Selling this spring? Start cleaning now

Spring is the busiest time of the year for selling a home. The trees are budding, the grass is green, the songbirds return, and homebuyers feel the urge to begin their home-buying search.

January is one of the best times for home-sellers to begin the home-selling process. If you are planning to sell your home in the spring, January is the time to start moving. Successful home-sellers know there is more to selling a house than simply putting a “for sale” sign in the front yard, negotiating the top price for their home, and handing the keys over to the next homeowner. In today’s economy, your home has to sparkle to differentiate it from the competition. The drive-up must be inviting, the interior must be spotless, and the price must truly be competitive.

January is a good time to put the yard and exterior of the home back in “drive-by” condition. A brisk January day is a good time to clean up the debris blown into your yard by the winter winds. Rake up the stray leaves and trim the dormant bushes and hedges. If it is warm enough, wash the windows and wash or repaint the exterior doors. Clean the rain gutters. And while you have the ladder out, take down the Christmas lights. The lights looked nice in December, but now, some of the bulbs are burned out, so take them down. The new buyers can design their own lighting scheme next year.

January is also a perfect time to spread some weed and feed fertilizer on the lawn. Make sure the grass really is greener at your house than the other houses on the block. A tidy, green lawn will help your house sell quicker.

January is also a good time to get the interior of your home ready for the spring selling season. While preparing to sell your home, take some time to really inspect your home’s interior. Enter your house and look at it the way a new buyer will look at it. Pretend you are visiting for the first time. Now, start removing things. Donate or sell the items you really don’t use, put away the items of sentimental value and remove the items that are truly high-value. Remove everything you don’t want lost, broken, or touched.

The candlesticks you received as a wedding present from Grandma 20 years ago may be nice, and the dusty Kitchenaid mixer, sitting on the kitchen counter, will be handy when you make Halloween cookies in 10 months, but new buyers won’t appreciate them. The same goes for your child’s first-grade drawing proudly posted on the refrigerator door. They all have meaning to you, but put them in storage! They detract from the house.

Donate the sneakers you purchased to run the marathon you never entered. Pack that high school prom dress you will never wear again. No matter how nice your “stuff,” buyers want to see your house, not your possessions or memories. You are planning to move so pack your keepsakes, unused kitchen tools, and clothes that are too small, too old, or too outdated to wear.

You really won’t miss the items, and buyers will be able to “see” the house more clearly. You are selling your house, not your stuff … so remove it. The more you remove, the bigger your home will appear to prospective buyers. Rent a storage space if you have to and clean out the closets. It will be money well spent!

After removing all the clutter (including most of your family pictures), start cleaning. Really clean. A quick vacuum of the carpet will not make your home “showroom ready” to potential buyers. Deep clean. Have the carpets professionally cleaned, scrub the tile and vinyl flooring, clean the baseboards, wipe down the door and window frames, disinfect the bathrooms, and scour the oven and cooktop.

Do it all! If the walls have spots that can’t be cleaned, paint the walls. If the carpet can’t be cleaned, replace the carpet. Everything you do today to improve your home’s appearance will pay dividends when you sell, either through a higher price, a quicker sale, or easier negotiating. Buyers tend to “horrible-ize” any blemish in a house and hold your house to an idealized standard. Remember, the used house you are selling is a buyer’s new house, so they expect it to be in new-house condition.

Finally, after all the yard work is complete and the interior pristine, you are ready to begin the most competitive portion of the home selling process … pricing and marketing. I recommend speaking with a Texas REALTOR® to maximize your competitive edge when marketing your home. According to the National Association of REALTORS® 2011 Profile of Texas Home Buyers and Sellers, only 8% of sellers sold their home without the assistance of a real estate agent, and half of those sellers knew the buyers prior to the home sale. If you don’t already know the name of the next buyer of your house (only 4% of sellers do), can you really afford to miss the remaining 96% of the buyers?

Interview several Texas REALTORS®, ask them for their professional opinion of the value of your home, request a comparative market analysis, known in the real estate business as a CMA (and usually provided free of charge) of similar homes in your area, compare marketing plans presented by these Texas REALTORS® … and, finally, listen to their advice.

