Georgetown, Texas Real Estate Blog      Your Host: Edward Lui

Green Building - Should you believe the hype?
There’s been a lot of hype surrounding green building practices lately.  Save energy, save the earth and feel good about yourself for making a difference for the next generation.  What’s not to love?  Especially if you can save money at the same time!  Well, last year I decided to test the waters with my own green building experience.  I decided to move into a home built by Green Builders in Georgetown Village and got my Ecobroker certification to learn more about the industry and help others through the process of “going green.”

After 12 months of living in a green home, I decided to compare my utility bills with the previous year of living in a “non-green” home and see if there was a noticeable difference.  Keep in mind that this blog post will only focus on the financial benefits, but green building also benefits the environment and the health of your family.  Before I get into the results, there are a few details I need to share with you first:

1.  My previous home was on 115 Village Park Drive (115 VP) and I only moved 5 houses down to 125 Village Park Drive (125 VP) - Location is pretty much the same (Georgetown Village), and so all the climate and home positioning factors are relatively equal.

2.  I compared the time frame of August 2007 - July 2008 for 115 VP with August 2008 - July 2009 for 125 VP - The 2008 summer was pretty dang hot….but anybody can tell you that the 2009 summer was even worse, not to mention a pretty bad drought that we’ve been having too!

3.  For utility consumption purposes, my family size stayed the same:  Just Me, my wife and 3 rascals under the age of 5.

4.  Lastly (here’s the big one); the home on 115 VP drive is a 2000 SF, SINGLE STORY and my new home on 125 VP drive is a 2800 SF, TWO STORY - a home that is 40% larger!

Comparing the Gas Bill

Both of my homes used used gas for the stove, furnace and water heater.  125 VP had a slight advantage in efficiency because the home was built in 2008 and 115 VP was built in 2002.  My home on 115 VP used a traditional water heater that would maintain the temperature at a fairly consistent temperature.  The home on 125 VP uses a tankless water heater so it heats water on demand.  I also have a 50 gallon traditional water heater that is dedicated to my 400 SF home office above my garage, but I hardly ever use hot water up there.  So despite the fact that I have 2 water heaters, 1.5 more bathrooms and 800 extra SF more in my newer home, I still ended up spending only $359 over a 12 month period compared to $521 for 115 VP.  A savings of $162/year.

Winner:  125 VP

Comparing the Electric Bill

So how did my larger 125 VP home use 20% less electricity then 115 VP?  Well, for one, all of the bulbs in that home are compact fluorescent lights (CFLs).  According to the Energy Star website, CFL’s use 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs.  This is an easy upgrade for any homeowner to do.  Word of warning though, you’ll notice that the cost of these bulbs are MUCH higher.  Sure, they’ll boast that the CFL lasts 7 years or longer and that might be a good justification, but as of the 12 month mark, I had 4 of my CFLs go out on me already.  I also purchased a more efficient refrigerator, and a front loading washer/dryer set for my new home.  The HVAC unit in my Green Builder home also went up in efficiency to a minimum of 14 seer.  These appliances can make a significant difference in reducing energy consumption.

Another HUGE advantage that 125 VP has is that the insulation is spray foam.  You can go up in the attic at 125 VP during a 100+ degree summer day and you won’t feel like you’re in an oven.  In fact, you might feel comfortable enough to play a game of checkers up there.  The foam does an amazing job keeping cool air in and hot air out during the summer so that my HVAC doesn’t have to work as hard.  The home’s exterior is a white Austin stone, which is better at reflecting heat then the red brick on my 115 VP home.  In order to minimize direct sunlight shining directly into the home, Green Builders constructs their windows higher up and extends the roofline over the home further out.  The result: I spent $1304 for 125 VP and $1418 for 115 VP, a savings of $114/year.

Winner:  125 VP

Comparing the Water Bill

125 VP has low-flow toilets and showerheads, a 53 gallon rain collection barrel, drought-tolerant landscaping and more efficient appliances.  115 VP has a smaller yard.  Even though my grass is looking pretty ugly over at the 125 VP home, at least I can feel satisfied that I spent less on my water bill then I did at my 115 VP home!  In fact, it was a measly $16/year less ($378 versus $394), but still a win for green building!

