Real Estate Muses

Friday, August 30, 2013

How to Avoid Buyer’s Remorse When Buying Homes For Sale in Schertz

Military relocations are a part of military life, as well as possibly renting or buying and selling homes more than once in your lifetime. For military members PCS moving to San Antonio and planning to buy a home for sale in Schertz, they could find themselves in what we call “buyer’s remorse.” This happens when the pressure is intense to find housing near their next duty station in such a short notice.

Buyer’s remorse, or regretting one’s decision to buy a home, could be avoided if you are prepared. Ask yourself these questions to find out if you need to buy and are prepared to buy a home for sale in Schertz:

1. Can I afford it?
Just because you have been pre-approved for a loan doesn’t mean you are ready to buy a home for sale in Schertz. Is the amount that you will have to pay in monthly mortgage something you will be comfortable with? If not, then think again before buying.

2. Does it cost too much?
There is a difference between what you can afford and what you should pay based on the fair market value of a home for sale in Schertz. With homes selling fast and a low inventory, buyers are beginning to offer higher than the asking price in order to compete with multiple offers for a home. Competing with these multiple offers may mean having to pay for more than a home is actually worth or paying out of your pocket. If this happens, step back and think of he long-term consequences of buying this home for sale in Schertz.

3. Is it in an ideal location?
With so few homes on the market, you may be tempted to make an offer on a home for sale in Schertz that is not in an ideal location or is too far away from your installation. Being a military member, you may feel that this is your only option, as time is of the essence. But do not be pressured just because of low supply and high demand. You can change many things about a home, but location is not one of them. Remember that if the location is not ideal for you to begin with, it may not be for potential buyers as well when the time comes that you decide to sell or rent your home in Schertz.

4. Do I have the money and time for repairs and upgrades?
Being an active duty military member, you may not have enough time or even construction experience to complete repairs or upgrades in the home by yourself. Do not buy a home for sale in Schertz that needs extensive repair and maintenance if you do not have time to put into it.

This is where hiring a home inspector will help to uncover any hidden damage or defects in the home. Don’t worry about spending for a home inspector since it will save you hundreds or thousands of dollars in repair in the long run. If the home inspection uncovers defects that need extensive repair and you will not have the time for it, then think twice about buying the home for sale in Schertz.

5. Does my spouse partner like it?
Do house hunting together with your partner. If you find a home that you like but does not meet the needs of your partner, then keep looking for more homes for sale in Schertz.

6. What will happen in the next 3-5 years?
As a military member in active duty, you will most likely not remain in your home for more than 5 years. Even if it sounds way too advanced, plan your exit strategy even before you buy a Schertz home for sale. When the time comes for you to relocate, should you sell it or just rent it out? What are the benefits and costs of each option? It surely won’t be much of a romantic discussion, but it surely is practical and will save you a lot of time and heartache later.

Buying a home for sale in Schertz can be exciting, add to that the news of the recovery of the housing market but you have to follow these tips in order to avoid being a victim of the pressure of homebuying. If it doesn’t feel right, then maybe the time is not right. It is easier to recover from the emotional let down of not being able to buy your dream home for sale in Schertz than it is to recover from paying a monthly mortgage that you can no longer afford.

Visit www.realestatemuses.com to fina a home in Schertz.

Friday, August 23, 2013

Is It The Right Time For Alamo Heights Homes For Sale In San Antonio?

Some military homeowners are asking is it the right time for Alamo Heights homes for sale in San Antonio?

When the real estate market crashed, military homeowners were hit particularly hard since constant relocation makes it hard for them to wait for the housing market to fully recover before putting up their Alamo Heights homes for sale.

Good news for military homeowners who want to sell their Alamo Heights homes. Today’s housing market is positive since home prices have increased to its highest in 6 years. The low prices coupled with low historically low interest rates resulted in an increase in the number of home buyers in the market.

More and more people are buying Alamo Heights homes for sale in San Antonio while interest rates are still low since interest rates are most likely to go up with the recovery of the housing sector.

So is now the right time to put your Alamo Heights home for sale in San Antonio? If your home has recovered the value it lost during the housing crisis, then it may be the best time for you to sell your Alamo Heights home.

All signs point to a steady road to recovery for the real estate market, so if you have a home for sale in Alamo Heights San Antonio, contact the Real Estate Muses at 210-332-0310 and we’ll help you market your home to bring in multiple offers.

