CityScape Brokers

4 Inspections You Must Make Before Buying Your New Home

February 24, 2019 by CityScape Brokers Leave a Comment

It is common for a lender to require a home inspection before approving the financing for a home purchase. As part of the final report, a certified inspector will recommend repairs or changes that need to be made before closing the deal. But those reports lack the kind of detail you need for peace of mind. There are certain types of comprehensive inspections you should have done by experts before you finalize a home purchase.

PLUMBING

Sometimes older homes are allowed to go a long time without getting essential systems replaced, such as the plumbing. You should get a professional plumber to examine the complete plumbing system in the home you are considering to make sure that there are no major issues.

Plumbing issues can arise in newer and older homes, so this is an inspection that every potential home buyer should do. If there are significant issues with the plumbing, ask the seller to solve the problems before you finalize the deal.

ROOF

A roof can be extremely misleading when it comes to repair and replacement needs. The roof on the home you want to buy may look great to you, but an expert might see a lot of reasons to have work done before the deal is signed.

If a roof has been neglected and left to leak for a while, there could also be issues with water damage and mold. Be sure that the roof on your potential new home is in good working order before you sign the sales agreement.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

If the lights turn on when you flick the switch, then it can be tempting to assume that the electrical system in the home you are considering is just fine. But if that system has frayed wires and an outdated breaker panel, then there could be fire hazards.

An electrical system could be relatively new and still have issues. If the house has pests such as rodents or squirrels, then those pests may have chewed the insulation off the wires and left the wires exposed. Never agree to purchase a home that has not first had a comprehensive electrical inspection done by an experienced and licensed expert.

FOUNDATION

A home buyer who is unfamiliar with how home foundations work might see a crack in the foundation wall that has been patched and assume that the patch job fixed the problem. If the house you are considering has foundation issues, then it might cost thousands of dollars to repair those issues, and your insurance might not cover the repairs.

A foundation, like a roof, can look sturdy to someone who is not an expert in home construction, but a professional may see a lot of red flags. As part of your home inspection process prior to agreeing to purchase a home, you should have a professional contractor examine the foundation and give you a detailed report on the findings.

DON’T FORGET THE AMENITIES

While the amenities in a home are not critical to the home’s overall safety and durability, you still want to make sure that you are getting what you paid for. If you are buying a home partly because of the in-ground pool in the backyard, then have the pool looked over before you seal the deal. The same goes for any amenities that are part of your home-buying decision.

If you want to get professional guidance when you are ready to buy your next home, call Cityscape Brokers. We will take the time to make sure that your next home is exactly what you want, and we can help you get the inspections you need for peace of mind.

What You Should Know About Homeowners Insurance When Buying A New Home

February 24, 2019 by CityScape Brokers Leave a Comment

Buying a new home can be a fantastic investment — both financially and for your family. Purchasing property is a great way to save money on housing in the long run, and also affords you a space to make memories with loved ones. However, because purchasing a new home is such a large investment, it can also be seen as a risk — which is why it’s important to purchase a homeowners insurance policy. Homeowners insurance policies can protect your house and the people and belongings inside of it in case of accidental damage, injury or disaster. Here are some important things to know about your homeowners insurance policy when you decide to buy a new home, so you can be sure you are adequately covered.

IT’S HELPFUL TO SHOP AROUND

Before you decide to purchase a homeowners policy, it can be extremely helpful to shop around with different insurance companies and agents. You may get quoted different prices from different companies, and spending the time to speak with multiple companies could save you significant money in the long run. Another reason to shop around with different companies is to gauge customer service at the companies. If you ever do have to make a homeowners insurance claim, it can be a difficult and tiring process. You want to ensure that the person who works with you on your claim is kind, patient and helpful.

HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE POLICIES DON’T COVER EVERYTHING

A homeowners insurance policy is usually pretty comprehensive. This means that it should cover damage to your property from things like storms, fires, robberies, vandalism and more. It should also give you liability coverage should anyone get injured in your home or on your property. However, there are some things that many insurance policies won’t cover. Many policies won’t cover flooding or water damage that comes from below — particularly if you live in a flood-prone area. If you run a business out of your home, many homeowner’s insurance policies won’t cover areas or equipment solely dedicated to that business. Arm yourself with a knowledge of what your policy covers and what it does not so that you can purchase appropriate supplemental coverage, should you need it.

