Selling Your Home In the Fall

Late spring is commonly known as the best time of year to sell your home, but it’s not the only time to successfully sell your home. In fact, autumn is a close second with benefits all its own. While late spring and early summer are popular because kids are just leaving school, fall is the season of coming back from summer vacation, kids preparing to return to school. It’s a period of transition, but there are still a few months before the hectic holidays roll in.

In College Station, the somewhat cooling temperatures can also be a benefit, as no one likes to move in the worst of summer heat. So let’s talk about tips to help you sell your home in the fall.

Spruce Up the Yard

Staging your home is important when selling, no matter what time of year. And staging your home isn’t just reorganizing the living room. It’s an inside-and-out process. In fact, your yard is one of the most important elements of your home staging. If your yard is a mess, it sets the impression for your entire home. Fall is a tricky season for lawns as well. Summer vines are still clinging to the walls, and weeds are beginning to wilt as leaves fall from the trees. You’ll want to rake your yard thoroughly, pull up any lingering weeds and vines so that it looks neat and clean when prospective buyers see it. Then you can plant autumn flowers like crocuses and dahlias to give your front yard more of a thematic WOW factor.

Updates and Maintenance

Autumn is often a good time to do preventative HVAC maintenance, making sure nothing got clogged in your system over the summer. When was the last time you replaced your air or furnace filters? What does the house smell like when you turn the furnace on after resting for a while. No prospective buyer wants to walk into a home and immediately take in dusty air. Keep your HVAC system up to date and your air quality clear before opening house. Additionally, now might be a good time to clean or even replace your home windows, clean out your roof gutters, and see if your roof needs any repairs.

Lighten Up

With autumn comes shorter days, and cloudier days at that. With the darker lighting outside, it’s all the more important to keep the house well-lit inside. If you’re relying on lamps for the most part because that’s what suits you, now might be a good time to install another light fixture, or use brighter bulbs. It’s always hard to sell a home that looks dim and gloomy, but when the outside weather is also dim and gloomy, it can be that much harder. A well-lit house looks inviting and warm and your buyers will easily fall in love.

No matter what time of year you choose to sell your home, don’t forget to enlist the help of an experienced College Station realtor. They’ll have the expertise you need about market trends and what sets autumn — or any other season — apart from the rest when it comes to selling your home.

Home For Sale in College Station

Sarah Miller, your RE/MAX realtor bryan-college station can help you discover a lot of great tips for making a profitable sale of your home. Call Sarah Miller at 979-255-1904 for your real estate needs in Bryan-College Station and the entire Brazos Valley! Sarah Miller, Associate RE/MAX BRYAN COLLEGE STATION 3030 University Dr East Ste 100, College Station, TX 77845 License #: 500065

Best Parks and Playgrounds in Bryan-College Station

As temperatures begin to drop and the leaves on the trees start to change colors and fall, it’s the perfect time of year to visit the parks of Bryan-College Station. Whether you like to go to the park yourself to read a book or feed the birds or whether you prefer to take the whole family, there are beautiful parks to choose from. These parks can be ideal for weekend plans or even a place to stop after school.

Bee Creek Park

Bee Creek Park is great for any age. If you’re a single professional and you like a place to jog or hike, Bee Creek Park has paved walking paths as well as more natural trails following a peaceful stream. There’s a playground for kids, as well as a water fountain that runs during the summer. Here you can bike or sit on a bench and catch up on homework. You may even spy rabbits and birds while you’re there. Bee Creek Park is easy to reach, and their walking trails stretch all the way to Lemontree Park.

Veterans Park and Athletic Complex

Looking for something a little more athletic? At Veterans Park, you’ll find a baseball or softball field as well as a soccer field. It’s a great place to watch amateur soccer or find a little league team for your kid. There are also walking trails for those who like to get in their workout while exploring nature. But that’s not all Veterans Park has to offer. There’s also a pavilion to stop and eat lunch and a playground for the kids. As the name indicates, you’ll find many veteran memorials scattered throughout the park, including World War II memorials and Vietnam War memorials.

Lemontree Park

Lemontree park is an ideal friendly, neighborhood sort of park. It’s calm and quiet, full of greenery, and connects easily to Bee Creek Park. However, you can be sure the kids won’t be bored, either. There’s a baseball diamond and a basketball court for sports enthusiasts young and old. There’s a small playground for little ones, as well. With so much nature around, Lemontree Park looks especially beautiful as the leaves start to change in the fall.

Lick Creek Park

This park is a jogger’s ideal. There are over 4.5 miles of trails, going through wooded areas and over bridges as well as through the main green of the park. You’ll get a mixture of elevation changes, hills and valleys, running through Lick Creek Park, as well as passing by quiet neighborhoods in College Station. You can also see wildlife like rabbits, birds, deer, and even frogs. Birders in particular love this park because of the wide variety of species that gather here.

These are just a few of the parks that Bryan-College Station has to offer. If you’re moving here for the first time, talk to your College Station realtor about neighborhoods and homes close to the right parks, whether for the family or simply for a morning run.

