Killeen Fort Hood Real Estate

Pricing

Asking Price: $229,900.00

Features

Bedrooms: 4

Bathrooms: 2

Year Built: 2008

Lot Size: 1.2

Garage Size: 2

Square Footage: 2251

Agent Name: Mary Ann Daniell

Broker: Coldwell Banker United, Realtors

MLS #: 137483

Source of SF: builder plan

Attributes

Appliances

Range/Oven

Dishwasher

Microwave

Interior Amenities

Fireplace

Hardwood Floors

Kitchen Island

Vaulted Ceilings

Exterior Amenities

Grass Lawn

Secluded setting

Photo Gallery

View as Slideshow View Photo Gallery (7 Photos)

VFLYER ID: 1573547

Myths About Fort Hood VA Loans - 5 Common Misconceptions

2008-03-18T19:43:45Z

Part of the pleasure in my job of being a realtor at Fort Hood is to help buyers find financing for their new homes. And since we are in a military market, we often discuss financing that home with a VA Loan.

One of the best benefits of the VA Guaranteed Home Loan is that you can purchase your home with no money down. Most buyers know this about the loan program, but there's also plenty of mis iniformation floating around out there, too.

Sometimes it feels like its harder to get the facts about VA loans than it is to get a security clearance!

Some common misconceptions buyers often bring up during our search for financing:

VA Loan Myths

I have to apply to VA for my VA loan
I am already APPROVED for a VA loan since I am active duty military
VA Loans can take 90 days to close
I must have my Certificate of Eligibility in hand
VA Inspects the home for defects before I buy the house

Here's a quick clarification of these points about Va loans:

I have to apply to VA for a VA Loan - Not True!

You apply for a VA loan through a lender who is approved by VA to originate and underwrite VA loans. You are free to pick your own lender. VA does NOT make loans. They only guarantee the loan in case you default on your payments.

I am already APPROVED for a VA Loan - Not True!

Just because you are eligible for a VA loan does not, unfortunately, mean you will be APPROVED for a VA loan. You must meet the lender's credit requirements and the debt to income ratios as determined by VA. Keep your credit as clean as possible if you are thinking of buying a home in the future! Also, if one lender turns you down, talk to another one. Some are more conservative than others. The term VA Guaranteed Loan means that VA guarantees that the lender will be reimbursed part of your loan funds if you default on your loan.

VA Loans can take 90 Days to Close - Not True!

In the local Fort Hood market, we are blessed with highly experienced lenders who can close your VA guaranteed home loan in two - three weeks. Lenders with less experience with VA loans will often take 45-60 days to close a VA loan. You are always free to use any lender you desire, but sellers will often not accept offers from buyers using lenders outside the area because of the possibility of delays in closing.

I have to have my Certificate of Eligibility in hand before I can look for a house or apply for a loan - Not True!

Lenders can request your certificate through an automated system if you do not have your certificate yet. Don't let the lack of your certificate stand in the way of applying for a home loan or looking for a new home. The certificate is the document that shows you are entitled to the VA loan benefit. It can be ordered during the escrow period after you find your new home here in Killeen, Copperas Cove or Harker Heights.

VA Inspects the Home I Buy to be Sure it is Free of Defects - Not True

VA does not inspect your Fort Hood home in detail. Your lender contracts with a VA approved appraiser who will look over the property to determine a value for the home. This is not a home inspection. If you would like an inspection of the systems of the home, contact a licensed home inspector! (Always a good idea)

So there you go! If you have any other questions or observations about VA loans, let me know and I'll add them to this list! Now, go forth and inform your friends about VA loans. I think they have a need to know!

For more authoritative information about VA loans, take a look at the VA Website.

Thanks for reading my Fort Hood Texas real estate blog. Shoot me an email anytime if you need help buying a home or selling a home in the Killeen Fort Hood area!

Fort Hood Real Estate Sales Are HOT so far in March 2008

2008-03-14T14:30:27Z

Hi, Everyone out there across the map and at Fort Hood! I've been absent from my blog for a while because it has been SOOO busy. New construction and resale homes have been selling like mad for the past three weeks and has been keeping me BUSY, BUSY! It does seems as if today is going to be a bit quieter for a change, so I'm ready to get back to writing about real estate at Fort Hood!

