This is a link to the original article written on Fort Worth Weekly. Skyrocketing property valuations, culture of deception, and baseless allegations. What's the worst that could happen? On June 10, 2022, I stood up early in the meeting to address the five-member board of the Tarrant Appraisal District (TAD). I had come to inform the board that I would not allow any further attacks by Randy Armstrong, TAD's director of home valuation. It is clear as day that Armstrong, and by extension, TAD do not appear to be my supporters. Mainly because I devote most of my spare time to assisting residents to challenge their exorbitant property values. This pushed Armstrong to file a complaint against me. During the meeting, I stated that there is an item on the agenda regarding the letter that my attorney addressed to the board. There haven't been many information regarding what's going on up until now. Someone filed complaints against my licensure as a property tax consultant in October 2021. I initially dismissed the complaint as unfounded. But for the board, this becomes significant because of who filed the complaint and how Jeff Law, the chief appraiser, strongly supports it. I went on to say that an investigator with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) purportedly indicated that the complaints were made by TAD, not a TAD employee. Armstrong's use of TAD letterhead and the personal knowledge revealed in his accusations indicate that he is allegedly utilizing TAD resources. Despite the fact that the topic was just discussed and not voted on, the board members decided that Law should look into it, in spite of having been aware of the allegations since November and has done no action to curb Armstrong's alleged misbehavior. Law, who usually deals with personnel issues, agreed to oversee the probe. However, that is a conflict of interest according to Gary Losada, a former TAD member. For Losada, Law should not be allowed to probe his own activities due to a history of withholding embarrassing facts from the board, something we've heard before in the form of a whistleblower complaint. We revealed details from a series of anonymous letters purportedly written by one or more TAD employees a year ago ("Shining a Light on TAD," June 2021). Law was singled out by the whistleblower, who claimed that the top appraiser used his position to conceal software flaws that resulted in incorrect property tax estimates over the years. It pains me to know that TAD's board of directors declined to hold Law accountable for failing to handle significant claims like mine. TAD's leadership may have set the appraisal district on a road that would eventually force the board of directors to evaluate if maintaining Law as chief appraiser is worth the financial risk.

This is a link to the original article written on Texas Scorecard by Robert Montoya. Dropping truth bombs and getting to the bottom of the truth: Who filed a case against me and how deep are the layers of this complaint? We all cannot deny that our property tax system is broken. This have made me realize my calling to serve the community. In 2017, we served 322 homeowners. In 2021, we have helped more than 21,000. This is more than $10 million worth of services for free. We are exerting so much effort to make the people's voices be heard and fix our taxing system. So, I think it is fair to say that these accusations are completely baseless.On November 1, 2021, I received a letter from the Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation (TDLR) about a complaint against me. This is crazy. The letter contained three complaints; they alleged that last year, I had “intentionally misled members of the Tarrant Appraisal Review Board” (TARB) when I protested values assigned to properties by TAD. In one case, it alleged that I also misled “Tarrant County taxpayers” and is making a “mockery of the current tax system.” Nowhere in the document did it identify who specifically filed these complaints. Initially, records obtained by Texas Scorecard show Armstrong used TAD's name and address in mailings. However, the assigned TDLR investigator admitted that Randall "Randy" Armstrong, the director of residential appraisal at TAD, had filed the complaint.  He also used taxpayer-funded tools to interact with TDLR, such as his TAD email address. He signed his emails in such a way that it appeared he was working on behalf of TAD in an official role. It is also concerning to know that if he received the materials while operating in his capacity as a district employee and not through a public information act request, there is a significant conflict. TAD was served with an open documents request by Texas Scorecard, demanding any requests from Armstrong to the district for the properties named in his complaints that occurred in 2020 and 2021. TAD responded, "The district has no records responsive to your PIA request." Armstrong's initial complaint was submitted online with TDLR on October 5, 2021, at 3:19 p.m., according to records. Armstrong worked eight hours that day, according to TAD records, and entered the building at 7:54 a.m. With a timestamp of 3:06 p.m. on October 19, 2021, the second complaint was submitted. He worked 6.5 hours that day, with 1.5 hours given to sick leave to assist his mother, according to TAD records. He initially arrived on TAD property at 9:31 a.m., according to records. The date the third complaint was filed is unknown based on TDLR documents. With a timestamp of 11:36 a.m. on December 22, 2021, the fourth and last complaint was submitted. Armstrong worked eight hours that day, according to TAD records, and initially entered TAD at 7:53 am. On June 10, 2022, I confronted the TAD board and asked the following: Was it the Tarrant Appraisal District? Was it Randy Armstrong? How much does Jeff Law support this complaint? I told them that if I’m guilty, there are an army of people here that are guilty as well, and there’s a big problem that somebody didn’t speak up until this complaint was filed. If I’m innocent, what is the Tarrant Appraisal District okay with? Are they okay with the fact that somebody filed that complaint knowingly? Did Mr. Law know that this complaint was filed? Matthew Tepper, the board's attorney replied that TAD did not file it and nobody who had the authority of the appraisal district to file the complaint did it. Law stated that he has not seen the complaints and that is the first time he has seen a portion of the complaints. He later altered his mind, claiming that it wasn't until open records requests were submitted that he discovered the TAD address had been used on TDLR envelopes, and that Armstrong had signed them "Director of Residential Appraisal." He added that Armstrong had filed the complaint on his own and he did not direct Armstrong to submit a complaint against you. It is clear that TAD's lack of action on this implicates them. The board resolved to discuss the topic in closed session, which will be held in two months. I sincerely hope that we can all get to the bottom of this so we can all unite to serve the community.