House for Sale in College Station

Sarah Miller, your RE/MAX realtor bryan-college station can help you discover a lot of great tips for making a profitable sale of your home. Call Sarah Miller at 979-255-1904 for your real estate needs in Bryan-College Station and the entire Brazos Valley! Sarah Miller, Associate RE/MAX BRYAN COLLEGE STATION 3030 University Dr East Ste 100, College Station, TX 77845 License #: 500065

4 Things to Watch Out For When Viewing a House

Sometimes, you just fall in love with a house at first sight. As soon as you step through the door, you can see yourself living there and you don’t care about any of its little quirks and blemishes. In fact, you might not even notice them. However, after the rose colored tint fades, you’ll have to live with all of those imperfections and you might feel less than sentimental about them.

There’s nothing wrong with buying a house that needs a little work, as long as you’re prepared for that work. However, it’s best to notice these warning signs before you make an offer on the home. Your home inspection will point out much of what you’re getting into, but there are a few things you can notice all on your own, if you know what to look for.

Roof

Before you go inside, check out the house’s roof. If it’s a shingled or tiled roof, do you notice shingles that are curling back or broken tiles? Dark or discolored spots could speak to water damage, potential leaks or rotting. These are all issues you’ll have to take care of sooner or later, and they can potentially drive up the homeowner’s insurance. A new roof will lower homeowner’s insurance, but boost the home’s value.

Scent

Sometimes, filling the room with a pleasant scent or air freshener is part of staging the home. Even if there’s nothing wrong with a home’s natural smell or air quality, the gentle aroma of cinnamon or fresh pine can be very inviting. But if that scent overpowers the room as soon as you step inside, there’s a chance the seller is trying to mask something less pleasant. How do you know when the air fresheners are masking less than fresh air? Look at the ceilings and walls for water damage, the floors and furniture for pet dander, and the bathroom tiles for mildew.

Floors

The floor can also tell you a little about the house. Sagging floors can speak to structural problems in the home. If the floor seems to dip down near the bathroom, that could be an issue with the plumbing. Old hardwood floors might sometimes have a slight crack between boards that herald wearing down, and if you can see a gap between the trim and the floor, the home probably isn’t very well insulated.

Windows

Finally, there’s the windows of the home. Certain issues with windows will be immediately obvious. For instance, windows that look grimy could be the result of gas-fillings and broken seals. Fortunately, the gas fillings used to keep windows insulated are non-toxic, but it can be an unattractive look. If it’s later in the year — fall and winter — you may also be able to notice drafts near the window if it’s not properly sealed and letting too much air through.

If you’re aware of the potential problems the house might have before the house inspection, you’ll be better able to decide whether it’s worth the work you would need to put into it. You can also discuss your viewing with your College Station realtor to possibly negotiate a lower price for the home.

House for Sale in College Station

Sarah Miller, your RE/MAX realtor bryan-college station can help you discover a lot of great tips for making a profitable sale of your home. Call Sarah Miller at 979-255-1904 for your real estate needs in Bryan-College Station and the entire Brazos Valley! Sarah Miller, Associate RE/MAX BRYAN COLLEGE STATION 3030 University Dr East Ste 100, College Station, TX 77845 License #: 500065

How to Make a Small Kitchen Work

You found a home that’s almost perfect. It has as many bedrooms as you need with an extra for a guest room. It’s in your favorite neighborhood. Your whole family loves it. There’s only one problem. The kitchen is a bit cramped.

A small kitchen probably isn’t a reason to say no to your dream house, but it can be a frustrating thing to live with. However, by optimizing your space, you can fit everything into your kitchen and still have room to breathe. Here are a few ways to make a small kitchen livable, especially if you cook regularly.

Drawers

If you want to make your small kitchen more workable and spacious, don’t rely on cabinets, cupboards and pantries. Instead, make the most use of drawers — and if you don’t have enough drawers, maybe that can be your first remodeling project. Because drawers stay flat against the cabinet, they give you more space to move around the room. Because drawers are lower, they’re easier to reach without having to stretch. It also helps your kitchen to look neater overall.

Vertical Storage

Vertical storage will quickly become your best friend when you need to make the most of a small kitchen. It takes up less space and may even help the room to feel taller. Add a few floating shelves over the kitchen sink or buy a narrow but tall cabinet that can be pressed against the wall between other appliances.

Backsplash

Your kitchen backsplash is an excellent aesthetic feature that protects the wall from spills and splashes, but it can do more than that. Consider a magnetic backplash or a stainless steel pegboard. Through this, you can hang spoons, knives, and other utensils on the backsplash, saving you on storage space, and even adding a cozy charm to your backsplash.

Kitchen Table Alternatives

Maybe you don’t have room for a kitchen table or an island, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have any dining space. Consider turning a small portion of the counter into a mini bar with a couple of stools set up there. Another option that’s growing in popularity is folding tables. These tables are built against the wall, and when you’re finished eating, they can fold flat against the wall. They’re handy for the chef, as well, because folding tables can double as counter space. You may also be able to add a pull-out addition to your countertop for a little extra counter and dining space.

