We've just uploaded an easy-to-read version of the TEA's Accountability Ratings published earlier this month. You can download it here.
1. Paint the house.
Hands down, the most commonly offered curb appeal advice from our real estate
pros and appraisers is to give the exterior of your home a good paint job.
Just make sure you stay within the range of accepted colors for your neighborhood!
2. Have the house washed.
Before you make the investment in a paint job, though, take a good look at the
house. If it's got mildew or general grunge, just washing the house
could make a world of difference.
Use pressure washing and have it done by a professional.
Pressure washing makes the house look bright and clean in addition to getting
rid of unsightly things like cobwebs that detract from the home's cleanliness when seen up close.
The cost to have a professional cleaning should be a few hundred dollars - a
fraction of the cost of having the house painted.
3. Trim the shrubs and green up the yard.
Trim the shrubs, or even cut down overgrown bushes and replacing them with leafy
plants and annuals mulched with beautiful reddish-brown bark.
You also don't want bare spots. Fertilize the yard, throw out some
grass seed, and if need be, add some sod.
4. Add a splash of color.
It could be a flower bed of annuals by the mailbox, a paint job for the front
door, or a brightly colored bench. Get a cute
little bench at Home Depot and spray paint it bright red
or blue and set it in the yard or on the front porch.
5. Add a fancy mailbox and house numbers.
An upscale mail box and architectural house numbers or an address plaque can
give your house a distinctive look that stands out from everyone else on the
block.
6. Repair or clean the roof.
You can pay for roof repairs now, or pay for them later in a lower appraisal;
appraisers will mark down the value by the cost of the repair.
Stains and plant matter, such as moss, can be handled with cleaning. It's a job
that can often be done in a day for a few hundred dollars, and makes the roof
look like new. It's not a DIY project; call a professional with the right tools
to clean it without damaging it.
7. Fix the fence.
I see lots of damaged fences that just give a terrible first impression.
Replace missing boards, clean and restain a wooden fence.
8. Perform routine exterior maintenance and cleaning.
Nothing sets off subconscious alarms like hanging gutters,
missing bricks from the front steps, or lawn tools rusting in the bushes.
Have rotting or pest-damaged exterior trim repaired and repainted.
Interesting article at ABCNews describing how the lending laws in Texas helped save us from the worst excesses of the bust: http://bit.ly/bLWbXC
Great article in US News & World Report about ways to fix up your house. I'm not sure that you'll get a lot more money, but these ideas will help you sell faster!
Quick summary:
- Improve first impressions.
- Clean up the landscaping.
- Paint the interior.
- Refurbish the floors.
- Take care of the big problems.
- Buy a service contract.
- Improve energy efficiency.
- Update light fixtures.
- Buy a stove.
- Tidy up the bathrooms.
Initial construction of the long awaited DFW Connector Project is slated to begin the week of February 15th. Crews will start installing signage on Monday, January 25th. There will also be some lane closures next week and reductions in the speed limit. You might want to bookmark this website for use in the future:
http://www.dfwconnector.com
There isn't a lot of information there yet, but more should be added soon.
Also, there is going to be an information Open House on Wednesday, February 17th from 4-8 p.m. with a formal presentation at 6:30 p.m. It will be held at the Grapevine Convention Center at 1209 S. Main Street. I'm planning on going.
http://www.dfwconnector.com
There isn't a lot of information there yet, but more should be added soon.
Also, there is going to be an information Open House on Wednesday, February 17th from 4-8 p.m. with a formal presentation at 6:30 p.m. It will be held at the Grapevine Convention Center at 1209 S. Main Street. I'm planning on going.
FHA loans have been a huge factor in the real estate market ever since the financial meltdown. Today they announced that they are toughening the rules on mortgage insurance, credit score, and seller concessions. Full details are in the FHA press release at http://bit.ly/6aYn8X.
The 2009 school ratings have just been released. I have prepared a report showing district and campus results for the districts in the area. You can download the pdf report at cindyruppert.com/Accountability2009.pdf.
The only major change in the area was the Keller ISD dropping from Recognized to Academically Acceptable. The district is challenging this rating, which was caused by just barely missing the required completion rate for economically disadvantaged students. The district claims that two students were misclassified as drop-outs. If the TEA changes the status of either of those students, the district will be Recognized.
