Our Home Selling System

Our innovative Home Selling System was developed to provide our clients with a consistent and proven method to prepare their homes for sale, price their homes appropriately and get the word out to as many prospective buyers as possible.  The benefits of home selling system are a quicker sale at a higher price.

1. Price

The most important step in selling your home is pricing it correctly from the onset.  Its a well known fact that overpriced homes take longer to sell and usually sell for a lower price.  Since the majority of your showings will occur in the first 30 days on the market it is crucial that your initial list price matches buyer expectations.  Our agents are trained to use advanced market analysis software to build a comprehensive report that will accurately determine the optimal list price for your home.  Request a detailed market analysis of your home.

2. Condition

In order to get top dollar for your home you have to make your home look its best.  Our agents are trained to help you identify and prioritize repairs and improvements that will provide the best return on your investment.  Before your home goes on the market, we offer home staging to make every room in your home look its best.

 3. Market

Our Home Selling System was developed to provide our agents with a consistent and proven manner to get our listings in front of as many potential buyers as possible. Our reach is so extensive because we invest heavily in web, social networking, email, direct mail and print campaigns that feature our listings in all the places where buyers are looking. When you hire us to sell your home, we will identify your ideal buyer and then develop and implement a tailored home marketing program designed to reach them. Request a seller specialist today.

 4. Negotiate

Successfully negotiating a real estate contract is more than a matter of luck or natural talent.  When you receive an offer having an agent with a proven track record of bringing buyers and sellers together can make a huge impact on your final sales price.  Our home listing specialists are skilled negotiators who can help you get to the highest price a potential buyer is willing to pay, as well as the best terms, shortest contingencies, fewest repairs and lowest closing costs.  Rather than approaching negotiations from an adversarial winner-take-all perspective, our agents focus on your top priorities and strive to keep emotions from over running the process.

 5. Close

While your home is on the market we will provide at least monthly status reports that show your top prospects, summary of feedback from your showings, a review of completed and planned marketing activities and any recommended adjustments to course.  In order to keep tabs on your competition we setup a neighborhood alert system that will notify you and your agent as similar homes in your neighborhood come on the market, go under contract or sell. Once your home goes under contract we use our sophisticated online transaction management system to make sure the buyers, and their agent, follow through with their contractual obligations in a timely manner.

Have Questions? 

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First Time Home Buyer Tips and Advice

First Time Home Buyer Tips and Advice That Must Be Read!

Whether purchasing a car for the first time, a home for the first time, or anything for that matter for the first time, it can come with much confusion, a high level of uncertainty, and even some stress.  The home buying process is often seen by many as a “daunting” process.  This doesn’t have to be the case though, if the proper preparation and research is done.

Each and every person who purchases a home normally will have different experiences, hurdles to overcome, and ultimately have their own opinion on the home buying process, so beware of many opinions when talking with family, friends, and co-workers.  Even though the majority of home buyers are different, the home buying process is usually the same.  There is a general outline that should be followed when buying a home for the first time.

Here are several first time home buyer tips and some advice to help make the process of purchasing a home for the first time much less stressful and seamless!

How Much Can You Afford

Whether a consumer is purchasing a car for the first time, a home for the first time, or a set of golf clubs for the first time, it’s important to know how much can be afforded!  This is an extremely important part of the home buying process.  Many first time buyers don’t realize or understand that it’s extremely important to know how much they can afford before looking at homes!  It’s common to have first time home buyers contact real estate agents and get upset when they are educated on the importance of finding out how much home they can afford before getting out into the marketplace!  It’s important that a first time home buyer understands what the costs of buying a home are but also why they are involved.

Not only is it important for a first time home buyer to know how much they can afford, but it’s also important to understand the difference between a pre-qualification and a pre-approval.  

First and foremost, a pre-approval is more attractive to a seller than a pre-qualification.  A pre-qualification is a quick and very general overview of a first time buyers financial situation.  The information used for a pre-qualification is usually given to the lender by the potential mortgagee, which can often be inaccurate.  In addition to the general overview of the first time buyers financials, the lender usually will pull a credit report to make sure the credit scores are within the required guidelines of the different loan programs.

A pre-approval is a detailed look into a first time buyers financials.  It includes a lender pulling a fact data (Tri-merge) credit report, collecting the first time buyers pay stubs,  W-2’s, verifying their employment, and any other information needed to approve the buyer.  This process may sound much more difficult, but depending on the lender that a first time buyer chooses, it doesn’t have to be!  Having a pre-approval instead of a pre-qualfication is not only attractive to a seller, but also can be the difference in a first time buyer winning in a multiple offer situation!

