Feeling a Little Cramped? Moving Up

If your home is giving you "the squeeze" because your family has grown or you're seriously thinking about buying a home in a more upscale neighborhood, then you may be ready to move up to your next home. But how do you get started?

Begin with a "reality check."

Take some time to really look at what the next step may be. Visit the neighborhoods you may be interested in. Tour open houses or homes for sale to see what kind of home is available in your price range. I can show you neighborhoods and homes that you might not have considered, but that will meet your needs. Trust your instincts and focus on what you know fits your lifestyle. Then I can help advise you on the value and investment quality of the homes on the market.

Next, talk to your lender to see what kinds of mortgage programs and rates are available, as well as how much you will qualify for. More important, take a hard look at your household budget to realistically determine how much of a mortgage payment you can afford each month. If you don't already have a good relationship with a lender, I'd be happy to refer you to lenders who offer mortgage programs that meet your needs.

In the meantime, I can perform a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) for your current home to see how it compares to other homes sold in your neighborhood. Then we can determine a realistic asking price. I can also recommend ways to prepare your home for sale. Once you have made a realistic assessment of what you're getting into, then we can put your house on the market and begin to seriously look for your next home.

What if you find a home before yours sells…or vice versa

One of the biggest concerns of move-up buyers is what happens if they find their dream home before their current one sells, or if their home sells before they find a new one. Here's a brief look at several options (please call me for greater detail or help with your particular situation):

If you have an acceptable offer for your home on the table but haven't yet found a new house to move to, you can:

Go for it with the understanding that you may have to move twice - once to a short-time rental unit, the second time to your new home.

Accept the offer with the stipulation that you want a long closing and the right to rent back from the new owner for 60, 90 or 120 days. Assure the buyer that you will do everything possible to move things along so they may be able to take possession of the home sooner than the specified terms.

Inform the buyer you'll sell the home only if you can find a house you like and it will take 30 to 60 days to determine if, indeed, you will sell. This may seem a bit risky but this approach can be successful if you allow the buyer to do their inspection (not appraisal) and get their financing in order while you shop for a new home. You also allow them to continue looking at other homes on the market. If the buyer finds something they like better, then you agree to let them out of the deal and refund their inspection cost (typically it's only $200-$300). This a good way to avoid having to take your home off the market while you're looking, only to have the buyer then do an inspection after you've found a new home, giving them an opportunity to renegotiate the deal when they know you're over a barrel. To prevent surprises at the outset, we can include in your listing description a phrase such as "...the sale of this house is contingent on the seller finding a suitable home..."

Think about the future

When looking for your new home, try to think more about your future needs than your current needs. Generally, I recommend buying as much home as you can afford without overextending yourself, especially if you're buying a new home with few maintenance issues. By stretching a bit within your personal budget, the home will better meet your current and future lifestyle, you will likely hang on to it longer, and it will be a better-performing investment in the long run.

With all that said, remember that you will likely not live in your new home forever. According to U-Haul, the average American relocates 11 times over the course of his or her life (Ladies Home Journal, July 1998). If your new home meets many of your needs, then go for it. You likely will be moving up again in the future.

Beacon Hill Highlights:

• HOA Annual Dues: $665
• Total Tax Rate: 3.06%
• Waller School District
• Highly Ranked for Quality Builder by J.D. Power & Associates in 2010
• Minutes from shopping and restaurants
• Easy access to Hwy 290, Grand Parkway

MORTGAGE CENTER

How Much Income do I Need in Order to Qualify?

Do you need to know how much money you must earn to purchase the house of your dreams? This calculator will help you figure it out.

Savings: When you finance through our Preferred Lenders, Long Lakes Homes will pay your 1st year Home Owner Insurance, your owner’s title policy, and $500 in closing costs –

(these incentive valued from $3000 to $5000 determined by your loan amount)

Preferred Lenders:

1 . Texas Capital Lending

      Gerald Boudreaux. 

     NMLS # 1130687

       Cell:     832-693-0991

       Efax:    281-754-4699

       gboudreaux@txcapital.net

       Apply Now

2 .BenchMark

    WILL NEVOTTI 

    214-733-9620 Cell

    will.nevotti@benchmark.us 

       APPLY NOW  

      Mark Prague

     832-205-1595

    (Spanish Speaking)

       mark.sprague@benchmark.us

        APPLY NOW! 

