Buyers: What Makes a Good-Value Home Today?

Thanks in part to changing demographics combined with the economic downturn, a major move to get back to the basics is a hot trend in today’s real estate market.

For those seeking maximum value at a minimum price, keep these essentials in mind.

Bigger Isn’t Better: Bigger spaces are associated with higher utility bills, increased property taxes, expensive insurance and even more maintenance concerns. Instead of picking the largest house you can afford, search for the one with the amenities that your family will truly use.

Good Neighbors in Great Hoods: Friends, family and wonderful neighborhoods are major attractions. In fact, research shows that homes located in top-rated school districts routinely fetch 10% or more than do similar-sized homes in less desirable districts. Family-oriented neighborhoods with parks and other amenities are highly desirable, while empty-nesters can save thousands by searching for similar homes outside of popular school districts.

Fruit Trees and Gardening Are a Big Trend: Throughout the nation, high-maintenance lawns are giving way to eco-friendly (and budget-happy) gardens, fruit trees and other down-to-earth activities. Ask about HOA restrictions and the cost of water bills prior to buying with the intent of starting a garden.

Going Green Is Bigger Than Ever: From energy-efficient appliances to environmentally friendly building materials, green is not only “in” but bigger and better than ever. Save thousands of dollars by searching for homes that have already implemented upgrades like LED lighting and Energy Star appliances.

Entertaining: As the economic excess of recent years continues to drive down the market, people are interested in entertaining, exercising and even eating at home more. Focus on properties that support your interests and lifestyle for today and tomorrow. Remember, the average person remains in a home for seven years, so buy right to make sure that your next house truly feels like home.

Wondering How Much Your Home Is Worth?

How has the price of your home changed in today’s market? How much are other homes in your neighborhood selling for?

If you're wondering what's happening to prices in your area, or you're thinking about selling your house, I'll be able to help. Just give my office a call for a no-fuss, professional evaluation. I won't try to push you into listing with me or waste your time.

I'll just give you the honest facts about your home and its value. And maybe I'll also give you the "inside scoop" on what's happening in the housing market near where you live!

August: Worth Quoting

Nintendo, now famous for computer games, was founded back in September 1889. Here are some quotes about games:

"Games lubricate the body and the mind." Benjamin Franklin

"Computer games don’t affect kids, I mean if Pac Man affected us as kids, we’d all be running around in darkened rooms, munching pills and listening to repetitive music." Marcus Brigstocke

"Never play cat and mouse games if you’re a mouse." Don Addis

"Life, like all other games, becomes fun when one realizes that it’s just a game." Nerijus Stasiulis

"It should be noted that the games of children are not games, and must be considered as their most serious actions." Michel de Montaigne

August: Did You Know?

How good is your science knowledge? (Answers below)

1. What was the first disease conquered by human beings?
2. Which explorers’ destination does not have land beneath?
3. To which body part does the term “brachial” refer?
4. What does pH measure the concentration of?
5. By heating limestone and clay and then grinding them into a fine powder, you are making a typical:

(Answers: 1. Smallpox 2. The North Pole 3. Arms 4. Hydrogen ions 5. Hydraulic cement)

Sellers: The Secret to Making Buyers ‘Belong’ in Your Home

It’s only natural for your home to reflect your personal style, but when it comes time to sell, what makes a house a home becomes a major hindrance. Learn how to depersonalize your home in order to obtain the best price.

Go Neutral: Unless your favorite color scheme is completely neutral, it’s time to get out the paint and restore the color to something less noticeable. Eggshell, white tones and beige are good options.

Don’t forget the other senses, in addition to color, make sure that the smell of your home is also neutral. Never assume that what you find pleasant smelling will appeal to others. Instead, have your home professionally cleaned using an enzymatic treatment that neutralizes all odors, including heavy perfumes and deodorizers.

Minimize: Eliminate all unnecessary furniture, belongings and clutter as much as possible prior to photographing and showing the home. Not only does it allow people to see the property more clearly, but it helps break down the mental and physical barrier separating buyers from seeing the house as their own.

Highlight the Home: Never showcase personal belongings, instead, highlight the home itself. Tour the house room by room to discover the essence of each area. Create a beautiful view, ambient lighting or other inviting scenario that attracts visitors without overwhelming them. Eliminate distractions that identify the home as belonging to you while allowing them to see themselves living in the house.

4 Smart Ways to Get the Most from Your Credit Card

Credit cards are more than just convenient; for most people they are a necessity, especially when traveling or in the event of an emergency. However, tighter credit standards and rising interest rates are beginning to take a toll. Learn how to use credit cards wisely to save big and keep the flexibility you need.

1.    Simplify Your Life. Credit cards are a great way to keep track of expenses each month. Simply open a card for business-related costs and another for personal items. At the end of the year it’s easier than ever to tally the total cost of deductions.

2.    Go Prepaid. Send a prepaid card with your teen or college student to help make sure that he or she has access to emergency cash without the worry of running over the limit.