Set Your Expectations

When buying a home for the first time, an extremely important tip is to make sure expectations are set.  By setting realistic expectations, the chance to be disappointed or let down is minimized.  So, what type of expectations should be set before purchasing a home for the first time?

Once a buyer knows how much they can afford, it’s important to figure out what will their money get them.  When buying a home for the first time, it’s important to do it with a purpose and a realistic goal in mind.  How big of a home can be afforded?  What style of home is desired?  What are acceptable locations of the home?  It’s important that first time buyers have a strong feeling on items like these but also a good idea on which items they are willing to be flexible with.  It is a great idea to prioritize these items in order of importance.

Buying a home with no expectations or goals in mind is no different than going to a grocery store with no list or budget.  By going to a grocery store with no idea what will be purchased often will end up in lots of wasted time walking around aimlessly and ultimately not getting the results that would be expected.  By having that strong grasp on the style of home, the size of a home, and other characteristics that are desired in a home will save a first time buyer lots of time and also ensure they are purchasing their first home while staying within the range of what they are able to realistically afford.  It makes no sense for a buyer who is pre-approved for a loan amount of $150,000 to look at local luxury homes.  A great real estate agent should be able to help a buyer set realistic expectations.

Learn About the Home Buying Process

The home buying process is exactly that, a process.  There are certain steps that need to be taken to ensure the process of buying a home for the first time, goes smooth.  By understanding the process, it greatly reduces the chance that a buyer is disappointed, let down, heartbroken, or frustrated.  There are many things that a first time buyer should be doing before looking for homes, such as getting a pre-approval, but also many things that a buyer should be doing once they are under contract on their future home.  Many first time home buyers don’t understand why it generally takes 60 days from contract to closing.

Get Educated on the Local Real Estate Market

When purchasing a home for the first time, it’s important a buyer understands the local real estate market.  There are many ways this can be accomplished.  The internet has completely changed the way the real estate industry works in 2017!  There is so much information available on the internet that can certainly help a buyer understand the local real estate market.  The internet is great for providing a wealth of information, however, it’s also important a buyer understands that not everything that is on the internet is true.  Really it isn’t!  There are many third-party real estate websites on the internet that provide some very inaccurate information.  A perfect example of inaccurate real estate information are the “Zestimates” that Zillow provides to consumers.  The inaccurate information provided by these third-party real estate websites is not only specific to the Houston, TX real estate market.

The best place for a first time home buyer to get educated on the local real estate market is by a local real estate professional.  If someone was looking to have a dental procedure done, they wouldn’t go on the internet to look how to do the procedure or call their chiropractor.  They would call a local dentist for their assistance.  A person in Houston, TX  who is in need of a dental procedure would have no use for a dentist in Lake Charles, LA.  The same can be said for a first time home buyer.  A first time home buyer in Lake Charles, LA should not be looking to a real estate agent for information on the Houston, TX real estate market.  It is important for a first time home buyer sit down with an experienced and knowledgeable local real estate agent to ensure they have a strong understanding of the local market!

Selecting a Real Estate Agent

Buying a home is a very large event in life.  It’s not something that should be done without the help of a trained real estate professional.  There are many things that a real estate agent is responsible to ensure are getting completed accurately and timely throughout the transaction.  Ensuring a buyer has secured a pre-approval from a reputable lender, ensuring contract dates are being followed, and negotiating on the buyers behalf to get them the best price for a home are just a few items that a buyers real estate agent is responsible for!  Without this guidance, it’s very easy for a first time buyer to make a mistake that can cost thousands of dollars.

There are many questions that a first time home buyer should ask a real estate agent, before selecting them!  It’s common and understandable that a first time home buyer has more questions than someone who has purchased 5 homes.  So, would it be a good idea for a first time home buyer to select a part-time real estate agent?  Probably not!  To be a successful real estate agent, there are many long days (and nights), which many times cannot be accommodated by a part-time real estate agent.  In addition to whether an agent is part-time or full-time, other great things to ask a real estate agent is; How many sales do you complete a year?  In what ways can/do you communicate?  Can you provide me with some references or testimonials?

There is often a general consensus that the real estate profession is one that can be done by anyone and that it’s “easy-money.”  This is very far from the truth.  There are people entering and exiting the real estate profession on a daily basis.  This is why it’s extremely important that a first time buyer asks any potential agent that they are thinking of selecting these difficult questions.

