Wendy Montoya, Associate Broker REALTOR® Waco, TX Real Estate, 254-315-4906

I took some nice photos a couple of weeks back while at Cameron Park where my kids were playing Frisbee Golf. Even with the dry weather, these shots still show how pretty this Waco area really is. Also caught a beautiful sky shot as we were driving home towards China Spring. Hope you enjoy this display of Waco TX Beauty.

Near the outer North Western part of Waco, sits the popular China Spring area subdivision,  Lakeland Meadows.  With moderately priced homes (roughly 140s - 200s) located within the City of Waco, Lakeland Meadows is the chosen home of many proud China Spring Community Neighbors including me.

Lakeland Meadows is optimally located with easy access to China Spring Road (FM 1637) and North River Crossing (FM 185). A short drive will get you nearly anywhere in the Waco area. Most drives are minus a trip on I-35 which is something I truly love. I am not a huge fan of Highway driving, so this location works out perfectly for me.

Parents and students enjoy the China Spring Independent School District (ISD) where they are very proud of the many excellent sports, arts, music and academic achievements.  

Neighbors are friendly often organizing special events such as 4^th of July parades and community yard sales. Many children are at play in a community of homeowners of all types and ages.

Most homes in the Lakeland Meadows area are built with modern and/or custom-like touches. Many with open floor plans, upgraded kitchen counters, custom cabinetry, upgraded lighting fixtures and upgraded flooring. You can feel the elegance and homeowner/homebuilder pride as soon as you step in to many of these homes.  

If you are looking for a great Waco location in which to live, make sure you take a look at Lakeland Meadows. I am proud to call Lakeland Meadows my home; I think you will be proud too.

Lakeland Meadows Housing Market since January 1^st, 2008

6 Active Listings priced from $154,900 to $209,000 built 2006-2008, 1610 to 2195 sq ft. 3-4 bedrooms, 2 baths.  Average market time 123 days.

1 Listing Under Contractoriginally priced at $154,900 built in 2003, 1851 sq ft. 3 bedroom, 2 bath.

11 Listings Sold at prices from 143,900 to 209,900 built 2003-2007, 1562-2255 sq ft. 3-4 bedrooms, 2 baths. Average market time 106 days.

Please note that Lakeland Meadows is expanding to the SE with new homes and streets.  The information above is reported from the Waco MLS as of 08/14/08 and does not reflect any new construction, For Sale by Owner homes or other homes not listed on the Waco MLS. Accuracy of the data cannot be guaranteed.

Approximate Distances to Popular Spots:

2 miles to China Spring High and Middle Schools

3 miles to China Spring Elementary School

4 miles to China Spring Intermediate School (New school to be built right down the road from Lakeland Meadows)

7 miles to McLennan Community College

8 miles to Waco Water Park

10 miles to Cameron Park

11 miles to downtown Waco

14 miles to Texas State Technical College

15 miles to Baylor University

15 miles to Richland Mall, Providence Hospital and Woodway TX

Sellers, should you?

Or Sellers, why would you?

There is a simple answer to this. Do NOT take offense to ANY offer.

I know it's tempting to get aggravated or angry when someone brings a very unreasonable offer on your home. But don't. It's counterproductive to your home selling goal.

An offer is at least one thing...a starting point. A place to begin serious discussion on getting your home sold.

You never know what the buyer is thinking or if he/she is just misinformed. You have no idea how badly they want your home. You have no idea what their situation is at all.

So do yourself a favor. Do not get offended and counter offer with something reasonable that will work for you. When they realize they are not going to get your home for the lowball price, they may back out. But, they may also respond appropriately. You might be surprised when the buyer accepts your counter and you get your house sold!

**The information contained in my Blog Posts and Comments to my posts cannot be guaranteed, use this information at your own risk**

Sellers, should you?

Or Sellers, why would you?

I hear this a lot. "Buyers can make any offer they want to, I want to price high for negotiation room". Or something similar.

So what's the problem here? The biggest problem is that if you overprice, you may never get anyone to look at your home. No one will make an offer on something they will never see and never take seriously as a prospective purchase.

Do not overprice for negotiation room, this just does NOT work. In fact it works against you. Price it right to start, so you can get the most interest in your home right when you place it on the market. Homes that are priced right usually sell quickly, but overpriced homes will sit on the market forever. And possibly never sell at all.

Overpricing is a dangerous method of trying to get your home sold. One that can leave you with less money or no sale at all.

**The information contained in my Blog Posts and Comments to my posts cannot be guaranteed, use this information at your own risk**

Sellers, should you?

Or Sellers, why would you?

Well, I hate to see any seller have to do just that. But Sellers MUST evaluate their options carefully. Especially in a market that is geared more towards Buyers where Buyers have many choices in homes. Sometimes it is more cost effective to bring money to the table than to let your home sit on the market month after month before selling, or possibly never selling at all.

Of course you SHOULD not under sell and try to get the most for your home, but Ask yourself this: "Will it cost me more to hold on to my home, than it will cost for me to pay something at the closing table?"

You should be able to answer this easily by adding up your recurring expenses for your home and figure what it will cost you to continue holding on to your home. If your expenses are more than what it will cost you to bring to the closing table, you should seriously consider selling and bringing money to the table.

There are many situations that may cause you to really consider this option. You may be facing foreclosure, you may have another home that you just purchased and can't afford both mortgages, or you may be relocating and need to sell before you go. There could be many reasons.

Being stubborn is not going to help you here, but being smart will. Crunch the numbers, know the market, evaluate the situation, and know what will cost you more. Holding onto your home and waiting for a better price (maybe indefinitely) may just be a worse decision than taking a sale when you can even when that means bringing money to the table.

**The information contained in my Blog Posts and Comments to my posts cannot be guaranteed, use this information at your own risk**