DavidTheLocator: Moving To Houston? Tips To Finding A Reliable Movi...

DavidTheLocator: Moving To Houston? Tips To Finding A Reliable Movi...: Everyday at Innovative Realty Group we are relocating clients from across the country. Moving all of your precious heirlooms and other p...

Moving To Houston? Tips To Finding A Reliable Moving Company.

Everyday at Innovative Realty Group we are relocating clients from across the country. Moving all of your precious heirlooms and other personal items can be a very stressful situation if not put into the right hands. It only takes one incident to make a move a "regrettable move." So, how do you choose a reliable moving company?

Most companies have websites that list their services, service history, destinations they will move to, and roughly how much it will cost. This is a great place to get background information and to start compiling a list of potential companies. Also, most companies will list contact information, including e-mail addresses, allowing you to ask questions and be provided with a written response.

Also ask around. Most people you know have moved once or twice in their life, so ask friends, family and colleagues if they can recommend a company, or if there's a company they don't recommend. Both lists are invaluable when choosing a mover.

Contact the BBB. Find out if any of the companies on your list have generated any reports. Information you can get will usually contain any grievances filed and if the grievances were resolved successfully. It's rare that a company does not have any unhappy customers; the key is to ensure that if there were complaints, that in the end, the customer was satisfied with the result. Read the report carefully, and if you're thinking of using a company who had a grievance filed, ask them specifically about this case and how it was resolved. Depending on the severity of the complaint, you may choose not to pursue this company.

Go to the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration website and find out if your potential mover has a Department of Transportation (DOT) number. This number ensures that the company is registered with the Department of Transportation.

According to FMCSA, there are signs that the company is a rogue mover. They offer the following tips:

• The mover doesn't offer or agree to an on-site inspection of your household goods and gives an estimate over the phone or Internet—sight-unseen. These estimates often sound too good-to-be-true. They usually are.
• The moving company demands cash or a large deposit before the move.
• The mover doesn't provide you with a copy of Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move, a booklet movers are required by Federal regulations to supply to their customers in the planning stages of interstate moves.
• The company's website has no local address and no information about licensing or insurance.
• The mover claims all goods are covered by their insurance.
• When you call the mover, the telephone is answered with a generic "Movers" or "Moving company," rather than the company's name.
• Offices and warehouse are in poor condition or nonexistent.
• On moving day, a rental truck arrives rather than a company-owned and marked fleet truck.

Make note of anything suspicious. And above all, if it doesn't feel right, it probably isn't.

And last but not least, keep track of your items. Take pictures and document your most important items prior to the move in the event that anything is accidentally damaged or lost.

We look forward to helping you find your next home in the Houston Metropolitan area. For more information, visit our website at www.DavidTheLocator.com and call us at 281-326-HOME!

Keeping Kids Safe In School

Advice for parents on making sure their kids stay safe at school and while traveling to and from school

For most of the year, children spend more time at school than anywhere else other than their own home. At school, children need a secure, positive, and comfortable environment to help them learn. 

Overall, schools are one of the safest places children can be. However, some schools have problems, such as bullying and theft, which make them less secure. These problems make students and educators feel less safe, and it makes it harder for students to learn and for teachers to do their jobs.

But there are specific ways that parents can make going to school a safer and more valuable learning experience for their children now that school is starting.

In the Classroom

Kids need a safe and comfortable environment to learn to the best of their capabilities. This means they have to feel safe in their school and be able to positively interact with their teachers and classmates. By doing the following, parents and other adults can help make sure children have a positive school experience.

