1. Don’t buy if you can’t stay put. Given today’s challenging marketplace, don’t buy a home unless you can commit to staying there for at least a few years. The days of flipping for profit are long gone and you stand to lose money if you sell too soon after buying.
2. Shore up your credit. Securing a mortgage in today’s market requires excellent credit so take the time to clean up your credit report well before you begin looking for a home.
3. Be honest about what you can really afford. The rule of thumb is that you can buy housing that runs about two-and-one-half times your annual salary. But CNNMoney recommends using one of the many calculators available online to get a better handle on how your income, debts, and expenses affect what you can afford.
4. If you can’t put down the usual 20 percent, you may still qualify for a loan. There are a variety of public and private lenders who, if you qualify, can provide options in terms of interest rates and down payments.
5. Schools affect home values. Even if children aren’t a part of your life now or in the near future, look at homes in areas supported by a good school system. Good schools are paramount for many homebuyers and have a direct impact on the value of your home.
6. Work with a real estate professional. Even though the Internet gives buyers unprecedented access to home listings, most new buyers (and many more experienced ones) are better off using a professional agent. Today’s market requires expert guidance through every stage of the home-buying process.
7. Choose carefully between points and rate. When picking a mortgage, you usually have the option of paying additional points – a portion of the interest that you pay at closing – in exchange for a lower interest rate. If you stay in the house for a long time – say three to five years or more – it’s usually a better deal to take the points, says CNNMoney. The lower interest rate will save you more in the long run.
8. Get pre-approved. This will help you avoid the emotional rollercoaster of falling in love with houses you can’t afford. Not to be confused with pre-qualification, which is based on a cursory review of your finances, pre-approval from a lender is based on your actual income, debt and credit history.
9. Make an educated bid. Work with your real estate professional to make the right opening bid. Bids should be based on the sales trend of similar homes in the neighborhood, so review with your agent sales of similar homes in the last three months.
10. Hire a home inspector. In addition to the appraiser your lender hires, you should also hire your own home inspector, preferably an engineer with experience in doing home surveys in the area where you are buying. His or her job will be to point out potential problems that could require costly repairs down the road.

Call Kay Horacefield (281-282-9524)  for your real estate needs.  Kay was recognized for the second year in a row for the highest overall satisfaction by her clients, peers and industry experts.

Source: Money.cnn.com.

"What we put into our bodies prior to going to bed can really affect the level of sleep we get every night," says Ben Thorud, Senior Vice President of Ashley Sleep. "If you’ve tried everything and you’re still experiencing sleeplessness, it may be time to explore other possibilities, including your diet." 

Experts have believed for a long time that eating foods that are high in complex carbohydrates, with a little bit of protein—about an hour or two before bedtime—may boost your serotonin levels and help you relax. In addition, foods high in calcium and tryptophan, like some dairy products, may help to produce melatonin, which can also help regulate sleep. 

So which foods will give you that sleep-boosting power you crave? Check out the following list.
1. Turkey. Ever wonder why you feel so sleepy after those big holiday meals? Turkey may be the culprit. It’s high in tryptophan, which can make you feel drowsy. While turkey may be the best-known food in the battle of sleepless nights, almost any type of poultry will do the job. 

2. Milk/Dairy. Warm milk has been a bedtime tradition for centuries — and now we know why. It not only contains tryptophan (as do yogurt and cheese), it is rich in calcium, which experts believe may help reduce stress. 

3. Bananas. These self-contained sleep inducers are loaded with tryptophan, melatonin and serotonin, not to mention magnesium, which may actually help relax your muscles. 

4. Cherries. In terms of sleep-friendly foods, these guys are the new kids on the block. But recent studies have shown that a glass of tart cherry juice or a serving of fresh, frozen or dried cherries may boost your melatonin levels and reduce insomnia. 

5. Chamomile Tea. This drink has long been touted for its relaxing qualities. One small cup of decaffeinated chamomile tea before bedtime contains theanine, which may have relaxing and tranquillizing properties that can help you put an end to sleepless nights.
 
6. Hummus. Forget the fake cheese dip. A couple of all-natural pita chips dipped in hummus makes for a snack that’s a great mix of carbs and protein. 

7. Almonds. A handful of these crunchy treats is loaded with tryptophan and magnesium, making it a quick and easy snack to enjoy before bedtime. 

8. Warm Oatmeal. Rich in sleep-promoting nutrients, this popular breakfast food may also be a great nighttime snack. Just don’t choose the kind loaded with sugar. Top it with bananas, walnuts or cherries and you have a sleep-inducing powerhouse. 

9. Peanut Butter Sandwich. Peanut butter is high in tryptophan, but many brands add sugar. Choose a natural peanut butter (with no added sugar) and spread it on a piece of whole-grain bread or a half a bagel. 

10. Hard-boiled Egg. If you’ve already loaded up on high-sugar, high-carb snacks for dinner, consider eating an egg or other food that’s high in protein. It can help counterbalance the negative effects that those simple carbs may have on your sleep. 

