Here are a few suggestions that can be of great help in achieving a successful appeal.

(1) Be punctual and prepared for the hearing.

Before attending your scheduled hearing, check the property information on your tax bill, specifically, the address, lot size, and number of rooms. Take notice of the appraised value of the property. Have with you every information that you might use in your protest.

(2) Adhere to the facts and avoid emotional pleas.

The ARB doesn’t have a control  over the operations  or budget of the appraisal district, its tax rates, or local politics, so it is not advisable to address such topics during  the presentation for it will just waste your time and will not likely help your case.

(3) Study the hearing procedure of ARB.

As soon as you receive the hearing procedures of ARB, take time to  familiarize yourself with the procedures and be prepared to follow them.

(4) Present your  information in a very simple and well-organized manner.

You together with the appraisal district staff  will be exchanging evidence at the hearing. Photographs as well as other documents could be of great help. It is best to take an appropriate number of copies to ensure that each ARB member and  the appraisal district representative  receive one.

Prepare all  the collected documentation. Organize it in a manner that allows you to present the most important details first. The time given to you to present your case likely will likely be limited.

As soon as the ARB is done with your protest,  a written order will be delivered to you by certified mail. Now, in case you are not satisfied with the ARB’s findings, you have the right to appeal the decision. You may appeal to the state district court in the county in which your property  is located, depending on the facts and type of property, and the appeal must be filed no later than 60 days after receiving the final ARB order.

Susan Hilton

Property taxes are determined by a percentage of your property value. Majority of people pay their Brazos County property taxes annually without having a second thought as to how the amount due was decided. And most people pay it through their mortgage company in their monthly mortgage payments.  Your property value is decided through the local tax assessor’s office so GET INVOLVED!

When you find yourself dissatisfied with the appraised value assigned to your property, you can make an appeal to your appraisal district regarding the remedies available to you. It is the task of the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts to publish an explanation of the remedies available to taxpayers and procedures that must be followed in seeking remedial action. The Comptroller should also include guidance on preparing and presenting a protest.

Futhermore, the legislature furnishes copies of this document and are made readily available to taxpayers free of charge. The chief appraiser of an appraisal district may give a copy of the Notice of Appraised Value mailed to property owners explaining the time and procedures used in protesting the value of their property. The chief appraiser must provide another copy to property owners that initiate protests.

In the event that the appraisal district appraises your property at a higher amount in comparison to the prior year, state law requires the appraisal district to send a notice by May 1, or by April 1 if your property is a residential homestead. The notice of protest is  said to be sufficient if this identifies (1) the protesting individual claiming an ownership interest in the property, (2) the property that is the subject of the protest, and (3) dissatisfaction with the decision of the appraisal district.

The value of your property could be protested in accordance with the following:

• your property is unequally appraised;

• the appraisal district placed a value that is too high value on your property;

• the appraisal district denied a special appraisal, for instance, open-space land, or your exemption application was incorrectly denied;

• the required notice was not presented to you by the appraisal district

In the event that the appraiser does not reduce your taxes to what you feel is fair, you can make an appeal regarding the decision to the next level. It’s very important, however, that you preserve your right to protest to the ARB by filing your Notice of Protest before the deadline, even though you expect to resolve your concerns at the informal meeting with the appraisal district. The ARB is an independent, impartial group of citizens authorized to resolve disputes between taxpayers and the appraisal district. Although, in most counties, the ARB is appointed by the appraisal district board of directors, it is not controlled by the appraisal district.

You should file your Notice of Protest with the ARB no later than 30 days after the appraisal district mailed the Notice of Appraised Value. You may request an evening or weekend hearing, depending on your preference. The ARB will notify you at least 15 days in advance of the date, time, and place of your hearing.

Bringing a protest before the ARB is often a formal process. Start and end dates vary depending on the  appraisal district. At least 14 days before your protest hearing, the appraisal district will mail a copy of this pamphlet, a copy of the ARB procedures, and a statement that you might inspect and obtain a copy of the data, schedules, formulas, and any other information the chief appraiser plans to introduce upon your hearing.

Susan Hilton

If getting pre-approved is something you need or want to do contact Gwen Fay. Gwen does the mortgage work in our office and her number is 979-201-1629.

Susan Hilton

1. A rising mortgage payment due to an ARM loan resetting
2. Eliminating Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) payments
3. Using home equity to fund an important purchase
4. Consolidating your first and second mortgage to reduce your overall payment
5. Consolidating credit card debt or other high interest debts

If you have not had a mortgage check-up in awhile it is time to change that! It is important to stay updated on checking your mortgage every few years because you may find better options.