To sell your house this spring, start the process now. Dig out the cleaning supplies, de-clutter your house, call a Texas REALTOR®, and get started. Today.

Are Homeowners Glad They Own?

It might come as a surprise but a whopping 72 percent of surveyed homeowners nationwide are
satisfied with owning a home. The other 28 percent, not so. They say they’re
dissatisfied and that’s likely due to the devaluation of their homes.

But surprisingly, of those who were satisfied with owning a home, only 24 percent said it was
because of home appreciation. The majority, 76 percent, had many other reasons
they were happy to own their own home including the one that proves the
American Dream is alive and well: pride of homeownership. Following closely
behind were the freedom to control their home improvements and upgrades. All
this according to HomeGain’s 2012 National Home Ownership Satisfaction Survey.

Of those who were unsatisfied with owning their home, 63 percent blamed depreciation as the root
of their dissatisfaction. However, the cost of owning a home, such as paying
for property taxes, homeowner’s association fees, upkeep, and routine repairs,
also sucked the joy out of homeownership and led this group of 37 percent to be
unhappy about homeownership. On the bright side,
most – three out of four – are very happy with homeownership even in spite of
such rocky real estate times where declines in home values have crippled some
homeowners severely.

The survey polled homeowners all across the country. So you might be wondering is there a
connection between where you live and how satisfied you are with owning a home?

The highest percentage of satisfied homeowners comes from the Northeast where there is 77-percent
satisfaction, according to HomeGain. Pulling in at a close second is the
Southeast at 73 percent satisfaction. The West and Midwest were at 71 percent and 68 percent, respectively.

Those who purchased their homes within a timeframe of the past three to eight years were the least
satisfied. If they bought more than eight years ago, they tended to be more satisfied.

The higher-end market was the least satisfied with owning a home, especially if they paid more
than $800,000 for it. This group’s dissatisfaction rate was 69 percent. But
those who purchased homes for under $75,000 are cheering. This group’s
satisfaction rate was 77 percent.

Of course, a lot of homes are sold through foreclosure and short sale, which, depending on the side
of the sale you’re on, can leave you satisfied or very dissatisfied. Those
purchasing a foreclosed or short sale had the highest satisfaction ratings; 79
percent and 83 percent, respectively.

New and existing homes didn’t fare so well with homeowners. They were fairly dissatisfied and
showed it in a 73 percent and 71 percent rating, respectively. Most seemed to
have expected an increase in the value of their home and when depreciation hit,
this highly disappointed them, making this the primary reason for their dissatisfaction.

An interesting statistic may reflect the need for freedom from being tied down to a home and
its maintenance as well as other costs. Homeowners ranging from 18 to 25 were
the least satisfied (45 percent) with owning.

On the other end of the spectrum, those homeowners between 55 to 65, were the most satisfied with
their homeownership. This group’s satisfaction rating was 76 percent.

HomeGain collected some comments from some of the surveyed homeowners. Here’s how one satisfied
homeowner summarizes homeownership, “Just knowing I own it.

I rented a house two times after owning a home for 16 years, and I do NOT like relying on,
and dealing with, a landlord! I also feel pride in owning my home. I just bought a house 8 months ago and am very happy!”

Why Homes in the Woodlands and Spring are a Match Made in Heaven

Not everybody knows how seasons can affect how well a home can get sold or bought. Well, spring would be the best season to do so in the Woodlands due to the weather and the changes that occur during the season. This is also why homes in the Woodlands and spring agree with one another, among other reasons.

First of all, without a doubt, everybody has more time during the spring because every other season is much busier; there are summer vacations, Thanksgiving holidays and Christmas holidays, after all. The best thing about the spring is the weather. because it is so warm, it would be much more convenient to take a look at different homes within the area. Plus, if you have children, spring break will give you the perfect opportunity to take a look at how homes in the Woodlands and spring go well together.

Another reason why it would be best to look at the Woodlands homes during the spring is because down payments won’t be as much trouble during this season compared to the busier months. This is also the time when house sales remain steady while other months usually see a drop in house sales.

