West Austin Lifestyle

Your Realtor RelationshipWhat Legal Responsibilities Do They Have to You?

Simple Yet So Savory!Judges’ Hill’s Crab Cakes

West AustinReal Estate Report

Ideas to Freshen Up Your Interior Design

January | February 2013

West Austin

All information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

If your home is currently listed, this is not a solicitation for that listing. Produced by UpscaleRealEstateMarketing.com • 877.660.0996

The Austin real estate market is changing daily.

If you are considering buying or selling a home,

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For a free consultation on what your

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www.StephanieNick.com

Stephanie Nick, Realtor®Million Dollar Guild, CLHMS

512.426.9183 [email protected]

FEATURED PROPERTIES

Your West AustinNeighbor and Realtor

Providing A Lifestyle, Not Just An Address.

WATERFRONT LIVING • Lake Austin

MEDITERRANEAN DREAM • Barton Creek

LAKE AUSTIN SERENITY • Lake Austin

SOUTH AUSTIN ORIGINAL • South Austin

JUST SOLD PROPERTIES

PRIVATE ESCAPE $1,395,000 • www.1100ExtonCv.com

ISLAND GETAWAY$2,995,000 • www.4609IslandCv.com

GREAT ESCAPE $399,900 • www.2907Noack.com

HIDDEN JEWEL$3,695,000 • www.2956WestlakeDr.com

Makingahomeunique,special,andpersonallyintuitivearechallengeseveryhomeownerencounterswhetherthehomeis1,500squarefeetor15,000squarefeet.Often,ahomeneedsjustatouchofglamour,orspecialvisualinterests,totakeitfrom“nice”to“knock-out!” Nomatterthesizeofthehomeorspace,therewillalwaysbecommonissuestocontendwith.Forexample,howtobringinteresttothatspace?Whatwillmakeahomeorspacestandapartfromanotherone?Howshouldlargespacesbefashionedtofeelmoreintimate?Howcansmallerspacesfeellarger? Designingahomeorspaceproperlycanalsobequiteaninvestment.Ifandwhenahomeownerdecidestoselltheproperty,thehomeshouldstandalonefromtheotherchoicesonthemarket.Creatingfascinatingandcompellingdetailsisoptimum,inthatthoseremarkableelementsandappealingdesignchoiceshopefullywillremaininthememoriesofthosewhoareviewingyourhome. Inmanyinstances,atouchofdramaisagreatwaytocreateinterestingspaces.Thetrickthough,istounderstandexactlywhatthatmeansandhowtoachieveit.Forlargerspaces,thereisusuallyabitofastrongerchallenge,butproperlydesigningthespacewillcertainlyincludefocusingonatleastoneareaintheroomtoaddthattouchofdrama.Fireplaces,interestingart,importantpiecesoffurniture,beautifulviewsandconversationareaswillhelpdeterminethosefocalpoints. Theoppositewillbetruewhendesigningsmallerspaces.Inthiscasethechallengeisusuallytomakethespacefeellarger.Thebestwaytoachievethismaybetosimplify.Forasmallerspace,thismaybeachievedbydeterminingafocalpointintheroomandaddressingitwithsomethingthatwilldemandattentionwhensomeoneentersthespace. Whenincorporatingsomedrama,youmighttakeacuefromcurrentdesigntrends.Forcolor,the“newneutral”isdefinitelygray-notanicygray,butmoreofawarmgray.Thatgrayisbeingpairedwithallsortsofotherfashionablehuessuchasyellow,applegreen,andpurple.

Organicshapesversusgeometricorlinearlinesareon-trendnowandcanbeseeninfurnishings,fabricsandevenwalldécor.Wallpanelsinallsortsofmaterials,shapesandpatternsareawaytomakeabigimpact.CheckoutInterlockingRockpanelsbyModularArts.comforinspiration. AstatementheadboardintheMasterBedroomisanothersurewaytocreatedrama.Theseheadboardscanbeupholsteredinallsortsofgorgeousfabrics,craftedfromwoodorevenmadeoutofleather-upholsteredlargemosaicpieces. Often,theuseofinterestingtextureisallthat’snecessary.Asimplewallorothermundanearchitecturalelementcanbeabsolutelytransformedwiththeapplicationofmaterialssuchasstone,metal,tiles,crystals...theoptionsareaslimitlessasyourimagination! Now,getyourimaginationworkingonoverdriveandplantoputalittlepanacheinyourhome’sdesignaswell!

