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        <title>Lake Conroe Real Estate Blog</title>
        <link>http://www.lakeconroenow.com/blog/</link>
        <description>Lake Conroe Now offers up to date information and Homes for Sale in Lake Conroe Real Estate.  Montgomery County Real Estate Statistics, Subdivisions and Communities, as well as Waterfront Homes, Golf Course Homes, Luxury Homes and New Construction Ho</description>
        <item>
            <guid>http://www.lakeconroenow.com/blog/6-reasons-to-think-twice-before-you-buy-that-house.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.lakeconroenow.com/blog/6-reasons-to-think-twice-before-you-buy-that-house.html</link>
            <author>jennifer@lakeconroenow.com (Jennifer Moriarty Hebert)</author>
            <title>6 Reasons to Think Twice Before you Buy That House</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
6 Reasons to Think Twice Before You Buy That House





Home buyers, we’re here to help! If you’re suffering from a case of buyer’s remorse at any stage before yourcontingencies are removed, list out the things that come to mind when youfantasize about backing out of the deal. If your list contains any of thefollowing items, express your concerns to your spouse or co-buyer and youragent. Then, consult with your mind and your heart about whether you’re readyto move forward - or not. 1. It’s too expensive. If you’re buying a house in 2013, it’s completelyunderstandable to have a moment of panic at the sound of the price you’repaying or the sight of all those zeros. It’s a big purchase you’re making,possibly the biggest one you ever will, and those who enter into it with noteven the slightest twinge of being nervous might not be taking it as seriouslyas they should.Fears that a home are too expensive face-to-face the other recently sold homesin the neighborhood or the town’s market and future appreciation prospects ingeneral are worth exploring and evaluating before you decide on your offerprice or sign a final counter-offer. Your agent can help you understand thecomplex interacting factors you should consider, including the likelihood of thehome to appraise at a given price point and the historical data on sales andhome value trends in your area.2. It’s too expensive for you. For years, I’ve heard buyers expressconcerns about being ‘house poor,’ meaning that they spend so much on their monthlymortgage payments that they are too broke to do much else. Unless you’refortunate enough to live in one of those parts of the country in which it isless expensive to own than to rent a home, it’s almost inevitable that therewill be some sort of lifestyle revision you’ll need to make post-homeownership.Most people who have been renting for a long time will find themselves havingto make some sacrifices after they buy, in terms of eating out less, going outless, splurging on vacations, clothes and other discretionary spending - thisis just par for the course, sensible, and not a good reason not to buy.3. The location is not quite right. I’d probably rank location choiceright up there in the top 3 home selection regrets I hear after the fact fromhome owners. Clearly, the location you can live in is limited by your budget -you can’t expect to live in Beverly Hills on $100K. But I’m talking more aboutthe various location choices and judgments every buyer has to make within theirprice range:




Between a home in the city, near work, or a home in the quiet suburbs where you get much more space -and a much longer commute,


Near shops and conveniences, or off the beaten path


Next door to a school or at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac


In a row of townhomes with shared walls and an HOA or in an older neighborhood with lots of land


between homes.




Location compromises should be made carefully and consciously. If that electrical polein the front yard really bothers you and you talk yourself out of that concern,ask yourself: are you going to end up hating to drive up to your house everynight? The neighbors who seem to take a lot less care with their yards nowmight become a real thorn in your side over time. That extra 20 minutes ofcommute time might not be as minor a lifestyle change as you can talk yourselfinto believing - in fact, researchers have found that the longer commutes loweroverall happiness, so don’t lengthen yours without serious consideration.


 4. You have qualms about the future of your job. I’ve known people whofelt a need to fast forward their home buying plans when they get wind ofchanges coming down the pike at their companies. This happens a lot for buyerswho have been house hunting for a long time and are concerned that a layoffwould render them unable to qualify for their mortgage. This is likely. And that’s unfortunate. But what’s more unfortunate is toproceed with buying a home, taking on a mortgage obligation and depleting yoursavings for the down payment, then having an interruption of income because youget laid off or - worse - being forced to sell quickly because of a job transferout of the area. If you’re confident you can get work at another company or youhave sufficient cushion to handle a temporary interruption in income, go forit. But if you have serious concerns about the short-term stability of yourjob, think long and hard before buying a home without a well thought-outfinancial plan in place.5. You and your co-buyer are at odds. Whether or not you are legallymarried to your co-buyer, you will effectively be legally bound by your realestate and mortgage obligations if you buy a home together. If you are havingintense, intractable conflicts about the sort of home to purchase, how much tospend, when to buy, where to buy or even whether to buy, think twice,thrice, pause and rethink once more before you sign on the dotted line.


