Aggieland Archives

Bryan & College Station Real Estate Recognized as Being Undervalued

Chris Tesch College Station, Texas Real Estate (RE/MAX Bryan College Station) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 21:38:46 -0500

For the second time in the last five years Bryan and College Station have been recognized as places where real estate is selling for under what the values should be. This means that there are definate bargains here in Aggieland. Houston was the only other city in Texas that got this designation. With the prospects of tremendous job growth and undervalued real estate it's a wonderful market to be in. The Real Estate Center at Texas A&M believe that our appreciation rates will be higher than ever in the next few years.

With higher than ever appreciation values will you make a mint on your property? NO! We are still not California with ridiculous appreciation in short times. In the last few years our appreciaton rates have been 3-5% per year. We're looking at appreciation rates raising to about 7%. A stable market in the price ranges lower than 200K and lot's of first time homebuyer interest it's a great time to buy!

First time buyers please take note. The $8,000 tax credit requires that you close on your home by December 1st. There are programs to help you tap into some of that tax credit to help with closing costs as well. Take advantage of tax credits, low interest rates, and an undervalued market now.

Here's a link to the Bryan/College Station MLS

College Station Condos and Townhomes Vs College Station homes

Chris Tesch College Station, Texas Real Estate (RE/MAX Bryan College Station) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:54:47 -0500

Many parents, wanting to buy a College Station home for their students, visit the idea of a condo or townhome. As with anything there are some very positive points to consider and some other negative points on these issues.

First let's talk about what the difference is between condos and townhomes. The major difference is that condos always have associations and the homeowner doesn't actually own the land beneath the condo, the association does and you typically only own from the studs in. The exterior is owned and maintained by the association. Townhomes may, or may not have associations formed to maintain community resources. With a townhome you own the land that it sits on and the entire structure.

The down side of Condo associations is that there is a monthly fee. This fee can range, in College Station Condos, from $65 a month to over $200. There's no set answer on what these fees cover unless you look at individual associations. Most will cover exterior landscaping and insurance on the common areas. A good many will cover exterior maintenance on the roof and sides of the building. Some will have pools and a very few will cover things like internet service and water. Each association varies.

The down side to a townhome is that the maintenance typically is not covered. You may find yourself with the nicest property on the block with other properties to the right and left of you not nearly as well maintained. Also many share roofs with the other townhomes so eventually roofs may become mismatched.

With a College Station home you are always going to be responsible for lawn care, maintenance of the exterior and interior and all insurance. Keep in mind that the City of College Station conducts periodic checks of areas to ensure that residents are mowing their grass and other upkeep items. Getting a letter from the city warning of an impending fine if the situation doesn't improve is typically the parents first indication that the property isn't being maintained as well as it should be.

Any of these options can be the right choice for you and your student. The first thing you need to do when deciding to buy a student property is to think about what appeals to you the most. If you're not in Texas and maintenance needs to happen on your student property a condo might be the best bet. Also if you really want an easy care solution a condo can be a very good choice.

Want a glimpse of all the College Station real estate for sale? Go to my website and click on "Search Listings". When you buy I'd love to help!

A Must Read! Increase the Value of Your Home in One Day

Chris Tesch College Station, Texas Real Estate (RE/MAX Bryan College Station) — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 10:33:29 -0500

So, you've bought the house of your dreams and moved in. What's the next step? Remembering that one day, whether you realize it or not today, you'll be selling. Increasing the value of your home isn't just a blitz right before you list it. Protecting and increasing the value of your home starts the day that you write the offer.

So you've closed now. What is the number one thing to do as soon as you've bought the home? If I could tell you that in one day you could make a change to increase the value of your home by possibly up to 20%, decrease your utility bills, and reduce your stress while helping the entire ecology of our area would you be interested? You can! Quick, plant trees!

In any area this holds true, but in our area it's of prime importance. Bryan and College Station, actually all of Brazos Valley, has traditionally been used as farm land. Trees in fields aren't a great value, as they provide unneeded shade and reduce the area given for crops or livestock. Therefore many were eliminated. The remaining trees in many cases, are Post Oaks. Post Oak trees are beautiful trees and very hardy, when given a natural enviroment. They are, however, very resistant to change and to human intervention. Pouring a slab close to their root system, watering them with clorinated and processed water, putting a tree house in them or driving over or near their root systems are all huge problems for these gorgeous natives. In other words, as homeowners, we don't play nice with them. They tend to die within a year of a new property being built on, leaving you with a big empty space in your yard.

