Why Are Home Owner's Associations Important?

First of all, you may wonder what exactly is a Home Owner's Association?  A home owners association is a non-profit corporation that is registered with the State and managed by a duly elected Board of Directors.  The purpose of this association is to maintain the upkeep of all common areas and to help govern the community in accordance with the provisions of the legal documents such as the:

CC&R's - The Covenants, Conditions or Restrictions - this sets the rules or  regulations in a neighborhood. 

Bylaws - these are guidelines  for the operation of the non-profit organization, which define the duties of the officers of the Board of Directors, term of their office, member's voting rights, required meetings and notices, any other business item needed to run the Association as a business.

Any neighborhood that has a homeowner's association requires a mandatory membership and fee per year.  When you purchase a home, you will receive all information on the By-laws of the neighborhood association.

You may wonder why you need this extra expense?  What if a neighbor wanted to paint the exterior of their home a hot pink?  What could you do?  Without an association neighbors can do just about anything, junk cars in the drive, loud parties, never cut the grass, unsightly figurines in the yard, you name it - what can you do?  Nothing at all. 

 The Home Owners Association sets guidelines for all neighbors to follow.  Some of the guidelines could be exterior paint colors of houses, how high a fence can be,  annoying pets, patio covers, additions to homes, extensive interior changes, landscaping, parking or how many vehicles parked at your home.  Even though you may think some of these are ridiculous, they do help protect the market value of your home and your entire neighborhood.  If drastic changes are made without prior Board approval, you could be facing a fine for the violation. So having a Homeowners Association is a good thing in the long run, it protects you, your home and the neighborhood.

If you are curious to know the details on sales activity in The Woodlands or your neck of the woods, please log on to info@zambranorealtygroup.com to receive a complimentary, no hassle market watch analysis of homes in your subdivision or area of choice.

For more home ideas or information about Aradio and The Zambrano Realty Group please visit www.ZambranoRealtyGroup.com, send e-mail to info@zambranorealtygroup or call 281.898.1591.

Aradio and Zambrano Realty Group - Tips on Pricing Your Home for Sale

Pricing your home, can be the most difficult and most important part in selling your home.  Sellers have it in their mind what they would like to sell their home for, but in reality the market is what determines the price. 

What does the market have to do with it?  Well,  a home's value is determined by what other comparable homes in the area have sold for in the past few months.  Your Realtor® will run a market analysis and compare your home with other similar homes that have the same number of bedrooms and bathrooms, age of home, square footage, condition and amenities.  He will then look at this and then also what  is on the market today for sale. 

When pricing, you need to consider not only do you have to appeal to the buyer's Realtor,® and the buyer,  but you also have to make sure the price is appropriate when the appraiser (who is hired by the buyer's lender) who will make sure the property is worth the asking price.  The appraiser actually has the final word whether the home is priced right in the current marketplace.  Even if everyone agrees, the deal can fall apart if the appraiser does not agree on the price.

Overall, the best thing you can do is listen to your Realtor®.  He or she will be able to guide you in the right direction.  The worst thing is for your home to be priced to high  in the beginning and sit on the market for a long time.  Not only will you miss potential buyers, but when you do decide to lower it you may end up selling in for much less than you would of if the price was set right in the first place . 

If you are curious to know the details on sales activity in The Woodlands or your neck of the woods, please log on to www.twremw.com to receive a complimentary, no hassle market watch analysis of homes in your subdivision or area of choice.

For more home ideas or information about Aradio and The Zambrano Realty Group please visit www.ZambranoRealtyGroup.com, send e-mail to aradio@ZambranoRG.com or call 281.898.1591.

The Zambrano Realty Group - Your Realtor in The Woodlands - Looking After Your Home

So, we take care of our bodies, clothing, cars, the focal parts of the home we see every day; but are you taking care of the home itself?  Here are a few suggestions to make sure your home healthy where we don't visually see it and will continue to run smoothly for a longer time.

