Raylene Lewis
Realtor®
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Selling Real Estate Category
Is Your Home Really Ready For Fall??
November 4th, 2009 Categories: Buying Real Estate, Selling Real Estate
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University Title Company — In Selling a Home, the Seller Chooses the Title Company
August 3rd, 2009 Categories: Selling Real Estate
University Title Company is Brazos County’s largest title insurance provider, and has been helping the people of the Brazos Valley since 1973. It is the job of the title company to research the title, handle the money, and file all the papers necessary at the courthouse. This means that when the job is given to UTC, they make certain that the property has clear title, all financial aspects with the current lender are handled, and all invoices be it for repair, inspections, or home cleaning/maintenance are taken care of. The title company is also a great source for obtaining deed restrictions, homestead exemption forms, TREC forms, home warranty order forms, and for finding existing surveys on a property.
There are basically 7 steps to the Closing Process once a property goes under contract and is submitted to the title company.
1) The Contract and Earnest Money is given to University Title Company and UTC deposits the Earnest Money Check
2) UTC issues a Title Commitment – This shows the history of the property and what items need to be taken care of to clear title.
3) All Pre-Closing Items are Provided to University Title Company — This includes inspections, surveys, invoices, payoff information etc.
4) The Title Company Provides a Settlement Statement to all Parties — This can be thought of as a document like a big receipt that shows where all the money in the transaction is going and what each billed item is.
5) The Closing – All parties meet and sign the documents necessary to change the loan and to obtain / release ownership.
6) The Funding – The money is received by the lender or new owner and is actively distributed accordingly.
7) The Title Policy – Within 90 days of funding, the title policies are issued and mailed to the appropriate parties with all recorded documents.
The company has six insurance underwriters, professional title insurance experts, readily available escrow officers (to help address any concerns before closing) and a large title production and closing services staff. The motto at UTC is “to make each and every transaction as smooth and swift as possible, always expertly tending to the details.” They can close any transaction for real estate in Texas, and if you will not be able to stay in town for the closing, they can email, fax or FedEx the necessary closing documents to you.
Their website offers tips for both seller and buyers and, when a contract is submitted for processing, UTC provides an online closing tracking program that allows all parties involved in the transaction see what stage the file is in. It also provides access to documents and emails and lets all parties know when the information is updated. Their goal is to insure that there are no surprises at closing. Once at the closing table, at UTC you can expect to be provided with a drink and fresh baked cookies. They also have a patio for pets and DVD’s for children to watch while their parents are signing all the necessary documents.
The company is an active leader in the community and regularly contributes time and support to local charities. They have earned many awards both for the service they provide and for being a great place to work. If you are going to be needing the services of a Title Company, UTC is definitely a place to consider!
Need information on Buying or Selling a Home in Bryan-College Station? Give me a Call 979-218-2235 or send me an email!
Raylene Lewis
Information on Buying a home in College Station
Information on Selling a home in College Station
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Selling Your College Station Home: The Importance of a First Impression – The Exterior –
August 20th, 2008 Categories: Selling Real Estate
When you are ready to sell your Bryan, College Station home, and it is time to place your property on the market, the goal will be to achieve the best possible sales price and sell your property in the time-frame that best meets your needs. We are often told when meeting other people for the first time, that the first impression is the most important. This same philosophy is true with houses as well.
Nothing is more important than the first impression a Buyer will receive when they take their first look at a home. As a Seller, there are two opportunities to provide a buyer with a first impression. The first opportunity is when the Buyer views photos are advertising the home on the Internet. The second is when the Buyer sees home for the first time.
There are several things you can do make sure your property will provide Buyers with a successful first impression. It is a good idea to start with the exterior front of the home. After all, that is the very first thing every prospective buyer will see. Below is a check list to help you get the exterior of your home ready to be placed Read the rest of this entry »
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Selling Your Bryan College Station Home: Advice on Counteroffers
August 4th, 2008 Categories: Selling Real Estate
It can be a very exciting time as a College Station Home Seller when you get your first offer from someone wanting to buy your property. You have finally found someone who, you hope, likes the home as much as you did. More importantly, if everything works out like it should, roughly 30 or so days later, will be Pay Day for you.
That’s right! The sale of your home will occur and you will be moving on your way (literally) to bigger and better things!
When you get an offer, there are several things to consider. If the offer is an acceptable amount for your property, you don’t want to let a disagreement over a minor issue result in the loss of a good Buyer. It is important to evaluate Read the rest of this entry »
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Selling Your Home in Bryan College Station: Is Offering Incentives Effective?
July 22nd, 2008 Categories: Selling Real Estate
When you place your home for sale in Bryan-College Station, you will need to decide if you will be offering any incentives for the sale of the home. There are basically two types of incentives; Buyer incentives and Realtor incentives.
A Buyer incentive is an extra “perk” for the Buyer. It is something of value that the Seller is offering to entice the Buyer to choose their property over another. A Realtor incentive is typically a monetary selling bonus for the Realtor who brings a Buyer that purchases the property (typically within X period of time).
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Selling Your College Station Home Pre-Foreclosure: The Hardship Letter
July 19th, 2008 Categories: Buying Real Estate, Selling Real Estate
A hardship letter is just one of many documents that would be required by the lender when beginning the short sale process.
The point of the hardship letter is for the Seller to notify their lending institution of why they can no longer make payments on their property.
There are many reasons why a Seller can no longer pay for the home they are living in.
A few examples include:
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The Seller did not fully understand the type of loan they purchased the home under and the Adjustable Rate Mortgage has not increased beyond the Seller’s ability to Pay.
- The Seller has a unexpected illness and/or now has additional medical bills.
- The Seller has lost their job.
- The Seller’s income has substantially decreased.
- The Seller’s job was relocated.
- The Seller’s Spouse or co-borrower has died.
- The Seller is getting or is now divorced.
- The Seller has been incarcerated.
- There has been significant damage to the property, and the Seller is no longer able to maintain the property or make repairs.
The Seller needs to make sure that their hardship letter is reflective of their unique Read the rest of this entry »
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It is Time to Sell your College Station Home: Do You Redecorate?
July 16th, 2008 Categories: Selling Real Estate
This is an actual photo that a Realtor placed on the MLS to advertise their listing for sale. Personally, have a hard time seeing where the bed ends and the wall begins. I like things to match in a room, this however, is a bit much. But you know what? That is just one of the Wonderful things about Real Estate in College Station! There is never a dull moment!
Working as a Bryan-College Station Realtor brings new experiences every day; we get to see all sorts of different taste preferences and decorating ideas! When you walk into someone’s home you are getting a glimpse of their personality and who they are. After all, your house is where you “Make yourself at home!” Read the rest of this entry »
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Showing Instructions: What Every College Station Seller Should Know
July 14th, 2008 Categories: Community Events, Selling Real Estate
Everyone knows the goal of the Bryan College Station Home Seller is to sell their home for top dollar in the shortest amount of time possible. It is the job of the Listing Agent to make the actual home showings as stress free as possible for the Seller.
Once the Seller is ready to put their house up for sale, and allow potential Buyer’s into their home, the last thing they want is their daily routine and way of living completely disrupted or turned upside down. A good Realtor will want to help the Seller keep their “My House on the Market Routine” as close to their normal way of life as possible.
However, it is also extremely important to recognize that the way a Seller chooses to regulate the showings, and the way the Listing Agent advertises those showing instructions to other Realtors, can make a dramatic difference in how fast the house sells and the price the Seller receives. I am talking about the difference between a quick sale at top dollar, a listing that stays on the market an unnecessarily long time and sells for less than what it should have, or even worse; an expired listing.
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Preparing Your College Station Home to Sell
July 11th, 2008 Categories: Selling Real Estate
When it is time to get your Bryan College Station home ready to sell, everyone knows that cleaning, repairing and removing clutter will maximize your homes appearance. However, before you get carried away with home repairs and changes, there are several things you need to think about.
- Are there repairs that must be completed before the home will sell?
- Will making repairs or changes effect the sales price of my home?
- Will I get back the money at closing that I am putting into the home to make this repair or change?
I have found that many times Sellers think they must make repairs to their property that in fact will NOT increase the value of their property or shorten the days on market that the home is listed for sale. It is also often the case Read the rest of this entry »
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How To Prepare for the Listing Appointment with Your Bryan College Station Realtor
July 10th, 2008 Categories: Selling Real Estate
As a Listing Agent, I know that home owners are proud of their property and the place they call home. A home is where memories are made and where owners showcase their tastes and preferences. When I view a home for the first time, I am always impressed by the amount of attention to detail a homeowner puts forward to get their home ready to be placed on the market. Unlike some, I rarely recommend a Seller make major changes to their property before listing it. The main reason for this is because, Read the rest of this entry »
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