DFW Realties Blog

When you sell your home, you need to ensure that it is staged so that the buyer will want to buy your home. To make your home more marketable, you need to remove all the unnecessary things in your home and donate them if possible.

Our homes are full of things that are unnecessary. We  will have many things that we want to keep but are unnecessary.  No one’s home is enough to place all the things one wants to. Neither is yours or mine. So, we should declutter our homes to ensure that it is organized. Not only does it make our home organized, it will also bring buyers and bring in more offers on your home.

One of the first things you need to declutter is your kitchen in your home. Your kitchen will have many items that you probably have not used for a while. When was the last time you used that gourmet sauce that you have in your kitchen? It may well be past the expiry date and you just kept it so that you will cook that special dish you did not as yet. So, you may want to throw it away.

You may have many clothes in your bedroom closet that can be donated. When you go through your closet, you will know how many clothes you probably do not wear. The rule of thumb is that you did not wear it in a while, you may just donate it to someone who will. Not only will this help you declutter your DFW home for sale, it will more importantly help someone less fortunate.

When you go through your book cases, you will have many books that you have not read in a while. You want to treasure those books. But remember, your home is not a library. It is your home where you live and you do not need books that you most probably won’t read. There will be many books, magazines, papers etc. that just take a lot of space. So, go to your local library and donate them.

Your kids rooms will be the rooms that will need to be decluttered the most. There will be many toys, books, games etc. that can be thrown away. Children tend to keep many things they don’t need much more than we do. So, we should help them with organizing their things frequently.

Your bathroom chests are next. If you have medicines that have been there for a while, throw them away. Make sure that you don’t keep things that you want in your bathroom.  Medicines might need to be thrown away because they are sometimes kept well past their expiry date. Don’t keep linens or towels that you don’t use.

Whatever you don’t need in your home you can donate to organizations, such as United Way that help people in need.  By doing this, you will not only declutter  your home but also make a donation that will be useful to others. In addition, you will make your DFW real estate home in the Dallas homes for sale market is organized and more marketable to the prospective buyers.

When you move to a new area, you should do many things to make your move easier and efficient.  You should start with movers by the services they offer and the estimates that they give to move to your new home.

You need to first get an estimate from moving companies in your area. This will help you understand how much it would cost and which company offers the best deals when you move. Moving to a new place can cost you a bundle.  You need to choose the kind of mover you need. Is it a relocation service, interstate moving company or a local mover? You can talk to your friends regarding their recommendations of moving companies.

Get a quote from several of the moving companies. You should ensure that the company is reliable so that you will have a smooth move to your new home. Ask the mover how long they have been in business, how experienced their packers and drivers are, if they have storage facilities and are licensed and regulated for interstate transport if necessary.  

Is the mover a member of organizations, such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB) or the American Movers and Storage Association (AMSA)? If there is a dispute, you can resolve it with the help of these organizations.

Once you have a short list of the movers that you want to hire, compare the services they offer and the estimates they have given you. There are two kinds of estimates that most movers offer:  non-binding and binding.  Movers will give you estimates based on their survey of items that will be moved to your new home.  Non-binding estimates will be given by the mover based on the survey of the items to be moved and the final cost is based on the weight of the shipment.  The mover under a non-binding estimate can charge you up to 110% at the time of delivery but not more.  Charges incurred for additional services or quantities that were not part of the non-binding estimate will have to be paid within 30 days after the shipment is delivered.  

The second kind of estimate is the binding estimate. Binding estimates require you to pay the amount in the estimate regardless of the final weight of the shipment.  Binding estimates cover only the goods and services in the estimate.  The binding estimate requires you to pay the amount in the estimate.  You have to take into account that the movers will charge for services required to accomplish delivery. So, if your home is in a narrow street and the mover has to transfer items into a smaller truck to deliver to your new home, these services will have to paid even though the cost is not in your estimate, whether it is a non-binding or binding estimate.

Another kind of estimate that movers offer is: Not-To-Exceed Estimate. This estimate is one that is based on a binding estimate or an actual mover cost, whichever is lower. The binding estimate is the maximum amount you will have to pay for the items in the estimate.

