At the Half-Way Mark: River Oaks Demographics Update

July 29, 2019March 17, 2022Cameron Ansari & Teresa Byrne-Dodge

As we wrap up the mid-year print edition of the River Oaks Market Report, here is a teaser of the demographics in the River Oaks real estate market since January 1. Origin of Buyers The trend of fewer buyers coming from River Oaks itself continues. It fell from 38% in 2017 to 26%...

Ask the Agents #12: What is Title Insurance?

February 8, 2019November 13, 2019Cameron Ansari & Teresa Byrne-Dodge

Question: What is title insurance? Why do I need it? Answer: Before you close on a new home, the title company does a title search that includes examining the deed, tax records and survey. The point is to make sure that there are no existing liens or restrictions on the property...

Ask the Agents #11: When Should We Close on Our House?

December 14, 2018December 14, 2018Cameron Ansari & Teresa Byrne-Dodge

Question: Does it make any difference whether we close on our new house before or after January 1? Answer: If this new home will be your primary residence, then, yes, it does make a difference. If you own your house as of January 1, you will qualify for the homestead exemption....

Ask the Agents #10: For Sale By Owner

November 14, 2018November 15, 2018Cameron Ansari & Teresa Byrne-Dodge

Question: We’re considering selling our home ourselves without using a real estate agent. Is that legal? Answer: Yes, it’s perfectly legal to sell your own home. But there are many reasons why you are better off using a professional. Sellers who choose to sell their home on their own – the...

Ask the Agents #9: Earnest Money and Option Fees

September 17, 2018September 17, 2018Cameron Ansari & Teresa Byrne-Dodge

Question: What is an option fee? How is it different from earnest money? Answer: Earnest money is an amount agreed on in your home-purchase contract that you pay soon after the contract is signed by all parties. It is typically about one percent of the agreed-upon price, although it can be...

2300 Timber Lane: A Mid-Century Home With Plans to Stay

August 9, 2018August 11, 2018Cameron Ansari & Teresa Byrne-Dodge

River Oaks has always been a daunting real estate market, especially for younger homebuyers. Getting a toe-hold in the neighborhood has been made even more difficult in recent years by builders who have been snapping up older and smaller homes – the fixer-uppers, if you will – and scraping them from...

Ask the Agents #8: Short Sales, Setbacks, Home Inspections & More

July 30, 2018August 14, 2018Cameron Ansari & Teresa Byrne-Dodge

Last year we began a new feature on our blog called Ask the Agents. It’s proven to be one of the most popular features on the website. Here is the current batch of questions – most of them from our clients – and answers. Question: What does “short sale” mean? Answer:...

Ask the Agents #7: Bye-Bye, Old Swimming Pool

May 10, 2018August 14, 2018Cameron Ansari & Teresa Byrne-Dodge

Question: Our kids are grown and have moved away, and we no longer have any use for our backyard pool. We’d prefer to stop paying for its upkeep and get rid of it altogether. Do people do that? Answer: Yes, they do. But just filling the pool with a couple dump-truck...

Ask the Agents #6: Curb Appeal & Bee-friendly Gardens

February 15, 2018August 14, 2018Cameron Ansari & Teresa Byrne-Dodge

Question: I understand the concept of curb appeal, but I don’t want to spend the money to have my house entirely repainted. What else can I do to make it look good? Answer: You know what they say about getting just one chance to make a first impression, right? Curb appeal...

Ask the Agents #5: Installing a Pool, Loans & More

January 12, 2018August 14, 2018Cameron Ansari & Teresa Byrne-Dodge

Question: We’re thinking of adding a swimming pool to our backyard. Will that add to or detract from its appeal when we sell the house? Answer: It depends on the market. If half or more of the homes in the neighborhood have a pool, then it’s a positive thing. And for...