Don Powers – Dwell Realty

Yes, this is ANOTHER 5 star review for Don. That’s because he’s amazing.
After thoroughly researching and interviewing multiple other agents, we chose Don to help us with our first home purchase and couldn’t have been happier! When showing you a home, he carefully inspects everything, inside and out, and will give you his honest opinion — we never felt as though we were being pushed into a decision. He also takes the time to get to know his clients and understand what’s important to them in a home.
When the time came to make an offer, Don’s experience and knowledge was invaluable in beating out several other offers on our dream home. After our offer was accepted, the flurry of paperwork began and he checked in on us to make sure we understood everything and that we weren’t overwhelmed.
To top it off, he’s extremely personable and friendly. We’ll definitely recommend him to anyone we know and if we ever have to move, we’ll be calling Don to help us sell.

While our encounter was brief, it was just what I needed.
My boyfriend and I are moving to the area and actually want to rent for the first year before we buy. I called Don based on his excellent reviews and he was extremely helpful. While he does not take on rental situations (he openly admitted that this is not his best area and wanted us to have the best experience possible), he was quick to refer me to someone else (who was wonderful) and even told me to let him know if it didn’t work out so he could find another possibility. I was disappointed not to work with him, but the short experience I had was extremely pleasant and helpful

Don has plenty of five-​star reviews, but I want to write about a specific miracle Don pulled off for my wife and me. If we’re lucky, the Search Engine Gods will make sure Google searches for «Austin» and «cross country move» send people here.
My wife and I made plans to move from New York City to Austin last October. We knew this would be all but impossible, but we wanted to move into a home immediately. The cost of leaving NYC was so expensive, we didn’t want to endure another move from apartment to house once we got to Texas.
Don agreed buying a house halfway across the country would be tough, but he took on our headache anyway. He visited homes on our behalf, sent us photos and videos, dealt with inspections, and plenty of other things that I don’t understand about home buying, but fortunately he does. Every step of the way, it felt like Don was the smartest person in the room — and he was advocating for us.
We wound up securing a home a month before our move. Don did some negotiations so that we could visit Austin before we signed anything, guaranteeing we could see plenty of homes before we made a final decision; that’s incredible when you consider how competitive the market is here. Don shepherded us through that final month of the home buying process flawlessly.
When we finally made it to Austin, he introduced us to local restaurants and fun spots. Meetings that could have taken 10 minutes lasted as long as we wanted, with him giving us tours of the city.
After we bought the home, Don continued to check in on us and the house, more so during the recent storms. Our friends who’ve lived in Austin for years time joke about Don Powers, who has the name of a super hero, and in the real estate world, actually is one.

My wife and I recently moved to Austin and had a decent idea of where we wanted to live but knew we couldn’t do it on our own. Having purchased previous homes we knew how important it was to have a good realtor.
I did my research and Dwell Realty came up.
I called and Don answered my call promptly. We met so that I could ‘interview’ him… at least that is what I like to call it… after all he will be helping my family find our future home. We were thoroughly impressed with his knowledge of the area and with the questions he asked us in regards to what we were looking for in a home.
Long story short he helped us get our new home and did a great job helping us negotiate with the seller to get the best deal we could. We KNOW we saved money having him in our corner.
Needless to say we are VERY happy with his service and help.
When given the situation now when people ask us if we can suggest a realtor here in Austin… we won’t just say «Here’s a realtor we use»…but we honestly feel we can say «Here’s a realtor friend of ours we use.»
Thanks Don… we guarantee you someday down the line that we’ll be sending you more business to thank you for the great job you did for us.
T&T Kay

As first-​time home buyers, we were nervous about jumping into the Austin market, but Don made the process easy and fun. Don was everything a Realtor should be — accessible, informative, patient, and honest. We found a great house and made a great friend. We highly recommend him!

I could have sworn I’d already written this review, but wow, this year’s been so busy, it must have been a dream! I’m so sorry Don! If only I could be on top of my game as you are.
That said, I met Don this past summer while trying to make the decision to sell my beloved single girl pad in Crestview. This was not an easy task, as I was collecting as much information as I possibly could in order to make one of the more difficult decisions I’ve ever made. Don provided invaluable information and support that helped me make the decision to finally let go. Not only was he quick to supply incredibly useful comps and sales information, unbiased feedback and recommendations, but he is also incredibly funny and knew how to make an emotional woman laugh. Don’s an honest guy with a tremendous sense of humor. What more can you ask for? I’d work with Don again in a heartbeat and definitely keep him on quick dial for any future real estate needs (and Airplane references) :)
Thanks heaps, Don — you really did help me out tremendously this summer. I am forever grateful :)

