Ask the Agents #13: Home Seller Mistakes

March 14, 2019March 14, 2019Cameron Ansari

Question: What are the most common mistakes made by home sellers? Answer: We can think of three areas where sellers sometimes stumble. The first is pricing the property too high. The logic is, often, “Let’s price it high so that we have room to negotiate down.” We see that backfire all...

And They’re Off … Sort Of

March 12, 2019March 18, 2019Cameron Ansari

Just two months ago, we were trying to catch our breath after the wild record-breaking River Oaks real estate ride of 2018. As we wrote in the River Oaks Market Report ~ 2019 Outlook, 2018 was memorable for the sheer volume of transactions: “more than $300 million of real estate traded...

2018 River Oaks Buyers & Sellers

February 14, 2019February 14, 2019Cameron Ansari

Demographics are a fascinating study, and we always find it satisfying to crunch the data we collect on River Oaks homebuyers and sellers. Some of the results, shown in the pie graphs below, help us to chart the changes in the neighborhood. We run through this exercise every six months and...

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...

Nosy Questions for Leslie Sinclair

January 23, 2019January 25, 2019Teresa Byrne-Dodge

If you love high-end interior design, you’ve probably read the words “Segreto finishes.” Maybe it was in an MLS listing or on Houzz.com or in Architectural Digest. But you might be surprised to learn that Segreto – the word is Italian for “secret” – is a Houston company founded and run...

2019 Outlook: The Overall Market

January 23, 2019January 23, 2019Cameron Ansari

The Big Picture It was a well-shuffled deck in 2018 River Oaks real estate, layered with the usual life-events of birth, divorce and death, but also including bankruptcies, foreclosures, financial windfalls and some malfeasance. It’s what makes River Oaks the most interesting place to work in Houston real estate. Most remarkable,...

Global Residential Real Estate Markets

December 14, 2018December 15, 2018Cameron Ansari

Houston is not destination real estate – that is, it’s not part of the globalized residential real estate market – despite wishful thinking among some of our clients. There are cities around the world in which globetrotters and cross-continental investors will plonk down a tidy sum to buy a status 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....

Top 10 River Oaks Sales This Year (So Far)

November 14, 2018November 15, 2018Cameron Ansari

Who doesn’t love a good list? This one – the top 10 property sales in River Oaks so far this year – is one we are often asked for. (Editor’s note: These are MLS transactions only. We have not included private sales.) Click the following link to view the listings: River...

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...