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1. Trick the Thief- Security Systems can be quite expensive. If you cannot afford a system, just get a security sign to put in your front yard. The would-be burglar may pass your home up for one without a sign. Also, many newer homes have systems, but not all homeowners pay to have them monitored. Without monitoring, an alarm will still sound when tripped. You will still have to call the police if this happens.
2. Close the Door- When you are not present, put the garage door down. Many thieves target garages, even during the day. An open door advertises your belongings. You don’t want to appeal to those who might want a free bike, lawnmower or set of golf clubs.
3. Be Neighborly- Get to know your neighbors! Make an effort to keep an eye out for each other. If you are friendly with your neighbors, they are more likely to call you or the police if something suspicious is going on.
4. Goodbye Valuables- Don’t put valuable jewelry and cash in the master bedroom. Most thieves will target that area first. Instead, put them in an inconspicuous place or have them stored in a safety deposit box.
5. Trim the landscaping- Don’t give thieves a place to hide out, by trimming tall bushes to a manageable level. Homes with thick shrubbery are more attractive to a thief, than ones with minimal landscaping and wide open spaces with little to conceal the intruder.
6. Motion magic- Install motion sensors on your outdoor lights! Sensors will shed light on anyone trying to approach your home at night.
7. Be a Noisy Neighbor- Keep a radio on during the day so would-be thieves think someone is at home. Statistics show that most burglaries happen during the day when the intruder thinks no one is at home.
If you need help finding a great deal on a new home, please call Amy Underwood at 972-921-8787 or e-mail me at Amy@NorthTexasHomefinders.com. Our services are offered at NO cost to you, and we are not your Typical Realtors!!!!
The numbers are out by Case and Shiller Home Price Index. The National Average shows a price decline of 18%.
Dallas has held its own when it comes to values. At the top of the Ranking, Dallas came in with a 3% decline from Oct 07 to Oct 08. Isn’t it wonderful to live in a part of the nation that grows at a steady pace? Sure some people became short term millionaires when their home prices got way out of whack…but where are they now? Unless they sold their home, they are in debt due to the home equity loans they took out.
Click Here to View the Press Release
The Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex is a wonderful area to live. We specialize in finding the best possible home for your particular situation. Article by Teresa Robinson, Owner/Buyer Specialist, North Texas Home Finders
Get a Buyer Specialist and rest easy! The builder pays our service charge from their advertising budget which is built into every home they sell. Since these fees do not come out of the home construction budget, you cannot negotiate one penny of a better deal alone. Visit www.northtexashomefinders.com for more information.
I ran across this website today. Pretty good stuff can be found here. Although most of it is common sense; sometimes it helps to see a friendly reminder.
Click on the link above to see the government’s response to the foreclosure crisis. Remember only you know your specific situation. People like Realtors can help, but only if you share with them your specific details.
Article by Teresa Robinson, Owner/Buyer Specialist, North Texas Home Finders
Get a Buyer Specialist and rest easy! The builder pays our service charge from their advertising budget which is built into every home they sell. Since these fees do not come out of the home construction budget, you cannot negotiate one penny of a better deal alone. Visit www.northtexashomefinders.com for more information.
This time of year brings out the best and the worst in mankind. Take a few moments to sit on the bench at the mall. Besides a welcome rest for your feet, you can observe people. All within 3 short minutes you will see someone giving their spare change to Salvation Army to someone getting run over by a stroller mom who thinks they have the right of way because they take up the most room! I am always amazed at the diversity of the human spirit this time of year.
How does this real relate to housing and real estate you may ask? Well if we all take on the true meaning of Christmas…that God sent his son to forgive all of mankind for their sins, and follow his example…what do you think the economic climate would be like today? I personally think we would all be in a better situation. It starts with the real estate agents, like our team. We must not only find the best home at the best possible price, but we must also watch out for our client’s best interests. Help them purchase a home they can truly afford. Sometimes this may mean a few tough conversations, but we really know what is best when given all the facts of your specific situation. It is very important to be honest with your agent. They are now part of your family and will help you make a good decision.
Make sure you pick the right agent. You want one that will not only understand your wants and needs for your new home, but help you stay within your comfort zone and not become house poor! Remember when you are looking at new construction, the agents in the model are looking after the seller’s best interests not yours. They make you feel comfortable and safe, but when it comes down to the bottom line, they are making money for the seller!