YOU SHOULD LET YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY KNOW IF YOU PLAN TO RENOVATE

Even if you’re buying a new home, you may want to make renovations or additions to the current structure. If you’re planning to alter the home, it’s important to let your insurance company know that from the get-go. If your renovations boost your home’s value, your current insurance policy may become inadequate, which would leave you vulnerable in the case of damage or injury. Letting your insurance company know about upcoming changes to a home will ensure that your policy adequately covers everything you are adding.

YOU CAN LOWER YOUR PREMIUMS WITH A FEW EASY STEPS

In many cases, there are some simple things you can do in your home to automatically lower your insurance premiums. Some common examples include adding deadbolt locks, having working smoke alarms, installing fire sprinklers, building a fence around a pool or putting in a burglar alarm system. Check with your insurance company about ways you can lower your insurance quote to save yourself money on the policy.

Three Garage Door Safety Tips That Secure Your New Home

February 24, 2019 by CityScape Brokers Leave a Comment

When purchasing a home, most people tend to overlook the garage. Because of this, houses on the market are more likely to be fitted with older models of garage doors and automatic remote openers. Secure your new home against easy break-ins and health hazards by following these three safety tips.

OUTDATED GARAGE DOOR REMOTES

The technology behind remote garage door openers stretches all the way back to 1926, when C.G. Johnson developed a solution to assist people with difficulty lifting heavy garage doors. Over the past half-century, many remote openers were designed with a fixed code system that required the remote to transmit the correct two digits to trigger the mechanism.

Originally, fixed code systems would have been difficult to hack because of the lack of available technology to do so. Now that handheld wireless computers are widespread, even a kid’s toy can be set up to transmit all two-digit combinations quickly, breaking the code through brute force. That’s exactly what security researcher Samy Kamkar accomplished, re-programming a Mattel IM-ME text messaging toy into a device which hacks fixed-code garage door remotes.

Check the remote garage door opener of your new home to ensure that the system uses a rolling code instead of a fixed code transmission. Rolling codes change the two digits required to open the door after every activation, defending your garage against easy hacks.

EMERGENCY RELEASE BREAK-INS

Maintaining a secure garage involves paying attention to detail. One crucial element you need to monitor is the seal between the door panel and the frame. Weather stripping used to keep the elements at bay might present a security risk. Even if the stripping works to prevent leaks, the seal between the frame and the door panel may be loose enough to shove a narrow wire through the crack.

In fact, an intruder needs about six seconds to break into your garage by poking a coat hanger through loose stripping and triggering the manual door release from within. Compromising the security of an entrance to your home in less time than an Olympic 100-meter sprint leaves your house vulnerable to rapid break-ins that even watchful neighbors might not notice.

The optimal solution involves tightening the rubber seal between the door panel and the frame, preventing the entry of thin wires. For additional peace of mind, you may wish to install an internal garage door lock that obstructs the panel from lifting. If your garage features a door that connects to the rest of your house, you should always lock this passageway, regardless of the type of garage door security you implement.

FALLING GARAGE DOORS

Wood, aluminum, steel and even PVC — all garage doors are heavy enough to cause serious injury to you and your family members, especially young children. Before allowing your kids anywhere near the garage, you need to make sure the door doesn’t close too fast. You’ll also need to test the garage remote opener and safety system built into the mechanism.

The remote opener should be linked to a sensor that causes the door to reverse course when an object passes under a closing door. If this doesn’t work well, you’ll need to align the sensors or clean the lenses. Garage door safety mechanisms automatically open the door when sensing pressure underneath the panel. Place a tennis ball underneath a garage door, and if the panel doesn’t reverse after squeezing the ball, the door needs to be fixed right away. Even if the system works with a tennis ball test, it’s worth your time to have the mechanism checked by a professional.

REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS PREACH SECURITY

Cityscape Brokers help home buyers through the entire process, ensuring that your real estate investment exceeds expectations. We consider all the details, including ways to keep you, your family and your home safe and secure.

