Register Real Estate Advisors

Recently I have begun the adventure of trying new or unusual activities that are happening right here in my own community. Getting outside of the repeated hum drum let’s do the same thing as last week attitude I found a somewhat new event happening at the Woodlands Mall every Wednesday from 3 – 7pm. The Feast of the Artisans is a Farmers Market combined with an Artisan Market, thus the name Feast of Artisans.

Starting with a late lunch at Café Express my guests and I then caught The Woodlands Trolley at Market Street – Central Park. The air-conditioned Trolley dropped us off right where we needed to shop without having to move and then park our automobiles.

The Trolley stop above The Waterway located close to The Cheesecake Factory and Barnes & Noble is where you want to deboard. Then make your way to the tents of local vendors selling seasonal local fruits and vegetables, local honey, free-range chicken eggs, meats, olive oil, tie-dyed products, Indian food, bath sundries, ceramics and more. I personally found: squash, peaches, tomatoes, organic green beans, Luxurious Face & Body Cream, and wine.

We had a wonderfully relaxed time shopping, made our way back to the car via The Trolley and left our bags. Then we headed back into Market Square to finish the evening with Yogurt. Does this sound like an out of the ordinary evening to you? Try it!

What: Feast of Artisans Farmers Market
Where: The Woodlands Mall, I-45 north at Lake Woodlands Drive, south side of the shopping center.
When: Every Wednesday 3 – 7pm
Why: Support local farmers and Artisans making unique items conveniently available to area families.
Interested in Participating? feastofartisans.com

As a Realtor, I cannot talk anyone into selling their home.  People only put their houses up for sale when they are ready or when they have to due to circumstances.  I will be there whenever you decide it’s time to buy or sale real estate.

When you are ready, I highly recommend using a Realtor.  There is no better way to get the job done when trying to maximize the value of your property and get the experience and knowledge of a reliable source and negotiator.  If you are in the Houston area, I recommend one of Register Real Estate Advisors experienced and trained Realtors.  Below are a few things to get you started in the right direction before contacting your agent.  Remember, your Realtor only gets paid when the deal closes, so they are doing everything they can to get you to the closing table as soon as possible.  They have a lot of people to work with to facilitate the transaction – the other Realtor in the deal, the title company, the lender, the appraiser, the surveyor, the inspector, and more.  They get paid on a percentage of the sales price.  So it’s a good incentive for Realtors to get the maximum amount of money for your home.

1. PREPARE YOUR HOME FOR SALE

If you don’t correct the minor things around the home like blown light bulbs and dirty air filters, potential buyers will wonder about the things that they cannot see.  In contrast, when all the little cosmetic things are taken care of, the buyers overall perception of your property is positive.

2.  STAGE YOUR HOME TO MAKE IT APPEALING TO BUYERS

In many cases, sellers continue to live in the home while it is for sale.  If you are going to do that, understand that you can’t live like you normally do.  You will need to keep your home ready to show.  Keep it clean, organized, smelling nice, and at a good temperature.  You will need to keep the blinds open even when you are at work.  You may need to leave lights on in certain areas of the house so that if it shows while you are out, it will appear bright and welcoming.  You need to store all personal items around the sink, all the mail, the food and small appliances you like to keep handy on the counter, and your wall photos.  Family photos are wonderful, but if the buyer walks into your bedroom and there is a huge framed photo of you on your wedding day, they are going to talk about how pretty you are and what a great photo it is, instead of looking at the bedroom!  Here are a few reminders…

• Clean the blinds and dust the fans
• Paint
• Steam clean the carpets and stretch where needed
• Fix any leaky faucets
• Replace the cauking around the tub and sinks
• Pack up clothes you don’t wear to make the closet look bigger or donate those clothes to a good cause
• Pack up everything you don’t need (you’re moving anyway!) and stack the boxes along the wall of the garage or in a rented storage unit
• Wash the Windows

3.  CURB APPEAL

Seems like everyone should know about curb appeal since there have been so many HGTV shows about it.  And yet, we get so comfortable with our own homes that we don’t notice things that buyers see.  Make sure you are not just cutting the lawn and planting flowers.  Go ahead and blow off the patio, power wash it, edge the lawn, trim the shrubs, fertalize, restaing the front door, and paint where necessary.

4.  EMOTIONAL APPEAL

When you are selling a home, remember that the buyers are making an emotional decision that will affect their family.  Make sure your home gives buyers a good feeling.  They have to picture, in their mind, their family living happily in that home.  The house has to leave them feeling like this is the place they want to live.  So open the drapes, turn on the lights, and keep the house at a refreshing temperature.  Make sure it smells nice.

Using this list and the help of your experienced real estate agent, you will help your home to sell quickly at the maximum value.  Buyers aren’t looking for a handout – they want the house perfect for move in.  So if you know it needs repairs, do them.  Don’t offer them money at closing or come down on the price.  Get your home ready and you will get it sold!  Call RREA today for more information 281.288.3500.

