JB Goodwin REALTORS® is honored to announce that we've been voted as the second-best employer in the Austin American-Statesman's Top Workplaces list for 2016.

The award was given for employee satisfaction and sense of purpose. This award comes after two similar distinctions granted by the San Antonio Express-News and the Austin Business Journal earlier this year. Personal collaboration with management, an encouraging culture, and the constant pursuit of excellence are just some of the things that our employees attribute to why they love to work at JB Goodwin.

While JB Goodwin is now one of the most reputable names in Austin real estate, like many large organizations, we too come from humble beginnings. Our first office opened in the early 1970s,

On October 20, the results of the San Antonio Express-News Top Workplaces Survey were released. The survey took into account the opinions of 53,151 employees spread across 1,138 local companies, and we're proud to say JB Goodwin REALTORS® was recognized as one of the finest. JB Goodwin REALTORS® was one of fifteen local companies to receive an award for their efforts. This particular award was given for "Direction," meaning the employees felt that their company was moving in the right direction.

JB Goodwin REALTORS® wasn't always the booming real estate company with one San Antonio offices and four Austin offices. Established in 1972, this company started small. Its founder had just graduated from the University of Texas with big dreams, and one of the

We are pleased to announce that the Austin Business Journal has named JBGoodwin Realtors® as the number one place to work in Austin. The honor was announced at the Austin Business Journal's annual awards luncheon on June 24th, with JBGoodwin taking home the number one ranking for large companies with over 250 employees.

JBGoodwin REALTORS® was given the top ranking thanks to our commitment to ensuring that all of those who work for us are consistently rewarded and recognized for their outstanding efforts. Our goal is to make sure each and every one of our staff and clients are made to feel like family. We believe work should feel less like a job and more like home, and we're thrilled to be recognized with this tremendous accomplishment.

The Austin

For those looking to buy or sell their home, the process can be overwhelming. From not knowing how to set a price, to not knowing whether or not they’re receiving a good deal on their home of choice, a large amount of stress is added to the entire process. Working with a JBGoodwin REALTOR is a surefire way to make the process of buying or selling your home in Austin easier and enhance the experience.

A Wealth of Resources

Throughout the Austin real estate area, JBGoodwin REALTORS® have access to assets otherwise unavailable to those who want to handle the process alone. One of the biggest advantages is allowing the REALTOR® to use their own resources for you. As an example, it is possible that information on new housing about to hit the market can

LeadingRE is the world at your fingertips, a network of local expert REALTORs® on a global scale. From at home in Texas cities to our northern neighbors in Vancouver to our friends across the pond, affiliated companies span far and wide. JBGoodwin REALTORs® is a proud member of this partnership, and we take pride in being an ambassador for life in Austin.

Leading Real Estate Companies of the World is an international buying and selling heavyweight, measuring in at over 50 countries and 120,000 agents. It’s an invitation-only network, meaning that your agent at home or abroad is of the highest caliber. Customer experience is number one—no holds barred.

Whether you’re relocating to Austin or heading off abroad, it’s this network that will give you

As we enter a brand new year, it comes as little surprise that Austin area rents are expected to continue to rise throughout 2016.

The rental prices of apartments in particular are expected to increase, where demand continues to outweigh supply.

Recent market reports by Capitol Market Research indicate that apartments of all sizes have an average rental cost of $1,190 per month, which is the highest figure our region has ever seen. This is an increase of 7.5% when compared to 2014's rental average of $1,107.

A total of 9,554 units were built in the Austin area last year, while 9,346 new apartments were leased. Having such a small gap between new units and new leases indicates a healthy market, with very strong interest and competition.

What

Welcome to the New Year! Filling out forms probably wasn't part of your New Years resolutions, but the time has come to file your Homestead Exemption forms.

The homestead exemption lowers your property taxes, by subtracting a portion of your property value from the taxation. These amounts vary based on circumstance and county taxes, but can add up to as much as $25,000.

However, there are a few conditions:

• You must be a surviving spouse
• You must own and occupy the property
• The home must have been purchased prior to January 1
• Applications must be filed between Jan. 1 - Apr. 30 of the tax year

If you meet the above requirements, we strongly encourage you to apply. For those who qualify, it's a great perk of owning a homestead and

Byron "Buddy" Schilling, president of JBGoodwin REALTORS®, was featured in the Statesman giving his approval for the new home closing procedures.

The initial changes were met with concern for many agents throughout the industry, but JBGoodwin saw the opportunity for what it was: good for the people.

A big difference in the new process, which launched October 3, is an improved closing disclosure form.

“The closing disclosure goes through, in great detail and in simple English, what it is that the buyer and seller are actually closing, and what the buyer is getting in terms of a loan,” Schilling said, to the Statesman. “It's a beautiful thing due to the simplicity of it.”

This simplicity is exactly the intention behind the changes, which seek to