Sugar Land Real Estate Reports by Sheila Cox There may be some slight overlap, but overall, these three Sugar Land real estate reports contain different information. It's too much information for one report! Choose a report:          Sugar Land Report This 60+ page Sugar Land real estate report is full of information about Sugar Land, including: Important phone numbers Sugar Land real estate statistics Description of master-planned communities with photos List of neighborhoods/subdivisions School ratings and zone maps Tax rate information per subdivision And more!   You can't get all this info in one report anywhere else.   Click to sign up!   Sugar Land Neighborhood Sales Report Whether you are buying or a selling a home, one of the most important aspects of the process is THE SALES PR... 10/15/2012

Sugar Land Real Estate by Sheila Cox The Sugar Land real estate market is great! The number of homes sold in Fort Bend County went up dramatically this year and is expected to top our best year so far in number of sales (2006). In addition, the average price on homes increased from $231,400 in 2011 to $238,800 in 2012 (estimated). In fact, the average home price in our area has increased every year since 1993. If you are currently buying or selling Sugar Land real estate, you should know that we are currently in a "Seller's Market" with an estimated 4.6 months of inventory. Source: http://www.recenter.tamu.edu/data/hs/hs230.asp The Sugar Land real estate market is constantly changing. The way we determine the type of real estate market we're in (Buyer's Market vs. Seller's Market) is ba... 10/15/2012

Sugar Land Housing Costs by Sheila Cox One of the things I've found that excites people the most about buying a home in Sugar Land, TX, is how far their dollars go. No matter what price range you're looking at, you get much more for your money in Sugar Land than in other parts of the country because the Sugar Land housing costs are so reasonable. Plus, there is a home for every budget! Depending upon the communities you're considering, homes can range from $100,000 to several million. While a price range does exist, the greatest number of homes sold in 2012 were in the $200,000 to $300,000 range, with the median price being $238,000. So, how much house do you get for this price? You can count on approximately 2,250 square feet on the lower end of that price range to about 3,000 square f... 10/15/2012

Here is your weekly interest rate update: Conventional 30 year Mortgage: 3.25% Credit score:740 LTV:80% Loan Amount:$200k APR: 3.53% FHA 30 year:3.125% Credit Score:640 LTV:96.5% loan amount:$200k APR:4.15% Conventional 15 year:2.75% Credit score:740 LTV:80% Loan Amount:$200k APR:3.125%   Call me today if you are thinking of refinancing or buying a home, for the best mortgage rate possible. 10/10/2012

EcoFriendly in Sugar Land   by Sheila Cox There are many ecofriendly homes in Sugar Land (and throughout Fort Bend County) that are green-certified or have some Green/EcoFriendly features...click below.   Free EcoFriendly Downloads: All Natural Cleaning Kit Grocery Shopping Reminders Safer Bath and Beauty Products Quiz: How Healthy Is Your Home Chemicals to Avoid List Tips for Making Your Home a Healthy Place Recycling Information for Fort Bend County Create a Home Recycling Center Home Recycling Tips Eco Flooring Guide Energy Saver Booklet EPA's Booklet on Protecting Children   "10 Easy Ways to Improve Your Family's Precious Health" Something has gone wrong with our environment to cause increases in childhood diseases, allergies, and infertility problems. Our science and healthcare is... 10/04/2012

  Texas Real Estate: How to Get Dedicated Representation As a Buyer? by Sheila Cox In earlier articles, I explained two very important concepts that you need to understand before you buy real estate in Texas: brokerage services and how an intermediary agency works and how real estate sales commissions are paid. Another thing that is important for you to understand is that a real estate agent in Texas who uses the MLS is always, by default, looking out for the best interest of the Seller unless the Buyer (you) has a written Residential Buyer/Tenant Representation Agreement (Buyer's Rep Agmt.) with the real estate agent. NOTE: View a sample of my Buyer's Representation Agreement and please note Paragraph 17 on page 4. With a Buyer's Rep Agrmt., you are considered to be a client. Without a... 10/04/2012

Texas Real Estate: Who Pays Real Estate Commissions? by Sheila Cox One of the questions that I'm frequently asked is, "Who pays the sales commission in a real estate transaction?" That's a good question! Here's the answer... NOTE: I give a rebate if you both buy and sell a home with me within a 6-month period. Typically, real estate sales commissions are paid at the closing table. The title company disburses two checks out of the seller's proceeds from the sale: one to the listing broker (such as a RE/MAX or Coldwell Banker) and one to the Buyer's broker (in our case, Keller Williams Southwest). Then the Seller's broker splits their sales commission with the Seller's agent (also known as, the Listing Agent). And the Buyer's broker splits their sales commission with the Buyer's agent (Sh... 10/04/2012

