Marcus Barnes

My name is Marcus Barnes and I am a buyer's consultant in Cypress, Texas. I work hard to be a resoource that buyers can depend on for expertise and guidance during the home buying process.

Here is a list of my featured Master Communities:

Bridgeland

Cypress Creek Lakes

Towne Lake

Canyon Lakes at Stone Gate

Black Horse Ranch

<click here> to see what is available in these communites

Buying a home can feel like the most intense research project ever. From mortgages, to contracts, to property condition issues, there’s a lot to look at. An additional area you’ll definitely want to investigate in detail:your new neighborhood.

Here are 5 items you definitely need to know:

1) Before you buy a home or move into a neighborhood, do the research and check out things like Megan’s Law databases to see where registered sex offenders live.

2) Let’s face facts: some locations have fared better than others over the course of the recession. And some of the hardest hit neighborhoods are where the best deals are to be found. But know that the harder hit areas might take longer to see an uptick in home values, so you may want to stay put longer before you sell.

3) The Neighborhood’s Flavor
Is the area you’re considering a hot spot for outdoor adventures and family events at the park, or fancy restaurants and wine tastings at the museum? Find out by pulling up listings on Trulia and seeing what the folks who live there have to say.

4) Neighborhood Hot Spots
Before you buy or move into an area, equip yourself with a knowledge of where all the stores, farmer’s markets, parks, restaurants and other hot spots your family will want to use are located vis-­a-­vis your home-­to-­be. Your real estate agent can be a fabulous source for this kind of info, and check your Trulia mobile app to see any nearby haunts with Yelp! reviews.

5) The Vibe at Different Times of Day or Week
Have you ever visited a home on a Sunday afternoon when the sun was shining, birds were singing and kids were playing nearby? Then, you come back a couple of weeks later at dusk to see graffiti, or hear neighbor’s music blaring? The nature of a neighborhood can change at different times of the day and week, so check it out. And don’t be afraid to knock on neighbors’ doors, and see what insider info they can share.

If you are a Texas Veteran, let me be the first to shake your hand!

I have some helpful information regarding special Housing Assistance for Texas Veterans "beyond" what the VA offers!

Have you ever heard of the Texas Veterans Land Board? We are offering Housing Assistance to qualified Veterans that live in the State of Texas (regardless of your birth city) and are trying to purchase a home.

What are the benefits of working with Marcus Barnes and the Texas VLB:

* Financing up to $325,000

* Better interest rates than the current market rate (as low as 3.88% on 07/15/2011)

* Lower Monthly Payments

* 0.5% interest rate discount for Veterans with a 30% "service-connected" disability

* Work with a Realtor that is certified with the Texas Veterans Land Board!!!

Are you or your spouse currently called up to Active Duty in the War on Terror?

* Principal and Escrow only....no interest 0%

* Defer the "entire" payment on Land Loans!

*3 month grace period after deactivating from duty.

* For 9 months following the grace period...interest rates will be 6% or lower.

If you are a Veteran..... or know a Veteran currently look to purchase a home. Please tell them to call me at 407-913-4718 or email me at mbarnes.res@gmail.com for more details. www.barnesres.com or www.barnesres.exitrealtyneh.com Barnes Real Estate Services <Facebook>

Why a Buyer Needs a Home Inspection A home inspection gives the buyer more detailed information about the overall condition of the home prior to purchase. In a home inspection, a qualified inspector takes an in-depth, unbiased look at your potential new home to:

• Estimate the physical condition: structure, construction, and mechanical systems;
• Identify items that need to be repaired or replaced; and
• Estimate the remaining useful life of the major systems, equipment, structure, and finishes.

Appraisals are Different from Home Inspections An appraisal is different from a home inspection. Appraisals are for lenders; home inspections are for buyers. An appraisal is required to:

• Estimate the market value of a house;
• Make sure that the house meets FHA minimum property standards/requirements; and
• Make sure that the property is marketable.

An article by Forbes Magazine broke down the top US cities to rent or buy a home. When it came to which cities offered a better deal for consumers to "buy" instead of renting, Houston made the list of the Top 6 US Cities to Buy A Home. The other cities included: Miami, Jacksonville, Phoenix, Atlanta, and Nashville. This data was compiled by Forbes with the help of Trulia and Zillow.com.

Forbes reports that Houston's price-to-rent ratio is 9 to 15 times a consumer’s annual rent, meaning that buying a home in Houston means paying between 9 and 15 times what you would pay to rent that home for a year. In contrast, in a city like San Francisco, which was named (one of the best cities to rent rather than buy), the price of purchasing a home is 20 to 30 times what it costs to rent that same home for a year.

Forbes Magazine says that in many US cities, nervous buyers are crowding into the "rental market", driving rent prices well above market value. Many consumers that I have spoken to personally on this subject say that people choose to rent for a variety of reasons. Some say they are more familiar with renting and still nervous about the full cost of home ownership due to the scary media reports about foreclosures. Others like renting because of the flexibility it seems to provide. However, when I ask these same consumers what are the benefits of home ownership, many don’t have a clue other than gaining equity and the “feeling” of owning it. So if you live in Houston and were on the fence, please <click this link> to educate yourself and get ready to take the plunge.

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<Click Here> to see a great listing in NE Houston