James Murr

Yes, of course, many of us here in Bryan College Station find Texas A&M to be the best school in the country, but recent statistics actually prove that Texas A&M awards the most valuable education in the country. “Smart Money” magazine recently did a study that compared the price of a student’s education with the average salary they are likely to have five to ten years after graduation. After plugging all the numbers of all the major universities average tuition rates compared to the success of their students, Smart Money arrived at a conclusion that shouldn’t surprise any of us Aggies. Texas A&M is officially the “smartest” school to attend, and returns the absolute most return on your tuition investment. This study includes ivy league schools! Yes, a degree from Harvard might produce a higher paying job, but when the cost of the tuition is factored in, Texas A&M comes out on top! The second place trophy goes to The University of Texas in Austin. I would like to congratulate tu for being the second most valuable education in the United States. So next time someone with their nose in the air mentions their ivy degree, just be thankful you’re a Texas Aggie and you don’t have 200,000 in student loans! Gig Em.

If you are interested in buying or selling real estate in Bryan College Station contact Cortiers Luxury Realty by clicking the following link, Bryan College Station Real Estate, or call the office at 979-985-5610.

There is no denying that there are more homes on the market today then there used to be. This increased supply of homes brings an increased element of competition between home sellers and home builders. Some builders are taking a proactive approach to gaining the competitive edge by adding flare and creativity in their designs. By adding additional flare to a home it can stand out above its competition and sell at a higher price point with shorter time on the market. On the other hand, if creativity and flare get out of hand they can be perceived as tacky and unattractive, dooming a home to sit on the market and sell at a lower price point. There is a fine line between uniquely beautiful and oddly undesirable. It takes a good custom builder to be able to see and anticipate the difference when he is designing and building a home. For a seller the challenge is different. Sellers do not have the same freedom to create completely new creations in their homes; instead they have to use the features of their current home and mold them and stage them to achieve the most desirable presentation. The staging and presentation of a home can have a drastic effect on the time on market, and the sales price. If you are interested in building a custom home with just the right element of uniqueness and beauty I would recommend a custom builder called Parkland Group. They build amazing custom homes and I would be happy to refer them to you. If you are trying to spruce up your current home and make it more desirable I would recommend stage-to-sell. They will go through your home and give you an itemized price for your desired level of renovations and staging. They can make any home sell for top dollar. E-mail me and I would be happy to get you in contact with them. Happy New Year and keep up the good work.

If you are interested in buying or selling real estate in Bryan College Station contact Cortiers Luxury Real Estate by clicking the following link, Bryan College Station Real Estate, or call the office at 979-985-5610.

Do we want real estate prices to go up or down? The answer to that question is all a matter of perspective. If you are a real estate seller, you want prices to go up. If you are a real estate purchaser, you want them to go down. On a national economic level, many people want the prices of homes in the real estate market to increase dramatically and catch up to national inflation rates. From this perspective the national real estate market is an indicator of the overall condition of the economy. In contrast to this perspective, there is China. China publicly urged developers to cut the prices of new homes and bring the average sales price down. China argues that by making homes more affordable, more people will buy homes and capitalize on low prices. Certainly both theories can be true because both countries have different economic climates, but ultimately it all depends on which side of the fence you are on. Regardless of increases or decreases in average real estate prices, we can rest assured that eventually the market will balance out. Whether you are interested in selling a home for top dollar, or purchasing a home for less, Cortiers Luxury Realty would be happy to help you reach your real estate goals.

If you are interested in buying or selling real estate in Bryan College Station contact Cortiers Luxury Realty by clicking the following link, Bryan College Station Real Estate, or call the office at 979-985-5610.

No one can argue that there isn’t a general economic decline during a recession. That is, after all, the very definition of a recession. Regardless of the economic condition there is always hope, opportunity, and inevitably success for many companies. 95.6% of companies in the S&P 500 ended 2008 in the red. This seems like a bleak observation, but let’s focus on the 4.4% that finished in the black. It is no surprise who the number one is, Family Dollar. That is right, saving money has become a priority for many Americans, and Family Dollar is reaping the benefits with nearly a 32% increase. Many companies may adapt their strategies to accommodate for the economy. In the real estate world, let me warn you against such strategies. If you, as a real estate seller, align yourself with such strategies such as discounted brokerage services, you inadvertently discount the sales price of your home! Do not take the Family Dollar approach or you will end up selling your most valuable asset for a Family Dollar price! We at Cortiers Luxury Realty continue to offer full brokerage services, and we continue to use our premium services and advanced marketing to demand the maximum price from the market.

If you are interested in buying or selling real estate in Bryan College Station contact Cortiers Luxury Realty by clicking the following link, Bryan College Station Real Estate, or call the office at 979-985-5610.

Bryan College Station Real Estate

It is 2009! Time to start a new year, with new resolutions. Although the most popular New Year’s resolution is to lose weight, I encourage you to set some financial and real estate resolutions as well. Don’t limit yourself. Get fit and get rich! Maybe catching up on your mortgage or getting out of debt should be high on the resolution list. For a real estate purchaser, set goals for the sales price you would like on the home you are purchasing. If you are not able to purchase a home at this time, make it your objective to become financially able by the end of 2009! Maybe you are content in your current home, if so fix it up and increase your property value. There are any number of New Year’s resolutions to be set in the world of real estate. As a real estate professional you may want to set goals for the number of homes you want to sell in 2009, or perhaps you want to increase your average sales price. I encourage all real estate professionals to set goals, not just about the volume of real estate they sell, but also about the quality of service they provide. Here at Cortiers Luxury Realty our New Year’s resolution is to give every single one of our customers the highest quality service available, and absolutely exceed their expectations. So let’s set goals for ourselves, and make it an incredible 2009!

If you are interested in buying or selling real estate in Bryan College Station please contact Cortiers Luxury Real Estate online at, Bryan College Station Real Estate, or call the office at 979-985-5610.