Home Buying Tips

August 17, 2009

Time’s Running Out

In a short 105 days it will be November 30th and the $8,000 first time homebuyers tax credit will expire.  Whether the tax credit will be extended beyond November 30th, 2009 or whether a different version of it will be available are two questions I can not answer.  Nor I am willing to go out on a […]
July 27, 2009

Who repairs the nail holes?

What should a home’s condition be on closing day?  According to our Texas residential real estate contract, sellers are contractually obligated to deliver the property to the Buyer in the same condition as on the date the contract was executed; normal wear and tear expected.  Sound vague?  It sure does.  Our Texas real estate contract […]
July 22, 2009

10 questions to ask your mortgage lender

When shopping for a loan for your Spring Texas home you need to compare and consider more than just a lender’s interest rate.  Granted the interest rate is a large factor but you should also include the mortgage lender’s service, other fees, and terms in your decision. To help you decide which mortgage lender is the best for you, ask and […]
July 13, 2009

Cost of Living Calculator for Spring Texas

One of the many things you will want to know before relocating to Spring Texas is how the cost of living compares to the city you are moving from.  CNN money has recently developed a cost of living calculator to help you with just this task. Since the cost of living calculator does not have Spring Texas as an option […]
July 6, 2009

Who has lower real estate taxes Montgomery County or Harris County?

If I was to do a telephone survey to Montgomery county homeowners to find out the answer to “Who has lower real estate taxes Montgomery county or Harris county?”  I would predict 80% of the survey respondents would say Montgomery county.  And they would be partially right. Partially right because Montgomery county real estate taxes […]
July 4, 2009

Air conditioners should be neither seen nor heard

When I was out previewing new construction homes in Spring Texas for a buyer, I saw something I had never seen before.  Located in the backyard, right outside the home’s breakfast room window were two big air conditioners. I have seen air conditioners before but not air conditioners located in a home’s backyard.  So I wondered what could have possibly possessed […]
June 29, 2009

Can Real Estate agents show the homes listed by brokers other than their own?

A term most buyers are not familiar with is broker reciprocity. What broker reciprocity means is that as a Spring Texas real estate agent I can show you any real estate company’s listings. It doesn’t matter whether the “For Sale” sign in the yard says ReMax, Coldwell Banker, Better Homes and Gardens Gary Greene, or any other real estate company […]
June 21, 2009

Top 5 benefits of having a Spring Texas buyer’s agent

Before 1994, buyer’s agency did not exist in Texas.  All real estate agents worked for the seller as either the listing agent or the seller’s subagent.  Nobody in the real estate transaction was representing and watching out for the best interests of the homebuyer. Fast forward 15 years and buyer’s agency still is not available in all states which is […]
June 19, 2009

Best time ever to purchase a Spring Texas home

Right now is one of the best times ever to purchase a Spring Texas home because apartment rentals are projected to increase, our local Spring Texas housing market remains affordable, consumer confidence is increasing, mortgage interest rates are hovering around 5%, and if you are going to be a first time homebuyer there is an additional incentive of […]