Brand New Home, Frisco ISD for $179,990!

 

1781 sf, 3 BR, 2 BA, 2-car garage

Charming 3 bedroom home is both beautiful and energy efficient! This beautiful home features stainles steel appliances, granite countertops, undermount sink, kitchen island, designer tile selections, covered back patio and a remarkable stone and brick exterior. This “Green” built home also inlcudes features such as radiant barrier in the attic, vinyl windows, allergy reducing filters and so much more.

This home has been reduced to $179,990.

Contact Chad Underwood at Chad@NorthTexasHomeFinders.com for more information.

  Chad Underwood, Owner/Broker, www.NorthTexasHomeFinders.com

House Hunters – What an Experience!

A few months ago, our company was contacted by the television show House Hunters, HGTVs most popular show.  They had run across our web site and wanted us to participate in the show.  Luckily, I had clients that were perfect.

A few weeks ago, we filmed for two days, and this week we filmed for two more.  At the end of this month, we’ll film one more day and that will be “a wrap”.  What an experience!  Let me give you a brief rundown.

My clients, Stephanie and Kevin, will be considering three homes.  Two of them are in the town of Prosper, one is in Frisco.  All three are gorgeous.  The Frisco home is priced just under $600,000, and the Prosper homes are priced at $499,900 and $549,900.  Each has it’s own appeal, and you’ll see on the show that this couple has a tough choice on their hands!

Filming has been a blast.  Susan, the producer, is awesome to work with.  Randy and Chris have been behind the camera, and Jake is an audio whiz.  We couldn’t have asked for a better group to work with and get to know.  Because of these fine people, I would absolutely welcome the opportunity to do another House Hunters episode in the future.

I’ll be sure to post the date the episode will air.  Right now it’s looking like 3-6 months from now, and the network will give me an exact date when they have one. 

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.

Save $166,000 off 2008 Tax Value with This McKinney Foreclosure

WOW!!!  Found this Foreclosure deal and had to spread the word! 
2008 Tax Value $511,000
Listing Price $345,000  that is $166,000 below tax value!!!

Amazing Deal on Luxury Home!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Foreclosure in McKinney.  Drees home built in 2006 with 4 bedrooms, 4 baths, and 3 car garage on .24 acres.  4,717sf in a cul-d-sac location in Stonebridge Ranch.  Master and study downstairs, 3 bedrooms, gameroom, and media room upstairs.  Features include: granite countertops, hardwood floors, plantation shutters.  Appliances have been removed from the home.  Remember this is a foreclosure sale, so the home is being sold AS-IS with no option period.

This home will not last at this price.  Call Teresa today at 214.475.1957 to schedule your exclusive viewing of this home!   Serious inquiries only please.  Remember if you are already working with a Realtor, we cannot help you.  We are Buyer’s Representatives that help you find the best home and the best price.  Our services are Free to you as the seller pays our fees!

Article by Teresa Robinson, Owner/Buyer Specialist, North Texas Home Finders  Contact Teresa at 972.335.0571 or Teresa@Northtexashomefinders.com and she can help you sell your home or find a new one!

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.

Teresa Robinson is one of more than 400,000 members of the Real Estate BUYERS AGENT Council (REBAC) of the National Association of Realtors, who have attended the ABR, Accredited Buyer Representative, designation.  As the world’s largest association of real estate professionals focusing specifically on representing the real estate buyer, REBAC is ”The Voice for Buyer Representation, ” with more than 44,000 active real estate professional members of the organization throughout the world. 

River View w/Pool in Colleyville under 400K!

Beautiful greenbelt villa with heated pool, waterfall & spa! Three bedrooms down! Upstairs gameroom with closet & full bath, great for use as 4th bedroom or media. Extensive hand scraped hardwood flooring! Island kitchen with stainless appliances & breakfast bar opens to family room with pool views. Master suite split from other bedrooms for privacy. Fantastic location! Walk to Lifetime Fitness & Market Street Shopping, Restaurants and Theater!

Offered at 396,000

4/3/2

Grapevine/Colleyville ISD

 

To view this home, please call: Amy Underwood, Owner/Buyer Specialist, North Texas Home Finders  Contact Amy at 972.921.8787 or Amy@Northtexashomefinders.com .

Get a Buyer Specialist and rest easy! The seller/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.

True or False: I can save money by not using a Realtor on a New Construction Purchase.

This topic always seems to spur great debates among those who love to negotiate.  I have to say after working for a new construction builder for over 7 years, that it is FALSE! 

The model home creates an atmosphere of happiness and excitement.  The on-site rep is a highly trained professional whose whole purpose is to get you to buy a home from that particular builder.  Many reps are very personable and make you feel like they are on your side, but don’t fall for it.  Bottom line – they work for the Seller/Builder.  They are responsible for maintaining a certain profit margin for the company.  They are indeed very nice people, but they are not looking out for your best interests.

