Lubbock AJ Real Estate Section 2012-01-14 by Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

Real Estate LUBBOCK AVALANCHE-JOURNAL

SATURDAY JANUARY 14, 2012

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Inside Real Estate:

Local Real Estate News - Page 3 WTHBA Featured Floorplan - Page 5

lubbockonline.com

On The Web:

Emergency Home Repairs - Page 5 Smaller American Homes - Page 7

Realtor ABR, GRI, SRES, TAHS, TRLP Graduate

EXIT Realty of Lubbock (806) 789-4600 coby@exitlubbock.com Where did you grow up? I am a lifelong Lubbock resident. I graduated from Lubbock-Cooper High School in 1982 and went to Texas Tech for a year and a half before heading full-time into the family printing business, Vintage Press, Inc. Working in a family business instilled values of hard work, quality assurance and customer satisfaction. Why live in the Lubbock? Lubbock is the PERFECT place to call HOME. It offers West Texas friendly residents, a good economic stature and a great environment to raise a family, enjoy life, and retire in a stable and secure area. It is easily navigated even in the busiest times of day, and Lubbock offers long-range benefits with the best in education, medical, agricultural and community services. Wrap all of that into a wonderful package that features a great climate and the best sunsets in Texas and you have Lubbock, Texas USA. How long have you worked in real estate? My real estate career began 11 years ago. I started in a small real estate office, which allowed me to learn, grow and build relationships within the industry. I teamed with

estate is a safe investment. Your home is the foundation of your financial security in most cases. Now is the perfect opportunity to move in, move up, and/or add rental property at great finance rates to your income stream. Prices should begin appreciating as the national economy improves.

the McGuire Team, Gene and Russell, in 2005. EXIT Realty of Lubbock was founded in 2007 and has been expanding ever since. Being a part of the EXIT Team has provided top national training, the best in technological tools, and the EXIT strategy is now working for me and my clients. EXIT… the most advertised word in every language. What is your specialty? My specialty is a positive approach to obtain the goals of my client. Mostly, I specialize in residential sales and purchases, but I have had the opportunity to work with both commercial and agricultural clients as well. I prefer to make clients for LIFE, in that I want to be their Realtor for LIFE. As I grow and progress in my career, so do the clients I have served in the past. I want to be the professional clients need to lead, educate, and prevent problems before they arise. What is the most unique property you’ve listed or sold? An Atomic Ranch home in Myrtle Slaton Addition. This home is a “blast from the past” and the owner had it furnished and decorated perfectly to the time period. Even the dinnerware was circa

What is the most gratifying aspect of what you do? I feel my role as a Realtor is to know my client, know the situation, plan a successful outcome, and present it all in a clear, concise manner through client education, client preparation, and management. Every home purchase or sale is a detailed process from beginning to end. The most gratifying aspect is sharing this experience, leading clients forward and ultimately enjoying their reward of success at closing.

Coby Crump, EXIT Realty of Lubbock

1950. I was amazed by the attention to detail. It wasn’t entering a home, it was entering a dimension in time. What do you see in the future for real estate sales? From all indicators, I see the market beginning to rebuild. Lubbock is a stable

Photo by Misty Setzler

market. Our inventory has been high and our demand low which has flattened appreciation for the past two to three years. Low interest rates should continue for the next year, and honestly, there is no better time to buy in Lubbock. Consumers’ confidence is low, but real

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Realtor Revealed Coby Crump

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Why should someone select you as their Realtor? I care. I am someone who tells it like it is. I believe in Lubbock. I believe in realizing your dreams, but I believe you have to do it within your means. I like to serve and working with people. I present the whole picture, and I have a great TEAM of professionals in many walks of life to help you with financing, home repairs, appraisals, inspections, insurance, and many more. I want to be your Realtor; but more importantly, I want to be the one you can look to for professional service.

Call us for all your Real Estate Advertising needs!

Josh Horsey 806-766-8653

Jason Whittle 806-766-2196

Kendall Krohn 806-766-8646

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Local Real Estate News – Lubbock Association of Realtors

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BY Debora Lopez, President Lubbock Association of REALTORS®

