Home Warranty Coverage – Make Sure These 5 Things Are Covered
By Lynn K. Adams

What is home warranty coverage? It is basically similar to homeowner’s insurance, however it provides some coverage that regular homeowner’s insurance won’t cover. For instance, home warranty covers household appliances such as stoves, dryers, refrigerators and dishwashers. If any of these things break down, your warranty will fix them. Contractors who build homes will also usually offer free coverage for a certain amount of time.

Nowadays, you can get cheap home warranty packages everywhere; warranty insurance is even being bought from an existing home. Some real estate agents offer the home sellers; original warranties with the home they are selling, in order to make their home more appealing to buyers. The home warranty will give new homeowners peace of mind, since they will know that all the major household appliances and systems will be covered, and thus they will feel more comfortable in buying that home. Everyday life is so unpredictable; it’s great having a safety net in case your home has some unexpected problems. It doesn’t matter if your home is brand new or 100 years old, almost any home out there can be covered by a warranty.

Every home warranty company will offer you different prices and cover different areas, but before you sign a contract you should make sure the following 5 essential things are covered.

1. Plumbing Systems–Plumbing problems are very expensive and difficult to fix yourself. This should include pipes, sinks and toilets.

2. Electric systems–Every house is wired differently and commonly break down, it is much easier to hire an expert than to try to solve the problem by yourself.

3. Heating–The heating system of most homes will start to fail after about 10 years and can be quite costly.

4. Cooling–Try to get a warranty which will cover your air conditioners or central air.

5. Spas and Swimming Pools–Your spa and swimming pool help add to the value of your home so you should maintain them and make sure that any problems are fixed quickly.

Every home and every situation is different. The home warranty service you choose is dependent on your own specific situation. The above list may not be the best list for your current home. Remember to consider the age of your home appliances as well as the age of your home before buying coverage. Warranty coverage will save you tons of money in the long run and is definitely worth it!

See Our Top Recommended Home Warranty Companies Online.

NewHomeWarranties.com provides tips and advice to help you find the right home warranty plan for your needs.

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Texas Relocation: Texas Homestead Exemption Changes For 2012
By Timothy Thornton

Living in Texas comes with certain benefits and privileges that not all states afford. First of all, we have no state income tax. Our job market continues to grow during these tough and uncertain economic times. We host a wide variety of cities, cultures, large cites, social cultures and a very welcoming bunch of people. No two major cites in Texas are alike–and possibly most unique among Texas cities is Austin–the most non-Texas city in the bunch. But Texas has a lot to offer its residents and those who are considering a relocation to the area from other parts of the nation. One of the benefits of living in Texas is our Homestead laws. Texas does a good job of attempting to protect its residents. Life. Liberty. Economic well being. Here is one such example.

If you purchased a home in Texas in 2011 and you are living in the house on January 1, 2012 as your primary residence, you should be eligible to apply for your Texas Homestead Exemption. As a Texas homestead owner, you have certain privileges associated with your primary residence. Tax protections. And if you are a senior citizen, you may have additional benefits from this law–like being able to freeze your Texas property taxes.

A few things to remember about the Texas Homestead Exemption:

• You must be living in the home on January 1st to qualify for the coming year.
• Do not send in your Homestead application early. You can not file until after Jan. 1st.
• Application for Homestead in Texas is free. You do not have to pay someone to file your homestead exemption. It is free to apply and should only take you a few minutes. If you get a letter in the mail from what appears to be an official state organization with a very official looking seal, don’t fall for this little production. You can fill out the real application for Homestead Exemption yourself in the same amount of time and file it for free.
• Only your primary residence qualifies.

A few things you should know about the Homestead law: This summer’s Texas House Bill 252 changed the proof of residency requirements for homeowners that are applying for the property tax homestead exemption.

The new Texas Homestead Exemption law (changes to the existing law) requires that applicants provide the following proof of ownership:

• Application for residential homestead exemption
• Proof of Texas Driver’s License or Texas Identification Card with matching property address to the homestead you are claiming
• Proof of Vehicle Registration Receipt. Again, the address must match the property address for your new Texas homestead.

For a Homestead Exemption form and full details on your eligibility for qualification–see your local County Tax Assessor’s Office.

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Few Tips When Buying A New Home
By Calvin Wright

(1.) Make sure you are dealing with a reputable builder…..

You have to understand that it is buyers beware…. You have to make sure that the builder has been around for a while…. In Texas I’ve see so many new builders that are building homes….. Make sure that they are not a fly in the wall company.

(2.) Don’t be afraid to ask questions…..

When you deal with a sales person remember , their job is to sell you a home. You have to make sure that you feel comfortable when dealing with them. If for some reason they sound too push, or they are not giving you enough information. Don’t be afraid to find a different person to work with. Sometimes larger companies allow other communities sales people to find a home in a community that fits your needs…

(3.) Learn your warranties …..

