By Gina Branch, on March 1st, 2011 Congratulations, you finally have a contract on your house! You have successfully jumped one hurdle, but another big one is headed your way – the home inspection. Some sellers look around and don’t see anything really wrong with their house, so they are quite surprised when they get a huge list of requested repairs as a result of the inspection.
 Licensed from iStockPhoto You and I see our houses every day, but an inspector comes in with a fresh set of eyes trained to look for specific things. While some of these items don’t seem like a big deal, an inspector is required to report them if not in proper working condition. A long list like this may send a message to the buyer that your house has not been well-maintained. Here’s a list of easy fixes you should address before putting your house on the market, and especially before the inspection:
- Replace batteries in all smoke detectors.
- Replace missing or broken switch and outlet cover plates.
- Repair leaky faucets.
- Tighten loose doorknobs.
- Repair or replace outdoor weather stripping.
- Caulk doors and windows at the exterior brick or siding.
- Replace damaged or missing window screens.
- Replace broken window seals in doors and windows.
- Replace burned out light bulbs.
- Secure loose hand and stair railings.
- Patch holes and cracks in walls and ceilings – then repaint.
- Replace heating & A/C filters.
It’s always best to take care of these deferred maintenance items before the house goes on the market. And don’t forget the lawn – curb appeal is extremely important and is the potential buyer’s first impression.
*List provided by The Kissee Home Inspection Team.
By Tom Branch, on March 1st, 2011 I love this time of year in North Texas. The temperatures are mild—crisp in the mornings and warm in the afternoons. As March begins so does Spring. I was reminded this morning when I was outside drinking my coffee and watching the dogs run around the yard looking for bunnies to chase.
As I sipped my coffee, I noted the Bradford Pear trees were just getting ready to bloom. As I took a closer look, I noted a few early blooms glistening in the early morning sun. It was a peaceful moment taking it all in…the smell of the coffee, the sun kissing the blooms, the birds singing.
While I knew that moment would give way to the hustle and bustle of another busy day, I had to sit there and savor the moment. I learned this lesson the hard way as I watched my spouse battle cancer. She survived and both of us look at life differently.
Time is a finite resource. Take a few moments out of your day to look at the beauty around you.
Photo ©2011 Imaged2Sell
By Tom Branch, on February 27th, 2011 We’ve had a number of inquiries about townhomes and condos for lease in Plano, Texas.
While a suburb on the north side of Dallas, Plano is the ninth largest city in the State of Texas with a population of about 260 thousand people. Plano is home to many corporations and has plenty of dining, shopping, and recreational activities.
Plano has easy access to the rest of the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex using the North Dallas Tollway on the west side, the President George Bush Turnpike on the south side, the Sam Rayburn Tollway on the north side, and Central Expressway on the east side. DART’s Red Line offers light rail access to much of the greater Dallas area.
Rental and lease homes are plentiful. However, townhomes and condominiums are in limited supply.
Townhomes and condos began to be built in Plano over the last decade and are concentrated on the northwest side of the city although there has been some new construction in the old part of Plano near DART’s Downtown Plano Station.
You can search for leases and rental in Plano using the links below:
Single Family Homes For Lease in Plano TX
Townhomes and Condos For Lease in Plano TX
Feel free to contact us if you have any questions or want to set up a time to view any of the homes for lease.
Photo ©2010 – Imaged2Sell
By Tom Branch, on February 27th, 2011 We’ve been following this project ever since the sign went up on the 32 acres in west Allen.
 Photo Copyright 2011 – Imaged2Sell We noted that Ashton Woods launched the project website over the weekend. According to the website:
“Ideally situated in Allen, Texas, the master plan for The Preserve in Allen will feature a large centralized lake with fountain offering homeowners waterfront and water view home sites. Residents will enjoy a meandering hike & bike trail that surrounds the water feature. This enclave of 104 front entry home sites is thoughtfully designed around nature. Large mature trees encompass the development with a detailed landscape plan that includes an additional 300 trees and over 11 acres of open space.”
The website URL is www.thepreserveinallen.com. The website contains little information and will be updated as the project continues. We will post updates here as new information becomes available.
Read more about The Preserve in Allen.
New Home Rebate
Purchase a new home through us and we'll help you with your closing costs! We'll give you a credit of 1.5% of the price of the home at closing to use towards your closing costs.
Click here for our New Home Rebates page.
By Gina Branch, on February 25th, 2011 Good news for David Weekley fans. The home builder will be coming to the master planned community of Village Park in March, 2011. Residents enjoy the community pool, walking trails, and the exemplary Allen Independent School District. David Weekley is America’s largest privately held home builder, and their homes are often recognized by the covered porches we enjoy so much in Texas.
Village Park is just north of the Sam Rayburn Tollway (Highway 121) and borders Allen, Texas with easy access to I-75 and the Dallas North Tollway. Nearby retail and dining include historic downtown McKinney, The Shops at Fairview, and the Allen Outlet Mall.
Search for Homes For Sale in Village Park McKinney TX.
New Home Rebate
Purchase a new home through us and we'll help you with your closing costs! We'll give you a credit of 1.5% of the price of the home at closing to use towards your closing costs.
Click here for our New Home Rebates page.
By Tom Branch, on February 25th, 2011 I recently was speaking with a potential client. She owns a condo in the area and was planning on selling it. She was worried that the title company that had issued the title policy had “insured around” a lien.
 Base Photo Licensed from ShutterStock I’d never heard of it so I placed a call to Renee Graham with Preston Title in Plano, Texas. Renee has been around “forever” and is my “go to” person for title related questions.
“Insuring Around” occurs when a lien is found on the title work, the lien holder cannot be found, and the title company believes the lien has been or should have been released. Basically, they can decide to insure the title and even though the lien cannot be released, they agree to insure the policy holder against any claims brought by that lien holder. Renee told me that this is not often done because the title company assumes all the risk. On a subsequent sale, the title company issuing the new title policy will hold the original title company liable for any future claims.
While “Insuring Around” is not common, it is acceptable and the policy holder and future policy holders are insured against claims brought by the “insured around” lien holder.
By Gina Branch, on February 23rd, 2011 Star Creek in Allen, Texas is a beautiful master planned community featuring some of the area’s best builders including Highland Homes. Highland is now pre-selling Phase 4, the final section of 50’ home sites in Star Creek.
This is prime time for buyers to get their first choice of lot selection. It’s also the last chance to get into this community at this price point. Homes in Phase 4 start in the upper $200s. Star Creek is zoned to the exemplary Allen Independent School District and is conveniently located just west of Central Expressway. This highly sought-after neighborhood is near the Allen Outlet Mall and the newest dining and retail at the Shops at Allen and Fairview.
The focal point of Star Creek is a large lake and fountain at the entrance to the community. There is also a community pool, hike and bike trails, and wooded creek lots. Highland Homes is pre-selling Phase 4 on a first-come first-serve basis, so move quickly to reserve your new home in Star Creek.
Search for Homes in Star Creek in Allen Texas.
New Home Rebate
Purchase a new home through us and we'll help you with your closing costs! We'll give you a credit of 1.5% of the price of the home at closing to use towards your closing costs.
Click here for our New Home Rebates page.
|
|
Comments are closed 
You must be logged in to post a comment.