I was referred to Don by a good friend of mine who used him to buy and later sell her own home. When I decided to embark on my own house search, she could not recommend him highly enough. «Trust me,» she said, «he’s very organized, he knows his stuff (he’s an engineer), and treats all of his clients equally as if they’re all buying multi-​million dollar homes.» I have to admit that initially I was a little skeptical, but Don had me convinced otherwise within 10 minutes of our first conversation. Communication with him was excellent throughout the process (top priority for me!) and he was genuinely interested in helping me find the right house.
I did find my house… fast! About halfway through my house-​buying process (when I was in my option period) due to medical reasons, Don had to refer me to another realtor colleague of his to finish out my purchase of the house. He made sure that I was comfortable with the arrangement, which I totally was (Gillian was awesome too! I’ll be writing a review for her as well! See Gillian Robb — Roots Real Estate). Despite this, he still stayed in touch with me checking in from time to time. It really was a pleasure working with Don. He is a true professional and an all-​around nice guy!

I came across Don on Unilocal as I was looking for real estate agents. I saw his five star rating and gave him a call. He was the first agent I called as I was researching real estate agents. I did not call anyone else.
From the get go, I could tell that Don knew the market inside out. To find a property that met all of my various criteria was not a simplistic task. Don, however, came through for me and did so in a big way. Indeed, I purchased the first property that Don took me to. That is how spot on Don can be.
My schedule during work hours can be somewhat erratic, so I called Don several times late in the evenings and on weekends to discuss my numerous questions and concerns. I found Don to be very accommodating and accessible, throughout the week, day and night. I am not sure how he manages what I assume is a large client base – but he does, and does so in such a way that you feel that you are the only person who has hired him.
I am a numbers guy and am rather detail oriented. Fortunately, being an engineer, so is Don. What impressed me the most was Don’s knowledge base and resourcefulness. He either knew off the top of his head, or found out within a day or so, the answer to every single question I posed. And the answers to some of my questions, I am sure, were rather difficult to find.
All in all, whether you’re a seasoned buyer or a novice like me, Don is the real estate agent you should retain. And you don’t have to take my word for it or the word of all the other fellow Unilocalers on here. Give him a call or go visit him, and you will see for yourself. If I buy (or sell) another property in Austin, he’ll certainly be the guy I call.

Don deserves well more than 5 stars for all the advice and help he gave my boyfriend and me during our home search.
We planned a trip to Austin to look at homes since we were moving there and had some issues with the realtor we originally planned to see. We were in a huge bind so I contacted Don within a day or two before we came to Austin and asked for his help since I saw all his great reviews on Unilocal.He responded to my email extremely quickly and was willing to help us on super short notice (what a great guy!). He even checked in on us and made sure everything was going well with our Austin trip before we even met him!
My boyfriend and I only had two days to look at homes before flying out and Don went above and beyond to help us look for homes in the short time we were there. We saw almost 20 homes in the two days and he spent a ton of time with us seeing properties and pointing out pertinent details. He was realistic and extremely helpful with all his advice. Don spent time to get to know us even during the short time and figured out that, yes, we are crazy dog people, and yes, the home is actually for their comfort more than our own. He helped us alter our search criteria to stay closer to my boyfriend’s work and still get the land/​space/​privacy/​square footage we needed.
Because of all Don’s hard work, we were able to make an offer on a house before we left Austin! Don spent that evening even after we took off on our flight, writing up our offer and helping us make decisions on what we thought was a good number. He really cared that we got the house we liked and worked extremely hard to help us find something in the very short time we had.
Even after the offer was accepted, Don continued to communicate with us frequently to keep us up-​to-​date on everything for the house, since we weren’t in Texas yet (he also communicated with us a lot after we were in Texas to make sure everything was going ok at our rental place), and made sure we were still happy with our decision to purchase the home. Every question I ever had, he always had a fact-​filled answer and was positive and friendly. Don and his assistant, Tina, also provided all the info of how to set up the house with utilities, gas, HOA, and what to bring to the closing, which made everything a lot easier.
One of the best things about Don (besides his great attitude) is his knowledge of the housing market and area. Being new to Austin, we didn’t really know anything and Don was there to let us know facts and figures about different areas and neighborhoods, suggested restaurants (which were awesome and delicious), and let us know about general fun festivals and activities in Austin. As someone who’s new to Austin, knowing more about the city right upfront was great. It really opened our eyes and made us feel like we were already involved in local events before we even had a permanent address. Whether you’re new to Austin or a local, Don has a wealth of knowledge that you can truly benefit from.
To us, Don is more like an old friend who knows what you really want than a realtor who treats you like another number/​dollar sign. He went out of his way to help us even though we contacted him with essentially no notice and was upbeat even when my boyfriend and I thought we wouldn’t find a place in time. Don spent countless hours making sure we found the right place and after we found it, he worked hard to help us close quickly. I would definitely recommend Don to anyone in the area! He’s a rare find! Thank you so much for your help, Don!