Make sure you find out about all of your warranties…. Learn what the warranties will or will not cover…. Make sure you know what are consider items that are fixable and items that will only carry 1 or 2 year warranties. To many people fail to understand what the builders will cover. Thats why you have to know your warranties before you sign on the dotted line….

(4.) Learn about the naborhood and subdivision……

Just because its a new subdivision does mean that you don’t need to do your homework….. Don’t be afraid to ask a few people who have moved in the community about the community… Find out from the police department about how many times they get called out to the community…

Make sure that its not a high volume of calls…… Try and found out what was there before the community was built. If the sales person cannot answer go to your records building and research the subdivision to see if it was just a farm land or vacate land…….

(5.) Understand the paperwork that’s involved….

Understand the paperwork that is involved when signing an agreement. If you do not understand it, then you need to hire a Realtor to look over it….. Remember, you want people who are in your corner looking out for you…..

(6.) Use a Realtor….

Don’t count out the fact that just because it is a new community that you don’t need a Realtor….. Realtors can be good tools for information if they are familiar with the naborhood… Ask the Realtor to run comps and try and find new home sales so that you can get a good idea of what new homes sales look like in a naborhood…. This will let you know exactly what your home maybe worth and allow you to make a solid decision… Also you can have them look over the paperwork…. Sometimes they can pick up errors that you might have missed……

(7.) Remember you can use your own mortgage company or bank if need be….

Many times Builders have incentives to get buyers to go thru their mortgage companies… Always remember that you don’t have to use them if u choose not to…… Remember to negotiate who pays title policies…. Sometimes builders, will use paying title polices to get you to go with there mortgage company….. There is nothing wrong with going with a builders mortgage company to get the better incentives…

Make sure that there mortgage company is providing you with good customer service…. If for some reason you find a mortgage company sending you the paperwork without explaining to you what is going on then you might want to look into finding someone else to deal with that will provide better services…… Remember, they are getting paid , so why not get the best service……. Don’t be afraid to walk away from a deal if you don’t feel comfortable doing it….

I do hope that this helps you in your search to find a home… If you are in the Dallas/FT WORTH area and you need a home I would be happy to assist you…….. HAPPY HOUSE SHOPPING!

Calvin Wright has 5 years of experience in customer service. So he knows and understands that customer are valuable. He understands how to treat the customers and how to focus on there needs and wants. He understands that customers are looking for quality services. Calvin Wright has over 6 years experience in dealing with Residential Real Estate and has been a Real Estate investor as a range of knowledge on creative financing. Feel free to visit his website at: http://www.sellorbuyhomefast.com for more information.

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Tips to Invest in the Dallas – Fort Worth Real Estate Market
By Noel Markham

The Dallas – Fort Worth Metroplex, also known as DFW is a huge market encompassing several counties and hundreds of cities and ranging from urban to suburban to rural areas. While the area in general is a good market, it is important to take a look at specific areas in order to determine where the best values for investing are.

The Area West of Grapevine Lake

Grapevine Lake in North Texas is just north of the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and this makes the small towns in the area convenient. The towns of Trophy Club, Grapevine, Southlake and Keller are examples of the real estate market in the area.

Trophy Club Real Estate

The Trophy Club real estate market is the smallest and least active of the towns mentioned. The population is small with fewer than 7000 residents. About a quarter of all home sales in the area are selling for a loss and that compares with the less than 10% percent that sold for a loss in 2007. Sales volume in Trophy Club is low. The median sales price of a home in Trophy Club is about $286,000. Most of the homes in the area are large, 2 story homes with very few if any renter opportunities.

Grapevine Real Estate

Grapevine is a much larger town with close to 47,000 residents. The median home price is about $200,000, which is down from the high of $248,000 in 2008. Since then, the average price hovered around $224,000 until recently. Almost 30% of the homes selling in Grapevine sell for a loss, but that means that 70% sold for a gain. This means that the opportunity for bargains is there but investors will have to shop carefully. This is an area of suburban elites who bought homes within the past five years.

Southlake Real Estate

Another upscale area, Southlake residents tend to be well-to-do professionals who live in large, 2 story homes in a family neighborhoods. The area is smaller than Grapevine with about 25,000 residents. The median sales price of a home in Southlake is a little less than $400,000, but currently almost 50% of these properties on the market will sell for a loss. However, that also means that about 50% will not sell for a loss. Home sales are brisk for the area with an average of over 20 sales per month for this year.

Keller Real Estate

Keller has a population just under 39,000. It is an area that appeals to high-income families with children. The median sales price of a home in Keller is about $252,000 and in about 47% of sales, the home sells for a loss. However, over 50% of the homes sold for a gain so the market is still good for investors. The majority of the homes in Keller are large ranging from 2400 square feet to over 3600 square feet.

