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UPTOWN Real Estate Group is your luxury international real estate firm. Our team has more than 30 years of prestige and experience. Hablamos español. Houston & Mexico.
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Showing posts with label Team. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Team. Show all posts
With so
many families moving to Texas these days, it seems vitally important to learn
which cities offer the best options for settling down and investing.
Nerdwallet.com came out with a list of the best cities in Texas for young
families, based on data regarding the public school system, median home values,
and the growth of the local economy as well as population growth. Read on to
see which cities made the list and of course, if you’re interested in investing
or moving to these cities, give us a call, we’ll be happy to make it to work
with you towards making it happen!
10)
Carrollton
drumguy8800/Wikipedia
With a
GreatSchools rating of 7, a monthly homeowner cost of $1,512, and a median
household income of $78,601, Carrollton makes a great place for young families
to settle down. Even though it's a growing city, it also has that small-town
vibe that will make you feel right at home.
9) Richardson
NathanBeach/Wikipedia
Richardson is a very
affordable, safe place for young families. It has a ranking of 8/10 from
GreatSchools, a monthly average homeowner cost of $1,655, and a 2% population
change between 2010 and 2011.
8) Abilene
Keithimus/Wikipedia
In Abilene, the monthly
homeowner cost is just $1,007, and the median household income is $51,405. For
families who want an affordable place to live with great school districts, this
is a wonderful choice.
7) McKinney
agriffin/wikipedia
With a GreatSchools
rating of 8/10, a median household income of $97,792, and the plethora of art
galleries, farmer's markets, and recreational activities available, McKinney
offers young couples a nice option when it comes to raising a family.
6) Frisco
Bill Lile/Flickr
Frisco, another suburb
of Dallas-Fort Worth, is an excellent choice for raising a family. It has a
GreatSchools rank of 9/10, a median home value of $234,900, and has been named
"Tree City USA" for its abundance of forests within the city.This
makes it a family-friendly, active, environmentally-conscious city to raise a
family in.
5) Pearland
Grguy2011/Wikipedia
Pearland, a suburb of
Houston, has a GreatSchools rate of 8, a median home value of $183,600, and a
median household income of $103,136. With its proximity to Houston, outstanding
schools, and cultural diversity, it makes a wonderful place to raise children.
4) League City
Patrick Feller/Flickr
League City earned a
9/10 rating with GreatSchools, and also the population growth was just .20%
between 2010 and 2011, which means it isn't too overpopulated. It's near
Galveston and the NASA Johnson Space Center, so there's plenty of opportunities
for recreation and entertainment.
3) Flower Mound
Curtis Simmons/Flickr
Flower Mound, a suburb
of Dallas-Fort Worth, is the only city on our list that earned a 10/10 with
GreatSchools. 62.8% of households here earn over $100,000, making it one of the
highest-earning cities in the country. Its exemplary schools and proximity to
Dallas-Fort Worth earn this city one of the top spots on our list.
2) Allen
Robert Nunnally/Flickr
Allen saw a 3%
population change between 2010 and 2011, and earned an overall score for young
families of 54.6. With monthly owner costs of $1,812, it's one of the more
affordable cities on our list.
1) The Woodlands
Lisandro
Sanchez/Flickr
Finally, The Woodlands
came in at number 1 on our list due to its exceptional school system and a
22.6% population change between 2010 and 2011, showing that the local economy is
thriving.
Do you agree with this list? What cities or towns in Texas do you
think make the perfect place to raise a family? Would you like to look for a property in The Woodlands? Give us call! 713.629.7771
Source: www.onlyinyourstate.com
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The kitchen is one of the most important rooms of the house. It is not only build for restaurant-worthy meals anymore, it is becoming a multi-purpose room where every gathering tends to inevitably ends. Today we will show you a few of the kitchen design trends stealing headlines and compliments this 2015.
Integrate Technology into Your Kitchen.
Industrial Lightning is So IN!
Make Your Kitchen Island a Statement!
Make Your Spaces Efficient
Never be Afraid of Using Color!
Don't Forget the Floors!
Add Industrial Furniture to Your Design
Tiles Are Taking Over!
Vertical Kitchen Drawers are a Must!
Brass is Back!
Don't forget to take from the trends what suits you best!
Talk to you soon!
