7 Reasons to Own A Home

June 10, 2017June 5, 2017 / movemetotx / Leave a comment

The National Association of REALTORS® publishes a guidebook with a TON of great information to help buyers understand what to expect during the real estate purchasing experience. We’re posting some of our favorite articles from the guidebook here. Stay tuned for more articles to help educate you on the home buying process.

Interested in learning more? E-mail us for your own copy today! katie@movemetotx.com.

Tax benefits.
The U.S. Tax Code lets you deduct the interest you pay on your mortgage, your property taxes, and some of the costs involved in buying a home.
Appreciation
Historically, real estate has had a long-term, stable growth in value. In fact, median single-family existing-home sale prices have increased on average 5.2 percent each year from 1972 through 2014, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. The recent housing crisis has caused some to question the long-term value of real estate, but even in the most recent 10 years, which included quite a few very bad years for housing, values are still up 7.0 percent on a cumulative basis. In addition, the number of U.S. households is expected to rise 10 to15 percent over the next decade, creating continued high demand for housing.
Equity.
Money paid for rent is money that you’ll never see again, but mortgage payments let you build equity ownership interest in your home.
Savings.
Building equity in your home is a ready-made savings plan. And when you sell, you can generally take up to $250,000 ($500,000 for a married couple) as gain without owing any federal income tax.
Predictability.
Unlike rent, your fixed-rate mortgage payments don’t rise over the years so your housing costs may actually decline as you own the home longer. However, keep in mind that property taxes and insurance costs will likely increase.
Freedom.
The home is yours. You can decorate any way you want and choose the types of upgrades and new amenities that appeal to your lifestyle.
Stability.
Remaining in one neighborhood for several years allows you and your family time to build long-lasting relationships within the community. It also offers children the benefit of educational and social continuity.

Coldwell Banker United, Realtors – Greenway Plaza
MOVEMETOTX – Katie Day Team
2 Greenway Plaza #150 Houston, TX 77046
Phone: 832.317.6006
Email: katie@movemetotx.com
Web: http://www.katiedayteam.com | http://www.movemetotx.com

Friday Feature: 11130 Speer Landing

June 9, 2017June 5, 2017 / movemetotx / Leave a comment

If you’ve been looking for a five bedroom in the Willowbrook South area, now’s your chance!

Check out 11130 Speer Landing in the Heron Nest subdivision. This home is conveniently located off of Gessner and the Tollway, close to 249 and not too far from 290. Willowbrook Mall is just minutes away!

Built in 2003, this five bedroom features a huge floor plan. Downstairs, you’ll find a formal living and dining room, family room with fireplace, and eat-in kitchen. Enjoy afternoons in your fenced in back yard.

Upstairs, you’ll have a large game room, plus your big bedrooms with tons of storage space.

Schedule a tour to check out 11130 Speer Landing today.

Current List Price: $214,900
Sq. Feet: 3,185

For more info, visit our website today.

7 Reasons to Work With a REALTOR®

June 7, 2017June 5, 2017 / movemetotx / Leave a comment

From the National Association of REALTORS®

REALTORS® aren’t just agents. They’re professional members of the National Association of REALTORS® and subscribe to its strict code of ethics. This is the REALTOR® difference for home buyers:

Ethical treatment.
Every REALTOR® must adhere to a strict code of ethics, which is based on professionalism and protection of the public. As a REALTOR®’s client, you can expect honest and ethical treatment in all transaction-related matters. The first obligation is to you, the client.
An expert guide.
Buying a home usually requires dozens of forms, reports, disclosures, and other technical documents. A knowledgeable expert will help you prepare the best deal, and avoid delays or costly mistakes. Also, there’s a lot of jargon involved, so you want to work with a professional who can speak the language.
Objective information and opinions.
REALTORS® can provide local information on utilities, zoning, schools, and more. They also have objective information about each property. REALTORs® can use that data to help you determine if the property has what you need. By understanding both your needs and search area, they can also point out neighborhoods you don’t know much about but that might suit your needs better than you’d thought.
Expanded search power.
Sometimes properties are available but not actively advertised. A REALTOR® can help you find opportunities not listed on home search sites and can help you avoid out-of-date listings that might be showing up as available online but are no longer on the market.
Negotiation knowledge.
There are many factors up for discussion in a deal. A REALTOR® will look at every angle from your perspective, including crafting a purchase agreement that allows enough time for you to complete inspections and investigations of the property before you are bound to complete the purchase.
Up-to-date experience.
Most people buy only a few homes in their lifetime, usually with quite a few years in between each purchase. Even if you’ve done it before, laws and regulations change. REALTORS® handle hundreds of transactions over the course of their career.
Your rock during emotional moments.
A home is so much more than four walls and a roof. And for most people, property represents the biggest purchase they’ll ever make. Having a concerned, but objective, third party helps you stay focused on the issues most important to you.

