Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Value Report The other day I was speaking with a friend, and we were debating whether it was better to invest in a 401(k) or a home. They are both great investments, but one has to be better than the other, right? Let’s take a look at some of the reasons to invest in a home over a 401(k): Your expenses are fixed because your mortgage won’t change.It’s a forced form of savings.There are really great tax advantages. What are three particular disadvantages to investing in a home? You do invest a lot of your assets into a home.You’ll have recurring monthly expenses that you wouldn’t have with other investments.Stress can get in the way - but our team can help! Overall, there are many benefits to homeownership as well as investing in a 401(k). I know people that have spent a little less on a home so that they can save more for retirement. It’s not a bad idea, and perhaps we should discuss this if you’re interested. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me!

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home searchSelling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Value Report Today, we'll discuss tips for selling your home this fall. There are a few things you can do to set yourself up for success. As we go into the fall, you will be competing against more homes due to increased inventory. You will probably also see houses sitting on the market for a bit longer. That doesn't have to be you. First, make sure you stage the house. We can help you stage your home so that when it goes on the market, it competes favorably with all the other homes on the market. Make sure your landscaping is clean and neat, the home is decluttered, and the home looks inviting and spacious. If there are issues in the home, we want to resolve any of those issues that would turn buyers away. We want the house to show as well as it possibly can. Second, you have to price your home well. The number one thing you could do to damage your home sale is overprice your home. If you overprice your house, it will sit on the market longer. Price it realistically in light of what homes are going for in the current market. Finally, you want to make sure your home gets great exposure. A lot of that rests on the real estate agent's shoulders. We put a lot of money into marketing in order to get your home fantastic exposure. We even track which forms of media in marketing get the best results with buyers. That way, we can maximize your home's exposure. We want your house to be the one that everyone's talking about. If you have any questions, give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you!

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home searchSelling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Value Report Buying a home can be very stressful, but it doesn't need to be. In order to help your buying process go as smooth and stress-free as possible, we want to share the three biggest mistakes buyers make so you can try to avoid them. 1. Not being clear on what you want up front A lot of times, people will get into the home search not knowing what they want, and the price range is very broad. This can make narrowing down choices and finding the right home very difficult. The best thing to do when looking for a home is write down your priorities. 2. Not considering resale value Many people go ahead and buy a home they like without thinking about the location and other factors that might negatively affect resale value. This can make for a financially stressful situation down the road. Be mindful of the resale and property values in the area you're thinking about moving to. 3. Not getting a good lender up front This is BY FAR the most important thing to do when buying! We've found that people who go with out of town, corporate lenders often get lost in the numbers. If you go to a strong local lender, you're going to get phenomenal service, competitive rates, and a better overall experience! So, if you plan on buying in the near future, keep these tips in mind! You don't want to make the same mistake many buyers have made before you! If you would like more buying tips or if you need real estate assistance of any kind, don't hesitate to reach out to us. We would love to hear from you!

Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home searchSelling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Value Report Timing your move perfectly is a very tough thing to do. Since many people have to live in their home until they sell, we want to offer some tips on how to make the process go as smooth as possible. The first thing I would encourage people to do is start packing things up now. A lot of people want to hang on to things and pack everything up at the last second, but this only makes the selling process a bit more complicated than it needs to be. Next, I recommend storing, selling, throwing away, or donating things you are not using anymore. If there is stuff you're not using anymore or that you're planning on selling, think about giving it away to a local charity, throwing it out, or selling it. There's simply no reason to hold on to it if you're done with it! The next thing you need to do is get the house looking squeaky clean. It's amazing how big of a difference having a clean house will make when you're selling. It sounds crazy, but having a clean house can literally make a $5,000-$10,000 difference. While the home is on the market, you need to be sure to maintain the privacy and security of the home. Since you're going to be showing the home to strangers, you need to ensure your valuables are secure and put away. Lastly, involve your kids in the process. We've found that families who include their kids in the process are a lot less stressed. Sometimes you can make cleaning up the home before a showing a game or a competition. This won't work for every kid, but there are ways to get your whole family involved in the moving process. If you do it all right, you might not even have to show your home that much before it sells! If you have any questions or if you would like our help, don't hesitate to give me a call or shoot me an email. I would love to hear from you!

Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home searchSelling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Value Report Today, we’ll discuss how to win a bid once you’ve found the perfect house.I’ve received several questions about this topic. "What do I do if I’m in that multiple offer situation and I’m competing against someone else?" In this scenario, the key is to make yourself more desirable to the seller. The seller has to choose between two different offers, so standing out is extremely important. One way to stand out is to pay a lot more money, but no one wants to do that. However, there are alternatives to making yourself stand out.You need to get pre-approved with a lender. This is a must. You must go to a reliable, local lender to review your numbers, such as your income and what liabilities you’ve had. When you send a pre-approval letter to the seller, it gives them the confidence to know that you are a serious buyer. A pre-approval will make the seller feel good about your bid.A larger down payment significantly helps you, too. It gives the seller the same kind of comfort as pre-approval. The seller will see you’re making money and might even think you are more qualified to pursue their house.Have all your paperwork in order. Have all your ducks in a row. If you use our team, that will happen. We make sure to go above and beyond to make sure every single duck is in a row, every I is dotted, and every T is crossed. We assure the paperwork is organized before sending it off. Having paperwork together will help you when negotiating.Forget lowball offers. If you’re in the middle of a negotiating battle, you don’t want to be submitting a lowball offer. The market is heated. There is plenty of inventory available. Houses are selling very close to their list price. Your competition will require you to make a strong offer. You don’t have to bid money over the listing price, but you need to boldly approach an offer.Keep all your contingencies very reasonable. If there are any contingencies, such as appropriate time for inspections or ensuring full approval of your finances, keep them reasonable! We suggest allowing ten days to complete home inspections. If you allocate thirty days to complete an inspection, this prevents a buyer from planning their next steps. Normally, we suggest two to three weeks to obtain a firm approval from their lender before locking into a contract when buying. If we can make sure these five things are in alignment, you’re going to give yourself an excellent opportunity! With these tips, your offer will be accepted. Thank you for checking our video blog. If you have any questions, please contact me at 254-598-4055 or [email protected]. I look forward to checking in with you soon!

Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Value Report Many people ask me, “Are there benefits to joining a homeowners’ association?” There are some pros and cons when it comes to belonging to an HOA, and I’ll go over a few of those today. First of all, one of the biggest pros is that the HOA will provide a consistent feel throughout the neighborhood. If you drive through a neighborhood for the first time and like how everything looks and feels, the HOA protects that experience. In order to do so, there are a few rules about how many cars can be in the driveway, what colors you can paint the house, and things like that. Again, these rules are here to maintain a consistent look and feel throughout the neighborhood. Next, the dues they charge are used to improve the area. The point of those membership fees or dues is to reinvest them into the neighborhood to make it a better place to live. I can think of a couple places in Temple that are putting in swimming pools or parks thanks to the HOA money. Finally, another major benefit is that the homeowners’ association property value. Both of the pros mentioned above contribute to your property value. Some neighborhoods have nicer amenities than others, and if your home is in a good neighborhood that continues to improve thanks to the HOA, you will make more money when the time comes to sell your house. There are a couple of cons to consider. For example, you can’t do whatever you want to your property if you belong to an HOA. Again, there are rules and restrictions to keep the neighborhood consistent. If you don’t want to follow those rules, the HOA might not be for you. Also, it will cost you money. You will have to pay membership fees or dues. The good thing is they go back into the neighborhood, but if you don’t want to have that added cost, you might want to reconsider the HOA. Overall, I think there are extremely strong benefits to belonging to a homeowners’ association. If you have any questions about today’s video, just give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!