Bryan College Station Texas, FHA MIP Changes Effective April 18 2011

Posted on April 12, 2011 by John Cannata

Changes to the FHA MIP (Mortgage Insurance Premium) are going into effect on all new loans on and after April 18 2011. This is only a week away and will effect all homebuyers in Texas that are moving forward with FHA Home Loans.

A few weeks back, it was announced within HUD Mortgagee Letter 2011-10 that there would be an increase in the Annual Mortgage Insurance Premium for all new FHA Case Numbers assigned on or after April 18, 2011.

You may recall there were changes to the Mortgage Insurance Premium back in October 2010 which changed the UFMIP (UpFront Mortgage Insurance Premium) from 2.25% to 1%. That was great news because it was less costly for an FHA loan… right? Wrong!  Although the UFMIP decrease, the Annual Mortgage Insurance Premium increased from .55% up to .90% (depending on the Loan To Value ratio).

So, how will this new change effect Homebuyers as of April 18th? Well, the good news is that the UFMIP will not incease. It will remain at 1% of the Loan Balance.

The change is specific to the Annual Mortgage Insurance Premium which is increasing 25 BPS (or .25%). Below is a snap shot from the Mortgagee Letter 2011-10:

For a homebuyer, this means that your payment is going to increase on a monthly basis. If your principal balance is $180,000 with a 96.5% Loan-to-Value, your MIP payment would increase from $135.00 a month to $172.50 ($37.50 extra per month).

If you have would prefer not to have your payment increased, you only have two options. The first option is to have an offer accepted and your mortgage loan originator to create a FHA Case Number prior to April 18th. This is only suggested IF you already know the house of your dreams. Do not feel rushed to make a decision.

The second option is to look for a home that is slightly less costly. For example, instead of a home for $180,000, you could choose a home for $172,800.

This scenario may not fit your specific loan. Feel free to contact me to discuss your financial situation further.

Posted in Bryan/College Station, Mortgage Lending | Tagged | 2 Comments

C & C Lawn and Irrigation

Posted on March 15, 2011 by Jody Keating

C & C Lawn has been servicing the Bryan/College Station area for 10 years now.  Owner Chris Cash has over 15 years experience in the Landscape Maintenance field.  We all know that having hands on experience allows you to learn every aspect about a career.  Chris has the knowledge and experience to give to each and every client he comes in contact with.  It is also important to him that every employee he has working for him do the same.  He spends time training and working with his employees to make sure they give the same quality as he does to his customers!  The services we offer are full service lawn care maintenance, landscaping and lawn irrigation.  We only use quality commercial equipment and supplies in our work.

A little more about what we do…

We wouldn’t be called a lawn care business if we didn’t provide everything there is for your lawn care needs.  Our customers include both Residential and Commercial properties.  Contracts are available.  The services we cover are the basic, mowing, trimming, edging and blowing.  Other services we provide are Fertilization, Bed Maintenance, Bed Fertilization, Shrub care, Tree Pruning, Mulching, Crape Myrtle Pruning, Spring/Fall Clean-ups, Lawn Aeration, and any Tractor mowing/grade work.

A house can be beautiful and sheek on the inside but must have some curb appeal on the outside!  Landscaping can add so much to a homes look.  C & C Lawn does complete Landscape creations or additions to existing landscapes, plant or tree removals and stump grindings.  Does your yard hold water in some places when we get a heavy rain, we also install French Drains or do grade work!  We also install Flagstone patios, walkways, sidewalks or driveways, including brick or rock work.  If you’re building a new home and need sod installed, we do that in addition to the dirt work!  We can do it all!

Grass is never greener on the other side without an irrigation system.  C & C Lawn also designs, installs and repairs irrigation systems.  We only use quality parts and include a 1 year warranty on all labor and parts.  We check all system repairs, controller problems, valve locating, wiring problems, leaks and head replacement or adjustments.  Every system must check OK before we leave the job site! Call for a free estimate!

Our main goal at C & C Lawn and Irrigation is to make the customer happy and have complete trust in what we do!  Our company is a fully insured business.  We are reliable and we care!

