Tagged : real estate 
There are currently 46 blog entries matching this tag.
Mortgages Underwater, Housing Recovery Stalled: Bring Out the Bulldozer
Friday, September 23rd, 2011 at 1:46am. 21146 Views, 19 Comments.
In recent months, discussions on the economy have been dominated by two topics: the national deficit and jobs. And rightly so. Mushrooming debt casts a pall on our long-term financial outlook and unemployment is a singular focus for anyone looking for a job. As the economy continues to sputter, though, many economists and analysts are reaching the conclusion that, just as the housing market was at the core of the economic crisis, it is also the key to recovery.
Currently, 1 in 5 mortgages is underwater; with these homeowners often pouring all of their resources into just keeping their homes, they often have little money left to put back into the economy. Foreclosed homes, which in some areas sit in limbo for months or even years, often fall into…
Montrose - One Funky Neighborhood in Houston Texas
Sunday, August 7th, 2011 at 1:42pm. 4092 Views, 4 Comments.
Look at an early picture of Montrose Blvd., circa 1911, and you'll see a grand avenue complete with wide, treed esplanade and sidewalks, freshly carved out of Houston dairy farmland. You'll also see echoes, however faint, of the Montrose we know and (mostly) love today.
When the area we now call Montrose was still being grazed by cows, in the late 19th century, suburbs were starting to come into favor in other cities around the country. New York City, in fact, had had commuters traveling to and from Brooklyn by ferry since the 1850s. But for a young, inland city like Houston - bayous and ship channels notwithstanding - it would take an entirely different mode of transportation to make the suburbs take off. And that happened in 1891, when the electric…
The Montrose Area Whole Foods in Houston Texas - Built to Suit
Tuesday, August 2nd, 2011 at 11:06pm. 4044 Views, 0 Comments.
Judging by all the press the new Whole Foods at 701 Waugh has received, you’d think that the natural and organic foods store has revolutionized grocery shopping. The store not only offers its standard wholesome selections of foods, but its building design and functionality sets it apart from all of its utilitarian carbon-copy counterparts.
Whole Foods broke ground April 2010. After three years of various construction and placement changes, the Austin-based company celebrated with the grand opening of its sixth Houston location on June 22, 2011.
Stone Soup 6 Architecture, which has partnered with Whole Foods on many projects, was the architect. Cleveland Construction, headquartered in Ohio, was the general contractor for the project.
Many green features have…
Hurricanes, Fires and Floods - Review Home Insurance Before an Emergency Hits
Friday, June 24th, 2011 at 10:15am. 3332 Views, 2 Comments.
Hurricanes, Fires and Floods ...OMG!
This stuff happens in Houston, Texas. Get an Insurance Check-up Before an Emergency Hits.
When was the last time you looked at your homeowners’ insurance policy? Was it, say, around the time you purchased your home? If so, you’re not alone. Many homeowners take a “buy it and forget it” attitude when it comes to their insurance, and for good reason - it’s not fun to think about all the calamities that could befall your home.
But, as the recent outbreak of floods, tornadoes and wildfires across the country reminds us, disasters can strike whether we’re ready or not. And in the middle of a crisis is not the time to find out whether your policy will fully take care of any damage to your home.
So, below are several steps…
Eight Secrets to Getting your House SOLD this Summer in the Houston Real Estate Market
Thursday, April 7th, 2011 at 2:21pm. 3195 Views, 3 Comments.
We’ve all heard the basic rules of staging your home for sale: Declutter your tschotchkes, pack up personal photos and artifacts, etc. But what are the secret tricks home stagers use, that they don’t want you to know about? Home Staging expert Beth DeLozier-Hayes reveals her money saving strategies to getting your home all dressed up for the ball without it costing you an arm and a leg.
