Why do some houses sell while others sit on the market? For lots of reasons! Here are a couple that are most common in Steiner Ranch:
- Lack of a true understanding of the Steiner Ranch market. With over 4000 homes and over 40 unique sections, true mastery of the market can not be obtained by a casual look at “comps.” Yes, inventory is low and it’s a seller’s market. Yes, Austin is one of the hottest markets in the US. Yet, a whopping SIXTY listings in Steiner Ranch expired or were withdrawn in 2019.
- Listing agents who do not also represent buyers. When a team splits up and has someone handling a high volume of listings, and another person/people handling buyers, that listing agent spends the majority of their time at a desk servicing listings or going on listing appointments. They do not see things through the eyes of potential buyers because they don’t show property. They don’t know how to properly market to the most likely buyer. They can’t foresee possible objections and/or negative feedback, so they don’t know how to market away from those things! And most importantly, they do not see the inventory in person or hear buyer’s feedback on it. They are only basing their opinion on how the subject property compares to the comps using the MLS Photos and the agent’s description which are designed to present the property in the best light. This is why they frequently overprice their properties and have multiple price reductions!
100 Dawn River Cove
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This listing was a VIP relocation through Cartus. The luxury custom home on one of the most prestigious streets in Steiner Ranch was unlike anything that had sold in recent years and there were no true “comps.” This made it challenging to price and added additional risk if it would need to be appraised for the buyer’s purchase. The sellers interviewed several agents, including some that brand themselves “luxury agents,” but ultimately chose Elicia to list the home because she was confident that she could sell the home for several hundred thousand dollars more than what the other agents were quoting. Within 12 days, three buyers flew in from out of state and the seller recieved 4 offers from 5 total showings. The sellers had their choice of offers and chose the second highest one because it was cash. The home sold for $1.775 Million in 2014. Four years later, those buyers sold the property for $1.725 Million, proving that Elicia did in fact get her sellers the maximum possible price for the home.
2108 University Club Drive
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This home in the million + price range in the UT Golf Club was listed for 195 days with another agent. After months of disappointment and numerous requests by the listing agent to drop the price, the sellers were anxious to find a new Realtor when their listing expired. Elicia listed the home at the same price it was previously on the market at and got it under contract in just 32 days! The buyers were so impressed with Elicia that they hired her (over the agent who represented them in the purchase) to represent them and she listed and sold it again two years later.
421 Emerald Ridge Drive
When Elicia sold this home to the sellers, she negotiated a huge upgrade allowance from the builder so it was one of the nicest homes on the street. The sellers were concerned about recouping their investment when they sold but knew that Elicia was the one for the job! At that time, no home in Emerald Ridge without a pool had ever sold over $724,000. Elicia sold the home for $800,000. When the home sold again three years later, it also sold for $800,000, proving that her sellers sold for the maximum price possible. Even now, 6 years later in 2020, that sale is STILL in the top three sales of non pool homes in Emerald Ridge by $/SF!
3809 Mira Vista Drive
The sellers had this home listed for 35 days with another agent in 2019. The photos and marketing were terrible. The agent kept requesting price reductions. The sellers had just recieved a low offer $30,000 under asking price, which the listing agent couldn’t even close. The sellers decided to fire that agent and hired Elicia. In one week’s time, Elicia did some light staging and implemented her marketing plan, listing it at the SAME PRICE it was with the other agent. Within 5 days, the property recieved multiple offers and closed 30 days later for $10,000 over asking price!
12708 Capella Trail
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Elicia’s expert insight into the Steiner Ranch market and knowledge of how to best market the home’s unique qualities garnered the highest sales price ever attained in the Summer Vista section of Steiner Ranch.
