I recently read an article by US NEWS on 10 ways to lower your electrical bills and wanted to pass it along.   Unplug electric devices- unplug devices when you are not using them.  If that's a hassle, consider buying a Smart Strip, which automatically cuts power when devices don't need it. Use your fans-  This helps circulate air and may keep the air conditioner from coming on sooner.  Close Doors- Close doors and vents to areas of the house you are not using add insulation- homes can leak cold air during the summer and hot air during the winter.  Fill these gaps with insulation; Squirting spray foam into drilled holes in the wall might do the trick. Turn off Lights when you are not using them- we were all taught this one growing up.  Thanks Mom Get your AC checked out-  Is it leaking o... 07/08/2010

Here is your weekly mortgage rate update: Conventional 30 year Mortgage: 4.25% Credit score:740 LTV:80% Loan Amount:$200k APR: 4.75% FHA 30 year:4.25% Credit Score:640 LTV:96.5% loan amount:$200k APR:5% Conventional 15 year:4% Credit score:740 LTV:80% Loan Amount:$200k APR:4.375%   Please call me with any questions today. 07/07/2010

This will be part 1 of my Foreclosure Blog Mini Series over the next few days to educate investors about our local markets and conditions in the Houston, Sugar Land, Katy areas. I get many calls per week from new investors. The first target is foreclosure or distressed properties. Unfortunately our local market is not sufferring like the rest of the country with foreclosures. Actually our inventory has dropped slightly because of the fear the national media has created by making sellers believe they must sell for a loss. Below is a list of the 2010 Top 20 US Cities with the highest foreclosure rates from a foreclosure data tracking company. Houston is not one of them. Actually Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown ranked 96th in the nation.   Q1 2010 Top 20 U.S. Metro Foreclosure Rates Rank City T... 06/30/2010

Here is your weekly mortgage rate update: Conventional 30 year Mortgage: 4.375% Credit score:740 LTV:80% Loan Amount:$200k APR: 4.75% FHA 30 year:4.25% Credit Score:640 LTV:96.5% loan amount:$200k APR:5% Conventional 15 year:4.125% Credit score:740 LTV:80% Loan Amount:$200k APR:4.5%   Please call me with any questions today. 06/30/2010

1) If your clients have to make an appointment to drive across town to meet with me to deliver their documents because you ignored their calls. 2) If your clients have to negotiate directly with me because you did not on their behalf as their representative and still ignored their calls. 3) If you did not present the contract to your clients and explain it to them, and instead just email it to them to figure out for themselves and ask me the questions.   4) If you have to call me to figure out and confirm the terms and details that your clients chose to negotiate directly with me.  5) If I have to meet your clients at my listing to show them again because you ignored their calls.  6) Do you expect me to let your clients' waiting movers unload their truck parked in front of the home with... 06/10/2010

The Mortgage Credit Certificate tax credit program(MCC) for the Fort Bend County has just announced that they now have funds for this program.  They have over $5.8 million of funds for this program but will disperse the funds on a first come first served basis.  If you are not familiar with the MCC program, here are the highlights.    The MCC tax credit allows you to save up to $2000 a year off your income taxes.  This is a refund of up to $2000 off their income taxes every year that you are in the home!!!!!! it is also available for any home in the Houston area, Harris County, Fort Bend County or any where in Texas. There is a 1%(of the loan amount) fee and other fees to the Government for this program.  The savings way out weight the cost! I do not charge anything to get you approved ... 05/20/2010

Houston area home sales climbed in March by 10.8% as the seasonal spring buyers began purchasing as well as those taking advantage of the Federal Tax Credit. Realtors sold 4,832 single-family homes in the area last month, according to a monthly report from the Houston Association of Realtors, which tracks homes sold through the Multiple Listing Service. That's up 10.8 percent from the same period last year. The number of foreclosures in Harris County sold at the monthly auction in early April climbed 52 percent to 1,180, up from 772 during the same month last year, according to The Foreclosure Information & Listing Service. New listings of single-family homes jumped 34 percent to 11,399 in March, compared with 8,528 during the same month last year. Home prices continued to climb for th... 04/21/2010