Interior of home:

• Change batteries in your smoke alarms (good time is when time changes)

• Check your fire extinguisher pressure

• Check all fixtures for drips (get on the floor, look also underneath for any water damage)

• Change air filters in the home monthly

• Before the season have your heater or air-conditioner serviced

• Check your electrical circuit breakers at least twice a year (call electrician if one continues to flip)

• Drain your hot water heater, this cleans out the sediment

• Check for air leaks around the windows in your home and weather strip if needed

• Do paint touch ups around the house where there are nicks

Exterior of home:

• Clean all your gutters of debris

• Check your chimney for cracks and make sure you have it cleaned at least every two years

• Look over your roof and check for loose shingles

• Check for loose flashing around your home, prevent water damage

• Check for signs of termites

• Touch up exterior paint where needed

• Check for leaky outdoor faucets and water hose

• Make sure all landscaping drains away from foundation

• Make sure your weep holes are not covered with dirt

• Check for moisture around bricks and foundation for cracks

Doing these few things every year will help you maintain a healthy home inside and out and will cut down on future costly repairs.

If you are curious to know the details on sales activity in The Woodlands or your neck of the woods, please log on to http://www.twremw.com/ to receive a complimentary, no hassle market watch analysis of homes in your subdivision or area of choice.

For more home ideas or information about Aradio and The Zambrano Realty Group please visit http://www.zambranorealtygroup.com/, send e-mail to aradio@zambranorg.com or call 281.898.1591.

Zambrano Realty Group and Curb Appeal

How can we entice potential buyers who drive by your home, to actually want to come inside the front door?  Stand across the street and have a good look at the exterior of your home.  What is your first impression of the house and the yard?  Look around good, like it is your first visit.  Is it clean and tidy?  What could you do to make it more attractive?  Walk around your home, front yard and back.  Make a list of problems areas you see.  Keep it simple, this does not need to be a home makeover job. Begin with clean up and repair chores, then make sure the grounds are more attractive. 

•  Kill mold and mildew on house, roof, sidewalks, or driveway.
•  Clean windows and gutters.
•  Pressure wash dirty driveways, walkways, porches or decks.
•  Fresh paint job or touch up for a dingy house. 
•  New front door if needed, stain or repaint.  Change out or polish hardware.
•  Make sure you have lighting around your home and yard for evening appeal.
•  Edge sidewalks, get rid of weeds, and mow lawn.
•  Trim all trees and shrubs to give areas a clear view.
•  Rake and dispose of leaves.

I'm sure if you think about it, you will find there is a solution to most problems.  You should be able to find one that stays within your budget.  The most important thing is having a home which attracts people to walk through the front door.

If you are curious to know the details on sales activity in The Woodlands or your neck of the woods, please log on to http://www.tremw.com/ to receive a complimentary, no hassle market watch analysis of homes in your subdivision or area of choice.

For more home ideas or information about Aradio and The Zambrano Realty Group please visit http://www.zambranorealtygroup.com/, send e-mail to aradio@zambranorg.com or call 281.898.1591.

Turn your Home into an Appealing and Marketable Showplace

Here are a few ideas to help you prepare and stage your home.  Visit decorated model homes and see how effective "staging" can be.  First of all, you need to keep in mind that you have to "let go" of emotions and that this house will no longer be yours.

Preparing the home:

• Pack away all those photographs and family heirlooms throughout the home.  You want potential buyers to vision their belongings in the home. 
• It's time to get rid of at least half the clutter in your home.  Pack away anything that you do not use on a regular basis.  Clear off counters,  pack up books and all the knick knacks.  Save out some of your special ones for "staging".
• Organize all your closets and cabinets; buyers love to snoop.  
• A home shows better with less furniture, it makes the home look more open and larger.   Rent a storage shed and store any extra furniture, boxes, books, and items not being used. 
• Look through your home and if there are any items that you want to keep, remove them and replace before the buyer sees them.
• Pick up area rugs to make floor space appear larger.
• Fix minor repairs.
• Make your home shine, clean all the windows inside and out, re-caulk tubs, clean out refrigerator, dust ceiling fans, keep garbage cans empty, clean bathrooms, vacuum and dust often.
• Walk through your front door and visualize what the buyer will see.  Does this home make you feel welcome?  Does it make you want to come in?  Stand in every doorway of each room and think how it will appear to a buyer? 
• While your home is on the market, limit your cooking to plain food, so odors do not linger.  Baking cookies prior to showings, gives a homely feeling. Don't just spray room deodorizer, sometimes they are overbearing and even make your home smell worse.
• When you leave before a showing, take your pets and leave the lights on throughout the house.