4304 Front Range Lane
The sellers of this home interviewed several agents, including some of Austin’s self proclaimed “mega-agents.” None of them knew how to accurately price the home because they were not experts in the Steiner Ranch real estate market. Elicia had the home under contract in 10 days and it closed for a price $75,000 higher than what the other agents suggested it be listed at. The seller had this to say at closing,
“We searched for a realtor to represent us for our home sale in Steiner Ranch, near Austin TX. Of all the ones we interviewed in depth she came with the best general marketing plan plus she was able to accurately asses value in a unique market. Had we selected another agent we would most likely have lost money. Elicia was super responsive to all contact during the whole process, both before and after the sale which made dealing with her a delight. She guided us fairly along the way and we would recommend her strongly.”
3500 Rip Ford Drive
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This was a unique home that had been extensively remodeled. The sellers were worried about recouping their investment as they were one of the first to do such a large remodel on a home in this price range. They spoke with several agents and chose Elicia based on a recommendation by an agent in their family who had researched several agent’s sales records in Steiner Ranch. Elicia’s aggressive pre-mls marketing campaign garnered a huge amount of interest which generated multiple offers within days of going live on MLS. The home sold for a record price – the highest ever in that section by over $200,000 and paved the way for future remodels in the front of the neighborhood.
3229 Grimes Ranch Road
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Another extensively remodeled property toward the front of the neighborhood. Sellers had just purchased the property about a year earlier and overpaid, buying it from out of state with an agent from Pflugerville that didn’t properly advise them on some attributes that would negatively affect resale. Elicia’s expert marketing plan garnered multiple offers, resulting in the home selling for $20,000 over asking price and setting a record for that section that has not been beat, even a year later! This is what the sellers had to say,
“I’d recommend Elicia to anyone thinking of buying/selling in the Steiner Ranch area of Austin Texas. She KNOWS her stuff. We moved to Steiner from California and (unfortunately) used a realtor not specific to the area and wound up purchasing the home for more than it was probably worth. Fortunately, we were smart enough to work with a realtor specialized in the SR neighborhood after we fully remodeled our home and decided to sell. With Elicia’s expertise in marketing and negotiating, we had an offer BEFORE our “official” list date….oh and for ABOVE asking price. Elicia is definitely someone you want on YOUR side of a real estate exchange. You know all that stress and drama and headaches that are associated with with buying/selling a house…well you won’t when you work with Elicia. She’s a true super star and a pleasure to work with.”
12804 Texas Sage Court
This home in Majestic Oaks was listed for 103 days with another agent before the sellers decided to look for someone who specialized in Steiner Ranch real estate. When they hired Elicia, she was confident that with proper marketing, they could raise the price. Elicia got it sold for $5,000 higher than it was listed for when it was taken off the market with the previous agent. The seller had this to say,
“Elicia Michaud is a top notch realtor! She did an amazing job for us in helping us sell our home in Steiner Ranch. She has her finger on the pulse of the Austin market and is extremely professional. We could not have been happier with how she captured and created a sleek online presence that truly captured the look and feel of our home. She understands how to really highlight the positive aspects of your home in online listings. Elicia is current on all the real estate trends to capture the most online views and to get buyers in the doors to close on our home. If you are selling or buying you are in good hands. She knows her business well and knows how to deliver results.”
2400 Shire Ridge Drive
The sellers of this home had previously listed with a less-experienced agent who had the property listed for 75 days through the summer. After multiple price reductions, they decided to take the home off the market. Elicia listed the home and recieved multiple offers and had the house under contract for full price in 5 days. When is closed, the happy seller had this to say,
“Elicia made the process of selling our home a smooth and easy one. She helped me to keep my nerves at bay, and provided excellent advice on which areas of the home were worth investing in to increase our sales price. I had a great experience with her, and I’d highly recommend her service.”