I reached out to Don after seeing his great Unilocal reviews and was looking for an agent to show me a couple of properties in downtown Austin. Don responded within a few hours, and we set up some time to look at the condos the next day. He was very honest and gave candid feedback about the apartments, which is greatly appreciated.
After the showings, he sent a comprehensive list of comps for the area, and added me to a subscription list of condos for sale and rent in my price range and desired area. Getting these automated alerts has been great to keep up with the market and seeing what else is available. We ended up deciding to stick with leasing instead of buying in the short term, but Don was a great agent throughout. Especially in Austin’s sea of bad real estate agents, Don is a refreshing change. If you’re a first time buyer, Don is the way to go, being very responsive, giving much needed advice and recommendations without being pushy or aggressive at all.

Don was a pleasure to work with. All the high Unilocal ratings he has received so far are well deserved and you will realize why as soon as you interact with him. He knows so much about Austin and is very good at what he does. I was blown away by his keen sense of observation when looking at properties for the first time. His engineering background combined with the depth of experience in the Austin area makes him a very unique Realtor.
I’ve given Don 5-​star rating because he want above & beyond our expectations. Even though we didn’t end up buying a home yet I’m sure I will be reaching out to him when we are ready to make the leap.

I’m in a house (!!!) so here is my updated review, as promised. I hope Don get 10 stars now because he definitely deserves it. Don continued to be extremely helpful. He provided delightfully aggressive guidance during negotiations and was on the ball for the closing process. No surprises here either. Thank you, Don!

I found Don through Unilocal,and I was seriously skeptical that he could be as great as rated. Seriously? 5 stars for a real estate agent? I call shenanigans! But I reached out anyway because we are out of state, and with a flexible move timeline, didn’t have much to lose.
I am SO glad I sent that email! Don really does live up to the hype. Even though we aren’t moving yet, and we are complete and utter newbies to homeownership as well as Austin, Don got back to us right away. He was attentive, really listened to what we wanted and pinpointed the perfect neighborhood for us. He was willing to run around town at a moment’s notice to look at a property, take video, and send copious notes so that we felt like we were really there. If that weren’t enough, he also steered us away from properties that he didn’t think were the right fit, even if we really thought we wanted them (because he actually knew better than us!). He cares more about people than making money, something I didn’t think existed.
When we found the perfect place, Don was literally on the eve of going on vacation abroad (yes, I used literally correctly – it was the night before), and he not only made sure we were in hands as attentive as his, but he also took time out of his vacation to check in on us and make sure everything was going smoothly.
I could go on and on (and probably on), but instead I urge you to talk to Don yourself if you are in the market for a home. You won’t be disappointed, he’s amazing.

Working with Don was as awesome as vacationing on a private island with a personal butler that serves me brisket and cornbread everyday.
My husband and I recently moved from the Bay Area to Austin and wanted to buy a condo, not knowing anything about the Austin area outside of Franklin’s BBQ. I contacted Don because of his supposedly glowing Unilocal reviews. Turns out all that hype was true. Why we loved working with Don:
1) He is super fast at responding to emails, which made the entire process easier. I’m glued to my phone, so having someone equally so was awesome.
2) Instead of telling me why I should buy a condo, he’d tell me why I shouldn’t buy a condo. He’d point out all the things wrong about a place and let me make my decision from there. I hate people who push me to buy something, but Don just wanted me to like a place on my own terms.
3) He has really good food recommendations. For an Austin rookie, this was a nice added bonus.
4) As a first-​time home buyer, my husband and I were total newbies. Don stepped in and took the initiative to help us coordinate anything and everything with everyone everywhere. I still have no idea what I was doing half the time leading up to closing, but Don was able to handle it all.
5) He’s easy to talk to. We’ve gone on so many tangents in our conversations, it’s great — which is why we’re friends now even after our home closed a week ago.
6) He knows how to get an offer accepted. We put down an offer that was accepted in less than 24 hours. I like people who can get results (well, who doesn’t?).
7) Details don’t escape him. That’s probably an important trait to have, but just wanted to highlight that about Don.
I first found Don through Unilocal and now I’m returning the favor to other potential home buyers in the Austin area by saying all the other raving reviews about him are as true as your eyes view.

Was looking for a realtor in the downtown area other than the shady ass realtors at Uptown Realty to lease out a condo and came across Don through Unilocal.Such a personable guy! He told me that he does not lease condominiums in the University area and proceeded to give me sound advice to bypass the realtors and save money by leasing the condo myself through various 3^rd party websites! Usually the University realtors would’ve hung up on me by now once they realized I wasn’t a potential customer
After the business talk we chatted a bit and talked about our life (this was 9pm on a Tuesday night) and received some fantastic post-​grad advice.
Don followed up with me 2 months down the line to see if I was able to lease out my condo and if I still needed help. Though I’ve never personally dealt business with him, this is one guy I’d refer all future business and contacts with. Expect A+ service!