Are There Any Incentives or Grants Available

First time home buyers are often able to take advantage of first time home buyer grants or incentives.  It’s important that a first time buyer understands that every lender is different.  From the interest rate they are able to offer, the type of loan products they offer, to the incentives or grants they are able to offer.

A lender who may not offer a grant to first time home buyers, may never mention it.  When selecting a lender, it’s a good idea for a first time home buyer to research all of their options.  It sometimes is a good idea to reach out to a local real estate professional before locking into a local mortgage lender.  A great real estate professional should be able to understand a first time buyers situation and be able to suggest reputable companies who may offer the best type of product and/or grant for that buyer.

Consider All Expenses Involved in Owning a Home

Many first time home buyers make the mistake of not considering the costs of owning a home.  It’s common that a first time buyer purchases a home that is the absolute maximum they can afford according to a lender.  This can lead to problems once the buyer realizes the other expenses involved in owning a home.  First time home buyers often forget about additional expenses of utilities, furniture, appliances, insurance, and groceries, to mention only a few.

A first time buyer who doesn’t consider these additional expenses often will have to change their lifestyles, which can be difficult for some.  Instead of living with mom and dad who had cable TV and high-speed internet, they may now have to live without these luxuries.  Bottom line, a first time home buyer must consider all the expenses and possible changes to their current lifestyle that may occur once owning a home!

The above advice and tips are extremely important to a first time home buyer.  By understanding these tips, it can make the process not seem as “daunting” or difficult!  A first time buyer needs to understand and feel comfortable with the professionals they are working with that “no question is a dumb question!”  

About the authors: The above article “First Time Home Buyer Tips and Advice” was written by Andres Jones of the The Jones Team at Realm Real Estate Professionals. With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise.

We service the following Greater Houston areas: Sugar Land, Missouri City, Katy, Cypress, Pearland, Spring, Stafford, Richmond, Rosenberg, Fulshear, Woodlands, Conroe, Humble, Kingwood, Crosby, Baytown, Beaumont, and Galveston, TX

What Are The Best Ways To Improve A Credit Score?

What Are The Best Ways To Improve A Credit Score?

One of the most important steps to buying a home is getting approved for a mortgage. One of the biggest factors as to whether a buyer gets approved for a mortgage are their credit scores.

A buyers credit score impacts whether or not a buyer can obtain a home loan or not, first and foremost.  In addition to the impact a buyers credit score has on their ability of getting a mortgage, it also can greatly impact the mortgage interest rate a buyer is able to receive.

A buyer with an impeccable credit score can expect to have a better interest rate than a buyer whose credit score is average.  In fact, the difference in a mortgage interest rate can vary sometimes as much as 1.5%, which will make a huge difference in the amount of interest paid over the life of the home loan.

Since the mortgage approval process is one of the most critical steps to buying a home, it’s vital that buyers position themselves in the best possible place before discussing mortgages with a lender.  Buyers who have strong credit scores greatly improve the chances they’re able to get approved for a mortgage and get the best interest rate.

If you’re wondering how to improve your credit score in order to buy a home, below are 12 tips for doing so.  Following these tips can take credit scores from average to amazing, which will go along way in the mortgage approval process!

How Do Credit Scores Work?

Before we dive into the 12 tips to improve your credit scores in order to buy a home, it’s first extremely important that you understand how credit scores work.  One of the top mortgage mistakes made by home buyers is not reviewing their credit report and scores.

The first thing that needs to be understood about credit scores is the impact it can have on consumers.  A persons credit score is a reflection of their creditworthiness.  Mortgage companies review credit scores to help determine whether lending money to someone is a safe investment.  In addition to mortgage companies reviewing credit scores, others who look at credit scores include car dealerships, credit card companies, cell phone companies, insurance companies, and even potential employers.

As you can see, credit scores impact many things for consumers!  It’s important to also understand how credit scores are calculated.  A persons credit score is calculated by taking into consideration 5 categories.  The 5 categories that makes a credit score are payment history, debt percentage, length of credit history, new accounts/credit requests, and the type of credit accounts, often referred to as credit mix.

The weight, or percentage, of these 5 categories which add up to 100% will vary depending on the credit bureau.  The 3 credit bureaus in the United States are Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.  The percentages for the 5 categories are generally as follows;

• Payment History – 35%
• New Accounts/Credit Requests – 10%
• Length of Credit History – 15%
• Total Debt Percentage – 30%
• Credit Mix – 10%

The highest credit score that can be obtained is an 850.  Consumers with credit scores under 600 are often considered risky borrowers while borrowers with credit scores of 720 or greater are considered very solid borrowers.