Having a Realtor or buyer’s representative on your side can insure you are paying the best price based on market conditions, you are getting the most options for your money, and you are entitled to several inspections of the home during construction.  Be sure you pick a Realtor that has New Construction experience.  The purchase agreements are written with the builder in mind.  You won’t be able to change much if any of the contract, but an experienced professional can help explain the contract in plain English, so you can understand exactly what you are signing.

Builders set aside an annual marketing budget for the entire division.  This budget includes Realtor fees and/or bonuses.  They do this because they understand that Realtors can bring in business to help them sell their inventory homes.  This money does not come out of the house budget.  So, if you have heard you can save 3% if you don’t use a Realtor is not true.  If they are giving you 3% it is because they had it as incentive money and would have given it to someone with representation too!  Chances are you will get a better deal negotiated with a representative on your side!

Article by Teresa Robinson, Owner/Buyer Specialist, North Texas Home Finders  Contact Teresa at 972.335.0571 or Teresa@Northtexashomefinders.com and she can help you sell your home or find a new one!

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.

Teresa Robinson is one of more than 400,000 members of the Real Estate BUYERS AGENT Council (REBAC) of the National Association of Realtors, who have attended the ABR, Accredited Buyer Representative, designation.  As the world’s largest association of real estate professionals focusing specifically on representing the real estate buyer, REBAC is ”The Voice for Buyer Representation, ” with more than 44,000 active real estate professional members of the organization throughout the world. 

Should I Buy A Distressed Property?

Confused? Learn what’s what, and what to expect.

Many people think buying a home in “distress” means they’ll get a great value. This is not always the case – distressed properties often have challenges not typically found with a traditional real estate transaction.

 Things to be aware of:

• Lenders are overwhelmed in this market, so expect the process of buying a short sale or an REO to take several months (after you make an offer).
• Multiple offers are often made on one property. Even if your offer is competitive, if lender receives what they perceive to be a “better” offer, you could be out of the running all together.
• Always remember: until your offer is accepted by the lender, there is no contract. That means even if your short sale offer has been “accepted” by the seller, there is still no contract until the lender has given its approval. Similarly, if you are making an offer on an REO property, there is no contract until the lender accepts.

 So, if you’re the kind of buyer who…

• Is not in a hurry to purchase your next home.
• Is comfortable with some uncertainty about that purchase.
• Is willing to search through dozens of listings in hopes of finding a good deal…

…then include searches of foreclosed or short sale properties in your next

online search!

When a homeowner is behind on his or her mortgage, or already in default, the mortgage holder (aka lender) has many options, including allowing the home to be sold for an amount less than what the home owner currently owes(also called a short sale), and foreclosure.  Buying a short sale or REO property is a complex process. The overview below is intended to give you an idea of what you may face if you decide to pursue a purchase of a distressed property. You should always discuss the process in detail with your REALTOR® before making an offer. Here is an overview of the most common distressed situations and how you can work through them:

 Short Sale Properties

 A short sale usually occurs when the homeowner either knows they can no longer afford the home and is facing a default on the mortgage, or has already defaulted and is facing a foreclosure. A short sale will happen when a property is sold for an amount that is less than, or “short” of, the current pay-off amount of the mortgage.

 Before making an offer on a “short sale,” please keep the following in mind:

• Any offer must be approved by seller’s lender.
• Because of the required approval process by the lender, closings on a short sale are often delayed by several weeks, if not months.
• A lender may not agree to, and thus change, the terms of the agreement made between the seller and the buyer.

Foreclosure Properties (i.e., REO, HUD, Fannie Mae)

What is a Foreclosure/REO?

 If a homeowner has defaulted on the mortgage, the lender has the option of initiating a foreclosure against the property. If the homeowner is unable to pay the past-due payments or sell the home as a traditional sale where the mortgage is paid-off in full, or as a short sale, the foreclosure of home will be complete and the property will be put up for sale at an auction. In the event that there are no bidders at the auction, the lender will end up as the new “owner” of the home. Lender owned properties in this situation are known as REO (Real Estate Owned) properties.

 Lenders take the homes “as-is,” meaning that REO properties will often need to be repaired. But the benefit of purchasing an REO property is that you may find some good deals!

 Issues to watch out for:

• The lender most likely will not agree to make any repairs to the home.
• The lender may require you to financing with them.
• While most REO properties are already vacant, there is a possibility the lender is still in the process of having the former owners evicted. This could result in a delay in closing, and may also increase the price.

Chad Underwood, Owner/Broker, Chad@NorthTexasHomeFinders.com, www.NorthTexasHomeFinders.com.

