All Blog Entries by Janis Penick

There are lots of words we can use to describe 2020 and they seem to be changing by the day. We are certainly living in a new time where it has become very challenging to know what to expect today and in the future. Real estate is no different as it is a constantly changing industry and this year has presented even more variables than normal. What can we expect as we begin the second half of the year?

It's no secret that home sales took a plunge in March and April. With everyone staying home and some jobs slashed temporarily, some buyers cancelled contracts while others just put their real estate plans on hold. This caused a sharp decline in sales as reported by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) in their most recent statistics released.

This private retreat is waiting for you! A modern steel frame home plus a tiny home are nestled in 53+ acres of pine and oak forest overlooking a scenic pond.

The first home is a modern steel barndominium. Inside the open floor plan space is a kitchen, living area, one bedroom and full bath. The living room includes a Murphy bed and the bedroom offers queen bunks. The kitchen is modern with stainless appliances, granite countertops and an island. There is also garage space for parking and ample storage space. An expansive porch on the front of the home offers great views and lots of space for relaxing and entertaining.

The tiny home has Airbnb history and is tucked in the trees overlooking the pond. Large picture windows offer great views of your

In this day and time, as we limit our in person contact, selling your home may present some unique challenges. For your home to sell, different people will need access to your home at different times but there are ways to provide access safely and with limited risk to your family. Technology has made it easier than ever for buyers to view your home without setting foot in the door. Here is what you can expect if you are selling your home during this virtual time.  

Start with the agent accessing your home. For first meetings, consider handling them over the phone. When it comes time for the agent to view the home, you could use Facetime or Skype to show them your home or have them come in person while wearing a mask and gloves to do their walk through.

Historic charm awaits you in this gorgeous Greek Revival style home. Four bedrooms and three bathrooms makes up this home that has been beautifully restored. Comfortable updates have been added throughout the home so you will enjoy relaxing and entertaining in style.

A beautiful wood and glass door welcomes you to the home where you are greeted by longleaf pine floors and a wooden staircase that leads you upstairs from the foyer. Eight foot pocket doors separate rooms on the main level allowing open or closed spaces for your enjoyment. Large rooms with soaring ceilings are perfect for entertaining. The dining room and living room offer coal fireplaces. The gourmet kitchen is a pleasure to cook in with gleaming marble countertops, an abundance of

Depending on where you live, your windows, skylights and doors could account for 25-40 percent of your energy bill at certain times of the year. In many cases, updating your windows to an energy efficient model will significantly cut your energy usage and save you money.

While you will have to make a large investment up front to purchase new windows, the benefit of the financial and energy savings will come gradually. For a typical home averaging 2,000 square feet, replacing all of your windows could cost $15,000 or more depending on how many windows you have and if they are standard-sized or special-sized windows.

Whether you plan on being in your house for years to come or hope to sell it sooner rather than later, energy-efficient windows are a

Build your Bastrop, TX dream home on this beautiful ColoVista Golf Course lot. The land is a 0.83 acre lot that backs up to the 17th hole at the ColoVista Golf Course. Riverwalk Lane is one of Bastrop’s most prestigious streets and is the perfect setting to build your dream home.

ColoVista is conveniently located near Bastrop and Buescher State Parks as well as the cities of Bastrop and Smithville. If you are a frequent traveler, ABIA is nearby too to make travel easy. ColoVista allows you to bring your own builder so you can find the perfect builder to build the home you have always wanted. If you need help selecting a builder, we can help you with that too. For more information about this property, please click here.

The Janis Penick Team

Financial security is important to all of us. You may think about it from the perspective of being able to take care of your family or the freedom to retire at a younger age or even just the comfort of knowing you have the security to care for yourself. Whatever your reason for wanting financial security, there are several ways to increase your net worth and bring you the financial peace you are looking for.

1. Make more money. This may mean getting a second job, furthering your education to get a better job or asking for a raise if you have been in your current position for a while and have a good performance record.

2. Spend less money. When you cut your expenses, you will be able to pay off debt faster and increase your savings. This will work

This one-of-a-kind property offers the perfect blend of country life and modern comfort. Nestled within a 13.08 parcel of land (with additional tracts available for purchase if you need more room to stretch), this versatile barndominium consists of a 6,000 square foot steel structure (70’ x 80’) with 2,250 square feet of finished space for comfortable living and 3,750 of unfinished space.

The property is well equipped for horse lovers with a four stall barn and tack room. A gated entrance welcomes you to your property and the current ag exemption and cattle lease can stay with the property. When you aren’t in the barn, you will have excellent quarters to relax in. There are four bedrooms and three baths plus an office available. The property offers

You have been counting down the days, months and years to retirement since you finished high school or college and it’s finally almost here. As you approach your golden years, you may have big plans to travel more and spend time doing all the things you never had time for when you were working and taking care of your family. While that all sounds perfect, have you given any thought to where you will live during retirement? You may intend to stay in the same location you have always lived in but is your current home best suited for you as you age?. Does it have stairs, a large yard that requires lots of work or more space than you need with the kids gone? For many people, part of retirement living includes downsizing to a new home so they have less to care

Welcome to this charming Bastrop home with three bedrooms, two baths and 1,967 square feet. A covered front porch welcomes you to the home. This home and been well maintained and is move-in ready for your convenience and enjoyment.

With an open floor plan, this home is perfect for large and small gatherings and offers a warm and inviting floor plan with wood floors throughout the common areas. The family room has a corner fireplace. The kitchen offers an island, stainless appliances and beautiful cabinets. A study is found in the home as well.  

The master suite includes an ensuite bath with a separate bathtub and shower and dual sinks. Two additional bedrooms and one additional bathroom make up the home. A patio spans the back of the home and