Susan Hilton College Station Real Estate
Realtor & Vice President of Sales of Bryan College Station Real Estate
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Archive for June, 2011
What To Consider When Adding A Pool
June 15th, 2011 Categories: Home Improvement & Design
Thinking of adding a pool now that summer is here? This could be a fun way to entertain your kids, family, friends or others this summer! Although pools can be extremely fun and entertaining through summer there are a few things to be cautious of.
Pools are expensive so it is important to create a budget and be aware of all the costs that go into building and maintaining a pool. Maintaining the pool is not cheap. There are monthly expenses to think about such as purchasing various chemicals, increase utility bills for water and electricity, and chlorine or pool salt depending on your pool system.
When building a pool it is important to not do it “on the cheap.” If you cut corners and use all the cheapest material when building your pool you will pay for it overtime. When you are building your pool it is important to use good materials and spend a little more money; be sure to add this into your budget when you first create it. Building a nice pool will also be beneficial if you try to sell your home later on. However, if you are planning to sale your home in the next five years, building a pool is something you should probably reconsider. When you build a nice pool that is built to last, you will get only SOME of the money back when you sell your home. When a home is for sale and has a nice pool, it is usually a big plus! If someone is looking at buying a home with a pool and it has many problems and/or requires a great deal of work most people will be turned away from this and choose to not buy the home at all.
If you have thought through all the issues of building a pool and have decided it seems like a purchase you are wanting to follow through with, it is important to be extremely careful when hiring people to work. When you choose a contractor make sure they are someone who is professional and will work hard. The contractor you choose will have a heavy influence on how pleasant or unpleasant your pool building experience is. When you start the process of choosing a contractor, ask around! Talk to your friends, family, local Realtors, and last but not least look into Better Business Bureau. This is important because it can give you some information about a contractor you may not hear by just asking around.
After you have picked a contractor and the construction process has started do not just step away and not involve yourself. It is important to monitor the process of your pool being built. Talk about everything with your contractor and write it all down! The contract regarding your pool should include details of what is included, not just the cost. The deadline should also be included in the contract. When the pool is in the process of being built make sure to take lots of pictures because if there is ever a situation where serious repairs are being done it is good to know where pipes and wires are. Hiring a home inspector or engineer to check the progress of the pool at each stage is also a good idea.
These are lots of details to follow when building a pool but overall it will help you to have a more enjoyable pool experience when it is finished! These are just some things to think about when building your pool!
Susan Hilton
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Raising Chickens In The Brazos Valley
June 9th, 2011 Categories: Living Here
Have you ever thought of raising chickens in Bryan or College Station?
It could be a good investment for parts of Texas. Keeping chickens in your backyard may seem like a lot of work for a few eggs but that is actually not very true! Buying chickens and using their eggs has benefits. A good type of chicken to get is red sex-links, which are a crossbred hybrid known for being hardy, heat tolerant and consistent egg-layers. You can expect about six eggs a week from these chickens which may not sound like many but if you have 4 chickens that gives you 24 eggs a week! It has also been said after doing studies that backyard eggs have less cholesterol and saturated fat than commercially raised counterparts. Backyard eggs are also richer in vitamins A, D and E, Omega-3 fatty acids and beta-carotene. It would also be nice to know exactly what is going into the chickens diet from which you are eating their eggs. Depending on how many chickens you buy and how many eggs you eat a week you may have more eggs than you need. To earn a little bit of money on the side it would be smart to sell your extra eggs Read the rest of this entry »
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Simple Guidelines to a Pet-Friendly House in Bryan College Station
June 9th, 2011 Categories: Buying, Real Estate, Selling
Nowadays, a family pet is considered an essential part of the majority of households especially in Bryan College Station, Tx. It is also one of the determining points when buyers are scouting for a brand new residence. In accordance with the American Pet Products Association’s 2009/2010 National Pet Owners Survey, 62 percent of U.S. households are pet owners. Forty-five percent of households have dogs as their pet, while thirty-eight percent of households own cats.
Here are the helpful hints to ensure that you get a property that meets the needs of your pets.
Obtain the essential information
Know the essential information about your pet such as age, weight, breed, and, of course, its exercise Read the rest of this entry »
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Reasons to Consider Selling Now in Bryan College Station Texas
June 6th, 2011 Categories: Real Estate, Selling
Are you one of those who are planning to relocate anytime this year in or out of the Brazos Valley? If so, here are the reasons why you should strongly consider selling your house now rather than waiting until later in the year.
This is the best time your property gets the most exposure
Majority of the buyers venture into the world of real estate market during spring, specifically the month of May. Thus, this sudden increase in the number of buyers dramatically increases the exposure for your property. The greater the exposure of your property in the market, the greater the chance of it being sold. Certainly, NOW is the best time in order to get good, and possibly multiple, offers.
In about 90 days, foreclosures and short sales will proliferate
On a positive note, the number of people that pay their mortgage on time continuously increases. Thus, in effect, this will lead to a reduction in distressed property sales later this year and all through 2012. However, on the other hand, there is still a large supply of existing foreclosures and short sales that will be available in the market.
In fact, in their latest mortgage monitor, LPS reported that
*The number of foreclosure starts is thrice the number of foreclosure sales
*The number of loans going 90+ days delinquent is double that Read the rest of this entry »
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Living in Texas Means You Need Information!
June 6th, 2011 Categories: Living Here
Brazos Animal Shelter
Brazos Animal Shelter is one of the non-profitable animal rights organizations in the world. As it names implies, it provides humane shelter and care for stray animals. This organization provides various services that are designed to promote responsible pet ownership. For more information, visit their site: www.brazosanimalshelter.org
- 25207 Finfeather Rd., Bryan, TX 77801; Tel.: 979/775-5755 Read the rest of this entry »
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