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All you need to know about Earnest Money

By Buyers, ProTalk, Sellers

In today’s pro talk we will talk about Earnest Money And the role it plays in a real estate transaction.

What is earnest money in a Real Estate Transaction?

Earnest Money is an important part of home buying process.Once the buyer & seller come to a final agreement in a real estate contract,the buyer will deposit an agreed amount as a show of good faith to purchase the property

How much money is enough for Earnest Money?

The amount is normally based on a percentage of the sales price. However, the buyer can elect to pay more in order to make the offer stand out and to increase his/her chances of buying the property under special circumstances.

Who holds the earnest money?

The earnest money does not go the the seller, rather it goes to an escrow agent such as a title company who holds it till the purchase is consummated. The buyer has 3 calendar days to deliver the money. Earnest money will be credited to the buyer at the closing of the transaction

What happens to earnest money if the transaction falls apart?

The earnest money is typically returned to the buyer if the buyer decides to terminate the contract for any reason during what is called the option period. Unfortunately, things may go south after the option period is exhausted and dispute arises over earnest money. At this time, the terms of the contract determines who receive the earnest money. Here is the bottom line: As a buyer, be diligent about your contract deadlines and give proper and timely notice of your intention to cancel the contract. As a seller, you will not automatically get to keep the earnest money if the buyer drops out, but you may be entitled to it when a buyer breaches the terms of the contract & does not complete the purchase.

In closing, whether you are a buyer or a seller in a dispute over earnest money, we will discuss the role of earnest money and other terms of the contract with our clients at the beginning of the process to prevent any unexpected surprises.

End As always, your dream team is committed to providing you with tools, education & excellent care. Think of us as one stop-shop for all your real estate needs. If you liked this video please subscribe, like and follow us on social media and share this video with anyone who can benefit from it.

Neighborhood pros, Introducing Lakes of Bella Terra in Richmond, TX

By Buyers, Fulshear, Houston, Richmond

Our today’s Neighborhood Pro comes to you from Lakes of Bella terra in Richmond Texas. 

Our mission in this program is to introduce new communities around Houston metro area to you.

Location

Located in the city of Richmond ,Tx, this community is on North of Bellaire blvd, South of Westpark Tollway. The Grand Parkway 99 is on the East and 723 rd is on the West side. Cinco Ranch is on the North side & a few minutes drive to City of fulshear.

Residents, on average, spend 31 minutes getting to work and most frequently by car.

Shopping locations are just off Westpark tollway & Grand Parkway & you will find everything you need just down the road.

Builders

Currently the following Builders are active in this community:

  • Ashton Wood Homes
  • K. Hovnanian Homes
  • Perry Homes
  • Sitterle Homes
  • Chesmar Homes

Schools:

The community is zoned to the popular Lamar Consolidated Independent School District(LCISD) and residents enjoy the benefit of low school taxes & low number of students in class rooms. The followings are the schools for the community:

Elementary: Hubenak elementary

Leaman junior middle school and

Fulshear high school

Amenities:

Lakes of Bella Terra has amazing amenities including:

  • Hiking & biking Trails for your active lifestyle.
  • Resort style pool with backsplash: Fun in the sun. The kids will never want to leave. 
  • Community center: Enjoy a peaceful day, or make memories with friends inside of the community center.
  • Dog park: abundance wide-open spaces for your pet. 
  • Lakes & open spaces: acres of lakes, giving a tranquil, peaceful atmosphere to this lavish community.

Demographic:

Lakes of bella terra is in 77406 zipcode which is an affluent area with a middle age population in Richmond, Texas.

It is family friendly with medium population density. The total population of 77406 zip code is 35,563 and 89% of homes are owner occupied. 43% of people living in this area have attended college.

Another interesting fact is the median age is 37 with an average household income of $124 k.

The easy access, convenient location, tax rate of 3.344%, top rated schools, and home prices as low as $240,000 and as high as $1.5 m, makes this community an ideal future residence for you and your family.

 

We hope you have enjoyed this show & if you think this is your desired part of Houston metro area to call home,contact us for a private tour. Our presentation will continue in different parts of town.We ask for your feedback and we want to know what areas of Houston you are interested in. 

We are committed to providing you with useful information and excellent care. Consider us a one stop shop for all your real estate needs. 

Do I need a Realtor when buying a new construction?