Since the first of March, 2008, approximately 182 Fort Hood area homes have gone under contract, meaning buyers and sellers have agreed to a price and are waiting to sign all the paperwork to close on their new home.

Prices on those 182 Fort Hood homes ranged from $39,900 to $674,400, with an average price of $130,659 and a median price of $118,400.

Breaking those statistics down into New Construction and Resale Homes, the numbers look like this:

There were 59 New Homes with average price of $153,250 and a median price of $143,500. The highest priced home came in at $289,000 and the lowest was at $89,900.

On the resale side, there were 123 Resale Homes with an average price of $128,612 and a median price of $109,990. Highest priced resale home was $674,000 and lowest was $39,900.

We're seeing buyers traveling now to Killeen and Copperas Cove in anticipation of a summer PCS. They are contracting for new homes to be built, as well as negotiating contracts on existing homes to close in the next 30-60 days. This assures they will have a home ready for them at the completion of their military relocation this summer.

I expect the March-April time frame to continue to be busy, as home buyers take advantage of Spring Break to travel to the Fort Hood area. Buyers can check out neighborhoods, schools, churches, shopping, restaurants and the different communities without the stress of trying to do all that when they get here this summer.

So get a head start on the summer crowd and come on down! We're experts at helping military buyers find the right home and community that fits their needs.

The statistics quoted here are from the Fort Hood Area Association of Realtors MLS Database.

Do I Have to Pay Points When I Buy a Home At Fort Hood?

2008-02-26T06:34:21Z

And just what ARE points?

Sounds mysterious, doesn't it?

Boiling this down to the simplest explanation, paying points (also called discount points) means you are paying a lump sum of interest up front at the beginning of your loan to get a lower interest rate for the full term of your loan. That's all it is. Money out of your pocket into your lender's pocket,

Should you pay points when buying a home at Fort Hood? It depends on how long you are keeping the home. Here's an example:

Should I pay points? If you pay $1,000 to get a lower interest rate, and the lower rate saves you $20 a month:

$1,000 divided by $20 equals 50 months

You must own the home for 50 months to recoup what you paid in points. After the 50^th month, you will finally be saving $20 a month through the term of your loan.

Since most homebuyers at Fort Hood are active duty military, paying points is usually not the best course of action. There's no guarantee that you'll be here long enough to reap any benefit from buying down your interest rate.

So keep your money in the bank and feel confident you made the right decision regarding paying points when you buy your home at Fort Hood. You can use that money to make updates and improvements to your new home that will pay off well when it's time to sell.

If you do want to consider paying points, ask your lender to compute the savings and how long it will take for you to recover the cost of the lower interest rate.

To see more about how points affect mortgage payments, check out this Points Calculator.

Mary Ann Daniell is a Licensed Texas Realtor serving the Killeen Fort Hood real estate market. Call or email anytime if you need help buying or selling a home, or if you just have questions about what to expect for housing when you arrive at Fort Hood.

OK Mr. or Ms Fort Hood Buyer: What's it Gonna Take to get your Business Today?

2008-02-19T18:19:24Z

Wow, what an obnoxious headline!

And why in the world am I even writing about it?

My husband and I usually work on weekends, but last weekend we sneaked off to go to the beautiful Austin Convention Center to the spring RV Show. We've become real outdoor types the past few years and have finally indulged and bought a fifth wheel and are really enjoying the time with the family and the dogs, even if it's just a quick camping trip.

Anyway, back to the reason for this post. As we were walking through literally hundreds of shiny, clean RVs (no dog hair, wet bathing suits, or stinky shoes!), I could overhear snippets of conversation between the sales people and their prospective buyers:

"If you want to buy, you need to do it today. This price is only good for the show."

"Well, we can buy your old unit and get you right into this new unit for the payment you want!"

"OF COURSE you can pull this unit with a half-ton truck!"(ask me about this one HA!)

