Updated 5/29/17, Originally published 8/7/15 Takeaways Budget off your mortgage payment, not purchase price Don’t assume you can or should spend everything your lender preapproves you for Spend as little as possible to meet your needs What does it mean to be house poor? It’s actually the opposite of having a poor house. Rather, it […]
The 24 Apps and Software Programs I Use Daily as a Real Estate Agent
The Average Age of Fort Hood Homes
Fort Hood’s HUGEST Homes For Sale
Originally published 1/17/16, Updated 5/23/17 Everything is Bigger in Texas Fort Hood is one of America’s largest military bases in the world by both population and area. The post features big tanks, big guns and big helicopters. Everything is bigger in Texas. The area’s homes are no exception. The median home size in the Fort […]
What Happened When I Appealed My Killeen Property Taxes
Get Soles to Get Sold: Making Your Home Accessible
Budgeting Your Mortgage Payment in Killeen, Texas
Updated 3/6/17; Originally published 8/26/15 Takeaways Budget based on your monthly mortgage payment, not your purchase price Plan on that mortgage going up Your lender is your #1 resource for planning your budget Considering buying a home? Don’t know how much home you can afford? Look no further! Starting a Home Budget The very first […]
An Introduction to Flipping Homes in the Fort Hood Area
Best Horse Ranches For Sale in the Fort Hood Area
How do Real Estate “Dual Agents” Work in Texas?
What If Your Offer is Rejected?
Takeaways Communicate with the seller, change up your offer, and try again. Just because it’s a “low ball” doesn’t mean it’s a bad offer. Maybe the seller is the one with unreasonable expectations. It’s not always the price – find out what other terms the seller may be looking for. I’m not talking about losing […]
7 Common Closing Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
Understand that you as the seller don’t have complete control over the buyer and cannot guarantee that an executed contract closes. But if you take these risk mitigation steps, hopefully you will be well on your way to avoiding problems or dealing with them as painlessly as possible should they arise.
Homes for Sale with the Best Garages in Fort Hood
Never Pay Taxes Again with the 1031 Exchange
Takeaways If you would like to sell a property and reinvest your profits into another property, you should be using the 1031 exchange to avoid paying taxes between transactions. Keep doing the 1031 exchange until you die, and you’ll never have to pay taxes on your profits. Safeguarding your capital from Uncle Sam means that you’re […]
The Central Texas MLS: Fort Hood Votes Today
What Happened in Fort Hood’s Housing Market in 2016?
Fort Hood’s 10 Most Luxurious Neighborhoods
7 Tips for Buying a Home “Sight Unseen”
How to Respond to a Low Ball Offer
Fort Hood’s Top Real Estate Brokerages in 2016
For resale homes (e.g. not multi-family, resale, land, commercial, or builder sales), 2016 saw a lot of growth in the Fort Hood area. There were 4960 “sides” in 2016 (side = half a transaction – either buyer’s or seller’s agent), a massive 25% increase over the 3965 sides in 2015. That is a lot more business to be spread around the local brokerages (and some not so local brokerages).
It’s not enough to be treading water in 2017! 25% growth is the standard if you want to keep up.
Cheapest Non-Foreclosures for Sale in Fort Hood, TX
Foreclosures are cheap, right! Generally, yes. The median foreclosure price in the Fort Hood area is nearly $40,000 under the median home sale price. However the cheapest homes on the market are not foreclosures. Why? Foreclosed homes are only those that had a mortgage on it. Most lenders will only lend above a certain amount […]
How to Make an Offer on a VA Foreclosure
Takeaways Buying a foreclosure in the Fort Hood area? You’re probably buying a VA foreclosure. Yes, you CAN buy a foreclosure with a VA loan Getting the VA the contract is a pain, but otherwise the process is very similar to a normal deal Unique to the Fort Hood market is the tremendous number of […]
Learn to Love Zestimates: The Death of CMAs
PCSing to Fort Hood? Join these Facebook Pages!
The Most Expensive Homes For Sale in Copperas Cove, TX
Updated 2/4/18; Originally published 12/11/16 Copperas Cove, TX is not the priciest housing market. Of the homes that sold in the last year (2017), the median price point was an affordable $117,000. The most expensive Copperas Cove property to sell in 2017 sold for $489,900, a newly built 3111 square foot home by Tom Lancaster […]
10 Biggest Home Buying Myths in Fort Hood, TX
Even as a full time agent I have to work overtime to keep up on our market trends, industry news and learning from new experiences. The learning curve is steep in real estate, and it is not surprising that buyers have a lot of misconceptions about the process and what to expect.
Here are a few myths – some true, some not – about buying a home in the Fort Hood area.
The Best Property Management Companies in the Fort Hood Area
Takeaways Start your property manager hunt early – before you even buy a home. They can advise you on whether it would make a good rental or not. Interview multiple property managers when selecting Don’t manage it yourself. That is active income, not passive income. Budget for a manager now. Companies Okay – so I am […]
When to List Your Home Higher Than the Market Value
Most Expensive Homes For Rent in the Fort Hood, TX Area
Live On-Post or Off-Post at Fort Hood, TX
6 Unusual Ways to Sell Your Home
Takeaways There’s a strategy for every home seller’s situation, some using a Realtor and some not! Talk first with a Realtor so you know all your options, and the pros and cons for your situation With a Realtor All the below strategies have everything in common with a normal listing – putting them on the […]
7 Merriest Things To Do Around Fort Hood For Christmas
Choosing a Price for Your Home
Updated 11/20/16, originally published 8/8/15 Takeaways List your home as close to the fair market value as possible Tax assessments, appraisals and even the listing price is not the same as your home’s value Your agent will provide you neighborhood sales data to demonstrate your home’s value What the Price is NOT There are many different […]
Budgeting Your BAH in Fort Hood, TX
Updated 2/22/18; Originally published 10/27/16 Takeaways Budget from monthly payment, not home price. Don’t forget to also budget for utilities, and maintenance costs when buying. A local recommended lender is your best point of contact for current rates, preapproval and more. Not interested in the hit or miss on post housing? Curious about buying instead […]
Everything You Need To Know About the VA Loan
Takeaways Are you eligible for the VA loan? Use it! Advantages / Pros The VA loan boasts numerous advantages to those who are eligible. The main advantages are the 0% down payments and lower interest rates compared to alternatives. VA loans also don’t require mortgage insurance, which can add $100 or so to a monthly […]
The Central Texas MLS is Here: What I Learned at the 2016 Texas Realtor Conference
The Texas Realtor Convention is an annual four day get together for the Realtor crowd and people who work with Realtors. The convention usually features a who’s who of the State’s top agents and brokers, and is a chance for the Texas Association of Realtors (TAR) to get some official business done. For the agents, it’s a chance to get learn about other markets, discover new techniques and technologies, earn annual education credits, and spend time on the beach!