We had fallen behind in keeping our sales data updated - it now reflects all of 2011. Click here to check it out!
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Some highlights from the November 2011 report:
- Government job losses are slowing Texas' employment growth, but the state's private sector continues to create jobs, offsetting government job losses.
- Texas created 15.4% of total jobs in the US from October 2010 to October 2011
- Non-farm jobs grew by 2.2% in Texas compared to 1.2% for the United States.
- Private sector growth was 3.4% vs. 1.7% for the nation.
Here is the first of many charts in the report:
Out of 26 Texas Metropolitan Areas, the Fort Worth-Arlington area ranked #11 in employment growth and the Dallas-Plano-Irving area ranked #13. Click on the link at the top of this page for information, charts, and graphs about other areas and specific industries.
Interest rates are at an historic low. Now may be the time to make that home purchase. Picking a neighborhood that fits your lifestyle and desires is
an important part of the homebuying process. It can be challenging, though ...
there are so many things to consider.
For a lot of people, quality schools top the list of desirable neighborhood amenities. It may surprise you that being in an area with good schools is important even for people without children because good schools mean a higher resale value. You will find the most recent Texas State Evaluation Agency's rating of our local schools on my homepage.
As unpleasant as it may be, the crime statistics of an area are important, too. Take your time and do your research on this one ... there are plenty of resources out there, including local law enforcement resources, Web sites, even neighborhood Internet groups.
You may also want to consider transportation issues, such as how living in an area is going to affect your day-to-day errands, your commute, and the ease of access to public transportation and major thoroughfares.
Some people want to be in close proximity to healthcare facilities. Others find that having quick access to shopping centers or their favorite grocery store or restaurants is a top priority. Still others may value features such as public pools and parks, access to bike routes and jogging and walking trails; others crave a lake view.
The point is that everyone's list will be different. The key is to find a neighborhood that scores well in areas you deem important. That's a good place to focus your search efforts.
If you're able to find everything you're looking for in a neighborhood, good for you! However, if you're like many people, you may have to make some sacrifices. A neighborhood you're considering may score well on most of your checklist but not meet every single one of your criteria. That's when you have to decide if one missing attribute can be offset by the presence of another.
When you are ready to begin this important search, please call me. I will help you work through the choices so that you can find the neighborhood best for your family.
For the first time ever, 30-year fixed-rate mortgages fell below 4 percent, Freddie Mac reported in its weekly mortgage market survey.
In the last month mortgage rates have continued to set new weekly record lows, but the 30-year mortgages' latest drop below 4 percent may be an important threshold for potential buyers. The 30-year mortgage is the most popular financing option of buyers.
Mortgage rates are expected to stay well-below 5 percent through 2013, Fannie Mae economists are projecting. Home buyers taking out loans for purchase is expected to more than double in the next two years too, Inman News reports.
Rates have continued to free-fall as concerns over a global recession grows, Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac's chief economist, said in a statement.
Here's a closer look at rates for the week ending Oct. 6.
- 30-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 3.94 percent this week, down from last week's previous record low of 4.01 percent. A year ago at this time, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 4.27 percent.
- 15-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 3.26 percent, another all-time low. This is the sixth-consecutive week the 15-year mortgage has posted new average record lows. Last week, 15-year rates averaged 3.28 percent. Last year at this time, 15-year rates averaged 3.72 percent.
- 5-year adjustable-rate mortgages: averaged 2.96 percent this week, dropping from last week's 3.02 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 3.47 percent.
- 1-year ARMs: averaged 2.95 percent, the only mortgage rate to move up last week. Last week, the 1-year ARM averaged 2.83 percent. A year ago, the 1-year ARM averaged 3.40 percent.
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine Daily News
Ebby Halliday REALTORS(r) was just named the Readers Choice Winner for "Favorite Local Real Estate Company" by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram!
Ebby's Southlake office, where I am an associate, is in the heart of Northeast Tarrant County and is filled with some of Real Estate's finest, most professional agents. I am delighted to be associated with this terrific organization and wonderful group of individuals.
Here's an interesting article that talks about the traits of upgrades that can lose you money. Real estate agents see way too many of these. I always advise folks that if they are going to make major upgrades, do the things that are going to be of value to THEM while they live there; do NOT expect to get the full cost back at time of resell. And the piece is right about two other things: some homes are so personalized that they are unattractive to much of the buying public; others have been so over-improved for the neighborhood that they are almost unsalable unless the owner is ready and able to give away much of the cost of the improvements.
If you are getting ready to sell and think you need to do some upgrades, be sure to give me a call first for some tips on what to do and what to avoid!
I am pleased to have been named by D Magazine as one of The Best Real Estate Agents in Dallas for the third year in a row. I am so thankful to my clients and the real estate colleagues who continue to give me so much support.
I would be honored to be your real estate professional. Feel free to call if you have any questions about real estate or would like to chat! 817-707-8794
We've just added a one page PDF flyer for every listing on CindyRuppert.com. The flyer shows the first three photos in the MLS, the description, and all of the most important features of the home.
Since we have over 2,000 listings on the site, it is not possible for us to look at each flyer. If you see one that looks wrong, please let us know!
Enjoy!
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
