To avoid common closing delays make sure your income taxes have been filed and paid and your driver’s license has not expired.  You will need to get your payoff or the lender information to the title company if you are the seller and have a mortgage on the property.  If a power of attorney is to be used for closing, get it executed before closing.

When you go to your closing you will want to bring your driver’s license, social security numbers if you don’t have them memorized, a check book (for an minor incidentals or to set up a wire transfer,) and all of the keys to the house.  Make sure you bring any other keys – mailbox keys, gate keys, etc.  Also bring your garage door openers and a gate opener if it’s a gated subdivision.  If you have a binder from your builder, it’s nice to leave that in the house for the buyers.  Extra paint and any booklets or owners guides for appliances are also nice things to leave in the house for the buyers.  If you are the buyer, bring your cashier’s check with you to the title company at closing or have the funds wired to the title company.

Your Realtor should let you know what to expect along the way.  If you are using a lender, they will tell you what amount of money to bring to the closing.  There will be many documents to sign at closing.  When you are finished, the title company will make copies for you to keep.  A smooth real estate closing is what every buyer and seller wants, but there are things that need to be done to make that happen.  If you have questions, ask your Realtor.

"Real Estate Contract is Done, Now What?" was brought to you by the outstanding agents at Register Real Estate Advisors.

"Relocating to the ExxonMobil Campus in the Houston Area – Great Video!" was brought to you by the outstanding agents at Register Real Estate Advisors.

"650 vs. 760 Credit Score" was brought to you by the outstanding agents at Register Real Estate Advisors.

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

"Feast of Artisans – The Woodlands, Texas" was brought to you by the outstanding agents at Register Real Estate Advisors.

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.

"Selling Your Home" was brought to you by the outstanding agents at Register Real Estate Advisors.

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!

"Relocating to The Woodlands, Texas?" was brought to you by the outstanding agents at Register Real Estate Advisors.

"Purchasing Homes in Rural Areas require NO DOWN PAYMENT" was brought to you by the outstanding agents at Register Real Estate Advisors.

"Join Canongate and Buy a Home in The Woodlands, Texas" was brought to you by the outstanding agents at Register Real Estate Advisors.

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.

"Take A Look at Your Options" was brought to you by the outstanding agents at Register Real Estate Advisors.

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!

"Blue Heron Bay of Lake Conroe, Texas" was brought to you by the outstanding agents at Register Real Estate Advisors.