Register Real Estate Advisors

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.

At RREA, we are a brokerage in the cloud. Are you looking for a Brokerage? Do you want a broker you can call anytime? RREA might be the perfect fit for you. Although we are located in Spring, Texas, we are looking for agents to service all areas of the Houston and surrounding markets. Currently, the only reason our agents need to come into the office is to pick up signs, make a video in our studio, or attend a class of their choosing that’s in the office. Our agents are never required to step foot in our brokerage. We offer everything an agent needs in the cloud. You can fax, scan, or mail your documents to your broker. We offer a broker that can be contacted every day of the week via fax, email, text, phone, and Facebook. If you are looking for a brokerage that offers all the documents you could need for your business in the cloud, call us today to join. We are an independent brokerage, so there are no franchise fees. We offer you everything you need in the comfort of your own home office. Call our broker today to join us – 281.288.3500. We offer everything you need – online – and we have a variety of plans to choose from. We want to help you grow your business and work whatever area of the market you live in!

As Spring approaches, many homeowners and home sellers want to choose a landscape company to improve their curb appeal. If you need a good reference for a landscaper, call us at RREA and we can provide you the names and numbers of many landscapers that have done work for us and our clients. When choosing a landscape company, below are a few things to keep in mind.
1. Find a company that meets your purpose – is it a drainage issue, planting issue, or maintenance service you need?
2. Get a contract – a contract will help to steer you clear of a miscommunication. It should include a time frame for doing the work and what will be planted.
3. Insurance – does the landscape company have workman’s comp insurance? What about liability insurance? Get the names and numbers and call them before the work begins to confirm coverage.
4. Picture Perfect – Take photos before the landscape work begins, especially those problem areas you expect to be fixed.
Over the past few years I have hired many landscapers to work at my personal residence and I have yet to be completely satisfied with any of the companies. Once I was purchasing palms and the contract stated they would be 3-6 feet tall and they were all under 3 feet. That particular company said that was due to the weather and that’s all they could find – no funds for my shortage. I have had them promise me I will love the plants they choose and I don’t. I have requested only perennial plants and flowers that will last year around, and that never happens. I have had them remove items from my landscape as a mistake and take them back to their shops and never return them back to me even when I remind them many times. That particular company also said they would fill all of my baskets with flowers and they left a few empty and even after many requests they never came back to complete the work. These are all big name Houston Companies that I have used. So honestly, you need to be careful who you choose not only when putting in landscaping, but also outdoor lighting and water features. Now, I go buy my own plants and pick what I like, then I have my current landscaper plant them where I want them. That is where I have had the best luck!!

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.

If you are looking to purchase a home in The Woodlands or Spring area, go to RREA.tv to watch all of our neighborhood videos. We have created videos of most of The Woodlands and Spring communities and villages. You can see from the videos what amenities are available and how the homes look from the street. We usually add price ranges and information about the schools and surrounding areas in the videos. Choosing an area of town and narrowing down the right neighborhood for you and your family will depend greatly on your personal needs and wants. It is helpful if you make a list of your top criteria for a home so we can help you narrow down communities into a prioritized list. If you are not currently working with a Realtor, please call us at RREA. Our agents can help you with all of your buying and selling needs. We would like to help you choose your next community and find a great fit for your family. When it comes to real estate – we know our market!

Do you need to sell your home? Are you planning to purchase a home in the Houston area? Either way, now is a great time! Right now, interest rates remain low. Indictors predict they will be rising soon. So now might be the best time to purchase before rates go up. If you have good credit, stable income, and a down payment, it’s even a good time to qualify for a loan. In general, it’s usually more cost effective to buy rather than lease a home right now. On the other hand, if you are selling, it’s nice to know our Houston area home prices have not fluctuated a lot like the homes on a national level have gone down. According to the MLS, home prices are actually up now compared to last year at this time. The amount of inventory on the market has reduced, so there’s less competition on the market now. It’s a great time to consider buying or selling a home in the Houston area! Right now you can purchase more home for less money – so if you have been thinking about making a move – now could be the very best time! Call RREA today to find an agent that can meet all of your buying and selling needs.
There are a few things to consider when purchasing a home. You will need to consider factors like your finances, what areas of town you prefer to live in, proximity to your employment, and where you like to socialize. At RREA, our in house lender can pre-qualify you for your next home within twenty four hours. You can apply online anytime through our website.
Your lender will print off a list of your purchasing costs. Use that to compare lenders based on interest rates, fees, monthly expenses, and upfront costs. Our in house lender has a track record for saving our clients money on purchases. He works closely with our Realtors to find the best mortgage for your buying needs. It will take time to compile all of the necessary documents, so plan with your lender before the purchase. Lenders are asking for a lot of additional documentation these days.
The bottom line is that although now is a great time to buy or sell a home – you need someone on your side protecting your best interest. You need someone who understands the changes going on with new complicated laws, regulations, and a more conservative mortgage industry. The Realtors at RREA are very well educated on this changing market and can help protect you and maximize your savings when buying or selling a home.

