Amber Carrillo

Are you an active agent? Do you take pride in what you do? Do you pass out your business cards to everyone you come into contact with? Do you have a website? Do you use car magnets? Do you farm? Are you out there actively marketing yourself and your services? If you answered no to some of these questions, then you may be an Undercover Agent!

I am proud of what I do and how I service my community. I love the feeling of passing over the keys to first time home buyers and love jumping up and down with them and celebrating. I am ecstatic when I am able to help investors achieve their goals and realize some profitable returns. I'm glad and relieved when I'm able to help a family in need avoid foreclosure and get their home sold.

I'm sure most of you would empathize with all of these examples. Yet, the general public can liken us to used car salespeople! I'm on a mission to change this perception and show them what a valuable resource we are. I know it's hard for most buyers and sellers to really understand this because they just see the commission spilling from their pockets. They really have no idea of the extent of our work; all of the follow-up we are required to do to keep closings on track. I have had so many last minute phone calls from lenders that have come up with this or that and because I acted quickly, kept the deal from derailing. They don't see the stress we have to hold on our shoulders sometimes so that they can rest easy. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining and wouldn't choose to do anything else. I'm proud to say I'm a Broker and I'm very lucky to live and practice in the Houston Real Estate market. Pass it on!

Foreclosures are the only thing worth buying. Foreclosures are the best deals on the market. Foreclosures are the only way to make money in Real Estate, right? WRONG! Buying a foreclosure isn't always as great as it's cracked up to be. They are definitely not for the faint at heart.

Yes, foreclosures can be great deals at times. You should do your homework. When you buy a foreclosure in Texas, the seller (banks generally) aren't required to provide a Seller's Disclosure Notice. A Seller's Disclosure Notice is 5 pages of information on the home that a regular seller will provide for you. When it comes to foreclosures, what you see is what you get. You need to have a good inspection done on the home to uncover any hidden damages or unforeseen repairs. Keep in mind that an inspector will only inspect what they can see. Pipes and electrical, etc behind the wall is all a guessing game until you need to open it up for renovations or repairs. Banks will generally only sell foreclosures "AS IS" so you need to be prepared with the finances to make what repairs need to be made.

You should be aware of what type of financing the subject foreclosure will qualify for as well. If you are pre-approved for an FHA loan, the home is going to have to be in pretty decent shape, essentially livable. When I personally bought a foreclosure home with an FHA loan, I had to replace a broken window and repair a hole in the wall before they would close it. I have seen FHA deny loans on homes for lack of floor covering, missing appliances, etc.

All in all, your best bet is to work with an experienced Broker to help you through the process. You will need to work with a Broker that knows how to win the bids on foreclosures. Not every agent knows how. It comes with years of practice and learning exactly what the banks are looking for. As always, should you need any help, I am only a phone call, email, text or twitter away!

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 will attend and whether they provide the services they need. Do they need to live in close proximity to medical centers or doctors? Sometimes it's necessary to think about how close the neighbors are and whether they will be affected when you child decides to have a meltdown. Other things to consider are will you need a house with special modifications, e.g. wheelchair ramps, bath bars, etc?

All in all, this can be wonderful experience for Brokers who have lots of patience and a willingness to help others to achieve their dreams of home ownership. As always, if you have any questions or need any additional help I am only a phone call, email, twitter or text away!

I want to make some money, lots of money. And, I want to invest in Real Estate. Can these two thoughts still marry? It all depends on where you want to invest, but if that place is Houston, Texas, the answer is absolutely!

I have worked with many investors over the years and it seems they all had different ideas of how to achieve this. There are several ways to go about this actually and the first thing you need to decide is how fast you want to achieve your goals. There are two main concepts to mull over. Is this something you want to invest in and cash out in the near future or is this something you want to invest in for the long haul?

If your answer is cashing out in the near future, you should consider a flip. A flip is buying a property under market value, performing necessary repairs and then reselling at market value to realize a profit. There are several things that you must consider when thinking of taking on a flip. Do you have cash to buy the home? If not, will you be financing the purchase conventionally or with hard money? If you are financing, is there a pre-payment penalty for paying off the loan quickly? Do you have the cash on hand to pay the contractors as the work is completed? Do you have a project manager to oversee the renovations or repairs (this would mostly apply if you are not local)? Do you have the ability to hold on to the property for at least 6 months? When it comes to flipping, some lenders for the potential buyers will not allow too large of a profit if you are selling in under 6 months. In almost all cases, I have seen them ask for receipts as proof of the repairs completed in order to calculate your profit. These are all things that must be considered and working with an experienced Real Estate Broker (like myself) can help you maneuver through this maze.

If your answer to the above is investing for the long haul, you have the potential of realizing even more of a profit through the bounty known as appreciation. It's going to take an understanding of the market you are investing in and a healthy dose of optimism for the future real estate and financial markets. We have certain areas of town in Houston that can realize an excellent appreciation on a yearly basis. These areas tend to be centrally located and close to a town's epicenter. You will need to be able to manage these properties efficiently and have a cash reserve for repairs that may arise. A local property management company could help with this undertaking and make it a not so painstaking venture.

Now, let's make some money!

As always, I'm only a phone call, email, text or twitter away!

I want to make some money, lots of money. And, I want to invest in Real Estate. Can these two thoughts still marry? It all depends on where you want to invest, but if that place is Houston, Texas, the answer is absolutely!

I have worked with many investors over the years and it seems they all had different ideas of how to achieve this. There are several ways to go about this actually and the first thing you need to decide is how fast you want to achieve your goals. There are two main concepts to mull over. Is this something you want to invest in and cash out in the near future or is this something you want to invest in for the long haul?

If your answer is cashing out in the near future, you should consider a flip. A flip is buying a property under market value, performing necessary repairs and then reselling at market value to realize a profit. There are several things that you must consider when thinking of taking on a flip. Do you have cash to buy the home? If not, will you be financing the purchase conventionally or with hard money? If you are financing, is there a pre-payment penalty for paying off the loan quickly? Do you have the cash on hand to pay the contractors as the work is completed? Do you have a project manager to oversee the renovations or repairs (this would mostly apply if you are not local)? Do you have the ability to hold on to the property for at least 6 months? When it comes to flipping, some lenders for the potential buyers will not allow too large of a profit if you are selling in under 6 months. In almost all cases, I have seen them ask for receipts as proof of the repairs completed in order to calculate your profit. These are all things that must be considered and working with an experienced Real Estate Broker (like myself) can help you maneuver through this maze.

If your answer to the above is investing for the long haul, you have the potential of realizing even more of a profit through the bounty known as appreciation. It's going to take an understanding of the market you are investing in and a healthy dose of optimism for the future real estate and financial markets. We have certain areas of town in Houston that can realize an excellent appreciation on a yearly basis. These areas tend to be centrally located and close to a town's epicenter. You will need to be able to manage these properties efficiently and have a cash reserve for repairs that may arise. A local property management company could help with this undertaking and make it a not so painstaking venture.

Now, let's make some money!

As always, I'm only a phone call, email, text or twitter away!