Mark A Fuller's Blog

Hot water heater tanks naturally build up sediment, which reduces efficiency and costs you energy dollars. Most manufacturers recommend draining the tank once or twice a year. Draining the tank and saving energy is relatively easy. Turn off the water and power to the unit (set the burner on a gas...

As summer officially begins, all Texans hope to continue to see rainfall and to avoid the record drought conditions of last year. Still, wise gardeners hope for the best but plan for the worst. Here are ten colorful plants that are drought-resistant and ready to handle whatever the Texas summer m...

Property owners along the Texas Gulf may see a hike in their insurance bills soon. The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association's (TWIA) board of directors approved a 5 percent increase of insurance rates on residential and commercial properties insured by TWIA. The rate increase is set to take effe...

Texas weathered the national recession better than most states. Affordable home prices, continued job growth, and Texans' can-do attitude have all helped. But has the pendulum already swung back to a seller's market in the Lone Star State, with home prices creeping up again and buyers potentially...

Texas added the most government jobs of any state over the past 10 years, a new analysis shows. Texas may be a leader in creating private sector jobs, but it has also added the most government jobs of any state over the past 10 years, a new analysis shows. The Lone Star State added 164,400 govern...

The Houston housing market experienced continued growth in April as home buyers helped support an 11th consecutive month of positive sales. The volume of single-family home sales was the greatest for a single month since last August, and average and median pricing achieved the highest levels for ...

Consistency and stability were the key characteristics of the Texas real estate market in the fourth quarter of 2011, according to the most recent version of the Texas Quarterly Housing Report issued today. Featuring a 6 percent increase in the volume of single-family home sales and a median pric...

The Houston housing market held to positive territory as 2012 began, with January marking the eighth consecutive month of increased home sales. The year also opened with a continued decline in active property listings and growth in pending sales—a combination that signals a healthy market with a ...

As you calculate your tax returns, consider each home tax deduction and credit you are — and are not — entitled to. Running afoul of any of these 10 home-related tax mistakes — which tax pros say are especially common — can cost you money or draw the IRS to your doorstep. Sin #1: Deducting the wr...

There is no such thing as a perfect home; most homes—both new and old—have a few problem areas. However, some home flaws are more frequent than others. Below are the top three home defects that every buyer and seller should check for before making an offer, or putting a home on the market. 1) Woo...