Tips for Houston Home Sellers

April 7, 2016

REALTORS Find Guild-ed Treasures

Gaye Jackson and Gretchen Morris display their outfits from The Charity Guild, Houston, TX 77006Roger Martin Properties welcomed Gaye Jackson, Executive Director of The Guild Shop at their recent Sales Meeting. Jackson and long-time volunteer Gretchen Morris discussed the many ways REALTORS and their clients can take advantage of the great deals found at The Guild Shop. For example, home buyers can furnish their ...

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March 13, 2015

Home Improvements ROI

Cost vs Value for Various Home Improvements

Homeowners frequently wonder "Is this home upgrade project worth it?" Many thanks to the folks at Hanley Wood LLC who have answered this question for 2014.  I love how some of the simplest improvements (a new front door) can have the most impact! Of course, most of us do these ...

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Aug. 1, 2014

Houston | Best City in America per Business Insider

News

Business Insider has named Houston the Best City in America, for these reasons:

  1. Houston is the Number 1 city for job creation in the US;
  2. Houston is home to more Fortune 500 company headquarters than anywhere except New York;
  3. The Texas Medical Center in Houston hosts the largest concentration of ...
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May 28, 2014

No "Funny Money" in Houston Real Estate

Bubble Gum

Many thanks to Chris Tomlinson of the Houston Chronicle, who quoted me in his recent commentary: "How to Spot a Real Estate Bubble, or Why I'm Comfortable Buying".  Chris raised the issue of whether we are currently experiencing a speculative real estate bubble.  My own personal definition ...

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May 24, 2012

Julie Webber, the Clever Confidante - Pools & Sellers

Julie Webber, a real estate professional at Roger Martin Properties and author of the Clever Confidante blog, has contributed this article.  She warns real estate seller about some do's and don'ts of photographing pools. 

Seller floating in her pool"Remember the song on Sesame Street, 'One of these things is not like ...

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Feb. 15, 2012

Real Estate Photos - Avoiding Converging Verticals

Many thanks to our Guest Blogger, Pei Zuan Tam, who has contributed the following article on real estate photos...

Real Estate Photos - Avoiding Converging Verticals - Front Hall - CroppedExactly what are "Converging Verticals"?  When a photo is taken with the camera tilted upwards or downwards (in other words, not perfectly level), the vertical lines of the walls tend ...

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Sept. 4, 2011

Lighting Tips - How to Light Up Your Home!

Lighting, Page 1 CroppedWhen preparing your home for sale, keep in mind these lighting tips, taken from a Ballard Design catalog, include some great suggestions on fitting shades and chandeliers to the furniture and rooms that they illuminate.  For example…

  • Add together the length and width of your room.  If your ...
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Jan. 19, 2011

Electronic Signatures - Handy for Real Estate

Docusign - electronic signatures are valid on real estate contractsElectronic signatures are being used more and more often in real estate deals.  They are safe and fast.  In fact, I have just processed my first contract offer using electronic signatures. I have to say I liked it a lot.  At Roger Martin Properties, our client base is heavy ...

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Oct. 26, 2010

Price Per Square Foot - Pitfalls in Valuing a Home

Price per Square Foot - Pitfalls in Valuing a HomeAn appraiser I know stopped by to chat, and we discussed an interesting topic — When is price per square foot a good indicator of a home’s value?  

The answer is:  Sometimes.

Price per square foot is the very simplest yardstick of home value.  It uses only two ...

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March 4, 2010

Negotiating Tips for Home Sellers - R U Crazy????

Negotiating Tips - R U Crazy????
Negotiating a real estate contract is somewhat like a dance – with stylized postures and gestures clearly recognized by both parties.  But lately, we’ve been seeing something new…In years past, a buyer would signal serious interest in a property by submitting an offer that was around six to ten ...
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