As a Realtor in the Spring and The Woodlands area, I read a lot of articles about the foreclosure crisis and short sales.  I am a Certified Distressed Property Expert, which just means I earned that designation because I took a lot of classes on distressed properties and how to help homeowners that are upside down on their mortgages.  The article below is from the Huffington Post and I thought it was intersting and wanted to share it with my readers.

More than four years into the housing crisis, and after millions of Americans have lost their homes, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is finally taking a stand.

Bernanke sent a Federal Reserve paper to the leaders of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Financial Services arguing that relying heavily on foreclosures to deal with mortgage borrowers that can’t meet their obligations is “costly and inefficient” for the housing market because they can lead to deteriorating homes and weigh on the property values in the surrounding community.

Instead, the paper encourages lenders to “aggressively” pursue loan modifications and for servicers to be given more incentives to seek alternatives to foreclosure.

Foreclosures “can result in ‘deadweight losses,’ or costs that do not benefit anyone, including the neglect and deterioration of properties that often sit vacant for months (or even years) and the associated negative effects on neighborhoods,” the paper said. “These deadweight losses compound the losses that households and creditors already bear and can result in further downward pressure on house prices.”

The Obama administration has already pursued policies aimed at encouraging lenders to modify loans, although to very limited success. The Home Affordable Modification Program, which Obama announced in February 2009, had helped fewer than 700,000 homeowners as of October, despite promises that the program would encourage banks to modify the loans of 3 to 4 million homeowners.

The paper mirrors findings from regional Fed banks indicating that foreclosures can be detrimental to more Americans than just those who are losing their homes. Properties that are occupied, but in foreclosure, drive down the surrounding property values twice as much as vacant properties, an October study from the Cleveland Federal Reserve found.

And with millions of foreclosed properties already in the pipeline, the foreclosure process is already taking longer than in recent memory — a situation that may only be exacerbated if lenders don’t take the Fed’s advice. The average foreclosure process now takes 674 days, almost triple the time necessary in 2007.

Another alternative to foreclosure proposed in the paper is to combine a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure — or a program where borrowers return the home to lenders without foreclosure proceedings — with a rent-back arrangement. Others have floated a similar plan, including left-leaning economist Dean Baker, that would allow defaulting borrowers to stay in their homes, but as tenants.

The Obama administration also considered a plan in August to boost falling home prices by turning thousands of government-owned foreclosure properties into rentals. If the program goes through, the spaces would likely have some takers; the U.S. apartment sector has expanded past recovery, indicating a boost in rental demand.

Benders Landing in Spring, Texas is a beautiful community that offers buyers one acre wooded and lakefront lots.  The neighborhood has many ammenities from a clubhouse to recreation center, pools and splash pads, walking trails, and much more.  You do have the option to buy now and build later.  Benders Landing offers low property taxes, no MUD taxes, deed restrictions, and wonderful nearby schools.  Just minutes from the Hardy Toll Road and I45, this community is just a few minutes from The Woodlands.  It will be only 5 miles from the new ExxonMobil Campus that is being built.  If you are relocating to the north side of Houston, you will want to take a look at the homes and lots available in Benders Landing.

Showing properties 1 - 20 of 33. See more Homes For Sale in Benders Landing.
(all data current as of 5/24/2012)

1. $550,000 : 4911 Ontonagon Way, Spring
   
   4 beds, 3 full baths

   Home size: 4,736 sq ft

   Lot size: 2.09 ac

   Year built: 2007

   Parking spots: 3

   Days on market: 5

   Listed with Keller Williams Realty The Woodlands
2. $590,000 : 4111 Maple Rapids Ln, Spring
   
   4 beds, 4 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 4,548 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.05 ac

   Year built: 2006

   Parking spots: 3

   Days on market: 6

   Listed with RE/MAX Vintage
3. $575,000 : 27427 Blue Cedar, Spring
   
   6 beds, 4 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 4,363 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.04 ac

   Year built: 2009

   Parking spots: 3

   Days on market: 6

   Listed with Keller Williams Realty The Woodlands
4. $597,000 : 28507 Amandas Way, Spring
   
   4 beds, 4 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 4,295 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.19 ac

   Year built: 2007

   Parking spots: 3

   Days on market: 21

   Listed with Keller Williams Realty The Woodlands
5. $444,900 : 28610 Benderwood Ct, Spring
   