Here's some quick statistics on the value of a tree:

Dr. Roger S. Ulrich of Texas A&M University stated that "in laboratory research, visual exposure ot settings with trees has produced significant recovery from stress within five minutes, as indicated by changes in blood pressure and muscle tension."

The USDA Forest Service states "Trees properly placed around buildings can reduce air conditioning needs by 30 percent and can save 20-50 percent in energy used for heating"

The Management Information Services/ICMA states "Landscaping, especially with trees, can increase property values as much as 20 percent."

According to the US Department of Agriculture "The net cooling effect of a young, healty tree is equivilant to ten room-size air conditioners operating 20 hours a day."

"A mature tree can often have an appraised value of between $1,000 and $10,000," according to the Concil of Tree and Landscape Appraisers.

Dr. E. Greg McPherson, Center for Urban Forest Research states "if you plant a tree today on the west side of your home, in 5 years your energy bills should be 3% less. In 15 years the savings will be nearly 12%."

Wow, lower your blood pressure, decrease your utility bills and increase your property value in one fell swoop! Definately a recipe for success!!!!!!!

For more information on local tree farms and resources visit my website.

Pebble Creek Market Report, June 2008 College Station real estate

Chris Tesch College Station, Texas Real Estate (RE/MAX Bryan College Station) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 23:18:40 -0500

Pebble Creek is a golf course subdivision in south College Station. Nestled within Pebble Creek boundries are an elementary school, Pebble Creek Elementary http://mail.csisd.org/~pc/ and the attendant park/playground. This neighborhood has homes priced from the low 200's to over one million.

14 homes sold in Pebble Creek in June. These homes were priced from $254,900 to $929,900 and sold for $250,000 to $929,900. This brings total solds so far this year in Pebble Creek to 50. 41 Pebblecreek homes are active on the market and range from listing prices of $219,900 to $1,300,000.

There are currently 8 pending sales in Pebble Creek.

For more information about this wonderful neighborhood or to see listings go to www.ChrisTesch.com or call (979)574-1084.

Whether buying or selling, call Chris, your neighborhood specialist!

Alexandria and Shenandoah Market Report, June 2008 College Station real estate

Chris Tesch College Station, Texas Real Estate (RE/MAX Bryan College Station) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 22:45:40 -0500

Alexandria and Shenandoah are in south College Station off Barron Road and Highway 6. These neighborhoods show great value for the money with homes ranging from the low 100's (not common) to 200K.

Eight homes sold in Shenandoah and Alexandria in June. These ranged for a list price of 105K to $154,900 and sold for 108K to $154,900. The lower priced home was a 3/2 that was 1189 square feet and was active on the market for 56 days total. The higher price home was 1,655 square feet and was a 3/2 that was on the market 55 days total.

Year to date 51 homes have sold in these twin neighborhoods with prices from $108,000 to $197,800.

Shenandoah features a park and community pool.

For more information about homes in this great area go to www.ChrisTesch.com or call (979)574-1084. Whether buying or selling call Chris, your neighborhood specialist.

Raintree Market Report, June 2008 College Station real estate

Chris Tesch College Station, Texas Real Estate (RE/MAX Bryan College Station) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 22:32:35 -0500

Raintree subdivision is located off Hwy 6 and Southwest Parkway in College Station. Raintree is prized for being close to everywhere you want to be in College Station and has an awesome wooded park. Most of the homes were built in the early 1980's and offer good values for your money.

There are currently 4 homes on the market in Raintree. These range from $134,900 to $164,900.

Four sold in June as well and these were listed from $129,900 to $172,500. They sold for $129,400 (1679 square foot patio home) to $165,000, which bought a 2331 square foot home. Year to date Raintree has had 10 sales.

There is currently one home under contract in Raintree.

For more information about homes in Raintree, or other great neighborhoods, go to www.ChrisTesch.com or call (979)574-1084.

Whether buying or selling call your neighborhood specialist!