With the current low mortgage interest rates and available homebuyer programs, some renters are deciding taking the plunge into homeownership. Are you one of them? The complexity of the transaction and the increased financial obligations can make buying a home seem a little scary, LOPEZ but you can arm yourself with information. A little research and some help from your Lubbock Realtor can reduce stress and increase your satisfaction with the home buying process. Here are some tips to help you avoid making common first-time homebuyer mistakes. Finding the Right Realtor Whether you find your Lubbock Realtor on the Internet, through a yard sign, a newspaper ad, or a referral, make sure you openly communicate your concerns and expectations. As a first-time buyer, you have specific needs and may need a little more guidance. Your Realtor will guide you through the process, from determining your criteria during the home search to walking you through the paperwork at closing. What Can You Afford? Many first-time homebuyers are apprehensive about the mortgage

lending process. Don’t let that prevent you from asking questions. If you fail to ask a question that arises, you may miss out on the best deals you qualify for or a key piece of information. Check out TXHomePrograms.org, sponsored by the Texas Association of Realtors, for information about the home buying process and to see if you qualify for any assistance programs. From belowmarket interest rates to down-payment and closing-cost assistance, there are a variety of affordable-housing programs available to first-time homebuyers. Failing to investigate them or assuming you won’t qualify would be a big mistake. Think About Resale A common mistake that many firsttime homebuyers make is not thinking about the property’s resale value before they buy. It might seem a little odd to consider what the home will sell for before you’ve even decided to buy it, but it’s a big factor. The average first-time homebuyer stays in the home less than 10 years, so it makes sense to analyze the home’s resale value from the beginning. Your Lubbock Realtor can help you identify factors that contribute to a property’s resale value. Find the Balance Buying your first home may require a little bit of compromise on your part. For example, you may have to choose between a new home in a new subdivision and an older home with a big yard and established trees. Since you may have to compromise on one or more features or details, it’s important to narrow down what criteria are most

important to you. Start out by prioritizing your wants and needs and don’t let the emotional component steer you away from those goals. I don’t mean that you should settle, it’s good to be picky, but don’t be unrealistic. You’ll never entirely remove your emotions from the process, but just make sure your rational brain steers your decisions, too. Get it Inspected A property inspection is mandatory for many types of home loans. Even if it isn’t required, I strongly encourage you to not only get the property inspected but to be present during the process and ask the inspector questions. This could be your house and you’ll want to know as much about it as possible. Consider All Costs When determining just how much home you can afford, make sure you figure in all the costs. There are many expenses to consider when buying a home, including property taxes, homeowners insurance, utilities, maintenance, and, depending on the neighborhood, homeowners association fees. If you max out your budget on the mortgage alone, you may find yourself in over your head. Before you talk with a lender, sit down with your Lubbock Realtor and determine just how much home you can afford. Buying your first home can be a daunting experience, but a Lubbock Realtor can help guide you through the maze, reduce your anxiety and help you become a homeowner. For more consumer-friendly advice, I invite you to visit LubbockRealtors.com.

McQueen

Monzingo

Wilsher

Lubbock Realtors named Realtor Emeritus Three Lubbock Realtors earned the distinctive Realtor Emeritus status in 2011. The Realtor Emeritus designation is given to Realtors with continuous membership in the National Association of Realtors for 40 years. The status is a reflection of their long and faithful service to their profession and the Realtor association. Earning Realtor Emeritus status in 2011 were: • Bobby McQueen – McQueen Company, Realtors • Laverne Monzingo – McDougal, Realtors • Kay Wilsher – The WestMark Companies They join a select few Lubbock Association of Realtors members that can call themselves Realtor Emeritus: • Everette Abernathie – Edwards and Abernathie • John Ashe – Action, Realtors • Lowell Bowman – Lowell Bowman Enterprises • Tommy Cantrell – Prime Realty • Larry Elliott – Larry Elliott Real Estate • Don Harris – Don L. Harris Appraisal • Ernesteen Kelly – Ernesteen Kelly, Realtors • Jack McQueen – McQueen Company, Realtors • Roy Middleton – Roy Middleton Real Estate • Don Osborne – The Osborne Company • Sid Shavor – Landmark, Realtors • Nina Tramel – RE/MAX Lubbock

Continuing education courses help Realtors stay on track To provide its members with the tools and expertise to build their business and better serve clients, the National Association of Realtors® and The CE Shop, Inc., have entered into a partnership to provide continuing education for Realtors® taking online designaLOPEZ tion and certification courses at REALTOR® University’s School of Professional Development & Continuing Education. Continuing education is now available in 20 states across the country for several courses including some of NAR’s most popular certifications and designations, which include ABR®, GREEN, SRES®, AHWD,