6. You think you’ll be okay - so long as you can sell at a profit or refi inthe next 12 months.Are you a professional contractor or investor? A real estate professional thatcan buy and sell with very low costs? Do you have so much cash to burn that youcould sell at a loss and not sweat it? If your answer to these questions is no, you should not buy a home planning torefi or sell it in a super-short time frame. In fact, this was one of the wayspeople got into trouble at the top of the market during the last cycle - buyinghomes so pricey they couldn’t afford them after attractive short-term financingterms changed, on the assumption they’d be able to refinance before they everhad to truly pay the piper. If the house you’re buying doesn’t seem likely to be able to work for your lifeand your family for at least 5 to 7 years, and you are pretty certain you’llneed to sell it sooner than that, consider:(a) whether a different type of home might be a better, long-term choice, or (b) whether it makes sense for you to buy a home at this stage of your life. This time frame gives you a good bit of space to ride out shifts in thedirection of the market, if you need to, minimizing the chances of living in ahome that no longer meets your needs and being unable to sell it.
 ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Mon, 18 Mar 2013 13:33:46 -0500</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.lakeconroenow.com/blog/how-to-pack-right-when-moving.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.lakeconroenow.com/blog/how-to-pack-right-when-moving.html</link>
            <author>jennifer@lakeconroenow.com (Jennifer Moriarty Hebert)</author>
            <title>How to Pack Right When Moving</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 



Even if you can’t wait to live in your new house, curb yourenthusiasm and resist the urge to cram all your possessions in any way intoboxes.




Pack one room at a time if possible, and startwith items that are the least often used. This will help to eliminate all thelittle stuff that clutters your house.


Write down a list of everything you are packing.Books, CDs, Movies, clothes, etc. Also, make sure you label all of your boxesso you know where to put them when you move. This will make this way easierwhen you are unloading all of your boxes. You can put boxes into roomsaccording to what they are. Ex: Kitchen, Living room, bathroom etc.


Use sturdy boxes. Make sure you fill the boxesto the brim and seal the lid with tape. That way, you can easily stack boxes ontop of one another without them collapsing.


Never fill a box until it is so heavy you canbarely lift it. Spread the heavy items over a few boxes. Balance them withlighter items like towels or stuffed animals. Put the lighter items on top.


Wrap fragile items with newspaper or bubblewrap! This will keep your nice dishes from cracking or breaking during themove.


Mark boxes either “Fragile” or “This side up” toprevent mishandling. I know you’re eager to move but that doesn’t mean you haveto rush and throw your boxes upside down and everything.


Label each box clearly and which room it belongsto. Write on the sides of the box as well.


Pack a separate box of essentials you may needfor the first night at your new house. Include items like toiletries, toiletpaper, bottled water, snacks and a change of clothes in case you cannot unpackeverything in time.




 


This move should be an exciting time in yourlife so let’s make sure to make it as stress free and smooth as possible bypacking and moving right!
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            <pubDate>Mon, 25 Feb 2013 12:22:33 -0600</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.lakeconroenow.com/blog/checklist-monthly-home-maintenance.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.lakeconroenow.com/blog/checklist-monthly-home-maintenance.html</link>
            <author>jennifer@lakeconroenow.com (Jennifer Moriarty Hebert)</author>
            <title>Checklist: Monthly Home Maintenance</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 



When it comes to reducing repair and replacement costs for your property, there is nosubstitute for keeping up with your monthly maintenance. Many homeowners arefamiliar with the costs that can accumulate when something goes wrongunexpectedly. Performing monthly maintenance is a great way to keep tabs onwhat’s wearing and tearing quickly, as well as to keep the facets of your homethat are working well in good shape. There are many things in your home thatneed monthly attention and care. By taking care of these things, you’re likelyto avoid some big headaches (not to mention bills) in the future.


