Metes & Bounds while Smoking!

“Go in a westerly direction for the amount of time it takes to smoke two cigarettes while riding a medium-gated horse.” Thus was an early Texan land description that we know today as “metes and bounds.” (measurements and boundaries) The idea behind metes and bounds is to use physical landmarks to identify the extent of Read more about Metes & Bounds while Smoking![…]

How to Save Money on Property Taxes

Property taxes in Texas are due on October 1 and late after January 31st of the following year. Why should we be talking about them now you ask? Because very soon, in the next few weeks, you will receive a notice from the Central Appraisal District (CAD) of the Texas county in which your property Read more about How to Save Money on Property Taxes[…]

Texas Property Taxes Demystified

Property appraisals are soon in the mail so… In many states property taxes are paid in arrears—you pay 2011 taxes in 2012. Not so in Texas. Here’s the timeline. January 1 – Your property is appraised as of January 1st. In order for a home to claim the homestead exemption, the owner must reside in Read more about Texas Property Taxes Demystified[…]

While You Were Sleeping Your Credit Score Dropped!

I have a couple of clients that have credit score problems not of their own making. Seems that their credit card companies decided that they were no longer worthy of a $10,000 line of credit on their card even though they had never been late on a payment nor missed one. So their credit card company just Read more about While You Were Sleeping Your Credit Score Dropped![…]

Should You Refinance?

With the drop in interest rates, many people are again considering refinancing their mortgages. When this thought arises, the next question is always does it make economic sense to “refi” as we say in the industry. 30-year fixed rates this week are in the high 3’s (percents) and 15-year fixed are in the mid 3’s (percents). Read more about Should You Refinance?[…]

Real Estate: Here and There

Just some interesting factoids about real estate this week. Average House Sizes and Occupancy – USA Year Avg. Home Size Sq. Ft. Avg. Household Size-Persons 1950 983 3.37 1960 1,200 3.33 1970 1,400 3.14 2001 1,693 2.58 2006 2,394 2.60 2011 2,135 2.58 For years the average square footage went up while the number of Read more about Real Estate: Here and There[…]