• Talk to your children about their day. Sometimes children won’t tell you right away if they are having problems at school. Ask your children if they see anyone bullied, if they are bullied, or if anything else makes them feel uncomfortable. Look for warning signs, such as a sudden drop in grades, loss of friends, or torn clothing.
• Teach children to resolve problems without fighting. Explain that fighting could lead to them getting hurt, hurting someone else, or earning a reputation as a bully. Talk to them about other ways they can work out a problem, such as talking it out, walking away, sticking with friends, or telling a trusted adult.
• Keep an eye on your children’s Internet use. Many elementary schools have computers with Internet access. Ask your children’s school if students are monitored when they use the Internet or if there is a blocking device installed to prevent children from finding explicit websites. Talk to your children about what they do online – what sites they visit, who they email, and who they chat with. Let them know they can talk to you if anything they see online makes them uncomfortable, whether it’s an explicit website or a classmate bullying them or someone else through email, chat, or websites.
• Ask about the safety and emergency plans for your children’s school. How are local police involved? How are students and parents involved? What emergencies have been considered and planned for?

Traveling To and From School

• Map out with your children a safe way for them to walk to school or to the bus stop. Avoid busy roads and intersections. Do a trial run with them to point out places they should avoid along the way, such as vacant lots, construction areas, and parks where there aren’t many people.
• Teach children to follow traffic signals and rules when walking or biking. Stress that they should cross the street at crosswalks or intersections with crossing guards when they can.
• Encourage children to walk to school or the bus stop with a sibling or friend, and to wait at bus stops with other children.
• Teach children not to talk to strangers, go anywhere with them, or accept gifts from them without your permission. Tell them that if they see a suspicious stranger hanging around or in their school they should tell an adult.
• Help children memorize their phone number and full address, including area code and zip code. Write down other important phone numbers such as your work and cell phone on a card for your children to carry with them.

On the bus

• Have your children arrive at the bus stop at least five minutes before the bus is scheduled to pick them up.
• Make sure children know to stand on the sidewalk or on the grass while waiting for the bus.
• Teach children to make sure they can see the bus driver and the bus driver can see them before crossing in front of the bus. Tell them to never walk behind the bus.
• Be aware that often bullying takes place on the school bus. Ask children about their bus - who they sit with, who they talk to, and what the other kids do. Let them know that if they see someone being bullied, or are bullied themselves, they can talk to you, the bus driver, or another trusted adult.

If you'd like to work towards making your children's schools safer on a larger scale, consider implementing Be Safe and Sound. This campaign provides a model for how parents, students, and school staff can work together to make schools safer and more secure.

Loans, Interest Rates And The Approval Process When Purchasing A Home

Learning to understand the process of buying a Houston home can be a little over whelming, especially to a first time buyer. The biggest and most expensive purchase most of us will ever make is the purchase of a home, so it really pays to spend some time learning about interest rates, loans and the approval process in general, as well as understanding your specific needs and your specific real estate market.

It is a great idea to get pre-approved for financing because this approval will be a real indicator of what you can afford. What is a pre-approval?

In lending, pre-approval has two meanings:

The first is that a lender, via public or proprietary information, feels that a potential borrower is completely credit worthy enough for a certain credit product, and approaches the potential customer with a guarantee that should they want that product, they would be guaranteed to get it. This rarely happens in the financial services industry, and when it does happen, it is usually loaded with fine print that is not immediately disclosed. Usually, what happens is pre-qualification, instead.

Although, to a typical consumer, "you're pre-approved" means "you already passed the approval process and therefore are guaranteed to be immediately granted the loan if you apply," the literal meaning is different. The literal meaning is "at a stage before approval." Thus, pre-approved creates no obligation whatsoever on the lender and no rights whatsoever to the potential borrower. "Pre-approved" is thus a popular advertising catch phrase to induce people to apply for a loan.

The second meaning relates to mortgage lending. People interested in buying a house can often approach a lender, who will check their credit history and verify their income, and then can provide assurances they would be able to get a loan up to a certain amount. This pre approval can then help a buyer find a home that is within their loan amount range. Buyers can ask for a letter of pre approval from the lender, and when shopping for a home can have possibly an advantage over others because they can show the seller that they are more likely to be able to buy the house. Often real estate agents prefer to work with a buyer who has a pre approval as it demonstrates that they are well-qualified to receive financing and are serious about buying a home. A pre approval is based on the documentation the borrower supplies at the time of application, and any actual eligibility to receive the pre approved loan depends on the terms and conditions of the pre approval and ability to secure the loan before the pre approval expires.

