How emergency preparedness features in your house affect your property value. After last week's crazy-snow-apocalypse without water and electricity for days on end, we’re all asking ourselves what can we do differently to prepare so we can avoid or mitigate against those kinds of situations in the future? The price tags for some of these features are really really high. So the question is “If we can spend money on these emergency preparedness items, will it increase the property value? For how much?”   3 Factors That Influence Your Property Value:   1 - How people make purchase decisions First I want to explain a dynamic which most everybody can understand. It's a dynamic of how a swimming pool adds value to your property. Ex. You have spent $80k to install a really awesome swimming pool. However, most everybody understands that the entire $80k is not going to be recouped whenever you go resell the house. You might only get $20k out of the value of the swimming pool - the cost of installing the swimming pool exceeds the amount of value that's added to the property by adding the swimming pool. On the same level, that same dynamic exists for a lot of these emergency preparedness items such as a storm cellar, solar panels with batteries, private water wells, or a whole house generator, or the same kind of item will apply to those. You probably won't have as much bank for your buck for these emergency preparedness items as you would in a swimming pool and it all comes down to how people make decisions whenever they buy a house. People, in general, make decisions emotionally, and then they justify logically. Most everybody will begin the home purchase process by setting some parameters in just a simple form.  Ex. They may say they are looking for a house between $350k-$400k, then see all the homes that fit inside the price range. This is the logical process. After that, they will start scrolling through looking at nice photos and when you see a pretty house you say “Oh my gosh, I want that one! Let’s go set up a viewing!” It's the 13 different shower heads, the really nice upgraded countertops, the awesome hardwood floors, and the thing that makes you (from the emotional level) say ooh that is an awesome house! - then you go through and justify it logically. Unfortunately, people are not going to stop and go crazy about solar panels, energy-efficient features. We wanted to work that way but it just doesn't 2 - How real estate is valued in general. Real Estate is valued on a Sales Comparison approach. Appraisers will look at homes and compare what a house sold for vs another house sold for that is similar in some basic features, geographic location, lot area, etc.  Appraisers will then start considering other small details like solar panels, storm cellars, etc. these items will make a difference with the price value and may go up and down within that set of homes. Appraisers are not going to look at the total cost and features installed in a home but will look at the sales prices of the home. If there’s a lot of demand for a house for a certain set of features then the price of that house will be driven up. The demand comes from the people's buying decisions and that doesn't come from solar panels, storm cellars, and that sort of thing.  It comes from nice and pretty, and is an attractive home. You will get a little more out of your home. It will increase the property value but just wouldn't be as much as what you spend on your home. This is just something to justify the decision-making process like preparing for the next emergency.  "This is not the only factor you should consider. Family safety has to come above profit." 3 - Time The demand for houses right now is off the charts. It is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Whenever we went through the 2008 financial crisis - the housing bubble issue, we won't hit that hard except for certain little pockets here in DFW metro where builders build way too much and get stuck with inventory and become trigger shot and quit building so many houses. That is the reason why the real estate market is going insane because there’s a lack of inventory and demand is increasing like crazy. Interest rates are super low and so people can afford more houses than ever. And so they are just gobbling up the inventory and that's causing prices to shoot to the roof even if your homes are not fixed up to the 9’s or even if you don't have the features that make people want to buy. The mere fact of the timing of how the market is going to increase property values more than anything ever could.  And so, that is going to weigh much heavier than any of these things that we’re talking about     Q&A with Chandler Crouch How about being on the hospital part of the power grid? Power is never going to be shut off if a property is near a hospital. House values near hospitals are going to increase tremendously this week because we are all driven emotionally from the pain of last week. People will do whatever they can to avoid that and if we can avoid that by making some simple decisions then we’re going to do that. And the emotion of that is really high. I just have a feeling that 3 or 4 weeks of 7-degree weather is not going to have the same emotional impact to drive that decision-making power that will increase your home value substantially. Buying a home near a hospital is a good decision for you and your family. Stay in the logical zone and make sure that you're making logical decisions in your next home purchase. Why does Houston have a huge property tax discount? It goes to the decisions that the City Municipalities are making. They got pretty good tax exemptions themselves. It's just what they voted in, what their city decided that they could survive off. That's going to depend really more on the budgets for the little areas that received that property tax revenue. If they can survive on less then they don't have to generate as much property tax revenue.