Winner:  125 VP

Conclusion:

Living in 125 VP saved me money and usage on all three utilities:  Gas, Electric and Water.  A total savings of almost $300/year or $25/month!  However, keep in mind the home is 40% larger and still managed a savings.  At a utility cost of $0.73/SF/year, that would mean that if I didn’t upgrade and just moved into a 2000 SF green home, my utility costs would only be $1458/year.  115 VP, a 2000 SF home, cost me $2333/year!  That’s a difference of $875/year or $73/month.

This $73/month could justify a homeowner paying $10,000 more for a green home and keep his cost of ownership (house payment and utilities) pretty much the same.  Another way to look at it is this:  If you are going to invest $10,000 to achieve a savings of $875/year, you might want to make sure you live in the home long enough to reap the financial benefits.

If you’re considering a purchase of a green home or doing energy efficient upgrades, tap into my Georgetown Texas real estate expertise and give me a call or share your experiences in the comments below.  I’d love to hear from you!

Looking for information on Georgetown Texas Homes For Sale? Visit my website or call me anytime!! Want the latest updates on Georgetown Texas Real Estate, news and latest developments? Sign up for the blog by clicking the link below:

Whether you live right here in Georgetown, Texas or 1000 miles from here, the mortgage industry has certainly been a dominant news story for the past year.  To date in 2009, that has continued with the biggest mortgage related news being the incredibly low interest rates that we have been seeing since the beginning of the year.  In fact, mortgage rates are as low as they have been since 1963. These extraordinarily low rates can be attributed to the Federal government’s intervention in the Mortgage Backed Securities (MBS) market.  While interest rates are currently low (just below 5% on a conventional loan today), there is speculation that the Fed could push rates even lower if they threw enough money at the right target.  The FED however does not set mortgage rates, but they can buy the securities that dictate rate levels and that’s how they’re keeping rates low.  They could make a concerted effort to push the rates lower but I believe the rates are in a territory where they want them and will continue their efforts to keep them there for awhile.

This historically low rate environment, coupled with the recently unveiled $8000 First Time Home Buyer tax credit, has certainly spurred some increased activity in the offices of many mortgage lenders.  And now, we are entering into the high selling season for the year.  This should be a great recipe for putting the skids on the reported housing slump!  However, if you are planning to either purchase or refinance a home this summer, there are a couple of trends of which you should be aware.

1.  The unreported story of the mortgage market today is that the government’s interest rate intervention has created a refi boom in an industry whose workforce has been shrinking for the past three years.  While the number of mortgage applications may not be unprecedented, these loans are being funneled to a smaller number of lenders.  Basically, the same number of loan applications are being forced through a pipeline that is probably 25% of its previous 2006 size.  This has led to a huge backlog of loans awaiting processing and underwriting and extended turn times at some banks to 2 months – double the normal time.  In fact, a loan officer colleague of mine told me that he has been waiting for 22 days for one particular lender to even look at his file for the initial underwrite!   If you are in the process of submitting a loan application, ask your loan officer for some straight talk about expected turn times for underwriting, processing, and closing your loan!

2.  In addition, the second under-reported story of the mortgage and credit crisis is that, as demand for mortgages increase, many lenders are finding that they are unable to fund loans or are extremely slow in funding as their warehouse line capacity is shrinking or disappearing altogether.  (A warehouse line is revolving line of credit in which a mortgage banker arranges for a loan using the funds from this line of credit.  After closing that loan, the mortgage banker looks to sell the loan to an investor, thus freeing up the funds on that revolving line for the next loan.)  Through this credit crunch, many banks have begun pulling back the warehouse line capacity from their mortgage partners and thus making it difficult for them to operate.  In addition, many of these investors who buy these loans are bogged down with a lack of available personnel to process and complete the purchase of these loans (see the comment above regarding shrinking employee pools) and this keeps that warehouse line money tied up and unavailable for the next loan.  This means that as the economy struggles to recover, homeowners that have the biggest need to refinance are finding their loans are not funding or are funding significantly later than they had expected with these delays leading to increased fees for consumers as lenders must extend their locks and many times requires borrowers to resign loan docs when their loans do not fund on time.  Again, to ensure that you do not become a victim of this market phenomena, ask your loan officer if he or she has been experiencing any of these issues in the past few months and how will they help you from getting caught up in it. (Editor’s Note:  Your favorite homeboy, Edward, experienced this on the refi of his own home!)

