Photos from Marchel Peterson Spring TX Real Estate E-Pro ABR
Silverado 19 Theatre just to the south of Tomball off of SH 249; has an IMAX also.Located in: Tomball, TX
I have been asked by many Spring TX first time home buyers what they will need to bring to closing. The first item that comes to mind is of course funds to close. I have had a few Veterans who did not have to bring funds to the closing 
table but not many. With the changes in the loan industry most 100% loans are gone so you will need some cash.
The money to pay all your fees and closing cost will need to be in the form of "guaranteed funds" such as a Cashier's Check. Your agent or escrow officer will notify you of the exact amount. You will receive a closing document required by HUD that outlines the settlement cost. The Title Company prepares this document. The HUD statement is a little difficult to read as you read it backwards. You start with page two and then go back to page 1. Page 1 is the page that shows the funds you need to bring for your real estate closing. For additional information on HUD statements go here.
In a perfect real estate world a Spring TX first time home buyer would receive the HUD statement the day before closing so you would have time to go over it before closing. Unfortunately real estate is not perfect; I can't tell you how many times we get the HUD from the Title Company at the closing table. I honestly don't know why it takes so long but it is a very complex process. Should that happen you can bring a check using the figures your lender have come up with from your good faith statement. Should you not bring enough money you can write a personal check to the title company for up to $1500. On the flip side if you bring too much money the Title Company will cut you a check for the overage.
The other item
you will need to bring is a picture ID such as your driver's license or a passport. A number of years ago I had a client who was moving to another state. He came back to Spring TX for the closing and to get his furniture. A few days before closing I found out that he had turned in his driver's license to the other state and only had a piece of paper for a drivers license. He did not have another picture ID. Back then I talked the title company in to letting us get a membership at Sam's Club and using it as a picture ID. As I told you this was quite a few years ago I'm not sure if that would fly today. Long story short I highly recommend not turning in your driver's license if you are planning on buying a house unless you have another type of picuter ID.
This is a Spring TX first time home buyers series and as I add additional post I will add the links. Please feel free to visit my prior post.
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If you are buying or relocating to Spring Texas and need help from a professional REALTOR®, Marchel can be reached at Marchel@AgentwithResults.com or by phone at 832-721-8332.
If you would like information about Spring TX please visit my websites at www.AgentwithResults.com and at www.ResultsRealtytx.com. The AgentwithResults site is rich in Content about Spring and the surrounding areas of Tomball, The Woodlands and Magnolia. If you prefer pictures with your content then visit my ResultsRealtyTX site.
Want to find out about new Spring TX properties immediately as they come on the market, then click here to sign up for a free automatic notification of new listings.
Click the button to the left to search our local MLS.
I am often asked; "why should I use a REALTOR® when buying a new home in Spring TX"? The advantages of having me help you purchase a new home are the same as those for purchasing a resale home...knowledge of the market, help in finding the perfect home quickly, expertise in contract writing/negotiation, and closing assistance. The builder has a professional representative watching out for his needs, and you need the same expert representation.
I want to repeat that last part again. The builder has a professional representative watching out for their needs and you need someone that is watching out for your needs. Typically these professional representatives are very nice people but keep in mind that they represent the builder's interest not yours. Buying a new home in Spring TX is a little more difficult and time-consuming that buying a resale home. It is important that your interest be professionally represented.
I will give you an example of a new home that sold here in Spring TX where the couple did not have representation. This home happened to be in the subdivision that I live in. The lot that the home was built on in my opinion should have been reserved as a subdivision park. This lot is on the main road coming in to the subdivision, backs up to a mobile home park and is across the street from the community clubhouse. When buying a home it all comes down to location, location, location and in this particular instance this location was not a good location. I can't tell you how many times I told my husband that I was sure that the couple who bought that home did not have a real estate agent looking out for them.
Several years later I was called to go on a listing appointment for this house. In the course of the conversation I found out that as I suspected they had not been represented by a REALTOR. I explained to them that this house was not going to be worth as much as other homes because of where it was located. Needless to say I did not get the listing. I watched the other agents sign languish in the yard for over a year until the price got down to what I had told them. This is a long story to explain some of the pitfalls that can happen when you don't have representation while buying your new Spring TX home.