When looking at buying homes in the Woodlands and spring, you might come to notice that many more choices will be available to you. However, you will also have to remember that the competition is sure to be higher, too, and so sellers will be much more strict with the prices, whereas other months might give you cheaper prices because of the lower demand. Now, if it is a mortgage you are looking for, off-peak months would also be the best time to look for great deals.

It would also be much easier to negotiate during the off-peak months because the offers will be less overall. This may results in less choices when it comes to the homes, but they won’t exactly be extremely limited. There will still be many homes available for you; don’t worry.

One buyer tip you should really know: when selling your old home to make way for a new one in the Woodlands, you should think ahead and sell before anything else. This will help get rid of any unnecessary selling stress that might come about when time starts closing in and money starts becoming a problem. Remember: you won’t be able to pay off two mortgages together, so do something about it before that happens.

When you should look into buying or selling homes should ultimately depend on your own circumstances, though. However, if you want it comes to the Woodlands, looking into homes in the Woodlands and spring would usually be best.

Jutta “Utah” Burden’s Market Update!

How to Eliminate Risk in Real Estate Investment!

Magnolia Texas Real Estate

Real Estate Business

In the real estate business in Magnolia Texas, it can be difficult to navigate the relationships between the three primary actors in the real estate industry. Sellers are attempting to regain every last dollar that they have previously invested in their homes, and possibly make a little extra on the side. Buyers, on the other hand, are hoping to encounter that awesome real estate property for a steal of a price. The real estate agents in Magnolia Texas simply play the role of ambassador between these two groups, attempting to assure that they find the right buyer for the right home at the right price. The real estate industry is extremely complicated due to the varying and sometimes clashing interests of these three groups. It is very important that a prospective buyer contact a real estate professional immediately after they decide to begin shopping for a new home. The process of house hunting can be lengthy and complicated and is best begun as soon as possible. As a specialist in the field, real estate agents in Magnolia Texas can dexterously navigate the complex network of interests and relationships that is the real estate industry.

The Best Deal

In the Magnolia Texas real estate business, sellers are looking to leave their old real estate property with the best deal that they can score for themselves. When they bought the home, it is possible that it was worth more than it is now at the time of sale. In this instance, the seller in Magnolia Texas is going to try to list the home at the price that they paid for the home, even when it is really worth less in today’s market. Another interest of a sellers interests could be that the seller sunk a lot of money into the home upgrading appliances and interior aspects, and is now looking to make that money back, on top of the price they paid for the home, in the sale. It is also possible that the seller is attempting to escape a major repair to the home by cutting their losses and selling it, so that they do not have to be the ones to take the hit for the maintenance. No matter what the contrary interests of the seller, real estate specialists are expert in decoding the language of the sticker price of a home. They know what homes in the particular area in which a buyer is looking should be priced at and they can skillfully translate the seller’s intentions out of their deviation from this standard price level.

Real Estate Agents

Buyers in Magnolia Texas, on the other hand, are most of the time bargain shopping for the best home at the best price possible. Real estate agents can assist here as well; by making sure to show each homeowner to the real esate listings that they feel are genuinely good deals. Looking at a home in Magnolia Texas on a strict numerical price basis can be misleading to a prospective buyer. Real estate agents can assist the buyer in this circumstance, as they know where all of the “catches” can be in a real estate deal. It is absolutely necessary for every buyer in Magnolia Texas to consult an agent before they hop on a real estate deal that they think is red hot. Sometimes, these deals can simply mean that a homeowner is desperate to get rid of their home because there is some sort of structural fault that they hope remains hidden. Real estate agents can pick up on these vibes and help uncover hidden issues with a sale that they frequently see in the business. No one wants to get stuck with a home that has so many issues that it was not worth the investment. By throwing red flags where they usually see price issues, real estate agents can assist prospective homebuyers to avoid that nagging feeling of regret after a bad purchase. Do not get tied up in what you think is a real estate steal and then realize that the home truly was a pit for your money, as it needed half the closing price in repairs.