12025 Montclair Bend
Sold Before Professional Photos
The sellers of this home had it listed with another agent who did specialize in Steiner Ranch. After 138 days, lots of showings, and 2 price reductions, they decided to take it off the market and contacted Elicia. Elicia knew which agents had clients looking for a home like this and was able to get it sold without the clients having to do any additional showings! It never even went on MLS. The clients had this to say when it closed,
“Lived in Steiner since 2008, we had used other realtors in the past, but when we decided to list our house, my wife commented on seeing Elicia’s sign on multiple houses in our neighborhood and showing as SOLD! Best call we could have made, after meeting with Elicia we decided to work with her, and had a full price offer BEFORE she put a sign on the front lawn! She managed the whole process, even getting us a handy man to fix a few things before closing. Because our house sold so quickly, we were not prepared to move, Elicia found us a suitable rental home in our range and assisted with that process as well. I called Elicia 4 mos later and asked her to assist with the purchase of our next home. She met my wife that day and EVERY day until we settled on another home. She handled the negotiations on the new home and was able to secure the price that we were looking for AND the ever-important FIXES to the new home that we required. Could not recommend her enough. I am in Sales and appreciate her aggressive nature and understanding of the attention to detail needed to put a family at ease during this process.”
12701 Tierra Grande Court
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The sellers of this home were listed fro February through June with a different agent. After numerous price reductions, they decided to take the home off the market. Elicia listed the home again in January, raising the price, getting multiple offers and selling it at full listing price, proving that time of year doesn’t matter when you have an expert Realtor! The sellers were so happy when the home closed, they had this to say,
“We had a fantastic experience with Elicia throughout the buying, listing and selling process. Elicia anticipated our needs and exceeded expectations. Elicia had a strong marketing plan which resulted in a fast multi offer and quick transition to our new home. Elicia is truly the best of the best and we highly recommend her for your real estate needs.”
3712 Soledad Court
The sellers of this home interviewed Elicia and 3 other Realtors who claimed to “specialize” in Steiner Ranch real estate. Elicia sold the home for $75,000 higher than what all three “experts” said the home would sell for. This was a unique home on a rare lot and she knew with proper marketing it would sell for top dollar. The sellers were thrilled that they chose the right Realtor and had this to say about Elicia at closing,
”Elicia worked diligently marketing our house and helping us get the most money for our property. We interviewed several “experts” on the Steiner Ranch real estate market and her presentation and knowledge far exceeded the others. She also priced our house well above the other major competitor for the area and we ended up getting $75000 more than what we would have got if we went with the other real estate agent.”
109 Tierra Grande Court
This home was was listed for 152 days with another Realtor before the seller decided to fire the agent and hire Elicia. Without a price reduction, but with proper staging and marketing, Elicia was able to get the home under contract in only 18 days. The seller was so happy at closing, she had this to say,
“After my house in Steiner Ranch sat on the market for 5 months, I jumped ship to Elicia. She took care of staging and marketing and brought an offer within a couple of weeks. She knows this area and gave me excellent advice throughout the process. Her no-nonsense manner and quick action are great assets. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking to buy or sell in Steiner Ranch!”
12813 Majestic Oaks Drive
This home was extensively and thoughtfully upgraded by the sellers from top to bottom. Elicia knew that she could make buyers appreciate all of the unique things they had done to the home, and pay more for them! Elicia recommended putting the home on the market for $29,000 more than another “Steiner expert” recommended. Not only did it sell immediately, it went $6,000 over asking with multiple offers. This is what the happy sellers had to say at closing,
“Let me give you the final results of Elicia selling our precious house. She sold it in an off market in no more than 24 hours. She put our house on the market for a price higher than what has sold before on our street and we received well over asking price, plus she got us the lease back that we wanted. Other houses on our street, being sold by other agents, are still sitting there for sale several months after mine sold. I had no idea how much I needed an agent like her for the weeks leading up to closing. Here is where the stress for us really kicked in. She would respond to our text messages within minutes (even while she was caring for someone in the hospital). She was literally our human calendar reminding us what needs to get done and when. I couldn’t have survived without her. When texting that we were exhausted from packing our things and cleaning….she actually offered to come and help (of course I did not take her up on that offer). She was with us during closing and read through every page before we signed making sure the contract was correct. She found one $89.00 error in our favor and fought like a wolverine to get it credited back to us – and she won….again. Elicia does her homework. She knows her stuff. She’s a tough person that works incredibly hard for you AND she is a wonderfully generous and kind person that will get you through this trying time in ways that you never thought possible.”