My mentor years ago told me to never sell a home that I could not re-sale. I took this message to heart and I'm always looking to make sure there's nothing that would cause a home to be difficult to sale later on. This also applies to any changes that you make in the floor plan. For instance I recently saw a home where they had put two small bedrooms together to make one large bedroom. By doing this they made the home functionally obsolete. In our area there's not a very large market for 2 bedroom homes.
Typically you DO NOT get a price break for NOT using a real estate agent. Most builders build the real estate commission in to the price of the home. Just as in any re-sale Spring TX home the seller (which in this case is the builder) pays for the real estate agents fees.
In our current, f
ast-paced real estate market, there are many new home communities to choose from. You need to ask yourself some pertinent questions when looking for a new home. Is this a good builder? Does he have a solid reputation? How many years has he been in business? How does the quality of this builder's product compare to that of other builders? What are the existing inventories of the various builders? How do builder models meet your needs (floor plans, square footage, and location)? If I sell in a few years, what upgrades should I include to be competitive?
When you find the answers to these questions, ask yourself if the time spent in researching these answers was time well spent - put a dollar value on your time. Real estate professionals can be a valuable asset in collecting information in areas which may affect your decision on the purchase of a new home.
It only makes sense to have your own representation. Your new Spring TX home is probably one of the biggest expenses of your lifetime. You would not think of buying insurance without an insurance agent or making a trip to Europe without a travel agent. If you depend on people in the service industry for travel needs, filing a claim for hail damage to your roof, or other legal matters, then why would you want to represent yourself in the most expensive and probably most important purchase of your lifetime your new Spring TX home?__________________________________________________________________________________________________
If you are buying or relocating to Spring Texas and need help from a professional REALTOR®, Marchel can be reached at Marchel@AgentwithResults.com or by phone at 832-721-8332.
If you would like information about Spring TX please visit my websites at www.AgentwithResults.com and at www.ResultsRealtytx.com. The AgentwithResults site is rich in Content about Spring and the surrounding areas of Tomball, The Woodlands and Magnolia. If you prefer pictures with your content then visit my ResultsRealtyTX site.
Want to find out about new Spring TX properties immediately as they come on the market, then click here to sign up for a free automatic notification of new listings.
Click the button to the left to search our local MLS.
One of the many things that I love about living in Spring TX is the accessibility to Lake Conroe. This last Independence Day Lake Conroe Sailing Association hosted a boat parade on Lake Conroe.
I posted pictures from a flyover of that parade on Speechless Sunday. I had a lot of people that thought it was an air show and as much as I love air shows this was a flyover the boat parade. I don't know anything about the planes but they were Incredible. William Johnson came up with the idea of doing a post the day after submitting "Speechless Sunday" pictures to explain the pictures. I decided I did not want to post an Independence Day Boat parade on Labor Day so I waited until Tuesday to explain the pictures.
This event was very cool for us as it was the first time we had both of our young adult children on our sail boat at the same time. Our daughter was taking the pictures and our son was at the helm. We were supposed to be motoring but it was a windy day and our son wanted to know why we were not sailing. Since this was his first time on our boat since getting out of the Army we hoisted the sails and sailed around the parade.
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If you are buying or relocating to Spring Texas and need help from a professional REALTOR®, Marchel can be reached at Marchel@AgentwithResults.com or by phone at 832-721-8332.
If you would like information about Spring TX please visit my websites at www.AgentwithResults.com and at www.ResultsRealtytx.com. The AgentwithResults site is rich in Content about Spring and the surrounding areas of Tomball, The Woodlands and Magnolia. If you prefer pictures with your content then visit my ResultsRealtyTX site.
Want to find out about new Spring TX properties immediately as they come on the market, then click here to sign up for a free automatic notification of new listings.
Click the button to the left to search our local MLS.
Picture taken by Tarina Peterson all rights reserved.
I am continuing my Spring TX first time home buyer series. In this post we are going to talk about home owners associations. On a regular basis I have people asking me to find them a home that is not in a homeowner's association. Usually this is someone moving here from another state and usually the area that they are moving from has zoning in affect. I am going to tell you why I don't think that is a good idea living in the Spring area.
