National Open House Weekend June 4 and June 5, 2011
Written by Jill Wente on June 3rd, 2011 categories: Home Buyer Information | views
Are you in the market to buy a house in Spring Texas? If so, this weekend (June 4th and 5th) is a great time to get out and view some homes. As many local Spring Texas Realtors along with numerous state and local real estate associations will be participating in the second National Open House weekend.
If you fall in love with a house you view during an open house, keep your thoughts to yourself. If you don’t you will weaken your negotiation power. As the Realtor who is holding the house open works for the sellers and is obligated to share everything you say about the house to the sellers. If you love it, tell your buyer’s agent and not the listing agent.
If you are considering putting your house on the Spring Texas real estate market, this weekend is a great opportunity for you to size up your competition. Is your competition really wanting to sell? Or does their house look more like their home and less like a product?
On Sunday, June 5th, 2011, from 2 to 4 pm I will be hosting an open house at 19810 Shavon Springs in the Louetta Lakes subdivision. If you have time, please stop by and see me.
More information including video and descriptions for 19810 Shavon Springs Spring TX 77388. Located just a 1/2 block from the community’s 4+ acre lake and in MOVE-IN CONDITION, it won’t be long before this home goes from “For Sale” to “SOLD”.
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Preparing for hurricane season
Written by Jill Wente on June 1st, 2011 categories: Home Buyer Information | views
Today, June 1st is the start of hurricane season. Will this be the year another Allison or Ike comes to pay us a visit? Who knows? But now is the time to prepare.
Put together a basic hurricane emergency supply kit that includes: a three day supply of water and non-perishable food, flashlight and extra batteries, battery powered radio, first aid kit, can opener, wrench, and garbage bags.
Review your homeowners insurance policy. Is your coverage up to date? Take photos and collect receipts of hard to replace items.
Do you have flood insurance on your home? Don’t wait until there is a named storm in the Gulf to call your insurance agent because at that point it is too late. As all flood insurance policies have a 30 day waiting period before they become effective.
A common misconception is that flood insurance is part of your homeowners insurance policy. It is not. Flood insurance is a separate insurance policy. If you don’t have flood insurance on your Spring Texas home, you should seriously consider getting it. If you are not in the 100 year flood zone, the cost is relatively inexpensive at around $325 a year.
Read also:
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Memorial Day Holiday = Memorial Day Savings
Written by Jill Wente on May 27th, 2011 categories: Discover Spring Texas | views
Do you have some projects you’ve been meaning to do around your Spring Texas house? Maybe a fresh coat of paint on the dining room walls? Or maybe you have been meaning to change out your light bulbs for those energy efficient CFL bulbs.
Whatever your project, Memorial Day weekend is the time to shop for it. Home Depot, Lowes, Sherwin Williams are all running sales. Plus the State of Texas is wanting to help save you some money by throwing a Tax Free Holiday on EnergyStar products and appliances.
The Tax Free Holiday runs from May 28th – May 30th, 2011 on:
- Programmable thermostats
- Dishwashers
- Ceiling Fans
- Refrigerators below $2,000
- Air Conditioners below $6,000
- Clothes washers
- Incandescent and Fluorescent light bulbs
Grab yourself some savings and get out there and shop for those “honey do” projects this weekend. The actual doing of the project can wait till next weekend.
More information about the tax free holiday is available at www.texaspowerfulsmart.org
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Bugs, Beer, and Bands
Written by Jill Wente on May 13th, 2011 categories: Events and Activities | views
Are you ready for some bugs, beer, and bands? Then you will want to make plans now to attend the 25th annual Crawfish Festival at Old Town Spring Texas. Enjoy your fill of over 25 tons of delectable crawfish, listen to live rock, zydeco, country, blues and bluegrass music being performed on 3 stages, and party with 150,000 of what will soon become your closest friends.
Here’s the need to know details on the 2011 Old Town Spring Crawfish Festival:
When: May 13 – 15 and May 20 – 22
Hours: Fridays – 6 pm to midnight, Saturdays – noon to midnight, and Sundays – noon to 6 pm
Where: Preservation Park in Old Town Spring located at 130 Spring School Rd Spring TX, 77373
How Much?
Tickets: $12 at the gate and free to kids 12 and under when accompanied by an adult. You can save a little green by purchasing your tickets online for $8 but there is a $1.43 service fee.
Parking: $7 – bring cash because they don’t accept credit cards for the parking.
More details on Old Town Spring’s Crawfish Festival including the music line up are available at www.texascrawfishfestival.com.
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The home selling process
Written by Jill Wente on April 30th, 2011 categories: Home Seller Information | views
Are you getting ready to put your house on the Spring Texas real estate market? Are you going to be a first time home seller? If so, you are bound to have tons of questions about the home selling process.
Mint.com, a personal finance site, has an excellent infographic summarizing the home selling process because sometimes pictures really are worth a thousand words. You can find a lot more great information about selling your Spring Texas home in the Home Seller Information section of our site.
Click to view the entire infographic
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Majority of Harris County home values remain unchanged for 2011
Written by Jill Wente on April 27th, 2011 categories: Property Taxes | views
For 2011 the Harris County Appraisal District tax assessed:
- 8% of single family homes at an increase over 2010
- 73% of single family homes at the same as 2010
- 19% of single family homes at a decrease over 2010
If the tax assessed value of your Spring Texas home remained the same or decreased in value over 2010 should you protest your real estate taxes? I say “Yes, you should”.
