Replacing things like windows, major appliances, or roofing can get expensive. It's important to know approximately how long you have before the water heater goes out or the roof springs a leak. This is important information for both Buyers and Sellers. Buyers may want to factor in replacement costs to their purchase offer price if there are aging components that will soon require replacement. The flip side of that concept is that Sellers should consider these factors before placing their home on the market as well. Sellers should consider whether or not it would be to their benefit to replace the aging components prior to having the components become a point of negotiation with the Buyers.
A recent study by the National Association of Home Builders provides some insight that should help you estimate the average useful lilfe of more than 100 household appliances and building materials. Of course, the true longevity of any household material depends on maintenance, quality of installation, use, and climate conditions. So, use the averages only as a general guide.
To see the full (pdf) report click on the following link:
Before putting your house on the market for sale, you need to take some time "pretending to be a potential buyer." Get in your car and drive up and down the street in front of your house (don't worry about what the neighbors think...they'd do the same thing!) and imagine that you are seeing your home for the very first time. What could you improve?
The photos that your agent will take are equally important. Most buyers use these photos to help determine if they even want to visit the house. If the home isn't properly staged for the photos, you could lose some potential buyers.
The most common needs are small changes, like new door hardware and a fresh coat of paint on the front door, a new porch light and house numbers, or trimming back shrubs. Look closely-a potential buyer certainly will! Remove any dead or dying plants or trees, fertilize the lawn, put fresh mulch in the flower beds and hide the trash can. Adding a pot of brightly colored flowers near the front door or on the front steps can help, too.
By the time you're finished and ready for your agent to take photos, your home should be calling out "Come in! You want to see me!"
If you're thinking about selling, visit our website: www.taylorhometeam.com for a wealth of useful information for the selling process.
San Antonio Housing Forecast 2009
Bob Gardner (CEO of Legacy Mutual Mortgage) on the local Market: The number of sales is down 18% ytd compared to 2007. The number of homes sold under $199K is down 29%, homes sold between $200K and $500K is down 36% from 2007. Inventory is not growing, "With sales going down, so is the number of listings." The number of days the listings are on the market has increased, and more so if located outside and north of Loop 1604. Foreclosures are up 23%, but this is the amount of postings and not actual foreclosures. Prices are stable and expect to continue to hold steady in 2009. Price stability will vary by price range and location. Prices per square foot have increased in some subdivisions and decreased in others. It's hard to predict what will happen in '09, but overall the market is better than we think it is.
Dr. Mark Dotzour (Chief Economist, Research Director, Texas Real Estate Research Center) on the Texas Market: Our state market is one of the better ones with 8.4% past due and 1.4% in foreclosure. The houseing affordability is improving making it the best time to buy a house. Overall our housing market will help the economy out of a recession. As a state we are growing very fast. The growth of TX has increased from 1997 to 2006 by 38.3% We produced 126,487 jobs in 2008. In regards to the interest rates if Prime is at 2.2% and the Index at 1.5%, then our rates should be at 3.7% and not at 4.75%. "The new home market will bottom out in 2009." The house price appreciation is 4% higher than it was last year, which puts us in one of the better states in the country. Our median price has increased from $65,500 in 1990 to $140,600 in 2008. Another factor is that government intervention is quickly becoming a problem and not a solution. In a nutshell, "Thousands of families will buy homes in 2009."
Housing Starts Drop: New home starts in San Antonio dropped 32% in 2008 and could drop another 20% in 2009, according to the housing research firm Metrostudy.
Visit our website: www.taylorhometeam.com to search for homes, land, or invesment property in San Antonio or The Texas Hill Country!
Did you know that Keller Williams has approx. 15% of the market in San Antonio and surrounding areas according to the SABOR MLS? The second place occupant is Coldwell Banker with about 2%. You might know that Realogy (www.realogy.com) is the parent company of Coldwell Banker, Century 21, ERA, & Sotheby's among a few others. Did you know that Realogy has about $6 billion worth of debt....and Keller Williams has $0 debt? In fact, Keller Williams has about $1 billion in the bank. Who would you trust with your real estate investments?
Good business models and systems work. Put them to work for you the next time you are thinking about buying or selling real estate. Visit our website @ www.taylorhometeam.com and let us know how we can help you.
Potential clients and first time buyers usually ask this question. It's not one of the easiest answers to give. Most of the time a mortgage is required, so the lender requires a title policy. In some types of ownership transfers, title insurance is not required, or necessary. A good title company can help you determine your needs.
Listed below are a few of the hidden risks that are covered under an owner's policy:
Owners Policy-Homeowner
Just as lenders want security with their loan policy, you should want to protect your investment with an owner's title policy. For a low, one-time premium you can receive an owner's title insurance policy to protect your property against hidden risks or undiscovered interests.
The Owner's Policy Provides:
Peace Of Mind
Title insurance adds security and peace of mind to your ownership. Remember that a policy issued by Kendall County Abstract Company can help you prevent the potential loss of your property due to these causes as well as many others. If you have any questions about title insurance, call your local title compnay. They will be happy to answer your questions.