The problem with not buying in a subdivision in Spring TX is that WE DO NOT HAVE ZONING IN SPRING TX. Since we don't have zoning it is a free for all. People can build whatever they want wherever they want it. It is not uncommon to see a nice home next to a trailer on cinder blocks in unrestricted areas..
I will never forget when I found out that the Houston area did not have zoning. We moved to the area in 1996 and as I was taking the classes to get my real estate license one of the instructors nonchalantly said "well you know we don't have zoning in the Houston area". I almost fell off my chair
. I had thought every area was zoned. Well that is not the case the Houston area is one of the few large cities if not the only large city that does not have zoning.
I have lived in three different states besides Texas. Those states being Kansas, Colorado and North Carolina. All of the areas I lived in had zoning so it was no big deal not living in a home owners association (HOA). I was a little apprehensive about living in a HOA and having someone telling me what I could and couldn't do with my own house. The longer I have lived here I have realized the value of living in a HOA. By having deed restrictions it helps me to maintain my property values. To give you an example a few years ago my husband worked with someone who bought out in the country in a non-restricted area. The guy loved it until the house next door was sold and the new owner decided to make it in to a salvage yard. His property values took a nose dive when the salvage yard opened.
The good news is that there is just about something for everyone as far as homeowner's associations go. There are associations with all kinds of restrictions such as in master planned communities and there are HOA's that allow you to have mobile homes. In Spring you can find subdivisions all the way between the two extremes. There are not many country subdivisions left in Spring. There are a few scattered around but if you want country living you might want to look at Magnolia.
The HOA's fees also vary greatly. I have seen fees as low as $10 a year and as high as $1500. There are even a few subdivisions that have deed restrictions but no fees. Most of the suburb HOA's have similar restrictions. If there is something in particular you are interested in doing it is a good idea to look the deed restrictions over before you ever put an offer on a house. It is a fairly easy process to get the deed restrictions; usually you can get them from a local title company. It is important to decide what kind of restrictions you are looking for and find your home in a HOA that meets your needs.
This is a Spring TX first time home buyers series and as I add additional post I will add the links. Please feel free to visit my prior post.
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If you are buying or relocating to Spring Texas and need help from a professional REALTOR®, Marchel can be reached at Marchel@AgentwithResults.com or by phone at 832-721-8332.
If you would like information about Spring TX please visit my websites at www.AgentwithResults.com and at www.ResultsRealtytx.com. The AgentwithResults site is rich in Content about Spring and the surrounding areas of Tomball, The Woodlands and Magnolia. If you prefer pictures with your content then visit my ResultsRealtyTX site.
Want to find out about new Spring TX properties immediately as they come on the market, then click here to sign up for a free automatic notification of new listings.
Click the button to the left to search our local MLS.
I am continuing my Spring TX first time home buyer series. In this post we are going to talk about your Spring TX title policy. In Texas we close at Title companies and if you are getting a loan you are going to be required by your lender to have a title policy.
Title insurance provides protection against title defects that were unknown to you at the time you purchased the policy. Before writing a policy, a title company will check for defects in your title by examining public records, including deed, mortgages, wills, divorces, court judgments, tax records, liens, and encumbrances. The company will then defend in court any claims to the property that are covered by your policy, subject to certain limitations. If the company loses, it will pay you for covered losses up to the amount of your policy.
In Texas, the two most common types of title policies are "mortgagee policies," which protect lenders, and "owner policies," which protect buyers.
Most lending institutions won't loan you money to buy a house or other property unless you purchase a mortgagee policy. This policy will repay the balance of the mortgage if a claim against your property voids your title. Mortgagee policies remain in effect until the loan is repaid. Most lenders will require you to buy a new mortgagee title policy if you refinance your home.
Owner policies insure property owners against the specific kinds of claims listed in the policy. Any owner policy remains in effect as long as you or your heirs own the property or are liable for any title warranties made when you sell the property. You should keep your owner policy, even if you transfer your title or sell the property.
In Texas our title policy forms are standardized. This mean the policy language is the same, regardless of the company. Here is a blank title policy from Alamo title so you can see the standardized language. Pay special attention to "Schedule B" of the policy which explains any limitations, exclusions, exceptions and special. You may want to discuss these exceptions with an attorney before you close.
