The Woodlands Real Estate

Thinking about buying a home can be a bit overwhelming if you don’t know the steps to take to get there. Here are some essential tips for aspiring home buyers.
1. Find a Real Estate Agent. This is key because you will need to work with a realtor whom you trust and who can give you the information and knowledge you need to get the most out of your home buying experience. Remember that as a buyer you do not pay your realtor, the seller takes care of that. It is still essential that you team up with a professional who can truly help you get the job done, and done right!
2. Finding a good lender is as important as step #1. You will need to meet with your lender up front to discuss your financial situation and to get yourself pre-approved for a home loan. This will be based on your credit history/score, your debt to income ratio, your employement and a few other things. This will determine how much you will put down and most importantly what is your price range.
3. Shop Smart. You should expect to pay more for a showcase home. If you are looking for a fixer-upper, be sure to closely judge the structural difficiencies more harshly than cosmetic flaws. Location is also the key. Even if the location seems perfect for you, take into consideration the pool of buyers to whom it will appeal if you decide to sell it in the future.
4. Go for it – buy your house! To write a winning offer without overpaying you need to do your homework via your real estate agent. Consider if the property is in high-demand or if there is plenty of competition. Find out from your agent what comparable homes have sold for in the area in the last 6 months, looking at the sold price/sq.ft. Also remember factors such as close date or other terms to make the offer more appealing without spending more money.

If you or someone you know is considering buying a home and would like more information on neighborhoods or specific properties, give The Chappell Team a call today! 281-863-9134

Putting a home on the market can be stressful, and some owners have a hard time making objective decisions when it matters most. Here are some essential tips for sellers, and make sure you lean on your trusted real estate agent for guidance and direction.
1. Price it Right! Your listing agent should do a market analysis for you so you can closely look at comparable homes in your market that have sold within the last 6 months. You will also want to take into account the number of available listings when deciding on a price.
Keep in mind:
- Homes my fail to attract buyers because they are overpriced.
- Foreclosures and Short Sales in your area may be impacting your sales price
- Remember that your home will need to appraise for the sailes price
2. Take advantage of your Market Debut! Pricing your home correctly from the get-go increases your odds of a quick sale.
Keep in mind:
- Most buyers look at homes online first and New Listings get 4x’s more web traffic than homes that have been on the market for a while.
- There is a reason new listings are referred to as ‘hot’…buyers get excited about them. Showings may cool off after the first 30 days on the market.
- When considering an offer, make sure you consider the cost of holding on to the property longer than you want and/or need to. Costs will include extra mortgage payments, property taxes, insurance, utilities etc.

If you would like a free market analysis please call The Chappell Team today! 281-863-9134

Although part of our daily lives, many common products kept in and around the house contain materials that are bad for the environment and are hazardous for our health. Heavy metals or chemicals that are known to be toxic, corrosive or flammable are hiding within some pretty common items in our homes.
Mercury is an extremely toxic element found items such as compact fluorescent lamps, tubes, thermostats, thermometers and batteries. It can damage the brain, kidney and lungs and impair the normal development of the brain and nervous system in fetuses or young children. Do not throw used batters or CFLs in the trash. To prevent toxins from releasing into the air, soil or water, contact your local public works department or go to earth911.com for disposal information.

Other hazardous household items include:
All Purpose Cleaners, Disinfectants, Drain Openers, Furniture Polish, Oven Cleaners, Oil-Based or Latex Paint, Varnishes, Solvents & Thinners, Glues & Adhesives, Tires, Car or Boat Batteries, Antifreeze, Car Wax, Tv’s/Video Players, Computers/monitors, Microwaves, Wireless Phones, Gasoline or Diesel, Lighter Fluid, Kerosene, Propane Canisters, Cooking Oil, Fertilizers, Pesticides, Pool Chemicals, Nail Polish/Removers with Acetone, Aerosol Cans (not empty), Medical Waster, Over-the-counter and Prescription Drugs.

Drop these items off at dedicated hazardous materials facilities or retail establishments that serve as collection centers for certain types of used goods. Most communities also host a collection serveral times a year.

According to the Wall Street Journal (7/11/11) over 35% of all American cell phone owners have a smart phone. 1 in 4 of that 35% use their smart phones to conduct almost all of their online activities (as opposed to just using it to access the intertnet daily). The 1 in 4 figure is expected to contiue to grow.

With today’s technology we can carry our favorite pics, books, music, videos, documents, calendars and connect with loved ones and collegues all from the touch of one hand-held device. That being said, here are the top mobil gadgets for 2012 to help us take our smart phone use to the next level!

- Apple iPhone 4S, BlackBerry Bold 9900, Samsung Galaxy Nexus
- Apple iPad2, Samsung Galaxy Tab, Amazon Kindle Fire
- Amazon Kindle, SonyReader, Barnes&Noble Nook Color

