Register Real Estate Advisors

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.

Ashton Woods is an eco friendly home builder in the Houston area.  They have communities in Missouri City, Humble, Katy, Pearland, Richmond, Tomball, and Houston, Texas.  Currently, there are 12 Houston area communities that Ashton Woods is building in.  The homes are between $130,000-$360,000.  They have been offering buyers on new construction a free central vaccum system.  They give their buyers a lot of value with low E3 windows, radiant barriers, and washers and dryers.  If you are interested in visiting an Ashton Woods community please call us at 281.288.3500.  Our Realtors are familiar with the local builders and communities and can help negotiate for you when purchasing a new construction home.

As a Green designated realtor I am always searching for new updates in the Green market with new homebuilders.  This week I sat down with a local Houston builder and talked about the Green features that go into their homes, The builder is GreenECO, the builders representative, Jeff and I talked quite extensively about the Green features that were added in the building of their homes.  

We started with the roof, as you know the roof has the sun beaming down on it all day so GreenECO uses an LP product called TechShield. This is a standard feature that is used in the designing your roof that reduces the heat entering your attic by up to 17 percent. This product has a radiant barrier built into the other side of the roof decking that is facing your attic, the radiant barrier is perforated to allow the exchange or flow of moisture that occurs during the building process which will stop the growth of mold. TechShield is also an energy star product and if you click on the hyperlinks above it will take you to the LP website and show you in detail the Green features that were used in the design and development of the their product.

When consumers’ think of Green the first thing they tend to think of are windows.  This is the feature that impressed me the most with GeenECO. Most new homebuilders will keep the window orders the same for the whole community.  GreenECO orders windows by home so when the technology changes they are at the forefront of ECO change.  The window will look the same on the outside but might have a different ECO footprint inside.  The reason for this is the window industry is constantly improving the efficiency of windows and as a Green homebuilder they will pass on the new efficiencies to you the homeowner.  

I will continue in future blogs with more Green tips and more Green features that are in GreenECO homes and if you or your friends are interested in seeing a GreenECO home you can contact me at jack@rrea.com or 936.777.2265

Below is a moving checklist that was reprinted from an article in the REBAC Magazine which I receive monthly because I am an Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR.)  I really like this checklist because it includes time frames up to 8 weeks before your move so you can plan ahead.

Moving into your new home is a big job.  The further you plan in advance, the smoother it will go.  This list contains most of the big tasks you’ll need to do and suggested timeframes.  Depending on your situation, you might be able to delete (or may need to add) some items.

8 WEEKS BEFORE

Call moving companies for estimates.

Remove and dispose of unnecessary possessions.

Start compiling an inventory of your possessions.

Get a floor plan (with room dimensions) of your new home to help you decide which furnishings you want to keep and which room they will go in.

Start a file of moving-related papers and receipts.

Locate schools, healthcare professionals and hospitals in your new location.

Arrange to transfer your children’s school records and family medical records.

6 WEEKS BEFORE

Secure off-site storage.

Choose a mover and sign contract.

Contact your homeowner’s insurance agent about coverage for moving and secure more.

Contact insurance companies (auto, homeowner’s, medical, and life) to arrange for coverage in your new home.

4 WEEKS BEFORE

Create a file of important papers, such as auto license, registration documents and title; any medical, dental and school records; birth certificates, wills, deeds, stock certificates, and other financial documents.

Notify the following of your change of address:

• Post office
• Banks
• Credit card companies
• Relatives and friends
• Insurance agent, lawyer, tax/financial advisor
• Magazine subscriptions

Notify utility companies of date to discontinue/transfer service and/or establish service at your new home.  Also arrange for final readings and bills, including refunds on prepaid services.

• Electric
• Heating oil
• Internet service
• Natural gas
• Telephone
• Television
• Trash collection
• Water

Notify your state’s department of motor vehicles of your new address.

If moving from an apartment, arrange for refund of your security deposit.

Discontinue additional home services (housekeeper, gardener/lawn service, snow removal, and pool cleaner).

Start using up things you can’t move, such as perishables.

3 WEEKS BEFORE

Make travel plans.

Make arrangements with condo or homeowner’s association to reserve elevator usage time if moving into or out of a high rise building.

Arrange to close existing bank accounts and open new accounts in new area.

Arrange for child care on moving day.

2 WEEKS BEFORE

Arrange special transport for your pets and plants.

Contact your moving company and review arrangements for your move.

1 WEEK BEFORE

Pack moving-essential boxes—important documents, travel clothes, personal items and prescription medications.

2-3 DAYS BEFORE

Confirm all final arrangements with your mover and other service providers.

Did you know there are new homes and recreation in The Woodlands’ Village of Sterling Ridge? May Valley is 400 acres located inside of Sterling Ridge which is located in The Woodlands, Texas. This area includes prices from the $180’s – $550’s. Some of the homebuilders include DR Horton, Highland, Lennar, Trendmaker, and Village Builders. Within May Valley there are several neighborhoods including Almondell, Clare Point, Golden Orchard, Hawkhurst, Hearthshire, and Vershire. Most of the home sites are over one acre. Some of the builders are offering solar power while others offer home automation systems. This area of The Woodlands feeds into Magnolia’s school system. There is a large park within the community. Other amenities include a splash area, pavilion, playgrounds, tennis courts, and streams.

Did you know that over the past year, according to the Houston MLS, we have more people renting than in years past. If you want to invest in real estate, it’s better to put a renter in the house than flip it. Many of the short sale and foreclosures on the market currently require that you own the property for a certain amount of time before you can flip it, so it’s better to go ahead and rent it out. The rental payments can pay down your loan and the property can be used as leverage to purchase more investment properties. Call us today at RREA if you want to learn more about investing in real estate to supplement your future income. Our agents would love to help you become an investor and take advantage of the rising rental market we live in today.

Buying and Selling Houses has become more complicated in recent years. Changes in the economy have brought about new laws, regulations, and a more conservative mortgage industry. The National Association of Realtors has statistics that show that when homeowners sell with a Realtor instead of doing a For Sale By Owner sale they get more money for their property. When purchasing, be sure you have someone on your side protecting you. Selling or buying a home is one of the biggest decisions many consumers make. Be sure to contact an experienced Realtor who can look out for you and your interests and be by your side each step of the way to make your next real estate purchase or sell a great one!

When you are purchasing a property, whether a townhouse or single family home, you need a Realtor that specializes in that area. You will want your Realtor to evaluate the community where you are considering your purchase. If you’re looking to buy a property for investment purposes, you will want to know the rental rates in the area and how long it takes to find tenants. If you are purchasing a home for your family, be sure you know the statistics of the neighborhood. For example, the foreclosure rates and owner occupancy rates will be important. These factors can impact your loan options.