Source: Ashley Sleep

A local Clear Lake TX Realtor who specializes in Clear Lake TX and League City TX has a few tips that could save days of market time and bring you a quicker sale on your home. It begins at curbside.

No matter how delightful your home is on the inside, the first impression prospective buyers form is based on what you home looks like on the outside.  The attractiveness of a home based on what it looks like to folks driving by is called “curb appeal” by real estate agents.

The right landscaping can really enhance the curb appeal of a home.  According to the American Nursery and Landscape Association, homes with well-kept yards sell quickly.  Here are some free tips that will help set your home apart from the rest.

• Start with the lawn: Eliminate weeds, Patch bare spots, Fertilize and water
• Take a look at the shrubbery: Bushes that have grown to cover the windows should be pruned to let sun and light into the home
• Are there enough plants in front: Fill in bare spots with small shrubs and colorful fast growing annuals.  Impatiens and petunias work great for the Clear Lake and League City TX homes.
• Well placed pots: A few by the front door can be very inviting
• Don’t overdo: Goal is to have a beautifully maintained yard that looks easy to care for.

If you are thinking about selling or buying a home, please give me a call.  We can begin working now to prepare your home to appear on the SOLD LIST!  Kay Horacefield who has been honored as a 2012 Recognized  Five Star Professional Real Estate Agent in Texas Monthly magazine for the second year in a row is ready to assist you.

Points to remember :

• It is common to have pride of ownership and believe that your property is superior to others.
•  A seller has to put themselves in the customer’s shoes and realize they will view many homes and only buy one.
• The property will have to appraise to satisfy the mortgage lender.
• Pricing higher than the comparative market analysis to test the market is not wise because you want to be on the Sold List and not the Rejected List.
• Your home will only be new inventory for a short period of time.
•  The first 30 to 45 days of a listing get the most activity and have the highest number of showings and internet searches.
• It is essential for the property to be priced according to recent sales to take full advantage of market awareness of the listing.  After all you do want your home to sell and not get stale on the market.

1.  Get a Competition Audit.

• You will get a complete list of houses for sale in your Clear Lake, TX neighborhood and their list price
• Get a list of all homes that have sold in your Clear Lake neighborhood

2.  What will this Competition Audit Do For You?

• All neighborhood houses that are currently listed and all sold houses within the last five years with neighborhood quarterly price trends shown graphically.
• Therefore you will know how to price your house right for the Clear Lake, TX area
• And more specifically for your particular subdivision or neighborhood.

3.  How Do You Get  the Competition Audit?

• Click here to enter your information and receive your personal Interactive Competition Audit

Wow, this tip could be a huge help to those who are considering choosing the  paint  color you want to use in your home. Here is one that Kay is happy to pass along to her present, past and future clients.

Next time you’re surfing the Web and come across a color that moves you, capture it and replicate it with a new interactive tool from Sherwin-Williams: Chip It.

This innovative Web-based tool allows consumers to select any online image and instantly identify the Sherwin-Williams paint colors that correspond to the colors contained within the picture. This allows consumers to identify the colors that inspire them while browsing the Internet in order to use them for their own decorating purposes.

To get started, consumers create a profile at www.letschipit.com and then add the Chip It! bookmarklet to their Internet browser toolbar. This bookmarklet allows users to identify up to ten Sherwin-Williams paint colors represented in online photos simply by scrolling over the image. From there, consumers can add the photo and corresponding color palette to their Chip It profile, share the creation socially or print it out.

“We know that finding the right color is the biggest roadblock for consumers when they are ready to paint a room – they want it to be right the first time,” says Jackie Jordan, director of color marketing for Sherwin-Williams.

For specific information on your particular property or future real estate needs, email Kay Horacefield and visit Clear Lake and League City Realty.  Call Kay , we are ready to answer all of your questions and provide you with support.

Why do they need it two times?

You see, maybe you gave what you thought they needed or thought they were requesting. However, after that financial information was reviewed, what you supplied did not fully answer their questions or maybe that information lead to another question which needed further explanation.  So, what happens is that the mortgage provider has to request the information again and quite possibly has added further request along with it.  Are any of you beginning to shake your heads in agreement indicating that this has happened to you. too?  I thought so!

Why do the mortgage company need to know where I got that money?

Have you ever made a large deposit in your account after you had a mortgage application in progress and are now  being questioned about where that money came from?  More than likely you are asked for documentation for that as well.  Again, you are not alone.  Nobody is picking on you.  The mortgage company is just doing their job.

 What should you do?

As a REALTOR, the very best tip I can provide my clients is to give each piece of information and documentation to your mortgage provider that they ask for as quickly as possible.  If you have a question, by all means ask, but do yourself a huge favor and do not fret about it.  After all, you do want the loan and the mortgage provider surely does want to provide for you.  However, he or she does have their guidelines to follow and the quicker and smoother you work together, the more pleased you will be in the end.

Reward is Home of Your Dream

Whether you are in the beginning home buying process stages or you are ready to select your home, visit http://www.clearlakeandleaguecityrealty.com. There is valuable  information waiting for you.

