You found dozens of homes listed online that you love. Now what?

It’s nice having options, right? Especially when it comes to making a big purchase like a home. If you’ve started your home search by using online listing sites, you’ve probably found a long list of properties you want to tour. Even though it’s exciting to see what’s out there, are you wondering how you’ll be able to choose a favorite? Are you overwhelmed with your choices? That’s normal. In fact, research shows that when people have too many options, they have a harder time making a decision and tend to be less satisfied with their selection. Instead of making such an important decision on your own, there’s an easy way to get there faster: Hire a REALTOR®. I can help you quickly focus on properties worth seeing because I can eliminate those that may look good online but don’t actually meet your needs. I also have access to current information about whether a home is still on the market, and when homes you thought are out of your price range might actually be open to negotiations. This is information you won’t find on your own searching online, and even if you could, it would take a lot of your valuable time. I can help you avoid wasting your time and the stress that can come with choosing the perfect home!

An accepted contract is just the beginning

As a homebuyer or seller, an accepted contract is exciting. But hang on … the deal’s not done. Thankfully, if you’re working with a REALTOR®, he can guide you through all the potential twists and turns on the way to closing. An option to back out For starters, most purchase contracts include a termination option. The buyer pays the seller a fee for a specified period of time during which the buyer can cancel the contract. The buyer can exercise this option for any reason. In fact, he doesn’t even have to explain why. A closer look at the property Buyers usually hire inspectors during the termination-option period. Inspections that reveal items in need of repair may prompt a buyer to ask for a price reduction or repairs prior to closing. Or the buyer may simply choose to cancel the deal. Financing considerations Transactions sometimes unravel when a buyer cannot obtain the financing specified in the contract or the property does not meet the lender’s requirements. For example, appraisals can come in lower than the purchase price, or there may be issues with obtaining insurance for the home. The list goes on Option periods, inspections, and financing are three common trouble spots for transactions, but there are many others. Problems with title insurance or the survey, disagreements about items that convey, issues related to homeowners associations, or damage to the property after acceptance of the contract but before closing are a few examples of issues that can arise. You have a valuable resource Communicating with your REALTOR® about each stage of the transaction will minimize surprises and increase the chances that your transaction will proceed smoothly.

SPI Golf Community in Laguna Vista

The SPI Golf Community in Laguna Vista is a wonderful place to stay and play!  Whether you are looking for your new primary residence, or an investment property,  you will fall in love with the community.  Known as "The Gateway to the Bay", Laguna Vista offers quiet living and quick access sunny South Padre Island.  Call me today to talk about listing and selling opportunities (956) 433-6291

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXQusdbG4vw

Hallo Wings - SPI Birding and Nature Center

Time to get off the fence! Interest rates are still low, but who knows for how long?

If you’re considering buying a home, ask any real estate agent worth their salt and they’ll tell you: NOW is the time to do it. The real estate market is seemingly changing by the day, and if you want to get a great home for a great price, making a move now is in your best interest; conditions a year from now (or even six months from now) aren’t likely to be as hospitable. And why is that? Why shouldn’t you, if you’re interested in buying a home, wait? Why is NOW the time to make a move? The first reason you should buy a home now is that interest rates are extremely competitive. While they aren’t at the near-historic lows homeowners enjoyed in 2016, they’re still hovering in the high 3%’s for 30-year fixed mortgages and the low 3%’s for 15-year loans. But that’s going to change. Mortgage rates are scheduled to rise at least 3 times in 2018, with many experts predicting the interest rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage to reach 5% by the end of 2018. But what does that mean for you as a potential homeowner? Let’s say your mortgage principal is $200,000. If you secured your mortgage with a 3.87% interest rate, the total interest you would pay over the course of the loan would be $138,571 (360 monthly payments of $940, for a total of $338,571). Now, if you secured a mortgage with a 5% interest rate, the total interest you would pay over the course of the loan jumps to $186,152, a difference of $43,581 (if you’re interested in how changing interest rates affect the total cost of a mortgage, you can check out this interest rate calculator tool). Locking in a lower interest rate on your mortgage will save you tens of thousands of dollars over the course of your loan, which is why securing a loan now is in your best interest. 2. Competition is getting fierce Another reason now is a good time to purchase a home is that housing markets are growing more competitive every day. Now that much of the country has recovered from the recession, more and more people are in the position to purchase real estate. And the more people there are on the market, the more competition there is for homes. Competition is getting fierce in markets across the country. Homes are sold almost immediately, often at above asking price, and sellers are often dealing with multiple offers. The competition in most real estate markets is still manageable and deals are still to be found, but as the economy continues to improve, the competition will heat up even more – making finding and buying the home of your dreams significantly more challenging (not to mention expensive). 3. Homes are getting more expensive by the day… Speaking of expensive, homes are (literally) getting more expensive every day. In fact, as of June 2017, home prices have been rising every single month for well over 5 years. And that trend shows no sign of slowing. Experts predict home prices will jump up to 5% more in 2017 and another 3.5% in 2018 (with hot markets, like the Pacific Northwest, seeing even greater increases). Which means that if you purchase a home at the end of 2018, you can expect to pay an average of 8.5% more than you would pay today. Combine the rising interest rates with the rising home prices and you’ve got a recipe for paying a lot more for a home a year from now than you would pay today. 4. … And there are fewer to choose from One of the factors in rising home costs is low inventory. When there are too many people who want to buy homes and not enough homes for them to buy, it drives up prices and competition in the market. We have a huge problem with low inventory now, but unfortunately, that problem doesn’t have a simple solution. As interest rates rise, people are less likely to put their homes on the market in an effort to preserve the lower interest rates on their mortgages. The moral of the story is: there’s low inventory now, but there’s likely to be lower inventory in the future, which means prices will soar even higher. It’s better to buy now then it is to wait for the problem to get worse. Buying a home is a big decision. But if it’s a decision you’re considering, now’s the time to make a move. You’ll enjoy lower interest rates and an overall less expensive (and less stressful!) experience today than you will if you wait. So get out there and find your dream home!

Sand Castle Days 2017

Thu, Oct 5, 2017 8:00am Sun, Oct 8, 2017 5:00pm Clayton's Beach Bar (map) Master Sand sculptors Walter McDonald (aka Amazon Walter) and Lucinda Wierenga (aka Sandy Feet) are South Padre Island residents and 30 years ago started Sandcastle Days as a way to demonstrate the magical sculpting qualities of South Padre Island sand AND the critical importance of protecting our beautiful coastal shores. Master Sand sculptors Walter McDonald (aka Amazin Walter) and Lucinda Wierenga (aka Sandy Feet) are South Padre Island residents and 30 years ago started Sandcastle Days as a way to demonstrate the magical sculpting qualities of South Padre Island sand AND the critical importance of protecting our beautiful coastal shores. Over the years this FREE family-fun event has grown from a local celebration to qualifying event for the World Championships of Sand Sculpting where 30,000+ fans come to watch the sand come alive. Admission to this year’s event is FREE and boasts a new location, live music, art booths, great food, and an exciting new evening. Check back here and on the event schedule page for more details!