About Houston's Midtown

ANOTHER CHEVAUX GROUP PENDING LISTING ~ 1913 Gillette St, Houston, TX 77006

1913 Gillete Streetis now under the status of PENDING SALE! After only 41 days on the market, this Midtown condominium is under contract and heading toward a quick close. As condominium sales have diminished nation-wide, this is great news for our local market.

Mid-town in Houston is a thriving urban re-development area that is really coming into its own. With the headaches and cost of a commute, inner-city living is becoming more attractive for people. The trend appears to be gaining momentum as more condos, lofts and townhomes continue to be built.

If you are in the market to sell, lease or purchase real estate, Chevaux Group in your number one choice! We are here to help you with your transaction from contract to close! We have the skills and the dedication necessary to assist you in a successful real estate acquisition.

MIDTOWN ~ A TRENDY, COOL PLACE NEAR DOWNTOWN HOUSTON!

Near downtown Houston is a very cool and trendy area called Midtown! New restaurants, lofts, condos and townhouses have popped up all over down there. Streets that were once dead have been revitalized and the energy there is very high. Considered to be a pedestrian-friendly area, this was evident last night as we walked the thriving area.

Yesterday I went on a listing appointment for one of the high-density living areas. A Condo right in the heart of Midtown! A fantastic location and a fantastic condo! I will post about the new listing later. See this great map for an overview.

Back to Midtown first. After the listing appointment, we headed over to a very cool restaurant called Cyclone Anya's. We enjoyed sitting outside right next to the street and watching the people go by. The margarita's were delicious and the Mexican-inspired appetizers were yummy.

After going over some listing details, we were ready to head out for a nice dessert. Just a block away we walked over to Co Co's Crepes and Coffee. Oh my will I need to be running that off today. We shared a Nutella Crepe which was oh so good.

What I loved about the area was how everyone was out walking. Everything is so accessible and quaint. If I were a young person, I would totally consider living in this type of environment. This is true urban living at its best.

If you work downtown or near the downtown area of Houston, you might want to take a look at Midtown! Definitely a cool and trendy area! Stay tuned for my new condo listing! It should go very quickly!

Call me if you are interested in living in this area or if you would like to list a property!

Since 2002 Own Realty Group has helped consumers buy, sell, lease and invest in real estate in the greater Houston area.

Own Realty Group's emphasis on service and commitment to meeting the needs of clients has gained the respect of the real estate community as a professional real estate company that delivers superior results.

Own Realty Group's team of real estate professionals including real estate brokers, real estate agents and real estate consultants has the knowledge and expertise to help you save time and money.

If you are in the market to Buy, Sell, Lease or Invest in real estate contact Own Realty Group today.

Foreclosures are the only thing worth buying. Foreclosures are the best deals on the market. Foreclosures are the only way to make money in Real Estate, right? WRONG! Buying a foreclosure isn't always as great as it's cracked up to be. They are definitely not for the faint at heart.

Yes, foreclosures can be great deals at times. You should do your homework. When you buy a foreclosure in Texas, the seller (banks generally) aren't required to provide a Seller's Disclosure Notice. A Seller's Disclosure Notice is 5 pages of information on the home that a regular seller will provide for you. When it comes to foreclosures, what you see is what you get. You need to have a good inspection done on the home to uncover any hidden damages or unforeseen repairs. Keep in mind that an inspector will only inspect what they can see. Pipes and electrical, etc behind the wall is all a guessing game until you need to open it up for renovations or repairs. Banks will generally only sell foreclosures "AS IS" so you need to be prepared with the finances to make what repairs need to be made.

You should be aware of what type of financing the subject foreclosure will qualify for as well. If you are pre-approved for an FHA loan, the home is going to have to be in pretty decent shape, essentially livable. When I personally bought a foreclosure home with an FHA loan, I had to replace a broken window and repair a hole in the wall before they would close it. I have seen FHA deny loans on homes for lack of floor covering, missing appliances, etc.

All in all, your best bet is to work with an experienced Broker to help you through the process. You will need to work with a Broker that knows how to win the bids on foreclosures. Not every agent knows how. It comes with years of practice and learning exactly what the banks are looking for. As always, should you need any help, I am only a phone call, email, text or twitter away!

I want to make some money, lots of money. And, I want to invest in Real Estate. Can these two thoughts still marry? It all depends on where you want to invest, but if that place is Houston, Texas, the answer is absolutely!

I have worked with many investors over the years and it seems they all had different ideas of how to achieve this. There are several ways to go about this actually and the first thing you need to decide is how fast you want to achieve your goals. There are two main concepts to mull over. Is this something you want to invest in and cash out in the near future or is this something you want to invest in for the long haul?

If your answer is cashing out in the near future, you should consider a flip. A flip is buying a property under market value, performing necessary repairs and then reselling at market value to realize a profit. There are several things that you must consider when thinking of taking on a flip. Do you have cash to buy the home? If not, will you be financing the purchase conventionally or with hard money? If you are financing, is there a pre-payment penalty for paying off the loan quickly? Do you have the cash on hand to pay the contractors as the work is completed? Do you have a project manager to oversee the renovations or repairs (this would mostly apply if you are not local)? Do you have the ability to hold on to the property for at least 6 months? When it comes to flipping, some lenders for the potential buyers will not allow too large of a profit if you are selling in under 6 months. In almost all cases, I have seen them ask for receipts as proof of the repairs completed in order to calculate your profit. These are all things that must be considered and working with an experienced Real Estate Broker (like myself) can help you maneuver through this maze.

If your answer to the above is investing for the long haul, you have the potential of realizing even more of a profit through the bounty known as appreciation. It's going to take an understanding of the market you are investing in and a healthy dose of optimism for the future real estate and financial markets. We have certain areas of town in Houston that can realize an excellent appreciation on a yearly basis. These areas tend to be centrally located and close to a town's epicenter. You will need to be able to manage these properties efficiently and have a cash reserve for repairs that may arise. A local property management company could help with this undertaking and make it a not so painstaking venture.

Now, let's make some money!

As always, I'm only a phone call, email, text or twitter away!