Visit us at C & C Lawn Service or call us at 979-412-3624

Email: cclawn02@verizon.net

Posted in Bryan/College Station, Landscaping | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Good Reasons To Refinance Your Bryan / College Station Texas Home Loan

Posted on February 16, 2011 by John Cannata

One of the top questions I receive from homeowners is ‘Is now a good time to refinance?’ or ‘Why Should I Refinance My Home?’.  Whether you live in Bryan / College Station Texas or anywhere else, these are valid questions.  Don’t just rely on anyone answering this question, you should consult a mortgage professional. Your home is a huge investment, so deciding to refinance is a big step. When I receive this question, I like to give my clients some tips to help them decide when the time is right for them and their family.

Its no secret. Everyone has been talking about the rates for the past year - ”The rates are at an all time low” or “Rates are at historic lows”.  When these statements are made online or within the media, I can expect to receive multiple phone calls from clients trying to determine if it makes sense for them and their financial situation. Generally, if rates drop 1 percent or more – it’s a good time to refinance (depending on the loan amount).  But lowering your rate is not the only reason to refinance your home.

The equity in your home can be used to free up some additional money in order to pay College Tuition, high interest credit cards, or consolidate other debt. This type of transaction is called a Texas Home Equity or Texas Cashout (A6). In Texas, we do have regulations for completing this type of transaction. It is best to consult a Texas Mortgage Professional when considering a Texas Cashout in order to ensure this transaction is an option for you. Plus, consolidating your debt can result in tax savings, since consumer loans are not tax deductible, but a mortgage loan is tax deductible.  For a better understanding, please consult a Tax Advisor.

One of the best reasons to refinance your Texas home is to reduce the term of the loan. Taking a 30 year term to either a 20, 15, or 10 year term will save thousands of dollars in interest, the mortgage to the home is paid off earlier, and the result is a higher net worth. The shorter term will typically mean a lower interest rate, but not always a lower payment. As a matter of fact, the payment is usually higher due to the shorter term of the loan.

Converting an Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) to a Fixed Rate Product. I strongly recommend refinancing if you have an ARM loan, and plan on living in your home for longer than 3 years. As I write this post, ARM loans are slightly lower than fixed rate mortgages. The problem that I see is for homeowners looking to keep their home for longer than their ARM period (typically 3 to 5 years). In my opinion, because there is no guarantee where rates are going over the next few months/years, it is best to have security and stability in a fixed rate mortgage. Plus, you remove the ’element of surprise’ when the adjustment happens every 6 months to 1 year.

Fortunately, rates are still low today, but no one knows how long they’ll stay that way. If you’ve been thinking about refinancing your mortgage, give us a call today.

Posted in Bryan/College Station, Mortgage Lending | Tagged | Leave a comment

Why your luxury home may need SMARTePLAN

Posted on February 15, 2011 by Jody Keating

WHAT I DO

SMARTePLANS are drawn-to-scale floor plan pictorials, with embedded photographs, custom created for luxury high end homes in Bryan / College Station, Texas. Loaded onto our MLS (and data-streamed around the world) they are accessible to realtors and buyers 24/7 for the life of the listing.  These unique annotated floor plans, with embedded photos and linked room-by-room descriptions allow potential buyers to seamlessly click thru the property, and magnify the plans to see even the smallest detail — things like the pattern of inlaid floors, the inside of closets, under-counter pull-out shelves, built-in cabinetry and so much more.  This marketing system is patented (U.S. 7,733,351B1) with a second one pending.

SMARTePLAN-IT is a SMARTePLAN on MLS that has the added capability of allowing potential buyers to select furniture, size it to fit their needs and arrange it inside the property’s floorplan … or visually knock down walls if they are contemplating renovation. This tool helps buyers mentally “move in” and brings them to the purchase decision much more quickly. You can ”play” with a sample furniture-moving-floor-plan and see how this works on my website  www.smarteplans.com – Select the navigation button: ” Arrange Furniture and Move Walls”)

For Seven Years in a Row, Homes with a SMARTePLAN have had less days on market than the average for our MLS – See 7 Year Trend Report on our Webpage “Brochures”

This multi-faceted online marketing tool has applications for high end luxury homes, condominiums and even farms & ranches, which until now were very difficult to meaningfully portray on the marketplace. The easy to understand pictographs transcend language barriers making it much easier for interested foreign buyers to source out suitable properties in the United States.

