Archive for the 'Real Estate News' Category

Texas Has the TOP 5 Healthiest Real Estate Markets!

March 10th, 2009 categories: Real Estate News

Texas is rated with the Top 5 Healthiest Real Estate Markets out of 75 by Boyce Thompson with Hanley Wood Builder Market Intelligence and the top 5 cities are all around Bryan College Station!   The report states that when the real estate market recovers the cities below are in a prime position to recover the BEST!   The report used the top 75 real estate markets (Bryan College Station was too small to be included in the survey otherwise I'm sure we would have been rated #1!) #15 - Myrtle Beach, FL #14 - Wilmington, NC #13 - Charlott, NC #12 - Denver, CO #11 - Nashville, TN #10 - Washington, DC #9 - Fayetteville, AR #8 - Indianapolis, IN #7 - Seattle, WA #6 -  Raleigh, NC

#5 - Dallas, Tx

#4 - San Antonio, Tx

#3 - Fort Worth, Tx

#2 - Austin, Tx

#1 - Houston, Tx

Isn't it great that the Bryan College Station real estate is surrounded by the top 5 real estate markets poised for a great increase during the upcoming real estate rebound!  Looks like more growth around Texas A&M University TOO!

Susan Hilton

Susan Hilton - Realtor & Sales Trainer for Century 21 Beal

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Posted by Susan Hilton | Discussion: Your Comments Please »

College Station Tree Preservation Ordinance - What Do YOU Think?

March 7th, 2009 categories: Real Estate News

March 26, 2009 the College Station City Council is having a workshop to review the current draft of the College Station Tree Preservation Ordinance.

chainsawtree

Are you ready for the City of College Station to tell you what trees you can cut down?

The City of College Station City's Tree Preservation Ordinance Purpose states:
  • The purpose and intent of this Section is to promote the preservation of trees and tree stands during construction to facilitate site design and construction that contributes to the long-term viability of existing trees and to develop a process to control the removal of trees. It is further the purpose of this ordinance to prevent the untimely and indiscriminate removal or destruction of trees, maintain and enhance a positive image of the City and to protect trees and promote the ecological, environmental and aesthetic values of the City.
Are you ready to have to get a permit to cut a tree? Are you ready to APPLY for a permit to grade your property if there is a tree larger than 8 inches in diameter?

If you are outside the City Limits think you don't have to worry? Sorry -

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Posted by Susan Hilton | Discussion: Your Comments Please »

Postive Spin

January 5th, 2009 categories: Buying Real Estate, Commercial real estate, Foreclosures, Investment Property, Land & Rural, Market Trends, Real Estate News, Selling Real Estate

BRYAN, TX -- Gosh, ever since the election, the media seem happier about the war on terror in Iraq, the outlook of our economy, and spending of consumers. Is it all based on the results of the election? Or is it a figment of our imagination? See how saavy you are on the economy in our neck of the woods, based on an article from Texas Realtor Magazine, October 2008: 1. What percentage of all Texas homes are financed by subprime loans? a. 1% b. 8% c. 17% d. 33% 2. True or False? Average interest rates for a 30-year fixed mortgage are about what they were 5 years ago. 3. T or F? In 2007, homes priced $500k+ represented a higher percentage of the total homes sold in Texas than any previous year. 4. Of 44 Texas markets, how many had lower median sales prices from January-June 2008 compared to the same period in 2007? a. none b. 11 c. 22 d. 33 5. How many Texas markets had more home sales in June 2008 than June 2007? a. 22 b. 9 c. 3 d. none 6. In CNBC's 2008 ranking of state economies, Texas came

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Posted by Cindy Seaton | Discussion: Your Comments Please »

What’s Your Appraisal Worth?

December 10th, 2008 categories: Buying Real Estate, Home Improvement & Design, Investment Property, Land & Rural, Market Trends, Mortgage Help, Real Estate News, Selling Real Estate

Bryan, TX -- In a slower real estate season, what good is your appraisal? Verdad Valuation Services owner [caption id="attachment_1844" align="alignright" width="174" caption="Kelly Seaton"]Kelly Seaton[/caption] 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. (more...)

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Posted by Cindy Seaton | Discussion: 1 Comment »

How to get rid of PMI - Part Two

December 7th, 2008 categories: Investment Property, Market Trends, Mortgage Help, Real Estate News

Last time we learned that PMI, like PMS, doesn't last forever.  Aside from home owners asking for it to be removed and aside from lenders terminating it when the principal balance of the loan reaches 78% of the original loan amount, there is another way to have it eradicated. [caption id="attachment_1882" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Increase in home value"]Increase in home value[/caption] 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. (more...)

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Posted by Cindy Seaton | Discussion: 2 Comments »

How to get rid of PMI - Part One

December 2nd, 2008 categories: Buying Real Estate, Foreclosures, Home Improvement & Design, Real Estate News, Selling Real Estate

No I didn't say PMS. If I knew that, then I'd be a millionaire. PMI - your Private Mortgage Insurance protects your lender in case if a borrower defaults on the loan, and the value of the home is lower than the loan balance. [caption id="attachment_1879" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Home Equity and PMI"]Home Equity and PMI[/caption] PMI has been a large money-maker for the mortgage lenders. The amount of the insurance (usually $40/month for a $100k home) is commonly rolled into the mortgage payment. Given the size of the overall note payment, this additional fee is often overlooked. Homeowners continue to pay the PMI even after their loan balance has dropped below the original 80% threshold. This occurs naturally, of course, as the home owner pays down the principal on the loan. On a typical 30-year loan, however, it can take many years to reach that point. Lenders were under no obligation to tell home owners when they had reached a point where the PMI can be dropped. That all changed back in 1999 when the Homeowners Protection Act took effect. In most cases, this law now

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Posted by Cindy Seaton | Discussion: 2 Comments »

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