BPOR, e-PRO®, SFR, and RPR™. These programs help Realtors® serve the unique needs of their clientele, including firsttime home buyers, seniors, consumers interested in green building practices, and buyers and sellers involved in foreclosures and short sales. The CE Shop and NAR are currently in the process of securing continuing education for additional states in the U.S. “Realtors® bring value to their clients, and continuing education is just one example of how they do that,” said NAR President Moe Veissi, broker-owner of Veissi & Associates Inc., in Miami. “These courses encourage Realtors® to

strengthen their skills while offering them a chance to stay up-to-date with their designations, certifications and state-mandated continuing education hours. Meanwhile, home buyers and sellers can rest assured they are working with a professional who has exceptional real estate knowledge and experience.” As an added member benefit, the courses being offered are approved for continuing education credit at no additional cost. The REALTOR® University School of Professional Development & Continuing Education offers over 400 hours of online education and professional development courses through Learning Library Inc. and is the exclusive provider of courses leading to NAR’s official designations and

List of improving housing markets nearly doubles in January The number of housing markets showing measurable improvement nearly doubled in January with the addition of 40 new metros to the National Association of Home Builders/First American Improving Markets Index (IMI), released Jan. 9, 2012. The IMI now boasts 76 improving markets, up from 41 in December, with 31 states and the District of Columbia represented by at least one entry. The index identifies metropolitan areas that have shown improvement from their respective troughs in housing permits, employment and house prices for at least six consecutive months. New entrants to the list in January include the following: Florence, AL Tuscaloosa, AL Fayetteville, AR Denver, CO Greeley, CO Bridgeport, CT New Haven, CT Cape Coral, FL Jacksonville, FL Punta Gorda, FL Honolulu, HI Ames, IA Des Moines, IA Dubuque, IA Elkhart, IN Indianapolis, IN Lafayette, IN Lake Charles, LA Worcester, MA Grand Rapids, MI Lansing, MI Monroe, MI Minneapolis, MN Columbia, MO

Joplin, MO Fargo, ND Manchester, NH Cincinnati, OH Oklahoma City, OK Tulsa, OK Corvallis, OR Erie, PA Philadelphia, PA Chattanooga, TN Clarksville, TN Nashville, TN College Station, TX Dallas, TX Victoria, TX Madison, WI “The fact that the list of improving housing markets nearly doubled this month shows that a significant, positive trend is developing, and is even more relevant when you consider the expanding geographic distribution of the list – which now includes 31 states and the District of Columbia,” noted NAHB Chairman Bob Nielsen, a home builder from Reno, Nev. “This trend could be even stronger if not for the numerous impediments that continue to slow a housing and economic recovery, including overly restrictive lending policies and the growing inventory of distressed properties in certain markets.” “While relatively small metropolitan areas continue to dominate the list of improving housing markets, it’s important to note that several major metros in diverse parts of the country have now joined the field as well – including such metros as Dallas, Denver, Hono-

lulu, Indianapolis, Nashville and Philadelphia,” added NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. “This is an encouraging sign that gradually strengthening economic conditions are starting to take hold across a broader swath of America.” “The substantial gain in the number of improving housing markets in January shows that more consumers are looking favorably at a home purchase in light of today’s historically low interest rates and attractive prices, particularly in areas where job growth has picked up,” added Kurt Pfotenhauer, vice chairman of First American Title Insurance Company. The IMI is designed to track housing markets throughout the country that are showing signs of improving economic health. The index measures three sets of independent monthly data to get a mark on the top improving Metropolitan Statistical Areas – employment growth, house price appreciation, and singlefamily housing permit growth. Only five metropolitan areas dropped from the NAHB/First American Improving Markets Index in January. These included Anchorage, Alaska; Fort Wayne, Ind.; Canton, Ohio; Scranton, Pa.; and Charleston, W. Va. A list of all 76 metropolitan areas on the IMI is available at: www. nahb.org/imi.

certifications. REALTOR® University also has received approval to operate from the Illinois Board of Higher Education and has submitted an application for degree-granting authority to the Board. REALTOR® University will be applying for candidacy for accreditation from the Higher Learning Commis-

sion of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The CE Shop is the nation’s leading provider of online real estate continuing education. The CE Shop proudly offers courses certified by the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO®) and approved by real estate

regulatory agencies across the United States. Learning Library Inc. is the leading North American provider of integrated education e-store, automation and management systems primarily supporting compliance education with a core focus on servicing the real estate industry and the NAR family for 10 years.