The Sniff Test
Let’s face it, life is smelly. Between pets, exotic dinners, and smoking addiction, we have multiple aromas to throw off homebuyers. The best thing for pets is to send them to stay with the in-laws while the house is on the market. If that's not possible, clean up after them like a maniac. Swiffer up fur, Febreeze linens, stow pet beds, and hide that stinky…
Homeowners Committed to Green Homes, Recycling and Eco-Living
Sunday, March 27th, 2011 at 2:49pm. 2996 Views, 0 Comments.
Going ‘green’ is not only good for the environment, but it’s good for real estate. More and more homeowners are going ‘green’, boosting their chances for a quick sale by adding ‘green’ features to their homes making their property fundamentally appealing to the environmentally conscience buyer of today.
But what does going ‘green’ really mean? The movement of going green was popularized by the former Vice-President Al Gore. In essence all it really means is doing things and performing actions that work to preserve and save our environment such as the purchase of cars powered through electricity, installing energy efficient appliances, using biodegradable non-toxic interior and exterior paints, biodegradable detergents, recycling, conserving water, and…
Buying a House: Getting the Most Bang for Your Buck
Thursday, March 3rd, 2011 at 5:54pm. 2209 Views, 2 Comments.
If you’re one of the lucky ones out there with a steady job, a nice cushion in savings and an opportunity to buy a new home, you’re shopping in the best house-buying environment available. In many areas where the prices were exorbitantly high, they are now reasonable and have been for some time. In areas where prices only rose marginally, the prices are back down and with a huge surplus of homes still on the market, you can essentially have your choice of house when you’re shopping – so how do you know what to pick to get the most bang for your buck?
New Construction There are still homes available that are being built from the ground up. In fact, you can walk into a builder’s office today and start the process of building your own home and likely walk out…
Houston Real Estate Could Be Bright Spot in the Housing Market Sluggish Recovery
Monday, February 28th, 2011 at 11:23pm. 1344 Views, 1 Comments.
It’s not news that Texas, and Houston in particular, have fared better than most of the nation during the economic turmoil of the last few years. While Texas home prices appreciated at a healthy pace in the 2000’s, none of it approached the huge increases seen in some of the “bubble” markets around the country. Of course, it hasn’t been pain-free, as anyone trying to sell a home in Houston can attest. But, several reports released in recent weeks on Houston’s housing market and economic outlook are continuing to paint a rosy - alebeit cautious - picture.
Clear Capital, a provider of real estate valuations and data, said in its Home Data Market Index Report last month that it expects the Houston-Sugarland-Baytown area to see 3.6% growth in home prices,…
The Future of Mortgage Interest Rates and What It Means for Housing Recovery
Sunday, February 6th, 2011 at 12:49pm. 2711 Views, 0 Comments.
A lot of attention has been paid in recent weeks to mortgage rates: after plunging last spring and staying at historic lows for six months, they started to rebound in November. With rates up to 5.11% at the beginning of the year according to HSH Associates and fluctuating since, many have been wondering what the future holds for mortgage rates, and how they will impact the tenuous housing recovery.
When mortgage interest rates originally dipped last May, many hoped it would spur home buying and help continue the mini-sales boom caused by the homebuyer tax credit. Similar to the tax credit - which pulled in the summer buying season and arguably didn’t actually create many new buyers - the lower mortgage rates had a muted effect on home sales. Instead,…
What To Do If Your Homeowners Insurance Claim is Denied
Wednesday, January 5th, 2011 at 10:37am. 4602 Views, 8 Comments.
Homeowners buy insurance because it gives them peace of mind. The moment they sign their policy they think they aren’t financially liable for any damages to their home. This helps them sleep easier at night, at least until they actually have to file a claim.
Your insurance company doesn’t want to pay for thefts or damages to your property any more than you do. They routinely deny claims to people who have been victimized. While this seems unfair, insurers usually have an honest reason for denying the claim. They can make errors or may have reason to believe that homeowners are at fault. However, an estimated 10% of claims are unjustly denied by unscrupulous insurance companies.
Whatever the reason your claim was denied, you have the right to get the…
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