When you're house is on the market for sale, you need to take extra steps to help keep you, your family, pets, and property safe. Puppies, pills and cyber security are the big three - but there are others! Remove your pets from the home, or at least crate them for safety. Lock up you prescription drugs and keep OTC drugs out of sight. Put away cash, jewelry, personal documents and Continue Reading
Home Inspections 101
When you buy a house, you want to know as much as possible about the property. Hiring a home inspector is a good way to learn more about the property condition of your potential home. It’s for this reason that real estate professionals recommend that you have a property inspected immediately after contracting. A HOME INSPECTION IS A VISUAL EXAMINATION OF A PROPERTY’S STRUCTURE AND SYSTEMS. It Continue Reading
What to do if Sellers Leave Their Junk Behind
Closing on your new home and preparing to move in should be an exciting experience. You and your family get a fresh start in a new space, and you have endless possibilities for how to arrange and decorate each room. This ideal image of your move can come crashing down, though, if your home is filled with the seller’s belongings. It’s not uncommon for homeowners to leave a few items behind when Continue Reading
The Dreaded “R” Word of Buying/Selling a Home
Sometimes the most frustrating part of selling or buying a home is the dreaded "R" word - repairs. Even when all parties want the same end result, the home repairs can be a big stumbling block. It's no picnic for the real estate agents either! Things go much smoother when everybody knows and follows the rules. Here's the deal. The Buyer and Seller have agreed on certain repairs that the Continue Reading
Texas Contract Addendum COVID-19
Editors Note: This is not legal advice and is intended only to make you aware that this promulgated form is available. In the event that this form is presented for your consideration on an existing or new contract, you may want to consult an attorney. The following is taken directly from the Informational page about the COVID-19 Addendum. The use of the COVID-19 Addendum to Texas real estate Continue Reading
What to Expect from a Home Inspection
Kick-off the Inspection Process You made an offer on a house and the seller accepted it. What now? Your next task is to get the home inspection done during the option period. The home inspection is a pivotal point in the home buying process. Understanding the timing and value of a home inspection is easier than you think. A home inspection is a visual examination of a property's structure and Continue Reading
Counting the Days in Texas Contracts
Days are Days, in Texas Real Estate If you’re involved in a real estate contract in Texas, you need to understand how to determine the deadlines. Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) and Texas Association of Realtors® (TAR) contracts use calendar days, not business days. You count Sundays, you count holidays, all of it. What is the Effective Date? First, you must know the “Effective Date” — Continue Reading
What You Should Know About Earnest Money
Earnest money is an important part of the home buying process that could help you land the home of your dreams. Here’s an explanation of how earnest money works in a Texas real estate transaction. WHAT IS EARNEST MONEY? Earnest money is an amount agreed to in the real estate contract that you will pay soon after entering into a contract as a show of “good faith” that you intend to purchase the Continue Reading