3. Network Funding

    Robert Tinh  

      C: : 713-992-7100 

     robert.tinh@nflp.com 

     Apply Now

4. CORNERSTONE

    BRANDON POLKA  

     NMLS# 200915

      Direct: 281-296-1892

      BPOLKA@houseloan.com

      Apply Now

Not sure exactly what you need to be asking about? These 10 questions to ask when buying a new construction home will help get you started.

1. Is the lot cost included?

   When you’re exploring new construction options, you’ll see that each plan comes with a base cost. This is the cost of the structure itself, as well as base interior and exterior features (we’ll get into those in a little bit). What may not be included is the cost of the land, so be sure to ask if the lot cost is figured into the base.

   If the lot cost is included, ask if there are premium costs for certain lots. It’s possible that the base cost does include the lot, but the remaining lots in the development all have added costs for certain features that you can’t opt out of, such as look-out windows in the basement or wider yards. If the lot cost is not included, ask what it is (and whether there are additional premium costs) and factor those into the base price for the house.

2. How long will building take?

   It’s important to know what you’re getting into timing-wise with a new construction build, particularly if you have a house to sell first or you’re going to be renting. While the building process is prone to delays and you won’t be able to get a finite schedule for how long the build will take, you’ll be able to get a general idea of what you can expect. Be sure to also ask if the build time includes the time it takes to get the permits, since those will typically take about 30-45 days to obtain.

3. What warranties are provided with the house?

   Just because a home is brand new doesn’t mean that no problems will arise. Fortunately, most new construction homes come with one or more warranties that protect you in the event of a mishap early on, including a short term whole-house warranty and a longer structural warranty. Ask what the warranties include and how long they last. While you can always buy your own home warranty, you should expect that the builder will cover you in some way for at least the first several years.

4. What are the standard finishes?

   Does a base cost look too good to be true? That might be because the builder is expecting you to spend big when it comes to finishes like flooring and countertops. Ask what types of finishes are included, and better yet, go through the model unit with the sales representative and have them point out what’s standard and what is an upgrade. You likely won’t meet with the design center until after you’ve gone under contract, so it’s important to figure out early what sorts of finishes and appliances you can expect to be included in the home’s base price.

5. Is landscaping included?

   Depending on the size of your yard, landscaping, including sodding and putting in trees and plants, can set you back several thousand dollars or more. Is that a cost you’ll have to factor in on top of the home purchase? Some builders include your basic yard work, while others leave you with unfinished land that becomes your responsibility to landscape (and generally must be completed in a set amount of time, per the contract). Ask whether landscaping is included, and if so, what that entails and if there is any sort of warranty on the materials so that if your newly sodded grass dies right away or some other mishap occurs you’re not responsible for fixing it.

6. Does the contract include a cost escalation clause?

   New builds are notorious for last minute surprises, but you don’t want to be on the hook financially if it happens. A cost escalation clause allows the builder to charge you for any unanticipated costs that arise as a result of necessary labor or materials. So if lumber prices go up before the builder has purchased the materials for your flooring, or an unexpected delay adds a few weeks onto the build, you’re on the line for those costs. If you’d rather not deal with the stress of unanticipated costs, find a builder that doesn’t include a cost escalation clause in the contract.

7. Are there any homeowners rules or regulations?

   Even if there is no homeowners association for the development, the builder may still set some guidelines as far as what’s allowed and what’s not on your property. For example, you may not be able to use a particular type of fencing or install a shed in your backyard. It’s better to ask this question early and know what to expect than to move in and find out that you can’t bring into fruition certain plans you had for the space.

8. Are there any financial incentives for using the builder’s preferred lender?

   Some builders offer discounts on closing costs if you obtain your mortgage through a company that they have a relationship with. Ask if these sorts of financial incentives are offered, but don’t make your final decision about where to get your mortgage based on the discounts alone – you may still be able to find a better deal through other lenders. It’s still good to know however if there are benefits to working with the builder’s preferred mortgage company.

If it’s your dream to build a new construction house, go in to the process with an open mind and a clear idea of what you can expect. The more questions you can ask in the beginning, the less surprises you’ll potentially face in the future.

And as with any home purchase, be sure to have an attorney read over your contract so that you can be sure everything is fair and equitable. Some buyers of new construction prefer to go in to sales meetings with a real estate agent as well, though in my own experience, I didn’t find that to be necessary. Be smart, ask the right questions, and at the end of the day (or fine, year) you’ll end up with a beautiful home built just for you.