Magnolia Texas Real Estate

Real estate agents are the go betweens for the industry that attempt to create a space in which the real estate interests of the buyer and the seller meet. Buyers want to feel as if they are getting their money’s worth. Sellers want to feel that they have made the money back that they have put into their homes as an investment. Real estate agents play the tough, yet essential, role of assuring that both sides of the transaction receive exactly what they deserve and want.

Why is it Best to Buy Homes in Spring?

 A lot of people seem to be unaware that a lot of places in Texas are actually good places to buy homes to live in. Spring happens to one of the best of them as the weather there is warm most of the time. People will especially love to buy homes in Spring during the warmer seasons due to various reasons.

For one, people have a lot more time to waste during the warmer months compared to other busier seasons. Plus, because the weather is warmer overall, it would be much more convenient to move around in search of homes. Buyers would also prefer to move during spring break before school starts up again and this is probably one of the bigger reasons why more families move to new homes in Spring during that time.

The weather aside, people usually get tax returns early on, as well, making home down payments much easier to deal with compared to other months. In fact, overall, house sales in general remain steady in Spring during the warmer months and drop during the busier months of the year.

If you are a buyer, you are sure to have a much wider variety to choose from in Spring compared to other places in Texas, though the competition might be much higher, as well. This conversely translates to sellers keeping to their original asking prices. Now, if you want to find a mortgage in Spring, you will probably find much better deals if you apply in the off-peak seasons.

During off-peak seasons, sellers will more likely negotiate when it comes to price, as well, because not a lot of offers will be present then. So, although your choices of homes might not be huge, they still won’t be completely limited. A lot of homes in Spring will still be for sale this season.

As an extra tip: if you have plans of buying a brand new home and selling your home, you need to make sure you sell yours as early as possible, so you can alleviate some stress from selling your house because of financial pressure and time constraints. After all, you will now want to pay for two mortgages at the same time, right?

Now, the greatest homes to buy in Spring might still be relative to personal circumstances and preferences, though. So find out what would work best for you first, so you can put the seasons to your advantage and look into those homes in Spring that truly cater to your needs.

Texas economy still best; 2012 looks to mirror 2011

David S. Jones | columnist

Dec. 27, 2011

On New Year’s Eve, many bid farewell to the old year by singing “Auld Lang Syne” lyrics that include, “Should old acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind.“

Apparently, it will be hard to forget 2011 because 2012 is expected to look pretty much like it.

If the experts are correct, however, Texans will again have more to sing about in the New Year than will their fellow Americans.

Texas: Slow but still leading

Real Estate Center Chief Economist Mark Dotzour, Ph.D., sees “modest, positive economic growth” for the nation in the next 12 months. Nationally, he expects 2012 to look something like 2003-06.

By comparison, Dotzour predicts a “much more robust economic outlook” for Texas in the coming year. He bases this on documented evidence that Texas dramatically outperformed the United States in 2011.

The state’s positive job growth came not only in the energy industry but also in construction, manufacturing, retail, transportation, professional business services, health care, and hospitality.

“Job growth is occurring in nearly all Texas metro areas and is likely to continue into 2012,” says Dotzour.

Wait-and-see election watch

Real Estate Center residential expert Jim Gaines, Ph.D., doesn’t expect major business and investment decisions until after the 2012 election. Even then, he predicts first quarter 2013 will be sluggish despite what should be low interest rates through 2013.

Gaines believes the U.S. housing market will remain steady with no major movement in 2012. He says Texas and local housing markets should show some modest improvement but no major upgrade.

“In general, Texas’s housing markets in 2012 are expected to show small, but nevertheless positive gains,” Gaines says. “The projected levels of home sales, prices, and new construction statewide for 2012 and into 2013 indicate gradual improvement. This gradual improvement should also prevail in most local markets, with some doing better than others based on local factors.”

Dotzour says buyers and sellers are aware there is a “shadow inventory” of between 4.5 million and 6 million homes that have delinquent loans and will soon need to be sold.

“It is unlikely that home sales volume will return until this overhang of distressed houses sells to investors,” he says. “Unfortunately, the foreclosure process is severely retarded from the normal pace.”

