kathyjonesrealty: Blackhorse Ranch in Cypress Texas Real Estate Market Report Looks Great!
- 12/20/10 03:47 PM
Blackhorse Ranch is a golf course community located in a suburb of Houston, in Cypress, Texas. Because of the recent, lowest mortgage interest rates in history, Blackhorse Ranch saw some rigorous activity for home sales during the month of November 2010.
Click on Chart to view Larger Compared to last November, one more house sold this year in Blackhorse Ranch, and the average days on market of the sold listings is significantly lower this year as well. This is good news for the real estate market in Blackhorse Ranch. Homes for sale in the $200,000-$250,000 price range did best … (0 comments)
Come and enjoy the The 15th Annual Festival of Greece from May 13-May 16, 2010 in Houston, Texas. The festival is held at St. Basil the Great Orthodox Church at 1100 Eldridge Parkway. Tantalize your taste buds with homemade Greek foods, traditional pastries and wine. Be entertained by watching and participating with the Greek folk dancers while listening to Greek music. You can also shop for those Greek specialty items in the Gift Shop. This is a family friendly event, and there will be fun activities for children as well. Be sure not to miss out on all the fun … (0 comments)
kathyjonesrealty: Home Improvement is On the Rise in America
- 04/05/10 04:54 AM
Americans have historically been nomadic by nature, on average moving our place of residence every 5-7 years. Our mobility rate has slowed down tremendously these last few years. The aging population, dual income families, and the fact that many Americans are feeling the pinch of the recession are all precursors to this recent trend. Americans are choosing to remain in their homes. Homeowners would rather update the look and feel of their home, than to sell in today's down market. Many retailers, such as Home Depot and Lowe's have reported higher than expected earnings this year, and they have projected this … (2 comments)
kathyjonesrealty: Understanding the Title Commitment in Texas
- 04/05/10 04:01 AM
The purpose of the title commitment is to provide the terms and conditions on which the title company will be issuing a title policy. It is a commitment for title insurance.
Title insurance protects you, the buyer, from any lawsuit which may arise while you or your heirs have an interest in the property. The title company will either clear up the title problems for you, or it will pay for your losses. The title commitment is delivered by the title company to the buyer, lender, seller, and real estate agents of the transactions, within 20 days after the … (9 comments)
kathyjonesrealty: Another One Bites The Dust: The Builder's Rep Works for the Builder, Not YOU!
- 03/30/10 08:29 AM
I met some potential clients at one of my open houses. They came back later that week for a second showing on my listing, and when I called them to get some feedback, they told me that they had signed a contract on another house in a nearby developing community. Unrepresented. I thought, great, another one bites the dust. :( I shared some prices of sold homes in that community,and it didn't take long before they felt just like I did about their "deal". Of course, if it were up to me, I would rip up that contract, and start all over, … (2 comments)
As many homeowners and future move up buyers contemplate the state of the housing industry, I wanted to let everyone know that there are sound real estate investments to be made, even in today's economy. Today, I will blog about the Memorial Villages in Houston, Texas. The Memorial Villages include the cities of Hedwig Village , Piney Point Village ,Hunters Creek Village, and Bunker Hill Village which are South of I10 and Spring Valley Village and Hilshire Village which are North of I10. For the sake of today's blog, … (2 comments)
kathyjonesrealty: Memorial Villages, Houston, Texas: A Great Place to Invest and Call Home!
- 03/09/10 07:52 AM
As many homeowners and future move up buyers contemplate the state of the housing industry, I wanted to let everyone know that there are sound real estate investments to be made, even in today's economy. Today, I will blog about the Memorial Villages in Houston, Texas. The Memorial Villages include the cities of Hedwig Village , Piney Point Village ,Hunters Creek Village, and Bunker Hill Village which are South of I10 and Spring Valley Village and Hilshire Village which are North of I10. For the sake of today's blog, I will focus on the villages South of I 10. Once occupied primarily by German … (0 comments)
Greece is famous for its hot summers, beautiful beaches, low cost of living and wealth of historic, cultural and scenic attractions. If you have seen a property in Greece that you wish to purchase, please read on.....
Generally speaking, there are no restrictions to foreign nationals acquiring real estate in Greece. Once you have purchased your property, you become the freehold owner in perpetuity. The good news is that once you have found your new home and secured financing, completion of the process should not require more than 6-8 weeks. … (5 comments)
kathyjonesrealty: Lower your Home Energy Bill and Get a Tax Credit!