Emerald Forest Market Report, June 2008 College Station real estate

Chris Tesch College Station, Texas Real Estate (RE/MAX Bryan College Station) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 22:21:08 -0500

Emerald Forest, a charming subdivision central to Bryan and College Station right off Highway 6 and minutes away from the University currently has 4 homes for sale. These homes range from $269,900 to $575,900, though homes in this great sudvision range from around 140K to 600K.

The neighborhood has older sections as well as newer sections and offers a pool ad community center as well as walking trails and Sandstone Park right nearby. New neighborhoods are being built nearby currently as well.

In June Emerald Forest only had one sale and that was a home that was built in 2005 and was 2441 square feet. It was listed for $244,900 and sold after 100 active days on the market for $240,000.

For more great homes go to www.ChrisTesch,.com Whether you need to buy, or sell, your Emerald Forest Home call me, your neighborhood specialist.

Market Value is Not a One Size Fits All

Chris Tesch College Station, Texas Real Estate (RE/MAX Bryan College Station) — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 19:42:22 -0500

You've seen the web sites. Find your market value from here! Know what your home is worth today! If only it were that easy! Relying on these mechanisms can make you give up huge amounts of equity or have you market your home for too much money which results in longer market time and typically a lower price.

Market value depends on many parts to an equation. Square footage, finish out, location, existing roadways, floorplan of your home and the effective age of the property all figure into the analysis. Even appraisals can be off, so anyone promising you a "instant valuation" of your home over the net isn't doing you any service.

To get a market analysis have an experienced agent come over and do a walk through of the house discussing age of air condition, appliances, roof, flooring and countertops. The agent will examine the house from a perspective buyers perspective and make several recommendations regarding your home. Some of these might be wallpaper removal, painting, fixture replacement and updating (always get your agents opinion before spending money, they might have better ways around it or feel that the money would be better off in buyer incentives or lowering the price if you are on a significant pricing cut off.

Don't cheat yourself out of valuable equity by thinking you will get an "instant valuation" over the net.

For expert real estate advice go to www.ChrisTesch.com or call (979)574-1084.

Caldwell, Texas Market Analysis

Chris Tesch College Station, Texas Real Estate (RE/MAX Bryan College Station) — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 23:16:08 -0500

Caldwell Texas, about 35 miles away brom Bryan-College Station is known for three things; kolaches, the Czech Heritage Museum and an awesome school district. This small town has an approximate population of 4000 people and is the county seat of Burleson County.

For the seven months of sales encompassing 1/1/08 through 6/30/08 Caldwell showed 23 sales in the Bryan-College Station MLS. The lowest sale was listed at 86K. It was a 3/2 home 1304 square foot older home that was active on the market for 116 days and sold for 84K.

The highest sale recorded in our MLS for Caldwell was listed at 495,000. It was a 5/3.6 home built by Southwest Homes in 2004 that was 3500 square feet. The homke sat on 20.25 acres and was active on the market for 176 days. It sold for 455,000.

These statistics are only down slightly from the same time frame last year where 25 homes sold. There are currently active in the Caldwell area 27 homes.

My assistant, Coti Freeman, hails from the Caldwell area and would be happy to give you a private tour! For more information about Caldwell visit my web site at www.ChrisTesch.com or call Coti today at (979)575-7765.

Bryan, Texas Sales for June, 2008

Chris Tesch College Station, Texas Real Estate (RE/MAX Bryan College Station) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 22:24:47 -0500

Bryan showed a steady 93 sales in single family homes, patio homes and new builder homes in June, 2008. During the same timeframe last year 109 sales were made. This last month sales ranged from a property listed for 585,000 to a property listed for 32,500.

The 585,000 property was a 3 bedroom/3.5 bath home active on the market for 87 days. It sold for the asking price (which had been lowered during the 87 days). It was 4,105 square feet.

The 32,500 property was a 2 bedroom/1 bath that was on the market 8 active days. It sold for 25K.

Sales are still strong in Bryan, Texas. For more information about the Bryan Market please visit my website at www.ChrisTesch.com or phone (979)574-1084.