Credit Scores & Mortgage Approvals

As mentioned above, credit scores can impact the ability of getting approved for a mortgage for buyers as well as the interest rate.  While preparing to get a mortgage to buy a home, it’s important to understand what lenders are typically looking for in terms of a potential borrowers credit score.

Mortgage lenders have different guidelines when it comes to minimum credit scores.  Some lenders will approve a buyer with a 600 credit score while others require a 640.

Buyers often wonder which type of mortgage is best and it’s important to keep in mind that each buyers circumstances are different so the best way to find out if they’re able to get approved for a mortgage is to speak with a local mortgage lender!

What Are The Best Tips To Improve Your Credit Score In Order To Buy A Home?

Whether a buyer has a poor, an average, or an exceptional credit score, there generally is room for improvement.  Below are 12 of the best tips to improve your credit score which will come in handy if you’re looking to buy a home.

1.) Be Aware Of What Your Credit Scores Are

One of the more obvious tips to improve your credit score in order to buy a home is to be fully aware of what your credit scores are in the first place.  It’s surprising the number of consumers who have no idea what their credit scores are.

The internet has made it extremely easy for consumers to monitor their credit scores.  Free websites such as Credit Karma, allow consumers to continually monitor their credit scores.

Credit Karma, and many other websites, have apps that are compatible with most smart phones.  These apps allow consumers to see their credit scores, total debt percentage, number of open accounts, credit history length, and number of recent credit inquiries.

2.) Get Current On Any Delinquent Accounts

Just because someone misses a payment on a bill doesn’t mean that they should forget about it.  Another tip for improving credit scores in order to buy a home is to get current on any delinquent accounts.

Catching up on late payments can increase a credit score relatively quickly once a credit report reflects the payment.  Accounts with missing payments can destroy a buyers credit score so it’s important to stay current on all accounts!

3.) Dispute Any Errors On Your Credit Report

Yes, you’ve read that correctly, it’s very possible there can be errors on credit reports.  It’s extremely important that if there are any errors on your credit report, you dispute them.

Disputing errors on a credit report can be done pretty easily nowadays, thanks to the internet and technology.  Most creditors allow consumers to dispute errors online and the review process is much quicker nowadays when comparing to 10 years ago.

4.) Eliminate Disputed Accounts From Your Credit Report

While the internet has made most peoples lives easier, it also has increased the number of people who’re having their identities stolen.  It’s not uncommon for a credit report to have accounts on them that’re actually not supposed to be on them.

If there are incorrect accounts on your credit report, it’s extremely important they’re removed.  Removing disputed accounts from a credit report can improve a credit score relatively quickly.

The best way to get a disputed account removed from a credit report is to contact the creditor directly.  It’s likely the creditor is going to request some type of proof, which in the case of identity theft, is some type of relating documentation.

5.) Pay Off or Lower Balances On Accounts With Small Balances

It’s pretty common for mortgage lenders to require home buyers who have average credit scores to pay off accounts with small balances.  The reason mortgage lenders require home buyers to pay off accounts with small balances is because it changes their income to debt ratios.  A buyers income to debt ratio is a factor that can have a large impact on mortgage pre-approvals.

If you’re unable to completely pay off accounts with small balances, lowering the balances can also go a long way with improving your credit score.  It’s recommended that before paying off or lowering balances with small balances, you discuss with a mortgage lender to make sure you’re selecting the best accounts!

6.) Pay Off or Lower Balances On Accounts With High Interest Rates

It’s possible that paying off or lowering balances on accounts with small balances is not the best option but rather you target accounts with high interest rates!  Paying off or lowering balances on accounts with high interest rates can be a great way to improve your credit scores.

Depending on the type of account, it’s feasible that you’re paying crazy amounts of interest on monthly bills.  For example, some credit cards have interest rates of 20% or higher!  Paying off or lowering the balances on these high interest accounts can potentially mean extra money each month to use towards a down payment on a home.

A great tip for saving for a down payment for a home is reducing monthly debts and not throwing away money each month to pay interest on bills is a great way to accomplish this!

7.) Pay Bills On Time

Paying bills on time may seem like a silly tip for improving a credit score because it’s so obvious, but it needs to be discussed.  Another important tip for improving your credit scores is to pay all bills on time.

Since payment history is the category that is weighed the heaviest, simply making on time payments will go along way to improve your credit score.  If making a payment on time is not feasible, it’s important that it’s not ignored!