Magnetic Spice Tins

Magnetic spice containers are a great option for someone who needs to save space in their small kitchen. Not only are they adorable, round with glass tops to show the spice itself, but they open up a world of spice rack alternatives. Maybe you can stick them to your refrigerator, or to your stainless steel backsplash. You can hang a magnetic chalkboard to the side of your cabinets and label the name of each spice below the tin in chalk.

Don’t let a small kitchen hold you back from the house of your dreams. If you use your space wisely, the kitchen may become as beloved to you as the rest of the house. And if you’re still looking for your dream home, talk to an experienced College Station realtor about the best finds in the neighborhoods you love.

House for Sale in College Station

Sarah Miller, your RE/MAX realtor bryan-college station can help you discover a lot of great tips for making a profitable sale of your home. Call Sarah Miller at 979-255-1904 for your real estate needs in Bryan-College Station and the entire Brazos Valley! Sarah Miller, Associate RE/MAX BRYAN COLLEGE STATION 3030 University Dr East Ste 100, College Station, TX 77845 License #: 500065

Holiday Decorating Tips

The stores and roads in College Station are always packed with shoppers around the holidays.  With all the time shopping, the last thing that usually gets done is the decorating of the home.  These elegant and stylish decorating ideas will help make your new home look festive and stylish for the holidays.

Lavish lighting- You can create a lavish lighting appeal in your home with the addition of overhead lighting with a soft, warm glow.  Combine this lighting with white garland or a décor of natural cedar and you have an opulent appeal.  The lighting can be obtained from a white Christmas bulb or a soft delicate candle.

Whimsical frosting- Just when you thought that icing was only for cookies, creating a palette of white and grey can make any room in your home look like a winter wonderland.  Frosty décor will give your home texture and warmth.

Heavy metal- No we are not talking about music here.  We are talking about creating a holiday spread for your home which is filled with glitz and glamour.  It is as simple as decorating your mantel with an array of silver, gold and white ornaments.  You can also use this look for the top of your kitchen counters.

Contemporary minimalism:  As the saying goes, less is always more.  Just by picking out a few select important pieces that make a statement and placing those in strategically places around your home combines with your seasonal decorations and you will have a look of charm and warmth to your home. 

While College Station is already well known for being picturesque, these holiday decorating tips can help your new home look like the best one on the block.  

Featured Homes for Sale in Bryan, TX

Your RE/MAX realtor bryan-college station, Sarah Miller, can help you discover a lot of great tips for making a profitable and fast sell on your house.  She is one of the RE/MAX Bryan-College Station realtors that has a long list of the finest homes for sale in  BryanCollege Station, Call her today at 979-255-1904.

Creating The Perfect Fall Outdoor Décor

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Fall is a time many people enjoy because it is a transition between hot weather and cold weather that can be very refreshing. Decorating the outside of one’s house, a backyard, porch or patio in fall décor can be a fun and relaxing thing to do. Here are some tips on how to create the perfect outdoor décor for the fall season.

When decorating outside for the fall you will want to think about the color and texture of the décor items you use. Keeping symmetry in mind will also help you create the perfect fall outdoor décor. Be mindful of how your décor will look both up close and at a distance. This way anyone who passes by your house will see your outdoor décor as well as you will see it from the comfort of your own home. One of the easiest things to do is choose a beautiful fall wreath to put on your front door. Hanging baskets hung on your porch can also make for lovely fall décor. You can even take potted flowers and use them as an outdoor centerpiece on a deck or patio. As long as you use some creativity and plants that bloom in the fall you will be able to create a beautiful style for the outside of your home.

Decorating for the fall is especially important if you have recently bought a new home in Bryan College Station, Texas or anywhere throughout Central Texas. 

Featured Homes for Sale in College Station

Your RE/MAX realtor bryan-college station, Sarah Miller, can help you discover a lot of great tips for making a profitable and fast sell on your house.  She is one of the RE/MAX Bryan-College Station realtors that has a long list of the finest homes for sale in  BryanCollege Station, Call her today at 979-255-1904.

Homes with Haunted History

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According to Texas law, a home can be known as a Notorious House which means that either someone died in the home or the house is known to have ghost sightings.  If a Notorious House is up for sale, this fact must be disclosed to potential buyers. 

There is an exception to this rule and that is that if someone died in the home from either a suicide or of natural causes or from an accident which had nothing to do with home’s condition then no disclosure of the death has to be made. 

Many times a real estate agent may not have any knowledge of whether or not a death occurred inside a home but through neighbors they often find out if a home has a reputation for being haunted. 

Many times you can find out the history of a home in College Station by entering the property address into a search engine online.  If there is anything noteworthy about the home, it will appear online. 

There are several places in College Station that are public though which have a reputation of being haunted.  The A&M Consolidated High School has been rumored to have a metaphysical presence that floats in the wing that houses career technology. 

The College Station Plantation House is said to have doors that slam shut in the middle of the night as well as footsteps in the attic.

The Schulman Theater in College Station has an upstairs portion that is said to be haunted by the ghost of a young man. 

Living in a home that has a history of being haunted may appeal to some homeowners.  If you find yourself purchasing a home with ghostly presences, you will definitely have your share of exciting stories to tell the grandkids.