Owning real estate is one of the most precious values of freedom enjoyed in this country. When you decide to buy any type of real property, you want to be sure the property will be yours and that no one else will have any liens, claims or encumbrances against your property other than those disclosed to you or arranged by you (such as a mortgage).
If you are buying or selling real property, having a title policy protect the transaction gives everyone involved peace of mind.
If you are considering buying or selling real estate in the Texas Hill Country, check out our website: www.taylorhometeam.com
Your Local Real Estate Experts! "The Texas Hill Country Sells Itself....We Just Make It EASIER!"
EXPERIENCE - INTEGRITY - DEPENDABILITY
Our Client-First Philosophy
There are many qualities and skills that go into being an excellent real estate professional - integrity, in-depth community and market knowledge, marketing savvy, effective negotiation skills and a high-quality professional network, all of which are hallmarks of how we work.
That said, in our experience as Texas Hill Country real estate professionals, we've also found that providing the very best service is essentially about putting our clients first. This means keeping ourselves accessible, being good listeners as well as a good communicators, and responding quickly to your needs.
This "client first" philosophy has always been our approach and it requires us to continually improve our skills and ways of doing business. In addition, we've found that the latest technologies are enabling us to do everything we've always done, only much more quickly and efficiently. They've also helped us to extend the range of services we provide to our clients.
Sally Taylor
Sally is a Tacoma, WA native. She is a graduate of Washington State University & has her Master's degree from the University of Oregon. After travelling extensively & working in Berlin, West Germany & Australia, she eventually found her way to Texas which she now calls home. Sally has been selling Real Estate in the Hill Country for the past 8 years. She loves what she does & it shows.
Bill Taylor
Bill, a US citizen born in Canada, has spent most of his business career in state government economic development programs. He has held senior and agency head positions in Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and Texas. He has been recognized as a skilled marketing and public relations specialist both in the domestic & international marketplace. As a licensed Texas Realtor, his extensive expertise in negotiating benefits our customers who are buying or selling a home. Bill has also played professional ice hockey in Canada and Europe, which has nothing to do with real estate, but we thought you might find it interesting. Bill and his wife Sally have resided in the Texas Hill Country for over 17 years.
Kerri Luke
Kerri grew up in the Texas Hill Country and has been a Realtor since October 2000. As a licensed Realtor and homeowner, Kerri understands the challenges buyers and sellers face when buying or selling their home. She joined the Taylor Team in July 2007 and provides support to the team and all team clients as a Licensed Assistant. Kerri resides in Comfort with her husband, Jeff, and her son, Logan, who is currently a student at TMI-The Episcopal School of Texas.
* Sally, our Team Leader holds a GRI, Graduate Realtors Institue, designation.
* The Texas Hill Country, including:
~ Boerne
~ Fair Oaks Ranch
~ Leon Springs
~ Bandera
~ Comfort
~ Kerrville
~ Fredericksburg
"Sally and Bill Taylor exemplify what everyone looks for in a Realtor. We were fortunate enough to be referred to Sally Taylor by our out of state Realtor. Sally was given the task of finding a house in the Hill Country for our future retirement. We had never met her and only talked to her briefly until our first meeting in her office. I was so impressed by her knowledge of the area and the non-threatening approach she had in finding us a home. At no time did we feel uncomfortable or pressured. Knowledge of the market, understanding our needs, not wasting our time on properties that did not fit into our parameters, were only a few of the reasons we used Sally to a successful end." ~~Kenna & Linda S., Boerne
"The Taylor Team is completely committed to obtaining the best results for their clients. From contract to closing, the Taylor Team provides the type of service that only other Realtors can wish for! Committed, Integrity, Professionalism are just a few of the words I can use to describe how they treat each and every client!"
~~Tony S., Boerne
"Kerri sold us our property and we found her to be extremely knowledgeable concerning the purchase as well as very helpful regarding construction preparation. Kerri is the only realtor, of many, that we have met during the buying and selling of numerous personal residences that now we consider a friend. We look forward to calling Kerri for any future real estate needs."
~~Larry & Carol J., Comfort
"As a first time home buyer, I was a little apprehensive and nervous about purchasing a home. Luckily for me, I found Kerri Luke. Kerri understood the strain it is on a first-time home buyer to learn all that's required with finding a house and getting a mortgage. She dedicated so much time to making sure I understood the home-buying process. A year later, Kerri's still keeps in touch to see how things are going and if I'm enjoying my new home. What a Realtor!"
~~MaryLynn B., Comfort
"Purchasing a home or land from long distance can be a challenging endeavor. The Taylor team provided support beyond that normally expected of a real estate agency. Without your assistance and support, we would not have been able to pursue our dream of owning in the Texas Hill Country. Thank you!"
~~Kathleen Romane, Vancouver, WA
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