General Real Estate

Found 28 blog entries about General Real Estate.

When you hire a real estate agent to help you with the sell of your home, you will likely need to find a location for a lockbox on the outside of your home.  Utilizing a lockbox is an important component of the selling process, as keys to your home and other locked areas of your property are contained within the lockbox.  By keeping these items inside of the lockbox, the Realtor can easily access your home when it comes time to show it to a potential buyer.

Using Lockboxes to Reach More Buyers

In addition to the fact that the lockbox makes it easier for your Realtor to access your property, it also makes it possible for other agents to gain access to your home.  Unless you have specifically requested to work exclusively with just one agency, your

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When you move out of a home to a new residence, there are several things you need to do in order to prepare the home you are moving from.  Unless the new owners are going to be moving in as soon as you move out, one of the things you will need to do is prepare the house for being empty.  For example, you need to make sure all of the water is turned off in the home and that all of your appliances are turned off.

Since the home will be left alone for a period of time, you also need to make sure all of the windows and doors are locked before you leave.  Although there are likely no belongings inside of the home, you still need to keep it securely locked up in order to prevent vandalism or other damage to occur to the home.

Of course, there are things you…
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Since you will most likely need a loan in order to purchase your dream home, you might want to consider getting pre-qualified beforehand.  By getting pre-qualified for your home loan, the lender will be able to verify whether or not your credit is solid as well as the price range you can comfortably pay for a home.  In addition to these perks, there are several other benefits to getting pre-qualified for a loan.

Save Time and Rest Easy

One of the perks to getting pre-qualified for a loan is the fact that you have a clear idea of how much you can afford and you can rest easy knowing that you will be able to acquire a loan once you find the perfect home.  In addition, since you know how much you can truly afford for the home, you won’t waste time

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When purchasing or selling property in the state of Texas, there are two key laws that you must be aware of:  Community Property Laws and the Homestead Law in Texas.  Becoming knowledgeable about these laws is important in order to keep yourself protected.

Community Property Laws

According to Community Property Laws, any property that is acquired during a marriage is the property of both partners.  The only exception to this rule is if either spouse has property that is defined as “separate property.”  In order to be considered separate property, the property has to have been claimed by one of the spouses before the marriage.  Or, if it is acquired after marriage, it can be considered separate property if it is acquired as “by gift, devise or descent.”

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When you move to close on the home you are considering buying, there are many different inspections that the home will need to undergo before the purchase can be finalized.  While all of these inspections serve to help keep you better protected, they also protect the mortgage lender because it helps to insure that the home is a good investment that is worthy of a loan.  Therefore, you will likely be required to have these inspections completed before the lender will allow you to close on the deal.

Testing for Asbestos

If your home has been recently constructed, asbestos testing won’t be necessary because it was no longer used in homes after its dangers were recognized.  If you are purchasing an older home, however, you will have to have it inspected

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Once you have found the home of your dreams, you certainly want everything to go smoothly at closing time.  After all, you do don’t want anything else to stand between you and receiving those keys to your new home!  Therefore, in order to make sure the closing process goes smoothly, be certain to follow these simple tips.

Bring the Right Paperwork

Although much of the paperwork will be brought to you at the time of the closing, there are certain documents that you will need to bring with you.  One of these documents is the termite certification demonstrating that the home is free of termites. 

Before the actual closing day, you will need to provide additional documents.  For example, you will also need to bring any bills that you have acquired for

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When you pick a home inspector, you want to make sure to select someone that you can trust to give you an honest and thorough assessment of your home.  Whether you are the seller or the buyer, it is important to know precisely the shape the home is in.  That way, you can properly negotiate any repairs that may be needed. 

When you comb through all of the available home inspectors that are available to you in the Austin area, there are several factors you should look into and many questions you should ask.  Some of these questions include:

  • How many years of experience do you have with working as a home inspector?
  • How many inspections do you perform each year?
  • Is inspecting your only business or do you do it as a side
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When purchasing a home in Texas, you will need to look into obtaining title insurance.  With this type of insurance, you form a contract with a title company as determined by the Texas Department of Insurance.  Before making your purchase, it is important to understand how title insurance works and the type of title insurance you will need.

The Owner’s Policy of Title Insurance

One form of title insurance you will need to obtain is the Owner’s Policy of Title Insurance.  This insurance is actually issued to you and provides you with protection against specific title risks.  Some of these risks include:

  • Clerical Mistakes
  • Defective Acknowledgement on Documents
  • Delinquent Taxes
  • Forgery
  • Fraud
  • Illegal
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Now that you have bought your dream home, it is time to take steps to start personalizing the house and making it a place that you can truly call home.  Luckily, there are many things that you can do to make your home more personal. Some of these changes can be a bit costly, while others won’t cost you much at all. 

Painting the Walls

Most homeowners looking to sell their home paint the walls in a neutral color in order to make the home more appealing to potential buyers.  You can keep the walls this natural color if that appeals to you, but adding a bit of color to your walls can help you with creating a home that reflects your personal tastes.  Have fun with color and don’t be afraid to go a little wild.  After all, you can always paint them again if

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Now that you are ready to sell your home you need guidance from a real estate professional.  The question is: how do you choose the right agent for you?

Real estate agents and brokers must be licensed by the state in which they work.  Each state has minimum standards for education and exams which must be met by real estate professionals.  After the license is obtained, most agents and brokers join the National Association of Realtors which has a code of ethics that must be followed by its members. 

Many people ask for referrals from family, friends or co-workers who have recently bought or sold a home if they were satisfied with the service provided by their agent.  If they would recommend this real estate professional or use them again in another

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