Stephen Kendrick

Buyer's Agent - Does it Really Work For You?
By Flynna Sarah Molina

As time goes by, individuals will continue to look for reasons to purchase new property. This is not because for luxurious intention but for other there is a feeling of necessity. However, regardless what their reasons are, a house should be selected carefully. The type of house you will acquire will have a huge impact on your future finances as well as your living condition. Thus, every step you take that is related to home buying should be taken with utmost care and awareness.

Hence, you have to hire a buyer's agent. The home buying procedure is really a complicated thing to go through. And for someone who is still new to this type of transaction, he will surely have a hard time passing through the process. Even existing homeowners encounter problems when they buy for the second or third time if they do not seek the help of a professional. When you look for a buyer's agent to help you with this undertaking, you can surely undergo the process faster and easier without any hindrances along the way.

You might be wondering, why is it really necessary for you to hire a buyer's agent? Well, for one you will not shoulder the professional fee if you get their services. Their commission will come from a portion of the amount of the seller's agent commission. A buyer can grab such benefit of their assistance and will not incur any single centavo for their services.

Aside from that, you will be guided through the process accordingly. A buyer's agent masters the complexities of the whole home buying procedures. You do not have to exert more effort in surpassing all of these intricacies. They can even process some of the documentation and other necessary transaction in your behalf. They can truly help you especially in your decision making stage. You can always trust their advices and opinions since this has been their job for a long time. And they would not do anything that will destroy their reputation.

The buyer's agent always puts his clients on top of his priority. He is determined to provide an excellent service to each aspiring homeowner because he knows that he will reap his rewards later on. Since you are their client, you can also be one of their sources for getting more clients. You might refer them to your friends or family members if you are truly satisfied with their job. This only means, more jobs for them as well as more earnings. They are securing that every client they handle will have a happy face at the end of the transaction.

Therefore, even if you are not responsible in paying for their professional fee, they are still around to secure your best interest. But it goes with these advantages would also imply hard work and determination on your part. You will have to determine the most reliable, competent and trusted real estate broker to represent you.

Checking Out Neighborhoods For Your First Home
By Katrina Marie Santes

As a first-time homebuyer, you may already have an idea what your home should be like and how much you are willing to spend. You may have already talked to your lenders and got yourself pre-qualified or pre-approved and you know, you have enough funds to cover the cost of home buying. Now, you are ready to take the big step and that is shopping for homes.

Shopping for homes can be done easily through the internet. You can use listings to find them and when you like what you see, you can just go ahead and visit the later on. But when you are shopping, do you know exactly what to look for in a property?

One of the most important things that you should be looking into is the neighborhood. The neighborhood or the location where your dream home is located can show you the culture that people has in that area. You have to know more about neighborhood because part of it, would mean possible of integration of that culture into your own. If you do not like it, there is a big tendency that you would not just fit in. And if you could not blend in with your neighborhood, you would not fully enjoy your first homes.

You also have to check out the neighborhood for several other reasons. For one, you need to know about the safety of the place. Some neighborhoods have higher crime rates over the other. If you are particular with safety, then you should also be particular about the neighborhoods you choose. Second, you have to know what public establishments like schools and malls that are proximate to your homes. If you want convenience, then you should be looking into neighborhoods near schools. Third, you also have to check for the stability of the neighborhood. You have to know whether it is going to be there for a long time. You can simply know this if there are developments planned within the neighborhood without having to come across your way. There are several other practical reasons why should check them out and therefore, you should not miss this as part of home buying.

So how do you start checking out neighborhoods? Here's how to check the neighborhood:

1. Contact your friends or families located within the same neighborhood. These people are sources of great answers because you can ask them freely about the things you that you need to know about the place.

2. If you have to move because you have been re-assigned, then you can talk to your colleagues at work about the place you are planning to move into. If you may, you can ask your new boss for some assistance or have some colleague to tour you around when you come to check out the place.

3. Find a reputable real estate agent within the locality. Who could have better knowledge about the ins and outs of the neighborhood other than real estate agents? They can simply show you the best homes and the best locations that match your needs.

4. Visit the place and you can knock on doors of your neighborhood. You can ask around for the oldest living family in the area and you can ask them about the place.

It is easy to investigate about neighborhoods. If you want the best for your family and for yourself, you should always check out the neighborhoods. It does not even matter whether you are a first-time home buyer or not.

Top 7 Mistakes First Time Home Buyers Make
By Jamie Mades

1. Not Hiring a Realtor

Not hiring a Realtor or Real Estate agent with experience and good standing is one of the biggest mistakes that you could possibly make while being a first time home buyer. Some people would try and urge a first time home buyer to skip a realtor and "do it yourself". Let's put it this way, you are about to make the biggest purchase of your life and you're going to do it without help? I would sure hope not. Research and find a professional who can provide expertise and support.

2. Not Getting Pre-Qualified First

When it comes to the financial part this is also a hurdle that a realtor will help get you through.First time home buyers are the worst when it comes to making financial decisions. It's more than just figuring out how much you mortgage will be. You have to consider interest rate be, will there be an Association fee, how much could I afford without sending myself over board? All these are very important questions that should be discussed with a professional.