Pulte opens new patio home model in Telfair Pulte Homes has opened a new decorated patio home model which expands the variety of price ranges and new-home styles offered in Sugar Land's Telfair master-planned community, ranked third in greater Houston for new-home sales. Located in the patio home section of Telfair, Pulte's new model showcases the builder's Carriage Collection, a group of one-story floor plans priced from $245,000 to $277,000. Ranging from 1,759 to 2,706 square feet, these Pulte plans offer three and four bedrooms, and most plans include a family room, a study, and a flex space that can be used as an additional living area or bedroom. These plans also include one or more spacious side courtyards accessible through French doors, adding more light to the open interiors.  ... 03/03/2010

Taylor Morrison to develop Avalon at Telfair community in Sugar Land Taylor Morrison has purchased 108 acres from Newland Communities for a new upscale community to be called Avalon at Telfair, to be developed within the boundaries of Newland's 2,018-acre Telfair master-planned community at U.S. 59 South and University Blvd. in Sugar Land. Taylor Morrison will develop Avalon at Telfair in partnership with Newland Communities, according to Steve Von Hofe, president of Taylor Morrison's Houston Division. Located on the south side of U.S. 59, across the freeway from the portions of Telfair that have been developed to date on the north side of U.S. 59, Avalon at Telfair will have its main entrance off of University Blvd. Planned for 270 home sites to be developed over the next three years, ... 02/24/2010

Telfair is a beautiful community that is along highway 59 in Sugar Land at the University Blvd exit.  It recently was named the #6 largest new home sales community in the nation.  Lets talk about some of the great accomplishments and benefits of Telfair:   It has the recently added Branch of the Houston Museum of Natural Science it was the #1 community in Southwest Houston,(sold 412 homes in 2008) it offers amazing access to highway 59, highway 6, highways 99 and 90(thru New Territory) "Newland Communities" also helped bring New Territory and Telfair communities together with the sidewalk they helped build.  http://activerain.com/blogsview/1484312/finally-a-sidewalk-opens-to-link-new-territory-and-telfair-sugar-land-texas ( a prior article I wrote on this topic).    Telfair is a Newland... 02/24/2010

Telfair makes national top 10 list for new-home sales and has nation's highest increase Sugar Land's Telfair is the nation's No. 6 community for new-home sales, and the 2,018-acre community at U.S. 59 and University Blvd. ranks third in Houston and Texas, according to a new study just released by RCLCO, a leading independent real estate advisory firm which has compiled the annual list since 1994.   With 412 new-home sales in 2008, Telfair is also the No. 1 community in the Southwest Houston submarket, which includes Sugar Land. A development of Newland Communities, Telfair also had the highest sales increase of any other community in the national study, with new-home sales up 13 percent in 2008. The only other communities on the RCLCO list with positive sales gains - Cinco Ranch in Katy... 02/23/2010

Finally there is a sidewalk connecting the neighborhoods of New Territory and Telfair.  This project was suppose to cost upwards of $75,000.  But, luckily Newland Communities, Sprint Waste Mgmt and the Levee improvement district all chipped in 25% of the cost.  This left New Territory(NTRCA) only having to come up with the other 25% of the final cost.  Why is this sidewalk such a big deal: Telfair middle school students can travel safely to Sartartia Middle School Runners do not need to run in the street.  Which is much safer. The same for bike riders New Territory residents can walk to the Houston Museum in Telfair It may not seem like a huge deal.  But, this sidewalk now connects two beautiful neighborhoods.  02/09/2010

In 2009 Sugar Land greatly improved. Some of the accomplishments in 2009 include:                   RiverPark sub division became part of Sugar Land.  This included the addition of 3,592 residents to Sugar Land. Minute Maid moved it's corporate headquarters to Sugar Land.  A dog park was opened at Sugar Land Memorial Park.  And the Justin P. Brindley Trail was opened, located on University Blvd. Sugar land received it's own branch of the Houston Museum of Natural Science.  It is located in the heart of Telfair, just off 59. And now lets talk about the national attention Sugar Land has gotten: Sugar land was ranked among the top 25 towns in "top towns to Live Well" by Forbes magazine Sugar Land was named the top city for a Startup Business in Texas by Business Week. As I have pointed out... 01/26/2010

I am sure you are familiar with a Repair Escrow Holdback.  But, just as a refresher.  It is when the title company holds "money" for repairs needed on a home that has closed.  You might be asking how does this help me sell homes, well here are my thoughts.  But first lets discuss the highlights on a Escrow Holdback: you can escrow up to $5k in needed repairs.  Remember many times these repairs are needed for the home to get financed anyway.  These items can include anything but structural issues(ex foundation).  Some items that can be fixed/installed after closing are toilets, AC units, replace windows, roof(shingles), etc the work must be done within 48hrs after closing and the appraiser will go back out to confirm this(usually a $150 fee for the appraiser to confirm the work). you wil... 01/14/2010