By selecting movers from the estimates for the services offered, you will be able to budget your move to your DFW Realties – Dallas Home in the DFW, Texas Real Estate market. This will enable you to move to your new home with ease.

The federal tax credit for first-time home buyers is to ensure that home buyers will become home owners utilizing the $8000. Not only will the tax credit help the real estate industry, it will more importantly help increase home ownership.

The tax credit is for home buyers purchasing a new or pre-owned home. To qualify for the tax credit, you must buy the home before May 1, 2010 (with the closing date before July 1, 2010). If you construct your home, the purchase date is the date that you occupy the home. Even if you were a home owner before, you can qualify for the tax credit if you did not own a home within the last 3 years of the purchase date.

For the purpose of the first-time home buyer tax credit, a first-time home buyer is one who is a tax payer that has not owned a principal home at any time during the three years prior to the date of purchase. The income limits for the home buyers: Married couples modified adjusted gross income should be less than or equal to $150,000 and for other tax payers the modified adjusted gross income should be less than or equal to $75,000. This will enable many home buyers to utilize the tax credit to buy your home in the DFW real estate market.

You can claim the first-time home buyer tax credit, if you obtain the benefits and burdens of ownership, which means you should have the right to possession, the right to obtain legal title upon full payment of the purchase price, the right to construct improvements, the obligation to pay property taxes, the risk of loss, the responsibility to insure the property, the duty to maintain the property.

The tax credit for two unmarried people who buy a house together can be determined through the guidance of IRS. If you are a single co-owner of a home purchased within the tax credit program dates, you can claim the credit on your 2008 or 2009 federal income tax return.  The tax credit can be claimed by a home buyer who does not have any taxable income. A first-time home buyer with no taxable income can claim the tax credit.

You do not qualify for the tax credit if you exceed the income limits, buy your home from a close relative, such as spouse, parent, grandparent, child or grandchild, do not use the home as your principal residence, sell your home before the end of the year, are a nonresident alien, you are or were eligible for the District of Columbia home buyer credit (does not apply for a home purchased in 2009), your home financing comes from tax-exempt mortgage revenue bonds or owned a principal residence within the three years of a purchase date of your new Dallas – Fort Worth home in the DFW real estate area.

You should take advantage of the first-time home buyer tax credit and claim the $8,000 incentive on your home purchase in the Dallas – Fort Worth metroplex. You can claim $8,000 and become a home owner.

Basic Information for First-Time Home Buyers Tax Credit from IRS.

When you buy a home, you should check for all the features of the home so that you will not buy a home with repairs. There are many problems that home buyers face in the buying process.  One of them is to ensure that the home is in excellent condition. This will help you save money on repairs.

Before you buy a home, you should ensure that the home in the DFW Real Estate area does not have any repairs. This will help you save money when you become the home owner of that house.

There are many general issues that you should check before closing so that you won’t have any last minute problems.  You should ensure that all the agreed-upon repairs have been completed, the paperwork has been submitted, that the sellers did not remove any contents that are supposed to stay and that the home is clean and ready for you to move in. These are the common issues that many home buyers face and cause delays regarding closing.

The general issues are the major part of the final-walkthrough. However, there are many things that cause expenditure on repairs.  You should check for water damage, gouges and stains on the walls, ceilings and floors of the home.  Water damage can cause mold. Also, you should check for leaks under sinks as well. This is another thing that can cause the formation of mold. Mold will be expensive to clean up and can cause health problems. Do the outlets have power? You don’t want to wonder why your refrigerator does not work.

The lights in each room of the house should work. Otherwise, you will be making unnecessary trips to the store to buy new bulbs. The faucets should not be leaking water. The water pressure should be right. The home should have hot and cold water.  Make sure that the water heater is by a standard company so that you won’t have to get it repaired often. The toilets should work properly.  The drains should not be clogged. If they are, you should use a drain cleaner, such as Drano by SC Johnson.