Interested in working together? Send us an e-mail or give us a call today!

Curious about home sales in your neighborhood?

January 11, 2017January 11, 2017 / movemetotx / Leave a comment

I’m frequently asked about current real estate conditions and sales throughout the city.

Whether you are:

Renting and thinking about buying,
Homeowners that are considering selling,
Prospective investors looking to see what’s out there, or
Just curious about the sales price of their neighbors’ homes…

People want to know what their home (and their neighbors’ homes) are worth! Since Texas is a non-disclosure state, transaction sales prices are not disclosure to the public. Sale prices are not required to be submitted to the county tax office.

Because of this, sites like Zillow and Trulia aren’t always accurate (Zillow reports a median error rate of 4.5%). Zillow even states on their website that they are unable to compute accuracy of their Zestimate (they use the Tax assesor’s value in Texas).

Source: Zillow.com

If you truly want to receive an accurate overview of sales in your area, you need to work with a REALTOR® — we can provide you pricing direct from the MLS, where accurate sales numbers must be entered.

Interested in receiving a monthly Sold Home report of homes in your area? Sign up HERE.

1134 Bonner Street, Houston, TX

May 16, 2016May 16, 2016 / movemetotx / Leave a comment

1134 Bonner-1 Looking to move in July? I’ve got a great opportunity for you!

Budgeting for a (Rental) Move

April 30, 2016 / movemetotx / Leave a comment

If you’re looking to find a new place to rent, you should make sure you have enough money set aside for both your move in expenses and moving costs!

Wondering how much you can afford? Most landlords will expect your gross income to exceed 3-4x the amount of rent. So, if you’re looking at a home that’s renting for $1,500/mo, you’ll need to make at least $4,500-6,000/mo in gross income (before taxes).

While this is a minimum requirement for landlords, you should consider your monthly financial obligations, like savings, 401(k) deductions, student loans, car payments, insurance, etc. You may qualify for a $1,500/mo home, but do you have that much money to spend?

What can you expect to pay to move in?

Application Fee: Most landlords expect you to pay an application fee when you submit your application. Application fees range between $30-70, depending on the home. While most landlords/management companies will run your credit report, you can sometimes provide a recent credit report for a discounted application fee.
Security Deposit: After you’re approved, your security deposit will be due. This generally needs to be in certified funds (cashiers check or money order). For a rental home, a standard deposit is normally equal to one month’s rent.
- Depending on different factors (ex: market conditions, your credit, the landlord’s qualifications, etc.) the deposit may vary, but you should expect to pay at least one month’s rent.
First Month’s Rent: Your first month’s rent will normally be due a few days before your move in day. In many cases, this will be a full month’s rent.
Pet Fees: Bringing a furry friend with you? You should be prepared to pay a pet fee at the time of move in. These fees are landlord specific. Be sure to ask if the pet fees you’re paying are refundable or non-refundable. Some landlords also charge monthly pet rent.

Disclaimer: These amounts are estimations based on previous transactions and can vary depending on the home/landlord you’re applying for. Please consult the landlord for the home you’re interested for exact qualifications in prior to applying.

Want to work together? Fill out a search request form on my website at http://www.movemetotx.com & I’ll send you options for rental or purchase.

Katelyn Day, Real Estate Sales Agent/REALTOR®
Real Broker, LLC
5100 Westheimer Rd, #200
Houston, TX 77056
Lic #663685
c: 832-317-6006
e: katie@movemetotx.com

Buyer Representation Services

April 21, 2016April 21, 2016 / movemetotx / Leave a comment

Are you looking for a new place to live? Searching for a new home can be a daunting process! Calling different agents and apartment communities, sending tons of e-mails, and being placed on hold gets old after a while! Wouldn’t it be great if you could have ONE point of contact to manage all of this for you? Well, you can!

Apartment Locating and Buyer Representation Services are FREE services provided by licensed real estate sales agents. As professionals, we work for YOU and we are paid by apartment communities, landlords, management companies, and sellers. We’ll do all the work! You just have to let us know what your preferences are, and if you have any “hiccups” that may impede the application process.

Most landlords and apartment communities will run your credit, background, and verify your employment and rental history. Expect to provide the following:

4-8 weeks of paystubs
Credit reports/background checks (the owner will generally run them)
Employment references for the past 2+ years
Landlord information for the past 1-3 years

Keep in mind, qualifications vary between different owners, landlords, and management companies.

To ensure you’re working with a Licensed Agent, you should verify license holder information for any Licensed Real Estate Sales Agents or Brokers on the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) website by searching by their name or license number.