List with us at www.realestatemuses.com.

Friday, August 16, 2013

Checklist Before Moving In Your San Antonio Military Housing

To help you with your PCS move to San Antonio TX, here is a checklist before moving in your San Antonio Military housing:

1. Make sure you arrive at your San Antonio military housing before the moving van does. Otherwise, you will need to pay waiting charges if the moving van comes ahead of you.

2. Assign two people to be present for the delivery of your items to you San Antonio military housing. One should be assigned by the door to check off furniture and boxes as received and the second will direct the crew where to place the items in the new home.

3. Movers are expected to place each item in the designated room you have indicated as well as reassemble all furniture and equipment they disassembled.

4. Your mover’s inventory sheet will have an “exception” column where you could note any damaged or missing items. If you fail to note this, then you will not be getting any coverage.

5. Send you new phone number and address of your new San Antonio military housing to friends and family.

6. Notify the post office of your new address in San Antonio.

7. Update your driver’s license as well as your address in all other identification.

8. If you already have found a new physician near your San Antonio military housing, send them your family medical records.

9. Register the children in their new schools near your San Antonio military housing.

10. Order new checks.

11. Update credit card accounts and magazine subscriptions with your new address in San Antonio.

12. Sign up for internet, cable, and long-distance service.

13. Review and update your life insurance and disability income protection needs.

14. Review and update your will and other estate planning you may have .

15. Update your information with the USAA.

Having a checklist handy during your PCS move to San Antonio will save you a lot of time and stress. If you need help in finding more about San Antonio and living as a military member in San Antonio TX, visit our website for our San Antonio Relocation Guide.

Best neighborhoods in San Antonio TX, see here.

Friday, July 26, 2013

Military Real Estate: Prep Your Fort Sam Houston Home for Sale

One of the advantages of being a military member is the opportunity to buy and sell homes at a profit. Since moving and relocating is part of military life, why not treat this as an investment, knowing that in two to three years you will be relocating again? As with any investment, the key to success is learning how to maximize your profit.

If you plan to put up your home for sale near Fort Sam Houston once you get another PCS order here are a few tips on turning it into a good investment:

1. Buy a home near Fort Sam Houston that other people will also like when it’s time for you to sell it. Always consider the location and the neighborhood. A home near good schools is always a good choice. A fixer-upper in a good neighborhood in near Fort Sam Houston is also a good choice because once you fix up the home, offers will come pouring in. Avoid buying homes in bad locations such as near a busy street. No one wants to hear constant traffic noise day and night and it is also a risk for families with young children who might go running into the street.

2. Ask your agent how long the home for sale near Fort Sam Houston as well as other similar homes in the neighborhood have been on the market. Since you don’t know when you will get your next PCS orders, you need a quick sell so don’t buy a home that takes more than 6 months to sell.

3. Keep your home near Fort Sam Houston in good condition. Since you never know when you will need to move and sell, your home needs to be ready to sell at any time. If you plan on fixing up the home, do it as soon and as early as possible so you can enjoy the home later. Invest in improvements in the interior and landscape of the home since they will greatly affect the future sale. Stick with neutral interior colors to give buyers an easier time visualizing themselves living in your home. Your purple walls may not exactly appeal to most buyers.Make necessary repairs regularly like patching up walls or fixing leaks and make sure to clean the house thoroughly before putting it up for sale.

4. Plan your landscaping as soon as you move in. Your home’s curb appeal and landscaping will give the first impression of your home to the future buyer, so make sure you keep your landscape well-maintained, lush, and beautiful. The reason you need to plan your landscaping as early as possible is because plants take time to grow.Ask your neighborhood’s nursery about appropriate choices for plants which are native to your local area since they grow more quickly and cost less. If you plan to plant trees, avoid slow-growing palms and opt for faster growing trees like live oak and pear. Consider the season when you plan to sell your home. If you think you will sell your home near Fort Sam Houston in spring, plant early-blooming buds like tulips. If you moved in during the autumn, you could plan winter rye to ensure that you will have thick green grass on your yard. If you think you will need to sell in winter, plant evergreen shrubs that will look fresh and green under the holiday lights. Fill in dead spots with colorful annuals like petunias during summer and pansies during the cold months.