Featured Homes for Sale in College Station, TX

Your RE/MAX realtor bryan-college station, Sarah Miller, can help you discover a lot of great tips for making a profitable and fast sell on your house.  She is one of the RE/MAX Bryan-College Station realtors that has a long list of the finest homes for sale in  BryanCollege Station, Call her today at 979-255-1904.

Can the Paint in your House Cause You to Lose a Buyer?

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You would not think so, but certain paint colors in your house could scare away potential buyers. It seems like the new owners could just paint over the colors, but if someone is trying to imagine themselves in your home, then the paint can just throw them off. Let us look at some ways the paint can cause someone not to buy your home.

The exterior paint can be a turn off. Let us say the house is great, but the outside is pink with green shutters. This would give anyone pause, and the same goes for other strange colors you might not always see on a house. The inside can be just as bad as the outside sometimes, and it might even cause potential buyers to pass by the home because they cannot forgive the outside appearance. This is unfortunate because the inside could be amazing, but society will always judge a book, or house, by its cover.

Inside colors that are dark like black, can cause buyers to feel like the house is depressing and dark. At the same time, they do not want to see an orange accent wall in an all-white room, or for the whole house to be blinding white. This buyers are hard to please it would seem. As the person selling the home you have a decision to make. If you paint the exterior of the house while it is expensive, it will give you more people who are interested in your home. The inside is not as difficult to paint, and while it is totally up to you toning down the brights, lightening up the darks, and coloring up the whites might be just what your home needs to sell. 

Featured Homes for Sale Bryan,Texas

Visit my site to know how you can get this property.

Your local RE/Max realtor bryan-college station, Sarah Miller can help you discover a lot great tips for making a profitable and fast sell of your house.

Finding A Qualified Home Inspector

As you should already know, a home inspection is a key part of the real estate process. Of course, your home inspection is only as good as your home inspector. 

Finding a Qualified Home Inspector

If you are considering buying a property, you absolutely must get a home inspection. What most people don’t realize, however, is it can also be valuable to retain one before you sell a property to identify any problems before your accept an offer. Fixing such problems before hand makes a lot more sense than panicking in the middle of escrow.

Regardless of your particular position in the real estate process, the home inspection is only as good as the inspector. Frankly, some inspectors are less than credible when it comes to qualifications and their background. To bypass these individuals, the following organizations should be used as a resource. 

The American Society of Home Inspectors, Inc. is located in Des Plaines, Illinois. Known as ASHI, it was founded in 1976 to create a resource and quality control atmosphere for home inspections. You can get referrals to ASHI inspectors in your area by contacting the Society at 800-743-ASHI. In doing so, you will avoid hacks calling themselves inspectors. 

The National Association of Certified Home Inspectors is another credible organization. Located in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, the Association maintains both a code of ethics and strict standards of practice for its members. With over 9,000 members in North America, you can find an inspector in your area by calling 1-877 FIND-INS.

Another organization that stands out in the home inspection industry is the National Association of Home Inspectors, Inc. Located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the organization also requires members to abide by strict practice standards and a code of ethics, which should be comforting to you. You can contact it to find a home inspector in your area by calling 800-448-3942.

The old cliché is garbage in, garbage out. By using a credible home inspector, you can put this cliché out of your mind.

Sarah Miller offers real estate services in Bryan-College Station Real Estate. She is one of the RE/MAX Bryan-College Station realtors that has a long list of the finest real properties bryan tx, that any intending settler or buyer can choose from.

Concrete Homes - Your Fortress in a Natural Disaster

If the area you lived in was subject to earthquakes, insect infestation and wildfires, and you could live in a type of housing that could withstand all those perils, why wouldn't you? Concrete homes have an amazing resistance to all of the above and are commonly used in Florida and other hurricane ridden locations, but their popularity hasn't spread to the west coast. 

Due to their unique construction, a number of homes have survived the wildfires in California. Pat Callahan owns a concrete house outside Escondido that only suffered smoke damage during the October Witch Creek fire. Although the vinyl windows were melted, the house remained standing. 

Another success story was that of Lorraine Aledort and her 5,500 square-foot concrete house near Ramona. The upgrades in her home included:

Concrete roof tiles, glued-down to resist high winds.

Interior fire sprinklers (now a local building requirement).

Oversized wood beams to withstand exposure to heat longer than their smaller counterparts.

An emergency power generator.

A 10,000-gallon water tank to be used in a fire emergency. 

Commercial grade aluminum windows with extra thick tempered glass.

Exterior walls were one foot in thickness including reinforcing steel placed in the concrete forms for protection against earthquake damage. 

After spending 3 1/2 years building their home, Lorraine and her husband had only lived there a few weeks when the wildfires struck. The landscape was blackened, but the house withstood only minor smoke damage. The cost of building compared to a comparable wood home was about twenty percent higher; Lorraine considers this money well spent 

Structural engineer, George Easton describes concrete construction similar to assembling Lego blocks. "The “blocks” are polystyrene forms, called insulated concrete forms, into which the concrete is poured. The forms then are left in place to serve as insulation and the backing for stucco on the exterior or drywall on the interior."

The walls can provide up to an R-50 energy rating and require approximately 44 percent less energy to heat and 32 percent less energy to cool compared to a traditional wood home. 

