Register Real Estate Advisors

Moving to the Houston area?  I would like to be the first to welcome you and assist you with all of your real estate needs whether you are moving to Houston, The Woodlands, or Spring, Texas.  As a relocation specialist, I can help you sell your current property anywhere in the world and find a new one in this area.  I help relocate families all over the globe.  Please call me today and I will be happy to send you a copy of the Houston Newcomer Guide.  It will help you narrow your search area and give you a lot of helpful information about the communities in the surrounding area.  I would like to help you with all of your relocation needs and my website offers a wealth of information.  You can search the entire Houston MLS database on my website and see my featured listings, too.  You can read my award winning blog and catch up on all the latest housing news.  Please call me today so we can get started.  When you talk to your human resources coordinator, please ask for me by name!  Shannon Register 832.628.SELL

If you just moved to Texas, you’ll soon learn plenty about the culture, customs, and history of the state. In the meantime, here are a few items to consider as you get acclimated.

Get legal on the road
As a new Texas resident, you have 30 days to register your vehicle and get your driver’s license. Before you register your vehicle, though, it must pass the state inspection process. In order, here are the three steps to follow:
1. Take your vehicle to a state inspection station. You can find a list of what types of inspections are required in your county and an inspections-station locator at www.txdps.state.tx.us/vi. When you go, make sure you take your driver’s license and proof of insurance. If your insurance policy wasn’t issued in Texas, you may need to show proof that you carry the minimum coverage required by the state: $20,000 bodily injury or death to one person; $40,000 bodily injury or death to two or more persons; and $15,000 injury or destruction to other property.
2. When your vehicle passes inspection, the inspection station will give you a verification form to bring to the county tax assessor-collector’s office. This is where you obtain a Texas vehicle registration sticker and license plates. You’ll need proof of ownership, such as registration or title from your previous home state, as well as proof of insurance. Again, you may need to show that you carry minimum coverage amounts.
3. Apply for a Texas driver’s license at the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) office in your area. To find the location nearest you, visit www.txdps.state.tx.us. Bring an ID, proof of Social Security number, proof of liability insurance, and proof of Texas vehicle registration. Expect to provide a thumbprint and surrender any valid out-of-state license you currently have.

Register to vote
While at the driver’s license office, you can register to vote—or you can pick up a voter-registration application from the county voter registrar’s office, a library, post office, or from the secretary of state’s Web site, www.sos.state.tx.us. The application must be received 30 days before an election to vote in that election.

Go online
You can find a wealth of information about the state at TexasOnline.com. You can also search here for links to Web sites for counties, cities, chambers of commerce, schools, and libraries. If you’re looking for answers to questions about state laws, required business licenses, taxes, and more, you may also find that information here.

Don’t fall for misleading solicitations to file your homestead exemption
There is no fee to file a property-tax homestead exemption. You might receive letters, though, on official-looking stationery offering to file your homestead exemption for you for a fee. Even some people who have lived in Texas their entire lives confuse these letters as a form from a state agency requiring a mandatory fee. Don’t fall for it. The process is simple and costs nothing. You can download the application from
www.window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/taxforms/50-114.pdf, fill out the form, and send it in to your appraisal district. If you have other questions, please feel free to get in touch with me. Welcome to your new home!

Texas REALTORS®

Moving to the Houston area?  I would like to be the first to welcome you and assist you with all of your real estate needs whether you are moving to Houston, The Woodlands, or Spring, Texas.  As a relocation specialist, I can help you sell your current property anywhere in the world and find a new one in this area.  I help relocate families all over the globe.  Please call me today and I will be happy to send you a copy of the Houston Newcomer Guide.  It will help you narrow your search area and give you a lot of helpful information about the communities in the surrounding area.  I would like to help you with all of your relocation needs and my website offers a wealth of information.  You can search the entire Houston MLS database on my website and see my featured listings, too.  You can read my award winning blog and catch up on all the latest housing news.  Please call me today so we can get started.  When you talk to your human resources coordinator, please ask for me by name!  Shannon Register 832.628.SELL

Make your project shine with a perfect finish.

1) Select materials and supplies. After you decide on the type of paint you will use (interior or exterior; latex or oil-based), choose a primer that works with it. Use wide brushes for larger areas and smaller brushes on edges and details. Cover your work surface with a drop cloth, newspaper, or old tablecloth.
TIP: Use paintbrushes with natural bristles for oil-based finishes and synthetic bristles for water-based finishes.

2) Prepare. Use a finishing cloth to clean the sanded surface of your project. To make cleaning your paintbrush easier after painting, pre-condition it with a cleanser that is recommended for your primer and paint (water for latex paints and mineral spirits for oil-based paints). Squeeze the liquid from the brush.

3) Prime. Stir the primer, and dip your brush halfway up the bristles. Dipping the brush halfway allows you to paint without constantly reloading. Apply one coat of primer, and allow to dry according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Sand the primed areas with fine-grit sandpaper to smooth the surface.
TIP: Always paint in a well-ventilated area.

4) Paint. Use a clean, pre-conditioned brush for the first coat of paint. Be sure to apply smooth brush lines in long, even strokes. Avoid dabbing the brush on the project surface. Allow the first coat to dry, and then apply a second coat. Add subsequent coats if needed at attain full coverage.
TIP: Paintbrushes can last longer than paint rollers if they are cleaned and stored properly.