Condominium and Patio, Townhome Sales Strong in College Station

Chris Tesch College Station, Texas Real Estate (RE/MAX Bryan College Station) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 22:00:37 -0500

June 2008 showed sales of 30 condominiums patio homes and town homes in College Station, Texas. The previous years thirty day period showed sales of 32. This month the sales went from a high list price of 169,900 to a low of 58,900. The statistics are a bit low because several of the Cripple Creek Condos were bundled onto one listing.

For the list price of 169,900 this 3 bedroom, 2 bath unit was on the market for 81 active days and sold for 175,750. Typically when properties sell for more than their list price improvements were made or closing costs were paid.

The low was the beautifully remodeled Cripple Creek Condos that are one bedroom/one bath and sold for 58900. Several of these units were for sale and all sold within a fairly short time frame.

Of the solds 7 were from Gateway Village, 5 were from Wood Brook Condos and Woodstock Condos, 4 sold in Waterwood, 2 in Fox Run and 2 on Fraternity Row (Deacon townhomes). Several miscellaneous condos sold, with these being the predominate ones.

Now is still a great time to invest in College Station real estate for your Texas A&M student! Last year in July, 2007 we had 29 sales for these units! For more information go to www.ChrisTesch.com or call (979)574-1084.

College Station Single Family and New Builder Home Sales for June 2008

Chris Tesch College Station, Texas Real Estate (RE/MAX Bryan College Station) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 21:42:05 -0500

College Station again showed good numbers in sales of single family and new builder homes for June, 2008. 147 sales occured during this time in College Station. Last year during this one month period 179 sales occured. Obviously numbers are down a bit, but the sales were strong with some of our more expensive properties sold this month. Total actives in these categories in College Station currently are 427. This shows less than a four month supply of homes currently on the market.

The least expensive home sold in College Station in June was listed for 86K and was a 2 bedroom/1 bath older home. It was active on the market 7 days before going under contract and sold for 85K. The most expensive home sold was listed for 1,985,000 and was a 4 bedroom/4.5 bath on 39 acres and was active on the market for 404 days. It sold for 1,815,000.

There were three sales listed originally over 600K this month

3 sales from 500-599K

2 sales from 400-499K

9 sales from 300-399K

12 sales from 250-299K

46 sales from 150-249

52 sales from 100-149K

9 sales from 85-99K

For more information about College Station real estate go to www.ChrisTesch.com or call (979)574-1084.

2710 Camelot, Bryan $147,900

Chris Tesch College Station, Texas Real Estate (RE/MAX Bryan College Station) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 21:13:36 -0500

Want a great house in Bryan for under $150K? You can't miss with this meticulously maintained home located near Briarcrest Golf Course, St. Joseph Hospital and Blinn Campus. Wood laminate floor in the spacious living area and ceramic tile in kitchen and baths just installed last year. New carpet in all berooms to be installed Monday. Over 2000 square foot with wonderful built ins and the beginning of an awesome front porch area can be yours for this low, low price.

The front area is a verde scored concrete patio that would make a wonderful sitting area.

Charming built ins in several areas. Excellent eating bar!

Another view of the kitchen. Stove replaced two years ago.

Beautiful laminate floors and a great size makes this a great family gathering area!

Seperate dining area with great built in.

For more information about this home, or more information about Bryan, Texas or College Station, Texas real estate go to www.ChrisTesch.com or call (979)574-1084.

Awesome Bryan Home $229,900

Chris Tesch College Station, Texas Real Estate (RE/MAX Bryan College Station) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 23:53:32 -0500

Want a location close to A&M yet not right next to your neighbors? Dreaming of a sun dappled home with gleaming wood floors and wide open spaces? This home located in Beverly Estates is your dream come true! This four bedroom/three bath home has cedar lined closets and built in chest and is minutes to A&M, Blinn, or St. Joseph Hospital. Over 2000 square feet awaits with a tiled porch waiting for you and a glass of lemonaide. This 1939 home situated on a more than one acre is sure to please.

A seperate entrance for the fourth bedroom paired with the third bath makes for a great teen get-away, mother-in-law suite or home office.

Large open spaces and tons of windows grace this beautiful home!

Extra storage is abundant in this beauty and the closets and chest are cedar lined!

Grab your lemonaide and sit right down!