There are tremendous opportunities to take advantage of today’s real estate market offerings and secure a great rate on a mortgage loan.  But just remember, like Circuit City on a Black Friday, where people are scrambling to get the best deals, it can get crowded at the “checkout line” when getting your loan.

Mark Hanley is a mortgage consultant with United Lending and guest blogger with GeorgetownCustomHomes.com. Check him out at www.HanleyMortgage.com

It’s that time of year again, where the county assesses your home for a value that you could only wish you could get in this market. Well, here are two money saving tips for you:

1. This is easy, file a homestead exemption on your primary residence. This removes a portion of your value ($15,000) from taxation, and saves you about $200/year.

2. Protest your property’s valuation. This is a bit more involved. See my previous post here on my results from last year when I saved a whopping $1928/year in taxes:  Property Tax Protest - Results are in!

You can also find additional information at the Williamson County Appraisal District website and at this link.

Good luck and happy protesting!  For my clients, I’d be happy to take a look at your home’s valuation and send you some comparable homes that sold in 2008.  Just give me a call!

Looking for information on Georgetown Texas Homes For Sale? Visit my website or call me anytime!! Want the latest updates on Georgetown Texas Real Estate, news and latest developments? Sign up for the blog by clicking the link below:

5/12/2009 Update:

I just finished filing a protest for several properties and have totaled up the difference between the county tax assessment and my recommendation.  The difference?  $105,507.  At a tax rate of 2.4%, that equals a savings of $2532/year! I’ll post the results once I get them.  Remember, it pays to reduce your tax assessment!

5/13/2009 Upate:

The good news: I didn’t have to mail anything in, the Williamson County Appraisal District takes walk-in appointments so you can get this done quicker.  The bad news is that it’s probably a better “strategy” to wait.  Why?  The County usually sets appointments for big properties ($1 Million+) first since they have a deadline of July 25, 2009 to get everything done and set the tax rate by September.  Therefore, if most of the work (of raising money for the county through taxes) is already done by the time they get to a “small” $150,000 property, they are probably more lenient and they probably want to get things done quicker since they would be a bit more worn out from the months of work they’ve been doing.

The bad news: I went in early as a walk-in, and my appraiser (beware of Cliff, he has a mustache) was definitely not worn out.  I think he was having fun keeping my assessments high.  As a result, I was only to reduce the total assessment by half of what my goal was.  I wanted $105,507, and ended up with a $50,454 reduction, about $1211/year in tax savings. A modest savings, but a savings nonetheless.

Things to watch out for: Pulling comps from the same neighborhood isn’t good enough.  I pulled homes from Georgetown Village, but Cliff was being very picky in wanting homes from the same section!  I can understand the logic when there are many builders in a neighborhood, but if the builder is consistent in the different section, it shouldn’t matter.  The same quality of home is being compared.

The other thing that bugged me is that the sold prices they use are artificially inflated.  What do I mean by that?  Well, they don’t take into account the amount of closing costs that a seller pays for the buyer.  So if a house sells for $180,000 and there is $5,000 of closing costs paid by the seller, the true market price is $175,000.  However, the appraiser did not take that into consideration.

Lastly, just because you show them the sales price of a home you closed in the year of the assessment, they won’t necessarily use that price for the new value.  I tried…and failed.

The worst thing about this is the inconsistency.  In previous years, the appraiser would take into consideration closing costs and would use the sales price on the HUD and would even use homes in different sections just as long as the builder was the same.  This year, it was not so.  My advice, go towards the end of the year when they don’t want to spend as much time arguing with you…and just in case it is the appraiser, avoid Cliff, the guy with the mustache. (No, I don’t have anything against mustaches).