Monthly Home Maintenance: Fire Safety DevicesSmall monthly maintenance for your safety devices is important, and doesn'ttake much time, at all. Even a small amount of fire damage can be extremelycostly to repair, so keeping up with your monthly maintenance on these devicesis an investment in your property as well as in your family's safety!Fire extinguisher — Check that it's fully charged and recharge if necessary,especially if you have used it recently. Be sure you have an adequate numberlocated in kitchen, garage, and basement. Fire extinguisher placement is alsoimportant. If it is in an inconvenient spot, it won't be much use when it isneeded.


Smoke detector — Another one of those items that is easy to forget about, butcan play a huge role in an emergency. Test your battery every month and replaceif necessary.


Kitchen and Bathroom Monthly MaintenanceSink and shower drains often go unnoticed until there's a problem. Taking thesesteps every month will help your kitchen and bathroom drains running smoothly.



Sink and tub stoppers - Flush with hot water and baking soda.


Garbage disposal — Check safety valve and steam pressure gaugeand replace if necessary; check water level gauge and add water if needed;drain water until clear of sediment.


HVAC Monthly MaintenanceHeating and cooling are two of the most pleasant of modern conveniences.Unfortunately, when something goes wrong, they can be very costly to repair(and very uncomfortable to go without). Make sure your monthly home maintenanceincludes a quick check of your heating and cooling systems!Steam heating system — Test relief valve and replace if necessary; check pressuregauge and drain expansion tank if necessary.


Forced warm air heating system — Check blankets and replace if needed; checkair flow; clean or repair unit if necessary.


Evaporative air conditioner — Clean or replace air filter; clean condenseror evaporator coils and condensate drain; remove snow and/or debris fromoutdoor portion of unit.


Heat pump — Clean or replace filter; clean condenser and evaporator coilsand condensate drain.


Though monthly maintenance is something that some homeowners might let slide, doing socan make your home less efficient and can lead to higher bills or even safetyissues. By taking care of these things once a month, your home will run moresmoothly and repairs will be less frequent (and less surprising, too).
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            <pubDate>Tue, 05 Feb 2013 15:38:22 -0600</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.lakeconroenow.com/blog/things-to-do-in-the-lake-conroe-area.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.lakeconroenow.com/blog/things-to-do-in-the-lake-conroe-area.html</link>
            <author>jennifer@lakeconroenow.com (Jennifer Moriarty Hebert)</author>
            <title>Things to do in the Lake Conroe area!</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 



Spend the day on the lake!


Rent a kayak or boat withfamily or friends from one of the rental companies along the lake. Other watersports include wake boarding, parasailing, jet skiing and windsurfing. The kidswill enjoy tubing and sliding into the water on inflatable water slides.


Visit Downtown Conroe!


The downtown HistoricDistrict is full of art galleries, theaters and live entertainment. Be sure tocheck out the art galleries featuring local artists. For true bargain shoppers,the Outlets at Conroe have over 40 stores offering name brand outlet discounts.Enjoy a nice evening along with a dinner downtown at Villa Italia for anupscale Italian meal before a nice night out.


Take a Hike!


Grab your backpack andhiking boots and head out into the woods surrounding Lake Conroe. Lake Conroeis adjacent to the 161,508-acre Sam Houston National Forest, which offersplenty of hiking trails. There are also several trails for mountain bikers. Sobring your camera and take pictures of the wildlife, flowers, and trees you mayencounter. Visitors may also camp out in select areas of the park.


Festivals and Markets!


The Conroe Cajun CatfishFestival takes place during the fall. Children and families can enjoy arts andcrafts vendors from all over Texas as well as the kid’s area with rides, apetting zoo, pony rides, and musical entertainment. The Conroe Saturday AMMarket is a community market with concession stands, fresh produce,entertainment and fun for the whole family!
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            <pubDate>Tue, 05 Feb 2013 15:20:19 -0600</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.lakeconroenow.com/blog/what-not-to-do-when-selling-your-home.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.lakeconroenow.com/blog/what-not-to-do-when-selling-your-home.html</link>
            <author>jennifer@lakeconroenow.com (Jennifer Moriarty Hebert)</author>
            <title>What NOT to do when Selling your Home!</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 



It seems like you can findadvice on “how to sell your home” everywhere you turn. But has anyone sat youdown and told you what NOT to do when you want your home to sell?


