Ask the Agents – River Oaks Houston

Ask the Agents #26 – Is homeowners insurance required?

January 17, 2023January 17, 2023Cameron Ansari & Teresa Byrne-Dodge

Question: Is homeowners insurance required? Answer: There is no Texas law that requires you to buy homeowners insurance. But no mortgage company or bank will offer you a mortgage without it. You can roll the payments into your monthly note to your mortgage holder, or you can pay it yourself. Even...

Ask the Agents #25: 9 Things to Ready Your House to Sell

September 20, 2022September 21, 2022Cameron Ansari & Teresa Byrne-Dodge

Question: What kind of improvements should I make to my house before putting it on the market? Answer: That’s a simple question that can have a lengthy answer. It seems to us that fewer buyers are looking for a project these days; rather, more buyers want a home that is move-in...

Ask the Agents #24: How important is an open house?

July 17, 2022July 17, 2022Cameron Ansari & Teresa Byrne-Dodge

Question: How important is it to have an open house? Answer: Very. It’s the best way to get the most traffic through your home. And even in our age of the online video tour, there’s nothing quite like letting potential buyers into your house to let their imaginations begin to percolate....

Ask the Agents #23: What is a hydrostatic test?

June 16, 2022June 16, 2022Cameron Ansari

Question: What is a hydrostatic test? Do I need one? Answer: One of the most important systems in any home is the plumbing. Incoming fresh water is essential, of course. But just as important is the egress of used water from washing machines, bathtubs, kitchen sinks and, of course, toilets. No...

Ask the Agents #22: What is a title commitment?

March 16, 2022March 16, 2022Cameron Ansari & Teresa Byrne-Dodge

Question: What is a title commitment? Answer: A title commitment is a commitment by a title company to issue title insurance. We discussed title insurance and why it is necessary in 2019. Today let’s take a closer look at the four parts – called schedules – of the title commitment. They...

Ask the Agents #21: What is a CMA and Final Walk-Throughs?

August 16, 2021August 27, 2021Cameron Ansari & Teresa Byrne-Dodge

Question: What is a CMA? Answer: A CMA – or comparative market analysis – is an excellent way to determine the sales price of your house or the value of a house that you wish to buy. It’s a data-crunching exercise that compares recent sales of similar properties while taking in...

Ask the Agents: Our 20th Installment

July 12, 2021July 12, 2021Cameron Ansari & Teresa Byrne-Dodge

In 2017 we began a new feature on our blog called Ask the Agents. Since then, we have answered many, many questions from clients, friends and perfect strangers. This is our 20th installment of questions and answers. Question: What is a sellers’ market? Answer: Typically, a sellers’ market is one in...

Ask the Agents #19: Who Pays for Repairs After a Home Inspection?

June 15, 2021July 10, 2021Cameron Ansari & Teresa Byrne-Dodge

Question: We are in contract on a house and had an inspection done. Among the inspector’s findings: wood rot around windows, cast iron pipes under the house and missing shingles on the roof. Doesn’t the seller have to make the repairs? Answer: No. There is no requirement for a seller to...

Ask the Agents #18: Renting, Buying & Hosting Open Houses

May 18, 2021May 18, 2021Cameron Ansari & Teresa Byrne-Dodge

Question: Are open houses actually useful? Answer: The short answer is, yes. Oh, we’ve heard many of the arguments against public open houses: Only nosy neighbors come. It’s a weekend amusement for people who could never afford my house. Dishonest people might be checking out my stuff. Real estate agents want...

Ask the Agents #17: Open House Precautions

September 16, 2020September 17, 2020Cameron Ansari & Teresa Byrne-Dodge

Question: What precautions should be taken for an open house? Answer: Despite six months of COVID-19, the real estate business has not ground to a halt. Or, to put it more accurately, after a hard stop last spring, it is once again percolating along. People feel more comfortable going out, and...