Bad news often garners a disproportionate share of media attention. With 24/7 access to global news flow, we’re just a touch of a screen or button away from the latest woes in the world. However, with so much attention focused on “bad”, a significant good-news story may have been widely looked over: The U.S. economic engine appears to be revving up. We thought it might be helpful to highlight some of the good news you may have missed.
• Employment Outlook(1)
– The U.S. unemployment rate fell to 8.6% in November,
reaching a 2½-year low.
– Weekly jobless claims fell to 366,000, reaching their
lowest level since May 2008.
– The ADP employment survey showed the biggest gain in
eight months. Small businesses (under 50 workers and
construction firms) added the most jobs in five years.
– 1.6 million jobs have been created over the past year.
– An average of 150,000 private sector jobs have been
created each month for the past year.
• Manufacturing – November’s Institute for Supply
Management (ISM) manufacturing index increased
to a five-month high, while more recent regional
manufacturing reports also beat expectations.
• Home Sales – Sales of existing single-family homes rose
1.6% in October compared to September, versus expectations
for a 2.2% decline.(2) Sales were up 13.5% versus a
year ago. Total housing starts also grew 16.5%, while
building permits increased 17.7%.(3)
• Consumer Confidence – The Conference Board’s
Consumer Confidence Index jumped to 56 in November
versus 40.9 in October. This exceeded even the most
optimistic forecasts and marked the biggest one-month
increase since April 2003.(4)
• Auto Sales – U.S. vehicle sales grew 14% in November,
the sixth consecutive month of growth and the highest
level since August 2009.(5)
• Retail Sales – Consumer spending remains relatively
healthy, with retail sales flat or positive for the last
17 consecutive months. Sales growth has beaten
expectations in two of the past three months.(6)
• Dividend Increases – Through Dec. 13, 333 companies
in the S&P 500 increased or initiated a dividend for 2011,
up from 256 in 2010 and just 157 in 2009.(7)

(1) Bureau of Labor Statistics
(2)National Association of Realtors
(3) National Association of Home Builders
(4) Conference Board
(5) Autodata
(6) National Retail Federation
(7) Standard & Poor’s

Texas rocked the Milken Institute’s annual index of Best-Performing Cities, taking four of the Top 5 positions and nine of the Top 25, thanks to the state’s healthy economy and robust job creation climate.

“I’m proud of the environment we’ve created in Texas that allows employers to risk their capital, receive a return on their investment and create jobs, thanks to our low taxes, reasonable and predictable regulatory environment, fair legal system and skilled workforce,” Gov. Rick Perry said. “Each of these cities highlights the reasons Texas is the best place to live, work and raise a family, and I congratulate them on this recognition.”

The Milken Institute measured job, wage and technology performance over a five-year period to determine the Best-Performing Cities. The study found that Texas employers were responsible for one of every five jobs created in the nation from June 2010 to June 2011. San Antonio was the #1 performer among the nation’s 200 Best-Performing large metros, and Houston-SugarLand-Baytown ranked #1 among the 10 largest metros and #16 overall. The study attributes Texas’ success to having a favorable business climate, low business costs, renewed trade with Mexico and South America, and ongoing energy exploration and alternative fuels research.

According to USA Today, Texas has moved past New York as the nation’s second largest economy, and the Wall Street Journal has credited the state’s low taxes and employer-friendly environment with helping make Texas the job creation capital of the nation. Additionally, Texas is ranked as the top exporting state in the nation for the ninth year in a row, and Texas consistently ranks among the top states for Fortune 500 headquarters.

To view the full report online, please visit http://bestcities.milkeninstitute.org/

1. January is traditionally the month for employees to begin new jobs. Since transferees cannot wait until spring to buy, you need to be on the market during the Holidays to capture that market!
2. Some people must buy before the end of the year for tax reasons!
3. Buyers have more time to look for a home during the holidays than they do during a working week!
4. Buyers are more emotional during the Holidays, so they are more likely to pay your price!
5. Houses show better when decorated for the Holidays!
6. Since the supply of listings will dramatically increase in January, there will be less demand for your particular home! Less demand means less money for you!
7. Serious buyers have fewer houses to choose from during the Holidays and less competition means more money for you!
People who look for homes during the Holidays are more serious buyers!
8. By selling now, you may have an opportunity to be a non-contingent buyer in early Spring, when many more houses are on the market for less money! This will allow you to sell high and buy low!
9. You can sell now for more money and we will provide for a delayed closing or extended occupancy until early next year!
Even though your house will be on the market, you still have the option to restrict showings during the six or seven days around the Holidays!
10. Appraisers look at comparable homes for the past 3-6 months; your Winter sales price will be compared to late Summer (higher priced) home sales. Spring sales are compared to late Winter (lower priced) home sales.

Fixed-rate mortgages rates were largely unchanged and near record lows, according to Freddie Mac and Bankrate mortgage surveys.

The 30-year fixed dipped to 3.99% for the week ending Dec. 8 with an average 0.7 point, and at 3.27%, the 15-year, fixed-rate mortgage with an average 0.8 point, was just slightly above its all-time low of 3.26%, which it hit on Oct. 6, according to Freddie Mac.

The 30-year FRM dipped from last week when it averaged 4%. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 4.61%, the GSE said.

The 15-year FRM is down from last week’s 3.3%. A year ago it averaged 3.96%.

With rates this low, if you are considering buying a home, now is the time to do it. Call us today for more information (281) 863-9134.

Santa Claus will make his grand entrance on his magical floating sleigh amidst a spectacular laser light show at the 29th Annual Lighting of the Doves and the 5th Annual International Winter On The Waterway (iWOW) on Saturday, November 19. Santa Claus is expected to arrive around 7 pm to flip the switch under a flurry of laser beams to formally announce the holiday season in The Woodlands.

Presented by The Woodlands Convention & Visitors Bureau, this year’s Lighting of the Doves and iWOW will take place at Town Green Park from 3 – 9 pm, highlighted with interactive booths and games, a snow play area, balloon artists, face painters, inflatables, ice carvers, and more. Due to extreme drought conditions in Montgomery County, the fireworks show has been replaced by a spectacular laser light show.

Admission to the events is free.