With the type of real estate market we’re in right now, many of us are looking for GREAT DEALS…buying opportunities that come around just once in a lifetime.

And if we can’t find the great deals, we think we can create them with a wonderful thing called the “lowball offer.”  Now, technically there is no real definition of what constitutes a lowball offer, except that it’s low ofcourse.  In the market that I’m used to working in (Greater Austin), anything more than 10% off a reasonable list price is considered a lowball offer.  I say “reasonable list price” because there are plenty of agents who list their homes way to high, just to get the listing, and an offer of 10% off list price would actually put the home at market value!

Well, the question that you have to ask is:  Is it worthwhile for a buyer to pursue this strategy for their next home or investment?

I received an email from a client regarding this very thing and I wanted to share my response with my readers:

I know this sounds bad…but given the market conditions and how many houses seem to be going up I want to buy something for what I consider a steal…I am sure there may be buyers in front of me but I figure what the heck I might as well try. We really are happy renting as we will be moving in 2 years for sure into Austin and will turn it into a rental property or sell it. I guess I would be willing to lob bids in on properties in the $125k area for sellers that are desperate. Tell me if I am wrong but, from what I have read, I think that should be doable if I am patient, and like I said I am buying for the bargain, not b/c we particularly need or want a house in Gtown. Your thoughts are appreciated! - JW

Dear JW -

Hmmm, you bring up some interesting points.

You’re not the only one wanting to snag a steal…I do too…in any market!  However, there is a reason why I, as a guy involved full time in real estate, have never gotten a good as a deal as you’re wanting to get through the lowball method even though I own 5 homes:

1.  I’m not savvy enough
2.  I don’t have the patience
3.  I haven’t been in the right place at the right time
4.  I never offered anything that lowball and it got accepted.

I’d say it is a combination of maybe all 4 of those reasons to some degree.  However, my goal is to own homes, not make offers, so eventually I need to be able to use the resources I have (time, money, patience, savviness - i know i didn’t spell that right), however limited they may be, and buy something.  Not because I need to, but because I want to.  For me, it’s better to own 5 pretty good deals, then 1 super great deal.

I don’t know how productive it would be for me to make the 50 offers for you just to get 1 accepted…..especially if I’m not willing to do it for myself! That is a full time job…and I already have one.  In my early (read: desperate) years of real estate when I had time to twiddle my thumbs, I helped a lady do this and we made a good handful of offers….in the end, all I did was spend my time and money and she never bought a home. I told myself that in the future I would never do that again.  If somebody insisted that I represent them on making lowball offers on a multitude of properties, I could only justify it from a business standpoint if I charged my client for every offer made.

If you’re trying to get a home for $125K and it’s worth $150k, why would the owner lose $25k to you when they can just lower the asking price to $135k (10% below market value!) and still sell it quickly and for $10k over what you’re offering?  What you’re trying to do can and has been done….but I haven’t personally been able to be successful with it.  Believe me, I’ve tried.

BOTTOM LINE: Value is not determined by how much of a discount you can get off a home.  To many lowballers think that if they can get a huge discount off the home, they can brag to their friend’s “I’m da man!” yet really have no idea of the true value of what they bought.  I would much rather determine the value of a home and purchase it at a great price rather then feel the need to have to lowball everything in sight.  I guess what I’m saying is that you don’t have to lowball (offer a ridiculously low amount) a home in order to get a great deal.  Real estate investing is determined by the end result…how many homes you own is more important than how many offers you’ve made. Case in point:

On the market today is a home on 1125 Boxwood Loop in the city of Georgetown, Texas.  It’s listed for $157,500 and is 1953 SF.  If you are an investor or homeowner, I can help you own this home for probably around $150,000.  Is that a lowball offer?  No.  Is it a great price?  Well, let’s just say that it will be the second cheapest home to sell in Georgetown Village since January of 2005 (according to the MLS).  I’d say that’s a great deal!  Interested?  Call me before I buy it for myself.