To get some helpful answers call for a mortgage check-up!
Gwen Fay
979-201-1629
Mortgage Lender
Century 21 Mortgage

Susan Hilton

Qualified Buyers

• Owner Occupants, purchasing their primary residence
• Public Entities = City, county, or municipality buyer (ex. City of College Station)
• Other Entities using Public Funds = Non-profit or for-profit partner organizations (ex. Habitat for Humanity)

How do you know if the foreclosure you are interested in qualifies for the First Look Program? Well of course you can call me, (I have a lot of experience with foreclosures in Bryan College Station!) but you can also go online to HomePath.com. This is the primary website showing properties within the First Look Marketing Period. The site also has a countdown clock showing how many more days are left in the marketing period for Qualified Buyers.

Many of these homes also qualify for Homepath financing. Homepath financing is a little better than most financing options.

HomePath® Mortgage Financing benefits include -

• Low down payment and flexible mortgage terms (fixed-rate, adjustable-rate, or interest-only)
• You may qualify even if your credit is less than perfect
• Available to both owner occupiers and investors
• Down payment (at least 3 percent) can be funded by your own savings; a gift; a grant; or a loan from a nonprofit organization, state or local government, or employer
• No mortgage insurance*
• No appraisal fees

If you find a foreclosure that needs a little TLC, it might qualify for the HomePath® Renovation Mortgage Financing.  This special financing is available only on homes that will be your primary residence and the loan offers -

• Financing to fund both your purchase and light renovation
• Low down payment and flexible mortgage terms (fixed-rate or adjustable-rate)
• Down payment (at least 3 percent) can be funded by your own savings; a gift; a grant; or a loan from a nonprofit, state or local government, or employer
• No mortgage insurance*

So, when you are ready to purchase a home and possibly even a foreclosure, call me and I’ll put you in touch with a lender that can help you find the best loan.

Susan Hilton

Century 21 Beal, Inc.

979-764-2100

What is a Credit Score?

Who decides what your Credit Score is?

How does the score affect YOU with your Home Mortgage?

How do you improve your Credit Score?

Who do You ask for help with your Credit Score if you are wanting to purchase real estate in Bryan College Station?

What is a Credit Score?

Your Credit Score is a number, up to 850 that lenders, insurance companies, banks and employers use to determine your “worthiness”, willingness to pay, past stability and ability to repay a loan. Your Credit Score is one of the most important things in determining whether you are eligible to borrow money to purchase a home as well as your interest rate.  Remember the higher your score, the lower the risk the lender believes they have, therefore the lower your interest rate will probably be. Your Credit Score is also called your FICO score after Fair Isaac & Company.

Who decides what your Credit Score is?

Really the one who determines your Credit Score is YOU.  Now I know you don’t get to write in your own score but what you do affects your score.  Your payment history on the money you borrow is a huge factor in your score. The biggest pieces of your Credit Score are….

• YOUR payment record – Your payment history is the biggest piece of your credit score. Do you pay your credit cards on time EVERY TIME? Do you pay your car payment on time, EVERY month?  What about your student loans?  Have you ever filed bankruptcy?  Have you gone to the doctor or hospital and then not paid the bill?  All these things can have an effect on your Credit Score.  Lenders want to know you pay your bills on time EVERY TIME.  Yes, it seems like the people who don’t need the money are the ones who can get the loans but banks are not in a charity business. They want to make sure that if they loan you money that they can get it back on time with no hassle.
• YOUR credit history – Are you just starting with credit? Do you have any credit cards now? FEW want to be the first one to take the risk that you won’t pay them back. But, how do you establish credit if no one will give you the chance?  Start by borrowing a little money from your bank against money you have in savings and PAY IT BACK ON TIME EVERY MONTH!  After a year or so of paying back the money on time you will have established credit. Most home lenders require you to have several examples of you paying back money your borrowed. You can also use the payments each month for your utilities and your phone to help show you are trust worthy – just be sure to pay these each month!
• YOUR current debt – How much do you currently owe? Do you have credit card debt? Do you have student loans? Do you owe back child support? Do you have a car loan? Have you maxed out your credit cards? How much you owe will affect your score but don’t run out and pay off loans if you are getting ready to purchase a home. Talk with a loan officer who knows about credit BEFORE you use all your available cash paying off loans.
• YOUR credit applications – Do you apply for credit at the store every time they offer? Have you applied for a new Mastercard or Visa because an application came in the mail? Each time you apply for more credit your credit is “Run” and this can reduce your Credit Score. Remember when you are getting ready to borrow money to purchase a home, you don’t want to look like you are out borrowing money or that you “Need It”.
• YOUR current credit companies – Which credit card companies have you applied to? Which credit cards do you have? Some affect your scores more than others. Do you only have car loans or ATM cards? Who would ever think that one credit card company is better or worse than another but they are!

How Much Does Your Credit Score Affect You With Your Home Loan?