Property appraisal notices usually sent to owners on or around April 1, will be delayed this year because of closures caused by COVID-19. Tarrant Appraisal District The Tarrant Appraisal District just announced that they are delaying sending out property tax value notices until May 1, 2020. Jeff Law, chief appraiser for the Tarrant Appraisal District, states that TAD will honor protest filings up to June 1, 2020. The appraisals will be based on local market data as of January 1, 2020. But if the local market data presented to TAD that indicates the current health crisis has impacted your market value as of January 1, that information may be taken into consideration. TAD encourages people to file their protests online at tad.org because that would be the safest and healthiest approach for everyone. On a side note, taxing entities are also asking to delay the implementation of Senate Bill 2 rate caps. The Senate Bill 2 provision  attempts to constrain school district property taxes. In the meantime, it is still up in the air until the stay at home orders are lifted. Dallas Central Appraisal District  The Dallas Central Appraisal District is planning to mail Real Property Appraisal Notices on May 15, with a June 15 protest deadline date assuming the Shelter In Place Declaration is not extended. The earliest the protest deadline will be for properties in Dallas County is June 15 (not May 15). While DCAD’s physical office is closed until April 30 due to the Shelter In Place Declaration, DCAD is still conducting business remotely. For 2020, it’s highly likely that there will be no face-to-face informals, so everyone is encouraged to use their online programs to conduct business remotely. Tax consultants will be advised in early May on how the exchange of information will be handled during the 2020 ARB Process. Please note that before DCAD will engage in any remote value discussions with agents or owners, they will first need to file a protest for 2020. DCAD encourage everyone who intends to file a 2020 protest to file the protest as soon as possible so that we can begin the process of value settlement discussions.  With regard to the BPP Rendition deadline, which has been extended to May 15 for all, DCAD suggest to use the Online BPP Rendition system or send your BPP renditions electronically as opposed to sending them via the US Mail. Also, please file sooner than later so they have ample time to review and process them. If you have already mailed them through the US mail, then if possible please e-mail a PDF of your filings so they can process them electronically and the staff can review them remotely. The BPP e-mail address is bppcs@dcad.org. Denton County Appraisal District The Denton County Appraisal District will start mailing out the notices in the last week of April. They are encouraging online or by-phone appeal process.  Collin County Appraisal District Collin County also has no set dates in mailing out value notices. What to Expect The protest process may look completely different this year. The appraisal districts are still trying to figure out how they can legally reorganize the entire system to allow avenues to protest and come to an agreement of a fair value without having to appear in person. Since the proposed values are going to be the values based on the local market data as of January 1, 2020, more people may want to protest a higher value this year to keep their taxes from increasing significantly. The appraisal districts are making health their primary concern. They want to do what they can to avoid in-person protests as much as possible. They are going to be as generous as they can justify. Tax Protest Advice It is highly encouraged to use the downtime to start collecting estimates from contractors about repairs that may need to be done. You should take photos and become well-acquainted with the condition of your house so you are ready when it is time to protest. If the appraisal districts are willing to settle and it is fair or close to fair, please accept it. Remember that you owe it to you and your family to make sure the value is reasonable.

In case of emergency, you have to consider what you would eat. Now, you go to Walmart and you cannot see anything anymore but some canned meat product. If you are gonna prepare, you need to make sure that what you are gonna buy has long shelf life and most importantly, you need to make sure that your kids will love them. Find out what canned meat these kids would eat in case of emergency. Choices of Potted Meat The Verdict

Tangible and practical ways to make money at home.  Nobody wants to believe this, but this is actually the easiest part of the whole process. Most people get stuck here though because fear and panic has already set in. This does not mean you are incapable of coming up with good ideas. You absolutely are, but there is a fundamental principle that I have seen true in my life and there’s a good chance it's pretty universal. When fear sets in or you get filled with emotion, creativity evaporates and you become less resourceful.  Being in a playful, non-serious mentality allows creativity to flourish which creates resourcefulness. Pray, meditate, read the bible, watch some motivational videos, go outside, take a nap, then reset. Begin a brainstorming session. Consider all ideas, even bad ones and just let the ideas flow. Realize that business only exists to solve problems.  Let problems be your signposts. Another way to say this is, where is the demand? Find problems and ask yourself if there is an opportunity to serve. It is not a sin to look for opportunity in despair. Quite the contrary, imagine how many opportunities there are to share the gospel in a time like this. Look to solve problems and to serve. The question of how much to charge needs to be secondary. Forget about money making, forget about practicality, forget about restrictions.  Your full-time job now becomes trying to create income. Start with the obvious ones like Amazon, Kroger,  Costco, or any kind of delivery service. Where do you see problems? Focus on how you can serve others.  What are people already doing virtually at home that you can do? Now that everybody is at home, what new problems or opportunities to serve exist now? Do a singing telegram Scavenger hunt Organize parades Assist seniors with grocery buying etc. Business exists because problems exist and people come up with solutions that have value. You have to focus on the problems. You can literally drive around and look for problems and look for areas to serve. Look on Facebook and look at posts and realize the areas that people are complaining about and once in a while you will find a gold nugget. Think about all the things you used to do and realize that people must now come up with creative ways to do the same things that we used to do. What areas are we limited in now, then brainstorm on each one of those areas. Find businesses that have been successful moving virtually. Analyze how they do it and then go find businesses in the same sector that have not been successful and teach them how to do it. Look for needs. What problems do we have and what creative solutions can you come up with? Make a TV show or other entertainment thing Don’t like being online, but know someone zany that lives it. Chances are the zany type is not organized and may not be technical. Maybe you could edit video that the person produces and keep the ship steered straight. Tutor online Gardening, building things in people‘s backyards, fences All of construction is opened for business Bring people's trash cans up to their house Chalk art on sidewalks. Ask for a donation - serve, if they donate, great! Sanitizing services - what can you sanitize - cars, houses, offices, sanitize on a different level in a different way, sanitize things other people are not sanitizing. At night nobody is out Ice cream truck Making calls  Sales calls - for what industries Customer service calls - what companies can uniquely use this? Wellness checks  Writing articles Go to Fiverr and Upwork. See what services they are doing. Do not try to play the same game. Tweak it… Are they doing anything to the masses that you could offer locally and monopolize a niche market Make crafts What can you sew Make surgical masks Make food Cut hair Clean cars What creative dishes can you construct out of the food people don’t usually want to eat in their pantry. Find out what’s not selling at the grocery store and figure out how to make something out of it. A craft, a recipe. Entertainment - See Neil Diamond’s new remake of “Sweet Caroline” What can you remake Ask people that are working right now what they need.  Offer counseling or companionship - no solutions, only a listening ear What issues are rich people grappling with right now Search indeed to see what jobs employers are looking to hire for. Can you do any of these things except do them better by doing them locally The businesses that are hiring are maxed out. Can you try to help be the connector that takes applications, screens, then offers up ready-to-go employees Mow lawns Disinfect trash cans Knock, Seek While we are in the midst of terror and trepidation, I feel that it is just fitting to share these very timely Bible verses: Do Not Worry (Matthew 6:25-34) 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[e]? 28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. A Friend Comes at Midnight (Luke 11:5-8) 5 And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; 6 for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? 8 I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs. Keep Asking, Seeking, Knocking (Luke 11:9-13) 9 “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 11 If a son asks for [e]bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” Essential Businesses Below are the business that still operate in times of crisis: Grocery stores Stores that sell essential household goods Convenience stores Liquor stores Pharmacies and drug stores Day care facilities Medical facilities Non-profit service providers Homeless and emergency shelters Office buildings Essential government buildings Airports and transit buildings Transportation systems Residential buildings and hotels Manufacturing and distribution facilities Landscaping and lawn care businesses Construction and renovation businesses