With so many remodels that happen, especially in Historic Georgetown, Texas, I thought this article from the Mesothelioma Cancer Center was very applicable to my blog readers.

Asbestos Remains a Concern for Texas Homeowners – Prevention & Tips

A naturally-occurring mineral, asbestos was used in the 20th century in many applications such as insulation, piping, brake lining and flooring. Asbestos made its name because of its resistance to fire and heat properties. With a large petroleum industry based in the state, many problems have occurred as a result of oil companies using asbestos at their facilities.

Giants such as Mobil, Shell and Gulf have been stationed in Texas. This industry has been one of the hardest hit in terms of asbestos problems, with millions exposed in the last century. As homes and buildings built before 1980 may contain asbestos, those looking for homes for sale in Georgetown, Texas and those seeking to remodel homes should be aware that asbestos exposure may potentially cause many health concerns.

Although asbestos in the home is a concern, not all asbestos poses problems. It is only when asbestos becomes damaged and its fibers become airborne, where exposure can be health deteriorating. A fatal lung-ailment known as malignant mesothelioma is caused by asbestos exposure and accounts for three percent of cancer diagnoses in the United States alone.

The abundance of asbestos incidents in the last 100 years has lead to mesothelioma lawyer firms protecting and advocating victims’ rights. The asbestos scandal is one of the notable corporation and government cover-ups because information of asbestos harmful qualities was repressed from work places and civilian knowledge.

When involved in real estate, it is especially important to embark on the proper inspections to insure the safety of your clients, building workers and your reputation. A good course of action is to identify materials which could harvest asbestos, mark the condition and establish a plan that addresses any negative condition in the building.

Citizen based organizations such as the Texas Department of Health Services help promote and protect the physical and environmental health of all citizens in Texas from asbestos. Striving to prevent exposure, they educate the public to gain understanding and compliance of state and federal laws. The type of contractor performing the inspection will determine the type of removal needed.
In addition, most people are unaware to the fact that eco-friendly products can cut energy costs. Cellulose, cotton Fiber and lcynene are all green options to be considered. Cotton fiber is made from recycled batted material and treated to be fireproof. The United Nations Environmental Program states that usage of recycled materials such as green insulation methods and lighting can reduce energy use by 25 percent!

If you have a remodeling story that involved eliminating Asbestos, please share your comments below! Looking for information on Georgetown Texas Homes For Sale? Visit my website or call me anytime!! Want the latest updates on Georgetown Texas Real Estate, news and latest developments? Sign up for the blog by clicking the link below:

This is the primo market for refinancing:  I finally closed on my refinance that I was working on for the past 45 days!

I went from 6.375% to 5%, eliminated $99/mo of PMI and am now saving $300/month.  I was able to appraise my home high enough to give me 20% of equity, thus eliminating my PMI.  The refi cost me about $3500 so I’m estimating I should make that up within the year.  After that, it’s $300/month of savings!  It’s hard work to do anything in this lending climate, but the hassle could be worth it!

Ready for your shave?

Definitely run the numbers and see if it’s worth it.  If you’re only going to be staying in your home for another 2-3 years, then it might not be.  By the time you realize your savings, you would be out of the home!  However, a simple way to know for sure would be to use an online amortization calculator, punch in your interest rate and home loan and compare it with today’s going interest rate.  Divide the cost of the refi (could be $3000-$4000) with your savings and that’s the number of months it will take to make up the cost.

I’m ready, now who do I call?

I used Tracey Day (512-966-7246) with Home Source Mortgage in Georgetown, Texas and he worked like a dog to get all of my paperwork done.  Because of my investment properties, I had a debt to income in the low 50% range and so he had to be real creative with justifying it financially!  Usually, the banks scrutinize anything over a 46% debt to income ratio.  So if you need some help in this area, Tracey Day has been worked over with my file and should be very experienced with just about anything now:)  If you are curious about how your home will do during the appraisal process, he can connect you with some appraisers to give an opinion of your home’s value.  I used Pat Carey with the Georgetown Appraisal Group (512-750-8480).

