An Important Tool

There is an indispensable tool I have discovered for the home and office - the spiral notebook!

I know, I know it seems odd - but my spiral notebook is an amazing help. I had used it tirelessly last year, but when it was full I decided to break free and go it alone. My desk soon became a clutter of post-it notes, notes scribbled on the back of receipts and any item that had a blank back. In cleaning out a cabinet I came across a new, pristine spiral notebook and I have now welcomed it back.

So what is the benefit of a spiral notebook and why in the world is it mentioned in a blog about Real Estate? Well if there is one thing that a Real Estate transaction can do its create notes and reminders and memos and phone calls and...... Here's my list of benefits:

1. It is easy to find - especially if you buy one with a bright cover. Ever lost a note? - it's harder to loose a whole notebook


2. You can't accidentally throw it away. (Okay maybe you could, but then your life is probably going crazy if you throw away a notebook) Sticky notes are by nature sticky - meaning they can stick to things and end up in the trash


3. It is easy to refer back to - make notes when you are on the phone, or remember something important. It is a bit of your brain on paper. Amazingly I sometimes can't remember exactly what was said but I remember where I wrote it


4. It looks a lot neater than a bunch of pieces of paper on your desk

How do you use a spiral notebook? While I'm sure you will find your own style, this is what I do:

1. Use one side for a continual "to-do" list. This comes in handy especially when you are involved in a Real Estate transactions. Add and cross items off until the page is unrecognizable, then flip to the next clean page and rewrite those items not done.


2. Start at the other end and write notes on the back of the pages. This can be ideas you thought of; conversations with contractors, vendors etc. Make sure to date each item to help you decipher it in the future. This also helps when you have to make another call and say on "this date you said" - that helps things spring into action.

And yes, I know Outlook and other programs have "to do" lists, and I can keep notes there (and I do), but there is something satisfying about scratching an item off a list AND you can't doodle in note taking programs....and that's half the fun!

First Time Home Buyers - Look for a home now!

"RISMEDIA, September 15, 2009—First-time home buyers have just 12 weeks to find and close on a home to qualify for the $8,000 Federal tax credit before the November 30th deadline. Those just beginning the process will have to beat the average time it takes to buy a home, a challenge smart buyers can meet even though it’s taking longer today to close most transactions. Read more: http://rismedia.com/2009-09-14/first-time-buyers-race-to-beat-the-clock-qualify-for-8000-federal-tax-credit/#ixzz0RB8IEVO5"

So you want to buy a house, you want the tax credit, but you don't know where to start?

Well the first thing is to start by contacting a Realtor (me for instance). They can help you determine what you are looking for in a home. Your Realtor can set up your own personalized Client Gateway - this will automatically email you listings in your criteria. It will also update you on what homes are under contract, if there is a price change etc. This also gives you access to a personalized website where you can view homes and make notes. Your Realtor can also show you homes within your criteria - and some outside your parameters - to give you a feel for homes available and help you narrow your list of what is most important.

The next thing you will want to do (and this is right after you find a Realtor) is contact a lender, talk with friends, co-workers, your Realtor to get suggestions. Ask not only what their mortgage rate is, but what fees do they require. Given the time constraints for the First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit, you should also ask their estimated time to close a loan - it does vary and everyone is not the same. When you are approved have them provide you with a pre-approval letter; you will need this when making an offer on a home. Use this time to determine not just how much you are pre-qualified to borrow, but what you can truly afford.

Your part in helping to streamline this process is to make a list of what is important in your new home....what would you like? (square footage, number of bedrooms) what is imperative to have? (number of bathrooms, yard size). To help the loan process along, begin collecting paperwork now! Keep pay stubs, gather current and past bank statements and tax filings. If you think it might be needed for your loan, grab it. Keep everything in an accessible file so when you are asked for any documents, it is handy.

My part is to keep things moving once an offer is accepted. I am in frequent contact with the other agent, Title Company and Loan Company to ensure everything keeps moving.

So let's look for a home!

What is a Home Worth?

Often we think that a home's value is something that can be carefully calculated - certain parameters are put into the equation - you push the button and voila! This is the homes value. It has been my experience that it is much more complicated than that.

We bought our first home when I was pregnant with our twins. We needed a large home, on a small budget, and we needed it before I literally burst. The home we found had almost everything we wanted except it was on a busy street and a total mess inside and out. But with paint, carpet, lots and lots of cleaning, we knew could make it our own. Our Realtor was skeptical of our decision, and apologized he couldn't work the price down lower even lower. It was the right home, at the right time, for the right price for us. Since this home was in California and we sold before prices slid - it was in retrospect a VERY good value.

Fast forward to our next home purchase. We had one weekend to find a home before my husband's job move. We found the perfect home. As all good house hunters do, we looked at the comparatives and came up with a decent offer. Unfortunately someone else had the same idea at the same time and we would have to up our offer. We weighed the value of the home against what we were looking for, how it met our needs, and that losing this home would mean another flight, hotels, rented cars and stress! At the time we had moments of "we paid too much", but in retrospect it was the right home for the right price for us.

In today's market it is important to work with a Realtor who can give you the facts, show you options and give you comparatives. It is then up to you to decide value. What is important to you? What does your family need? Where do you want to live? What factors make this home worth what you are paying?

Of course then the appraiser will give you their opinion of value - but that's a whole new blog!

Green Ideas for Your Home #1

Growing up on the West Coast I learned to live a life of conservation. It was a fact of life: water was a precious commodity; I remember the year of the feared "rolling blackouts" from lack of electricity; and there just wasn't enough land for landfills (and no one wanted a new one built near them). Living a life conserving became the norm.

I remember when we first moved to Texas my question of the previous homeowner was "where are your recycling bins?" I received a very strange look and a response of "we don't really do that here".

Well times have changed and I know many of my fellow Houstonians recycle. Conversation has it's own buzz word now "green". It is a great trend and something you can begin doing in your home almost immediately.

Each week I hope to share a simple GREEN TIP we have used in our home. Many you may already use, but hopefully you will find one that you haven't employed.

GREEN TIP #1 "Ceiling Fans Cool People NOT Rooms". Many homes in Houston and the Clear Lake area have ceiling fans. It is a desirable addition to any home. My home has a fan in each bedroom, the living room and the kitchen. Someday my office will have a ceiling fan (not that I mind the oscillating one I have right now, but it does tend to blow my papers about). The important thing to remember is when you leave the room - turn it off. Tired of seeing a high electric bill? Try this first tip as a first step to lowering it.