Education plays a vital role in any child’s development, especially the early years. Sending your children off to school can cause any parent a whirlwind of emotions. Knowing you are leaving them in the hands of caring and qualified teachers in an accepting environment will bring peace of mind to both parents and students.  Quick Jump To Links Bonnie Brae Elementary School | Tanglewood Elementary School | Fort Worth Academy | Kay Granger Elementary School | Eagle Ridge Elementary School | Lily B. Clayton Elementary School Bonnie Brae Elementary School 3504 Kimbo Rd, Fort Worth TX Bonnie Brae Elementary School is located in the northeast section of Fort Worth and there are 465 students who attend the school. It first opened its doors in 2003 and received it’s name from the former school, Bonnie Brae School which is located 3 blocks from the current school. The school is in the Fort Worth ISD school district. Teachers that work at Bonnie Brae Elementary School has a great deal of experience, with an average teacher’s experience of 13.8 years.  View homes for sale near Bonnie Brae Elementary School >>> Tanglewood Elementary School 3060 Overton Park Dr, Fort Worth TX Tanglewood Elementary School has been in operation for nearly 60 years.  The school has students from kindergarten to grade 5.  In 1960, Cass Edwards gifted the land to the city for only $1.00  with the understanding that it would be used to build a public school.  The Parent Teacher Association has been paramount to cover any expenses that the school was unable to afford.  The schools neighbors have also been very important as their funding has allowed the school to offer many activities.   Due to the generous donations and fundraising Tanglewood Elementary is able to provide a computer lab that is staffed, after school classes, a science lab, computers and iPads in each classroom, playground equipment, additional material for the teachers and opportunities for personal development for the teachers.  The staff at Tanglewood Elementary School are certified in Talented and Gifted Education.  This greatly benefits the students as the teachers change their method of instruction to meet the students needs.  There is a dress code that students are expected to follow.  The expectation is that students wear solid navy, white or blue-denim collared shirts.  The pants or skirt need to be solid navy, khaki, black or blue-denim.  The socks that students wear need to be one solid color.  This is the same for sweaters.  Every Friday the school celebrates Tanglewood Spirit Day.  Students are encouraged to wear a Tanglewood spirit shirt with approved bottoms.  On the first Monday of the month is College Spirit Day.  Students are allowed to wear college shirts.  Tanglewood offers after-school enrichment classes.  One of the most well attended classes is the Slime Machine.  Students have the chance to make different types of slime, oobleck and floam.  There are a variety of sport classes where the students learn drills, coordination and rules.   >>" href="https://www.chandlercrouch.com/map_search/results/jhd/1/#/?text=3504%20Kimbo%20Rd%2C%20Fort%20Worth%2C%20TX%2076111%2C%20United%20States&page=1&per_page=20&latitude_min=32.626645&longitude_min=-97.44843&latitude_max=32.675063&longitude_max=-97.383028&polygon=32.713340471111344%2C-97.3882603128219%3B32.7024712029759%2C-97.39512676790002%3B32.69784865447611%2C-97.38229507997278%3B32.71001844328947%2C-97.37585777833704%3B32.713340471111344%2C-97.3882603128219">View homes for sale near Tanglewood Elementary School >>> Fort Worth Academy 76132 Dutch Branch Rd, Fort Worth TX Fort Worth Academy is a private elementary school. The Academy specialized in education for children from Kindergarten to Grade 8.   Students are personally greeted every morning by the head of the school.  They provide the children with a foundation of success in their personal and academic life. Due to the innovative 1:1 Laptop Program the school was honored with the Lausanne Learning Institute.   All children are uniquely different and so are their learning styles.  Fort Worth Academy is the first school in Texas that has become fully trained in All Kinds of Minds.  This course provides teachers with learning variations and the tools to assist them in addressing the learning differences in their classrooms.  Classes are kept small so that children are given a customized education.  Technology is included in all aspects of the students learning.   Taking ownership of their education is encouraged by all students.  Courses can be supplemented through online courses.  High school and some college courses and programs are offered.  Children who attend the Academy are thoroughly prepared and recruited by local high schools.   The campus is equipped with everything to help the children succeed. The school has three science labs.  The Lower School science labs provide children with hands on science lessons and age appropriate experiments.  There are also two Middle School science labs where real time scientific experiments are done.  Fort Worth Academy has four Collaboratories. The word “collaboratory” comes from the words collaboration and laboratory.  They are large open spaces that are easily accessible and centrally located for students to action research and action learning with other students. This provides students the opportunity to interact with students from different grades. The Academy has a regulation baseball diamond, football and soccer field.  The gymnasium is well equipped for volleyball, basketball and physical education. There are also facilities for performing arts and music as well as a visual art studio. >>" href="https://www.chandlercrouch.com/map_search/results/jhd/1/#/?text=3504%20Kimbo%20Rd%2C%20Fort%20Worth%2C%20TX%2076111%2C%20United%20States&page=1&per_page=20&latitude_min=32.626645&longitude_min=-97.44843&latitude_max=32.675063&longitude_max=-97.383028&polygon=32.66220202945662%2C-97.42212370726634%3B32.65338611583049%2C-97.4299342999177%3B32.645942495531834%2C-97.42778853270579%3B32.64536432433416%2C-97.41654471251536%3B32.66220202945662%2C-97.41731718871165%3B32.66220202945662%2C-97.42212370726634">View homes for sale near Fort Worth Academy >>> Kay Granger Elementary School 12771 Saratoga Springs Cir, Fort Worth, Texas At Kay Granger Elementary School the children are the number one priority.  The school opened in August 2007.  At that time the school had 405 students that attended.  This year it is anticipated that they will be over 750 students.  The school is for children in kindergarten to grade 5.  The school has won a number of awards.  They include Exemplary Rating in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012, National School of Character in 2013 and 2018, and NISD Partner in Education Campus of the year in 2011 and 2012.   Granger Elementary is a welcoming and friendly place with no shortage of volunteers in their school community.  There have been thousands of volunteers hours logged over the past years. Having the parents and community support is crucial for the success of the school. View homes for sale near Kay Granger Elementary School >>> Eagle Ridge Elementary School 4600 Alta Vista Rd, Fort Worth, Texas At Eagle Ridge Elementary School there are many clubs and after school activities for the students. Fun, Fellowship and Fitness is the goal of the running club. During the school year there are five co-curricular classes that are offered.  The students will rotate through Physical Education, Library, Art and Music.  There is a housing system at Eagle Ridge.  Students are randomly placed in 6 different houses. They will remain in the same house during their duration at Eagle Ridge.  The houses are similar to teams.  The houses will have a color, a name, mascot, chants and cheers. The character traits from the Wizard of Oz is what inspired the houses.  They are strength, hope, compassion, courage, friendship and respect.  The students get the opportunity to work for house points. To earn a house point, students must follow the Eagle Essentials, which are ten rules that students must abide to.  Houses that have the most points at the end of the week and after 6 weeks are celebrated. The flag of the house with the most points is displayed in the hall.  The school has implemented a 5 to Thrive program, which is daily mini lessons that teach the students to have confidence and a graceful and elegant attitude. Every morning there is a short lesson about the skill of the week. Each week focuses on a different skill. After the lesson, the teachers demonstrate and practice what was just taught. View homes for sale near Eagle Ridge Elementary School >>> Lily B. Clayton Elementary School 2000 Park Place Fort Worth, Texas Lily B. Clayton Elementary opened in February 1922 as Mistletoe Heights Elementary School.  The school had only 79 students and three teachers. Fort Worth had not had a female principle before Lulu Parker as she was the first woman to hold this title. The school was named after a well loved teacher, Lily Clayton. She began her career in 1885 and taught for 50 years.  Lily B. Clayton Elementary School has grown a great deal since 1922.  The school now employees 31 full time teachers and has 560 students attending the school.  The school has students from kindergarten to Grade 5. All the children at the Lily B wear uniforms.  It is the school’s belief that if the students wear uniforms it will promote a more serious learning environment.  Students are only allowed to wear jeans on Fridays.  There are 2 elementary schools in Fort Worth that have been designated as a 2-way Dual Language Enrichment School.  In 2013, Lily B Clayton became one of them.  The program started with the kindergarten class of that year and will continue up through all the grades. View homes for sale near Lily B. Clayton Elementary School >>>  