This is the very beginning of learning and working through the loan application/approval process so you need to be honest. Do not overstate income, or employment. Do not buy for someone else. And don't sign any blank documents. Be honest about your intent to occupy and be accurate about your level of debt. And finally, read and understand everything before you sign.

If you need additional help my team and I at Innovative Realty Group can assist you if you are ready to purchase a Houston home. Call us at 281-326-HOME and please visit our website at www.DavidTheLocator.com. We look forward to assisting you in this next step of your journey!

Avoiding Rental Scams On Craigslist

It seems like lately I get more and more phone calls that sound something like this... "I just found a 2 bedroom/2bath in the Galleria area on Craigslist with all the amenities for only $499 a month." Or, "I just found a 3 bedroom, 2 bath house in West U with a pool for $699 a month and the landlord is not even requiring a security deposit." REALLY???  Where exactly is the property located? Where are the pictures? Who is this generous landlord?

I have been in the Houston Apartment Locating and Houston Real Estate business for almost 16 years now and I've seen it all. With the ability to search for anything on the Internet in seconds, many people innocently find themselves being victims of scammers and Craigslist is one of the platforms scammers use.

We became victims ourselves several years ago when we posted an ad to sell  3 Wii consoles. We got a buyer that wanted all 3 and decided to meet him at a gas station. (We always meet in an open, very well lit area where there are many people) Much to our surprise he arrived with a cashiers check rather than the cash we asked for. My wife did not feel good about this, we looked at the cashiers check carefully and reluctantly decided to take it. The amount was over $900. A few days later the bank informed us that the cashiers check was counterfeit. My wife was LIVID and was on a mission to find the scammer. She went back to the gas station and spoke to the manager. The manager pulled up the video of that exact day and time and the whole transaction was on video!!! She also checked all her phone records and found the man's phone number. We called him and he denied ever even speaking to us. We gave him a choice to come clean and pay the amount in cash or we would go to the police. Once again, he denied ever knowing us. The next day my wife went to the police station and spoke to a detective that took our case. With the man's phone number and the video tape he was able to find him in a couple of weeks. We went back to the police station where we were asked to pick him out from a line up, we both picked the same man. Apparently he had a police record as long as my arm! He was arrested, THEN he wanted to make things right but by then it was too late. The prosecutor asked us what we wanted. We said, "We want him to pay us the cash he owes us." He plead guilty, paid us the money and I have no idea whatever happened to him after that. But most stories don't end this way at all. Most of the time the victims never find the scammer and are left without their money and feeling very violated.

Our mission is to educate renters and owners on the many scams that are on the Internet today. 

As far as renting a Houston Apartment...It's unfortunate that there are so many people out there preying on the more novice renter or buyer but there are. Believe it or not, some apartment communities actually post a picture of a unit and advertise it as a "Great Special" at an incredibly great price, the renter-to-be calls them and is told the apartment has been rented. These are called "bait ads." Bait ads are exactly what the name implies...they are simply placed there to get you to respond either by phone or by filling out a form so they can get your information and try to rent you a different unit in their apartment community or in their "sister" property. The ad might be 10 years old or might have at one point been a special for only one unit. The bait ad may also be placed there by a third party, perhaps a locating company that isn't too legit. Never-the-less, it's shady and meant to get the attention of the renter-to-be and you would be surprised at how successful this shady business is. (This is why I get the types of phone calls I mentioned at the beginning)  Be aware of this. This goes for Apartment Guides as well. Remember this... if it's too good to be true ...then it probably is!!!