For those new to the area, Southlake is mostly in the Carroll ISD, Flower Mound is in the Lewisville ISD, and Trophy Club is in the Northwest ISD. A big piece of far north Fort Worth is in the Keller ISD.
Call if you have any questions!
The only major change in the area was the Keller ISD dropping from Recognized to Academically Acceptable. The district is challenging this rating, which was caused by just barely missing the required completion rate for economically disadvantaged students. The district claims that two students were misclassified as drop-outs. If the TEA changes the status of either of those students, the district will be Recognized.
For those new to the area, Southlake is mostly in the Carroll ISD, Flower Mound is in the Lewisville ISD, and Trophy Club is in the Northwest ISD. A big piece of far north Fort Worth is in the Keller ISD.
Call if you have any questions!
Fort Worth City Magazine has a great piece in the July edition about real estate. It gives a very accurate (I believe) evaluation of our current local real estate market. It has also selected this year's "Great 8" Places to live in Tarrant County. Both Southlake and Keller made it to the list!
I think you will enjoy reading the whole piece. Find it here: http://tiny.cc/DJCzC
I think you will enjoy reading the whole piece. Find it here: http://tiny.cc/DJCzC
Applying for a mortgage is an integral part the home buying experience. I encourage all of my buyers to get preapproved for a loan as early in the process as possible. However, be aware that there is a hazard connected with this process. When you apply for a home loan, the credit bureaus often flag your file and then sell your personal information to the highest bidder: normally mortgage companies, some of which are not the most reputable. This information can include addresses, phone numbers, mortgage history and even FICO scores. You will then be barraged with phone calls and mail offers from these mortgage companies. At present, there is nothing illegal about this process, but there is a way that you can protect yourself and your informaton. Prior to starting the loan process, visit www.optoutprescreen.com; you can opt out of the process up front and avoid the whole problem. I encourage you to do so.
Here are the sales numbers for the first half of this year versus the first half of 2008. As we saw in the first quarter, there was a significant drop in the number of homes sold in most areas. Prices are are fairly stable. And as we saw in the first quarter, days on market are up for the more expensive areas and down for the less expensive.
Now that the busiest part of the year is over, I'll be looking to see if there is price erosion as the owners of homes that did not sell decide what to do. I've seen some folks take their homes off the market and wait until next year, and I've seen others cutting their price because they need to sell.
Note: All Information is from North Texas Real Estate Information System (NTREIS) and is believed but not guaranteed to be accurate.
Now that the busiest part of the year is over, I'll be looking to see if there is price erosion as the owners of homes that did not sell decide what to do. I've seen some folks take their homes off the market and wait until next year, and I've seen others cutting their price because they need to sell.
| City | # of Sales | % Change vs. Prior Year | Avg Sales Price | % Change vs. Prior Year | Median Price | % Change vs. Prior Year | Avg Days on Market | % Change vs. Prior Year |
| Bedford | 206 | -25% | $171,856 | 0% | $154,350 | -6% | 55 | -20% |
| Colleyville | 135 | -34% | $504,467 | 3% | $420,000 | 2% | 90 | 17% |
| Denton County Southeast | 1,450 | -24% | $234,302 | -2% | $190,000 | -2% | 71 | 0% |
| Euless | 170 | -23% | $157,549 | 0% | $153,500 | 0% | 63 | 5% |
| North Central Tarrant | 758 | -28% | $153,515 | -4% | $145,450 | -2% | 74 | -4% |
| Grapevine | 170 | -40% | $252,896 | 2% | $237,400 | 0% | 58 | 14% |
| Hurst | 209 | -26% | $137,111 | -8% | $132,000 | -4% | 60 | -42% |
| Keller | 307 | -26% | $311,991 | -5% | $289,300 | 3% | 88 | 7% |
| N Richland Hills / Richland Hills | 301 | -21% | $166,683 | 2% | $136,250 | 5% | 75 | 10% |
| Roanoke | 86 | -1% | $161,405 | -6% | $146,000 | -9% | 74 | -13% |
| Southlake | 183 | -28% | $615,855 | 0% | $503,500 | -6% | 97 | 45% |
| Trophy Club / Westlake | 74 | -6% | $442,555 | -11% | $287,500 | 9% | 102 | 26% |
| Watauga | 143 | -15% | $97,248 | -4% | $95,000 | -5% | 56 | -14% |
Note: All Information is from North Texas Real Estate Information System (NTREIS) and is believed but not guaranteed to be accurate.
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