For information on more Bryan Texas properties visit my website at www.ChrisTesch.com

New Condo Project Almost Sold Out

Chris Tesch College Station, Texas Real Estate (RE/MAX Bryan College Station) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 21:43:23 -0500

One of our newest condo projects in College Station is almost sold out in Phase One currently. Phase two should be ready for fall of 2009 and will signal the completion of this 98 unit complex complete with clubhouse and pool.

The townhomes are quality built and have many features that aren't typical with other condos around. These three and four bedroom condos are in Wolf Pen Creek area and back up to Harvey Road being connected by walking paths to Johnny Carinos, Sonic and several other local restaurants. Close to the mall and the excellent Wolf Pen Ampitheatre they are very popular with students and young singles alike. Currently they have 2 four bedroom units that start at around 191K. They are nicely finished out with ceramic tile in the kitchen and dining. The base price does not include washer or dryer but does include the refrigerator. Upgrades to look for are tumbled marble backsplash ($200), vinyl wood look flooring (call for price quote, depends on the area), washer and dryer ($650), double door refrigerator, and security system ($350).

The builder is the same developer that built Waterwood Townhomes, one of my favorite resale condo areas. We've seen great appreciation there, and expect to see great appreciation with this new condo project.

For more information contact me at Chris@ChrisTesch.com or (979)574-1084

For more exciting single family or condo opportunities go to www.ChrisTesch.com.

Condos Are Only As Good as Their Association

Chris Tesch College Station, Texas Real Estate (RE/MAX Bryan College Station) — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 22:18:18 -0500

In buying a condo remember that your condo value is only as good as its association. There are luxury student condo projects in town that offers amenities such as a car wash, fitness coordinator and activities planner. This is, of course, during their original selling phase of the project. What happens if the fitness coordinator goes away? Is the car wash going to be working four years from now when you want to sell? There is nothing in the documentations that describes services such as these and guarantees them long term.

What's the take away lesson in this? Remember that with a condo project you only get one vote per unit. If the fitness coordinators position is hingeing on a vote of all the owners to pay an extra $10 a month it might not pass. Don't overpay for a project based on sunny views of what you might get. Look carefully at the structure and figure out if the location and the structure itself is worth what you are paying. Remember too that if many investors own units it might be very difficult to get them to pay an additional fee per month for an amenity that they won't even use.

Make your condo decisions with a clear head.

Non Warrantable Condos

Chris Tesch College Station, Texas Real Estate (RE/MAX Bryan College Station) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:00:06 -0500

In buying a condo in Bryan or College Station, whether for students or singles, there are some things that you need to know to get the best deal possible. Potential issues come up for condos, typically only in the lower priced ones, but you, as a potential buyer, need to be aware and prepared for them.

Non-Warrantable Condos-one of the first things we do with a condominium purchase is to have a condo questionaire filled out. In this questionaire there are several items that can have a big impact on your purchase. These are to determine whether the property is eligable for regular warrantable loans, sold to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac or a non-warrantable loan that is not eligable for the normal loan programs. The non warrantable properties are presumed to be a bit riskier an investment because of several factors. Most loans get called non warrantable because of a property condition. Thought there is a whole checklist that must be gone through, The most common of these is below a 60% owner-occupancy rate in the complex. The reason that lenders are affected by this is that there is a perception that owner-occupants will work harder to pay their loan than investors. If a major portion of the condo is held by investors and many default the HOA may have issues paying for the maintenance of the grounds or exterior of the units.

How does this affect you as a condo purchasor? First, don't think you will get into these condos with 3%-5% down. Non warrantable condos are best purchased by strong borrowers that have 20-25% down payments available. The interest rate is bound to be a bit higher, since it is considered a riskier loan. The normal 6.25% interest rate isn't what you will see with these units.

Are these bad investents? Not at all, just something to be considered carefully before you invest. Currently I am purchasing a one bedroom/one bath condo in Doubletree Condominiums. Rentals over there for these units are $550 a month and up. I am paying $43,500, and putting 20% down. My total payment on a 15 year fixed at 6.61% interest, with HOA fees (115.60 a month), taxes, insurance and principal and interest will run $515. In 15 years it will be paid off and the profit will be mine. Meantime the rent will go up and the return will be even better.

If you're looking for a property like this, or something a bit bigger, go to my web site at www.ChrisTesch.com.