Texas Real Estate: About Brokerage Services by Sheila Cox When I bought my first house in the mid 1990s, Texas was kind of a "Buyer Beware" state. In fact, a home Buyer could spend weeks looking for a home with a real estate agent, telling her secret information (like how much you were willing to pay for a house), not knowing that everything you told that real estate agent would be told to the Seller because the real estate agent was actually representing the Seller-not you (the Buyer)! Here's what you need to know... Unless you have a written agreement with a real estate agent, all Texas agents are always representing the Seller-typically known as the "subagent." That is how agency works in Texas. This can be confusing for home Buyers, so the Texas Real Estate Commission wants you to k... 10/03/2012

  Sugar Land Subdivisions by Sheila Cox This is a list of all the Sugar Land subdivisions, sorted alphabetically by the subdivision name. Keep in mind that there will be multiple Sugar Land subdivisions within a specific neighborhood. Also keep in mind that tax rates and schools zones change from time to time, so double-check this information on any home you decide to buy, before you make a purchase. Home values within Sugar Land subdivisions change month-to-month. If you want to make sure that you are not over-paying for a house, you should get a detailed 18-page house report on that home, as provided by Sheila Cox. No other Realtor will give you this level of detailed information as a single report, to protect you from making an unwise buying decision. Neighborhood Info: Click here fo... 10/03/2012

Sugar Land, TX by Sheila Cox Description The city of Sugar Land, TX, is one of the best places to live in America. From our family-friendly, master planned neighborhoods, tree-lined streets, our excellent schools, and our reasonably priced homes for sale, to the new town center, shopping, restaurants, and exceptional healthcare facilities...we have it all! Here are a few important facts about Sugar Land, TX that may interest you: Sugar Land, TX, is located Southwest of Houston, TX. Typically, you can drive to downtown Houston from Sugar Land in approximately 25 to 45 minutes (depending on time of day and the amount of traffic on the highway). The economy in Sugar Land is healthy with unemployment rate well below the state and national percentages. Census 2000 figures ranked Sugar Land #... 10/03/2012

Sugar Land High Schools by Sheila Cox Most Sugar Land high schools are in the Fort Bend Independent School District, but a few fall into Lamar Consolidated Independent School District (West Fort Bend). To see a detailed report on a particular Sugar Land high school, click the school’s blue name in the left column. The Rating refers to the current state rating for the school which is either: Exemplary (4-star), Recognized (3-star), Acceptable (2-star), and Low Ranking (1-star). The Score refers to www.GreatSchools.com ratings which give an overview of a school's test results based on a comparison of test results for all schools in the state. For the Score, the higher the number, the higher (better) the school’s test performance. NOTE: These ratings and score are as of October 2012 and ma... 10/03/2012

Sugar Land Middle Schools by Sheila Cox Most Sugar Land middle schools are in the Fort Bend Independent School District, but a few fall into Lamar Consolidated Independent School District (West Fort Bend). To see a detailed report on a particular school, click the school’s blue name in the left column. The Rating refers to the current state rating for the school which is either: Exemplary (4-star), Recognized (3-star), Acceptable (2-star), and Low Ranking (1-star). The Score refers to www.GreatSchools.com ratings which give an overview of a school's test results based on a comparison of test results for all schools in the state. For the Score, the higher the number, the higher (better) the school’s test performance. NOTE: These ratings and score are as of October 2012 and may change in ... 10/03/2012

Sugar Land Elementary Schools by Sheila Cox Most Sugar Land elementary schools are in the Fort Bend Independent School District, but a few fall into Lamar Consolidated Independent School District (West Fort Bend). To see a detailed report on a particular school, click the school’s blue name in the left column. The Rating refers to the current state rating for the school which is either: Exemplary (4-star), Recognized (3-star), Acceptable (2-star), and Low Ranking (1-star). The Score refers to www.GreatSchools.com ratings which give an overview of a school's test results based on a comparison of test results for all schools in the state. For the Score, the higher the number, the higher (better) the school’s test performance. NOTE: These ratings and score are as of October 2012 and may ch... 10/03/2012