Millennials—those born between the early 1980s and the mid-1990s—are very influential in the real estate sector. While many lead a single lifestyle, they are also the most likely group to be having babies right now. As they have to survive in today’s economic climate they will often choose to live in multi-family housing, and anybody working in that sector must keep in step with their needs. Millennials are often waiting longer to purchase a home, so the multi-family rental market is highly aimed toward this generation. More Space Millennials face a problem. Not only have rent prices and property prices increased but that apartment sizes have actually been getting smaller, RENTCafe data reveals. From 2008 to 2018, average studio and 1-bedroom apartment sizes decreased from 573 square feet to 514 square feet and from 790 to 757 square feet, respectively. This has meant that in order to find affordable space for their growing families Millennials have been looking for properties further out of town, or in cities with lower prices. Real estate agents specializing in this area may find the market widening, while multi-family constructors may feel encouraged to build properties for young families in areas they wouldn’t have considered in the past. More Features Millennials can be quite demanding—as maybe you’d expect from people who claim they have to work harder than previous generations and yet pay more for their accommodation and live further out of town! Some of the things they want in their rentals are top-quality washers, dryers, refrigerators and dishwashers. To keep themselves and their families secure they often like to see security guards on the premises. Luxury goods and extra staff on the payroll can be expensive, but providers of multi-family housing would do well to pay attention to these demands: this age group is one of the most populous generations in US history, their spending power will increase, and they and their children can be valuable clients. More Fitness In addition to all this, Millennials demand a lot from themselves, hoping that whatever place they live in provides recreational facilities where they can work out and perhaps participate in fitness classes. And by doing this Millennials have another way to be with other people like themselves: enjoying exercising together, performing aerobics to the same music, relaxing afterward in the same lounge area, and so on. To provide facilities that ensure 20- and 30-somethings can keep themselves in top condition, multi-family housing developers need to take these demands into account when starting future projects, and agents will find them to be great selling points. More Online Shopping Millennials grew up with the Internet and like few things better than being online—but some of those activities have knock-on effects. Online shopping—an attractive option as actually going out to shop eats into valuable time that could be spent at the office or the gym—results in Items that have to be delivered, and residents won’t always be at home to receive them. A concierge employed by the building will take delivery, but this adds to the service charge. A new idea Millennials are sure to like is the e-commerce locker, which can be installed in a common area and in which deliveries can be deposited—Amazon’s ‘Hub,’ for example, serves this purpose—and having one in a building could be a great selling point. More Storage Millennials are young and inventive, finding solutions to the issues they face. One way they can compensate for smaller living quarters is to use the increasing number of self-storage options available to house items that can’t be accommodated at home—sensible decluttering goes hand-in-hand with this. The storage industry has grown a lot in recent years and facilities can be found both in city centers and out-of-town with units at a range of prices. This growing need for extra space is one of the reasons why self-storage is expected to remain strong and an attractive investment option for many real estate investors. Multi-family housing providers find themselves in changing times, and as some of their most valued tenants and potential buyers are looking at new ways to live well, they must adapt to accommodate them. Real estate brokers will discover these changes as quickly as anybody. And this situation may be positive for builders of multi-family housing, who can now consider smaller apartment sizes and new areas as being suitable for this most important of generations.