2200 Bloomfield Hills Pass
This home in the River Heights Grover section of Steiner Ranch was listed with another agent for a whopping 339 days with another Realtor. The sellers went through 6 price reductions before they started looking for another Realtor. When they hired Elicia, she raised the price by $16,000 and sold it for that price!
14004 Echo Lane
This home, just behind Stieiner Ranch, next to Lake Austin, is a unique property, which means it’s hard to price! Only a true expert who works with local buyers day in and day out will know what the market will bear when there are no comps. The seller indicated that 5 agents suggested 5 different prices, varying by $100,000! Elicia’s price was the highest by $25,000 and she sold it for full price in a short period of time! The sellers shared this testimonial when it closed,
“Elicia was one of 5 agents that we interviewed to sell our house and suggested listing price varied by $100K. She was the only one that understood that we had a unique house in a unique neighborhood and how to specifically market to our audience. She listed our house at $25K higher than the next highest suggested list price and closed the deal in 36 days. 5 stars is not enough to describe her level of responsiveness.”
1016 Merlene Drive
This is another one, just outside of Steiner Ranch “proper,” by Lake Austin. This had been listed for 124 days by another agent who lives in Steiner Ranch. After 4 months of no action, they fired their agent and called Elicia. Elicia knew immediately that it was a rare property because it had a tall boat garage that would accomodate a wakeboarding boat with a tower – something very unique so close to the water. She had her boat put in the garage for the photos (seen to the left) to illustrate this and marketed to boating communities in and out of Austin and had it under contract in just 24 days!
13325 Bright Sky Overlook
At the time of this sale in 2014, nothing in the Summer Vista section of Steiner Ranch had ever sold near $200/SF, and certainly not over. When the sellers invited Elicia over to look at the home and give a pricing opinion, she knew she could push the pricing limits on the home. Not only did she sell the home for $201/SF, she did so before it even hit MLS. The sellers were thrilled with the price and the fact that they didn’t have to go through the process of showing the home over and over again with 3 kids and multiple pets! That sale held the record for the highest $/SF in Summer Vista for 5 years, and now in 2020, Elicia holds the record AGAIN in Summer Vista with the sale of 12708 Capella Trail (listed above) at over $216/SF!
909 Santaluz Path
When the sellers of this home built it, they spared no expense with upgrades. The front staircase and Italian cypress trees alone were over $50,000! Upgrades like these are rarely good investments when it comes to resale but the sellers wanted to recoup as much of their investment as possible. Elicia sold the home for $800,000 in 2013 which was a VERY high price at the time. When the house sold again 3 years later, it closed for less than $800,000 so there is no doubt that Elicia got her sellers the maximum possible price!
12601 Schreiner Court
After 48 days on the market with another agent, and almost no activity, the sellers of this home fired their agent and called Elicia. Elicia put it on the market at a higher price and had the home under contract in 12 days! Needless to say, the sellers were thrilled with the outcome and had this to say when the home closed,
“Elicia Gower recently helped us sell our home in Steiner Ranch. We had been working with a different agent previously, who did not appear to understand the Steiner Ranch market, and did not aggressively pursue a sale. After the house had been on the market for over 50 days, we fired the other agent and hired Elicia, who sold the home in 10 days for full price!! She immediately knew what type of buyer would be interested in our home, and marketed the property to explicitly appeal to that buyer. And she was absolutely right! Elicia is extremely professional, smart as a whip, ethical, and wonderful to work with. I highly recommend her to anyone deciding to put their home on the market.”