We are honored to be recognized as the Realtor of the month for NewHomesDirectory.com Kelley Watkins is a terrific writer and kind soul. I am flattered by this and humbled by such an incredible team that has done so much to help so many people. If I didn't work with the best people on earth this recognition wouldn't be possible. If you have a minute click here to check out the article she wrote featuring us as New Homes Directory Realtor of the Month.     

I was completely shocked and honored to see this. This company does a 50 point inspection reviewing customer reviews, history, complaints, ratings, satisfaction, trust, and cost to find the best practitioners in an industry.  They selected US!!! Chandler Crouch Reatlors is in the TOP 3 Realtors in Fort Worth! I just have to say thank you to the best clients on earth and thank you to the best team on earth!!! I feel humbled and honored. Check it out: https://threebestrated.com/real-estate-agents-in-fort-worth-tx          

This is exciting! I hope this never gets old. I found this in my inbox this morning:   After discussing real estate bubbles with superb journalist Andrew DePietro, he wrote 2 articles and used our company as a source! This guy writes incredibly well. See what Andrew has to say about real estate bubbles in his article 6 States With the Biggest Real Estate Bubbles. And the article Top 20 Cities Where Home Prices Are Skyrocketing. To get all my thoughts on real estate bubbles and how Texas is affected by the current economic conditions see the blog post Is TX in a Housing Bubble (and my forecast).

I was shocked to learn where a prospective buyer found our website... foxnews.com!!!! It turns out that Realtor.com published another quote from us. This time Fox News and all sorts of other folks are re-posting the article. Take a look, its worth a read:  http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2016/06/14/secrets-to-selling-home-for-over-asking-price/ If you want to know what advice we agree where we've seen different strategies prevail, contact our office for a free copy of our book Proven Strategies to Sell Your House for Top Dollar

You guessed it! Chandler Crouch Realtors was voted #1 in Fort Worth! We are very grateful for all your support. We definitely have the best clients in Fort Worth! This is only because of YOU! Thank you! http://blog.choicehomewarranty.com/the-15-best-real-estate-agents-in-fort-worth-tx/

We're blown away... Realtor.com featured us again in one of their articles. This time Chandler is quoted about savvy buyer negotiation techniques.  http://www.realtor.com/advice/buy/craziest-tactics-to-buy-a-home/

We did it again! Realtor.com recently interviewed Chandler to be featured in an article they published about wacky home buyer stories.  This article is hilarious and contains some good tips. See for yourself:  http://www.realtor.com/advice/buy/home-buyers-from-hell/

