF: Fortunately we had already fought that battle at our last home, so this was an easy selection. Our Architects helped us at our last home and gave us the direction to the white we used, so I suppose they had fought the battle before us. ST: That’s an amazing bathtub, and I love the black exterior. What led you to go with this more traditional piece rather than a modern enclosed shower? RF: The tub was actually salvaged from the house we removed to build the new house. We had it restored and re-finished to have the black outer and white interior. We liked the idea of keeping something from the past of the property. We also really like a hot bath in a great clawfoot tub.
ST: You’ve got quite an impressive assortment of light fixtures. Do you have a favorite source or have you been collecting them for years?
ST: Your home seems wonderfully organized and uncluttered. Do you have any tips for those looking to create more minimalist spaces? RF: Well, try to buy only things you need and only things of quality is a good starting place. Next, have a place for everything to go, that tends to keep the place organized.
RF: With the neutral pallet of the home, we thought it would be cool to have interesting light fixtures which added some character to the space. We have some favorite lighting providers, Rejuvenation and Lightology. There is one light fixture that you might consider a beginning of a budding collection. The brass Chandelier in the entry was custom made by Tipler’s Lamp Shop and I gave it to my partner as a Christmas gift.luptaep teoloriberfero ommod quas maios qui culpa qui reris
*Post + Interview by Audrey Dyer for Stone Textile
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MAGIC HOME
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PHOTOGRAPHY Oscar Davila
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Each home on the tour has a story. Krisstina Wise
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We are developing a culture that is passionate about sustainable growth, environmental responsibility, green building, and sticking to the principals of the 3R’s” Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Khrisstina Wise
PHOTOGRAPHY Anna Veselova
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Modern Home Tour Austin is such a wonderful tour filled with amazing architectural design in the style of modern, So many great modern features on this tour. I look forward to it every year. Khrisstina Wise
PHOTOGRAPHY Paul Bardagjy
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There is such beauty in simplicity. Kate Hamlin
PHOTOGRAPHY Oscar Davila
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STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO APPEALING THE PROPERTY TAXES ON YOUR TRAVIS COUNTY HOME
mentioned above, some homeowners will be able to test out the new online protest system and may actually receive their settlement offer online. Prepare to Wait After you have filed, it can take several months for the Travis County Appraisal District to schedule your informal hearing.
Recently, we have helped our customers, clients and friends in Travis county and the City of Austin reduce their tax appraisal values of their homes over $2 million cumulatively — saving over $50,812 in real estate taxes! “I encourage everyone to appeal their taxes. When people don’t appeal, the taxing authority accepts that their value is correct. This affects all homeowners in a given area.” says Krisstina Wise. For that reason, we help people negotiate their values in order to do our part to help keep our real estate taxing authority in line with market value.
Prepare to Present to TCAD The purpose of the informal hearing is for you to present your evidence and facts to support your claim that they have over-valued your Austin home or condo. We suggest the following as valuable evidence to compile for your hearing: Comparable Market Analysis A comparable market analysis looks at Market Value and shows recent sales for homes that are similar to yours in size, age, location and type of construction. Your property evaluation Kate provides to you to determine if you should appeal may provide enough evidence to support your hearing. However, we also stand ready to provide you with a more in-depth market analysis prior to your hearing.
Keep reading to determine if you should appeal your county property valuation and how to proceed through the process: Why is Travis County tax-assessed value different than market value? The tax-assessed value is what your county believes your home or condo is worth. The county attempts to set their values at a market value. However, they do not evaluate comparables nor do they perform individual market analysis on every home. The county simply values your home according to the area, not the house. Meaning, the value may be too high or two low, depending on the size, location, amenities and condition of your specific home. When should I receive my TCAD property valuation/ assessment and how long do I have to appeal? The current years notices of appraised value are typically mailed out mid April of each year. You will have 30 days to appeal. You should file your written protest by May 31 or no later than 30 days after the appraisal district mailed you a notice of appraised value, whichever is later. Should I appeal my Travis County property valuation? If the market value on your travis county home is lower than your tax-assessed value, then you should appeal. If the market value is higher, do nothing. How do you determine your market value? Contact Krisstina or Kate to receive a free evaluation of your home using real-time data from the Austin MLS.
Documentation Regarding Your Home’s Condition Do you have foundation issues? Plumbing problems? Anything that would adversely affect the Market Value of your home should be documented. Take photographs and bring them with you to your hearing. Documentation Regarding Your Home’s Location Once again, anything that would adversely affect the Market Value of your home is evidence that you can use in your appeal. If your home backs up to a busy street, consider printing off a Google map to document your location. Recently Purchased Homes If you purchased your home in the last several months, and the purchase price was lower than your appraised value, bring a copy of your settlement statement. Present Your Evidence There are a couple of things to keep in mind for the day of your hearing: 1. The Appraisal District is responsible for setting appraised value. They have nothing to do with the tax rate. You are not going to the hearing to protest your tax rate or how much you are paying in taxes. You are only appealing the counties assessed value of your home. 2. Be polite and courteous. 3. Bring an extra copy of your supporting documentation to leave with the county For more information on the process, contact the Travis Central Appraisal District at 512.834.9138 or visit their website at http://www.traviscad.org/.
How do I appeal for Travis County/City of Austin? Travis County has a protest form. However, you can type up or handwrite your protest and fax or mail it in. If you are going to write up your protest, be sure to include the following: • • • •
Identify yourself as the homeowner Include the property address Indicate that you are dissatisfied with the decision made by the appraisal district Request the evidence packet for how they came up with your valuation – these are the comparable sales they are using for valuation purposes.As
If you found this article valuable or have any further questions, please let us know your thoughts. We will get back to you right away. And, if you successfully appeal your appraised value, we want to hear about that too. by Kyle Strohschein
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1114 E Cesar Chavez Austin, TX 78702
krisstina@goodlifeteam.com www.goodlifeteam.com