Consider Rooftop Solar To Improve Your New Home

February 24, 2019 by CityScape Brokers Leave a Comment

Only a few years ago, residential solar installations were mostly of interest to those wanting to “go green.” However, as the cost of solar panels continues to drop, many Houston-area homeowners now find that a residential solar installation pays off both environmentally and financially.High utility bills also drive demand. Today, Houston-area electricity rates average 10.98 cents per Kwh, 7.58 percent less than the national average of 11.88 cents per Kwh. However, due to the significant cooling requirements in Houston’s subtropical climate, Forbes notes that utility bills here are among the highest in the country — more than triple those in Seattle, for example.

TAX CREDITS AND OTHER INCENTIVES

In Texas, the cost of residential solar is offset by various tax credits and rebates. And there’s good news about the Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) originally set to expire on December 31, 2016. The full 30 percent tax credit is now available for residential systems purchased and installed by the end of 2019. After that, a phase-out begins. In 2020, the tax credit is reduced to 26 percent. In 2021, the credit drops to 22 percent, and it ends altogether after that.

In Texas, those who invest in rooftop solar also enjoy a full property tax exemption. A homeowner does not pay property taxes on increased property values resulting from a solar installation. This 100 percent property tax exemption is a commonly overlooked opportunity.

Further cost savings are realized through incentives offered by local utilities and various government entities. Texas solar incentives are regularly updated at a website maintained by North Carolina State University.

FINANCING ALTERNATIVES

Residential rooftop solar installations now cost about $3.00 per watt. That means a smaller 3.1 Kw system would run a little less than $10,000, while a 5 Kw system would run about $15,000. There are four options available to homeowners that want to invest in rooftop solar:

Cash Purchase

Some homeowners may want to pay cash for their system. Buyers are responsible for system maintenance, although manufacturer warranties for system components often cover much of a system’s typical 15- to 20-year lifespan. If you sell your home during the normal life cycle of your rooftop solar system, you’ll likely recover some of your investment in the form of a higher selling price.

Borrow to Purchase

With interest rates on home equity and personal loans remaining at relatively low levels, borrowing money to pay for a solar system is a wise choice for many homeowners.

Leasing

A residential solar lease will often reduce the potential savings, but it does provide two big advantages. There is little or no upfront cash outlay, and the lessor, the actual owner of the system, takes care of installation and maintenance. However, since the leasing company gets the tax credits, savings are usually greater with a purchase.

Remember that a home’s value is impacted by a purchase or lease decision. For example, FHA appraisals allow you to add the value of your system to your home’s overall value if you own the solar installation, but not if you lease it.

Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)

A PPA is similar to a lease. You pay a preset amount for each Kwh of electricity that is consumed. When you require more electricity than the rooftop solar setup produces, you purchase the rest from the local utility in the traditional manner. Although PPAs are convenient, savings are usually less than if you purchased the system outright.

The Simple Dollar offers specific calculations of savings over the life of a hypothetical solar installation when comparing these various options. At Solar Power Rocks, analysts project that residential solar installations in Texas will outperform the S&P 500.

CONTACT US FOR ASSISTANCE

Looking to buy a home in the greater Houston area? Contact Cityscape Brokers for prompt and professional assistance throughout the home buying process.

5 Key Tips For Staging A Home That Sells

February 24, 2019 by CityScape Brokers Leave a Comment

Selling a home takes a lot of work, from pricing it correctly to finding the right agent to appealing to the right buyers. One important step for ensuring that your home sells is staging it. Staging your home ensures that it’s a space that is appealing to buyers when they enter, and doing it well can help you sell for a higher price. If you’re planning to sell your home soon, here are some helpful staging tips so you can make sure the space is appealing to buyers.

1. START ON THE OUTSIDE

Many people think about staging the rooms inside their home — but staging actually starts on the outside. You want your house to make a good impression when potential buyers come to view it. So, start by mowing the lawn, trimming trees and limbs and manicuring sidewalks and walkways. You may also consider planting new flowers and bushes to help add color and life to the yard. If you are selling during a holiday season, consider adding some tasteful decor – it will help make the house feel festive and welcoming. Books shouldn’t be judged by their covers, but when it comes to homes for sale, they often are, so you don’t want to skip the outside during the staging process.