The true spirit of Christmas is helping one another and loving one another as God loved us to send us his son. This spirit should happen year round, not just a Christmas. Expect the best from your agent. Expect that good spirit year round and don’t settle for anything less.
Article by Teresa Robinson, Owner/Buyer Specialist, North Texas Home Finders
Get a Buyer Specialist and rest easy! The builder pays our service charge from their advertising budget which is built into every home they sell. Since these fees do not come out of the home construction budget, you cannot negotiate one penny of a better deal alone. Visit www.northtexashomefinders.com for more information.
Ho! Ho! Ho! If you are looking for that perfect gift for this Christmas, how about a new home in Dallas or the surrounding suburbs? This might be a bad home market in many parts of the country, but D/FW is doing just fine. Here are a few facts about the area that give those of us in this market a LOT to be thankful for!
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Article by W. Cody Robinson, Owner/Buyer Specialist, North Texas Home Finders
Contact Cody at 972.365.0432 or Cody@NorthTexasHomeFinders.com
Get a Buyer Specialist and rest easy! The builder pays our service charge from their advertising budget which is built into every home they sell. Since these fees do not come out of the home construction budget, you cannot negotiate one penny of a better deal alone. We also work with preowned homes where the seller pays our fees! Visit www.northtexashomefinders.com for more information.
Beautiful New Construction Ready for December/January Move In.
Propser living for under $300K! That is hard to find. Look no further. This new construction home boasts 3, 270 square feet with a gorgeous rotunda entry, beautiful stone elevation, gourmet kitchen, and detail work throughout including bronze hardware and liginting. You will love the 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, game room and media room!
Was Priced at $275,990. Now $266,990.
If you would like to schedule a time to visit this home, please call Teresa Robinson at 214.475.1957 or email me at Teresa@NorthTexasHomeFinders.com . Our services are offered at NO cost to you, and we are not your Typical Realtors!!!
1st Floor Layout
2nd Floor Layout
Article by Teresa Robinson, Owner/Buyer Specialist, North Texas Home Finders
Get a Buyer Specialist and rest easy! The builder pays our service charge from their advertising budget which is built into every home they sell. Since these fees do not come out of the home construction budget, you cannot negotiate one penny of a better deal alone. Visit www.northtexashomefinders.com for more information.
Get a Buyer Specialist and rest easy! The builder pays our service charge from their advertising budget which is built into every home they sell. Since these fees do not come out of the home construction budget, you cannot negotiate one penny of a better deal alone. Visit www.northtexashomefinders.com for more information.
“I’m waiting for a “deal.” I hear this phrase and it’s other variation, “I’m looking for a “deal,” quite often. That’s great, I’m in the deal finding business. Two problems…a “deal” means different things to different people, and you’re not ready to jump on the deal when it’s found.
What does a “deal” mean to you? It depends on how you break it down. Do you just want a big discount? There are several builders around Dallas-Fort Worth that have lived on advertising $20,000 or more off on their homes. You know how the game works, by the time they give you the $20k discount, the price is where it should have been to start. However, there are also certain times of the year when you can take advantage of discounts – particularly at the end of a builder’s fiscal year. They want homes off the books, and discount them to get them moved. Another time is at the end of the calender year. Do you want a foreclosure or short sale property? If you don’t mind buying a house that is sold “as-is,” and you have money left over for rehab, then a distressed property can be a great deal. There are those that don’t need much work, but they are harder to come buy. Also, short-sale homes can take up to 60 days to get a response on your offer. The best way to measure how a home stacks up is by the price per square foot. You can compare the price per square foot to similar properties in the neighborhood to gauge what kind of deal you’re getting.
The second problem is even bigger, and drives me nuts. Okay, you want a “deal.” I go and find it for you, then you can’t decide if you want to move on it or not. By the time you make up your mind, someone else has snatched it up. Now granted, sometimes you arrive at the party too late, and you never had a chance to purchase the property. More often, you’ve seen it, you like it, but you want to think about it. The thinking needs to be done before you send someone in search of a great buy. You must, must, must be pre-qualified with a reputable lender (not cousin Joe,s friend of a friend). An offer is always stronger with a valid pre-qual. letter. If you’re making an offer on a short sale or foreclosure, you must have it. A bank will not even consider an offer without a pre-qualification letter attached. You need to have money ready to put down for the earnest money, and money ready for your down payment. You need to know how much you’re willing to spend. Once you have all your ducks in a row, you are ready to move.