Many times, home buyers will not check whether windows open, close and lock properly. If they do not, you will have to repair or new windows. Check if the window screens do not have any holes to ensure that insects do not enter the house. Make sure that the doors open and close properly. You do not want your electricity bill to sky-rocket. Do all the cabinet doors and drawers open and close properly? If there is an electric garage door, make sure that it is operational.

The appliances in the home should operate correctly. The refrigerator, dishwasher, stove, cook-top, oven, microwave, garbage disposal, warming drawers, wine coolers, trash compactors, exhaust fans in the kitchen and baths, heaters and ceiling fans should work well. The furnace and air conditioning system should work correctly. The vents should not be blocked. Also, ensure that the exterior of the home, roof, driveways, landscaping and other structures of the property are well-maintained.

These will be some of the things you need to check during your final walk-through before you buy your home.

When you buy your home, you should follow the establishment or proximity of discount retailers, such as Wal-Mart, Target and HEB. This will not only make your life easier when you shop it will also increase the value of your home.

Discount retailers that open franchises usually invest in properties or areas, such as DFW real estate area that will promote their business growth. In addition to market analysis of consumer spending, they are also interested in the value of their real estate. This means that you are buying property near a store which was opened by a company that has forecasted growth in real estate in the area. Should the company suffer losses, it will still have real estate which will be valuable. This means that you should buy real estate to ensure your own financial growth.

The retailer companies build their stores in localities with increased migration. They will buy land that will enable them to build a store which will house their inventory, parking and many other features useful for the consumer.  It costs a lot of money to build a store.  So, the retailers generally conduct many studies to consider the feasibility and profitability of their project. They want to ensure growth of their business and be profitable. Basically, they are making an investment based on their market studies conducted by their consultants from major companies.

Many home buyers would want to live near a grocery store or a shopping center whether it is convenient to buy something they need or to just walk in the aisles searching for new products that will make their work easier. By buying your home near a discount retail store, you will be able to buy food at any time if the store is a Wal-Mart Super Center or HEB store.  If you are cooking and you need an ingredient, you can go to the store and buy what you need.

When you buy a home, you should consider the homes in the DFW Real Estate market so that you will have growth due to the construction and infrastructure projects, transportation facilities, school districts and development potential. If you buy a home near a discount retailer, you do not have to research the property because the retailer will ensure the real estate is in an area of development.   The discount retailers will buy land in places where they will have better roads which means roads made out of cement.  This will help you go to the store efficiently.  The Dallas – Fort Worth metroplex offers growth that is higher than many metros and discount retailers are opening stores in many parts of the DFW metroplex.

Your real estate purchase should be near a store that offers most products so that you will not go from one store to another to buy something you need. Most discount retailers offer a variety of products. In essence, your home purchase near a discount store will ensure a better life style for less and growth for your real estate.

When you buy real estate you should research areas that will meet your specific requirements whether it is to have your retirement home, investment property or to be part of a vibrant community. The Dallas – Fort Worth metroplex is one such area. There are many reasons to purchase property in the DFW, Texas real estate market.

1. Migration from other cities to DFW metroplex which will increase demand for the real estate.
2. One of the major metros in the country.
3. Local transportation by Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) and The Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The “T”).
4. DFW International Airport, the 3^rd busiest airport in the country, which offers world class transportation with 2300 flights to over 200 destinations worldwide.
5. Homes and buildings which are modern in construction.
6. Discount retail stores, such as Walmart and Target within driving distances in most areas of the metroplex.
7. Square footage in the DFW real estate area is above the average than many real estate markets.
8. Highways, such as I-635 and I-820, which are designed for effective mobility in the inner-cities of the metroplex.
9. Land values have increased over time.
10. Major corporations, such as American Airlines and Radio Shack headquartered in the metroplex.
11. Restaurants and shopping centers.
12. Schools known for their excellence.
13. Infrastructure that is internationally renowned.
14. Home of Dallas Cowboys, a football team that is NFL standard.
15. Not to worry much about parallel parking.
16. Climate that offers clean air, clear skies and sunshine.
17. Farmers Markets that offers fresh fruit and vegetables at affordable prices, such as Dallas Farmers Market.
18. Organic and Connoisseur products from around the world available in stores, such as Central Market and Whole Foods.
19. Fast food restaurants which are open till late, such as Wendy’s and Taco Cabana.
20. Fort Worth Stockyards Historic District, one of the most popular Texas Tourism Destinations, which attracts visitors from near and far.

