January 22, 2010

Sellers contribution to buyers closing costs slashed 50%

This week the FHA announced changes for FHA home loans. The good news is the changes were not as drastic nor potentially devastating to the housing industry as what they could have been. In a nutshell, the changes which will become effective sometime this summer are: 1. Maximum seller contribution to buyers closing costs reduced […]

January 20, 2010

Winter is bragging season

Every area of the country has at least one time of the year when their weather is superior to other parts of the country. I refer to this as “bragging season”. It’s the time of the year when you call your friends and family to brag about how beautiful the weather is where you live in comparison to where […]

January 18, 2010

Where are the buyers?

You have probably heard of the saying “Fish where the fish are”. It means that the best way to catch a fish is to fish where the fish are. Sounds logical. The same principle applies to Spring Texas real estate . If you want to sell your home you need to have your home’s listing where the […]

January 15, 2010

Spring Texas Real Estate 2009 – Year in Review

With the February 2009 numbers of home sales down 30% and median sales price down 16%, the Spring Texas real estate market was off to a frightening start. The 8.5% of the Houston Realtors who decided not to practice real estate at the end of 2008 were starting to look like the smart ones in the room. As we […]

January 13, 2010

How do damage points affect your FICO credit score?

Over the years, the secret behind how your credit score is calculated and how different “what ifs?” affect it have been guarded better than the Bush’s baked beans recipe . That is until recently as FICO has shared how different “what if?” scenarios can affect your credit scores . Did you max out your Macy’s card over Christmas? Expect a […]

January 11, 2010

Water costs on the rise …… AGAIN!!!

That’s right again! Last summer, the cost of watering my Spring Texas yard increased and I wrote a post about it titled “Are the days of cheap water gone?”. The answer to the question was Yes. The portion of my water bill identified as Regional Water Authority had increased from $0.99 to $1.50 per 1,000 gallons. An increase […]

January 8, 2010

8 ways for homeowners to save money

Did the holidays drain your bank account? If so, here are some tips to help you save money on the costs of homeownership this year. 1. Claim all your real estate tax exemptions – one of the easiest ways to reduce the taxes on your Spring Texas home is to claim the homestead exemption offered by the state. Go to […]

January 6, 2010

Tax credits for move-up home buyers

If you are looking to buy a house in Spring Texas this year, there is a good chance you are familiar with the first time home buyers tax credit. But did you know the expanded and extended homebuyers tax credit bill that was passed in November 2009 contained a tax credit for what is being […]

January 4, 2010

how to reduce spring texas property taxes

The easiest way to save money on your real estate taxes

Content UPDATED for 2021 – filing for a homestead exemption is still the easiest way to save money on your real estate taxes. These days we are all looking for ways to save money whether it be on our grocery bill or our real estate tax bill. The easiest way to save money on your Spring Texas […]

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