So what can you do to avoid being the victim of a fraudulent ad? Here are some basic tips to sidestep would-be scammers whenever using Craigslist:

• Search and browse within your own city or state limits. This will give you and the Houston seller the opportunity to meet in person. Following this alone can help you avoid most scammers.
• Counterfeit cashier checks, money orders & even CASH are common. Banks will cash them and when they discover they are counterfeit you do not get it returned and you are held responsible. Insist on cash.(And buy yourself a counterfeit marker at Walgreens so you can test the cash and make sure it's not counterfeit as only a very trained eye can spot it.) 
• Never, ever wire funds via Moneygram, Western Union or any other service. Anyone who asks you to wire money is likely a scammer.
• Never give out financial information such as bank account number, social security number, PayPal,etc.
• Craigslist is not involved in any transaction and does not handle payments, guarantee transactions, provide escrow services or offer "buyer protection" or "seller certification." It's not like Ebay where you can contact Ebay to try to settle a dispute. 
• Avoid deals involving shipping or escrow services and know that ONLY A SCAMMER WILL "GUARANTEE" YOUR TRANSACTION.
• DO NOT SUBMIT TO CREDIT CHECKS OR BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR A JOB OR FOR HOUSING UNTIL YOU HAVE MET THE INTERVIEWER OR LANDLORD/AGENT IN PERSON.
• Do not rent housing without seeing the interior, or purchase expensive items sight unseen(unless you are working with a Realtor) - in all likelihood that housing unit is not actually for rent and that cheap item does not exist.
• Many fraudulent ads on Craigslist are simply copied & pasted from elsewhere (eBay). By copying part of the ad and searching through Google you can quickly check to see if the post is one of them.
•  Educate yourself on the area you're trying to move to. Do research. If the average price for a 2 bedroom apartment in that area is $1200 then know that any deal for $599 is most likely a scam. 

• Our company; Innovative Realty Group, has been relocating clients to Houston for over 15 years. We know the apartment communities and Houston areas thoroughly. We know which management companies are great at what they do and which are not. Before wasting a lot of time searching on the Internet, please give us a call. We will ask you a few questions and make a customized list of apartments that we trust, that fit your criteria. If you're wanting to sell or purchase a home, we will guide you through the process every step of the way and make sure you get the most value for your home!

Who should I notify about fraud or scam attempts?

U.S. Federal

• Internet Fraud Complaint Center
• FTC Video: How to report scams to the FTC
• FTC online complaint form
• FTC toll free hot line: 877-FTC-HELP (877-382-4357)
• Consumer Sentinel/Military (for reports from services members or their families)

Buying a Houston Home? Please Read...

So you have decided to purchase a Houston home. 

I receive a call from a client, "I'm ready to purchase a home." My response..."That's great! Congratulations! What has the Lender pre-approved you for?" (((Silence))) "You haven't been in contact with the Lender yet?" A lot of questions and recommendations are going through your head. But you seem to be a little lost in the midst of it all. What do you do, or the question is what should you do first?
So let me give you some tips...

Make sure you get your financing in check. Talk to your spouse and crunch those numbers. You want be sure you and your family can afford a mortgage, without any financial burden. Once you have budgeted your checkbook, research a good & reliable mortgage company. The Lender will request certain paperwork, (i.e. pay stubs, W-2 statements, bank statements, etc.) from this information they will Pre-Approve you up to a certain amount. This Pre-Approval is guaranteed as if you were purchasing in cash. From this point on you can contact me, your Houston Realtor, with information as to what type of home and location you & your family are searching for.

The Houston housing market is HOT now and now is the time to buy. If you're ready to purchase a home, please call me. If you need recommendations for Lenders you can get a list off my website at www.davidthelocator.com
We look forward to being a part of the next stage of your life!

Easy Top 3 Spring Garden To–Dos

Spring has arrived, which means spending time with windows open and working in the yard. Get your lawn and garden ready with our tips...

Top 3 Spring Garden To–Dos

1. Plan for late frosts. Frost dates can extend into mid–May in some areas. Search online to find out the average date so you can plan accordingly.

Tip: Keep materials like fabric coverings ready to help protect seedlings in the event of an unexpected frost.

2. Inventory supplies. Clean and repair garden tools. If you plan on growing tomatoes and beans, purchase cages, stakes and twine for the vines.

Tip: Repurpose egg cartons as seed starters. Fill each compartment with seed starting mix and a couple seeds. Once sprouted, plant the whole carton!

3. Get the soil ready. Till and fertilize to enrich the soil for upcoming harvests. If you’ve begun seeding, begin tackling the weeding process.