   3 beds, 3 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 3,250 sq ft

   Year built: 2002

   Parking spots: 3

   Days on market: 21

   Listed with Keller Williams Realty The Woodlands
6. $589,000 : 5403 White Birch Run, Spring
   
   3 beds, 3 full baths

   Home size: 4,293 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.17 ac

   Year built: 2010

   Parking spots: 2

   Days on market: 22

   Listed with RE/MAX Vintage
7. $480,000 : 5583 Bright Timber Landing Dr, Spring
   
   5 beds, 4 full baths

   Home size: 4,548 sq ft

   Lot size: 22,715 sqft

   Year built: 2010

   Parking spots: 3

   Days on market: 25

   Listed with Coldwell Banker United, REALTORS
8. $964,900 : 27818 Ossineke Dr, Spring
   
   4 beds, 4 full, 2 part baths

   Home size: 6,781 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.27 ac

   Year built: 2008

   Parking spots: 4

   Days on market: 27

   Listed with Keller Williams Realty The Woodlands
9. $695,000 : 3011 Carrie Cove Ct, Spring
   
   5 beds, 6 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 5,845 sq ft

   Lot size: 1.18 ac

   Year built: 2005

   Parking spots: 2

   Days on market: 28

   Listed with RE/MAX Vintage
10. $709,900 : 3422 Benders Landing Blvd, Spring
    
    4 beds, 4 full, 1 part baths

    Home size: 5,050 sq ft

    Lot size: 43,560 sqft

    Year built: 2006

    Parking spots: 3

    Days on market: 29

    Listed with Keller Williams Realty The Woodlands
11. $535,900 : 4802 Pine Wood Meadows Ln, Spring
    
    5 beds, 4 full, 1 part baths

    Home size: 4,567 sq ft

    Lot size: 1.07 ac

    Year built: 2008

    Parking spots: 3

    Days on market: 33

    Listed with Coldwell Banker United, REALTORS
12. $450,000 : 28326 Woodsons Lake Dr, Spring
    
    3 beds, 3 full baths

    Home size: 3,124 sq ft

    Lot size: 43,560 sqft

    Year built: 2002

    Parking spots: 3

    Days on market: 37

    Listed with Houston Metro Properties & Inv
13. $585,655 : 27830 Quiet Sky Place, Spring
    
    5 beds, 4 full baths

    Home size: 4,280 sq ft

    Lot size: 22,400 sqft

    Year built: 2012

    Parking spots: 3

    Days on market: 45

    Listed with HomesUSA.com
14. $575,000 : 3914 Green Jade Dr, Spring
    
    4 beds, 3 full, 1 part baths

    Home size: 4,130 sq ft

    Lot size: 43,560 sqft

    Year built: 2007

    Parking spots: 3

    Days on market: 48

    Listed with Keller Williams Realty The Woodlands
15. $565,000 : 27630 E Benders Landing, Spring
    
    4 beds, 3 full, 1 part baths

    Home size: 4,778 sq ft

    Lot size: 43,560 sqft

    Year built: 2006

    Parking spots: 3

    Days on market: 55

    Listed with RE/MAX Vintage
16. $539,900 : 28503 Benders Dock Ct, Spring
    
    4 beds, 4 full, 1 part baths

    Home size: 4,154 sq ft

    Lot size: 43,560 sqft

    Year built: 2003

    Parking spots: 3

    Days on market: 66

    Listed with RE/MAX The Woodlands & Spring
17. $3,750 : 28503 Benders Dock Ct, Spring
    
    4 beds, 4 full, 1 part baths

    Home size: 4,154 sq ft

    Lot size: 43,560 sqft

    Year built: 2003

    Parking spots: 3

    Days on market: 66

    Listed with RE/MAX The Woodlands & Spring
18. $399,500 : 5418 Harvest Oak Landing Dr, Spring
    
    4 beds, 3 full, 1 part baths

    Home size: 3,453 sq ft

    Lot size: 1.00 ac

    Year built: 2009

    Parking spots: 2

    Days on market: 67

    Listed with Kingston Realty Group
19. $725,000 : 4006 Mrsny Ct, Spring
    
    4 beds, 4 full, 1 part baths

    Home size: 4,952 sq ft

    Lot size: 43,560 sqft

    Year built: 2004

    Parking spots: 3

    Days on market: 69

    Listed with Coldwell Banker United,
20. $675,000 : 4010 Amberlee Ct, Spring
    
    4 beds, 4 full, 1 part baths

    Home size: 4,585 sq ft

    Lot size: 43,560 sqft

    Year built: 2007

    Parking spots: 3

    Days on market: 74

    Listed with Keller Williams Realty The Woodlands

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