Register Real Estate Advisors

I want to remind sellers about the home sale exclusion tax break in the IRS Code.  If you have owned a home and used it as a primary
residence for 24 months out of the last 60 months, and then you sell it, all the gain is tax free.  So, if you made a $35,000 profit, you would
NOT have to pay the $9,450 capital gain tax like you would have to on any other income.  What if you are a seller with a primary residence and need to sell but have lived there for less than two years?  Can you still get this tax credit?   If you had to move out of a house before the 2 years were up because of an unforeseen circumstance, then you can still get a partial tax break through a loop hole in the home exclusion tax break in the IRA Code.   What qualifies as an unforeseen circumstance?  An unforeseen circumstance would be a natural disaster, a change in employment, becoming self-employed, divorce or legal separation, and even multiple births from the same pregnancy.   So even if you are promoted or demoted at work, you can sell your house and take a partial tax break even if you have not lived in your primary residence for two years.  The same holds true if you start or discontinue self-employment.  So if your home has increased in value and you have lived there for less than two years, you could start up a tiny home based business just to qualify for this home sale exclusion tax break.  It’s that easy!  Now you don’t have to pay all that capital gains tax.  With any financial decision, you should consult your accountant.  This information is meant as a guide to help you in your real estate decisions.  We have many highly trained Realtors at RREA that are ready to help you with all of your real estate needs.  Call today to get started – 281.288.3500.

Spring Lakes in Spring, Texas is a wonderful gated community to call home.  Many home buyers have been pleased to find that Salyers Elementary School, located in Spring Independent School District, is a warm and inviting experience for students of this neighborhood.  If you are relocating from another area of Houston or across the world, moving to Spring Lakes with children is easy.  The elementary school right outside of the community has about 650 students and is rated Recognized.  The tenure average for their teachers is 7.5 years.  The community offers pools, tennis courts, volleyball courts, lakes with fountains, miles of walking trails, and so much more.  To view homes that are currently for sale in Spring Lakes, please call 281.288.3500 for a showing.  Below is a list of homes currently for sale in this gated community that can be easily accessed from I45 or the Toll Road.

Showing properties 1 - 13 of 13. See more Spring Lakes - Spring, TX 77373.
(all data current as of 5/24/2012)

1. $2,000 : MLS # 83222525 in Spring
   
   4 beds, 3 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 3,062 sq ft

   Lot size: 8,635 sqft

   Year built: 2009

   Parking spots: 3

   Days on market: 9

   Listed with RE/MAX Vintage
2. $229,900 : 25826 Sarah Springs Ct, Spring
   
   5 beds, 3 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 3,270 sq ft

   Lot size: 7,800 sqft

   Year built: 2003

   Parking spots: 3

   Days on market: 18

   Listed with The Taylor Group
3. $265,000 : 25603 Wrexham Springs Ct, Spring
   
   4 beds, 3 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 3,596 sq ft

   Lot size: 11,647 sqft

   Year built: 2004

   Parking spots: 3

   Days on market: 26

   Listed with Coldwell Banker United, REALTORS
4. $1,900 : 25415 China Springs, Spring
   
   4 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 2,599 sq ft

   Lot size: 7,761 sqft

   Year built: 2001

   Parking spots: 2

   Days on market: 31

   Listed with Realty Associates
5. $164,900 : 935 Sierra Springs Ln, Spring
   
   4 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 2,232 sq ft

   Lot size: 6,719 sqft

   Year built: 2003

   Parking spots: 2

   Days on market: 34

   Listed with RE/MAX Fine Properties
6. $180,990 : 25818 Clear Springs Wa, Spring
   
   4 beds, 3 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 2,739 sq ft

   Lot size: 8,375 sqft

   Year built: 2001

   Parking spots: 2

   Days on market: 44

   Listed with Realty Right Texas, LLC
7. $150,000 : 919 Sierra Springs Ln, Spring
   
   3 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 2,101 sq ft

   Lot size: 6,538 sqft

   Year built: 2003

   Parking spots: 2

   Days on market: 52

   Listed with Texas Home Group, REALTORS
8. $235,000 : 25811 Coyote Springs Ct, Spring
   
   5 beds, 3 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 3,649 sq ft

   Lot size: 7,928 sqft

   Year built: 2002

   Parking spots: 3

   Days on market: 52

   Listed with Premier Real Estate Group
9. $1,600 : 25642 Myrtle Springs, Spring
   
   4 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 2,294 sq ft

   Lot size: 5,314 sqft

   Year built: 1999

   Parking spots: 2

   Days on market: 113

   Listed with RE/MAX Northwest, REALTORS
10. $154,000 : 25502 Forest Springs Lake, Spring
    
    4 beds, 2 full baths

    Home size: 2,319 sq ft

    Lot size: 10,508 sqft

    Year built: 2005

    Parking spots: 2

    Days on market: 114

    Listed with RE/MAX Integrity
11. $205,000 : 519 Savannah Springs Wa, Spring
    
    4 beds, 3 full, 1 part baths

    Home size: 2,945 sq ft

    Lot size: 9,090 sqft

    Year built: 2003

    Parking spots: 2

    Days on market: 227

    Listed with Register Real Estate Advisors
12. $1,450 : 25502 Forest Springs Lake, Spring
    