Schedule C is not shown on the blank copy above but it will be there when you get your title policy. This is the schedule that shows the requirements that must be satisfied for the title policy to be issued. It may require information on marital status of one of the parties; if there have been any probates or bankruptcies they will be here also. This is also where you will find the descriptions of mortgages. If there are any mechanics liens, tax liens, judgments (you get the idea) this is where they will be found. This is the part of the title commitment that the seller must resolve before the closing occurs.
The premium for a title policy is paid only once, at the closing of the sale. The buyer and seller may negotiate who pays the premium. Generally in Texas the title policy is paid by the seller for the new buyer but everything is negotiable so this is not always the case. New home builders will typically NOT pay for the title policy and it becomes a buyer's expense.
Title insurance premium rates are set by the Texas Department of Insurance and are based on the property's sale value using a sliding scale. You can check the Texas Title Insurance rates here.
As a Spring TX first time home buyer I expect you will be getting a loan and this will be required by your lender. If you are paying cash then you can make the choice as to whether you want title policy protection or not. I recently had a buyer who seriously considered not buying the policy. I told them it was their decision but I would require them to sign something saying I did not think this was in their best interest. They finally decided to buy the policy; my concern was you just never know what might come back to bite you without it.
This is a Spring TX first time home buyers series and as I add additional post I will add the links. Please feel free to visit my prior post.
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If you are buying or relocating to Spring Texas and need help from a professional REALTOR®, Marchel can be reached at Marchel@AgentwithResults.com or by phone at 832-721-8332.
If you would like information about Spring TX please visit my websites at www.AgentwithResults.com and at www.ResultsRealtytx.com. The AgentwithResults site is rich in Content about Spring and the surrounding areas of Tomball, The Woodlands and Magnolia. If you prefer pictures with your content then visit my ResultsRealtyTX site.
Want to find out about new Spring TX properties immediately as they come on the market, then click here to sign up for a free automatic notification of new listings.
Click the button to the left to search our local MLS.
Marchel Peterson broker/owner Results Realty specializing in residential real estate, homes, properties and acreage in Spring, Tomball, Magnolia and the Woodlands Texas.
Welcome to my profile the gateway to information about the Spring TX area and the surrounding areas of Tomball, Magnolia, and The Woodlands. Where you can learn about single family homes, homes with acreage, horse property, town homes or vacant land and an entire MLS Search that is updated daily. My slogan "COMMUNICATION FOR RESULTS", is not only my business philosophy, it is a commitment to provide you with exemplary personalized service beyond your expectations. My job is to listen, hear and understand your needs. A quality of business conduct that often seems forgotten in our fast paced, highly automated society.
As your REALTOR®, it is my job to understand your needs and respond to them promptly, professionally and with integrity. It is my pledge to provide you with sound real estate advice, helping you to understand the wisdom of the decisions you make. I have surrounded myself with excellent consumer service focused professioanls which include mortgage lenders, home inspectors, title companies, appraisers and insurance companies.
Whether you are looking for a single family home, a home with acreage, horse property, a town home, or vacant land, my Automated Real Estate Search can find it for you. Click here to learn about new listings even before most REALTORS!
Spring Texas real estate is plentiful with new custom homes, new builder homes, and resale homes available. Housing Prices Range from $70,000 to over $1,000,000. Homes on land are getting a little harder to find but there are still some properties available where you can get small acreage sites with a home. Spring is an easy commute in to Houston. It is also very assessible to all the amenities of The Woodlands..
Spring Texas covers a large geographic area located along I-45, about 20 miles north of Houston. Most of Spring is in unincorporated Northwest Harris County but part of Spring extends in to unincorporated Montgomery County. Spring" does not have official boundaries since it is not incorporated; there is not an actual town of Spring. The area is close enough to Houston to be able to enjoy the amenities but far enough away to still feel like you are in the country. It is very accessible to the amenities of the Woodlands
The Spring area covers three different school districts. To the east of I-45 in Harris county you will find Spring ISD. To the west of I-45 also in Harris county is Klein ISD and to the north in Montgomery county is Conroe ISD.