Antique Finish Give a new project instant character.
Create the appearance of a well – loved piece of furniture with a few simple steps. Apply a light color over a dark color, and then sand to reveal the layers and raw wood.

Your recent woodworking project looks and feels like a new piece of furniture – but you may prefer an aged – wood appearance, instead. Several techniques can mimic the finish of antique furniture.
HOW-TO TIPS:
• Prep the wood for painting by cleaning and/or sanding all surfaces.
• Apply your first coat of paint once you create a good bonding base. This color will be seen the least with you are finished. Let dry thoroughly.
• Mimic a layered look by applying coats of one or two other colors. After reaching your desired number of layers, use coarse-grit sandpaper to scrape away paint on any portion of the piece that might be exposed to natural wear. You can continue this process using a finer grip paper.
• Create an antique finish by applying a crackle glaze to the paint layers. This will make crakes and fissures in the paint surface. For another look, apply a wiping glaze or a thinner coat of dark latex paint over the entire piece, and immediately wipe with a rag. The darker pigment will look like grime collected in the crevices and corners of the furniture.
• Add battle scars to the surface. Several well-placed hammer blows, a rap or two with a length of chain, and a few pokes with a screwdriver or an awl will do the job nicely.

This article was first published in the Fall 2010 issue of Woodworkers distributed by Lowe’s.

LOS ANGELES (Milken Institute) – Texas metropolitan areas dominated the Milken Institute’s “Best-Performing Cities” index for the second year in a row, claiming half of the top ten slots.

 Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood ranked first this year, bumping last year’s leader, Austin-Round Rock, down one notch. McAllen-Edinburg-Mission held its ground at number four.

 El Paso jumped five slots to number nine, meeting Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown on the way (H-town dropped from fifth to tenth place).

 The index ranks 200 of the nation’s largest metros based on their ability to create and sustain jobs.

 According to a Milken press release, “a business-friendly climate, a vibrant tech industry, and little exposure to the housing bubble and the financial services industry helped keep Texas cities and many of their peers on stable ground during the economic downturn.”

This is a great video to watch if you are unsure whether you want to purchase a home in town or one with some acreage. Enjoy!

AUSTIN (Austin Business Journal) – Long-term mortgage rates fell to a record low this week with the average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage in the week ending Oct. 7 of 4.27 percent, down from 4.32 percent last week.

 A 15-year fixed-rate mortgage also fell from an average of 3.75 percent to 3.72 percent. The two rates represent the lowest long-term figures recorded since Freddie Mac began keeping track.

 “The 12-month growth rate in the core price index for personal consumption, which the Federal Reserve closely tracks, has been drifting lower over the last six months ending in August and suggests inflation is running at a tepid pace at best,” said Freddie Mac Chief Economist Frank Nothaft. “This allowed mortgage rates to ease to new or near record lows.”

 Additionally, the number of existing homes pending sale rose for the second consecutive month in August, up 4.3 percent, according to the National Association of Realtors. The association also reported that Austin home sales fell 15 percent year-over-year in August while sales so far this year have outperformed 2009.

Moving to the Houston area?  I would like to be the first to welcome you and assist you with all of your real estate needs whether you are moving to Houston, The Woodlands, or Spring, Texas.  As a relocation specialist, I can help you sell your current property anywhere in the world and find a new one in this area.  As a RE/MAX agent, I help relocate families all over the globe.  Please call me today and I will be happy to send you a copy of the Houston Newcomer Guide.  It will help you narrow your search area and give you a lot of helpful information about the communities in the surrounding area.  I would like to help you with all of your relocation needs and my website offers a wealth of information.  You can search the entire Houston MLS database on my website and see my featured listings, too.  You can read my award winning blog and catch up on all the latest housing news.  Please call me today so we can get started.  When you talk to your human resources coordinator, please ask for me by name!  Shannon Register 832.628.SELL

1.  What is the assessed value of the property?  Note that assessed value is generally less than market value.  Ask to see a recent copy of the seller’s tax bill to help you determine this information.

2.  How often are properties reassessed and when was the last reassessment done?  Generally taxes jump most significantly when a property is reassessed.

3.  Will the sale of the property trigger a tax increase?  Often the assessed value of the property may increase based on the amount you pay for the property.  And in some areas, such as California, taxes may be frozen until resale.

4.  Is the amount of taxes paid comparable to other properties in the area?  If not, it might be possible to appeal the tax assessment and lower the rate?

5.  Does the current tax bill reflect any special exemptions that you might not qualify for?  For example, many tax districts offer reductions to those 65 or over.

Reprinted from REALTOR Magazine Online by permission of the National Association of REALTORS, Copyright 2005, All rights reserved.

Moving to the Houston area?  I would like to be the first to welcome you and assist you with all of your real estate needs whether you are moving to Houston, The Woodlands, or Spring, Texas.  As a relocation specialist, I can help you sell your current property anywhere in the world and find a new one in this area.  I help relocate families all over the globe.  Please call me today and I will be happy to send you a copy of the Houston Newcomer Guide.  It will help you narrow your search area and give you a lot of helpful information about the communities in the surrounding area.  I would like to help you with all of your relocation needs and my website offers a wealth of information.  You can search the entire Houston MLS database on my website and see my featured listings, too.  You can read our award winning blog and catch up on all the latest housing news.  Please call me today so we can get started.  When you talk to your human resources coordinator, please ask for me by name!  Shannon Register 832.628.SELL