Consumers who cannot make a payment for whatever reason just decide to not make a payment, which is a mistake.  It’s suggested that if you’re unable to make an on time payment that you contact the company or organization to give them the heads up.  Most companies will often work with consumers to setup a payment plan that is acceptable to both parties.

8.) Don’t Close Old Accounts

Seeing as credit history is one of the determining factors of credit scores, closing old accounts can actually do more harm than good.  If you have old credit cards that haven’t been used in years, DO NOT close these accounts.  By closing old accounts, you could be potentially hurting your credit history length.

For example, if you have an average credit history of 6 years and decide to close a credit account that’s 10 years old, you’re credit history is likely going to be less than 6 years after closing the 10 year old account.  It’s important to realize that if you have old accounts, especially credit card accounts, that you use these accounts periodically to avoid them being closed by the company automatically.

9.) Don’t Keep Opening New Accounts

Many consumers believe that opening new accounts will improve their credit scores.  Opening new accounts can actually do the complete opposite and can destroy a credit score, so to improve your credit score, don’t keep opening new accounts!

Why does opening new accounts hurt a credit score?  One of the reasons opening new accounts can hurt a credit score is because when a new account is opened, generally, a credit inquiry is pulled.  Too many credit inquiries can negatively impact a credit score.

10.) Open Secure Credit Lines, Only If Necessary

There are some circumstances when a potential home buyer doesn’t have enough credit lines showing on their credit reports.  In this case, it maybe necessary to open a new credit account.

Mortgage lenders who’re working with potential borrowers who need to improve their credit scores by opening new credit lines will typically suggest secure lines of credit.  A secured credit line is one which a borrower uses an asset as collateral to secure the account.

Mortgage lenders will often suggest secured credit cards to borrowers who don’t have enough established credit lines.  Once a buyer obtains a secured credit card, lenders will suggest making small purchases each month and paying off the balance each month.  By doing so, a borrower can improve their credit score by making on time payments and also is establishing a credit line in the process.

11.) Work On Your Credit Utilization Percentages

Credit utilization percentages impact consumer credit scores, so it’s vital you’re aware of your percentages.  Generally speaking, consumers with credit utilization percentages of 10% or less are consider to have excellent ratios.

To improve your credit scores, it’s important that you always keep your credit utilization percentages in mind.  If you’re planning on making a large purchase and have the option to use cash or a credit line, it’s suggested you use cash.  Making a large purchase on a credit card can drastically change a borrowers credit utilization percentages.

12.) Contact A Professional To Help With Improving Your Credit Score

Discussing your financial circumstances with others is sometimes not the easiest task.  The above 11 tips for improving credit scores in order to buy a home maybe exactly what you needed to learn about, but this may not be the case for everyone.

If you’re struggling to improve your credit scores, it maybe time to contact a professional to help improve your scores.  There are businesses and organizations that are designed exclusively to help consumers to improve their credit scores.

As a Rochester NY real estate agent, anytime a potential buyer requests assistance with their credit, I always provide them with information for a local organization that can help.  The Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Rochester is an organization that’s designed to help consumers with their credit.

Final Thoughts

Before getting started in the process of buying a home, understanding the importance of credit scores is huge.  There are very few consumers who have a perfect 850 credit score, so being aware of these credit score improving tips above can go a long way.  If you’re looking to buy a home in the near future and are trying to improve your credit scores, following these tips will definitely help!

Other Helpful Home Buying & Home Financing Resources

• Tips For First Time Home Buyers
• Guide To Understanding Credit Reports & Scores via Kevin Vitali
• How Do Student Loans Impact Getting A Mortgage
• Reasons Why Home Buyers Are Denied For A Mortgage via Bill Gassett

Are you working towards the goal of buying a home in The Houston area?  If you’re in need of tips for improving your credit scores, the above 12 should provide a great start!  If you don’t have a buyers agent yet, contact us and we would be happy to help you get started with the process!

About the authors: The above article “12 Tips To Improve Your Credit Score In Order To Buy A Home” was written by Andres Jones of the The Jones Team at Realm Real Estate Professionals.  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise.

We service the following Greater Houston areas: Sugar Land, Missouri City, Katy, Cypress, Pearland, Spring, Stafford, Richmond, Rosenberg, Fulshear, Woodlands, Conroe, Humble, Kingwood, Crosby, Baytown, Beaumont, and Galveston, TX

Sandelwood in Missouri City

Sandelwood in Missouri City

580 CREDIT SCORE AND 3.5% DOWN YOU COULD OWN THIS

YOU WANT A LOT OF HOUSE FOR THE MONEY? HERE IT IS!