Let’s take a look at somebasic points important to achieve a successful sale.




More and more people havesevere allergies to scented candles or plug in air fresheners so please becareful as to how much you scent your home. People might also suspect why youare “scenting” your house so much.


Also, don’t let this beyour time to be all Green because this means leaving the lights on forshowings. Visiting agents and potential clients won’t know where all the lightswitches are so it might make for an awkward first impression. Let your buyerswalk in and have an amazing first impression.


Don’t lie. Let’s beclear-if asked to fill out a Seller’s Disclosure statement about your house oryour land, please be honest. Disclosing “early and often” any potential problemwill create a transaction based on honesty and goodwill. And it will be betterin the long run.


Don’t dismiss any offerwithout carefully considering it with your agent and attempting negotiation. Thedays where you can just kiss a buyer goodbye without letting your listing agentattempt to educate the buyer to the market place and the charms and value ofyour home are gone!


Make sure your animals arenowhere in sight! Do not let them meet the potential buyer because it mightaffect their decision or affect their allergies.


 ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Tue, 05 Feb 2013 15:11:40 -0600</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.lakeconroenow.com/blog/lake-conroe-map-search.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.lakeconroenow.com/blog/lake-conroe-map-search.html</link>
            <author>jennifer@lakeconroenow.com (Jennifer Moriarty Hebert)</author>
            <title>Lake Conroe Map Search</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 

 



Lake Conroe Now offers a beautiful, powerful and intuitive map search, with multiple searching capabilities.  You have the option to specify your Lake Conroe home search criteria, and then searching for all homes that meet your criteria within a certain radius.  Or, if you prefer, you can draw a more specific area using our polygon tool, so you only get results in the exact communities you are interested in, no matter what the shape!  We have also built in the capability to mouse over each home on the map to get a preview of the important home features before proceeding on to the more comprehensive detailed property page.  If you are looking to buy a home in the Lake Conroe area, look no further!


 




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            <pubDate>Wed, 14 Nov 2012 11:50:24 -0600</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.lakeconroenow.com/blog/we-make-homes-look-good-but-not-too-good.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.lakeconroenow.com/blog/we-make-homes-look-good-but-not-too-good.html</link>
            <author>jennifer@lakeconroenow.com (Jennifer Moriarty Hebert)</author>
            <title>We Make Homes Look Good! (But not TOO good)</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 



Have you ever heard the phrase, "Go big or go home."?  Well, pun intended, but that just doesn't apply here.  As Realtors, it is ingrained in our DNA to impress.  We want our listings to appeal to anyone and everyone, and sometimes we can get a little overzealous trying to make our listings stand out from the rest.  In the long run, it is always more important to focus on accuracy and honesty when painting that important online picture of your home.  


Whether it's an over the top property description that's too good to be true, the dreaded fish-eye effect, or just a good wide angle lens, if the scale and magnitude of a home is greatly exagerated, it can turn away buyers that would have otherwise kept your home on their short list.  With over 90% of modern home buyers searching for homes online, it is important to create a powerful online brochure of your home, but if a buyer falls in love with a misleading portrayal of your home, only to be disappointed by the reality in person, they will feel varying degrees of anger and betrayal.  That may sound dramatic, and many buyers will simply move on and mark your home from their list, but we live in a world based on perspective, so if you oversell and underdeliver, you may be dissappointed yourself with the results.  There is a legitimate but equally dramatic term for this, called "Buyer Shock".  


At Lake Conroe Now, we understand that you can also miss on the low side, and as a result, end up blending in with the hundreds of other competing homes on the market, so we put a lot of thought and effort into emphasizing the strengths of a home without bordering on exaggeration and ultimately, disappointment.
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            <pubDate>Tue, 26 Jun 2012 20:28:18 -0500</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.lakeconroenow.com/blog/2011-top-producer-jennifer-moriarty-hebert.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.lakeconroenow.com/blog/2011-top-producer-jennifer-moriarty-hebert.html</link>
            <author>jennifer@lakeconroenow.com (Jennifer Moriarty Hebert)</author>
            <title>2011 Top Producer - Jennifer Moriarty Hebert</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
The 2011 numbers are in and for the second time, our own Jennifer Moriarty Hebert was the Top Producing Agent for the Highest Producing Real Estate Team in Montgomery County!  With $1.5 Million more than the next highest Agent, Jennifer also recieved a Top Production award from the Houston Association of Realtors, and was the 2nd highest Producing Sales agent in the entire Lake Conroe area, selling more home volume than any other individual agent!


