As a Texas Realtor, I can assist you with this important decision. There are many reasons people consider selling a home. Whether you’re thinking of upgrading, downsizing, or simply making a change, you may be wondering if the timing is right. Here are several reasons why this may be a good time to put your home on the market.
• Housing prices in Texas have been steadily rising at a moderate pace for many years, even while other states have experienced wild price fluctuations.
• Record-low interest rates motivate buyers to act on their desire to purchase a home and give them more purchasing power.
• Unlike other states that experienced wild price fluctuations and skyrocketing foreclosure rates, Texas does not have a glut of unsold homes. According to the Texas Real Estate Center at Texas A&M, the statewide supply of homes is at a level that leads to a fairly balanced market.
• Individuals and businesses continue to move to Texas, and this ongoing population growth feeds a strong demand for housing.
• Summer is always the best time to sell since the landscape looks nice and school is out, allowing families to transition to new areas.
As a Texas Realtor, I can show you how our current housing market conditions factor in to your goal of selling your home. You can count on me to put your interests first while I assist you during this exciting process.

This information is part of the Ask a Texas Realtor Campaign from the Texas Association of Realtors.

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Below are some tips for tuning up your carpet before selling your home.

Quick Fixes for new-looking carpets

• First, to really get it clean, sweep the carpet with a brook, which will make the nap stand up and loosen embedded dirt. Next, vaccum the carpet. Your carpet should show a noticeable improvement just from taking these two steps.
• If you have pets and need help neutralizing strong odors, mix one cup Borax with two cups cornmeal. Sprinkle the carpet with this mixture. Let stand one hour, then vaccum. To freshen the carpet, combine three-quarters of a cup baking soda, two tablespoons cornstarch, and one-quarter cup perfumed talcum powder. Sprinkle on dry carpet, let stand five to 15 minutes, then vacuum.

Spot-cleaning tips

DO
• Use a clean white, absorbent terry towel
• Blot or tamp the spot
• Pretest the carpet in an inconspicuous area
• Clean the stain from the edge to the center
• Apply cleaner to the towel
• Clean with modest amounts of cleaning solution
• Adhere to product safety guidelines and general instructions
• Remove the stain as soon as it is noticed
• Remove the dirt excess before cleaning
• Use cleaning compounds at lukewarm temperature

DON’T
• Saturate the carpet with cleaning compounds
• Apply heat or vigorously scrub the stain
• Leave the stain until later
• Fail to remove dried excess stain prior to cleaning
• Forget to pre-test the carpet or stain

Follow these tips, and your carpet will look good as new again in no time.

2004 copyright by the Texas Association of REALTORS. All rights reserved.

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Here are a few reasons and remedies…

1. House is overpriced…you need a new market analysis to see how much to lower the price
2. Price reductions too little, too late…you need a new market analysis & significantly lower the price below the next price break or two
3. New competition since property listed…you need a new market analysis and lower the price and offer incentives
4. Builder competition…new market analysis, offer upgrades competitive with the builder
5. Difficult to show, not readily accessible…use lockbox and readjust showing hours if necessary
6. Glutted or slow market…adjust pricing and offer incentives
7. Property has become shopworn…add new photos, offer incentive, inform area Realtors
8. Many showings, but no offers…reduce price
9. Offers forthcoming but not consummated…re-examine counter offers and adjust to offers
10. Condition (maintenance problems)…freshen up and review ways to improve
11. Condition (major problems)…rehab as necessary with new carpet, paint, etc.
12. Cosmetic allowances have not enticed offer…rehab as necessary and remove allowance
13. Location not desirable…compensate with price adjustment
14. Property showcased poorly…hire staging professional or ask Realtor for suggestions
15. Property not being shown…make property more accessible with lockbox
16. Pets (odors, soil, intimidation)…deodorize carpet, cage pets when not home, kennel pets or put with a friend or relative until home sells
17. Neighbors or neighborhood undesirable…counsel with neighbors regarding interference and condition of their properties
18. External influence (new highways, etc.)…adjust price, gather accurate data, and prepare fact sheets for people interested in the home

This information is also available on TexasRealEstate.com website where it was first published for Realtor use.

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A $200,000 home costs more than a $185,000 home, right? Well, yes and no. Assuming the same type of financing for both homes, the $200,000 home does cost more initially. But many factors contribute to the overall long-term cost of a house. Here are some things to keep in mind when trying to determine the true cost of purchasing a particular home:

• Does it have a pool or hot tub that requires maintenance?
• How much yard maintenance is required and who will perform it?
• Are there trees that should be removed?
• What are the utility costs? Although your usage won’t be exactly the same as the current owners, you may be able to get their utility bills for the past year from them or directly from the utility company.
• How soon will the roof need to be replaced?
• Does the house need repainting?
• Does the electrical system need upgrading to handle the load for your appliances and electronics?
• Does the home have aluminum wiring, lead-based paint, or other safety or health hazards you will want to address?
• Does the house need new carpeting or flooring?
• What remodeling projects do you see as a must?
• Will appliances need replacing?
• What are the estimated property taxes for the property?

Also, be sure to get a professional inspection to identify other potentially costly problem areas.

2004 by the Texas Association of Realtors, All rights reserved.

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1. Give your forwarding address to the post office, usually two to four weeks ahead of the move.
2. Notify your credit card companies, magazine subscriptions, and bank of the change of address.
3. Develop a list of friends, relatives, and business colleagues who need to be notified of the move.
4. Arrange to have utilities disconnected at your old home and connected at your new one.
5. Cancel the newspaper.
6. Check insurance coverage for moved items. Usually movers only cover what they pack.
7. Clean out appliances and prepare them for moving, if applicable.
8. Note the weight of the goods you’ll have moved, since long-distance moves are usually billed according to weight. Watch for movers that use excessive padding to add weight.
9. Check with your condo or co-op about restrictions on using the elevator or particular exits.
10. Have a “first open” box with the things you’ll need most – toilet paper, soap, trash bags, scissors, hammer, screwdriver, pencils and paper, cups and plates, water, snacks, and toothpaste.

Plus, if you’re moving out of town:

1. Get copies of medical and dental records and prescriptions for your family and your pets.
2. Get copies of children’s school records for transfer.
3. Ask friends for introductions to anyone they know in your new neighborhood.
4. Consider special car needs for pets when traveling.
5. Let a friend or relative know your route.
6. Carry traveler’s checks or an ATM card for ready cash until you can open a bank account.
7. Empty your safety deposit box.
8. Put plants in boxes with holes for air circulation if you’re moving in cold weather.

6 Items to Have on Hand for the New Owners

1. Owner’s manuals for items left in the house.
2. Warranties for any items left in the house.
3. A list of local service providers – the best dry cleaner, yard service, etc.
4. Garage door opener.
5. Extra sets of house keys.
6. Code to burglar alarm and phone number of monitoring service if not discontinued.

Reprinted from REALTOR Magazine Online by permission of the National Association of Realtors, Copyriht 2005, All rights reserved

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