A home inspection is probably one of the most underrated and important pieces of the home buying process. A certified inspector will spend approximately 2-3 hours conducting an inspection and testing on the property. An inspection report that highlights proposed repairs can save potential buyers thousands of dollars. If you are a first time home purchaser, your realtor should strongly suggest that you pay for the inspection. There are very few reasons why a buyer would want to decline one. Quick note: Usually an inspection is contingent upon the sale of the home. This will allow the buyer to cancel or re-negotiate the sale based upon what the inspector uncovers. It's usually not required, and although the buyer is normally responsible, it is often negotiable between both parties. A motivated seller may even have taken initiative and have a current inspection for your review. This is called a pre-inspection. If the homeowner lives in an old home and suspects that there will be several repairs, then a pre-inspection might be suggested. This will prevent any potential surprises. Here is what a home inspection covers, what its purpose is, and how much you can expect to pay for one. The Motivation for an Inspection The purpose of the home inspection is to discover any defects in the home that exist. Some will need to be repaired, while others won't require any immediate attention. Below you can view some of the important parts of the home inspection should cover, or look for: Mold Pests Water Damage Electrical Systems Plumbing Foundation/Structural Components Status of Roof and Chimney HVAC Ceiling Floors Usually, it's recommended that the buyer remain on-site while the inspector completes the inspection. This serves as two-fold. 1. You can ask potential questions you have about the process or point out any concerns. 2. It gives the buyer an opportunity to observe the inspection process in its entirety. The inspector may point out details that you can expect to view in the report. After the inspection is completed, then you will receive a full report of what the inspector uncovered. The report should be carefully scrutinized. Remember that no home is perfect. So you will discover items that may need some sort of repair. In many cases, the report will highlight a multitude of items. Many will be so minor that you won't care. However, a homeowner should be aware of all of the items in the report. Be sure and share this report with your realtor. They should have prior knowledge of what might raise a red flag. In the event that there are repairs that need to be conducted, have your realtor relay the information to the buyer or the buyer's realtor. This can lead to further negotiations in the home process. Unfortunately, an inspection can even uncover issues that will cause the sale to be canceled. Be aware that a buyer shouldn't ask for smaller repairs to be made. These are usually cosmetic or a nominal fee to repair. Some of these will include: Loose doorknobs Exterior or interior paint Sellers should walk away from buyers who ask for small repairs to be made. Re-negotiating isn't advised under these specific conditions. Read more about sellers mistakes here.  The Cost of a Home Inspection "Each inspection will be different. The total cost will vary based upon the size of the house, the location, and the age" says Greg Covell, a Maple Ridge real estate agent. If you are purchasing a brand new home you should expect the home to be in near perfect condition. Our experts at Rentkidz estimate that the cost for a home inspection will be between $300 to $600. How did we arrive at this number? Some companies actually publish their costs online. Here is a rundown of a company in Texas that illustrates this. 2500 square feet and under is a flat rate of $395 Homes above 4000 square feet will be charged an additional 14 cents per square foot Swimming pools cost an additional $100 A home older than 30 years, +$100. Sprinkler System +$50 Buying a home is probably the largest monetary purchase for most people in their lifetime. Spending a few hundred dollars on a report makes complete sense. Roof repairs alone can cost well over five thousand dollars!

Home inspections by a licensed property inspector are well worth the money.  They have tools to test various components (eg hvac), and experience of seeing hundreds of houses. You can't replace an expert with a checklist.   You can, however, use a checklist like this to prepare your house for sale, eliminate issues to avoid an overly negative inspection report, and help to find issues for your property tax protest. Here is a link to the home inspection checklist.   

If you need to get your home in "market-ready" condition or you need to find everything wrong with your house to serve as evidence in a property tax protest, this checklist will be your best friend.     Scroll down or click here: Property Condition Checklist

Click here to view your property tax bill online. Watch the video below to discover... How to reduce your monthly payment How to eliminate your tax burden completely      If you haven't received your property tax bill in the mail yet, you need to find out why. Taxes are due by Jan 31 whether you received your bill or not.  Call your mortgage company and see if they received your bill. Go online search and contact the tax assessor's office If your taxes are higher than you were expecting, it's likely because the appraisal district proposed a value significantly higher than last year. We may have protested to lower the value from what they proposed, but your taxes may still have gone up if the amount we reduced it to is still more than last year's tax value. Options if your tax burden is too high If your monthly payment went up, you likely have an escrow shortage. The mortgage company's default payment plan is 12 months. Call and ask if you can pay it out over a 2-3 year period of time. This is usually an easy 15-minute phone conversation. Prepare for your protest for next year. Take photos of issues. Get quotes. Save quotes / unpaid invoices to use as evidence in your protest. File them away to save them for your protest next May. We can help you eliminate your entire tax bill for good... By helping you sell your house. If you can't afford to live there, we want you to call us. Our goal will be to help you find a way to stay in your house, but if you have no other option and you've determined that you must move, we will help in 2 ways. 2 Ways We Can Help if You Must Move We will help you determine how much you can expect to sell it for. Often times it's more than you think. We will review 14 options that our team put together for you.  Call one of our team members today or contact our office directly at 817-381-3800 or hello@chandlercrouch.com