PRODUCT DETAILS

  • Largest structure to date: 22,000+ sq ft
  • Most expensive property: Listed on Market at $17 Million
  • Largest property portrayed: 14+ acre equestrian center with 7 cross-fenced pastures, barn, training pen, lighted riding arena, home  and 1.5 acre lake stocked with catfish — See Sample on my Website
  • Most Impressive Sale? $15 Million Dollar Property sold in 10 days the summer of 2010 without being on MLS — the SMARTePLAN was the sole marketing tool on a single property website.

LINKS

  • Seven Year Trend Report provides data and graphs of SMARTePLANS market performance
  • A Builder’s Plan vs. a SMARTePLAN — What’s the difference? See for yourself why a floor plan is not the same as a SMARTePLAN. Side-by-side comparison of a condo in Houston… do you think that built-in marble topped buffet in the dining room, or the ceiling mounted track lights,  or the mirror backed wet bar, or the outdoor terrace with wood decking & gazebo  – that DON’T SHOW IN THE BUILDER’s PLAN …. may be important to an interested buyer?  Duh?!
  • Read My Blog

REFERENCES

  • Testimonials from Realtors and Home Sellers are on my Website
  • Comment from Tom Peters, Business Manager Guru, Lecturer and Author of “In Search of Excellence”, calling SMARTePLANS a “Wow!” of an idea.  SMARTePLANS has been included in several of his slide show presentations/lectures around the world.
Posted in Bryan/College Station, Interior Floor Plans | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Need a little credit repair to qualify for that home loan? Then Marvin Bradshaw is your guy.

Posted on February 11, 2011 by Jody Keating

RMCN has set the standard for Credit Repair and Restoration since 1997 and I am glad to be part of this company. I take great pride in assisting you with my knowledge and expertise in the Credit Industry. I am confident you will be delighted by the professionalism and exceptional customer service in which I handle the restoration of your credit. I have always had a passion for helping others achieve their goals and dreams.

If you are tired of living with bad credit and realize that your credit is your future. Then take one more step, ask yourself are you part of the problem or part of the solution? It’s time to deal with a trusted credit restoration consultant who educates and assists clients locally and nationally in repairing and restoring their credit scores.

I pride myself in helping my community grow through personal involvement by investing my time and resources. Also, I never give up the chance to teach churches, civic groups or universities about the importance of credit and how it intertwines with your future. Contact me anytime, when you speak, I listen.

Marvin Bradshaw

National Consultant

RMCN Credit Services, Inc

972.984.5146 Direct

972.852.1825 Fax

m.bradshaw@rmcn.com

www.rmcn.com

Posted in Bryan/College Station, Credit Repair | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Casa Bella Interiors, Candace Huber

Posted on January 28, 2011 by Jody Keating

Candace Huber Candace Huber, design and owner of Casa Bella Interiors, is dedicated to assuring her clients receive personal, attentive service. As the owner and designer, Candace personally meets with every client in the convenience of their homes and continues to work directly with them throughout their project until they are 100% pleased with the result.  She also feels that design should not be intimidating or overwhelming and that it is part of her job to make her clients feel comfortable and less overwhelmed about their design project, no matter how big or small. She truly loves what she does and looks forward to getting to know each new client and helping make their spaces more enjoyable and comfortable for them. She feels truly blessed to be in such a creative and rewarding profession and to have met such wonderful and interesting people!

Candace works with many busy professionals who understand the importance of a comfortable, stylish  living environment but don’t have the time or energy to do it themselves. Many of these clients have just built or moved into a new house and are daunted by the task of putting their stamp on the house to make it feel like a home. She also works with clients who would like stylish and functional window treatments but are overwhelmed by the choices and variety of window treatments and are confused about what would work best on their windows.