If concrete houses are so effective against natural disasters, why aren't they widely used? Part of the problem is the lack of knowledge in the building industry regarding concrete construction. Even though concrete construction has national code approval, there are many inspectors with little knowledge of how to inspect the structures. 

Many builders feel that the future of widespread concrete housing requires a dominant player in the building industry to come forward and say "we can do this", and others will follow suit.

·         Sarah Miller offers real estate services in Bryan-College Station Real Estate. She is one of the RE/MAX Bryan-College Station realtors that has a long list of the finest real properties bryan tx, that any intending settler or buyer can choose from.

 

How to Invest in Superior Condominiums

Condo or condominium is a housing option that looks like an apartment complex. Condo ownership lets the owner to own the condo only not the land. Condo owners have to pay monthly fee for maintaining common areas. 

Generally the association of property owners manages condominiums. Owners of condominium can do anything inside the their unit but not the outside. You’ve to clear all related points that what you can do or not inside the condominium at the time of signing the contract. You should check that whether it satisfies your requirements or not. 

Condominium buying is just like purchasing single-family homes. Condominium offers a joint ownership of real estate and partners can use common recreational areas. Condo buying is the cheaper option as compared to real estate market. It offers great living opportunity in United States. It is the great option for the people who travel a lot. Several owners of real property offer condos with kitchens and private bedroom that enables residents of condominium to cook their food. They can save money by cooking their meal own. 

Condo buying offers ownership without maintenance harassment, repairs and security concerns. Condos are usually luxurious and cheap housing options and you can spend your holidays at beautiful locations. Before any type of purchase check parking spaces, bathrooms, fireplace, condos’ area, amenities such as pool, health club etc, area costs, and security arrangement.

Condos’ buying is an important financial investment. Before purchasing unique condominium answer yourself for some general questions like:

Which area of the city is best suitable to your lifestyle?

What type of condo do you want? 

How much you can pay for it?

How do you make purchase of condominium?

You should research for the builders’ reputation on Internet or personally before any type of agreement. Read purchase and sale agreement carefully and check all terms and conditions that will apply on the transaction. Be sure about all details of condo homeowner association that includes costs of monthly maintenance fee. The decision of buying condo should be based on social, legal and financial understanding. You should check whether the property is right for you and your family for a long period. Important documents such as the declaration, operating budget, management agreement and regulatory agreement should be reviewed at the time of buying a condominium. 

Condo buying is not the best option for all. People who don’t want to share certain areas, like pool etc, with other condos owner should go for single home ownership instead of condominium. Sometimes total price of condo is lower than single-unit home. Condos’ residents should be aware of condominium settings. They can share their problems in monthly meeting with the association. It is compulsory to attend meetings and discussions. You should be active in community events while living in condominium. 

You can talk to several professionals online to get all useful information about a particular area. They will provide significant information to make an easy condo buying. You should make your condos buying with complete understanding and awareness.

·         Sarah Miller offers real estate services in Bryan-College Station Real Estate. She is one of the RE/MAX Bryan-College Station realtors that has a long list of the finest real properties bryan tx, that any intending settler or buyer can choose from.

 

Creative Financing - Ten Ways

Do all the creative financing techniques you hear about really work? Yes, actually. They probably have all worked somewhere for someone at least once. The point isn't if they will all work for you. The point is to know what is possible, so you can find your own creative ways to invest in real estate. Here are ten methods to get you thinking.

 1. Hard money lenders. You can ask around or find these online. They specialize in short-term loans at high interest. You typically use this type of financing for a "fix and flip." You can often get the money fast, and if you make $30,000 on a project, who cares if you paid $10,000 interest in six months.

 2. No-doc and low-doc loans. No (or low) documentation of your income or credit required. Again, you can find banks that do these online now. The catch is that you will only be able to borrow up to 80% of the purchase price or property value. If you have 10% in cash, you might be able to borrow the other 10% from a friend or the seller.

 3. Seller-carried second mortgages. Sometimes a bank will loan you 90%, and allow the seller to take back a second mortgage from you for 5%, leaving you needing only 5% for a downpayment.

 4. Land contract. Called "contract for sale" or other names as well, this just means the seller lets you make payments, and delivers the title upon payment in full. I sold a rental this way for $1,000 down, because I wanted the 9% interest, and the higher price I got this way.

 5. Credit cards. If a seller will take $10,000 down on a fixer-upper that you expect to make $20,000 on, why not use credit cards? This is a true 0-down deal for you, and if you turn the project in six months, you will have paid $900 in interest on an 18% credit card. Don't let $900 get in the way of making $20,000.

 6. Retirement accounts. The laws get pretty complex in this area, but you can check with a tax attorney to see how you might borrow from your own retirement account to finance real estate investments.

 7. Friends and family. Keep it all business, if you use this source, but loaning you money at 7% isn't a gift if their money is getting 2% in the bank.

 8. Note buyers. The seller needs cash. He raises the price, and sells to you for $100,000 with no money down, taking back two mortgages from you for $90,000 and $10,000. He arranged (or you did) for a note buyer to pay him $80,000 cash for the first mortgage at closing, getting him the cash he wanted. You pay two payments now, one to each note holder.

