Cindy Seaton

Congratulations to Michael Stribling! Check out this article in the Houston Chronicle from April 1st………

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/main/6938535.html

My favorite of his decorating tip ideas is “Call my office”!

Happy Spring Decorating and Cleaning,
Cindy Seaton, REALTOR

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More Bang for Your Buck

March 14th, 2010 categories: Home Improvement & Design, Investment Property, Market Trends, Real Estate News

BRYAN, TX — Linda and Steve are looking forward to this year’s home buying season. They have prepared their house according to HGTV’s Curb Appeal. Their REALTOR offered advice on which home improvements would bring the best bang for their buck. So when the young couple stepped up to the closing table Steve and Linda walked away with a profit in their pocket. Thanks to their sweat equity and the REALTOR’s remodeling knowledge the sellers recouped most of their monetary investment from the upgrades they performed. Which projects return the highest value for the cost?

Remodeling Magazine surveyed appraisers and REALTORS last summer on remodeling projects and the values that they hold in 80 markets. Home Tech Information Systems analyzed the data and factored in regional pricing differences. The results were published in the January 2010 REALTOR Magazine on page 21. There were three categories of home improvements – additions, remodeling and replacements.

For those of us in the south and central United States, replacing your front entry door offers the best return on your investment. The cost for a 20-guage steel door is $1043 – materials and installation. The resale value of the new front door is $2496! That’s 239% of your cost recouped…a huge perceived value.

The second best bang for your buck is an attic bedroom addition. The general job cost is $41,000 a large price tag. The perceived value is $40k, or 97% return on your money for the add-on. You certainly can’t receive that matching dollar in your IRA or CD.

Another high return in construction is changing the exterior finish. By replacing siding, you can regain 86% of your initial cost. Further down the restoration list, a kitchen or bathroom remodel will bring 82 and 81% back to you.

This is fabulous information for home sellers or others who are staying put in their existing home for another year. The perceived value from the buyer translates into dollars for the seller on the Settlement Statement. They see a turn-key home that has been well-maintained and spruced up. And buyers are willing to pay for it.

For an interactive job cost analysis featuring 80 various markets, click on the Remodeling Magazine Report.

What has worked for you? Tell me which home improvement projects have given you leverage at the closing table below in our comments section!

Happy Sprucing,

Cindy Seaton, REALTOR

CASABLANCA MOROCCO — You think your last sales transaction was cursed…spend some time in the North Africa real estate and you’ll see Bryan Texas as a cake walk.

The Caliph’s House by Tahir Shaw accounts a real estate adventure. The London businessman grows tired of the rat-race and finds an ancient riad – mansion – in Casablanca. Aside from learning the nuances of the Islamic culture Shaw tries to renovate his palatial compound and meet the neighbors.

The storyline is similar to the book Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes. But this is much funnier with a focus on African and Islamic architecture. The vendors that Mr Shaw hires to refurbish his home bring unusual stories and experiences for the his family that remains camping out in one room of the compound.

The one room that the Shaw’s can’t enter remains a mystery…only to be secretly accessed by one of the inherited house keepers. Mr Shaw not only purchased the property but he also acquired the home’s original attendants and extended families. Assets or liabilities? The house keepers create sinister situations all in the name of guarding the mansion.

For REALTORS and home owners not traveling this winter, the Caliph’s House is a great way to see the world. In 349 pages, this is an easy read with no complicated plots. You will enjoy the quirky tales of real estate in Morocco. Share your own harrowing and hilarious experiences selling or buying homes below in the comments section…

Happy New Year,

Cindy Seaton, REALTOR

(979) 422-9763

4^th quarter has started for 2009 and we had a GREAT month in real estate! October exceeded expectations. The real estate market in Bryan/College Station is still behind 2008 BUT it is not nearly as far behind now as it was in January! Notice on the chart below –

WE HAVE ITEMS IN GREEN!!!

Notice on the chart above – the available inventory on the market is on a slow and steady rise. Is it rising enough to really be concerned about? I don’t think so yet but it does bear watching.

Did you hear congress extended the First Time Home Buyer Credit AND added a little for those of us who already own real estate? The First Time Home Buyer Credit is up to $8,000 and the Repeat Home Buyer Credit is up to $6,500. If you could purchase a home and get back up to $8,000 MAYBE it is time to think about making a purchase!

Also - We are very excited that Century 21 Beal sold MORE properties than any other real estate firm in the Brazos again in October 2009 with 17.3% of the residential properties sold. We also listed 16.1% of all residential properties in our MLS too. From January through October Century 21 Beal, Inc. is #1 in number of residential properties sold in our area with 14.4% of the market. No hype – just facts from the Bryan/College Station Multiple Listing Service.

BRYAN, TX — Well, I’m not really doing any major structural repairs…No one will notice if I add-on a little room here…The city is just out to make an extra buck on my renovations. Yes, we’ve heard all the excuses for not pulling a permit on your little bathroom upgrade.

Think about it from a community position, though. If you don’t visit the City of Bryan website to apply for a permit, you’re jeopardizing your good neighbors in the loss of utilities or phone services. The city makes it so easy now to mail in the short form I highlighted from the city website in the previous sentence.

There are more construction items requiring work permits than I have room or time for here. Some upgrades you might not think about are:

Water heater replacements

Sprinkler irrigation systems

Carports

The guys at the city are the experts on our safety codes. If you have a question as to whether or not a permit is necessary, call Greg Cox at 209-5010 or visit www.Bryantx.gov for answers.

Legally, the only reason you don’t have to disturb our friends in Planning and Development is if you are painting, installing cabinets, adding a children’s playscape, building a short fence, or placing a small storage shed on skids. Everything else has a safety concern…hence the need to call.