The above are some reasons that you would want to buy your dream home in the Dallas – Fort Worth Homes for Sale Real Estate area.

Buying land can be seen as a stagnant investment by few. However, if you compare investing in land with other investments that you want to make, you would know that investing in land is one of the best decisions you will make in your life.

Buying land as an investment requires a deep understanding of the growth potential of the place you buy in. Buying land next to a highway will be excellent. However, are you buying land in a saturated market? Or are you buying land in a growing market? Many of us may know the I-635 and I-75 highway flyovers under construction. In the same way, when you buy land, you should see the proposals of growth for highways and infrastructure projects.  Study the trends in business growth and migration. Taxation policy for businesses may be something you want to observe.

Land is an excellent investment. Not only does it ensure security, it also ensures growth. Land maximizes utility and has a greater return on investment (ROI) than stocks or a Certificate of Deposit (CD). Should you want to build a house on your land, you can do so. You can sell it to a developer should there be an increase in demand for the property due to mobility of workforce or people into the area. Let us take the DFW real estate area. The DFW real estate market has Dallas homes for sale that have excellent amenities and the land in the DFW, Texas real estate area is valuable considering the growth potential of the metroplex.  The development of highways, infrastructure projects and increasing connectivity of the local transportation has increased the value of land in the metroplex.

Let us examine investment in land by looking at a few other investment options. If you buy a CD, the ROI can be lower than the inflation rate. So, you may be basically losing money by investing in a CD. It may be better to pay more money to your land payment and ensure that it applies to the principal. Now, regarding investing in stocks, there are very few stocks that perform exceedingly well. Many stocks underperform or don’t give the return on investment that one hopes for.  Unless you invest in a startup with excellent growth potential, it is unlikely to have a ROI that is more than the ROI on a land investment.

If you consider the ratio of land/person, the ratio shows that the land per person is reducing every day. Population growth in the last century outgrew the population growth in the century preceding it. Land is limited in supply. So, land is valuable and ensures a better return on your investment. Even if the land loses value, you will have the land and slowly the land will regain its value. Land is a safe investment. With all the reasons listed above, buying land is an excellent investment.

Buying a home is one of the most important decisions that you will make in your life. You want a dream home for you and your family. At the same time, you also want a home that would increase in value so that you can have your own home that will be worth much more than what you invested in. Most importantly, you want a home in which you will have memories to cherish together with your family.

Buying a home in the DFW real estate market by searching for Dallas homes for sale is something that you should consider for a couple of reasons. You will need a home to live in. Now, would you want to rent your home all your life? At some point, you would want to buy a home so that you will own your own home. So, why not buy now rather than later? Just calculate how much money you will pay for rent if you continued to rent a home? Buying a home in the DFW, Texas real estate market also ensures that you will have a home that is above the average in square footage than in many real estate markets, has better amenities, costs you less to buy and that is in a growing economic zone.

So, let us see why buying a home in the DFW real estate area is an excellent decision:

1. Homes that are built with modern amenities.
2. Growing real estate market.
3. Job market with growth potential.
4. Home that is close to an international airport, which ensures ease of mobility for work or travel.
5. Migration trends showing that influx into Texas from neighboring states was high right after Hurricane Katrina and that may be the trend due to the business growth potential in Texas.
6. You want to have a dream home where you can live happily with your family. You want to have memories that you can cherish in your home.
7. Renting a home is expensive in the long run.
8. Homes with higher square footage than in many other real estate markets.
9. School districts that are known for their excellence.
10. What better place to have a home to be with family than in the DFW, Texas real estate market which incorporates the Texas culture of energy and hospitality?

Buying a home in the DFW metroplex can ensure a better financial future when you factor in all the above reasons into your decision process.  Most importantly, you can’t put a price for the memories you will cherish together with your family in the home that you own.