Eliminate clutter in your home and in the backyard like children’s toys or playground set. Give your buyers an expansive view of your lot that will help them visualize living right in your home near Fort Sam Houston.

Visit www.realestatemuses.com to and discover your home's worth.

Friday, July 19, 2013

Moving To San Antonio TX

If you have received your PCS orders to move to San Antonio TX and are thinking of buying a home in San Antonio, you made the right decision. Thanks to a healthy economy, San Antonio continues to welcome families relocating after a PCS move from around the country and even around the world.

The San Antonio real estate market is one of the healthiest in the entire U.S. Prices of homes for sale in San Antonio TX remain affordable. The median price of homes for sale in San Antonio is $141,200 for a single family home as of January 2012, according to the San Antonio Board of Realtors. The median price actually went down 4% from the same month in 2011.

Before you start looking for homes in San Antonio TX, make sure you do the following:

1. Identify an ideal location based on your needs and lifestyle. You can drive around some of the neighborhoods after your move to San Antonio TX. Make sure you drive around during different times of the day to get a feel of it is like to live there. Is it noisy at night? Is there heavy traffic in the mornings? Do you need a home near the Lackland AFB or homes near the Randolph AFB?

2. Once you have identified a location, define your specific needs for the house based on your lifestyle and the number of people in your household. How many bedrooms and bathrooms do you need? How much kitchen space do you need? Do you prefer to have a family room? What about a backyard? How many cars do you need to park in the garage? Do you prefer a single-story or a two-story home?

3. Identify nearby school districts, hospitals, churches, and shopping establishments. Are there enough roads in the neighbourhood to get in and out during rush hour? Once you have identified all these, make a list and use this as a guide in looking for a home in San Antonio TX. This list will help you avoid making an impulsive or emotional decision. Moving to San Antonio TX will be a whole lot easier if you work with a trusted real estate agent like the Real Estate Muses to help you find not only the best home, but the best location in San Antonio TX.

Friday, July 12, 2013

How To Make Your San Antonio Military Housing into a Home

Spouses of military members who are used to frequently moving after receiving PCS orders often hear the saying “home is where the Army moves us.”

Though they may get used to moving a lot due to the nature of their military spouse’s work, one thing that military spouses struggle with is how to make their new military housing feel like home. It feels much like living in an apartment or renting since you don’t really have total control over the house and how you want it to look.

If you have just moved into your San Antonio military housing, here are a few tips to help you make it feel like home:

1. Unpack everything. Don’t leave boxes still packed for months just because you anticipate another move sooner or later. Once you move into your San Antonio military housing, unpack all the boxes, put things in their proper places, and just “move in.” If some stuff really needs to be kept in boxes, then store them away in an attic or basement, or anywhere they are not easily visible. It’s hard to feel at home when there is always something to remind you of your transient life.

2. Paint the walls. You don’t have to be stuck with those white walls. Many rentals and military housing in San Antonio will allow you to paint your walls as long as you paint them white or beige before you PCS move again. Adding color to the walls will add a huge personal touch and will reflect your personality. Make sure to check with your landlord or the San Antonio military housing office if you could paint your home.

3. Hang pictures and paintings on the walls. Nothing could make a house feel like your own home than family pictures hung on the walls! Bare walls look very dull and drab. Even if you will be there for only a while, make sure to hang those framed photos and artwork. If you are short on budget and could not afford pricey paintings, you could always check out the local craft store near your San Antonio military housing for posters that could be framed inexpensively.

4. Use Carpets and Rugs. By adding some throw rugs or area rugs, you can bring a splash of color into any room and make your San Antonio military housing feel cozier. Take note that if you have a linoleum floor, you should not use rubber-backed rugs since they have a chemical reaction which causes the linoleum to yellow.

5. Hang Curtains. Bare windows are a sign of temporary residence. Curtains need not be expensive. You can find bargains in departments stores and mass merchandisers near your San Antonio military housing. If your place does not allow you to paint the walls, curtains are a very good alternative to still add colors to the walls.

6. Add some plants. A green landscape makes so much difference in making your house feel like a home. If you are not allowed to plant on the ground or the yard, consider adding potted plants and flowers. Aside from adding a burst of color, it gives your San Antonio military housing a more homey feel.

Click here to find a home near Fort Sam Houston.