Guest bed design planTo meet these homeowners’ needs, Candace specializes in custom design plans and custom window treatment designs.  A custom design plan is a blueprint to completely customize your space so that it functions well for your family’s style and lifestyle. It includes all the items you need to complete your space and make it a reflection of you and the way you live. The custom design plan gives you a truly personalized, cohesive look.  What items are included in a design plan? It really depends on you and your space.

If you have just purchased a new home for example, and need furniture, lighting and accessories but would also like to add more color to your “builder beige” rooms, your design plan would include a space plan (furniture plan to best optimize traffic flow as well as meet all the room’s functions), lighting for the various needs in the room and accessories and artwork to really reflect your personality. It would also include a color scheme and a plan for how to use these colors in the room to create a harmonious look.  What if you aren’t purchasing a new home but would like to make some updates to your existing one?

Your design plan might include new flooring, paint colors, a space plan to create better traffic flow, and new accessories and artwork to further update the space. To see examples of custom design plans Candace has created for her clients, go to the Casa Bella Interiors’ portfolio page under “Custom Design Plans.”

Panels and bands DesignWe all know what window treatments are, right? Aren’t they just curtains, blinds and shutters? Well, that is partially correct. They are all of the above, but they are also so much more! Window treatments are curtains, blinds and shutters but they are also valances, cornices, shades, lambrequins, soft vertical and horizontal blinds as well as  every combination of these styles. The materials they are made of come in every style/color/pattern imaginable, and you can also mix and layer these different treatments so that the combinations are truly endless. But how do you know where to begin?

First Candace will work with you to assess your window’s specific needs. Do you get direct morning sunlight in your master bedroom waking you up at the crack of dawn when you’d like to sleep in on the weekends? Or do you have an older home with windows that let in a substantial amount of heat in the summer months and cold air in the winter months? After working with you to understand the functional needs of your windows, Candace will then assess your style in terms of window treatment type, color and pattern Panels and bands Actual trtmtso that she gets a complete picture of what would make the best window treatment for you and your window.

And with every custom window treatment consultation, Candace offers a service that allows you to see your window treatments before you buy them!  Using a revolutionary software system, Candace will take a digital photo of your windows then create window treatment designs directly on top of the photo! She then fills the design with fabric and color so that you don’t have to imagine what your new window treatments will look like, you can see them! Candace will work with you to tweak the design and fabric until you are satisfied  so that when your order is placed, you will feel confident in your selections before a stitch is ever sewn!

Please take a look at examples of Candace’s designs on the Casa Bella Interiors’ portfolio page under “Custom Window Treatments.” You will be amazed at how much the finished treatments look like the designs!

Candace would love for you to come and “meet” her online to find out more about the services she offers as well as see pictures of her work at www.casabella.us.

Candace serves the greater Brazos Valley including Bryan/College Station and surrounding areas. All her design consultations take place in the comfort of your home so she will meet with you by appointment.  She invites you to contact her at 979-690-8237, via e-mail at info@casabella.us or through her website at www.casabella.us. Candace is also looking forward to meeting with you again here soon on the Connective Realty Blog!

***BLOG SPECIAL *** Mention this blog when you contact her, and you will receive 20% off an initial consultation!

Posted in Bryan/College Station, Interior Design | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Chris Batten Agency, Sabrina Piel

Posted on January 27, 2011 by Jody Keating

Sabrina Piel, Chris Batten Insurance AgencySabrina Piel is a graduate from Sam Houston State University, 2001 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. She currently resides in College Station, TX with her husband and two children. Sabrina is currently serving as an Ambassador for the Bryan-College Station Chamber of Commerce where she enjoys meeting new people and serving the community.

About my company: Chris Batten Agency

I am currently working for Chris Batten Agency where I sell commercial insurance for businesses in the area. I can assist you with all lines of coverages such as general liability, garagekeepers, property, business auto, umbrella, inland marine, crime, professional, workers compensation and much more… At Chris Batten’s Agency we take the time to get to know our customers and their needs, we have agents that can write your personal home and auto as well.

Contact us and we can take the stress out of insurance, call us at 866-422-8836 or visit us on the web at www.chrisbattenagency.com. You can also follow us on facebook

Posted in Bryan/College Station, Commercial Insurance | 2 Comments