Remember the Homestead Exemption we mentioned in our April newsletter? Your efforts to file and save yourself money have paid off! Leander City Council approved a homestead exemption on June 3rd. The Homestead Exemption Earlier this month, Leander City Council approved a residential homestead exemption of $5,000 or 1% of the home’s appraised value, whichever is greater, as property values...

Buying a house is exciting and scary. But we’re here to prepare you for the process! There are many financial responsibilities associated with buying and owning a home, so here are the questions to ask yourself to gauge if you’re ready.  1. Do I Have a Stable Income? Figuring out if you have a stable income can be a tricky process. It’s not as simple as having a paycheck every month. A...

Leander is constantly growing and it’s not stopping anytime soon! In fact, the U.S. Census Bureau names Leander the Nation’s Fastest-Growing Large City.  So if you’re thinking about moving to our wonderful city, we’re going to give you some tips to make the move smoother and more successful!  1. Try It Before You Buy It Moving to the city first and renting before making a permanent...

These six features will help increase your home’s value in a buyer’s eyes. This means your home’s listing price could be increased or decreased, too. Factors that determine your home’s value that can’t be changed are square footage, amount of bedrooms, what neighbors’ houses sold for, and location. While there are many factors to consider when a real estate agent analyzes how much to price...

A new year is an exciting time for new opportunities and goals! And if deciding to be a homeowner is one you’re curious about, ask yourself these questions before deciding to make it a tangible goal. Do I have enough for a 20% down payment? While 20% isn’t necessary to buy a house since a loan will require less than that, it is nice because it saves you money in the long run. If you don’t...

Whether you're saving because you want to put down a 20% down payment, creating an emergency fund, or it's a New Years' resolution, we’re going to give you some tips to save money this year! Automate it all Automating helps you save without you even realizing it or making decisions. Automate your 401(k) contribution to be taken pretax from your salary and automatic transfers from your checking...

Congratulations! You’re now a homeowner. How exciting, right?! We’re excited for you! I’m sure you’re emotionally and maybe mentally exhausted from the home buying process, but get ready to be physically and financially drained. Just kidding! We’re going to share what projects and renovations to start now so that doesn’t happen to you.  Step One: Create a budget To avoid decreasing...

The pandemic has changed how we function as a society with social distancing and masks becoming the new norms. Covid has also changed real estate and how to sell and buy property to keep up with health mandates and to create a safe environment for everyone. At Mallach and Company, we have continued to pride ourselves on how passionate we are about buying and selling homes in Austin. We’ve extended this...

Fall is a great time to make sure your home is ready for chillier weather. If you’ve been holding off on specific home maintenance projects because the summer heat was too hot to handle, now is the perfect time to tackle some fall home improvement projects. 1. Check and clean the gutters. While they can be a pain to clean, gutters are crucial in preventing water damage. Be sure that your gutters...

It may still feel HOT in Central Texas, but fall will be here before you know it! This year has been one for the record books, so we wanted to share our favorite list of fun, affordable fall activities that your tribe can do together. Mallach and Company’s Bucket List for the Fall Season in Central Texas: 1) Do yoga or go for a run outdoors. 2) Go on a nature hike. 3) Collect fall leaves...