2. REMOVE ALL CLUTTER

Clutter is a real turn off when potential buyers come to visit your home, so make sure you clear it off of all visible surfaces and out of closets and cupboards that buyers may look in. Clutter can give your home a dirty, disorderly feel — and potential buyers often have a hard time imagining what the space will look like without it. Do them a favor and get rid of the clutter so they can take in a clean, orderly space. It will help them get a better sense of whether they want to buy, and the decluttering process may also help you get started in the process of getting rid of unnecessary junk and packing to move.

3. SCOUR THE BATHROOM

Potential buyers don’t usually spend much time in bathrooms, so you want your bathroom to look immaculate at first glance. So, scour all tile and grout, and make sure any mold or mildew is completely removed. You’ll also want to make sure there are no lime stains from hard water on surfaces. You want your bathroom to feel as if it’s barely been used, so a new buyer can imagine making it their own.

4. DE-PERSONALIZE

You probably have touches throughout your house that are uniquely you, but when you’re trying to sell, it can help to de-personalize your space. Remove family photos, items with your name on them, children’s art and more. When you de-personalize your space, it helps potential buyers imagine their own family in the space instead of imagining what it’s like with your family there.

5. MAKE IT BRIGHT

Homes that feel bright and airy are a draw for buyers. So, take advantage of all of the natural light that your house gets. Open curtains, shutters and blinds and turn on all of your lamps and lights. If your house still feels dark, consider adding some more light sources. Brightening up a space can make it feel less drab and more welcoming.

5 Easy Ways To Burglar-Proof Your New Home

February 24, 2019 by CityScape Brokers Leave a Comment

If you’re just now buying a new house or you are thinking of moving into a new house, it’s important to take a minute to consider your safety. An FBI statistic reveals that a burglary happens every 14.6 seconds in the United States. If you are planning on moving into a new home, it’s easy to protect yourself using these five easy methods.

1. LOCKING ALL THE WINDOWS

When most people think of burglary, they imagine somebody in a ski mask breaking in through a window, but this is not usually the case. Burglars will check doors and windows on the first floor, but they can also use second-story windows if they are within reach.

Burglars know that second-floor windows are almost never locked. It’s important to make sure these windows, along with the ones from the first floor, are secured. For added protection, you can add extra window locks to your windows purchased from your local hardware store.

2. SECURITY SYSTEM

Although a security system may cost a moderate fee, they are indispensable when it comes to home security. Many burglars will avoid breaking windows and barging into a home if they see that a security system is armed.

Another point to keep in mind is the location of said security system. If it is nearby a window or glass, a cunning criminal could easily tell if the system is armed or not. Make sure to install the system somewhere less conspicuous, like a hallway.

3. CLOSING THE BLINDS

Many burglars will often stake out a home for days before they make an attempt to break and enter. One of the best things you can do as a new homeowner is to close the blinds whenever possible. Closing the blinds prevents stray eyeballs from peeking into the house and window shopping for your things. This seemingly small gesture could cause a thief to move on to another house.

4. REINFORCING YOUR FRONT DOOR

The majority of burglars enter the house through the front door. They usually do this by either picking the lock or by busting the door down with brute force. This makes having a strong door extremely important.

When you are in the process of buying a new house, it would be wise to make sure the door is a solid frame and not a hollow-core door. However, if you have already moved in, there is a cheaper option. You can fit a double barrel deadbolt lock into the door to prevent burglars from breaking a window and reaching in to unlock it from the inside.

5. KEEPING A BOLTED SAFE

Suppose someone was able to gain access into the house despite all your efforts. A safe is still a great way to protect valuables from damage or fire, but they may not always be the best way to prevent theft. Remember, a safe is a dead giveaway to a thief that valuables are hidden inside.

If a thief finds your safe, he might just take the whole safe to open later, but a bolted safe is fixed to the ground and immovable. A bolted safe could function as an in-home safety deposit box, as it is virtually impenetrable.

Burglaries happen to everybody. Most people may not assume that it will happen to them until their life is irreversibly damaged by the trauma of a home invasion. Finding the right home, in the right location, with all your security needs is a breeze with Cityscape Brokers.

Cityscape Brokers help clients through the home buying process and can help you and your family secure a safe future.