Bad Economy Can Equal Better Realtors and Service

Yesterday I spent about 40 minutes on the phone with Bank of America.  My comment to the “supervisor” I was speaking to by the end of the call was that I have never dealt with a company with customer service so poor.  Today I called a local Frisco jewelry store to pick up my newly sized Aggie ring.  It was promised to be ready yesterday.  I was told that it will be ready in a couple of weeks.  I was also told they have to send the ring to a 3rd party, so it’s out of their control.  Then why promise (and PRINT on my receipt) that it will be ready by 5/20?  I tried to call my internet provider last week…I hung up after holding for over 10 minutes.  Customer service as a whole has taken a hit, and it can be tied to the economy.

When the economy takes a turn for the worse, jobs have to be cut.  Many of those jobs are in the area of customer service.  If jobs aren’t cut, they are relocated in many cases….relocated to call centers that have no real idea of how to help customers.  The other problem is that the people that do remain in a customer service capacity are now doing the job of 2 or 3 people…that means less time to devote to helping customers and solving problems.

What does ANY of this have to do with real estate?  Well, when it comes to Realtors, it is my opinion that a tough economy and housing market actually HELPS potential buyers and sellers of homes in the area of customer service.  When times get tough, only the best Realtors survive.  Many of the “bad” Realtors end up leaving the industry altogether – and that’s a good thing!  The same thing happens in the mortgage industry.  What I’m trying to say is that if you are in the market for a Realtor, your odds of working with a good one are better right now than at any time in the past decade — and that’s something positive you can think about the next time you are sitting on hold waiting for the “next available operator” at your friendly bank or cable company!

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.

Wow! 3000 sft.-Stonebridge ranch- 4 Bed w/ Swimming Pool!!! Only $227,000

Beautiful home on corner lot boasts 4 bedrooms, 3 full baths, 2 car garage, covered porch, game room, in ground play pool, wood & carpet flooring. Eat in kitchen is open to family room with wonderful view of the backyard & pool. Guest bedroom and full bath downstairs with spacious game room, 2 bedrooms and master with sitting area on second level. Homeowners dues include front yard maint. Seller will pay $3000 towards decorating or closing costs.

To view this home, please call: Amy Underwood, Owner/Buyer Specialist, North Texas Home Finders  Contact Amy at 972.921.8787 or Amy@Northtexashomefinders.com .

Get a Buyer Specialist and rest easy! The seller/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.

Save $45,000 on New Construction Home in Prosper, Texas!

Luxury at its finest for under $500,000!  Check out this hot home deal located in Prosper, Texas.

 

4,769 square foot home featuring 5 bedrooms (master plus guest on first floor), 4 full baths, media and game room.  You will love the beautiful curved staircase around the foyer and formal dining room.  The open kitchen features jenn-aire appliances and huge island.  Large covered patio and split 3 car garage.  Community has large play yard, swimming pool, and hiking and biking trails.  Must see!

Was offered at $445,000.  Now $399,900!  Call Teresa today on her cell phone: 214.475.1957 to schedule your exclusive viewing of this beautiful custom home!

Article by Teresa Robinson, Owner/Buyer Specialist, North Texas Home Finders  Contact Teresa at 972.335.0571 or Teresa@Northtexashomefinders.com and she can help you sell your home or find a new one!

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.

Teresa Robinson is one of more than 400,000 members of the Real Estate BUYERS AGENT Council (REBAC) of the National Association of Realtors, who have attended the ABR, Accredited Buyer Representative, designation.  As the world’s largest association of real estate professionals focusing specifically on representing the real estate buyer, REBAC is ”The Voice for Buyer Representation, ” with more than 44,000 active real estate professional members of the organization throughout the world. 

Dismissed Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Mortgage Loan Program

Our preferred lender that brought you the 500 FICO Program just received another new program that will help a lot of people.  See below for all the details:

“Dismissed BK 13″ Program 

 5/15/2009 NEW PROGRAM offered in  Dallas, TX by private investment bank in Indiana.

 Buyers with Dismissed ( not Discharged) Chapter 13 bankruptcy are eligible for this program immediately. 

 Key Eligibility Factors:

• 580 Fico
• Household income of $3000 month or greater
• Buyer must have verifiable income
• Home purchase price $70,000 – $270,000
• No Foreclosure in last 3 Years
• No significant new derog credit issues in last 12 months.
• Rent payments must be verified
• Interest rate is fixed 30 years at 7%.

 This program is available to all First Time Buyers and individuals and families in Dallas Fort Worth Area earning less than $250,000 yearly income.

Normally a “dismissed” status on a bankruptcy kills any chance for a mortgage.  Contact Chad Underwood at North Texas Home Finders for more details about this program.

Chad Underwood, Owner/Broker,  Chad@NorthTexasHomeFinders.com, www.NorthTexasHomeFinders.com.