"So tell me what it's gonna take to get your business today?

You get the picture.

Personally, I can NOT imagine talking to a buyer or a seller like that. I know these salespeople are probably good at what they do and I don't want to offend them, but I found it very distasteful to listen to the pressure they were putting on people, and to some of the half true (or outright untrue) statements that were flying around.

As far as I'm concerned, houses here at Fort Hood sell themselves. There's no place for pressure on you from an agent. You, the buyer, will KNOW when you walk into the home that's right for you. Pressure from an agent should NEVER be allowed to enter the home buying formula.

My responsibility is to help you sort out your choices, to answer ALL your questions about the homes, the community, and the process of buying a home (or to tell you I don't know the answer but will find out). I also make sure you have all pertinent disclosures about the property. No pressure there. Just people making informed decisions.

I would never make it the sales world outside of real estate!

Thanks for reading my Fort Hood Texas real estate blog. Shoot me an email anytime if you need help buying a home or selling a home in the Killeen Fort Hood area!

Elegant Lake View Home - South Harker Heights Texas

2008-02-09T15:26:07Z

Custom Lake View Home

This is truly the house with the view located in south Harker Heights. Four beautiful bedrooms served by 2.75 baths, two living areas, two dining areas, stainless appliancs an granite counters. Elegant home is situated in a cul-de-sac on a tree covered lot. There's plenty more to see, including the outstanding view of Stillhouse Hollow Resevoir, which offers great fishing and boating. Call for the full list of amenities.

Information

Contact Information

Mary Ann Daniell

maryann@maryanndaniell.com

254-681-4875

mdaniell@cbunited.com

Pricing

Asking Price: $320,000

Features

Bedrooms: 4

Bathrooms: 2.75

Subdivision: The Ridge

Square Footage: 2925

Agent Name: Mary Belote

Broker: Coldwell Banker United, Realtors

MLS #: 140889

Photo Gallery

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VFLYER ID: 1492819

Affordable Homes Selling Well in Fort Hood Real Estate Market

2008-01-30T21:57:35Z

Last week was a great week
for QCH Builders in the House Creek North Subdivision. Three of the new affordable line of homes went under contract and should be completed and closed by mid February.

2411 Isabelle Drive    SOLD     $123,900
2413 Isabelle Drive    SOLD   $122,990
2415 Isabelle Drive    SOLD    $130,500

More homes are underway and for sale for March and April completion.

If you think these new homes might be right for you, call or email and request floorplans and a standard features list. I'll get those right out to you!

House Creek North is ten minutes from a west gate into Fort Hood main base.

Mary Ann Daniell is a licensed Texas Realtor and the exclusive listing agent for QCH Homes by R.W. Bruton.

Randy Bruton is an approved VA Builder
and is registered with the Texas Residential Construction Commission.

All homes are covered by a ten year structural warranty underwritten by
Bonded Builders Warranty Company.

$110,000 Near Playground, Community Pool, 20 Minutes to Fort Hood

2008-01-30T21:04:15Z

Community Pool, Playground, Hike and Bike Trail - $110,000

Location: Walker Place

Lovely and well cared for home is located in the heart of desirable Walker Place I neighborhood in southwest Copperas Cove and offers a fireplace, high ceilings, very nice covered patio, updated appliances, refrigerator, newer roof and newer energy efficient TRANE heating and air conditioning unit. Sellers have installed ceramic tile in the entry, baths, kitchen and dining area, and have also maintained the lush lawn with the automatic sprinkler system. Covered patio overlooks the hike and bike path and the trees along the seasonal creek. Contact me or any realtor to see this home. Sellers are assisting with closing costs!

