Yesenia:
Hey guys! This is Yesenia with the Ruth Krishnan team at Compass in San Francisco. I’m here today to talk to you about, where everyone is going? If you’ve been watching the real estate market and reading some headlines, you may have crossed some that said something along the lines of mass exits out of the Bay Area or San Francisco, where is everyone going, or things of that nature. If you’ve followed the data, you may have noticed that the number one place is Austin. So, I thought it would be really fun today to bring to you a top real estate agent in Austin who can share with you some insights on why Austin? I have Amanda with me here today. Thanks so much, Amanda, for joining us.
Amanda:
Hi, thank you so much for having me.
Yesenia:
Yeah. As I mentioned, Amanda is a top real estate agent in Austin. Her and her team close on average 350 homes. In an area like Austin, where the average price point is $440,000, they’re set to close $100 million in sales this year, and they do it all with a five-star rating.
So, Amanda, as a Bay Area native yourself now being in Austin for over a decade now, why do you love Austin? What’s so special about Austin?
Amanda:
It is a little treasure out here. It feels like you’re in a big little city. You know people around the town. There’s beautiful places to visit outside if you like to get outside. We’ve got lakes to paddleboard, to water ski, and to do other motorized sports on. The beach is not far. It’s a couple hour drive. It’s not terribly far away, but you also get a different type of oak trees, and pine tree mixtures. It’s just a really nice melting pot with really, really nice people here.
Yesenia:
Amazing. Sounds like you get a lot of outdoors which is another reason why people love San Francisco. That’s awesome.
Of all the places people can be going, why do you think Austin has been the number one place?
Amanda:
I think it’s the companies that have been choosing to come to Austin to expand, to bring branches of their offices, and to bring their headquarters. It’s also great as a destination to startup a new company. Having a major university here is really attractive to a lot of employers. We also have international airports, biotech, and technology. It’s a booming place that has a lot of what people are looking for in a city.
Yesenia:
That makes sense and sounds like a lot of the tech boom in San Francisco which has a lot of commonalities there between Austin and San Francisco. Some questions that are probably on everyone’s mind is what is the market like in Austin today? Has the market been affected? How has the market reacted to COVID?
I heard it’s very competitive in Austin right now. Is that true?
Amanda:
You have just hit the nail on the head. It is extremely competitive. We have very, very low inventory not only with resale homes, but also with our new construction all the way from entry-level homes into our luxury division as well. It is a market that can frustrate a lot of buyers, but you have to be patient. You have to definitely have a top agent like myself or my team that’s helping you find off-market properties, or prospecting to find these sellers who will sell their home to you first. There’s a lot of strategy that goes into that. It’s really, really important when you’re choosing an agent and you’re thinking about moving out here that you’re really aligning yourself with an agent who knows what they’re doing, that can negotiate in this type of market, and can win in this market.
Yesenia:
That’s awesome. It sounds like you and your team take a really proactive approach in finding those properties before they even hit the market.
Amanda:
Absolutely.
Yesenia:
That’s awesome. If there’s someone out there looking to move to Austin, what do they need to know? How do they prepare themselves for the move?
Amanda:
I think it’s just getting ready for a really friendly town in general. Everyone’s really nice here. A lot of people are sometimes fearful of meeting new people, starting fresh and new somewhere where they don’t have family, or ties already. The great thing about our community is that there are so many incredible online groups, or Facebook groups for people in all different hobbies and interests. We have very community-oriented neighborhoods. We have a lot of subdivisions here and a lot of people hold events within their subdivisions. It’s a great way to meet people, especially, when you’re brand new, and you just want to find a group of friends and people you can relate to.
Yesenia:
That makes sense. I know a lot of people are also relocating to Austin due to a job change, or a position that’s now bringing them there, and often have a relocation company within their company that maybe sets them up with an agent.
How do you see yourself playing into that, and helping those people who are moving there for a job, and how do you prepare them to be successful?
Amanda:
Right. A lot of companies know that this is a very big move for their employees. They try to set them up with packages to make it easier for the transition. While that’s wonderful and great, there’s a lot of perks within that program for a person to use when they’re relocating themselves or their family. One of the things is they try to connect you with an agent. The problem is these agents are not necessarily an agent equipped to handle this market in its current state. Our market was not like this last year. Skillset has completely had to pivot to win in this market. It’s important for you to make sure that you’re interviewing other agents that know how to work in this market, and that you’re not tied to the agent that they’re providing you with. You still get to have a choice in who you work with here in the Austin area.
Yesenia:
Got it. Yeah, a fantastic choice like you and your team. So while I hate to see people leave San Francisco, a city that I love so dearly, a city where I grew up in, there are a lot of people who are leaving. If you’re someone who is looking to relocate to Austin, feel free to comment below. Send me a private message here or email me at yesenia@ruthkrishnan.com. I’m happy to connect you to Amanda and her team. Thanks so much guys. Thanks, Amanda. Happy holidays.
Thinking of buying or selling? Call the Krishnan Team at 415-735-5867 for a no-obligation consultation. You can also email us at info@ruthkrishnan.com.