It affects it a great deal. Of course the rules and guidelines change all the time regarding what lenders require for Credit Scores but in 2010 your credit score needs to be above 620 to be considered for a Fannie Mae (FNMA) loan and 660 to be considered for an FHA loan. These two loan types will give you the best possible interest rate.

Who do You ask for help with your Credit Score if you are wanting to purchase real estate in Bryan College Station?

Of course I suggest that you contact ME!  I will direct you to one of the lenders we work with on a regular basis helping our Clients make sure they get the best possible loan conditions possible. Remember a 1% difference on a loan can make a big difference in your monthly payment.

Susan Hilton

CENTURY 21 Beal, Inc.

979-764-2100

Kelly Seaton

Kelly Seaton says plenty. It’s still a reliable tool to know when a buyer presents the seller with a low-ball offer or when it’s a good deal.

“In June and July when business is booming, sales data was plentiful. Last months sales were a good indicator of a property’s present value,” Seaton said. “When there is a sudden shift in market, this is not necessarily the case. More research needs to done to quantify the stability of an area’s market.”

Who should use an appraiser? Usually, Verdad Valuation sees banks and lenders as their client. Seaton also sees home owners as clients, who just want to get an idea of value on their home pre-sales, before they even become a seller. Or an independent FSBO may try to protect himself from a bad deal, seeking the opinion of an independent third party.

Great technology platforms enable Verdad Valuation to research legal land descriptions or soil types even before setting foot on the property.  “So many resources are available to us through Google Earth and the U.S. Department of Agriculture that help appraisers to examine the real estate from many facets,” Seaton said.

From local residential to rural land appraisal, Verdad taps into 20 years of experience working with industry greats like Reagan Magee of Promise Land Real Estate. Seaton is happy to open his own business  and begin serving customers.  Check out Verdad’s website for details about his work and interesting industry myths about appraisers.

Merry Christmas,

Cindy Seaton, REALTOR

Increase in home value

For people living in areas where their home value has risen, the value could actually exceed the amount of principal owned on the mortgage.  In this situation the lender is under no legal obligation to remove the Private Mortgage Insurance.  Usually if the home owner has been prompt on their monthly payments and is not an exceptional risk, the lender will agree to remove the extra fees.

The hardest thing for most home owners to know is just when does their home equity rise above this magical 20%?  A certified, licensed Appraiser like Verdad Valuation can help.  Owner and appraiser, Kelly Seaton, says that it is his job to know the market dynamics of this area.

He said, “I know when property values have risen or declined.  Together we can find the current value of your home and remove the PMI payments.  Faced with our data, most mortgage companies will eliminate the PMI with little trouble.  The savings from dropping the PMI pays for my appraisal fee within a matter of months. Then, you can enjoy the savings on your mortgage from that point on.”

Verdad Valuation has more information like this at their website.

Merry Christmas,

Cindy Seaton, REALTOR

Yes – someone saw it coming. The New York Times actually reported it coming back on September 30th in 1999. How many years ago is that? Maybe it was while Clinton was President, not George Bush….

In 1999 Steven Holmes from the New York Times wrote that Fannie Mae was under extreme pressure from the Clinton Administration to expand mortgage loans to low and moderate income people. In doing this “Fannie Mae is taking on significantly more risk, which may not pose any difficulties during flush economic times…. but may run into trouble in an exonomic downturn, prompting a government rescue similar to that of the savings and loan industry in the 1980′s”. 

Do you remember the 80′s when WE bailed out the savings and loan industry? Often times we forget our past, our history and with that we repeat it over and over. Bailout – something new? NO WAY! We do it over and over and over. As much as I disliked my history courses in school and as much as my husband will razz me over saying this….

Maybe we should pay more attention to our past so we do not continue to repeat it but instead make better choices for our future.

Susan Hilton – Realtor & Sales Trainer for Century 21 Beal

Want to Search the Bryan/College Station Real Estate MLS? CLICK HERE!!!

View Susan Hilton’s profile

When reviewing an article on www.BankRate.com, I noticed an article on More Regulations on Reverse Mortgages. A reverse mortgage is an advance against home equity. It’s for homeowners age 62 or older, and the reverse mortgage doesn’t have to be repaid until the borrowers die or move out.

Because reverse mortgages are elderly borrowers, there is concern that dishonest lenders and brokers take advantage of borrowers. Borrowers are required to get counseling first, to learn the pros and cons of reverse mortgages. The law will result in strengthenend qualifications for counselors.

The law limits origination fees on reverse mortgages. They cannot exceed 2 percent of a reverse mortgage of up to $200,000. For a reverse mortgage amount above that, the limit is $4,000, plus 1 percent of the loan amount above $200,000. Origination fees cannot exceed $6,000 in any case. In future years, this upper limit is indexed to inflation.

Thanks to Graham Stiles at www.GrahamStiles.com for sharing this article.