    4 beds, 2 full baths

    Home size: 2,319 sq ft

    Lot size: 10,508 sqft

    Year built: 2005

    Parking spots: 2

    Days on market: 234

    Listed with RE/MAX Integrity
13. $192,000 : 25735 Beckham Springs Ct, Spring
    
    4 beds, 3 full, 1 part baths

    Home size: 3,587 sq ft

    Lot size: 7,723 sqft

    Year built: 2005

    Parking spots: 3

    Days on market: 235

    Listed with Register Real Estate Advisors

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

I have many sellers ask me if they should get an appraisal before putting their home on the market. Most of the time my answer is “NO!” If you do an appraisal and it comes in low, that will stay on record with the appraisal district and even if a buyer is willing to pay more for the home, their lender won’t let them if the appraisal comes in low.

When I sell a home, I include a list of the property upgrades in the home for the appraiser to find. I also set up the appraisal appointment, so I will request the email of the appraiser and email them the list of home upgrades and a copy of the contract that indicates the price the buyer is willing to pay and the seller is willing to accept.

There are things you can do to increase the amount of your appraisal. Give your Realtor a prepared written list of the home’s features to give the appraiser and take some photos of the best features of the home to accompany that list.

Appraisers might inpsect three to six homes per day. They take notes, but might forget important details about the property when they return to their office to write the report. As your Realtor, I do not mind telling the appraiser what you paid for the home, sending him photos, and an upgrade list. If I fear the property will not appraise for the contract price, I even include the comparables for other sold properties to help the appraiser come up with the home’s estimated market value. Is your Realtor going to do all of that for you?

So I know you want to know…when would I recommend a client get an appraisal on their property before selling it? When I know the home is not worth as much as the homeowner wants to sell the home for. For example, if the home has been over improved and I know it’s not going to compare to the other homes, but the sellers want to get all of their money back out of the home, then I would recommend an appraisal. That way I am sure about what we can sell the property for and the homeowner is not just relying on my opinion since there are no homes in the neighborhood to compare it to. Many times this brings my homeowners back to the reality that they have over improved their property and they will not get all of their money back out of it.

There are so many Realtors to choose from in every area of the country. If you are buying or selling in The Woodlands, Houston, or Spring, Texas, call RREA at 281.288.3500. We train our agents so that they really can help you make the best decisions when purchasing or selling a home. We know that our job is to protect you in one of the most important transactions of your life and we take that seriously! Call today to learn more about RREA or to find an agent that can help you with your real estate needs.

Thinking about selling your home? Wondering if it’s a good time to sell your home? Join us at Register Real Estate Advisors in Spring, Texas this Thursday for a Seller’s Seminar. This seminar will discuss how our Realtors make your home stand out from the competition. They will explain home staging and home pricing for sellers. You’ll walk away with a better understanding of the home selling process and ready to list your home with one of our knowlegeable real estate advisors. Don’t even think about selling your home until you hear what we have to say about marketing houses! Join us this Thursday from 6-7pm for a Seller Seminar at 1614 Louetta Rd, Ste I, Spring, Texas 77388. Call for directions 281.288.3500 and our complete seminar schedule.

Selling your home may be the only thing stopping you from moving to a new place or getting out from under a large mortgage payment that you cannot afford. While the thought of selling your home can be attractive, it also comes with some costs. Understanding all of the expenses that come with this process can help you know if you can afford to sell.

Real Estate Commissions

One of the largest expenses that comes with selling your house is the real estate commission. This is the amount of money that you have to pay a real estate agent if you hire one to help sell your house. When you work with a traditional real estate agent and give him an exclusive listing, you can expect to pay around 6 percent for a commission.

Closing Costs

On top of paying the commission that comes with your real estate agent, you also have to pay some closing costs. The closing costs include items like a title search, title insurance and a home inspection. During this process, you may have to split the closing costs with the buyer, or the buyer could request you to pay all of the closing costs for her. This could be a substantial expense that comes directly out of the purchase price of the house.

Repairs

When you list your property for sale, you may feel inclined to perform some repairs on the property first. If you sell during a competitive real estate market, you have to make sure that your property is up to the level of other houses on the market. Depending on what shape your house is in before the repairs, you may be able to get by with only a few hundred dollars invested, or you might have to invest thousands of dollars.

Moving Expenses

If you successfully sell your house, you will then have to worry about moving out of it and into a new place to live. The amount of money that it costs to move can vary significantly depending on how much you have to move and how you choose to do it. For instance, you could rent a trailer and move everything yourself. You could also hire a moving company to handle all of your belongings for you.

In some instances, people know that they’ll be leaving only for a year or two perhaps while they pursue a graduate degree or take on a specific project at work. Sometimes the would-be seller simply can’t sell at a price deemed acceptable, so he or she chooses to hang on until the market picks up. Or, if property values are rising, an owner may want to wait to be able to ask for a higher price later.