Overview

The area in general has few condo options and most of the homes are owner occupied. All in all, from an investor viewpoint, this is not an area with opportunities for a fast turn around but more of an opportunity for the long-term investor. It is definitely an area to consider for any family looking for a good environment in a relatively stable market.

Noel Markham, MA
http://www.sellrealestate.net

By the way, if you want to view current listings in Grapevine, Trophy Club, Southlake or Keller visit http://www.dallas-fort-worth-real-estate.com.

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Self Defense Advice For Realtors
By Bryan Hough

Many people don’t realize it, but realtors face many hazards when it comes to personal safety at work. They frequently work alone, in empty homes, and meet clients in unfamiliar or empty locations. If you are a real estate agent, be sure to consider your personal safety when going about your work. With a little preparation and a small investment in pepper spray and other self defense products, you can ensure your safety while on the job.

The job of a realtor involves spending a lot of time alone in locations that may be new to you. Plus, there is the added danger of being lured to unoccupied homes by potential attackers pretending to be potential buyers of the property. As you arrive alone to a vacant home that you think you’re about to show to a potential buyer, you are an attractive target. Meeting strangers in these types of locations is probably the most dangerous part of being a real estate agent.

You can alleviate some of this risk by meeting the prospective buyer at your office first, before heading to the empty home. Before leaving your office to show a house, introduce your clients to colleagues. Make a copy of their driver’s license, and leave it, along with the address of the home they are interested in, in an area that is visible to anyone entering your office. Even if you think the prospective buyers look relatively normal, don’t be lulled into a false sense of security. Even criminals may look and act normal until they get you alone.

Do not carpool from your real estate office to the home. You don’t want to be alone in a car with someone you just met, even if it’s for business. Drive there in your own car, and have the clients follow you in their own car. Always remember that your safety is more important than a real estate commission; refuse to show a home to a prospective buyer if you don’t feel safe with them.

Once inside the home, mention that another realtor plans to meet you there, even if this isn’t true. This makes you a less attractive target for attack. Before showing a home to any clients, take your own tour. Pay special attention to the layout and exits. Once you are in the home with clients, guide them through the home in front of you to avoid being trapped in a corner or small room. If a couple is touring the home, ask them to remain together, and never lose sight of either of them.

Keep your cell phone turned on and in your pocket. All realtors should carry pepper spray, a personal alarm, or a stun gun. If showing the house becomes a potential attack, you will be able to protect yourself.

Too many realtors remain oblivious to the dangers that are associated with their line of work. Being a realtor means placing yourself in potentially dangerous situations. Be prepared by knowing what to do when showing a home and carrying pepper spray to defend yourself if necessary. This small investment is well worth your safety.

Did you like this article? Bryan Hough is President of UBackOff.com a leading company in the Self Defense industry providing state of the art Pepper Spray products at wholesale prices. See our pepper spray blog @ Pepper Spray For Self Defense. Contact @ ubackoff_sales@ubackoff.com or 317-254-1760.

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Mark Pfeiffer’s extensive knowledge of the industry allows him to best match his customer’s needs to the mortgage options available. From the initial point of contact through closing, Mark’s customers are kept well informed as to the status of their application, approval and loan documents. If it’s your first home or fifth, Mark’s knowledge and customer service makes the purchase or refinance process simple. He is especially proud of his efforts to assist first time home buyers with their goal of achieving homeownership.
Let us earn your trust and deserve your referrals.

972-792-4294 Office
972-898-2595 Cell

5944 Luther Lane
Suite 1000
Dallas, TX 75225

Email Mark
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Author: VIP Realty Platinum

It seems like every day we hear about more and more DFW real estate agents going out of business, sometimes, whole offices.  It must be a terrible time to think about becoming a real estate agent, or is it?  It may be a great time to become an agent.  These tough times are squeezing out all of the so-so agents and so-so brokerage companies.  This opens the doors for new, aggressive agents that embrace technology and are willing to learn the best strategies of selling real estate in this market environment.   This crop of new agents will understand that it is no longer about transactions, it is about helping people, many of them with limited resources and serious personal and financial challenges. 

These upcoming agents will have to specialize in Dallas foreclosures, short sales, ever changing financing programs and even a little bit of psychology.  If you are considering a career in real estate, get the proper education, the proper tools and the proper guidance.  With the right mindset, drive, determination, and a genuine desire to help people you can become a huge success when many of the others will tell you that you will fail.  Step up and prove them wrong.

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About the Author

Harry Ridge, the Broker of VIP Realty Platinum, has more than 25 years in the industry and has the knowledge and experience to lead his Real Estate Team in any market environment. Serving the Dallas Real Estate Market & DFW Real Estate Market.