Blog - Debbie Marett

Buying

MUDs, PIDs, PUDs & TIFs: Property Taxes You Should Know Before Buying a Home in Texas

Many factors are at play when buying a home, no matter where you live. Potential homeowners need to determine their budget for a down payment, research the best type of mortgage for their needs, and make sure the home will suit all of their lifestyle needs in the long term. Though these considerations are true for home buyers […]
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11 Reasons Real Estate Agents Love One of the Easiest Careers to Hate
Selling, Uncategorized

4 Things to Consider if You Are Waiting to Sell Your House Until After the Real Estate Settlement Takes Effect
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Here Are Some Things You Shouldn’t Say When Previewing a Home

Buying MUDs, PIDs, PUDs & TIFs: Property Taxes You Should Know Before Buying a Home in Texas Many factors are at play when buying a home, no matter where you live. Potential homeowners need to determine their budget for a down payment, research the best type of mortgage for their needs, and make sure the home will suit all of their lifestyle needs in the long term. Though these considerations are true for home buyers […]

Uncategorized 11 Reasons Real Estate Agents Love One of the Easiest Careers to Hate

Selling 4 Things to Consider if You Are Waiting to Sell Your House Until After the Real Estate Settlement Takes Effect

Uncategorized Here Are Some Things You Shouldn’t Say When Previewing a Home

Uncategorized Buyers – You need Your Own Agent who has your Best Interests in Mind When you are purchasing a home, you want a seasonal professional to guide you through the process. I work with buyers providing advocacy, support, and expertise. As your Accredited Buyer’s Agent – ABR®, I will guide you through one of life’s most significant and impactful transactions—providing invaluable advocacy, support, and expertise. My commitment is to find […]

In the News Beyond the Headlines: Understanding How the Proposed Changes in Real Estate Commissions Will Actually Impact You As A Buyer or Seller. The Takeaway: While the headlines about changing real estate commission structures might sound exciting and like a potential game-changer for you as a home seller or buyer, they are misleading, because nobody knows exactly how things are going to play out. While it’s true that commissions may shift, the details remain uncertain. If the proposed settlement is […]

Market Info The Best Week To List Your House Is Almost Here Are you thinking about making a move? If so, now may be the perfect time to start the process. That’s because experts say the best week to list your house is just around the corner. A recent Realtor.com study looked at housing market trends over the past several years (with the exception of 2020, since it was an unusual […]

Uncategorized Good Information on Flood Insurance Understanding Flood Insurance Requirement vs Rating Neither IFPR nor Freeboard change or affect how the mandatory purchase requirement for flood insurance works. Mandatory requirements for flood insurance will still be dictated using FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) and assessing whether the exact location of a habitable structure secured with a federally-backed loan comes into […]

Buying Will 2024 be a better year for homebuyers? Here’s what experts think. Following months of cooling inflation, higher rent and food prices pushed the inflation report to a 3.4% annual rate, according to the latest Consumer Price Index report. The rise indicates the Fed’s ongoing challenge to achieve a 2% target inflation rate may experience some fluctuations along the way. In December, the Fed set the housing market […]

Buying Pre-Qualified vs Pre-Approved: What’s the Difference? Pre-qualification and pre-approval are two terms you may hear used interchangeably when shopping for a mortgage, but they are actually two optional steps you can take to start the loan approval process. A mortgage pre-qualification is usually a much shorter process that requires you to honestly report your own financial information, while a mortgage pre-approval typically requires you to […]

Buying What Are Contingencies in Real Estate? How Contingent Offers Are Used in Real Estate Contingencies offer a way to protect both the buyer and seller in a real estate transaction. The homebuying process requires a series of steps and at any time in that journey, unexpected issues may arise that neither party was prepared for. Contingent offers act as a guide […]

Selling If Your House Hasn’t Sold Yet, It May Be Overpriced I have this conversation often when I meet with sellers prior to listing their home. I take the time to prepare an in depth market analysis on their property, analyze comparable homes and recent sales in their area. Sometimes there is data that “the public” cannot see on the actual final sold price of a […]

Building a Home The Expert Guide of Home Building Terminology Great Article Shared from a Local builder – David Weekley Learn about the home building process with this list of home construction terms and definitions written to be easy to understand. Home Building Glossary The field of home building is often where skilled craftsmanship meets specialized knowledge. With the specialized knowledge comes a lot of […]

Market Info The Good News for Real Estate Investments in 2024 The 2023 housing market has seen many ups and downs, leaving investors wondering what to expect in 2024. The good news is that regardless of interest rate increases and lower than average inventory, real estate investments remain one of the most lucrative areas to invest in as we head into the new year. High Demand […]

Uncategorized Well written by a fellow agent regarding the Recent Realtor Industry Lawsuit Good and thoughts shared by a fellow agent. Some of you may have heard of and may have been following the recent Realtor industry lawsuit. News reports have spurred a lot of discussion in the Realtor forums. I’d like to take a moment to share my perspective on the home buying and selling process, how […]

Market Info What’s Up with Real Estate? National news and local views for the week ending Friday, November 3, 2023 Very happy to deliver some good news to would-be buyers: mortgage rates just had a nice move downward! If you’ve put off buying (affordability) or selling (feeling locked-in by low mortgage rates), let’s have a discussion to make sure you’re ready to move when the time is right. What’s Up with Real Estate? National news […]

Market Info Has the residential real estate market changed? For the better or worse? By Mark Sprague, State Director of Information Capital A question Realtors, economists, real estate analysts, and more have been getting for the past 18+ months: Has the residential real estate market changed? For the better or worse? Contrary to owners/investors’ fears, the so-called “strong housing bubble” of the last 3+/- years has not burst (“bubble” in quotes because […]

Buying Should You Buy or Rent a Home? In today’s competitive real estate market, you may wonder if it’s better to rent a place or buy a home. Purchasing a residence can provide more privacy and future investment potential, while renting allows for more flexibility and less maintenance. Both options have a myriad of pros and cons, but it ultimately will depend on […]

Home Improvement Interesting how color can influence the human brain in a number of ways. Color can influence the human brain in a number of ways Stagers typically recommend painting homes in neutral colors like beige or gray to appeal to more buyers. But that advice isn’t always true. Science has proven that up to 90% of homebuying decisions are influenced by color, which can have a greater impact on […]

Uncategorized Understanding Title Insurance Title companies are nothing new in the real estate industry. But do you understand their function and how vital they are to you? Title insurance is the inverse of other insurance coverages. Instead of assuming risk, title insurance companies eliminate the risk with a one-time payment, assuring the homeowner maintains the title as owner of […]