Look What You Can Buy In Bryan Texas For Under $155K

Chris Tesch College Station, Texas Real Estate (RE/MAX Bryan College Station) — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 21:49:09 -0500

This gorgeous property is a property that I helped some gracious clients buy last month. It's a beautiful 4 beroom home across from a park in Bryan, Texas. For those of you that are unaware of what great properties can be had for under $160K in our area this will be a real eye opener!

The gorgeous front porch alone is a welcome sight!

The yard is inviting and the house is well maintained!

The house is over 2000 square feet and on a small, manageable lot near a golf course. The rooms are large with the master downstairs and three other bedrooms up.

For more homes like this recently sold Bryan home that are active on the market go to my website at www.ChrisTesch.com. We'll make your nest something to crow about!

Lifestyle Choices

Chris Tesch College Station, Texas Real Estate (RE/MAX Bryan College Station) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 20:21:17 -0500

Many relocation clients, coming into our market for the first time, are amazed at how affordable our housing is compared to other states. Texas, in general, has not experienced the bubble that many places did, guaranteeing a more difficult market later on.

Our average home prices are around 150K today and if you are going over that price range you will have a wide range of choices that will be guaranteed to please you. In the 250K and up you can choose patio homes, acreage homes, older & larger homes, newer and smaller homes with more amenities. Some might include swimming pools, outdoor kitchens, outdoor fireplaces, and beautiful spaces for entertaining. I even found a house last week with a putting green in the back yard!

Before you settle on your path try a few hats on for size. It can really pay off. Sometimes what a buyer initially wants is just the gingerbread version of what they think a home should be. By showing options or at least mentioning them (along with positives and negatives for each option) as an agent we can find what will really fit your lifestyle.

For more happy house hunting tips visit my website at www.ChrisTesch.com

Investing for Your Retirement

Chris Tesch College Station, Texas Real Estate (RE/MAX Bryan College Station) — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 19:54:14 -0500

Consider investing in Bryan or College Station real estate as part of your retirement plans. Currently be aware that many lenders do not want you to have more than 4 property loans and that you cannot count rental income until two years of steady payments with many lenders as well.

Planning for vacancies and potential damage to your homes or multifamily properties is very important. You must come up with a game plan and inest wisely to ensure your success.

Can you truly help yourself retire with some good real estate investments? Absolutely!

Consider the hypothetical investment in a 160K home in a good neighborhood. Putting 20%-25% down will ensure you the best nterest rates possible. Currently those rates will probably be between 6.25 and 6.5% on a 30 year. I would prefer to see a 15 year if possible. Your payment will rise slightly, but your payoff time is cut in half.

In this scenario lets imagine that you get the home for 158K with a 15 year 6% interest rate and 20% down.

Your down payment would be $31,600 with a balance of $124,400. The payment with taxes and insureance will be approximately $1487.65. Your expected rental income would be 1500-1600 a month effectively making you even except for upkeep. In fifteen years you will have had someone else pay this property off through rentals (at least for the most part) and you'll own it free and clear. In todays dollars you would be gaining after taxes and insurance about $1100 a month. Put the power of 4 of these working for you and you have a potential mostly passive income that will appreciate in value as well, leaving your heirs with dividable assets at the end.

For more investment strategies call me today or go to www.ChrisTesch.com

Selling Your Home? Look for Experience and Great Marketing!

Chris Tesch College Station, Texas Real Estate (RE/MAX Bryan College Station) — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 19:35:11 -0500

You open up the mailbox and you see a beautiful full color mail out with Realtor X showing what a wonderful job they do with the marketing of properties. You're thinking of selling your property, do you a)rush to the phone and call him? or b)check out the agents that you know are steady and dependable in your market and advertises well?

Hopefully your answer is "b". What you may not realize when you hire an agent is that you are also hiring their reputation. As a listing agent I only sell your home about 10% of the time. My job is to get the information out to the buyers and other agents alike. I want not only my clients, but all the qualified buyers in your price range to get exposed to your property. This ensures that you get the best price possible and have the least amount of inconveniance.

How does your Realtors reputation come into play? Agents build relationships with other agents, whether good or bad. Those relationships can come in mighty handy when your home is on the line. The flash and the glitz is nice, but you don't know what their follow up will be like. Consider to that many new agents haven't seen enough transactions to successfully navigate the waters (sometimes trecherous) of a glitch in the closing.