Debra May Himes, Principal of Debra May Himes Interior Design & Associates, LLC can be reached at DMHDesign.com.

By Debra May Himes, ASID, LEED AP

INGREDIENTS

1lb.lumpcrabmeat,fullycooked

1lemon

1egg,beaten

2tsp.OldBayseasoning

pinchofsalt

10saltinecrackers,pulverized

2Tbs.mayo

2oz.yellowonion,smalldiced,

andcookedthoroughly

2Tbs.canolaoil

PROCEDURE

Combineegg,mayo,lemonjuiceandzest,

salt,andOldBayinabowl.Addcooled

onionsandsaltinestomixture.Gentlyfoldin

crabmeat.Allowmixturetorestinrefrigerator

for20minutes.Forminto2oz.patties,tightly

packed.Placeonpapertowelsbefore

searinginahotpan.Searbothsidesinahot

non-stickpanwithcanolaoil.Placeinovenat

350degreesfor5minutesoruntilaninternal

temperatureof160degreesisreached.

Yield: Eight 2 oz. crab cakes

It’simportanttounderstandwhatlegalresponsibilitiesyourrealestatesalespersonhastoyouandtootherpartiesinthetransaction.Askwhattypeofagencyrelationshipyouragenthaswithyou:

SELLER’S REPRESENTATIVE (also known as a listing agent or seller’s agent)Aseller’sagentishiredbyandrepresentstheseller.Allfiduciarydutiesareowedtotheseller.Theagencyrelationshipusuallyiscreatedbyalistingcontract.

BUYER’S REPRESENTATIVE (also known as a buyer’s agent)Abuyer’sagentishiredbyprospectivebuyerstorepresenttheminarealestatetransaction.Thebuyer’srepworksinthebuyer’sbestinterestthroughoutthetransactionandowesfiduciarydutiestothebuyer.Thebuyercanpaythelicenseedirectlythroughanegotiatedfee,orthebuyer’srepmaybepaidbythesellerorthroughacommissionsplitwiththeseller’sagent.

SUBAGENTAsubagentowesthesamefiduciarydutiestotheagent’scustomerastheagentdoes.Subagencyusuallyariseswhenacooperatingsalesassociatefromanotherbrokerage,whoisnotthebuyer’sagent,showspropertytoabuyer.Insuchacase,thesubagentworkswiththebuyerasacustomerbutowesfiduciarydutiestothelistingbrokerandtheseller.Althoughasubagentcannotassistthebuyerinanywaythatwouldbedetrimentaltotheseller,abuyer/customercanexpecttobetreatedhonestlybythesubagent.Itisimportantthatsubagentsfullyexplaintheirdutiestobuyers.SubagencyisnotcommoninTexas.

DISCLOSED DUAL AGENTDualagencyisarelationshipinwhichthebrokeragefirmrepresentsboththebuyerandthesellerinthesamerealestatetransaction.Texasdoesnotallowdualagency,butratherintermediary,inwhichtheconsentmustbeinwriting.Dualagencyrelationshipsdonotcarrywiththemallofthetraditionalfiduciarydutiestoclients.Instead,dualagentsowelimitedfiduciaryduties.Becauseofthepotentialforconflictsofinterestinadual-agencyrelationship,it’svitalthatallpartiesgivetheirinformedconsent.Discloseddualagency,inwhichboththebuyerandtheselleraretoldthattheagentisrepresentingbothofthem,islegalinmostotherstates.