Distressed commercial sales going up

According to commercial real estate insiders, distressed sales are on the way up. Real Estate Center Research Economist Harold Hunt, Ph.D., talked with Texas commercial real estate professionals about the outlook for 2012.

Real Capital Analytics reports about $1.2 trillion in commercial real estate assets were traded nationally between 2005 and 2007.

“For the most part, these assets are still being held by those purchasers,” Russell Ingrum, managing director of investment sales in the CB Richard Ellis Houston office, recently told Hunt. “As a result, many of them will come up for sale in the next four years, depending on holding period, market conditions, and so on.”

These properties could represent $200 billion per year in transactions. Many of them will be in the distressed category because of when they were purchased.

“If you are a broker, you should consider focusing on what traded back then,” says Ingrum.

Stagnant land market

“The trouble is we have not dealt with the problems that caused 2008,” says Research Economist Charles Gilliland, Ph.D., the Center’s authority on rural land. “In the early 1980s, the Latin American sovereign debt defaults wrecked balance sheets.

“The solution was to pretend that nothing had really happened and let the economy come back to allow write offs of those bad debts. This time we are trying the same thing, but the recovery is not happening.

“Nobody knows how long it might be before a reckoning ensues. It would appear that an increasing number of observers are deciding that it is going to be a while. So, with that preamble, I’m thinking that the land market is likely to extend recent trends through 2012.

“Those are fewer sales than had been the norm. Smaller sales than had been the norm because larger properties still are not selling. Overall, it looks like a rather stagnant market.”

Oil shines bright in Texas

“The Texas story is brighter,” confirms Dotzour. “For the past 15 years, Texas seems to double the U.S. economy in terms of job growth. It will continue to do so in 2012.”

Dotzour sums up the Texas economic outlook heading into 2012 and beyond …

“The oil and gas industry is on fire,” he says. “We are experiencing job growth in all sectors except for government and information. Our population is expanding. People are migrating here from places like California and Illinois, where taxes are much higher and regulations more prohibitive. Businesses and investors are cautiously hopeful that the economic environment in America could become substantially more attractive in 2013.”

Magnolia Real Estate

Real Estate Property in Magnolia

Do you sink thousands of dollars each year into hotels in the area of your family’s favorite vacation spot? Do you wish that those thousands could have been invested in a piece of real estate in Magnolia that could possibly increase in its value in the years to come? You should contact your Magnolia real estate agent to discuss options in the market of Magnolia real estate. For the family that has already paid off their home and is now looking to vacation in order to spend their slush money, a vacation home is an absolutely brilliant real estate investment. Not only will your family enjoy the time that they spend at your new piece of Magnolia real estate and you enjoy the benefits of renting out your home during the off season, but also you will be able to sell the property at a higher price later on as the property values rise in your favorite vacation town. A vacation home is a healthy and fun way to invest your cash in the Magnolia real estate market.

Your Family

You love every moment that you spend with your family on vacation, don’t you? It is always so hard to leave and you almost always wish that you could go back on vacation the very next day, as you strut through the door of the office, sporting your new suntan. Investing in a piece of vacation real estate in Magnolia will allow you and your family to remain on vacation longer and return to vacation more frequently. A large portion of travel expenses goes to the hotel or condominium in which you are staying. Imagine, years from now, when you have completely paid off your vacation real estate. You can return to your hideaway for free. No more hotel fees for you. This will allow you ultimate freedom to vacation when you want in the place that you love so much.

Real Estate Rental

During the weeks that you are not in your beloved new real estate property, you can rent it out to tourists who are begging to experience the comfort of your real estate. This will allow you to pay off the real estate’s mortgage and, eventually, will allow you to make money off of owning your own real estate. It does not get much better than returning to your vacation real estate property each season, knowing that you have paid for it all simply by allowing other people to come and enjoy your property. Owning your own vacation real estate is fabulous in this way. You benefit financially as much as you do emotionally. So, sit back in that beach chair, sip on your fruity beverage and bask in the fact that you are making money doing so. That is truly the best job in the world.

