Register Real Estate Advisors

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.

This week’s White Board Monday is on the Short Sale Relocation Assistance Program. This is an amazing deal for sellers with a short sale.

1. THOU SHALL NOT CHANGE JOBS OR BECOME SELF-EMPLOYED
2. THOU SHALL NOT BUY A CAR, TRUCK, OR VAN UNLESS YOU PLAN TO LIVE IN IT
3. THOU SHALL NOT USE YOUR CREDIT CARDS OR LET YOUR PAYMENTS FALL BEHIND
4. THOU SHALL NOT SPEND THE MONEY YOU HAVE SAVED FOR YOUR DOWN PAYMENT
5. THOU SHALL NOT BUY FURNITURE BEFORE YOU BUY YOUR HOME
6. THOU SHALL NOT ORIGINATE ANY NEW INQUIRIES ON YOUR CREDIT REPORT
7. THOU SHALL NOT MAKE ANY LARGE DEPOSITS INTO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT
8. THOU SHALL NOT CHANGE BANK ACCOUNTS
9. THOU SHALL NOT CO-SIGN FOR ANYONE
10. THOU SHALL NOT PURCHASE ANYTING UNTIL AFTER CLOSING

Don’t do it!  There are many reasons why I recommend seller financing over rent to own in Texas.

If a buyer does not have adequate funds for a down payment and has poor enough credit or income to keep a lender from offering them a loan, I don’t think they should be purchasing a home.  If they do have the income or the down payment, regardless of credit, then seller financing is a great option for them.  I don’t believe a landlord should offer to sell to someone that has poor credit, limited down payment, and unsteady employment.  That sounds like trouble to me – so I would never recommend this to one of my landlords or sellers.

If a tenant needs more time to get adequate financing, then I feel they should  purcahse a home at a later date – that is my opinion.  What if they are never able to get their credit in better shape and now the seller/landlord has agreed to sell their house to this renter?

It doesn’t help that ForSaleByOwner.com is now offering a lease to own advanced search option.  Other states that have different real estate laws, may be more suitable for rent to own tenants than Texas.

All rent to own contracts should be written up by attorneys or atleast reviewed by a real estate attorney.  The contract has to have a lease component and a sale component.  They are legal in all the United States, but I do not recommend doing it.

What if the seller is entering foreclosure?  Would you the tenant buyer know it?  If they got foreclosed on, you’d lose all your equity and get booted out of the house.  There has also been fraud associated with rent to own transcations.

Now for more down side to buyers – what if prices go down and you are locked into purchasing the home for more than it’s worth.  What if interest rates go way up?  If you don’t buy the home, then you lose all your money that was supposed to be going to the down payment.  Some contracts say that if buyers are late on a payment, that payment cannot count towards the down payment.

Realtors don’t have promulgated forms for rent to own options, so you have to pay an attorney to write it up.  Do you know everything you need to put in that contract to protect you and your property?  Neither do I.  That’s why I encourage rent to own buyers to instead use the option of Seller Financing.   Seller Financing can be completed on Realtor promulgated forms and all title company attorneys can write these up easily.  I believe seller financing is a better option for both sellers and buyers/renters.  It’s not just about the forms.  The forms are there because seller financing is more simplistic.  The buyer takes possession right away.  They don’t have to wait to own the property.

If you want to rent to own a home, I recommend you set up seller financing if you are in the state of Texas.  Call me if you want more details.  I can explain better over the phone – 281.288.3500.  Let me know if you want the buyer or seller’s point of view!

1. Social Security Numbers
2. Driver’s License
3. Employment Info for the past two years, Current Pay Stubs
4. 2 Years Tax Returns
5. If renting, landlord info
6. Addresses for past two years
7. 2 Months Bank Statements
8. Current Loan Information
9. Homeowners Insurance Info
10. Purchase Contract for the Property if it has been chosen
11. Bankruptcy Documentation if applicable
12. Divorce Decree if applicable

For more information, contact your RREA lending professional at 281.288.3500.  We want to help you purchase your next property!

I was shopping in Kroger and picked up one of their pamphlets off the meat market counter and thought you might like to have this info, too.  Now that summer is fast approaching, it’s a great time to start grilling!  I love Kroger’s meat market!

1.  REFRIGERATE fresh meat promptly.

- USE a cooler or chill bag to keep meat cold on the way home from the store or outside by the grill, especially on warm
days.

- SET your refrigerator at home to 40° F.

- THAW or marinate beef, pork and poultry in the refrigerator, not on the kitchen
counter.

- KEEP cold food and perishables on ice at picnics and cookouts.

- PLACE leftover cooked foods in a refrigerator or cooler with ice within two hours.

2. CLEAN hands & surfaces often.

- WASH hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds before and after handling food.

- WASH cutting boards, dishes and utensils with hot soapy water after preparing each food item.

