No matter how excited you are about the prospect of your new place, at this stage of the process you must be prepared to negotiate or potentially even walk away if the terms aren’t right for you or if you feel pressured. Continue reading ...

Home prices could reach new highs in 2021, as growth continues but at a slower pace. Continue reading ...

While small land sales seem to be on the decline in many regions across the state, see what the sales trends are in OUR region. Continue reading ...

Who's Buying? Who's Selling?

Texas buyers say that finding the right property is the most difficult part of the buying process. It is not like purchasing clothing where you try on a size and pick out a style where there is an abundance. Buyers usually are specific when choosing rural, suburban, or metropolitan, etc. However,they have to choose between availability when it comes to style; ranch, Colonial, early American, Texas Tuscan, modern, etc.

Whether it's a first-time homebuyer from another state relocating for a job, a repeat buyer looking to downsize or a married couple ready to start a family, there is no one-size-fits-all solution in the Texas real estate market.

Married couples are the largest section of homebuyers. Local interest is increasing in small acreage with existing homes and potential home sites. Land sales will be discussed in another Blog. The migration of city dwellers to the rural properties is increasing each year, however the rise in suburban subdivisions are swallowing outlying properties.

In first-time homebuyers, ages 25-34 year olds dominate the market. While in repeat buyers, ages 55-74 years olds are leading the market. Markets are many times created by a ripple or domino effect. One sector of sellers create a buyer's market for another sector and so on. The number one reason for buying a home is to avoid making renovations to a homeowners existing property.

The median age of those selling is 58 years old and the median income is $109,500. An interesting statistic is the median price increase of home sales is $64,050. The median tenure in a home being sold is 12 years.

The balance of home sellers to home buyers should have a net zero. However, so many more factors weigh in on the equation; sales due to death, sellers moving into new construction, or even consolidations of households, etc. This is an ever changing environment. The factors are never the same and no two transactions are the same.

Texas Association of Realtors assembles as much data as is possible to report why a transaction occurs. In addition, U-Haul reports on one-way rentals to indicate destination cities. Continue reading ...

Buying a home will likely be the biggest purchase you make in your life. At least until you buy your second, more expensive home. Recently, the real estate market has appeared to be exploding in Texas.  Continue reading ...

Your credit is a valuable asset. Financial difficulties do not have to be a life sentence. You can add up to 100 points with tips like disputing credit errors on credit reports and paying recurring payments more than once a month.   Continue reading ...

Underwriting a mortgage is a complicated process. The three “C’s” are a steadfast standard. Credit, Capacity to pay, and Collateral work in unison to approve a loan of any type. Continue reading ...

2020 Property Taxes are due by January 31, 2021.

If not paid or a timely payment arrangement in place the property owner is subject to penalty and fees. The first added fee of seven (7%) percent applies February 1, 2021. The increase is by two points each month thereafter.

We know COVID19 rules apply in the Courthouse and consideration for both taxpayer and the clerks should be respected. The County Tax Collector has made in person payments available while encouraging a simple online payment method. Go to https://texaspayments.com for several options. The least expensive is to have your checks handy and pay with a direct deduction from checking. Credit and debit card options are available. Caution: there is a fee for credit card option and it applies to each account you pay.

Taxpayers with an over 65 exemption, a disability exemption, or a disabled veterans exemption qualify for an installment plan on their residence homestead. You must call the tax office to make arrangements 325-356-3101.

Open-space land may have many uses and purposes, but it may only be exempt from full property tax valuation under one category. While Ag Exemptions are the most popular, another growing sub-category is Wildlife Exemptions. Continue reading ...

This exemption is sometimes misunderstood. Do not confuse Real Property Exemptions with Sales Tax Exemptions. The applications and departments have little to with each other. For the purpose of property tax exemptions, it is important to know what the land is producing. Continue reading ...

Happy New Year! As a homeowner we all must remember to update and render our property taxes. Armstrong Real Estate is here to assist you. Continue reading ...