Staging your home:

Once your home is prepared and ready to show, let's stage it.  This is where you can go through each room and "dress" the house for sale.  It's adding all the little details and you don't have to spend a fortune.  Arrange small furniture in groupings in the living area.  Display a few unique knickknacks in units of 1,3 or 5 on mantel, shelving or bookcases.  Don't overdo it!  Place large bowls of fruit on kitchen on table.  Arrange colorful cookbook on counter.  In the bathrooms, fresh fluffy towels, scented soaps and baskets filled with spa treatments.  Add a few green plants or silk flower arrangements.  Staging makes your home look bigger, brighter, cleaner, warmer, more loving and makes it more appealing to buyers.

If you are curious to know the details on sales activity in The Woodlands or your neck of the woods, please log on to http://www.twremw.com/ to receive a complimentary, no hassle market watch analysis of homes in your subdivision or area of choice.

For more home ideas or information about Aradio and The Zambrano Realty Group please visit http://www.zambranorealtygroup.com/, send e-mail to aradio@zambranorg.com or call 281.898.1591.

Things that Turn Home Buyers Off

If you are trying to sell your home, here are some things to think about that turn home buyers off:

 1.   Odors - pets, cigarette smoke and mildew

 2.   Dirty Bathrooms

 3.   Dark Rooms

 4.   Pets in the home or yard

 5.   Busy Wallpaper

 6.   Bugs

 7.   Poor curb appeal

 8.   Weedy yard and gutters

 9.   Sellers who stay for showings

10.  Heavy texture on walls and bad paint choice

11.  Filthy carpet

12.  Too much clutter in the home

Most of these issues can be corrected without spending a lot of money.  Visualize what your buyer will see when they walk through your home and make it appealing to buyers.  It's a good idea to do this before your home goes on the market, you don't want to get a reputation of a home that has smells, barking dogs or some other issue.  Your home will probably be the last on the list for an agent to show potential buyers.

If you are curious to know the details on sales activity in The Woodlands or your neck of the woods, please log on to http://www.twremw.com/ to receive a complimentary, no hassle market watch analysis of homes inyour subdivision or area of choice.

For more home ideas or information about Aradio and The Zambrano Realty Group please visit http://www.zambranorealtygroup.com/, send e-mail to aradio@zambranorg.com or call 281.898.1591.

Finding the Home of Your Dreams

So you have been thinking about buying a new home and don't know where to start.  The first thing you should do is make a list and take some time and figure out your needs, your wants, what you like and what you don't like in a home.  Here are just a few ideas that will help you towards finding the home of your dreams. 

You want your home to complement your lifestyle.  Do you need a formal living area for entertaining or just a large family room.  If you work out of your home, you need space for an office.  Love to cook, you need a kitchen large enough to  fill those needs.  If you are a young couple, you might want to consider homes that will accommodate a growing family.  Big yard?  Small yard?  Swimming pool?

There are three main types of housing to consider single-family, townhomes and condominiums.  Each style has something different to offer. 

Next you need to think about new or existing construction.  Some people like older homes that have lots of charm, but others like everything brand-new.  It all depends on your personal taste.  One thing to keep in mind is most older homes are in well established neighborhoods, while the new homes are generally on the outskirts of the area. 

You also need to consider location.  Do you want to live in the city, country or suburbs?  Want to be close to shopping and parks?  Should the quality of schools be considered?  When you can answer these questions it will help determine which neighborhoods are best for you.  Just remember you can always change  some of the features in a home, but you can't change a home's location.  When you're lists are completed and you are ready for the next step, contact me to help you find the home of your dreams. 

If you are curious to know the details on sales activity in The Woodlands or your neck of the woods, please log on to http://www.twremw.com/ to receive a complimentary, no hassle market watch analysis of homes in your subdivision or area of choice.