So tell me about your experience….were you able to shave your budget through a recent refinance? Anybody out there beat $300/month? I’d love to hear your story! Want the latest updates on Georgetown Texas Real Estate, news and latest developments? Sign up for the blog by clicking the link below:

I love free things.

We have one of those Redbox kiosks at our local Walmart and if you sign up online you can actually get a text message every monday for a free movie!  So that’s sort of been my cheap family tradition that the kids look forward to every Monday.  They usually get a kid’s movie and then I rent one for myself.

This time, the kids got this frog cartoon movie and I got a movie called:  Wanted

“Wanted” is about a guy stuck in his boring account manager job and finds out that his true calling is to be an assassin.   So, naturally, he begins his “training” by getting the snot beat out of him until he can answer the question, “Why are you here?” He finally gets it right and says, “Because I don’t know who I am.” and that’s when he really gets serious about his training.  He needed to come to a place where who he was or thought he was really didn’t matter, as much as who he was destined to be:  A kick-butt assassin like his daddy!

I was learning in Sunday School this week that when Adam and Eve ate the fruit from the tree that God forbade them to eat, they suddenly were self-aware.  They realized they were naked, not just externally, but internally as well.  They lost their innocence and became focused on themselves.  Since then, the pattern has never changed.  The more aware of ourselves we are, the more that it’s “all about us” and the more selfish we become; the more we fall short of what God destines us to be. Like the old hymn, we need to “turn our eyes upon Jesus” and get them off ourselves.

Like graduating from a boring account manager position and into the exciting life of an assassin, we will never realize our true calling until we can answer the question, “Why are you here?” with an answer that speaks less of what we want out of life and more so of what God wants.  When we give up our right to ourselves and decide to wholeheartedly become  a follower of Jesus Christ we realize our true potential.  Why?  Because Jesus is the originator and giver of life.

He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.  In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. - John 1:2-4

It’s foolish to think we can live a full life, without the Originator of Life.  It’s time to graduate.
CLICK HERE to watch a preview of “Wanted”….I’m featured on it towards the end!

Editor’s Note: Two weeks ago, Maria revealed some great thoughts on why it’s so critical to have a clean home when selling (Clean homes sell faster).  I just showed a client a home in Fountainwood Estates in Georgetown, Texas yesterday and the home was a mess!  The tragic thing is that it was listed and owned by a real estate agent too!  Well, here you’ll get some practical tips on getting the job done.  Read on…

1. If you find that you can do the job yourself, then great! Here are some guidelines for you:

• If you have clutter, get rid of it! The more “linear” you can make a home look, the cleaner it will appear.
• Make a list of easy to forget items in your house to clean. Make sure to include the following: Ceiling fans, ceiling corners, light switch plates, electrical sockets, baseboards, inside windows, window frames, window sills, blinds, all dusting/polishing, glass cleaning, bathrooms, kitchen, and floors.
• If you are going to be leaving the oven or refrigerator behind, then the inside of these appliances should be cleaned regularly as well. It is best to do a top to bottom clean then upkeep these things by rotating them on a weekly basis.
• If you are dealing with mold issues in tubs and showers, spray a mold remover every day to get rid of the discoloration. If that doesn’t work, replacing the grouting is the best way to go.
• If you have the time, vacuum every day before you leave work. It is amazing how a freshly vacuumed carpet can dramatically improve the appearance of your home!
• Depending on the condition of your home, you may need to hire a professional, especially if you are looking at years of buildup/neglect.

2.  If you decide to hire a professional, follow these guidelines to ensure you hire the right company:

• Be sure the company is licensed, insured, and bonded. Now is not the time for any cleaning service hassles due to the many number of things that can go wrong in a cleaning! While on the subject, don’t automatically go shopping for the company offering the lowest price. In general, as with all things, you get what you pay for.
• Try to get a referral from a friend, relative, or coworker. This is the best way to ensure that you find a company that will do the job right the first time around.