Information

Contact Information

Mary Ann Daniell

maryann@maryanndaniell.com

254-681-4875

mdaniell@cbunited.com

Pricing

Asking Price: $110,000

Flexibility: Negotiable

Property Location

2005 Mattie Drive
Copperas Cove, TX76522
View Map

Features

Bedrooms: 3

Bathrooms: 2

Year Built: 1995

Subdivision: Walker Place Ph I

Lot Size: 65 x 12

Garage Size: 2 car

School District: Copperas Cove

Square Footage: 1288

Agent Name: Mary Ann Daniell

Broker: Coldwell Banker United, Realtors

MLS #: 140478

Source of SF: Tax Records

Attributes

Appliances

Range/Oven

Full Refrigerator

Dishwasher

Sink Disposal

Interior Amenities

Fireplace

Security System

Vaulted Ceilings

Exterior Amenities

Patio

Photo Gallery

View as Slideshow View Photo Gallery (4 Photos)

VFLYER ID: 1465443

Fort Hood Real Estate Market Could Show Staying Power in 2008

2008-01-28T20:30:55Z

Gloom and doom, gloom and doom in the real estate market. It's getting a little redundant out there in the news, isn't it? OF COURSE the real estate market is down. REALLY DOWN in some parts of the country.

I know the negative news is wearing thin on both consumers and real estate professional. There's got to be some positive news out there SOMEWHERE, right?

The Fort Hood area real estate market was off about 10% last year. That's a statistical fact. But that was still a GREAT year for real estate. The outlook for 2008 shows that builders are still building, buyers are still buying.

Fort Hood area economic confidence appears to be good, since last January 07, President Bush made a commitment to increase the size of the military by approximately 74,000 new troops, and a Pentagon report issued in December 07 outlined the new Grow the Army plan, revealing that over 3,200 new troops will be stationed at Fort Hood by FY 2011.

Obviously, this action should have a positive economic impact on the surrounding communities of Killeen, Harker Heights and Copperas Cove! These cities are already gearing up to meet the housing and other support needs of the new personnel and their families.

Just a few of the projects in the works:

The city of Killeen just annexed over 4,000 acres of land to provide city services to new housing subdivisions. A need for new office space has been identified, and developers are planning to start construction soon to meet that need. Killeen is also slated to start construction on a $27 million dollar police station in the southern part of the City near Chaparral Road in response to the continued growth. Killeen is also involved in developing an historical district to preserve the early heritage of the city.

The city of Harker Heights is a hubbub of excitement over the new shopping area along Central Texas Expressway that will include Barnes and Nobles books, a Target superstore and a new cinema among other retail stores and restaurants. Harker Heights is also building a new water tower touted as a 1.5 million gallon elevated water storage facility. This move should ensure good water supply and pressure to the large subdivisions located in the southern part of Harker Heights, namely Skipcha Mountain. This project is one phase of the 2006 Water Master Plan. More retail establishments are planned for the FM 2410 corridor which serves residents in Skipcha Mountain, White Rock Estates, Knights Ridge and other new subdivisions.

To the west, Copperas Cove is working on an economic development plan that includes a land swap with Fort Hood for acreage near the city that will provide opportunities for commercial investors who will build space for new businesses. Copperas Cove is in the last planning phase of their downtown revitalization plan which will be a big boon to the city's identity as a gateway to the beautiful Texas Hill Country. To the west and north of town, new phases of subdivisions are being cut out of raw land, with streets almost ready for construction of new homes. Sales tax rebates from the state are up for Cove, which is an indicator that new businesses are in town and people are shopping them. UPDATE: It was announced on 30 JAN 08 that the land swap has been approved!

One of the best things, though, is the continued affordability of homes and the lower interest rates that are available now . As an example, the Fort Hood Multiple Listing Service has new homes listed from $96,000 for about 1200 square feet in Killeen which includes three bedrooms, two baths and a two car garage (according to builder plans). An estimate of a payment on this home comes in around $850 (depending on your credit score and interest rate). Click here to check your Fort Hood BAH.

So now that the good news is on the table, let's all get in touch with our left brain (the logical side) and think about these positive facts. Since interest rates are down to spring 04 levels, affordable homes are available, new businesses are opening, and Fort Hood area cities are preparing for growth with increased infrastructure, it appears that the outlook for the Fort Hood are could be an exciting year of growth.

Check back in six months and I'll give you a little update!

REAL ESTATE IS LOCAL - Statistics from one part of the country do not always apply to other markets.