For more home ideas or information about Aradio and The Zambrano Realty Group please visit http://www.zambranorealtygroup.com/, send e-mail to aradio@ZambranoRG.com or call 281.898.1591.

Why Hire a Real Estate Agent?

When buying or selling a home a lot of people wonder why they should use a real estate agent and pay them a commission?       

1.  Education and experience - you don't need to know everything about buying or selling a home if you hire a real estate professional that does, they are constantly going through training programs and have the most updated technical knowledge in the real estate industry.

2.  Agents are buffers  - they will weed out the true buyers, make sure they are pre-approved.

3.  Neighborhood Knowledge - they will know the housing market in your neighborhood, the schools, crime rate or demographics

4.  Price guidance  - will help guide you in setting the price for your home

5.  Market guide information  - will inform you of the market conditions, what houses sell for in a particular area

6.  Marketing - advertise on the internet, magazines, local papers, network with other realtors, marketing  flyers for your home and hold open houses.

7.  Negotiation skills - They are trained professionals who can present their client's case in the best light and agree to hold client information confidential from competing interests.  They are know how to work with other Realtors®, mortgage brokers, title companies, sellers and buyers.

8.  Handle volumes of paperwork - Some purchase agreements can run up to 15 pages or more. One tiny mistake or omission could land you in court and cost you thousands.

9.  Answer questions after closing - Many questions can arise that were overlooked in the excitement of closing. Good agents stand by ready to assist.  Worthy and honest agents will not leave you in the cold to fend for yourself.

10. Develop relationships for future business - The basis for an agent's success and continued career in real estate is referrals. This emphasis gives agents strong incentives to make certain clients are happy and satisfied.

The best agent for you is an experienced Realtor® professional who will listen to you, conduct  themselves in an ethical manner ,  knows your market and one you feel comfortable with.  Good Real Estate agents work over 12 hrs. a day, 7 days a week for you and are always working in your best interest whether you are buying or selling a home.

If you are curious to know the details on sales activity in The Woodlands or your neck of the woods, please log on to http://www.twremw.com/ to receive a complimentary, no hassle market watch analysis of homes in your subdivision or area of choice.

For more home ideas or information about Aradio and The Zambrano Realty Group please visit http://www.zambranorealtygroup.com/, send e-mail to aradio@ZambranoRG.com or call 281.898.1591.

Tips to Find a General Contractor

It's that time of the year and spring is here.  You are anxious to start on those remodeling jobs you have thought about all winter long, but not sure where to begin and worried about it becoming a disaster.  Here are a few suggestions to keep in mind when you are trying to find a general contractor.

• Make a list of exactly what you want to have done.
• Then come up with a budget for your project.
• Get referrals - ask your neighbors, friends, co-workers, your real estate agent of contractors they may have used and were happy with the results. 
• Call and interview each contractor, get a minimum of three bids. 
• Make sure each contractor bids on the same project, quote in writing, time frame for project and set a time limit to turn in their bid.
• Ask for three different references from each contractor and pictures of the work they have done for past clients.
• Call the prior clients ask about their work ethics, was the job completed to their satisfaction and what kind of experience in general did they have with the contractor.
• Make sure the bids from the contractors always include the estimate cost of labor and supplies.  They should also inform you if they are using a sub-contractor and if they need a work permit for a particular project.  Never go with the lowest bid and review all the information carefully.
• Base your choice on the interview, bid references, knowledge of project, someone you can trust, does quality work and that you feel comfortable with. 
• Once you have chosen one, sit down and discuss the timeline for the project, make sure you know how long it will take and check with your contractor during the project to make sure he is still on track and everything is going smoothly. 

Follow these simple steps and I think you will find the whole process will go smoother and you will be very happy with the end result.  

If you are curious to know the details on sales activity in The Woodlands or surrounding areas, please log on to http://www.tremw.com to receive a complimentary, no hassle market watch analysis of homes in your subdivision or area of choice.

For more home ideas or information about Aradio and The Zambrano Realty Group please visit www.ZambranoRealtyGroup.com, send e-mail to aradio@ZambranoRG.com or call 281.898.1591.