So, whether you can do the cleaning yourself or go with an outside company, remember to keep it clean during the selling process! Having a clean house to show should not be an afterthought but a priority as it may help you to sell it faster. Remember, your prospective buyers will picture themselves living in the house and it’s a lot harder to picture yourself living in a dirty home!

Welcome Home Cleaning Services specializes in both “Spring Cleans” and Move In/Move Out Type Cleanings. If you do find that hiring a professional will work best for you, please give us a call at 512-931-2095 and I’d be glad to be of help!

Maria Dorian

Welcome Home Cleaning in Georgetown, Texas

Clean Homes Sell Faster!

Are you about to put your house on the market? I’ll tell you a little insider secret for selling it faster: Keep it clean!

I know, I know, you may be thinking; “That’s not an insider secret, that’s just plain common sense!” However, I’m always amazed at how many people don’t take the time to keep their house clean while they are trying to sell it. Then they wonder why their house won’t sell as fast as others in their area!

I remember one homeowner in Round Rock, Texas whose Realtor insisted that she hire a professional to clean her house. The homeowner did not like the idea of having to spend the money to hire a professional but her house had been on the market for close to a year and her Realtor thought that a thorough cleaning would help speed things along. Smart Realtor! My company was hired for the cleaning and, believe it or not, less than two weeks later the house was sold! I know this because the homeowner also hired my company for the move out cleaning.

The bottom line is that you want your house to be totally clean and presentable for prospective buyers. The alternative is to sit on your property without a sale for longer than necessary.

On my next post, I’ll give you some practical tips for getting the job done!

Welcome Home Cleaning Services specializes in both “Spring Cleans” and Move In/Move Out cleanings in Georgetown, Round Rock, Cedar Park, Pflugerville and northern areas of Austin, Texas. If you do find that hiring a professional will work best for you, please give us a call at 512-931-2095 and I’d be glad to be of help!

Maria Dorian

Welcome Home Cleaning in Georgetown, Texas

Editor’s Note: I recommend a three-step process for my clients to get their homes ready for the market: making repairs, cleaning the home and then staging the home. In the slow market that Georgetown, Texas is experiencing right now, all three are critical components to making a lasting impression with the buyers and setting yourself apart from the competition.  What about you?  Do you have any “clean home” success stories (or disasters) that you can share?  All comments are welcome!  Thanks for reading!

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Craftsman-style home by Green Builders in Georgetown Texas

A few weeks ago, I helped one of my favorite clients, Rod and Carol, purchase a home by Green Builders in my neighborhood Georgetown Village. This was very special for me because it now meant that I have sold every major builder that has been built in this neighborhood! That would include Perry Homes, Bowen Homes and Origin Homes; which are the current builders, and also some past builders like David Weekley, Lennar and Morrison. That seems like a lot of builders for a small neighborhood of around 500 homes like Georgetown Village, but as we move forward, it seems as though only Green Builders and Perry Homes will be doing the bulk of the building.

After I showed the home to Rod and Carol I jokingly told them that I liked the floorplan so much that if they didn’t buy it, I would! The funny thing is, soon after they closed on the home, a contract on this home (pictured above) fell through and it came back on the market. It was the same exact floorplan as the one I had sold to Rod and Carol! So after a few days of negotiation, I am now the future owner of a Green Builders home! The beauty of this is that it’s just 5 houses down on my same street…so no moving truck needed:)

My wife is pretty excited because we gain an extra bedroom and lots more space. It may not look very large, but it’s 2400 SF and has 4 bedrooms, a gameroom, a study and a large studio above the garage which adds an additional 400 SF.

This studio is the main reason we’re moving. I’ve been blessed to be able to work from home, but the downside is that it’s hard to focus and concentrate with 3 kids running around in the home! Now, I can bring clients to my office without having to do the “5 minute house clean-up”, I can better focus on my work, and I’ll be better able to STAY AWAY from work when I’m with the family. I mean, what good is it to work from home yet not gain any additional quality time with the family?

So, here’s to HIGHER quality family time and LOWER energy bills!

If you have an experience with Green Builders please share them with me on this post! This blog is boring without any outside feedback and what you have to contribute can help somebody else!

Check out my home video for the tour: