ePicketFence.com Blog

Buying a new real estate construction in Austin, Texas is a very attractive concept to many. Austin is one of the best and fastest growing cities in America to live in, especially for many new families. It is a city where technology and creativity come together, jobs are aplenty and people are well-mannered. Now, how do you go about finding the right new-construction house in this ever growing city?First of all, if you are uncomfortable dealing on your own, you might find it most appropriate to hire the services of a knowledgeable real estate expert. Although their services cost a bit, these professionals will be able to guide you through the entire buying process. Secondly, know that there are two important keys to building the house that you want: choosing the right builder; and setting a budget you can afford. Here are the steps you can take to find the best home in Austin for you and your family:1. Contact the builder (or their representative agent) and set an appointm... Tags: Untagged Read More

It is just about every adult’s dream to own his very own home. However, due to many practical constraints, the only way for a regular earner to own a home is by obtaining a home loan or mortgage. A home mortgage is a loan you apply for in order to pay for your house and/or the land it stands on. The same property is considered as the collateral for the loan, which means that your lender can take away your home if, for any reason, you become unable to pay for the monthly repayments due you.In order to own and keep your home, it is important that you be able to pay for the mortgage of your home. Thus, before even obtaining the loan, you should have already set your budget and have made sure that you have enough family income to accommodate mortgage payments. How do you calculate and figure out mortgage payments for your home? Here are some tips that can help you get a bird's eye view on how much you will shell out monthly paying for home:1. Know the three most important pie... Tags: Untagged Read More

There are quite a number of trees native to Texas which you can include in your garden if you live in Austin. However, Texas is a big state, and it has one of the world’s most diverse soil and climate conditions. You need to make sure that the environmental variables are ideal for the growth of these trees before you plant them .Here’s a way to make the job easier. Below are the top four native Texas trees which you can plant in Austin without any worries. Desert WillowThe Desert Willow is classified as a small tree and is adaptable to most parts of Texas except the eastern regions (Houston, Tyler, Nacagdoches, Beaumont and Texarkana). It’s known for its blooms which look like snapdragon and grace the state throughout the summer. Its foliage resembles willow leaves, and you won’t have any trouble maintaining this tree in an Austin garden. It has very low water requirements which make it adaptable to regions which are prone to draught. The Desert Willow grows between 15 to... Tags: Untagged Read More

Real estate taxes can be a real headache, and that is an understatement. Every year, homeowners in Texas complain about their rising tax obligations, and this isn’t just a state-concentrated problem. It’s happening across the country. What can raise your taxes?Anything from the rising land/property value in your area to the home improvements you’ve made in the past can raise your real estate taxes in Texas. Most of the time, assessors are asked to look inside your home and assess the true selling value of the property. Other times, they also just generalize. They can acquire the median value of homes in your neighborhood and that’s the value they assign your home. How can you fight this? What you should do first is to get the real estate tax values assigned to at least five similar properties in your area. Take note of the differences in the structure, and see how these compare to your own property’s assessed value. You need to prove that the taxes assigned to your proper... Tags: Austin homes for sale, Cedar Park real estate Read More

If you’re trying to sell your home and you’d like to do it without the help of real estate agent, putting up ads in trusted social media networks can work to your advantage. Aside from the socializing factor of these online networks, they’re also the most effective classified ads now. Here are things you need to remember, though, if you want these ads to be effective. Graphics and specs Make your post as informative as possible. Include maps, the address, price range, the state of your home, and a lot of photos. If possible, put up an entire album detailing the highlights of your home. Hire someone who can take real estate photos professionally or perhaps a friend with enough photography skills who can shoot your house for free. Put all of the details in bullet form and keep it short but complete so if anyone seems interested, they’ll have minimal questions about the property. Encourage them to come over for a viewing by including your number, name, email address and othe... Tags: Austin real estate, Lakeway homes for sale Read More

Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity By Nikki Richardson, Development & Communications Director Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity seeks to eliminate poverty housing in the Pikes Peak region by building and rehabilitating simple, decent, affordable homes in partnership with the community and prospective homeowners.  PPHFH does not build fancy houses. We build affordable homes – homes that provide much more than shelter. Our homes give low-income families the chance to experience the pride, dignity and self-sufficiency of homeownership.Habitat houses are not given away. Low-income families who cannot qualify for conventional mortgages receive zero-interest mortgages. These families are chosen based on three criteria: need for affordable housing; willingness to partner with Habitat; and ability to pay. Homeowners save an average of $215 on their mortgage payment than when they were renting. Partnership means contributing 350-450 hours of sweat equity into the construction of the family’s h... Tags: Untagged Read More

The SRESÒ designation stands for Seniors Real Estate Specialist and only a handful of agents in Colorado Springs actually hold this designation.  Those that do hold the SRESÒ, are a breed apart! There are keen differences in how an SRESÒ RealtorÒ works with the Seniors age group.  I get asked about those differences all the time.  An SRESÒ RealtorÒ will patiently guide their senior client through the process, utilizing a network of senior specialists that may include CPA’s, estate planners, lawyers, moving companies, packing companies that specialize in clutter and years of accumulation, as well as other community resources and services.  Seniors very often have been in their home for years, and are not familiar with the transaction process as they haven’t sold real estate since the industry used one page contracts.  The contracts are approximately 15 pages now and it can be very overwhelming for this particular age group.  In addition, there may be other nuances that impact the sale o... Tags: Real Estate Read More

Thanks for being a Fan! I want to make sure you are aware that any Member (Fan) of our Facebook FanPage for epicketfence.com has the opportunity to write an article for our website and for inclusion on the FanPage. There is no cost for this exposure!! Simple Guidelines: Don't write a commercial for your business. Instead provide the public with useful information about your industry or what is happening in your local area. Quality articles are read, and more importantly shared! Articles can be any length, although this is not the venue to write your first book. And pictures are beneficial. I believe the popularity of our website articles and Facebook fanpage can be attributed to the wide variety of topics we provide our fans. And now that Facebook provides tracking of Impressions on the articles we post on our FanPage I can tell you that each of our articles usually receive a minimum of 1000 impressions, and that doesn't include the articles that are copied and sent out as a resou... Tags: Untagged Read More

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS   Q. My house was built in the 1960s and I really want to improve the energy conservation. I have come across a product called a radiant barrier that the contractor and manufacturer state will save 15 to 20 percent of my energy costs. Do you have any experience with this product? There are several radiant barriers available to homeowners. Radiant barriers are basically reflectors—sheets of flexible material with a reflective surface such as aluminum foil on one or both sides. They work differently than conventional insulation, but generally are used in combination with it. Tests have shown that radiant barriers can be effective in cutting cooling costs, especially in sunny, warm-climate areas. They are less effective as a means of reducing heat loss. The radiant barrier, when properly installed in an attic, serves to help prevent the solar heat gain through the roof from reaching the living area. In a typical installation, the barrier is staple... Tags: Untagged Read More

After the meltdown in the stock market, many of the millions of baby boomers who are now retiring (or close to it) are looking for a solid retirement vehicle. After watching their 401(k), or other IRA evaporate, fear and mistrust set in like never before.  Many of these boomers pulled their money out of the market after the meltdown, and like other investors were waiting for a good time to get back in. Unfortunately a lot of folks missed the ride back up in the latter part of 2009, and are still to shell shocked to invest in anything. If this describes you, or anyone you care for, take courage, this idea may be just for you. How would you like to own Guaranteed Retirement Income for life? If the market tanks, you get paid. If the market goes nowhere, you get paid. If the market goes up, you get paid even more. Some of these contracts have paid as much as 11% on your money. What's more, you can start collecting large monthly paychecks right away. If you are at all worried about the s... Tags: Untagged Read More