 9. Get a loan on other property. Interestingly, if you take out a home equity loan for a vacation, and then forget to use it for that, you can use it for the downpayment on an investment  property, without violating the rules of the bank that gives you the primary mortgage. In other words, you got in with no cash of your own.

 10. Partnerships. For bigger projects, you could arrange for five investors to each put money into a partnership, with your share being the management responsibility instead of cash.

·         Sarah Miller offers real estate services in Bryan-College Station Real Estate. She is one of the RE/MAX Bryan-College Station realtors that has a long list of the finest real properties bryan tx, that any intending settler or buyer can choose from.

Coinciding Settlements Clauses - Funding Issues

People who are selling their home in order to buy another frequently put a "coinciding settlements" clause into their contract offer on the new home. The purpose of this is usually twofold. In this article, we discuss the first purpose which is to use funds from the old home to pay for the new one. 

How Coinciding Settlements Work

A coinciding settlement clause usually says something along the lines of "settlement under this contract is contingent upon the settlement of the contract for the sale of the Purchaser's property located at 1234 Spring Valley Drive..." It typically goes on to state the maximum number of days this settlement can be delayed by delays on the other settlement. It also usually says what will happen if the other contract becomes void. (Usually "this" contracts becomes void, too, but that doesn't have to be the case if there's another source of funds.)

The settlements don't literally happen at the same time as the name implies. They can be back-to-back in the same office. They can be a day (or even days) apart in offices in different states. Very often it's necessary for the settlement agent for the first settlement to wire transfer funds directly to the banking account of the settlement agent for the second settlement. This is usually a smooth, seamless procedure. 

A Word to the Wise Seller

Coinciding settlements usually work well for the purpose of providing funds as outlined above. The one problem that crops up from time to time occurs when the first sale falls apart for some reason. The most frequent reason the first sale falls apart (when it does) is that the buyer is unable to get his loan. Because of this, some sellers insist that coinciding settlement clauses include language giving them permission to check with the lender for the first buyer. Making sure the first buyer is qualified for the necessary loan is good business. Don't feel awkward about it. 

Coinciding settlement is a common fact in the current real estate market. Use the above technique to avoid problems with your real estate transactions.

Sarah Miller offers real estate services in Bryan-College Station Real Estate. She is one of the RE/MAX Bryan-College Station realtors that has a long list of the finest real properties bryan tx, that any intending settler or buyer can choose from.

Making An Offer On Real Estate In A Recession

What should you look for when you are making an offer on a piece of real estate during a recession?  You naturally want to get the best deal possible, so you should be careful about doing your homework before you are ready to make an offer.  Here are some tips that can help you make a good offer during a real estate recession:

Discount anything the real estate agent tells you about the price.

Real estate agents are paid on commission.  It is not in their best interest to see you “get a deal” on a piece of property.  It is in your best interest, though.  Do your homework and take a look at the amount that other homes in the area have sold for, not for the amount that they are listed, but for how much they sold.  This is all public record.  Take a trip down to the county recorders office and you will find the information on any homes that have been sold in your area. 

Offer At Least 20 Percent Less Than The Listed Price

The rule of thumb used to be to offer 10 percent less than the listed price.  This was considered a low offer.  With the economy today, the rule of thumb is 20 percent less.  There are so many homes on the market today that you really have quite a choice when it comes to where you want to buy and how much you want to spend. 

Take A Look At How Long The Home Has Been On The Market

Be sure to look at how long the home has been listed.  Homes that are fresh on the market should be looked at as they are sometimes listed a lot lower than they should be by either an inexperienced or greedy real estate agent.  If the home has been on the market for less than a month, chances are that the owner has delusions of grandeur and refuses to believe that there is a recession.  You can offer less, but chances are that they are going to want to get other offers.

If the home has been on the market for a year or more, there is either something really wrong with the house or they are not budging on their price.  This is a good one to skip.  There have been houses that have remained on the market for several years, vacant. 

Be Pre Approved And Have Nothing To Sell

Although a seller will probably take any type of contract in this market, you are a lot more attractive as a buyer if you have nothing to sell and have been pre approved for the mortgage.  A pre approval letter is different than being pre qualified.  Someone who has been pre qualified has not gone through the gamut of giving in all the paperwork needed for the loan.  A pre approval letter means that you have gone through the entire mortgage approval process and are ready to close.

Follow these tips before you make any offer on real estate in the market today.  You can invest in real estate during a recession - you just have to understand how to go about making the right offer. 

·         Sarah Miller offers real estate services in Bryan-College Station Real Estate. She is one of the RE/MAX Bryan-College Station realtors that has a long list of the finest real properties bryan tx, that any intending settler or buyer can choose from.

 

Recession Real Estate Investing - The Short Sale

If you have been following the residential real estate market, you have probably already ascertained that the market has crashed.  Not  only crashed, but crashed and burned.  This is unfortunate for a lot of homeowners who can no longer afford to live in their homes.  Many are in the process of foreclosure because they cannot make the mortgage payments any longer. 

You can actually kill two birds with one stone by investing in these properties.  A home that is in foreclosure but not yet owned by the bank is called a short sale.  You can usually pick a home up like this for a fraction of the cost.  The owner, in most cases, just wants to be able to pay off the bank so that they do not have a foreclosure on their credit record.  A foreclosure can be devastating to credit and most people want to avoid this calamity. 

Finding short sale properties is not difficult in this economy.  You can either work with a real estate agent or you can do your own homework.  Foreclosures are a long process and is something that has to go through the court system.  A bank cannot just foreclose on an individual without getting a court order that gives them the title of the property.  Anything that goes through the court system is public record.  You can go up to your local county courthouse and find a list of properties that are in the process of foreclosure simply by looking on the court roll call.

Once you find a home in the process of foreclosure, you can then contact the owners and offer to buy the home.  You can find out how much the original mortgage was for the property through the county recorders office.  The mortgage and note are all recorded against the property.  This is a matter of public record.  If you have some knowledge of the real estate market as well and the current value of the properties in the area in which you are looking, you can find a real bargain.

You can find a home, for example, that is worth about $200,000 in which the owner is behind on a mortgage that is about $120,000.  You can offer to purchase the home for $130,000 and give the owner $10,000 in their pocket.  You can also offer to allow the original owner to stay in the house and rent it from you.  You will restructure the mortgage and make sure that you get a low rate.  You then have a home that is worth $200,000 for which you only owe a small portion and a renter who will, essentially, pay your mortgage. 

If the original owner buys the home back from you, they will have to do so under your terms.  You can then ask for the $200,000 when the market rebounds.  You have just made $70,000 profit in a few years, a much better yield than you can ever make in any other market investment. 

This may seem predatory, but you are really helping the original owner out.  If they are about to be evicted because they cannot pay their mortgage, you at the very least, buying them time and giving them a chance to get back on their feet.  If they cannot pay the rent to you, they will at least have had a bit more time to plan their move.  If they manage to buy the home back from you, it is a win win situation for everyone.

Sarah Miller offers real estate services in Bryan-College Station Real Estate. She is one of the RE/MAX Bryan-College Station realtors that has a long list of the finest real properties bryan tx, that any intending settler or buyer can choose from.

 

Tips On Making Money In Real Estate Today

If you are looking to get rich quick in the real estate market today, you are headed for disappointment.  The real estate market took a nosedive last year and has reached rock bottom.  Residential foreclosures are at an all time high and continue to grow. 

This does not mean that real estate investing is a poor idea.  To the contrary, now is the perfect time to invest in real estate.  Although the market is bad for sellers, it is excellent for buyers.  On top of that, the mortgage interest rates are lower than ever.  It is hard to imagine a better time than now to invest in real estate. 

Some tips on investing in real estate in the market today and how to make money are as follows:

Look for the long term investment.  Be prepared to hold onto the property for a few years until the market rebounds.

Look into renting property.  People always need a place to live.  You can rent your property to those who need a home and make money when you sell after the market regains its strength. 

Think about investing in commercial real estate.  Although residential markets are bad, the commercial market has remained stable.  You can invest in property such as strip malls and office buildings and still make money. 

Consider investing in vacant land.  Look for property in areas that are undeveloped.  You may find in a 10 years that your property is worth 10 times more than what it is today.  Think of the people who owned farmland in Orlando.  The property is now worth thousands of times more than original asking price.

Do not panic. This should be rule number one.  If you own a home, do not panic and sell.  This is how you lose money in real estate.  Hold onto your property and ride out the storm.  The market always rebounds. 

Consider new construction.  If you are able to act as a general contractor and build a home, there is money to be made.  New construction is always desired by most people as they like to be the first to live in a home.  If you are in the trades, consider building your own home.

Buy foreclosures.  Look at foreclosures that are on the market and that are owned by banks and mortgage lenders.  Put in a bid and do not be afraid to bid low.  There are thousands of foreclosures across the market, even in upscale neighborhoods.  This is where you can make some serious money if you buy low, hold onto the property for a while, and sell high.

Buying low and selling high is how you make a profit in any business and is no different in the real estate market.  The current market, however, does not make it possible to sell high.  There are more homes on the market than there are buyers.  Many of the buyers that are out there are foreign investors who can spot the opportunity of purchasing property in the United States at bargain basement rates.  Although this is not the market to sell high, it is definitely the market to buy low. 

 

5 Useful Tips In Buying A House

Buying a house is a very serious matter that comes in to people’s lives. It is very risky to invest your money in buying just any house you find. You must have some guidelines that can help you decide which house is the best for you. Here are some: 

1.         Determine your rights 

When you are ready to buy your own house, be sure you understand your rights as a homebuyer. Knowing the process of buying a house prevents you from getting scammed. You can personally do your home work or seek for a knowledgeable person like a real estate agent or a broker. Make sure that the agent you hire is licensed and have a wide knowledge regarding the area. 

2.         Make sure you can afford it 

Your budget is really a big deal in buying your own house. What you want is different from what you need, so be practical. You don’t really need a big house if you’re just one person that travels everyday, right? Make sure that you make the best for your money. Seek help or ask for suggestions especially for those who have knowledge in real estate prices. If you can’t stay for at least a year, buying a house is inappropriate for you. You may save a whole lot more of money if you sell it urgently. 

