Thursday, November 3, 2022 / by Jenny Carroll
Contributed by John Case
Dripping Springs Stanberry Office
We are telling you something that you probably already know. Rents are high; incredibly high! While the answer is a little obvious, there are 3 reasons, all of which are subsets of the real reason.
1) There really is too much money in the economy for the available goods that it is chasing. It may not feel like it if you haven’t had a raise in a while but rents have been increasing faster than many household incomes have.
2) There are not enough places to rent. This has become more and more true over the past 5 years. The demand for properties to lease, has exceeded the number of them available. This creates a condition of demand outpacing supply which results in this demand pushing up lease rates simply because the demand had families bidding up what they are willing to pay. In this way many families have insufficient income for the home they need or want and must search for a home that . ...
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home, affordable housing, buying power, inflation, interest rates
Friday, September 30, 2022 / by Jenny Carroll
In the changing seasons, keeping up with your home’s basic maintenance is important to keep the systems healthy and functioning properly.
Here is a list of tasks to tackle as the months turn cooler:
· Change the return air filters in your HVAC system. It is recommended that the air return filter be changed every four to six weeks, depending on use and conditions.
· Time to get ready for Trick-or-Treaters. Check around the front walk- way and front porch to look for any obstacles that may be a tripping hazard.
· Fall is a great time to check and clean out all the gutters and gutter downspouts. If the gutters are too high up, you may want to consider contacting a certified handyman.
· We recommend homeowners drain and flush the water heater at least once a ; ...
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home, home improvement, christmas, holiday, halloween
Tuesday, July 19, 2022 / by Jenny Carroll
PREVENTING SLAB SETTLING
By Jeff Stewart, CCIM
Last month set a record for the hottest June in recorded history. It sets the stage for a similar summer as we had in the drought of 2011. This means homeowners need to be proactive in safeguarding their foundations. This is especially true for owners with properties east of I-35 in the black clay.
Slab foundations are engineered with beams, rebar and post tension cables to perform under great stress, but in the final analysis, they are still ground supported. While engineered slabs seldom fail, they certainly can settle enough to bind doors and cause unsightly cracks in brick and drywall. The key to preventing this is to maintain consistent moisture in the soil supporting the exterior beams of the foundation. As a former general contractor and officer of a builder warranty company, I have seen scores of houses with all degrees of settling. Many of the problems could have been largely a. ...
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home, summer, dripping springs, home improvement, bastrop, water
Tuesday, July 19, 2022 / by Jenny Carroll
By John Case
You’re right, they’re up. From the looks of things, it appears that they may be so for some time. However, despite the doom and gloom that we see on TV, hear on the radio, or read in the paper or social media, this does not necessarily mean that if you have been looking to purchase a home that you are shut out of the market until such time that rates retreat to the levels we have seen for the past couple of years.
Here is a little grounding for you with a long-term perspective. Interest rates have been declining since the early 1980’s. This mean that for many of you, you have not seen rates increase for 40 years. Without this perspective, any increase that you see in today’s mortgage market will look to be high. Through the past 40 years, the rates we see today are very inexpensive.
In you were to take out a mortgage today, 3 things are likely to happen. First, interest rates may continue to increase. This will make you look like a geni. ...
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family, home, affordable housing, buying power, interest rates
Wednesday, January 5, 2022 / by Jenny Carroll
NEW YEAR PROVIDES NEW BENEFITSFOR PROPERTY OWNERS WITH HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONSProperty owners reminded to file for exemptions on property they own and live in
AUSTIN, Texas – The Travis Central Appraisal District (TCAD) is reminding property owners who own and live on a property to save money on their property tax bill by filing for their homestead exemptions.
“On average, a homestead exemption saved Travis County property owners $1,126 on their 2021 property tax bill,” said Chief Appraiser Marya Crigler. “Thanks to new laws and policies, property owners with homestead exemptions are set to enjoy even more reductions in 2022.”
Several types of homestead exemptions are available, including a general residence homestead exemption and exemptions for people over the age of 65, people and veterans with disabilities, and the surviving spouses of service members or first responders killed in the line of duty. To be eligible for a homestead exemption, a property ...
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home, new, dripping springs, home improvement, bastrop