Call the Dean Thornton Team today to help you sell or purchase your next home!  Dean@RREA.com / 281.288.2500

1. Cleaning and De-cluttering, with an average cost of $290, which increased home sale price by $1,990.
2. Lightening and Brightening, with an average cost of $375, which increased home sale price by $1,550.
3. Home Staging, with an average cost of $550, which increased home sale price by $2,194.
4. Landscaping, with an average cost of $540, which increased home sale price by $1,932.
5. Repairing Electrical or Plumbing, with an average cost of $1,505, which increased home sale price by $1,505.

These are huge increases in return on investment! So if you are thinking about selling your home, you will want to think about these five things that you can do to raise the amount of money you will get when selling your home. If you are thinking about selling, our agents at RREA are well trained and experienced in helping consumers get a good return on their real estate investment! Call us today at 281.288.3500 or email info@rrea.com.

Below are some interesting seller facts from 2010…I found these in the Brian Buffini Real Estate Report and thought you would enjoy them.

The median age of a home seller is 49

The typical seller has owned their home for 8 years

The median time for a home on the market was 8 weeks (that’s fast ya’ll!)

Of sellers, 50% traded up while 28% purchased a comparable home

21% of home sellers traded down when they sold in 2010

The typical home sold for 96% of the final listing price

The main motivation for sellers to move in 2010 was the size of their home

15% of moves in 2010 were due to job relocation

Trees and shrubs are an investment that grows.  Beautiful seasonal flowers are a smart, and inexpensive was to add color to your yard.  The most important thing to keep in mind, landscaping creates the curb appeal that attracts potential buyers to your home.  Keep it simple, you don’t have to spend a lot of money on landscaping.  Well place trees, shrubs, and flowers adds value.  Have fresh mulch put down, keep your lawn mowed, and edged. All these small things will add value to your home without breaking the bank.  I hope these have been some helpful tips!  When you get ready to sell your home give The Dean Thornton Team a call!

The whole world has changed, and so has the marketing of products and services. Since the invention of the internet, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, blogging, and the smart phone we are seeing use changes in the way companies market their products. You can now contact and stay in touch with people all over the world without leaving your home or office. All of the new tools available make life much easier.

You still need to practice the old ways of marketing; face to face for me is still the best way. I understand some of the new technology can be somewhat intimidating. There are a lot of free webinars available to help you learn how to use this new technology. Get all the training you can, especially if it’s offered free. Do not try to overload yourself. You can come up with a schedule for learning each new type of media available. That way you are taking on one thing at a time, starting slowly, so you will not be overwhelmed.

My suggestion would be to set a side one hour per day in the beginning. This way, you’re not dedicating too much time on learning new things which can be counter productive. The more you learn and become comfortable, with each new piece of technology, the more time you can spend on it. If you’re not convinced, go online and look at all the statistics, and the demographic, for each new technology.

I bet you will be amazed, and wonder why you haven’t done it before now. I hope this has been informative for you, and at least get you to look at how your marketing your business in 2011.

At Register Real Estate Advisors, we use all of the social media tools available and extensive new technology to market and sell your home. If you are interested in selling in the Spring or Woodlands area, don’t hesitate to give me a call.

The Dean Thornton Team is here to help you with all of your real estate needs! 281.288.3500

Register Real Estate Advisors has partnered with Check A Pro to provide $25 gift cards to our clients and prospects.  If you would like a gift card mailed to you, please email info@rrea.com with Check A Pro in the subject line and we will mail you a gift card.  Be sure to include your name and mailing address.  Below is an article from this month’s Check A Pro Newsletter.  It gives helpful painting tips!

Painting Do’s and Don’ts

Most homeowners will try to tackle painting at least once during their home owning
years, some more successful than others. To avoid a D-I-Y paint job gone wrong,
follow these do’s and don’ts!

Do’s:

DO take time
to prep the area. Take things off the wall, move things into different rooms,
wipe down walls, and tape off molding. Cover the floor just in case!

DO remove
all of the hardware – switchplates, doorknobs, drapery hardware, etc.

DO gather
everything you’ll need to get the job done and set up a paint station with a
paint tray, tape, brushes, rollers, rags,  screwdriver, ladder, etc.

DO calculate
how much paint you’ll need. It’s always better to buy more so the paint is
mixed at one time. If you get the paint mixed at a separate time you risk the
color being a shade or two different.

DO chose the
appropriate types of rollers and brushes depending on the surface and the walls
texture. Make sure you have an appropriate brush for trim work!

DO prime the
walls if going from one extreme color to another.

DO keep a
stash of paint for touch-ups. Be sure to label the container with the color and
brand name.

Don’ts:

DON’T rush.
You’ll achieve the best results with patience.

DON’T paint out
of order. Start with the ceiling, then walls, then doors, then woodwork, and
finish with the floor.

DON’T paint
directly over wallpaper.

DON’T close off
the room. Keep it properly ventilated.

DON’T put off
cleaning your brush and rollers if you plan to use them again.

DON’T reattach
the lid without cleaning the rim of the can. To prevent inadvertent splatters,
place a paper towel or rag on top of the lid, then hammer secure.

The following do’s and don’ts were provided by HGTV. All Rights Reserved.