Don’s a great realtor! My friend recommended him, and it was an excellent recommendation. This was my first home buying experience, so i knew nothing. Don really guided me through everything, and helped me to consider things i’d never even thought about, as far as home-​buying goes. He gave me some great resources, including the home searching database, a way to look up amounts of crime in potential neighborhoods, and even introduced me to what is now my favorite GPS app!
When he came to pick me up the first day we went to look at houses i’d chosen, i had printed out all the houses we’d go to on a map, and optimized the route. When i got in the car, Don had a folder for me with that exact information! I’m always impressed with someone as OCD as me, organizationally.
Without Don’s guidance, i would’ve fallen in love with a house i ultimately didn’t like. He really gave me a lot to think about, and i think i ultimately made the best choice for me, with his help.
And the other Unilocalers are right: Don’s a great person, a great real estate agent, and a delight to be around. I truly enjoyed my experience with him. It’s rare that anyone gets my sometimes dry and often very offbeat, off-​color sense of humor, but Don wasn’t offended or confused (wish i could say the same for some of the salespeople we encountered). He kept up, which really relaxes me.
And here’s the cherry: two months after moving into my house, i was robbed. The burglars took a bunch of stuff that is easily replaceable, but they also took a coin collection i’ve been building since i was seven years old. I was devastated about this, and posted on Facebook that i’d lost something very dear to me. I requested that friends donate coins to my new collection, to give it some of the sentimental value i’d lost. The very next day, Don left a tiny box on my doorstep. I opened it, and it was FULL of coins he’d collected on trips, and from relatives, with an explanation of how he’d obtained the different kinds. It was so sweet and generous and even made me tear up a little bit. A robbery can make your house seem like a very cold place, but Don really warmed it back up for me. :-)

Don is amazing! He goes out of his way to help you even when he knows you might not be ready to make the move to sell or buy. We’ve been talking with Don for a few months now teetering on the decision do we remodel and stay; tear down and sell or somewhere in between. He’s been unbelievably patient and helpful and it truly feels like he only wants what is best for us.
I highly recommend everyone check out him out. You won’t be disappointed!

Unilocal has always been my go-​to app/​website to find a good place to eat, events, etc. When my wife and I had begun to talk about buying a home we first needed to find a Realtor. Obvious huh… Everyone always has a friend, relative or someone that has a great realtor to recommend… Well I recommend Don Powers as a fellow Unilocaler!
I first reached out to Don from Unilocal,and he was very responsive. He had our MLS listing search created in less than a day, and we were viewing homes immediately.
Don has showed several properties and gave us his honest professional opinion and advice. Don has a background in engineering which helps when you walk up to a home and begin to see cracks in the driveway and warped walls inside the home, etc.
He also doesn’t have that typical realtor sales personality that drives me crazy. He was also very responsive in getting our docs in a row when we submitted offers on a few homes, which is important in our super hot market right now. He also seemed to have somewhat aggressive but fair negotiating skills when we submitted our offers. He was very professional and was very easy to work with and communicate our needs to. I will certainly use Don in the future.
Also Don was very patient with us. We were your typical first time home buyer that wanted a perfect home. We looked at homes in the Kyle/​Buda area.

Don is is not only great at his job but he’s just one of those all-​around awesome people. He helped us with our last purchase and was there with a smile and an answer whenever we needed him.
Don is as knowledgeable as they come regarding real estate. One of my favorite things about Don, however, is that he’s not a high pressure salesman. He constantly has your best interest in mind and he really, truly wants what’s right for you. He’s not in the business of real estate just to make a buck and it shows in his attitude and ethics.
We’d highly recommend him to anyone looking to buy or sell real estate in Austin.

A girlfriend of mine suggested I contact Don in 2004. I was a first time home buyer and had no idea what I was doing. In fact, I almost decided to stop looking for a house because of the «used car salesman» vibe I sensed from other realtors. Don was super great and knowledgeable. He was able to help me navigate the entire process and I was even able to use first time home buyer funding.
So, it was an obvious choice for me in 2013 when I was ready to sell that house. I contacted Don and he gave me a list of things to do before placing our house on the market. I LOVE LISTS!!! He was also very willing to meet and view our house for staging pointers. **LISTEN to his suggestions!!! Don knows and understands the Austin housing market. If I had any questions, he made himself available in person, by phone, text, email, smoke signals, or telepathy. Buying and/​or selling a house can be overwhelming and stressful but Don was always available, willing to listen, and answered a plethora of questions to help me make an informed decision.
Don is sincere and unpretentious. He truly cares about his clients. CALL Don! You won’t regret it.
*DID I FORGET TO MENTION –Our house was under contract in less than 3 days? We closed in under 30 days. CHA-​CHING
We will be back!