Realtor.com Published Our Advice in One of Their Recent Articles http://www.realtor.com/advice/buy/are-you-ready-to-buy-a-home-first-time-buyer-questions/   There's a certain point in the lifecycle of renting where you say to yourself: I just can't do this anymore. Maybe it's the upstairs neighbors, who relentlessly stomp across their apartment into the wee hours of the morning. Maybe it's the numbingly dull white walls you've stared at year after year. Or perhaps it's that bitter pill of knowledge that your hard-earned money is circling down the drain—en route to paying someone else's mortgage. No matter the reason, most of us eventually hit a breaking point with renting, and vow to become homeowners once and for all. But just because you want to buy a home doesn't mean you should buy a home. Even if you've already evaluated your finances and told yourself, "I can swing a down payment," there are some additional key questions to ask to determine whether you're ready. Here, we unveil some oft-overlooked, soul-searching inquiries that you really should ask yourself before you make the biggest financial commitment of your life. Ready? 1. Have I recently experienced a loss? If you’ve recently gone through a breakup, lost your job, or suffered any other kind of negative life event, you might feel like the answer is to start over. A reset can indeed do you a world of good, but taking on a mortgage probably won’t be the fresh new beginning you’re looking for. “The most challenging time in someone's life to buy a home is during a time of loss—and that can be many kinds of loss,” says Tyler Whitman, real estate agent with TripleMint in New York. “If it's truly a high-stress moment, adding a move on top of that only makes things worse." 2. If I get a new job, will I have to move? Even if you think you're in a good place, emotionally speaking, Whitman warns that stress might cause you to subconsciously make your housing decisions out of fear. It's better to wait until you’re past a situation and can know you’re making the best choice for you. The job market has changed drastically since the days when your parents bought a home, and you should know how that will affect you before you buy. “Previous generations planned to get one job, keep it forever, and retire. Buying into a house because they were looking for a permanent living situation made a lot more sense,” says Chandler Crouch, broker for Chandler Crouch Realtors in Fort Worth, TX. “Now, job-hopping is prevalent.” Changing jobs won’t be a big deal if you can keep—or raise—your salary, and your new gig is in your current city. But if there aren’t a ton of jobs in your industry in your area, you may find yourself having to relocate a year after you bought your home. “It honestly isn't a good idea to buy a house unless you plan on staying there for at least five years,” Crouch says. If you sell earlier, you may end up taking a loss on the deal. 3. Am I ready to write (a lot) of checks beyond the down payment? Here's the good news: Mortgage requirements have been loosening since the credit crunch, and you may very well be able to buy with less than 20% down. But the bad news is that won’t be the end of your upfront costs. Hire a mortgage broker and you could pay a 1% to 2% fee on the amount of the loan. A home inspection will cost you a few hundred. Your closing costs could add up to 7% of the total cost of the home. And then there’s the Murphy’s Law of it all: If something can go wrong, it probably will. “If the air conditioner breaks a month after you close, or the dishwasher gives out, that's now up to you,” Whitman says. If you don’t have the funds to cover your closing costs and a separate emergency account for the inevitable “just moved in” headaches, it might be better to wait until you do. And don't forget about the additional costs of things like homeowner insurance and taxes. (Although you'll likely be eligible for some pretty sweet tax deductions for being a homeowner, you'll still have to pay property taxes—and that can mean a bit of sticker shock for long-term renters.) 4. Am I OK with owing the bank lots of money for a long time? One of the biggest benefits of homeownership, of course, is the equity. Instead of handing all your hard-earned cash over to a landlord, you're putting it back into your home—which you (hopefully) will sell for a profit down the line. But that equity doesn't happen immediately. In fact, for many buyers, it takes time. Sometimes a long time. Unless you pay for your house in cash, you'll be on the hook for not only your monthly mortgage payment but the interest on the loan as well. Stretching out your payments over more years—as with a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage—can help reduce (and stabilize) your interest charges. But it can be hard to pay down your principal when you're constantly trying to cover other costs. It's part of being a homeowner, and you need to decide if you’re good with it. “Anyone considering buying needs to look at an amortization schedule to see exactly how much out of their monthly payment will be going toward paying off the house,” Crouch says. 5. Is buying truly cheaper in the long run? This one depends quite a bit on where you live. So do the math. Understand that when you're buying, you'll be taking on a big down payment and all those additional costs. On the other hand, you'll want to take a look at your local rental market. If your rents are increasing steadily year over year, you might be shelling out more on temporary housing then you would on your own home each month. And you may find yourself with your savings too depleted to buy. “On average landlords raise rent 7% per year," Crouch says. "This is a compounding increase in expense.” That could mean that buying, while a punch to the wallet now, will be more affordable in the long run. But if you live in a more stable rental market, it could be better to sock away some cash and wait a few more years to purchase a home. You can use our handy Rent vs. Buy Calculator to crunch the numbers and decide what's right for you. 6. Am I secretly trying to talk myself into it? Your co-workers don’t understand why you’re still renting. Your friends are all buying their first homes. You've been saving for years specifically so you can buy a house and become a key-carrying member of the Great American Dream. It may seem like you should just buy already, but try asking yourself: Do you really, truly want to? Even if it might make sense on paper, Crouch still recommends asking yourself three questions before you finally decide: Am I trying to sell myself on the idea of buying a home? Am I trying too hard to justify it financially? Do my reasons to buy outnumber my reasons not to buy? After all, buying a home is arguably the biggest financial (and, sometimes, emotional) commitment you'll ever make. You need to be sure it's right for you—no matter what anybody else says.  