Real Estate Property in Magnolia

Eventually, once your secret hideaway vacation spot becomes well known and flooded with tourists, your property will be worth more than ever. At this time you are met with an opportunity. Continue renting out the place and raking in the benefits, or cash out and begin all over again in a less known vacation area. You see, you have full control when you purchase a piece of vacation real estate. If you decide that you now wish to vacation on the other coast, just sell your vacation real estate, pack up all those hundred dollar bills and go reinvest in a vacation real estate property that is more suitable for your vacation desires. There is no loss in this scenario. Continue operating the home and become that hotel owner that you used to pay to visit your beloved vacation spot, or sell out and get yourself a fresh new perspective. It is entirely up to you.

Magnolia Real Estate

Once you have paid off your traditional home, you do not merely have to pull away from the real estate market. Put yourself dead in the middle of it by purchasing a vacation real estate property. Take in all the cash that you used to throw away to hotel operators and enjoy doing so. Who wouldn’t want to vacation more and eventually make money doing so?

Homes Spring Texas

Purchasing Homes

Everyone in Spring Texas eventually experiences that moment of clarity in which they realize that they are at a point in their lives at which they should look into purchasing a home of their own. No more pouring money into the pit of rent fees. No more gaining nothing from your monthly payments. Everyone reaches that point where they are ready to work towards owning a home in Spring Texas for their family and themselves. However, it can be confusing to decide which home is the right one for you. Homes with more bedrooms have more space, but do you want the extra hassle? Homes with more bathrooms are more comfortable for larger families or couples who entertain frequently, but do you have the time to keep that many bathrooms clean and stocked? Homes in Spring Texas with a yard are awesome for those who have a dog or little children who want to play, but are you prepared to take care of the necessary upkeep that comes along with homes with a yard? When deciding between the scores of homes that are available for purchase, it is important that every potential homebuyer pays careful attention to the pros and cons of all the features of those homes such as bedrooms, bathrooms and a yard.

Touring Homes

When touring various homes with your real estate agent in Spring Texas, are you left puzzled as to how many bedrooms you should ideally purchase? You are not alone. In Spring, Texas, it is quite a puzzle as to how many bedrooms make homes too large and how few bedrooms make homes too small. Homebuyers want to see enough space in their homes for every member of the family to have their own personal bedroom, however, many homebuyers also consider purchasing homes with an extra bedroom so that they can have a guest bedroom for out of town family and friends. On paper, this idea sounds foolproof, without a single negative aspect. When you take a second glance though, homebuyers realize that homes with extra bedrooms require extra cleaning time. For the busy working couple, extra cleaning time may not be a possibility. For others, who have hired cleaning services, this extra cleaning time is worth having a guest bedroom in their homes. This is all up to your personal preference, though the cleaning time associated with that extra bedroom should definitely be discussed prior to purchasing one of the larger homes that you toured with your realtor.

Homes Planning

For those in Spring Texas with a large number of social events and gatherings planned for their new homes, it is important that a home with more than one bathroom is purchased. However, these homes with more bathrooms require more cleaning attention, just as homes with more bedrooms. If you are one of the home buyers who cringed at the idea presented above that you may need to log a few extra hours in order to assure that your home is squeaky clean, maybe an extra bathroom is not the choice for you. But, for some, the idea of having an extra bathroom for the nights that they are entertaining is entirely worth the extra scrubbing time.

Home buyers

Another issue for potential home buyers who are looking at prospective homes in Spring, Texas is whether or not a large yard will be necessary for their growing family. Once again, the labor that accompanies this luxury in homes needs to be considered. There will be mowing that needs to be kept up with, either by you or by a contracted lawn service. For some, mainly those with pets, this is a no brainer. They want Fido to have a place to run around, so they are willing to do whatever it takes to tame the lawn.

Homes Spring Texas

Looking at homes in Spring Texas can be an extremely confusing experience. Prospective home buyers need to keep in mind not only the benefits of the extras the homes they see have to offer, but also the maintenance that will be necessary for the upkeep of those homes.