Bryan / College Station Real Estate with Bill Fallwell

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Featured Articles

My Web Exclusive Listings

I list properties here that won’t necessarily be in the MLS. These are properties offered for sale by owners who prefer not to be in the listing, or would like [...]

The Effect of Changing Jobs

For most people, changing employers will not really affect your ability to qualify for a mortgage loan, especially if you are going to be earning more money. For some homebuyers, [...]

Do Not Move Money Around

When a lender reviews your loan package for approval, one of the things they are concerned about is the source of funds for your down payment and closing costs. Most [...]

More Space

Both indoors and outdoors, you will probably have more space if you own your own home. Even moving to a condominium from an apartment, you are likely to find you [...]

Freedom and Individuality

When you rent, you are normally limited on what you can do to improve your home. You have to get permission to make certain types of improvements. Nor does it [...]

Forced Savings

Some people are just lousy at saving money, and a house is an automatic savings account. You accumulate savings in two ways. Every month, a portion of your payment goes [...]

Stable Monthly Housing Costs

When you rent a place to live, you can certainly expect your rent to increase each year – or even more often. If you get a fixed rate mortgage when [...]

Income Tax Savings

Because of income tax deductions, the government is basically subsidizing your purchase of a home. All of the interest and property taxes you pay in a given year can be [...]

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Latest Blog Entries

Buying A Home

Buying A Home

Buying a home can be one of your most significant investments in life. Not only are you choosing your dwelling place, and the place in which you will bring up [...]

Bryan College Station Real Estate

December 2009 Bryan College Station Residential Closings Numbers

Sales Closed 133
Average sales price $176,831
Sold dollar volume $23,518,518
Average days on market (DOM) 125
Total number of active residential listings 1114
Total number of new listings 179

Sales Closed [...]

Helpful Hints

Credit Score Myths

Eileen Ambrose of The Baltimore Sun has some good advice on credit scores. Things may not always be what they seem…
I often have new home buyers express concern about their [...]

Offering to Purchase Real Estate

Contingencies in a Purchase Offer

In most purchase transactions there may be a slight challenge or two, but most things will go quite smoothly. However, you want to anticipate potential problems so that if something [...]

Offering to Purchase Real Estate

Earnest Money Deposit

After you have come up with an offer price, the next step is to determine how large a deposit you want to make with your offer. You want the “earnest [...]

Offering to Purchase Real Estate

The Closing Date

It is absolutely essential that you include a closing date as part of your offer. This way both you and the seller can make plans for moving, and the seller [...]

Offering to Purchase Real Estate

Transfer of Possession

A transaction is considered “closed” once the deeds have been recorded. Then you own the home. However, it is not always possible for you to occupy it immediately. This can [...]

Writing an Offer - Safeguards

Disclosures From The Seller

Although you have toured the property, looked at the walls and ceiling, turned on the faucets and played with the light switches, you have not lived in it. The seller [...]

Writing an Offer - Safeguards

Condition of the Property Upon Transfer

The last thing you want when you assume possession of your new home is to find it in a total mess. Therefore, you should make it clear in your offer [...]

Writing an Offer - Safeguards

Final Walk Through Inspection

Before closing, you will want to revisit the property to ensure it is in the condition you have required in your offer, and to inspect that any required repairs have [...]

Financing Details Affect Your Offer

Down Payment

Most buyers do not have enough cash available to buy a home, so they need to obtain a mortgage to finance the purchase. Since you will probably make your purchase [...]

Financing Details Affect Your Offer

Interest Rates

Another reason for including financing information in your offer is to protect yourself. If interest rates suddenly become volatile and rise quickly, as sometimes happens, you may be looking at [...]

Financing Details Affect Your Offer

Closing Costs and Financing Incentives

There may be times when, as part of your offer, you request the seller to pay all or a portion of your closing costs, or provide some other financial incentive. [...]

Financing Details Affect Your Offer

Seller Financing

Another occasional request is to have the seller “carry back” a second mortgage to help facilitate your purchase of their home. In cases when the seller does not need all [...]

Financing Details Affect Your Offer

Cash Offers

If you are one of those rare individuals making a cash offer to buy a home, it makes sense to provide some documentation with your offer that shows you have [...]

Financing Programs Affect Your Offer

Extra Costs For The Seller

If you are obtaining a VA or FHA loan in order to finance your purchase, you must include that information in your offer. This is because government loans place additional [...]

Financing Programs Affect Your Offer

VA and FHA Appraisals

Home appraisal inspections on FHA and VA loans are a little more detailed than on conventional loans (and more expensive). The appraisers are required to perform certain minimum inspections as [...]

Selecting Service Providers

You and the Seller Must Agree

Buying a home does not occur in a vacuum involving only you and the seller. There are all kinds of people and services involved behind the scenes to make it [...]

Selecting Service Providers

Escrow and Settlement

For example, you are going to need an escrow or settlement company to act as an “independent third party” between you and the seller. Without having a third party involved, [...]

Selecting Service Providers

Title Insurance

Title insurance is important because, by providing you with an Owners Policy, they insure that you have clear title to the property. If there are any problems later, you can [...]

Selecting Service Providers

Termite and Pest Inspections

As part of your offer, you may require a termite and pest inspection. This company not only inspects for termite damage and pest infestations, but also inspects for dry rot [...]