The Woodlands, Texas is a lovely place to live just north of Houston.  This master planned community offers a lifestyle with art, entertainment, and healthy living.  Here you will find wine bars, restaurants, entertainment, and art scattered among the landscape.  It began in the 1970′s and has grown significantly in recent years.  Currently, there is very little commercial property left for businesses to move to The Woodlands.  There are both resale homes and new construction to choose from if you are relocating.  With a variety of home builders to choose from the prices range from $100 Thousand to $2 Million.  Hiking and bike trails run through all the villages and there are many parks.  It is a nature preserve full of greenbelts and wooded forest.  If you like to golf, you will have three courses to choose from.

When visiting The Woodlands make sure you take both a trolly ride and a water taxi.  These tours offer newcomers a great perspective of the area.  The Woodlands Mall and Market Street offer lots of shopping, dining choices, and entertainment.  The Woodlands houses the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion is one of the most popular outdoor amphitheaters in the world.  At night, Waterway Square is a great tourest attraction.  The large water wall with dancing columns of water and fountains are choreographed to music with colored lights.

The Woodlands has so much to offer.  If you work downtown, you can get to Houston by taking I-45 South or the Hardy Toll Road.  However, there are many employment opportunites in The Woodlands.

Below is a video of The Woodllands.  If you need a Realtor to help guide you through the forest, give us a call at RREA 281.288.3500.  You will be glad you did!

Did you know there is special financing available when purchasing a home in a rural area?  Also, when using a USDA Loan you may qualify for a 0 downpayment!  The USDA Home Purchase Program requires no mortgage insurance, competitive fixed rate mortgages, and the seller can pay seller concessions at closing.  This program can only be used on a primary residence.  The loan is restricted by geographic location, but you will be surprised how many areas are considered in the program.  For more information on how you can take advantage of this special program, contact RREA at 281.288.3500.  We want to help you purchase your next home!

Would you like to live on a golf course or close enough to golf anytime?  Join Canongate in The Woodlands and you may have membership to five courses;  The Oaks, Panther Trail, Lake Windcrest, South Shore Harbour, and Magnolia Creek.  At RREA, our agents know The Woodlands housing market and can help you find the perfect home for your family.  Then you can join Canongate and enjoy family dining, golf lessons, and low guest rates.  Call RREA today to get started 281.288.3500.

When you are having trouble paying your mortgage, you have several options.  You can use the property as a rental and buy a second cheaper home to live in, do a short sale, go into foreclosure, or do a bank walk away.  There are pros and cons to each option and each impacts your credit differently.

I have seen families rent out their homes and purchase or rent a cheaper house until they catch up financially.  This is a viable option as long as you find a good tenant that pays on time every month and does a good job maintaining the property.  A con is that if the home needs a lot of repairs over the next year it could be costly.  In this situation, your credit has no negative impact unless you slow pay on your mortgage due to slow paying tenants.  Remember that if you cannot find tenants, you still have to continue to pay your mortgage, HOA fees, taxes, and insurance.  If you purchase a smaller home, now you owe two of everything!

If you sell your house for more than you owe on it and you aren’t paying the difference, you are doing a short sale.  This shows slow pay on your credit, but at least you can buy another house in a few years which is a better outcome than having a foreclosure on your credit.

The only good thing about a bank walk away is that you no longer owe on a mortgage.  As for your credit, it’s just like a bankruptcy.  As far as your credit rating is concerned, a deed in lieu and a bank walk away damage your credit equally according to FICO.  Bad credit can damage any security clearance you have.

These are some things to think about when you cannot afford your mortgage.  You should always consult with as many professionals as you can to determine which route is better for you.  If you would like to talk with a Realtor who can help you through a short sale, give RREA a call today to speak to one of our Realtors.

As a Buyer’s Agent, I believe it is my responsibility to tour Active Homes on the Real Estate Market. Today’s excursion from Spring heading just a few minutes north on Interstate 45, zipping through The Woodlands to Conroe exit Highway 105-West took me to the gated community of Blue Heron Bay on the South Side of Lake Conroe. Are you familiar with this quiet community that is tucked away by the mature cedar trees? There is an area within the community designated for preservation of local vegetation and wildlife. I totally was in my glory as we strolled through the homes and into private gardens. Kudos to my good friend and Listing Agent, Tonya Smith, for setting up two of her listings in Blue Heron Bay for several of us to preview. Let me share with you some tips that I found while on tour today that I felt were especially worth mentioning.

Remember, in a previous blog, I mentioned how important curb curb appeal is to the buyer pulling up in front of your home? Check out these pictures, and tell me if you are ready to put the car in park and tour this welcoming home.