- 02/09/10 07:57 AM
Lower Your Home Energy Bill and Get a Tax Credit!With it being tax season, I wanted to pass along a great tax credit for homeowners. By making cost effective, energy efficient home improvements, you can qualify for a tax credit of $1500. Here are the requirements and rules: 1. You must make the improvements in 2009 and/or 2010 for the tax credit. 2. The tax credit is 30% of the cost of the improvements or up to $1500. 3. It is a one time tax credit and can be claimed on 2009 or 2010, or partly on each year's tax return. … (2 comments)
Texas Home Builders- What you need to know! Well, we've looked and looked, and there is no place to call home. You've shown your client just about every possible home within their desirable geographical location/price range, but nothing sings, "Buy me!" Your client begins to envision a home that combines 3 or 4 of the floor plans you've shown, and that home just does not exist on the market..... So you suggest that perhaps they should build that vision.... Who's going to build "My" Dream? Back in 2003, the Texas Legislature established the TRCC (Texas Residential Construction Commission). The … (0 comments)
kathyjonesrealty: First Time Home Buyer/ Move Up Buyer Tax Credit Deadline and Details
- 02/01/10 07:51 AM
As part of its plan to stimulate the U.S. housing market and address the economic challenges facing our nation, Congress has passed new legislation that: Extends the First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit of up to $8,000 to first-time home buyers until April 30, 2010. This means that you must have a fully executed contract signed by all parties in effect no later than April 30, 2010. Expands the credit to grant up to $6,500 credit to current home owners purchasing a new or existing home between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010. Armed services members, as well as intelligence service … (3 comments)
A sold listing of mine in Rice Military Location, Location, Location! The boundaries of the Rice Military neighborhood are Washington Avenue on the north, Memorial Drive on the South, Shepherd Drive on the east, and Westcott Street on the west. Rice Military, located inside the prestigious inner loop of 610, is ideal for the young (at heart) and upwardly mobile crowd who like to be where the action is. Demographics: Rice Military is fairly equally split between the number of men and women who live there, … (0 comments)
kathyjonesrealty: Generation Z: A Generation Full of Promise
- 01/24/10 03:05 AM
Generation Z: A Generation Full of Promise Generation Z was born after 1995, so not much can be said yet about its character and composition. Generation Z has also been referred to as "The New Silent Generation, Generation Next, Internet Generation, Net Generation, and Digital Natives". Generation Z is highly connected, and they have been active users of the internet and cell phones practically since the day they were born. Since not much has been written about this generational cohort, I thought it would a great opportunity to blog about one of my fav subjects, my children, who just happen to … (7 comments)
Generation X, or Gen X, encompasses the 44 million Americans born between 1965 and 1980. They are almost half the size of the generation before (Baby Boomers) and the one after (Gen Y). On the whole, they are more ethnically diverse and better educated than the Baby Boomers. Unlike previous generations, Gen Xers are not doing better financially than their (Boomer) parents. Generation X came of age in an era of two-income families, rising divorce rates and a faltering economy. Women were joining the workforce in large … (70 comments)
I am a real estate broker associate/ investor here in Houston. Houston is the best city to invest. We did not experience the huge housing bubble that other cities did; therefore, we did not see home prices overinflate and then drop by half. Our home prices have remained relatively stable. Don't get me wrong; there are good deals to be had here. Most of the foreclosures/short sales in our market have more … (2 comments)
As a former teacher, I am well aware how the Texas school system addresses accountability and what the expectations of the teachers are. God Bless the Teachers! :) For 13 challenging years, I taught in both the Spring Branch and Cyfair school districts here in Texas. How are schools rated? The Texas Education Agency, TEA, is responsible for the oversight of public primary and secondary education in the state of Texas; however, it does not have any jurisdiction over private or parochial schools. The Texas Education Agency rates all public schools, charter schools, and school districts in the … (0 comments)
kathyjonesrealty: 10 Tips for Handling Counteroffers
- 12/12/09 12:54 PM
Yay! You have an offer, but wait, the buyer wants the seller to pay all their closing costs... ahh.....let the counteroffer dance begin.....
Here are some important tips to remember: 1. A counteroffer negates the original offer. You've officially put a new offer on the table. 2. All changes to the original offer must be accepted +/or initialed by both parties. 3. A counteroffer is legally binding, and it is valid until it is withdrawn or rejected. 4. When withdrawing a counteroffer, it is best to do so the quickest way possible. Making a phone call is best, and you should also follow the phone … (10 comments)
kathyjonesrealty: Are you ready for International Clients?
- 11/20/09 06:21 AM
When working with International clients, it is imperative that you become familiar with the ways other countries practice real estate. Today, I will focus on working with clients who are looking to purchase real estate abroad. 1. First step is to become familiar with the "ownership regulations" of other countries. Know, what, if any restrictions are placed on foreigners buying real estate in that country. Check back to my blog as I discuss this in greater detail. 2. Next, amass your team of experts in the other country who will help facilitate the real estate transaction. These experts include, but are … (6 comments)
kathyjonesrealty: Think Globally, Act Locally : Houston Association of Realtors' International Day
- 11/19/09 02:29 PM
Today, I had the pleasure of attending HAR's International Day. A big thank you to all the wonderful presenters who put this informative class together. The purpose of the class was to give a broad overview of working with international clients. Who are these clients? 1. Retirees. As the entire world continues to age, retirees are looking for places where they will get the most bang for their buck, and more times than not, it's not where they presently reside. The allure of places like Costa Rica, Brazil, and Belize offer a relatively high standard of living. The dollar stretches much farther in … (3 comments)
kathyjonesrealty: Foreclose or Short Sale?
- 11/07/09 03:52 AM
Many homeowners are faced with this daunting question daily. I made a phone call to www.myfico.com, an award winning website that Kiplingers has deemed the best place for consumers to obtain credit products and advice. Here is what I found out: There are some advantages to doing the short sale. The first advantage is that many lenders do not report short sales to the credit bureaus. If they do, they will report the short sale as "paid as agreed". This looks much more favorably on your credit report than a foreclosure. In the future, when the homeowners who worked out the short … (0 comments)
Blackhorse Ranch is a golf course community located in a suburb of Houston, in Cypress, Texas. Because of the recent, lowest mortgage interest rates in history, Blackhorse Ranch saw some rigorous activity for home sales during the month of November 2010. 
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