When buying a home, after the offer goes into the contract
process there are many necessary costs that might make you want to skip the
home inspection and its costs. Today, we will give you a list with 10 reasons
why that’s not a very good idea and a home inspection is something you should
definitely get done.
- Insurance: Some insurance companies will not insure a home without the presence of certifications or if certain conditions are found.
- It Provides an “Out”: A good home inspection can reveal important information about the condition of the home and its systems. This will make you aware of any possible repairs, maintenance or any extra costs the home may require now or later. It is also an opportunity to back out of the offer if you don’t like what you find.
- Reveal the Big Picture: It is important to know everything regarding the biggest purchase you may ever make. A home inspection helps with that.
- Reveal Illegal Addition or Installations: A home inspection can reveal if any room in the house was added or completed without a permit or did not follow code. Try to avoid unpermitted or illegal alterations; they can affect insurance, taxes and value of your property.
- Learn to Protect Your Investment: The inspector is a valuable source of education regarding your purchase. He or she can suggest specific tips and help you save money.
- Protection: Better safe than sorry. You need to get the proper inspection, especially if you are buying an “as-is” foreclosed property or doing a short sale.
- Determine “Deal Breakers”: A home inspection can help you identify how much extra money you would have to spend and depending on your plan and budget, it can help you make the decision of closing the deal or calling it off.
- Safety: An inspection can detect safety issues and every home should be tested for that. Beware of hazards that could break the deal for you. Safety is very important part of a new buy.
- Forecast Future Costs: Knowing the age of the major systems installed in the home can help you make important budgeting decisions, and it will determine what type of home insurance coverage or warranties you should consider.
- Negotiating Tool: The home inspection report presents an opportunity to ask for repairs and/or request a price reduction or credit from the seller depending on the report outcome.
The real important thing is for you, the buyer, to
understand as much information as you can about your “soon to be” home. It is
good to have someone with you during this process in case you have any
questions. If you need any help, don’t hesitate to contact us, we’re happy to
assist you.
More and more people are looking to buy a home today and
buying a home is still part of the American dream for many so, what you might
ask yourself is this: do I need to hire a real estate agent? The answer is yes and we will tell you why.
When You Decide to Buy a Home
- With an agent: the housing market is a tricky one, especially post-crash. Real estate agents can help you navigate foreclosures, short sales, tighter lending standards and a whole lot of other issues.
- Without an agent: It is all on you to figure out the different parts of buying a home. It can be done, thanks to the Internet, but be prepared to dedicate dozens of hours a week to your home buying process.
Financing Your New Home
- With an agent: A good real estate agent will already have a contact with local lenders. They can help you find a reputable local lender who will provide good service and act in your best interest.
- Without an agent: It’s you against the financial world as you sift through different lenders looking for the best deal.
Finding Your New Home
- With an agent: It is a real estate agent’s roll in life to find your dream home. The have the contacts, the databases of homes and they know hot to get things done. An experienced real estate agent will have up-to-date info on what is happening in the marketplace including pricing, financial terms and trends in the market.
- Without an agent: You will need to create a system to organize your home search. This will include spreadsheets with columns full of locations, prices, number of bedrooms, baths, visit dates, etc. Not to mention you have to keep this file handy as you go look for homes.
Making an Offer
- With an agent: Good real estate agents are experienced negotiators and should have a mastery of details: helping you complete a real estate transaction that encompasses a win-win price, transaction details like preferred time lines, financing details and other important info that fir your needs.
- Without an agent: You better be able to roll with the punches because if you get in a bidding war with another buyer things could get messy. Fast!
Due Diligence & Inspections
- With an agent: The initial agreement is only the beginning of the process. Appraisal, inspection and financing all pose as possible pitfalls in a Real Estate transaction. A real estate agent can give objective professional advice to resolve issues and move a transaction to closing.
- Without an agent: The required paperwork alone can be overwhelming! Not to mention everything else you have to know how to do.
Closing
- With an agent: An experienced agent will understand the closing paperwork and knows what to look for regarding closing costs, title insurance, pro-rations and other fees that come up at closing.
- Without an agent: Do you know anything about title insurance, what fees to expect or the paperwork that goes along with it?
Basically, real estate purchases are one of the biggest
financial transactions most people will experience in their lifetime, why not
let a professional that has years of experience and knowledge help you!
We are here for you. Give us a call today!