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Featured Floorplan – Heritage Homes

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“A Touch of Class” describes this Heritage Homes Custom original design with spacious open areas for family gatherings and entertaining at 9201 Hyden Ave., in Lubbock. Priced at $347,500, this very practical 2,668 square foot floor plan features four bedrooms, three baths, and a large three-car garage with rear entry ac-

A guide for getting through emergency home repairs (ARA) – A surprise can be fun on some occasions, like your birthday. But when it comes to home repair emergencies, a surprise is the last thing you want – especially in these economically challenging times. Unfortunately, this is a situation all too many homeowners find themselves in after a home emergency. Often they discover that a repair they assumed would be covered by their home insurance or local utility is actually their responsibility to fix. From water and drainage systems to electrical and heating/cooling configurations, your home is a complex network of pipes, wires and electrical components that could require an emergency repair at any time. An outside water pipe breaking or a sewer line collapsing can easily rank as a homeowners’ worst nightmare; however, when an emergency occurs, most homeowners are not aware of who is responsible for the damage. In fact, less than 50 percent of the homeowners in a recent national survey, conducted by GfK Roper Custom Research, knew that they were responsible for repairs to the water line between their house and the street. This is where companies that offer emergency home repair plans, such as HomeServe USA, can make the difference between peace of mind and an expensive and time-consuming repair. “According the results of the survey, one third of all homeowners responding assumed that their local utility was responsible for the cost of a burst water line between their house and the street, when this is usually not the case,” says Tom Rusin, chief executive officer of HomeServe USA. “One of the challenges of home ownership is that the potential for expensive repairs is always out there. In fact, repairing a water service line can cost more than $2,000 and simply clearing a blocked drain can cost upwards of $350.” Rusin suggests that all homeowners do the following things to minimize the potential financial liability and hassle associated with home repair emergencies: 1. Speak to your homeowners insurance agent to get a clear understanding of which areas of your home are covered by your insurance policy and which ones are not. Potential trouble spots include interior and exterior electrical wiring, outside water

service and sewer lines, inside plumbing and gas piping, central heating and air conditioning systems, and the water heater. 2. Similarly, speak to your local electric, gas, and water utilities to determine equipment that you may be responsible for. As mentioned earlier, the water and sewer lines that run underneath the lawn are the responsibility of the homeowner in the vast majority of cases. 3. Proper maintenance of home components greatly minimizes the chance of an unexpected emergency. For example, check the air filter on your central heating or cooling system regularly and change it about once every three months during the season. Protect water pipes from freezing with proper insulation or draining them prior to winter. And fix leaky faucets and toilets to save water and prevent bigger problems. 4. Consider a home emergency protection plan that can relieve you of not only the financial burden of a home emergency, but also the uncertainty involved in looking for a repair person on a Sunday afternoon. “The more prepared homeowners are for a home repair emergency, the more peace of mind they’ll have and the more time they can spend enjoying their house with their families,” says Rusin.

cess. The kitchen is open to the family room with adjoining morning room and features brick accents, stainless steel appliances, custom wood cabinets with under cabinet lighting, a large pantry and granite counters that will appeal to any gourmet cook. The tall and open front porch and entry are visually delightful as you move into the open family room with a beautiful brick fireplace, adjacent formal dining or office with lots of arches and casement windows. The isolated master suite features a coffered ceiling and corner windows and opens into the large master bath with an oval garden tub, ceramic tile shower, separate his and her vanity cabinets and large separate master closet with a built-in check of drawers. This home is built with a high energy efficiency package, which includes Low E insulated casement windows and atrium doors, 2x6 exterior walls filled with Optima insulation, foamed in attic, and a 14-SEER HVAC unit. The overall architectural design of this home features raised ceilings in all rooms, custom paint, various crown moldings and trims, custom raised panel cabinetry, covered patios and porches, 7-foot capped rail privacy fence, and a home security system. This home is sponsored by the West Texas Home Builders Association in cooperation with the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Heritage Homes is a proud member of the West Texas Home Builders Association, the Texas Association of Builders, and the National Association of Home Builders. Heritage Homes, known as “Lubbock’s Affordable Custom Home Builder,” has built homes with solid, energy-saving, neo-traditional construction techniques for 20 years. Don Lynn, Tom Moreland, and George Winton invite you to visit their custom model home at 9201 Hyden Ave., or give them a call at 368-3755 or 745-5999. Come see this beautiful home on Saturday between the hours of 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., or on Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m.

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Bathroom remodeling hints A small contemporary living room by designer Jiun Ho, which is featured in “The Decorative Carpet” by Alix G. Perrachon (The Monacelli Press), is warmed by its mellow hardwood floors and cooled by steel-gray on the walls and a Tibetan area rug.