Real Estate Commissions Aren't Cheap, But Are They Worth It? A new independent study by Collateral Analytics shows that Realtors are indeed worth their commission, generally speaking. The study concludes that successful "For Sale By Owner" (FSBO) sellers achieve prices significantly below those from similar properties sold by a Realtor. The study does not take into account sales that were first attempted as FSBO then switched to a Realtor due to an unsuccessful FSBO attempt. Something that doesn't appear to be taken into consideration by the study is the extra benefit of having someone deal with contracts, negotiate, and field dozens of interactions with inspectors, title company, lender, and the opposing party to the transaction. It's important to acknowledge that not every agent provides a service as valuable as what they charge, however, they do on average. This means that if you do your homework and hire an above average agent, you are likely to get a better than average return on your money hiring a Realtor. Several cities were studied. The conclusions were the same in every location. See below for the graph showing the findings of the Pheonix area study. The study can be seen in its entirety here: http://collateralanalytics.com/saving-real-estate-commissions-at-any-price/

Register on FreeTaxProtest.com and let us do the rest, all for FREE!    There are 3 levels of protest Automated online protest through the Tarrant Appraisal District website Informal in-person protest (no appointment needed, just walk into TAD's office) Formal Appraisal Review Board (ARB) hearing (file a protest on the back of your blue value notice)   Go HERE to begin your Protest Since releasing the video, we have helped thousands of homeowners and saved hundreds of thousands of dollars... all for FREE! Not only that, we were able to figure out the formula that TAD is using. Now, we're helping people get, what we believe to be, is the lowest possible value.  Links and Resources in Video Will protesting hurt my resale value What is the difference between Market Value and Appraised Value Checklist to find and fix property condition issues Use this property tax calculator to see exactly how much the change in value affects your wallet Get our 10 minute $5 brick mortar crack repair secret 

Dave Ramsey Real Estate ELP and Advice | Fort Worth Texas If you're thinking about buying or selling a home, it would be smart to do your homework and make the best decision you can for your finances. Any real estate transaction you have is going to be among the largest financial transactions of your entire life. The funny thing is, some people actually put more time into thining about what they're going to have for dinner than they do about planning to enter the real estate transaction with a smart financial plan.  There are plenty of financial advisors that will give you advice on how to buy a house. From Suze Orman, Clark Howard, David Bach, Robert Kiyosake, to Dave Ramsey. Everybody has an opinion. I've studied them all. These people are full of wisdom. I tend to think, if you are the kind of person that is going to research and submit yourself to the authroity of a set of guiding principles, you're going to probably be ok no matter who you listen to. The folks that really get themselves into trouble are the ones that don't seek any kind of guidance whatsoever. With that being said, I am quite partial to Dave Ramsey. He teaches based on Biblical principles, which is important to me, and he just doesn't give advice that is questionable. He is very conservative, and for this reason, it's difficult to fault him for anything except being too conservative. I'm ok with this. In December 2007 I found myself in a position, as a result of paying a LOT of dummy tax, in debt up to $300,000, much of which was revolving credit (business unsecured lines of credit). It is only because of adhearing to the principles that Dave Ramsey teaches that I can now say I'm on baby step #7 and I'm DEEEEEEEEEEEEEBBBT FREEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! (he features callers on his radio show yelling "I'm debt free." That was my version of yelling in text). Where to begin? The best first step would be to just call my office. There is far too much to share on a blog post. We can tailer a plan of action according to Dave's principles as demanded by your specific uniqe situation. Our number is 817-381-3800 or email at hello@chandlercrouch.com If you'd like to self study, these are good resources to begin with:   Dave Ramsey Mortgage Do's and Don'ts  You’ve got plenty of options when it comes to financing the purchase of your home. Dave doesn’t recommend most of them, but it’s a good idea to know what’s out there and why you need to avoid some of the more popular mortgage options. Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARMs) ARMs hook homebuyers with a low initial rate, then, after a designated period, the rate fluctuates for the remainder of the life of the loan. This kind of loan actually transfers the risk of rising interest rates to you, the homeowner. Right now, interest rates are incredibly low, and they have been for some time. But once rates start to adjust, there’s only one direction they can go: up! This risk makes an ARM one of the worst mortgage options available. Do not finance your home with an ARM. Federal Housing Administration Loan (FHA) FHA mortgages are backed by the government, which means the government insures the bank so it won’t lose its money if you don’t make your payments. You can qualify for an FHA loan with a down payment as low as 3%. But new regulations require you to keep private mortgage insurance (PMI) for the life of the loan. PMI can cost around $100 a month per $100,000 borrowed.   Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Loans designed to make it easier for our country’s military veterans to purchase homes are a great idea in theory, but the program falls short in practice. VA loans are backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs and allow veterans to purchase a home with practically no down payment. VA loans also have lot of fees, and interest rates are usually higher than those for conventional loans. Buying the Right Way The best way to buy a home is to pay cash for it—the 100% down plan. It sounds unrealistic, but people do it every day. And not just those with super-deep pockets. Many save for years to achieve their goal. If you’re going to buy a home with a mortgage, you need to be on Baby Step 3, debt-free with a three- to six-month emergency fund in place. In Baby Step 3b, save up your down payment—at least 10%, but 20% will allow you to avoid PMI payments. Your home loan should be a conventional, fixed-rate mortgage with a 15-year (or less) term. Do not get a 30-year mortgage! A $175,000, 30-year mortgage with a 4% interest rate will cost you $68,000 more over the life of the loan than a 15-year mortgage will. That’s a lot of money you could use to build up your retirement fund or save for your kids’ college.   Your monthly payment should not exceed 25% of your take-home pay. Any more than that will tie up too much of your income and slow your progress through the remaining Baby Steps. House Hunt With a Pro Once you have your bases covered financially, it’s time to start house hunting. Talk with a professional agent about your financial goals so they can help you find a home that fits your budget. (Call Chandler Crouch Realtors at 817-381-3800)   Take Control of Your Money One Step at a Time Building a new future with money is a lot like building a home. You don't add the roof until you've finished framing, and you don't frame until the foundation is secure. Dave Ramsey's Baby Steps are designed to help you out of debt and stress and into a life of saving and giving. We're all in different places with money. Start right where you are and get where you want to be. Know-how is 20% of the equation. Behavior change and self-discipline make up the other 80%. You can do it! Just follow the steps. Here's The Process: $1,000 to Start an Emergency Fund An emergency fund is for those unexpected events in life you can't plan for. Whether there's a plumbing issue and everything but the kitchen sink is draining, or your brakes are squealing at every stop sign, you can be ready! Pay Off All Debt but the House List all debts but the house in order. The smallest balance should be your number one priority. Don't worry about interest rates unless two debts have similar payoffs. If that's the case, then list the higher interest rate debt first. 3 to 6 Months of Expenses in Savings This step is all about building a full emergency fund. It's time to kick debt for good, with 3–6 months' worth of emergency savings. Sit down and calculate how much you need to live on for 3–6 months (for most that's between $10,000–15,000) and start saving to protect yourself against life's bigger surprises like the loss of a job. You'll never be in debt again—no matter what comes your way. Invest 15% of Household Income Into Retirement Now it's time to get serious about retirement. With no payments and a full emergency fund, put 15% toward the retirement of your dreams. Between your 401(k), Roth IRA, and Traditional IRA, you have a lot of options. Find the fit that is right for you. The money you were using to attack debt can now help build your future. College Funding for Children College tuitions and housing expenses continue to rise. Don't let college sneak up on you. Saving now will put you ahead of the game when your kids graduate from high school. Two smart ways to save for your kids' college are a 529 college savings fund or an ESA (education savings account). These are both tax-advantaged savings vehicles that let you save money for your kids' education expenses. Pay Off Home Early It takes the average family five to seven years to pay their home off early. Just imagine life with no mortgage. There's only one more debt standing in the way of freedom from all debt! Apply all the extra money toward paying off your home. Not only are you paying off your home early, you'll be saving tens of thousands of dollars in interest fees. Build Wealth and Give This is the last step and by far the most fun. It's time to live and give like no one else! Build wealth, become insanely generous, and leave an inheritance for future generations. You know what people with no debt and no payments can do? Anything they want! Now that's leaving a legacy. Great, So Where Do I Start? The first step in taking control of your money is to create some cushion between you and life's little emergencies. Start by getting $1,000 in savings. It's easier than you think, and it's absolutely worth it. Most people can do it in a month or less, and these tools can help you get started.   Dave Ramsey Background and Bio - Dave's Story   