Does just being in the business for 10 years make someone automatically well qualified? Not truly, you need a barometer of how many transactions that person does as well. Realtor A may only have 10 transactions a year and been in the business for 20 years. Realtor B has 6 years and does 50 transactions a year. Who is stronger? Hopefully your answer will be Realtor B. The more recent experience helps!

Personally I have been in for a complete 6 years now, going on 7 and have done between 50 and 60 transactions a year since the beginning.

For more information go to www.ChrisTesch.com.

Voting Continues for Best of the Brazos

Chris Tesch College Station, Texas Real Estate (RE/MAX Bryan College Station) — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 19:26:26 -0500

Best of the Brazos voting continues and time is running out. Go on now to vote for your favorite restaurants, health clubs, entertainment, A/C technichians, vehicle repair, and of course, real estate agents and real estate companies.

Please consider voting for me a best real estate agent and RE/MAX Bryan-College Station as the best real estate company.

To be warned, there are pages and pages of votes, but you are not required to vote for all categories. D go to the very end to verify that you aren't a "bot".

To vote today go to www.BestoftheBrazos.com.

For real estate information go to www.ChrisTesch.com today!

Upgrading a Home to Energy Efficient Appliances and Air Conditioners

Chris Tesch College Station, Texas Real Estate (RE/MAX Bryan College Station) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 21:54:26 -0500

Does anyone know of a good site out there that will calculate what it will save you in energy consumption to say upgrade from a 10 year old refrigerator to a brand new one? Or, even better, upgrading from a 10 SEER A/C to a 14 or 16? I know that I have questions about the length of time that these improvements take to pay off and I imagine that my clients are wondering the same thing currently.

With gas and oil prices skyrocketing everyone is interested in saving money and helping the environment. Good sources of information would be appreciated!

Staging Your Home for Success...And Enjoying It!

Chris Tesch College Station, Texas Real Estate (RE/MAX Bryan College Station) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 21:46:41 -0500

Staging your home is a very important component for a successful home sale. The right colors on the walls, the right features and your home will sell faster and for more money. It's pretty obvious in going through photos of different condos that I've had throughout the years. With these conforming properties staging is the only difference to make. You definately can figure out which unit would be chosen over another.

Here is an example of a vanity area in a one bedroom, one bath condo unit that sells for under 50K

Unfortunately I couldn't find pictures of the "normal" ones. Very nondescript and cetainly nothing you would photograph!

Here is a living room in an unstaged unit in the same complex.

Here is a nicely staged dining area in one of the units.

Another nicely staged dining area. Wow, what a little paint can do!

Unfortunately I lack many pictures of the plain, before staging variety. You can imagine from the shot with the living area with fold out chairs what many of them look like.

Keep in mind this is not only a staging element but an enjoyment in living one as well!

Businesses Pouring Into Bryan Texas!

Chris Tesch College Station, Texas Real Estate (RE/MAX Bryan College Station) — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 23:20:06 -0500

Bryan certainly seems to be in the news lately! With the new Toyo Ink Plant (the 3rd largest ink manufacterer in the world) coming here and the new A&M Health Science Center quickly becoming a reality along with the new Bryan Rudder High School that is soon to open it certainly seems that Bryan is the center of a storm of new businesses.

The Super Target will be opening July 20th at the corner of Highway 6 and Briarcrest soon. It's anchoring a whole conglomerate of great stores and restaurants that will truly add to Bryan's prestige and the enjoyment of every citizen in Bryan and College Station!

Thought you all might be interested in seeing quick list of stores that will be in the new Bryan Towne Center anchored by Target.

Shipley's Doughnuts

Baskin Robbins

Eyemart Express

Citifinancial

E-Nail Topia

Dollar Tree

rue21

Rack Room Shoes

Maurices

Logan 's Steakhouse

Anytime Fitness

Salt Grass Steakhouse

IHOP

Burlington Coat Factory

Bryan is certainly on the move! Look for more on the new Toyo Plant and the HSC in further blogs. For more information about Bryan or College Station, or to see the latest in homes for sale come to my web site at www.ChrisTesch.com.