You can find the original article here: http://www.realtor.com/advice/sell/whip-your-home-into-shape/ I have pasted it below for your convenience: So You Wanna Sell Your Home? Step 1: Whip It Into Shape If you’re looking to sell your home during prime house-shopping season this spring, you’d better get cracking now. After all, it’s not as easy as slapping an ad on Craigslist; if you want your humble abode to stand out from the competition, that could take months to do right. That’s why we’re kicking off our 2016 Home-Selling Guide—a series of articles in which, each week, we’ll show you the next step to prep your house for sale and ace the deal. (In case you’re also on the hunt for a new home, we kicked off our Home-Buying Guideyesterday.) Step 1 to selling a home is a New Year’s classic: Whip your place into shape by fixing any problems and upgrading the eyesores. Because like it or not, your home has sustained some wear and tear over the years. Here’s how to assess the damage and find out which renovations will pay off down the road. 1. Tally the age of various items No matter how great your home looks at first glance, any savvy buyer will point to various parts and pop the question: How old? And since guesstimates won’t cut it, it’s time to gather some paperwork. If you’ve purchased your home in the past few years, check your home records or seller’s disclosure for the age or last repair of big items (namely your roof, HVAC system, water heater, and gutters), or dig up copies of your own maintenance records or receipts. How long items last depends on a lot of factors such as the model and how well it’s been maintained, but you can get a general idea of average life span from the National Association of Home Builders. For example: Wood shingle and shake roof: 15 to 30 years Central air-conditioning unit: 15 years Electric water heater: 14 years Gutters: 30 years   2. Do your own walk-through Channel Sherlock Holmes and go through your home, room by room. Look for signs of damage that might drag down its value. Chandler Crouch, broker for Chandler Crouch Realtors in Forth Worth, TX, suggests looking for these common problem spots: Wood rot around outside door frames, window ledges, and garage doors. Condensation and rain can cause these areas to weaken and rot. Water stains on the ceiling or near doors and windows. This can indicate a leaky roof or rain seeping in from outside. Leaks under sinks or around toilets. Bulges under carpet or discoloration on hardwood floors, which can indicate flooding problems or an uneven foundation.   Next, test what’s called the “functionality” in every room. For example, “Cracks visible in the walls and floor, doors that don’t shut right, broken handles on cabinetry, basically anything that doesn’t work perfectly should be repaired,” Crouch says. And don’t forget to inspect the outside. “A lot of sellers skip the outside, but it is so important. That is where buyers will make their first impression,” says Darbi McGlone, a Realtor® with Jim Talbot Real Estate in Baton Rouge, LA. 3. Bring in the pros Once you’ve done your own walk-through, you may want to have a pro take a second look. These people can spot flaws you overlooked, because either you’re used to them or you didn’t realize they could cause trouble. You can enlist a Realtor or hire a home inspector to do an inspection (or pre-inspection) to pinpoint problems from bad wiring to outdated plumbing. While the cost varies, people pay an average of $473 for a home inspection, according toAngie’s List. Go to the National Association of Home Inspectors to find an inspector in your area. It may cost a bit, but it will buy you the peace of mind of knowing you’re not in for any surprises down the road. In fact, having a home inspection report handy to show buyers can inspire confidence that they (and you by association) aren’t in for any nasty surprises as you move toward a deal. 4. Decide what needs renovating Once you know what in your house could stand for repairs or upgrades, it’s time to decide where to infuse some cash. Don’t worry, not everything needs to be done before your home’s on the market. And while you’re probably not jumping at the idea of renovating a property you’re going to sell, certain fixes will give you an edge over the competition, which means more/better offers. Remember, real estate is an investment! Please, Mr. Postman Send me news, tips, and promos from realtor.com® and Move.  Sign Up But don’t just obsess over the obvious—e.g., your kitchen could stand for new cabinets. After all, many buyers will want to tweak cosmetic details to their own tastes, so you could be throwing money down the drain. Instead, focus on fix-its that are less susceptible to personal preferences that buyers like to know are in good shape. For example, a recent study by the National Association of Realtors® found that upgrading hardwood floors reaps an estimated 100% return on investment, essentially paying for itself. Upgrading your insulation can net you a 95% ROI, a new roof a whopping 105%! Because what buyers don’t like to know they’ve got a solid roof over their heads? Once you’ve got the ball rolling on getting your place in shape, you’ll be ready for the next step—stay tuned next week for more details on what to do! Angela Colley lives in New Orleans, where she writes about buying, selling, and renting news for realtor.com. Her passions include animal rescue, photography, historic homes, and Southern architecture.  Follow @angelancolley View Angela's Stories   

A while back I was contacted by a journalist with Realtor.com.  They needed an expert opinion about items that a home buyer might overlook or things that buyers frequently forget to consider. Some of these things might surprise you...  http://www.realtor.com/advice/buy/assuming-your-new-home-has-these-features-better-check-first/