How To Choose the Best Sugar Land Neighborhood for You! by Sheila Cox Sugar Land neighborhoods are mostly master planned communities with tree-lined streets, parks, playgrounds, and community pools and tennis courts. Most Sugar Land neighborhoods are divided into subdivisions, and each subdivision will have its own tax rate, school zone, and price range. View Map of Sugar Land Neighborhoods (below)   The average price of a home in Sugar Land is approximately $220,000. If your budget is under $200,000 then you may need to consider a townhome/condo or a bargain property. All Sugar Land neighborhoods have homes with swimming pools, but certain types of homes (for example, a golfcourse home) can only be found in certain neighborhoods at certain prices. The table below shows the Sugar Land n... 10/03/2012

Video Tour of New Territory, Sugar Land, TX  Search all homes for sale in New Territory, Sugar Land and see photos, maps, tax info, school info and more. Description New Territory, Sugar Land, is a family-oriented community in Sugar Land, TX, with a commitment to provide a wide variety of high quality recreation and leisure programs. Located on 3,200 acres where once magnificent old pecan groves and sugar cane fields thrived, New Territory, Sugar Land, residents now enjoy over 450 acres of parks, greenbelts, jogging trails, seven lakes, four recreation centers, and the gorgeous 8.5 acre Pecan Park. New Territory, Sugar Land, is a master-planned community of 4,601 homes (17,000 residents), schools, churches, and retail shopping is nestled in Fort Bend County, the third fastest-growing co... 10/01/2012

Video Tour of Commonwealth, Sugar Land, TX  Search all homes for sale in Commonwealth, Sugar Land and see photos, maps, tax info, school info and more. Description Commonwealth, Sugar Land, is a lovely neighborhood on the Southside of Sugar Land...just East of Avalon and south of Sweetwater. Zoned to the best schools in the city, Commonwealth, Sugar Land, is a beautiful area with tree-lined boulevards, parks, lakes, and ponds. There is a community club house, swimming pool, multiple playgrounds, and public tennis courts. Prices range from $280K to $600K with $400K the average. Go to the Home Owner's Association Website for more information on Commonwealth, Sugar Land Video Tour Check out this video tour of Commonwealth, Sugar Land! This is real video footage of neighborhood clubhouse, p... 10/01/2012

Video Tour of Avalon, Sugar Land, TX  Search all homes for sale in Avalon, Sugar Land and see photos, maps, tax info, school info and more. Description Avalon, Sugar Land, TX, is a gorgeous neighborhood zoned to some of the best schools in Sugar Land. This neighborhood sits on approximately 427 acres including more than 70 acres of lakes...so waterfront homes for sale in Sugar Land can be found in Avalon, Sugar Land. This neighborhood was developed in 1999-20005 by Monarch Development of Texas, Inc. and has both custom and semi-custom homes ranging in size from 2,200 to over 6,500 square feet. Home prices in Avalon, Sugar Land, range from the low $300s to over $1 million dollars with $600K the average home price. Avalon, Sugar Land, features an elegant clubhouse,public lagoon-style swim... 10/01/2012

Here is your weekly interest rate update: Conventional 30 year Mortgage: 3.25% Credit score:740 LTV:80% Loan Amount:$200k APR: 3.53% FHA 30 year:3.25% Credit Score:640 LTV:96.5% loan amount:$200k APR:4.15% Conventional 15 year:2.75% Credit score:740 LTV:80% Loan Amount:$200k APR:3.125%   Call me today if you are thinking of refinancing or buying a home, for the best mortgage rate possible. 09/26/2012

Here is your weekly interest rate update: Conventional 30 year Mortgage: 3.625% Credit score:740 LTV:80% Loan Amount:$200k APR: 3.83% FHA 30 year:3.25% Credit Score:640 LTV:96.5% loan amount:$200k APR:4.15% Conventional 15 year:2.875% Credit score:740 LTV:80% Loan Amount:$200k APR:3.25%   Call me today if you are thinking of refinancing or buying a home, for the best mortgage rate possible. 09/12/2012

  Dave is awesome! When our previous mortgage broker had not responded we went out on a limb and was so glad we did.   He walked us through the entire process and answered every question, no matter how small. When we would send him an email, he responded quickly.  Even when we thought things were going to fall apart, Dave and his team worked around the clock to make sure our family got into the house of our dreams.  He is such a great resource and made this process go so smoothly.  We could not believe that we were able to get through it so fast.  He was even there at the closing, which put us at ease because we knew we had someone who had our back in the process there.  I would definitely recommend Dave to my friends, family, and others.  Thanks again for everything.       - Johanna an... 08/19/2012