Golf is big around the Spring area with many golf course communities such as Augusta Pines, Gleannloch Farms
, Windrose and Northampton to name a few. They all offer exceptional amenities with a variety of lakes, walking paths, aquatic centers, equestrian complexes and community centers.
The area was settled by German immigrants in 1840. The Wunsche family settled in the area and began farming the land. The area had a tremendous growth after the railroad was built through the town in 1871. The town served as a railroad center in the early 1900's. You can visit the Spring Texas Historical Museum to find out a more complete history of the area.
Old Town Spring is a restored railroad village of the early 1900s with some 150 shops featuring antiques, arts, crafts, clothing, and restaurants. It is open Tues.-Sat. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sun. noon- 5 p.m. I-45 at Spring Cypress Road, Exit 70A, and one mile east.
The area is booming with many new shopping facilities opening up. A new Wal-mart has been built at the corner of 2920 and Kuykendahl which has made shopping much more accessible for the rural areas of Spring.
Tomball Texas is located approximately 28 miles northwest of Houston along State Highway 249. Unlike most of Northwest Harris County which is unincorporated the city of Tomball is an actual town. The City of Tomball has a local government, city ordinances, public works, city council, community center. The City's slogan is the hometown with a heart and with the warm friendly people they truly are.
With a rich history; the town has been around for over 90 years. It was first a railroad town and then became an oil town. The town was named after State Senator Thomas Henry Ball in 1907. Thomas Ball helped the town get established as a railroad center. Dramatic changes happened back in 1933 when oil hit. A 100-foot gusher totally changed the area attracting hundreds of new people to the community. The city made a deal with Humble Oil and Gas allowing them to drill in the city. As part of the agreement the residents had free oil and gas for 50 years. The town was featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not as being the only city with free gas and water and no cemetery.
Magnolia Texas is located about 45 minutes to an hour from the city. If you are looking for a home on land close to the city this is the place to go. Magnolia TX Real estate is booming with country subdivisions popping up all over the place. All you have to do to enjoy the landscape is look around you will find beautiful forest, rolling hills and much more. The town in the last few years has experienced phenomenal growth.
Horses and Magnolia TX goes together. This is the area where you can find horse property and still be able to commute to the city. The town has several stores that stock feed, supplies, tack, clothing and more. It is not hard to find veterinary services in and around the Magnolia area. If you don't have a horse, no problem, there are plenty of horses for sale around Magnolia. Typically the country subdivisions will allow one horse per acre.
The town of Magnolia is actually very small as you enter the city there is a sign that says population 1,111. Now the market area of Magnolia is HUGE. It extends from FM 2978 to the East of the town of Magnolia clear over to Roberts Cemetery Road on the west side of Magnolia
The Woodlands located along I-45, about 25 miles north of Houston in Montgomery county. The newest village is being built in Harris County just to the south. It is one of the original master planned communities in the nation. From its inception in 1974, the Woodlands have continued its concept of blending nature with today's modern conveniences. This creates a lifestyle unequalled almost anywhere in America. The Woodlands is nestled in 27,000 acres of towering pines, oaks, dogwoods and other assorted vegetation. You sometimes feel like you have to search through the trees to find anything but that is the ambiance of the Woodlands.
Community service organizations organize resident programs such as The Woodlands Watch and they also provide resident forums for community involvement. Some of the community events that are organized include a Fourth of July parade, the First NightTM New Year's Eve celebration, National Night Out, art shows, flea markets, Earth Day, and dozens of other neighbor-to
-neighbor events. The developer is always looking for ways to better the Woodlands, such as giving Free trees away on Arbor Day. Free seeds are made available at the wildflower festival through the Lion's Club. Some other events in the village centers include Pumpkinmania and Halloween costume contests, a Winter Festival, and an annual Heart Walk.
The Woodlands newest village The Village of Creekside Park has their grand opening in October of 2007. Creekside Village is being built on 3,492 acres and they are planning for 7,100 residences. There will be a mixture of single family homes, age qulified homes (55 and over), multi family residences and custom and estate homes in the gated community of Carlton Woods Creekside. Rob Fleming Park will be opening in the first phase. The park is named for Texas Parks and Wildlife Naturalist and artist Rob Fleming. The park has playgrounds, picnic areas, tree lined promenades and will be surrounded by wildflowers.
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