We are extremely proud of Jennifer and her growing success.  


If you would like to know a little more about Jennifer, just visit her profile page by clicking on her picture.  Or give her a call!  (936) 232-2037
 ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Wed, 25 Apr 2012 09:33:24 -0500</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.lakeconroenow.com/blog/teaswood-homes-for-sale.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.lakeconroenow.com/blog/teaswood-homes-for-sale.html</link>
            <author>jennifer@lakeconroenow.com (Jennifer Moriarty Hebert)</author>
            <title>Teaswood Homes for Sale</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 



Interest Rates are at all time lows, Mortgage companies are starting to talk about loosening regulations, so right now is the perfect time to start searching for your dream home!  One of my favorite communities in the Lake Conroe area is the Teaswood Subdivision.  It is a beautiful, upscale, gated community with large, heavily wooded lots and nice luxury homesites, all tucked less than a minute away from some very fast-growing commercial areas, featuring storefronts, restaurants, and much more!  Feel free to browse the current Homes for Sale in Teaswood as well as any vacant Lots currently available in Teaswood.  For more in depth Teaswood community information, click on the image above!


Teaswood Homes for Sale



#teaswood-homes#


Teaswood Lots for Sale



#teaswood-lots#
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            <pubDate>Fri, 09 Mar 2012 18:20:17 -0600</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.lakeconroenow.com/blog/pros-cons-of-buying-a-foreclosure.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.lakeconroenow.com/blog/pros-cons-of-buying-a-foreclosure.html</link>
            <author>jennifer@lakeconroenow.com (Jennifer Moriarty Hebert)</author>
            <title>Pros &amp; Cons of Buying a Foreclosure</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
Many people assume that they can always find a better deal when purchasing a foreclosure than they can when buying a standard resale or new construction home.  Although this can certainly be true in many situations, it is not always the case and sometimes a foreclosure just isn't meant for you.  Please read below for a little clarification about buying foreclosure homes, to help decide if a bank-owned property should be your focus.


Foreclosure Pros:




Low Prices &amp; Better Deals - Foreclosures often seem to be priced lower than other resale property, because banks tend to price their foreclosures competitively from the beginning in order to move the property sooner rather than later.  Over time, most banks and foreclosure entities will lower their price by a certain percentage on a consistent basis using a set system, and given enough time, are prepared to "cut their losses" in order to close the file.


Emotion Free Transactions - Banks tend to handle the sale of foreclosed property by the books.  It's a numbers game and they aren't going to be offended because you don't think their property is worth what they say it is.  Either the numbers work, or they don't!






Foreclosure Cons:




Emotion Free Transactions - Unfortunately the coin goes both ways, and a financial institution will just as quickly say NO to you if the numbers don't work.  They don't have the sense of urgency that you might be able to take advantage of in a motivated individual seller, and especially within the first month of being listed, they don't budge much on the price.


Property Damage &amp; Lack of Repairs - A lot of times, foreclosures will be listed "As Is" and the bank has no intention of investigating, disclosing or repairing any existing property damage, missing appliances, etc.  So in the end you have to decide if a particular foreclosure is worth the headache, and very thorough when having the property inspected.


Paperwork &amp; Red Tape - Certain types of foreclosures (ex. HUD Properties, Fannie Mae, etc.) require additional paperwork additional conditions that must be met, that may prolong the process, or even keep you from qualifying to purchase the foreclosure.  




All in all, as long as you are careful, foreclosures often times are less expensive, no-nonsense investment opportunities, and although Lake Conroe Real Estate is booming, there are several foreclosure homes available!  Below are several Lake Conroe Foreclosure Homes for Sale.




Also, feel free to visit our Lake Conroe Pre-Foreclosure and Short Sale Homes for Sale.




Lake Conroe Foreclosures for Sale


#foreclosure-homes#


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            <pubDate>Tue, 22 Nov 2011 15:13:26 -0600</pubDate>
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