3. Making a Decision Based on Emotion Only

This is another really big mistake that first time home buyers commit. Making the biggest purchase of your life based on emotion and not facts, Not good. Just because you walk into a home and it resembles something from your child hood, doesn't make it the right fit for you. You need to consider how old the home is. Will it need many repairs? Is this a comfortable price range for me? Again all something that a realtor would be able to help guide you through.

4. Not Getting a Home Professionally Inspected

Always make sure you get your home inspected. Don't just go off anyone's good word. Just because the home looks beautiful and perfect to you, there can many things wrong with the property. Anywhere from structural, wiring, plumbing and much more. All this can end up causing you thousands of dollars week, month or years down the road if you avoid getting it inspected. The only time it is not necessary for inspection is if it is a new build.

5. Being Impatient

First time home buyers tend to be pretty inpatient in looking for a home. Instead of settling for something you kind of like why not wait for something you are going to absolutely love. Being anxious to get into a house is a pretty hard battle from begging to end. If you're strong enough to stick with it and you do your homework, your chances of being a happy home owner will be a lot higher.

6. Not Considering the Long Term Impact of Their Decision

When buying a home the main thing you need to consider is, will this home be fit for you in the future? Will this neighborhood still fit you? Is this home big enough for your future wants? Is this house potentially going to be a good sell in the future when you're ready? All of these are serious matters that should either make or break your wants for this home.

7. Over-Spending

Before signing a contract set a price in your mind that works for you financially. And don't go a dollar over that price. Negotiations can be very scary. Financial boundaries become less clear and emotions start running wild. Without the right realtor this process can end up very messy and stressful.

Conclusion

Buying your first home can definitely seem overwhelming and stressful at times. But if you go into the process having already done your homework, you can protect yourself from all of these mistakes and shop with confidence. After all buying a home is the biggest purchase you'll ever make, but it shouldn't be the most difficult!

Stephen Kendrick is a Realtor in Sugar Land, Tx. You can learn more about real estate buying and selling by visiting www.stephenakendrick.com

TEXAS BOUND FOR FAST RECOVERY?

NEW YORK (Forbes.com) - Texas' four major metros are in the top ten fastest-recovering cities nationwide, according to Forbes magazine.

Forbes ranked San Antonio the second fastest recovering city in the country, Austin the third, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington the sixth and Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown the eighth.

The magazine attributed their relatively quick recovery to San Antonio's and Austin's high number of municipal jobs, Dallas' thriving technology industry and Houston's energy sector, as well as the state housing market's ability to remain stable while other states' markets crashed.

"Texas didn't have as big of a boom," said Dr. Jim Gaines, research economist at the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University. "So we're not having anywhere near the kind of bust."

El Paso and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission were also placed within the 100 fastest-growing MSAs, ranking 43rd and 48th, respectively.

Forbes ranked the country's 100 largest MSAs according to each area's September unemployment rate and foreclosures, gross metropolitan product, home prices and sales rates.

Stephen A Kendrick
REALM Real Estate Professionals
Houston/Sugar Land, TX Real Estate Agent
281-630-5435

Sugar Land, Texas Homes for Sale - Still Considered a Seller's Market in 2009

Sugar Land, Texas is still considered a Seller's Market right now. Sugar Land, Texas is includes 2 zip codes. As of July 31, 2009, the zip code 77478 has approximately 5.3 months of housing inventory on the market. Anything less than 8 months of inventory is considered a Seller's market. The average sales price has been $197,500 with 452 homes sold since August 1, 2008. There are currently 200 active listings for sale with an average list price of $354,000. Zip code 77479 has approximately 4.3 months of housing inventory on the market. There were 997 homes sold since August 1, 2008 with an average sales price of $310,750 and there are currenlty 355 active listings for sale with an average list price of $502,000. A seller's market suggests that home prices are stable and that the area is highly desired area. Homes listed in Sugar Land, Texas are typically on the market for less than 60 days. Now is the time to buy a home if you are in the market for a Sugar Land home. If you are a first time home buyer, now would be the opportunity to move to a highly desired area of Houston and use your $8000 tax credit before the expiration of November 30, 2009.

Sugar Land is approximately 20 miles southwest of downtown Houston. Master-planned communities and welcoming neighborhoods enhance home values and create a sense of belonging in this full service municipality that provides high-quality, affordable services to meet the needs of its citizens. The community offers outstanding schools, libraries, civic organizations and other resources that make Sugar Land a great place to work, live and raise a family. Sugar Land, Texas is working to become a self contained suburb of Houston, Texas, offering shopping, dining, entertaining and business complexes. Sugar Land has recently completed a new town center offering a convention center and entertainment complex in the heart of this city.

The City of Sugar Land is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year, a golden year that will be marked in a year-long series of special events to commemorate 50 years of incorporation.

Sugar Land, Texas Homes for Sale - Still Considered a Seller's Market in 2009

I am a licensed Realtor® that specialize in the Sugar Land area. If you are looking to buy or sell a home in Sugar Land, I am the Realtor® for you. I will treat you with respect and walk you through the process, step by step. Contact me today 281-690-5900 - Ask for Stephen Kendrick and you will immediately be connected to me on my cell phone. You will not be disappointed. I even provide all of my buyers or sellers a free home warranty if you buy or sell through me. Visit me on the web at www.stephenakendrick.com