DESIGNATED AGENT (also called appointed agent)Thisisabrokeragepracticethatallowsthemanagingbrokertodesignatewhichlicenseesinthebrokeragewillactasanagentofthesellerandwhichwillactasanagentofthebuyer.Designatedagencyavoidstheproblemofcreatingadual-agencyrelationshipforlicenseesatthebrokerage.Thedesignatedagentsgivetheirclientsfullrepresentation,withalloftheattendantfiduciaryduties.Thebrokerstillhastheresponsibilityofsupervisingbothgroupsoflicensees.

NON-AGENCY RELATIONSHIP (called, among other things, a transaction broker or facilitator)Somestatespermitarealestatelicenseetohaveatypeofnon-agencyrelationshipwithaconsumer.Theserelationshipsvaryconsiderablyfromstatetostate,bothastothedutiesowedtotheconsumerandthenameusedtodescribethem.Verygenerally,thedutiesowedtotheconsumerinanon-agencyrelationshiparelessthanthecomplete,traditionalfiduciarydutiesofanagencyrelationship.InTexas,anon-agencyrelationshipisnotpracticed.Instead,aRealtorinTexaseitherrepresentsthebuyer,theseller,orisinanintermediaryrelationship.

Source: REALTORMag. Official Magazine of the National Association of REALTORS.® www.realtor.org

TheLionKingBassConcertHall,January16th–February10th800.731.7469|Austin.Broadway.comIt’saperformancethat’svisuallystunning,technicallyastoundingandwithamusicalscorelikenoneotheryou’veeverheard.Theentiresavannahcomestolifeandasthemusicsoars,PrideRockslowlyemergesfromthemist.TheTony®Award-winningBroadwaysensationoffersabreathtakingspectacleofanimalsbroughttolifebyacastofmorethan40actors.And,enjoyanunforgettablescoreincludingEltonJohnandTimRice’sOscar®-winningsong“CanYouFeeltheLoveTonight”and“CircleofLife.”

DellChildren’sGalaAustinConventionCenter,January26th512.324.0169|ChildrenAustin.orgBenefittingtheDellChildren’sMedicalCenterofCentralTexasisoneofthemostanticipatedannualfundraisingeventsinAustin.Eachyear,proceedsfromtheGalaprovidemorethan$1milliontotheMedicalCenter’sareaofgreatestneed.Thisyear’seventwillincludelivemusic,silentandliveauctions,dinneranddancingwithmorethan1,000privatesupportersandmembersofthemedicalcommunity.

TheMarriageofFigaroDellHall,January31st–February3rd512.472.5992|AustinLyricOpera.orgDon’tmissopera buffa(comicopera)atitsbestwithMozart’shilariousstoryfilledwithschemes,masqueradesandmistakenidentities.TheinfamousFigaro,hisbride-to-beSusanna,andtheCountessconspiretoexposeandembarrassthecunning,skirt-chasingCount.

RodeoAustinGalaPalmerEventsCenter,February9th512.919.3005|RodeoAustin.comAsoneofAustin’slargestblacktieaffairs,theGalaofferscocktailsandhorsd’oeuvrescoupledwithoutstandingentertainmentandluxurioussilentauctionitems.Anticipatedtobeoneofthepremiereventsoftheyear,thewho’swhooftheAustincommunitywillmix,mingleandpartyforacharitablecause.Multi-platinumartistDierksBentleywillbetheheadlineentertainment.

LIVESTRONGAustinMarathon&Half-MarathonDowntownAustin,February17th512.476.7223|YourAustinMarathon.comWhetheryourunthe5K,half-marathonorthefull26.2-milemarathon,you’resuretofeelahugedoseofaccomplishment!Theeventincludesaweekend-longexpo,andofcourse,aFinishFestivalwithliveon-stageentertainment.Notarunner?Joininthefunwithnumerousvolunteeropportunities.

JANUARY|FEBRUARY2013

GULF COAST CRAB CAKES

FeaturingJudges’HillRestaurant&Bar512.495.1857IJudgesHillRestaurant.com

In Good Taste Event Calendar

UNDERSTANDING AGENCY RELATIONSHIPS