By Buyers, Houston, Katy, Memorial, Pasadena, Pearland, Richmond, Spring, Sugar Land, Westchase

Some buyers do not believe in using a Realtor services to buy a new construction. We are here to discuss some important things that you should know.

The Builder’s representative will take care of me.
If you are thinking that the builder’s salesperson will take care of everything, you may consider some facts. The salesperson represents the builder’s interest. Builders use their own contract which may not be easy to understand. The salesperson may not highlight pros & cons of a particular model home.A Realtor is able to back you up and navigate you through this preliminary stage and assist you with your purchase with confidence. Most importantly, our service is free of charge when a buyer hire us.
How frustrating it may be if you are a first time home buyer and your home is being built from the ground up! Did you know there are 11 stages from start to finish the home, A good Realtor will keep you updated at every stage.

Another reason why hiring a Realtor to help you is our special relationship with them. Reputable builders love to work with realtors. They realize the value of working with Realtors. We are a good source of business for them. We are the first to know about their new products, promotions,and any other updates. They understand our expectations and the importance of caring for our clients.

I can negotiate myself
Some say they can negotiate with the builder and there is no need for a Realtor. We say why not have extra leverage with having a Realtor on your side. Our negotiation with builders are done behind the scenes and on your behalf. Builders most of the time accept our terms & give us concessions we ask for. We must also mention that good builders will not discount the price of the house by the commission that is owed to realtors.That is under their marketing budget which can not offset the price of the home you are buying.

You don’t know what you don’t know.
Realtors have gone through lots of homes & transactions. We look at things from a different angle in a home you are buying. Home buying gets emotional at times and we do our best to keep you focus on features that are most desirable & make economic sense. We want you to receive the maximum out of your investment.

And last but not least, the big prize is here.
Here is the best part for having a Realtor on your team. Some of us out there will reward you by sharing a portion of our commission toward your closing cost when is needed. We become your own concierge exclusively working for you.

Whether you are in Houston, Katy, Richmond, Fulshear, Sugar Land, Missouri City, The Woodlands, Spring, Humble, Pasadena, Pearland or Fresno contact us to get more details and get the home buying started.

First step to start your home buying process in Houston Texas

By Buyers
First step to start your home buying process in Houston Texas

Today’s Pro Talk is about the first step buyers need to take to purchase a home. We recommend that you have an idea of your purchasing power  and how much of a home you can afford. You need to apply for a loan with a financial institution to find out how much money you will receive as a loan. Having a letter from a lender with a predetermined loan amount, will help you not to waste your time looking at homes which will not fit your budget.

There are two such letters provided by the lenders, pre-qualification and pre-approval. We will explain the difference between Pre-Qualification and Pre-Approval letter.

Getting pre-qualified for a loan is a very easy process. You provide the lender approximate income, the amount of debt you have, your work information, and any other details from your credit history. The lender uses this information to calculate how much money you are eligible to receive.

The pre-approval letter is more involved than pre-qualification process. The reason being, you will have to fill out a loan application and provide necessary documentation. The lender will examine and verify your financial situation including your credit report, your employment history,and your income and decide how much you can borrow and what rate to offer you.

Benefit of pr-eapproval letter: It not only provides you with peace of mind  and more certainty to borrow money but also increases your purchasing power. As an experienced Realtors,We don’t recommend to use pre-qualification letter as a tool to start the buying process.

As part of our services, we have access to lenders with different loan products and we can recommend one to you depending on your financial needs  and situation.

If you like this video, please like, follow, subscribe and share with anyone who could benefit from this information.

Contact us to get started. (832) 404-2030
Ext 2033 & 2037
[email protected]


An introduction to Renovation Loans

By Buyers, Energy Corridor, Fulshear, Houston, Katy, Memorial, Pasadena, Pearland, Richmond, Spring, Sugar Land, Westchase

In today’s Pro talk we introduce you to renovation loan.
You have seen lots of homes and finally you find one that fits all your needs but some areas of the house needs updating. Perhaps is the kitchen overhaul or the bathrooms updating. You have to decide whether you want to pass it up because of repairs or proceed with the purchase.

Well Joady Rubin with Certainty home loans will provide a solution to renovating your project.
This type of loan is easy to obtain. You will close the loan upfront and you will do the renovations after you close on the loan. The loan process consist of purchase price plus your renovation budget. This loan is based on the finished home with renovation done. This allows you to build some equity and be able to enjoy the home in the neighborhood you like and with the features you like to have.

Represented by a Houston Realtor.

Thanks for watching another episode of our Pro talk show. Renovation loan is the perfect solution for your project.

Connect with us.We always do our best to provide you with relevant resources and introduce professionals with their services. Share this video and contact us for all your real estate needs.

Flood Insurance Misconceptions in Texas

By Buyers, Landlord, Property Management, Sellers

Today’s Pro Talk is about flood insurance misconceptions.

Since 1978, the NFIP( National Flood Insurance Program) has paid nearly $50 billion for flood insurance claims and related costs. Don’t be a victim.
Here are some misconceptions about flood insurance you need to know:

  1.  your homeowners’s policy does not cover flood related issues. They are two different policies.
  2. Flood insurance is an affordable investment. Imagine a few dollars you spend now to protect your home against all flood related cost which could add up to thousands of dollars, not to mention your irreplaceable belongings, something to think about.
  3. No need for flood insurance with history of no flooding. This does not hold true anymore. In fact, 25% of all claims paid are loses due to homes locate in the neighborhoods effected by flood in the low-to-moderate risk which probably never flooded before.
  4. Is the flood insurance required by mortgage companies? While that is true at times, most companies only demand homeowner to carry a flood policy if they live in a special flood hazard area. You can not afford not to be covered.

Priority Tasks For Moving Into Your New Home in Houston

By Buyers

Moving into a new home is an exciting time, and you’re probably daydreaming about decor and paint schemes and new furniture. But before you get into the fun stuff, there are some basics you should cover first.

Change the locks

Even if you’re promised that new locks have been installed in your home, you can never be too careful. It’s worth the money to have the peace of mind that comes with knowing that no one else has the keys to your home. Changing the locks can be a DIY project, or you can call in a locksmith for a little extra money.

Steam clean the carpets

It’s good to get a fresh start with your floors before you start decorating. The previous owners may have had pets, young children, or just some plain old clumsiness. Take the time to steam clean the carpets so that your floors are free of stains and allergens. It’s pretty easy and affordable to rent a steam cleaner—your local grocery store may have them available.

Call an exterminator

Prior to move-in, you probably haven’t spent enough time in the house to get a view of any pests that may be lurking. Call an exterminator to take care of any mice, insects, and other critters that may be hiding in your home.

Clean out the kitchen

If the previous occupants wanted to skip on some of their cleaning duties when they moved out, the kitchen is where they probably cut corners. Wipe down the inside of cabinets, clean out the refrigerator, clean the oven, and clean in the nooks and crannies underneath the appliances.

Safety Policy and Procedure

By Buyers

Your Dream Real Estate is a full brokerage and property management company in Houston. When it comes to personal on-the-job safety, real estate professionals are in a unique position. Because the nature of this business creates unusual safety concerns, it is critical to rely on certain protocols when working with every client.

Initial Meeting:

Instead of meeting you as a client for the first time at a vacant home we prefer to meet with you at our office or any public places. Please don’t be offended, after all you do not want to meet with a stranger at a vacant house, would you?

Documentations

At this meeting don’t be surprised if your realtor wants to make a copy of your id, mortgage pre-approval letter and gets more details about an emergency contact information. These are components of safety procedure.

Driving

Of the precautions we have adopted in our policies is to ask our clients to drive separately in their cars when it comes to taking a tour of the homes. After all once the tour is finished clients or realtors may have some commitments that they have to attend to.

Touring Homes

Don’t be surprised if your realtor walks behind you while touring the homes. This routine habit is not only a safety precaution; it allows you to see the rooms first and get better views of spaces. Also, your realtor may decline to accompany you into basements, closets, or attics, but you should feel free to have a look around.

Vacant Properties

The best time to tour properties will be during the day time specially when the hooue is vacant. You may not see the defects that exist in the house, fore example you may walk in upstairs there could be loose step and you fall. So that’s not safe for realtor and the client.

Neighborhoods

If you ask your realtor about the safety of a neighborhood, please remember fair housing laws doesn’t let real estate professionals to act in any behavior that can be viewed as steering people toward or away certain areas. Instead your realtor can provide resources that you can use and see where you’ll feel comfortable.