This was just one of the properties we previewed today. Notice the terraced landscaping beds that line the front of the home with beautiful shrubs and annual flowers. Beautifully maintained and very attractive! Then to the side of the driveway your eye catches additional color. I simply wanted to stay and watch for butterflies and hummingbirds. This home owner seems to know what to do to draw attention with painting the outside color in order to hail the Buyers to stop and spend time lingering inside the property. Once inside the Buyer will admire hand scraped wood floors, 2 living areas and bedrooms that each have private baths. My favorite, an outside living area with tiled floors and screened walls enabling visual and audible enjoyment of the wildlife surrounding this dreamy home site.

Another property previewed in Blue Heron Bay was situated at the water’s edge. Grab binoculars before calling for a showing because you will want to watch the wildlife in the preserve that is visible from the patio. As you stand in awe, imagine that could be your permanent home!

Staying inside I got separated from the group today because I was admiring the Master Suite. From staging the bedroom complete with a breakfast tray; To faux painted pillars at the garden tub;

To the hand painted artistic creation of the water view outside the Master Bedroom;

To the remarkable organization in the Master Closet (complete with a rolling ladder); plentiful shoe space and hangers for seasonal purses. This area is for indulging the “Total Woman” and King of the Household in their Master Suite. It was organized to a T and truly a “moment to take my breath away!”

If you are interested in researching more about Blue Heron Bay then try the following website:

http://www.blueheronbay.org/index.html

If you want to live in a gated Lake Conroe community and would like to visit Blue Heron Bay, remember, I am standing by to be your Realtor and I’m ready to discuss your home dreams and qualification to your successful home purchase. Let’s make a showing appointment. Feel to call my cell phone during normal business hours, or email me 24 hours anytime!

Did you know that the builder Taylor Morrison is now building in Fall Creek?  Taylor Morrison has some homes over 5,000 sqare feet for sale in Fall Creek.  One of their many home amenities is the dual staircase.  Some of the things I like about their homes are the fireplaces in the master bedroom, the media rooms, and wine cellars.  Their base price begins in the $340′s and they offer many plans to choose from.  If your desire is to live on the golf course, there are still lots left to build on.  The community of Fall Creek offers many amenities that include a recreational complex, a park, playgrounds, tennis courts, pools, a water playground, exercise room, a sports park, and water slides.  With a nature preserve that borders Garners Bayou, this beautiful neighborhood includes lakes that include catch and release fishing.  If you are interested in buying a home and have not visited Fall Creek, call an RREA Realtor to show you around today.

This is a great list for getting your home ready to market.  Before you sell, spring clean!  It will make all of your marketing and advertising photos look better, too.  Buyers love a clean and clutter free home with curb appeal! 

• Remove and donate unwanted items, reorganize and clean closets, attic, basement and garage
• Power wash exterior walls, porch floors, deck, patio, driveway and sidewalks
• Clean outdoor furniture and outdoor light fixtures
• Clean out gutters or have new ones installed
• Clean out refrigerator and freezer, making sure to vacuum the grill and coil
• Remove lint from the hose attached to back of clothes dryer
• Vacuum baseboards, walls and ceilings, wipe down walls
• Steam clean carpets and area rugs and upholstery
• Reseal natural stone surfaces (travertine, etc)
• Reseal and repair grout in bathtubs and showers
• Clean window treatments, dust and clean blinds and shutters
• Remove items from all shelves, dust and clean
• Oil hinges

If you need a recommendation for anyone to help you with this list, call me for a referral.  And when you are ready to sell your home, give me a call!

Register Real Estate Advisors is a proud member of the Greater Houston Association of Builders. As the GHBA celebrates Professional Designation Month RREA decided to outline some of our Realtor Designations. At RREA, Shannon Register is both the Broker and Owner. A Broker’s License is probably the highest real estate designation available. We have several Realtors in our brokerage that are Broker Associates (they have a Broker’s license.) Another one of Shannon’s designations is the GRI – Graduate Realtor Institute. This designation includes training in marketing, brokerage, and general real estate buying and selling. The ABR – Accredited Buyer’s Representative Designation makes Realtors an expert when it comes to working with buyers. Shannon also has completed the Texas Realtor’s Leadership Program and is certified to work with the Texas Veterans Land Board. Many of our agents can work with Texas Vets. Shannon has been certified in new home construction sales. Through the local board of Realtors, she is a Social Media Pro. Through the National Association of Realtors she has her ePro Designation. In addition to all of these, Shannon holds the Short Sale and Foreclosure Certification and the Certified Distressed Property Expert Designation. Many of the RREA Agents have their ABR and CDPE. The Certified Negotiation Expert is another one that many of our agents have. This is an important one because you want whoever the Realtor is that is representing you to be a good negotiator. Shannon is also an Accredited Luxury Home Specialist. This designation is for Realtors who work with consumers that are purchasing homes over $400K in the Houston Market. When choosing a Realtor or Broker to represent you with your real estate needs, you want to choose one that is educated in that area and will work for you. To learn more about RREA’s agents, you can read their profiles at rrea.com/team.