As detailed as this video is, it is not meant to be comprehensive and still only covers a fraction of what you need to know when using the 1-4 family residential resale contract promulgated by the Texas Real Estate Commission. To discuss negotiating techniques and best practices of how to use this contract, please call our office to talk with an expert Realtor today. As with any legal document or major decision, it's always best to consult an attorney for legal advice, don't rely on this video: (for time stamps for each paragraph, scroll down below the video)     TREC 1-4 Residential Resale Contract (20-13) explained one paragraph at a time, line by line. This is the best and most comprehensive Texas real estate contract tutorial you can find. See time stamps below to jump directly to any section of the contract. Please like this video and share. Please comment, like, share, or contact us at http://www.chandlercrouch.comBonus Video: 3rd Party Financing Addendum explained one line at a time: https://youtu.be/y3PSLq-VUFESee below for time stamp of each paragraph: What is covered in this video 0:08When to use and when not to use 1:15Why it's important to learn 3:04Mindset 4:40How to use the contract 7:05Why Words Matter 9:21Addendum vs Amendment 10:15General information about the contracts 11:31Overview 14:09Contract Changes: 15:281. Parties 18:412. Property 23:583. Sales Price 28:004. License Holder Disclosure 33:085. Earnest Money 34:056. Title Policy and Survey 38:286. C. Survey 45:356. D. Objections 51:006. E. Title Notices 54:177. Property Condition 1:01:257. B. Seller's Disclosure Notice 1:03:327. H. Residential Services Contracts 1:12:278. Brokers' Fees 1:15:009. Closing 1:15:2910. Possession 1:17:2411. Special Provisions 1:21:1012. Settlement and other Expenses 1:23:4813. Prorations 1:30:3314. Casualty Loss 1:32:2015. Default 1:32:4416. Mediation 1:34:3517. Attorney's Fees 1:35:2518. Escrow 1:35:3619. Representations 1:40:3720. Federal Tax Requirements 1:41:1321. Notices 1:41:2922. Agreement of Parties 1:44:3223. Termination Option 1:45:3323. Changes to Paragraph 23 1:59:3624. Consult an Attorney Before Signing 2:00:57Executed Box / Effective date 2:03:34Signature lines 2:06:24Page 9 2:07:45Option Fee Receipt 2:11:10Contract and Earnest Money Receipt 2:11:28For questions, contact http://www.chandlercrouch.comTo get a copy of this contract, go here: https://www.trec.texas.gov/agency-information/forms-and-contractsPlease consult an attorney before using this contract. This video is not meant to be legal advice.Tags: Texas real estate commission sales contract    

An offer is made when a buyer fills out the actual purchase/sell contract (blank TREC contract templates) with a price and terms that the buyer would be happy to agree to and delivers it to the seller. To “accept” the offer, the seller simply initials and signs the contract without making any changes to the price or terms. If the seller wishes to “counter offer,” he/she just marks out (single line strike-through) the terms that are not acceptable, writes in the new terms beside the old terms, and sends it back to the buyer. The buyer will either accept the new terms proposed by the seller or the counter offer process will continue until all terms are agreed upon or it becomes clear that an agreement cannot be reached.