- USE paper towels and soap to clean kitchen surfaces often.  Or clean cloth towels frequently in your washing machine’s hot
cycle to kill bacteria.

3. DON’T cross contaminate.

- SEPARATE fresh meat from other food in your grocery cart, shopping bags, in the refrigerator and by the grill.

- KEEP cutting boards and utensils separate to prevent spreading germs.

- PLACE cooked food on a clean plate – never on a plate that held raw meat.

4.  COOK to a safe temperature.

- USE a food thermometer every time you cook fresh beef, pork and poultry to reach its
proper internal temperature and kill harmful bacteria.

- COOK ground beef and pork to 160° F, and cook ground turkey and chicken to 165°
F.

- CHECK this cooking temperature guide to safely grill other cuts of fresh beef, pork and poultry.

- REMEMBER:  You can never tell if meat is cooked properly by looking at it.

Safe Cooking Temperatures

Internal temperature as measured with a food thermometer.

Ground Meat

Beef, Pork, Veal, Lamb                       160° F

Turkey, Chicken                                  165° F

Fresh Beef, Veal,
Lamb

Medium Rare                                      145° F

Medium                                              160° F

Well Done                                           170° F

Poultry

Chicken, Turkey, whole                       165° F

Poultry parts                                       165° F

Duck & Goose                                     165° F

Stuffing (cooked alone or in bird)       165° F

Fresh Pork

All Pork                                                160° F

Ham

Fresh (raw)                                          160° F

Pre-cooked (to reheat)                       140° F

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!

I have one of Conroe’s best kept secrets. Keep reading and you will find out about an 80+ acre lake that is convenient to the Lake Conroe area, yet private (homeowners only) with the tranquil luxury of less traffic on the lake. As the end of our school year approaches and the summer brings water levels up, if you are looking for a peacefully quiet spot to fish, use your motor boats, ski and jet ski – then I have just the property to tell you about!

From I-45 traveling west on Highway 105 approximately 9 miles, located on the south side, is the quaint neighborhood of Lake Forest Falls. This tucked away neighborhood in Montgomery County has a private 80+ acre lake. There is a large earthen levee on the east side of the lake which is spring fed and also collects run off from area creeks Home owners are allowed to use motor boats, ski and jet-skis on the lake. Members of the Lake Forest Falls Home Owners Association also enjoy a swim island, boat launch and lots of little parks in the neighborhood.

Have you imagined this being the view of the swim island from your personal waterfront backyard? I had a private tour with Kathy King, the listing agent for the property at 13300 Southshore Drive in Lake Forest Falls. From the moment we pulled into the driveway I was mesmerized by the view in front of me. Tall trees hide much of the property from the front, yet it opens to the recreational lake.

Once inside the property I admired the hardwood floors and tall windows which overlook the lake view from the Great Room. Speaking of lake view, all north facing windows have lake view. To see all photos and information regarding this dream home click this address: 13300 Southshore Drive Conroe, Texas 77304. Call me right away for a showing, or put on your calendars the information for an Open House given at the bottom of this blog post.

Additionally, you don’t even need a key to enter the unattended Secret Garden. Simply walk under the arbor and follow the stones.

The Secret Garden Pathway leads to a 3rd waterfront lot that belongs to the Guest Home! The Guest Home priced separately at an additional $110,000 is currently only available with the purchase of the main home. The Guest Home features quarters with one bedroom, an open concept area with kitchen and living room. Be ready to simply dissolve in one of the rocking chairs, gaze through windows that face the lake and dream this entire property into your forever-after.

Open House: I will be co-hosting an Open House at this property Saturday, May 12th, 1pm – 4pm.
If you are unable to make the scheduled open house be sure to contact me to arrange your private showing.

Here is the listing:

13300 Southshore Dr, Conroe, TX 77304 (MLS # 4373882)

View Virtual Tour

Tucked away on approx 2/3 acre this fantastic property offers as much beauty outside as it does inside. A secret garden that opens up to huge water frontage & open views of the community lake where you can enjoy great boating, skiing & a swim island too. Enter the home to gleaming hardwood floors & soaring windows. Spacious kitchen w/double ovens. Fireplace, built-ins & lake views everywhere! Lots of room to play & breathe! Shopping, dining & Lake Conroe only minutes away if you must. But why?

Property Type(s): Single-Family

Schools

Additional Details

Features

Location

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

Listed with Keller Williams Realty Conroe Lake Conroe

(view all details for MLS #4373882)

We are very happy to announce that starting Sunday, May 13th, 2012, RREA’s radio show, “Houston Real Estate Radio,” will air on am700 KSEV, the “Voice of Texas.” The first show will be from 1:30PM to 3PM but the show will air weekly from 1 to 3 on Sundays. The show will cover real estate news, information, areas of the Houston Metro area, and interesting people in our industry. We hope you tune in!

You can find details about the show at RREA.com/RADIO.

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!