Living large in smaller spaces: The shrinking, changing American home (ARA) – The American home may be shrinking, but not the Great American Dream. Americans are still living large, just doing so in smaller spaces. To some trend-watchers, the downscaling of the American home comes as good news. Architects, designers and social observers say our willingness to resize our floor space means Americans are rethinking the way we really live and how we use whatever space we do have. Home, they say, has become less about impressing others and more about making ourselves happy. And since we are mostly baby boomers – that tidal wave of Americans born between 1946 and 1964 – who have long been accustomed to getting what we want, happiness is often defined in terms of luxuries and personal amenities. “Natural materials like American Hardwoods are redefining the word ‘luxury,’” says Linda Jovanovich of the American Hardwood Information Center. “Hardwoods bring richness and warmth to even small rooms, whether it’s used on the floors and walls, or crafted into built-ins. Custom hardwood furnishings like bookcases and cabinets make a home personal, yours alone, and isn’t that the ultimate luxury?” This new definition of luxury – topquality, mostly natural materials,

careful attention to architectural details like natural wood window frames and mouldings – is one that architect and author Sarah Susanka agrees with. And what Susanka thinks matters. In 1998, her professional hunch launched what has become the “build-better-not-bigger” movement, when she published the first in her best-selling series of “The Not So Big House” books. Her mantra is indeed, think smaller, and she also believes that “luxury comes from the materials we surround ourselves with. Beauty comes from natural materials. You can see where they come from – in the grain, the veining. The more natural the materials, like real hardwoods and granite, the more content you are. There’s a quality you can’t name, but you can feel it.” Gale Steves, author, editor and design industry consultant sums up a similar concept in her book about “Right-Sizing Your Home.” According to Steves, “Right-sizing is about making the best use of the spaces you have for the way you live.” She suggests these ways to best enjoy the shrinking and changing American home. • “Create a room within a room,” Steves advises. Her ideas begin at floor-level. Install hardwood flooring

throughout to unify the spaces and make them look larger, then use area rugs to define separate areas. Lay hardwood on the diagonal to set off special architectural features. Create a “rug” under a dining table with an inset frame of contrasting hardwood. Or outline an entire room with two courses of contrasting hardwood. • More ideas: Use a sectional sofa to delineate an intimate seating area within an open floor plan. And – of special interest to the many boomers who are eschewing retirement – find a standing wood-panel screen to create privacy or isolate a work space, say, in a bedroom office area. • And don’t forget to make it sustainable. Living green is a high priority for the anti-McMansion generation. As Susanka sees it, we should think of the 21st-century house as “a well-tailored suit: you use less material, but it fits you perfectly.” So while the size of the “average” U.S. home may be shrinking, remember that it’s more about space that works and that satisfies the psyche in the process that defines the ultimate in luxury. Think custom kitchens with pro-quality appliances, posh homespa baths, stone countertops and the beauty and warmth that only come with hardwood flooring, cabinetry and millwork.

(ARA) – Unless you just completed a stunning bathroom renovation with a five-figure price tag, there’s probably at least one thing in your bathroom you’d like to change. Whether you’re dealing with a constantly leaky faucet or the whole room just looks drab and out of date, you can find many ways to make your bathroom beautiful again without breaking the bank or investing a huge amount of time. Here are a few tips to get you started: Replace your tired old toilet. Upgrading to a sleek, easyto-clean one-piece toilet is a surprisingly simple way to update your bathroom, and it doesn’t have to cost a lot. Toilet installations are often viewed as a job for a professional, but some new toilets are being designed with the do-ityourself homeowner in mind. The new SAVER toilet from American Standard, for instance, can be installed without using any tools at all – just a simple handtightening is all that’s required. Plus, a new low-flow commode like the SAVER can pay for itself in water savings alone. Clean up your caulk. If the caulk in your bathroom is grimy, prone to mildew, or cracked, replacing it is a great way to freshen up the look of your bathroom. Use a caulk softener, available at any hardware store, to soften the existing caulk and make it easier to remove. Then, a good scraping with a plastic putty knife will do the trick. After the caulk is removed, clean in between the tiles with a bleach and water solution, and allow to dry completely. Then you are ready to apply the new caulk. Use a mildewproof caulk for easier cleaning and longer-lasting good looks. Apply the caulk in between the tiles with a smooth, steady motion, and then smooth the surface with a moistened finger for a more even appearance. Fancy up your faucets. Swapping out an out-of-date faucet is less expensive and time-consuming than replacing an entire pedestal sink or vanity, but can still have a big visual impact. Whether your style is modern or ornate, updating faucets can be easy and stress-free now that many manufacturers are offering easy-to-install faucets. For example, all lavatory faucets from American Standard and JADO come with Speed Connect drains that are easy to install in minutes, without guesswork. Paint your way to a beautiful bath. Freshening up the color on the walls in your bathroom can be an easy project depending on the size of your bathroom. Because they are typically the smallest rooms in the house, bathrooms are a great place to experiment with color – it’s easy enough to change to something else. Want to keep it simple? Pure white walls, especially when accented with glass and dark woods, are a current design trend.

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