Really great “deals” don’t ever last long. People who are ready to act will always come out ahead of those who haven’t thought about it yet. Just this week, my wife sold a brand new home that had been discounted by $180,000. This is the one, and only, time I have ever seen this big of a discount. She posted an ad on Tuesday, and sold it on Wednesday. The gentleman who bought the home has been looking,, and was ready to move when he found the property. Several others knew about the home, but wanted to ask a bunch of questions before looking and acting. Now I want to be clear. This type of deal does not come around very often, if ever. In my three years in real estate, this is the biggest and best discount I’ve seen. However, there are other good deals still out there. The best way to find them is by using a professional, and by being ready to move when he/she finds it for you.
One last thought. There is another similar phrase that drives me crazy. I ask, “When do you want to buy a home?”
They respond, “When I find the right deal.”
My new stance, “When you’re ready to buy, I’ll find you the right deal.”
Written by Chad Underwood
Best NEW Home Deal in McKinney..180K Off Price!!
I have seen deals, but the following is one of the absolute best I have seen in a long time!!!
WAS: $453,000
NOW: $273,000
3275 Sq. ft
4 bedroom/3 bath/2 car
Media plus Game
This gorgeous home is situated on a creek homesite with beautiful elevated view that looks out over a wooded creek area and is perfect for privacy. Stone accents the front exterior. The island kitchen features a stone alcove. The family room showcases a floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace, rich hardwood flooring and a built-in niche for an entertainment center. Hardwood flooring adds a custom feel to the spacious study. The game room is great for entertaining. An oversized bay window brightens the master bath.
If you would like to schedule a time to visit this home, please call Amy Underwood at 972-921-8787 or e-mail me at Amy@NorthTexasHomefinders.com. Our services are offered at NO cost to you, and we are not your Typical Realtors!!!!
Are you busy riding the fence? The bad news – the economy is in turmoil, we have a new president and a new party coming into office, we’re in a recession, and the stock market goes up and down more than a roller coaster at Six Flags. The good news – I live in Texas.
Thankfully, Texas has been able to avoid many of the scenarios running rampant in much of the country. We never had a housing bubble that saw home prices soar at double digit rates. Our job market is still stronger than that of the nation.
“The Texas economy is relentlessly adding jobs despite more job losses for the nation. Texas’ non-farm employment rose 2.2 percent from October 2007 to October 2008 compared with a decrease of 0.9 percent for the United States. The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose from 4.3 percent in October 2007 to 5.6 percent in October 2008. Over the same period, the U.S. seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose from 4.8 percent to 6.5 percent.” (“Monthly Review of the Texas Economy November 2008″ Ali Anari and Mark G. Dotzour).
We are in a great buyers’ market. Like the rest of the country, home sales have slowed, and values have dropped – 2.7 percent in September 2008 compared to September 2007 (S&P/Case-Shiller home price indices published 11/25). In fact, Dallas/Fort Worth was the best compared to twenty other metropolitan areas surveyed:
Area Percent 1-year change Atlanta -9.5 Boston -5.7 Charlotte, N.C. -3.5 Chicago -10.1 Cleveland -6.4 Dallas -2.7 Denver -5.4 Detroit -18.6 Las Vegas -31.3 Los Angeles -27.6 Miami -28.4 Minneapolis -14.4 New York -7.3 Phoenix -31.9 Portland -8.6 San Diego -26.3 San Francisco -29.5 Seattle -9.8 Tampa, Fla. -18.5 Washington -17.2
So. So if you want to buy a house, what are you waiting for? Prices are at a low, interest rates have recently dropped below 6% for a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage, and there is inventory available – both in new and resale homes. People, and builders, who have homes to sell are ready to deal. They’re not giving homes away, but they are willing to offer some great discounts.
Are we at the bottom yet? I don’t know. However, I recently heard a great quote regaring the bottom, “The only way you know you’ve hit bottom is when you’re headed back up.” Unfortunately, I’m not sure where that quote originated. However, the truth in that statement is undeniable. If you keep riding the fence, if you keep waiting for prices to go lower, the chances are you will catch them when they’re on the rise again.