Happy spring gardening,

6 Hottest IRS Topics

It's almost April 15th! A "dreaded day" for most. Whether you're doing your taxes on your own or seeking professional help, here are some of the hottest topics according to the IRS and some tips from tax experts.

We'll run down six do's & don'ts:

1. Look at medical deductions. You can only deduct costs that are more than 7.5% of your adjusted gross income. But don't overlook any medical deductions such as prescription eye glasses and contacts. Believe it or not, they fall into the same category as medical expenses such as wheelchairs and hearing aids. And you can deduct 23 cents a mile for driving to and from medical appointments. For more information:

IRS Publication 502: Medical and Dental Expenses

2. You don't have to be unemployed to take advantage of job-hunting write-offs. If you join a professional network, invest in some nice stationery or business cards, travel for an interview … it can all be deducted even if you're just looking for a different, better job. For more information:

Tax Tip: Job search expenses can be tax deductible

3. Sure, you give money to charity and you've even tallied up the value of all the clothes and other items you've donated to charity. But you can also deduct 14 cents per mile for all the driving you do on behalf of charity. For more information:

Tax Topic: Charitable contributions

4. Don't forget that freelance gig or temp job. You've got to report ALL income, even small sources of it. Otherwise there may be a variation in your filing vs. official income records based on what others are claiming, and even a small discrepancy could set off red flags and trigger an audit. For more information:

Tax Topic: Types of income

5. If you're calling it a home office and taking related deductions, make sure the space is not serving double duty as a storage room or playroom. The IRS requires "exclusive" use. If you can meet that threshold, the deductions can be substantial and include portions of property taxes, utilities and insurance. For more information:

Tax topic: Home office deduction

6. Keep this steadfast rule in mind to avoid phishing schemes and identity theft: The IRS is not big on e-mail. They're not going to send you unsolicited e-mails about your finances. Your best bet is to go to the official IRS website directly vs. responding to anything that gets sent or pushed to you. And, remember, it's IRS.gov, not .net or .com

Hope you found this article helpful. USA Today.
DavidTheLocator

HOME STAGING? AM I ON BROADWAY OR LOOKING FOR MY NEW ADDRESS?

Dear Home Seller ....

You have made the decision to sell your home, you have picked your Houston Realtor, and, now, the process begins.  So, what's the next step?  It could be staging your home.  Your home is a place that is comfortable to you, it works for you, yet, it may not work for the masses.  Therefore, a common step is to stage your Houston home and prepare it for a FAST sell. How do you so this?

A good idea is to get an impartial set of eyes into your home! You want to select a professional with an ability to see beyond your personal attachment to your beloved furnishings, and knows how to pull a home together that will be easily walked through by prospective buyers and will showcase the nuts and bolts of your home.  If you have a picture of your family skiing or tubing down the river, the prospective buyer may take time away from your vaulted ceilings, great molding, or beautiful granite to see who lives here now, and, where did they take their vacation.  Therefore, one common idea is to place your personal photos out of sight.  Sometimes a home may have that PERFECT chair for dad, yet, that chair looks like Dad watched a few Super Bowls and fishing shows in it and is a little tired looking, or, may be a bit oversized in the room.  So, a good professional will know how to GENTLY approach this topic with you and work with you on making the best decision on what to do with "Dad's Chair", for the sake of a FAST sell!  Those are examples of some of the simple ideas that often arise during the staging process.  A good professional will go beyond this and really make your home clean and crisp and ready for Sally, Joe, Pete, Cindy or Harvey to come and see if this home ... is for them!!

At the root of any good solution is a solid relationship.  Choose a professional to come into your home to stage it for a FAST sell that.  One that is willing to take their time and work with you in a manner that you are comfortable with, and, gets the job done.  This may not be rocket science, however, it is your personal home, your time, and your money.  You want to work with someone who is thoughtful and experienced in staging a home and prepared to help you accomplish your dream .... getting you to your next stage ... your NEW home!!

Article written by: Pamela Frederick owner of Arranged For You