The Truth About Negotiations with Sellers of Fort Hood Real Estate

2008-01-23T20:19:15Z

A Fort Hood area Buyer Agent called me the other day after we had completed negotiations on one of my listings. She was feeling a little down, saying she felt like she hadn't represented her clients well in negotiations because they didn't get the seller to give them much in the way of concessions.

I understand exactly what she means. I've been on the other side, negotiating for my buyers, and come away with less than we wanted. Sometimes you feel like you went ten rounds in the ring and lost.

Most realtors are "people pleasers" and get into this business because they like helping people. When we can't get everything we want for our clients, we sometimes feel like we let them down.

But after years in the real estate business, I KNOW that isn't true. Agents can and do work hard, structuring creative solutions to issues, and doing everything in their power to get their clients what they want.

But sometimes, it just "AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN".

And it's not the agent's fault.

Remember, every seller has a bottom line, whether it is a resale home or a new construction home. Sometimes sellers just can't give you more due to their financial situation, and sometimes they won't give you more because they know what their real estate is worth and they don't think the concession is reasonable or necessary.

That's not your fault, or your agent's fault. This is NEGOTIATIONS. It means you can accept the counteroffer, or walk away to try a different house.

You'll know what's right for you when the time comes!

Rustic Elegance on Acreage - $229,900 Fort Hood Houses for Sale

2008-01-22T11:11:14Z

If you are considering purchasing a home in a rural area near Fort Hood, this brand new home is located ten minutes from Copperas Cove, Texas. Situated among trees in a quiet subdivision near the growing city of Kempner, the property is on a hilltop with great views of the Lampasas River Valley. Highly upgraded throughout, you'll have all the amenities of a home in town, with the peace and quiet of the country.

Beautiful, elegant, Texas Rustic Style thoughout. VERY well priced and estimated to be completed 1 FEB 2008.

Rustic Texas Elegance - Acreage Lot

Location: Taylor Creek

This home will really sweep you off your feet! From the barrel vault entry to the rustic limestone accents on the interior, this builder has created a jewel in the crown of the new home market. Huge open floorplan with hardwood flooring includes the dining area situated in front of the triple windows overlooking the back yard. The kitchen is anchored by a semi circlular limestone accented bar topped with absolutely gorgeous granite. Solid wood custom built cabinets are complete with a beautiful finish which adds to the atmosphere of quality and elegance found throughout this home. Convenient home office is located near front door, and entire property is prewired for satellite/cable tv, phones, surround sound, computer network and security system. This is a unique property, located on an 1+ acre lot(per survey on file) over looking the Lampasas River valley. Call or email for the entire list of amenities this one of a kind home offers. Very well priced at $229,900 To hear a recorded message giving more details about this home, call the Home Facts line at 254-526-1000 and enter code 50111.

Information

Contact Information

Mary Ann Daniell, Realtor

2554-681-4875

mdaniell@cbunited.com

Pricing

Asking Price: $234,900.00

Additional Pricing Information: Mary Ann Daniell is a licensed Texas Realtor.

Property Location

366 Pedernales
Kempner, TX 76539
View Map

Features

Bedrooms: 3 plus study

Bathrooms: 2

Year Built: 2007

Lot Size: 1.24 acre

Garage Size: 2

Square Footage: 2251

Agent Name: Mary Ann Daniell

Broker: Coldwell Banker United, Realtors

MLS #: 137483

Source of SF: builder plan

Attributes

Appliances

Range/Oven

Dishwasher

Sink Disposal

Microwave

Central Air - Electric

Central Heat - Electric

Interior Amenities

Fireplace

Hardwood Floors

Kitchen Island

Vaulted Ceilings

Attic

Tile Flooring

Granite Counters

Cultured marble sink and vanity top

Oversize tub in master

Breakfast bar

Limestone Columns

Office with Desk

Prewired for Surround Sound

Prewired for Computer Network

prewired for security system

Prewired for satellite/cable tv

Exterior Amenities

Patio

Secluded setting

Acreage Lot

Big Trees

Arched Entryway

Valley View

Photo Gallery

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