3.    Compare Points. Credit card points can add up to big perks, even for those who pay in full every month. You might be surprised by how quickly you qualify for everything from gift cards to movie tickets or even a free vacation simply by charging routine items like groceries and gasoline. Pay in full as usual and then pocket the perks!

4.    Don’t Fill Your Card Up. Many credit card companies are cutting back on credit lines, so it’s a good idea to leave a little extra wiggle room just in case. Credit scores should reflect a low debt-to-income ratio to ensure that you qualify for the best rates.

Enjoy the Best of Health with These ‘Secret’ Superfoods

Superfoods are hugely popular, but for those searching for the biggest bang for their buck, they simply can’t do much better than these delicious yet healthy selections. Although less well known, the following provide enough essential vitamins, minerals and other nutrients to enhance your daily intake for a fraction of the cost.

Chia Seeds: Rich in calcium, iron and protein, Chia seeds are also one of the few non-fish sources of omega fatty acids, making them the perfect solution for vegetarians or those allergic to fish.

Maca Powder: Used to enhance libido and aid in healing, maca powder has long been used in South America. Modern scientists confirm the presence of four alkaloids that directly affect the endocrine system and boost metabolism.

Hemp Seeds: A distant relative of marijuana, hemp has been cultivated for thousands of years. Packed full of protein, essential fatty acids, magnesium, iron, zinc, potassium and dietary fiber, hemp provides a powerhouse of nutrition when sprinkled into drinks or other foods.

Flaxseeds: An oldie but a goodie, flaxseeds have been all but forgotten; a big mistake, considering that flax is so high in lignans, fiber and essential amino acids. Originally cultivated by the ancient Egyptians, flaxseeds enhance the body’s ability to digest and absorb vitamins and minerals.

Camu Camu Powder: Containing more vitamin C than any other food product in the world, the camu camu plant is also an excellent source of beta-carotene, potassium, thiamine, leucine and valine.

Clean-Burning Garbage Trucks

The city of San Antonio has a new fleet of compressed natural gas (CNG) garbage trucks.

Aided by federal and state grants, the city purchased 30 CNG-powered trucks in September 2008, says Salvador Ytuarte, district manager for the Northeast service center in San Antonio.

“We were looking to try and clean up the city,” Ytuarte says.

CNG garbage trucks cost about $32,000 more than diesel trucks, but the city saves about 70 cents per gallon in fuel costs.

City officials are awaiting results from a survey by Texas A&M University on whether the new trucks have helped improve the city’s environment.

For more information, contact San Antonio’s Solid Waste Management Department, (210) 207-6428.

Real Estate Center Online News
July 24, 2009
Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Material herein is published according to the fair-use doctrine of U.S. copyright laws related to non-profit, educational institutions. Items attributed to sources other than the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University should not be reprinted without permission of the original source.

TEXAS ECONOMY FEELING RECESSION, STILL STRONGER THAN NATION'S

COLLEGE STATION (Real Estate Center) – The Texas economy is in a deep recession but is still weathering the downturn better than the nation’s economy. The state’s economy lost 274,600 jobs from June 2008 to June 2009, an annual job loss of 2.6 percent. Over the same period, the U.S. economy lost more than 5.8 million jobs or 4.2 percent of its total nonfarm jobs.

The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose from 4.8 percent in June 2008 to 7.5 percent in June 2009. The U.S. rate rose from 5.6 percent to 9.5 percent during that time.

Only two Texas industries (education and health services and leisure and hospitality) and the government sector had more jobs in June 2009 than in June 2008. Nine industries had net job losses over the same period.

Only three Texas metro areas had positive employment growth rates from June 2008 to June 2009. Twenty-three metro areas had net job losses. Odessa ranked first in job creation followed by Killeen–Temple–Fort Hood and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission.

The state’s actual unemployment rate in June 2009 was 8 percent. Amarillo had the lowest unemployment rate followed by Lubbock, Midland, Abilene and Texarkana.

The complete Texas monthly economic review is available on the Real Estate Center's website.

Mission Realty Sudoku (Julio-Agosto 2009)

Cumpleaños Para Recordar

William Strunk, quien nació el 1° de julio de 1869, es famoso por ser el autor de la guía de uso del inglés llamada "Los elementos del estilo". Comenzó siendo una guía para sus estudiantes, pero las ediciones subsiguientes continuaron vendiendo 10 millones de copias por todo el mundo.

Ralph Hancock, quien nació el 2 de Julio de 1893, fue un diseñador de jardines muy famoso por su trabajo en los jardines del techo del Rockefeller Center en Nueva York. Unas 3.000 toneladas de tierra y unas 500 toneladas de ladrillos fueron subidas al 11° piso para construir el jardin.

Akhtar Hameed Khan, quien nació el 15 de Julio de 1914, se le atribuye el haber sido el precursor de proyectos de microfinanzas y microcréditos que fomentar el desarrollo rural en las partes más pobres del mundo.