3.         Make sure it fits your lifestyle 

Make your house a home. Be sure it really fits your way of life and you are comfortable with it. A good example of this is if you’re working in an office, a good place to find is near or in the vicinity of your office. If you love nature, a good place to find is outside the city with clean air, near parks, has a mountain view or near at the beach. Your personality really matters in finding a good house. Make sure to look at its suburbs first and try to gather some information about the area and its surroundings. Try also to consider the kind of neighbors you will have. 

4.         Consider your future plan 

If you’re newly married, you might to consider how many kids you want to have. You can assume the number of rooms or the home space you need. If you can afford a house that is near to a good school, it is better. School districts are more important to home buyers, therefore, it will increase your property values. 

5.         Be organized 

It is very important to make your document files organized and safe. Because it will prove that you own the house. It will help you a lot especially when it comes in paying your house payments (taxes and amortization).

Sarah Miller offers real estate services in Bryan-College Station Real Estate. She is one of the RE/MAX Bryan-College Station realtors that has a long list of the finest real properties bryan tx, that any intending settler or buyer can choose from.

5 Major Reasons Why You Should Buy A Home Instead Of Rent

There are times when it is better for a person to rent, but most often home ownership has many more benefits and advantages.  

About 10 years ago I had a retired aunt and uncle who rented a condo in Las Vegas. Uncle Jim (not his real name) was a retired minister. Throughout his career he and his wife lived in parsonages, which are homes furnished by the congregation while they ministered there.  

He and his wife told me that the biggest mistake they ever made was not to invest in buying a home.  In their retirement years, when their other retired friends were living in homes that were almost paid off and had appreciated greatly, Uncle Jim and his wife were using a huge portion of their limited retirement money to make expensive condo rent payments. They strongly cautioned me not to make the same mistake they had. 

Recent studies are showing that there are many benefits for both the owners and the community for owning your own home, including increased education for children, lower teen-age pregnancy rate and a higher lifetime annual income for children. Besides these, listed below are some of the primary advantages for owning your own house. 

1) More Stable Housing Costs

Rent payments can be unpredictable and typically rise each year, but most mortgage payments remain unchanged for the entire loan period. If the taxes go up, the increase is usually gradual. This stable housing cost especially important in times of inflation, when renters lose money and owners make money. 

2) Tax Savings

Homeowners can be eligible for significant tax savings because you can deduct mortgage interest and property taxes from your federal income tax, as well as many states' income taxes. This can be a considerable amount of money at first, because the first few years of mortgage payments are made up mostly of interest and taxes. 

3) Debt Consolidation

If you need to, you can refinance a mortgage loan to consolidate other debts (an opportunity you don't have if you are renting.) And the interest on this is also tax deductable. 

4) Equity

Instead of payments disappearing into someone else’s pocket, home owners are building equity in their own home. This is often one of a person's biggest investment assets.  Each year that you own the home you pay more toward the principal, which is money you will get back when the home sells. It is like having a scheduled savings account that grows faster the longer you have it. If the property appreciates, and generally it does, it is like money in your pocket. And you are the one who gets to take advantage of that, not the landlord. You can then use this equity to plan for future goals like your child's education or your retirement. 

5) It is yours!

When you own a home you are in control. You the freedom to decorate it and landscape it any way you wish. You can have a pet or two. No one can pop in and inspect your home and threaten to evict you. 

Even young people, like college students out on their own, can often benefit from home ownership. It puts them ahead of other young people their age financially by helping with their credit and giving them what is often an excellent investment. Often a college student buying a home will rent the rooms out, and his or her roommates end up making the payments for the house. When the student is ready to move on, her or she can sell the home (hopefully making a profit) or keep it as an investment and continue to rent it. 

Buying a home is an important decision. It is often the largest purchase a person makes in his or her life. Home ownership also comes with some increased responsibilities, and isn't for everyone. There are some disadvantages to homeownership that you should take into account. 

1) Increased Expenses

Your monthly expenses may increase, depending on your situation. Even if the monthly payments are the same, home owners still have to pay property taxes, all the utilities, and all the maintenance and upkeep costs for the home.  Often you need to supply appliances that were furnished with a rental. 

2) Decreased Freedom of Mobility

Homeowners can't move as easily as a renter who just has to give notice to the landlord. Selling a house can be a complex and time consuming process.  

3) Risk of Depreciation

In some areas with overinflated prices, there may be a risk that the house will depreciate instead of increase in value, if the prices go down. If you then sell the house, you may not get enough money from the home to pay back your mortgage, and you will still owe the mortgage company money. 

4) Possibility of Foreclosure

If for some reason you are unable to make your payments, you risk having the lender foreclose on your property. This can result in the loss of your home, any equity you have earned, and the loss of your good credit rating. 

When considering home ownership, you need to weight the advantages and disadvantages for yourself.  If you are like most people, you will find that homeownership is worth the risks and disadvantages.

Sarah Miller offers real estate services in Bryan-College Station Real Estate. She is one of the RE/MAX Bryan-College Station realtors that has a long list of the finest real properties bryan tx, that any intending settler or buyer can choose from.