Why?? Just because the tax assessed value of your home remained the same or even decreased in value is NO guarantee that you are not overpaying. Maybe your tax assessed value was too high last year. Or maybe your tax assessed value decreased even further. If you don’t want to protest the tax assessed value of your Spring Texas home yourself, you can always hire a property tax advisor for you. The majority of property tax advisors structure their fees such that if they don’t reduce your property taxes they don’t get paid.
- What’s the difference between appraised vs market value?
- How to protest your Spring Texas real estate taxes?
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More construction at I45 and Louetta
Written by Jill Wente on April 25th, 2011 categories: Dining and Entertainment | views
Panera Bread will be the fourth restaurant to open a store at the busy NW corner of I-45 and Louetta in Spring Texas. As they will soon be the new neighbor of Cheddar’s, Juan & Lefty’s, and Furr’s Fresh Buffet.
Cheddar’s and Juan & Lefty’s are currently open and doing brisk business. While Furr’s Fresh Buffet should not be far behind. If you are wanting to work at Furr’s, here’s your opportunity. They are holding a job fair through April 29th for waitstaff, bar service staff, cooks, and dish room attendants.
When Juan & Lefty’s and Furr’s Fresh Buffet were under construction there were no signs announcing their arrival. They kept us guessing until their signs were installed on the buildings.
Panera Bread on the other hand have annouced their arrival with a coming soon sign even before their foundation’s slab has been poured. Soon can not be soon enough for me as I love Panera Bread’s soup, sandwiches, and the Macaroni and Cheese that brings back fond childhood memories.
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Spring Texas Real Estate: Market Report March 2011
Written by Jill Wente on April 20th, 2011 categories: Spring Texas Real Estate Market Reports | views
What’s going on with the Spring Texas Real Estate Market? Surprisingly, Sales are up 14% over last March and Sales YTD are up 2%. Due to the flurry of activity created by last year’s home buyer tax credits, a decrease in home sales is what was expected which is why an increase is so surprising. 
A 10% increase in the number of homes on the Spring Texas real estate market is putting pressure on home prices. As both the average sales price and the median sales price are in negative territory for the year. The good news is the decreases are not significant as they are less than 10%. Heading into the Spring selling season the months of inventory remain high at 7.5 months. putting the negotiating power firmly in the hands of home buyers.
Interest rates for 30-year home loans are still bouncing around increasing the need for buyers to lock their interest rates as soon as possible. Also impacting home loans is the increase by the FHA of the monthly mortgage insurance premium which took effect on April 18th. On a $150,000 home loan, the cost of an FHA loan increased by 28%.
I anticipate an increase in Spring Texas homes for sale next month as sellers have begun to come out in droves in anticipation of what hopes to be a busy summer selling season. If you are wanting to buy a home but not finding what you want, don’t despair because more inventory is on its way.
Want more numbers? Check out past Spring Texas real estate market reports.
The data represented is from the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University and the Houston Association of Realtors MLS for single family existing homes in Area 13. Area 13 covers the geographic boundaries of East – I45 to West – Hwy 249 to South – Beltway 8 to North – Spring Cypress. A good portion of the houses in MLS area 13 have a Spring Texas mailing address.
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Are your pets stopping your house from selling?
Written by Jill Wente on April 11th, 2011 categories: Home Seller Information | views
Your pets provide you with companionship. They are always thrilled to see you. They shower you with unconditional love and they are a special part of your family. But your lovable pets could also be stopping your Spring Texas house from selling.
Buyers and sometimes even buyers who are pet lovers will be put off by evidence of pets when they view your home. Buyers don’t want to see pet bowls, toys, beds, bones, and hair. Buyers don’t want to smell litter boxes. Buyers don’t want to see the scratches your pets made on the doors, floors, and windows. Buyers don’t want to be concerned about your pet biting or scratching them. Nor do buyers want to hear pets whimpering or barking.
Make arrangements for your dog to be at a neighbor’s house or take him for a walk during showings. Because putting your dogs in the backyard for showings won’t work. Buyers don’t want to view only your house. Buyers want to view your house AND your backyard.
When you put your house on the Spring Texas real estate market, you need to do everything you possibly can to increase the pool of potential buyers for it. Don’t limit yourself to only buyers who are pet lovers.
Read also:
- Top 30 things to do before putting your house on the real estate market
- Top 7 tips on showing your house
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When should you start your hunt for a house?
Written by Jill Wente on April 8th, 2011 categories: Home Buyer Information | views
You have your down payment saved up and you are ready to move out of your cramped 1 bed apartment and buy a Spring Texas house. But you don’t want to be paying for both an apartment and a house for too long so when should you start your hunt for a house?
To minimize your overlap of housing expenses, you should start viewing Spring Texas homes for sale 90 days before the end of your apartment lease. This would give you time to get pre-approved for a loan, 40 days to find the right home and get it into contract, 45 days to get it financed, and 5 days to move from your apartment to your new home. If it takes you longer than 40 days to find the right home, you can always renew your lease on a month to month basis until you do find the right home.
A good place to learn more about buying a home is by reading our first time home buyers guide to buying a home. In it, we cover the steps of finding and buying a home from getting pre-approved for a home loan to searching for a home to negotiating the contract to getting the home inspected to getting the home insured to getting it appraised to what to expect on closing day to what you should do after you move-in.
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