Spacious Trad. Home w/marble floors in Entry & Dining RM. Sunken Living RM with mirrored wall & dual fireplace, also open to the Den. Open concept Family Room, Kitchen & Breakfast Area with spacious pantry & fireplace. Wet bar adjacent to Family RM. Open concept Master Bedroom & Master Bathroom, also equipped with a wet bar. Four bedrooms & two baths up. Culligan Water System. This house has ALOT of storage space in addition to the large bedroom closets. Brick patio & atrium in backyard.View FULL DETAILS and additional PHOTOS here:http://www.exitrealtyneh.com/results.aspx?listingid=5181497&propType=SF&area=14096&minPrice=325000&maxPrice=500000&minBeds=5 Superior search engine for MLS. Search by city, year built, square footage or any other detail. You will see multiple photos, satellite... 01/08/2010

Sugar Land, Texas Homes for Sale - Still Considered a Seller's Market in 2009 Sugar Land, Texas is still considered a Seller's Market right now.  Sugar Land, Texas is includes 2 zip codes.  As of July 31, 2009, the zip code 77478 has approximately 5.3 months of housing inventory on the market.  Anything less than 8 months of inventory is considered a Seller's market.  The average sales price has been $197,500 with 452 homes sold since August 1, 2008.  There are currently 200 active listings for sale with an average list price of $354,000.  Zip code 77479 has approximately 4.3 months of housing inventory on the market.  There were 997 homes sold since August 1, 2008 with an average sales price of $310,750 and there are currenlty 355 active listings for sale with an average list price of ... 08/18/2009

Sugar Land, Texas First time home-buyer Tax Credit Deadline approaches.  Are you thinking about buying a home in Sugar Land, Texas for the first time?  Are you wanting to take advantage of the home-buyer tax credit before the deadline approaches?  Then you need to start looking for your new home right now.  Don't procrastinate any longer.  Now is a great time to buy a home.  Home prices in Sugar Land have remained stable for the last several years and Sugar Land is one of the fastest growing areas in Texas and the US.  To quailify for the first time home-buyer tax credit, you cannot have owned a home or property for the last 3 years.  Also, the income limits are $75,000 for single tax filers and $150,000 for married tax filers.  You must close on your new home before December 1st, 2009 ... 08/07/2009

Sugar Land, Texas Rental License Program I have been doing rentals in the Sugar Land area for the last 4 months or so, and no one ever told me about this license requirement for rental property owners.  I came across this article on the sugarlandtx.gov website and was very surprised.  I know city licensing requirements usually are only used as a revenue stream, I think this one will actually do the community some good.  Sugar Land, Texas Rental License ProgramA Division of Community and Environmental Services Department  About the Program The City Council passed an ordinance on November 20, 2007 requiring all single family residences used as rental properties in the City of Sugar Land to be licensed and inspected by the City.  This measure has been adopted to help ensure that rental pro... 08/06/2009

This is a topic that is near and dear to my heart. I am a mom to a special needs child so I speak from experience. Working with families who have special needs isn't for everyone. It takes a vast deal of patience and a willingness to understand more about the person's condition to better anticipate potential needs. Different types of special needs require different things. My child has autism. Looking at lots of different houses is not for him. I know that when I have to take him to work with me that I have to go early, give him time to walk through the house and look at everything. If this doesn't happen its a complete overload and overstimulation and ends with my nerves being shot. We have to take into consideration where we live as well. Families must research the schools their kids ... 07/04/2009

Is now the time to sell?  This question has been resonating lately from the mouths of sellers near and far.  And, it's a great question!  Let me begin by saying Thank God we live in Texas and especially the Greater Houston area!  We haven't seen any major dives in home prices here compared to the rest of the country.  There are many factors that go into answering this question correctly.  A person must look seriously at their motivation for selling.  Perhaps your company is transferring you to another area or you need to move to get into a better school district.  Maybe the family has suffered from a job loss or other great expense.  Is it something that you must do or something that you want to do?  If it's something that you must do in order to keep from losing your home, then the ans... 06/22/2009