DavidTheLocator: Picking The Right Houston Neighborhood

DavidTheLocator: Picking The Right Houston Neighborhood: Picking a Houston neighborhood that fits your lifestyle and desires is an important part of the homebuying process. It can be challengi...

Picking The Right Houston Neighborhood

Picking a Houston neighborhood that fits your lifestyle and desires is an important part of the homebuying process. It can be challenging, though … there are so many things to consider.

For a lot of people, quality schools top the list of desirable neighborhood amenities. It may surprise you that being in an area with good schools is important even for people without children because good schools mean a higher resale value.

As unpleasant as it may be, the Houston crime statistics or crime statistics of any area are important, too. Take your time and do your research on this one … there are plenty of resources out there, including local law enforcement resources, Web sites, even neighborhood Internet groups.

You may also want to consider transportation issues, such as how living in an area is going to affect your day-to-day errands, your commute, and the ease of access to public transportation and major thoroughfares.

Some people want to be in close proximity to healthcare facilities. Others find that having quick access to shopping centers or their favorite grocery store or restaurants is a top priority. Still others may value features such as public pools and parks, access to bike routes and jogging and walking trails.

The point is that everyone's list will be different. The key is to find a neighborhood that scores well in areas you deem important. That's a good place to focus your search efforts.

If you're able to find everything you're looking for in a neighborhood, good for you! However, if you're like many people, you may have to make some sacrifices. A neighborhood you're considering may score well on most of your checklist but not meet every single one of your criteria. That's when you have to decide if one missing attribute can be offset by the presence of another.

 For more information please visit our website at www.davidthelocator.com. We look forward to assisting you in anyway we can!

DavidTheLocator: Buying Your First Home? 10 Things To Consider.

DavidTheLocator: Buying Your First Home? 10 Things To Consider.: 10 Things To Consider When Buying Your First  Houston Home! We all know that buying a Houston home is a big and exciting time and a g...

Buying Your First Home? 10 Things To Consider.

10 Things To Consider When Buying Your First Houston Home!

We all know that buying a Houston home is a big and exciting time and a graduation from Renter to Home Owner. But what would it be worth to have a list of 10 Things To Consider When buying Your First Home? It could be worth hundreds or thousands of dollars. Here are some things to consider:

# 1- What will your cash flow be, after you purchase the home and paid all the monthly bills. Are you going to have extra cash still left over or will you be house poor?

#2 - What school district will your home be in and what schools will your kids attend. Make sure to do your homework about school districts, school rankings, sex offenders & local police reports just to name a few. 

#3  -What home repairs will the house need, after the purchase and how soon do they need to be addressed. You should have a home repair budget if you intend to stay onto of home repairs.

#4- The size of the lot and vegetation will be a factor in what it cost to maintain the property, the size of lawn mover, show blowers, plows and yard and pruning equipment. 

#5- What time of year your considering your move. If you have kids you may want to consider moving in the summer time, when the kids are out of school. Do you have a vacation planned? Maybe you can only make the move during your vacation time and need to work things out with your boss. You may also want to consider that during the Spring time homes go for a bit more than what they would in the summer, fall and winter. There is less competition on the market in the Spring time and home owners typically get more for their homes, statistically.

#6- Do you have money saved for a down payment. Currently, FHA requires that a buyer must put down 3.5 percent of the sale price of a home to get a mortgage. By putting this money down up front will reduce the amount of the mortgage and lower your monthly payment, but will deplete your saved cash. Keep in mind that there are First Time Home Buyer Programs at will assist with a down payment, with having the buyer put as little as $1000.00 into obtaining a loan.

#7- After you obtain a loan from a Houston lender there is what is called the "Closing Cost", which is the money needed to close a loan on a home. 

#8 - Home warranties are a great insurance policy toward protecting yourself against future unknown home repair Expenses. Home warranties cover heating systems, water heaters, plumbing systems, Clogged drains, electrical , garage door openers, Air conditioners, Refrigerators, garbage disposals, sump pumps and more. We have recommendations on companies we have used. Let us know if you need one or click on the link on Home Warranties.

#9- Utility Expenses. Make sure you contact the local Houston utility company and ask what the average utility expenses have been over the last 12 months. The age of a home and the amount of insulation or energy efficient appliances and windows and drastically affect utility cost. The enclosed link will help you get all set up with your utilities!

#10 - Driving distance from your new home to local schools, shopping, hospitals and your place of work need to be taken into consideration, before making a purchase. This will also affect the monthly fuel budget.

If you're ready to buy your new home we are here to assist you with many years of experience and expertise. Call us at 281-235-7811 Thanks and hope this was helpful!

Storing Seasonal Clothes: Summer

There is a joke... there are only two seasons in Houston...hot and hotter! Nut no... we do have seasons here as well. Here are just a few tips for storing some of your seasonal clothes...

Make room for bulkier fall and winter clothing with our tips for storing summer garments properly and efficiently. So, when summer comes next year, your items can be unpacked in great condition.

Tips for Storing Summer Clothes

• Wash summer clothing before placing in storage since stains become harder to remove over time, plus they can attract insects.

Tip: Refrain from using starch before packing clothing—insects are drawn to it.

• Choose a location that is cool, dark, well ventilated and clean. Always, keep packed clothing out of damp basements, attics or garages.
• Avoid plastic bags or airtight containers where clothing can’t breathe. Use trunks or vented clothing bags, and place in closets with good ventilation.

Tip: Tie pieces of chalk together and hang them in storage areas to help reduce moisture. If using mothballs, place them in a sock to minimize direct contact with fabrics.

• Instead of using hangers, fold and stack materials like silk and rayon to avoid misshapen fabric. And roll clothing made of linen to prevent creases.

Tip: While packing up your clothes, consider donating items you no longer wear, or host a garage sale.

• Line plastic or wood containers with acid-free shelf paper or wallpaper to protect delicate clothing.
• Stack clothing in a storage bin with the lightest fabrics on top and heaviest on bottom.

Tip: Repurpose old T-shirts into unique accessories like scarves, headbands, bracelets and more.

If you have any additional tips please be sure to share!