First, prioritize those renovations that will have maximum impact, both in terms of aesthetics and investment values.  Also prioritize the projects that will enhance the livability and enjoyment of your home.

Next, decide whether or not it makes sense to handle those projects on your own or call in a professional for help.  According to the experts at Sears Home Services, while talking on home remodeling yourself can seem daunting, enlisting the right help can make the process simple and seamless.

Here are three areas of the home to put at the top of your list this year:

The Bathroom

According to the National Association of REALTORS , one of the best investments in a home is a bathroom renovation.  Remodeling a bathroom that’s more than 25 years old substantially increases the value of your home.  While your bathroom may not need a complete makeover, updating cabinets, lighting, tiling or countertops can go a long way toward improving design and functionality.  Or consider a few quick fixes, such as a new towel bar, shower-curtain rod, robe hooks or showerhead.

The Kitchen

The kitchen is the heart of the home.  Kitchen renovations don’t need to be dramatic to be impactful.  Updates such as new countertops, cabinets, appliances or flooring can all dramatically improve the kitchen.  These improvements can also help yield increased functionality and space throughout the kitchen.  For a simple refresh, homeowners can give their kitchen a new look by replacing the hardware on cabinets, painting or updating fixtures.

The Floors

A great way to upgrade an area of your home and pull a room together is to install new floors.  There are many options to choose from:  tile, laminate, porcelain or ceramic tile, vinyl or hardwood.  Consult a home-improvement retailer or flooring expert to help make the best choice and to ensure proper installation.

For more specific information on your particular property, email Kay Horacefield and visit Clear Lake and League City Realty.   Call Kay, we are ready to answer all of your questions and provide the support.

She says 2012 will not be about flashy, over-the-top design; but rather, about decorating for real life—a home that’s smaller, more well-equipped and custom-made for its owners’ lifestyles.

Kolls says 2012 trends highlight practicality, rightsizing, style-telling and universal design. She says despite a decrease in average overall square footage, kitchens are growing, homeowners are adding more porches, ditching the conventional living room concept and embracing fewer – yet larger – rooms.

Instead of one purely decorative element, Kolls says homeowners are springing for more affordable luxuries with experiential benefits.

In the bedroom, these purchases include new mattresses for increased comfort and a better night’s sleep, plus items like improved lighting and window coverings that facilitate a gentle transition from sleeping to waking. Bathroom remodels include items like towel warmers, steam showers and multiple body spray outlets that promote relaxation and spa-like indulgence.

Furthermore, Kolls says homeowners in 2012 will be looking to tell a story through their decorating, with pieces that put a personal stamp on their spaces. People are stylizing the most-used room in the home—the kitchen—by adding workstations, artwork, photography and more furniture-like cabinetry enhanced by decorative cabinet knobs and pulls.

And since baby boomers are caring for their parents, their children, and sometimes even grandchildren, all while making plans for their own future, Kolls says more will want to spend the rest of their lives in their own home.

That also means homes with several generations under one roof will be utilizing technology to help keep all members of the family safe and well. In fact, Kolls predicts that wireless home health monitoring technologies are expected to grow by $4.4 billion by the year 2013.

That is a trend we’ll talk more about in the New Year.

By: John Voket

Dad Said It…

“I Remember when I could have bought a home in Houston, Texas, right there on that exact corner!  If I would only have done it then I would be better off now!”  That is the message that I hear often from my dad when I was growing up.  Now it seems as if I will hear the same type of comment very soon from people all around the Greater Houston, Texas, area.  Maybe you are wondering why I would say that.

The simple reason is this: In talking with many clients about making an offer on a property, they do not want to get off of the fence and actually buy the home.   They do like the home and would like for it to be their new home address.  They could and do qualify for a loan!  So, what is keeping them from taking the step to move forward and actually sign the offer? Are there steps of the buying process that need clarifying?  Exactly what is causing the delay?

Despite the fact that many homes are being offered at a phenomenally, historically, all time low prices- plus the fact that there are incredibly low financing rates available, some clients still want to “hold out” for a better deal.  After all, it surely must be just around the corner. There are a lot of homes on the market to choose from at this time and I want the best for the lowest price possible.  Have I hear you?  I think so and I do not blame you for one minute.  I, too, want great deals.   

What is Wrong With That Thinking

Let’s use an old saying or two to help answer the question.  “A watch pot never boils!”   “You snooze you loose!” The same is true for real estate in today market.  It is a better financial deal for you to be in the home of your dreams with the current interest rate,even if they dip down a fraction more than the present level, than to have remained on the fence during this remarkable time and watch home prices and home loan rates drift higher.  Inevitably,home prices will rise and rates will go up and you as a client will have missed the opportunity of a lifetime.  Will you be the next one to learn from my dad’s ringing comment?  “I remember when…and I wish I would have…”? Keep that from happening to you and your family.  You can then say to your children, “I am glad that I bought my home in the Greater Houston, Texas, Area when I did!”  Go ahead and “Seal Your Real Estate Deal With A Smile.  Call Kay!  

A Look At The Overall Houston Single Family Home Market

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