The second trend I came across pertains to color: BOLD is it!  Greens, reds, oranges and yellows will add punch and happiness to your mood: a few pillows, bold accessories, a new  lamp shade or even an accent wall is what you need.

Also,  retro is in.  With the above colors mentioned, blending in a retro, vintage or  antique piece is the way to introduce whimsy to your existing decor.  A picture or painting, a lamp or a retro couch can help you achieve the look.

Last but not least, WHITE is the new black…  If you’ve always dreamed of a white leather sofa or want to add white slipcovers to items you already own, don’t be afraid to experiment with that this year.  White is fresh and airy, and you can layer textures to create a white on white elegant decor with a few wood accents to warm it up.  Have fun with your home in the New Year!

1- Everyone else is taking their house off, so inventories typically shrink, giving your home less competition

2- The second most popular time corporations transfer employees is mid-year so their children can transfer schools at mid-year.  Those buyers are looking for homes in November and December.

3- When does someone’s home show the best?  The holidays are that time when homes are spruced up and beautifully decorated

4- Many buyers want to buy and close before year-end to get the benefit of the homestead exemption.

So if you have been under the impression that now is not a good time to have your home on the market or to list it, think again…  and give me a call!  I am here to help!

 Texas was responsible for 19.4 percent of the total jobs created nationwide from September 2010 to September 2011, according to the Texas A&M Real Estate Center’s latest Monthly Review of the Texas Economy.

The state’s mining and logging industry ranked first in job creation, followed by construction and the professional and business services industry.

Suprisingly, Victoria ranked first in job creation, followed by Corpus Christi, Laredo, Odessa and College Station-Bryan.

The state’s actual unemployment rate in September 2011 was 8.4 percent. Midland had the lowest rate followed by Amarillo, Odessa, College Station-Bryan and Lubbock!  Time to relocate from here if you are desperately looking for a job!

http://www.houstongrandopera.org/tickets/calendar/view.aspx?id=1822

Those criteria should be set ahead of time so you won’t be accused of profiling people.  For example,  tenants have to be in their current employment for at least one year.  Or they need to make at least for times the monthly rent. 

Then of course, you want to check rental history (call the prior landlords and ask whether they did not break the lease and paid the rent on time): any prior eviction should be a sign for you to run.  Criminal history is another criteria, and you can have as strict a policy as you want on this: after all it is your property.  However, you need to define that policy; and stick to it!

You will also want to check the credit report and look for payment history, collections and the reason behind them.  Some landlords look for a minimum credit score, while other go by the type of events that have undermined the score.   

At any rate, you cannot base your decision on any one criteria but make sure you complete all the checks mentionned above.  Call the employer to make sure the prospectiive tenant is still employed.  I read a story about a landlord that looked at a credit report that was decent, however, it did not have that much credit history or active credit lines on it.  Had he not pulled a criminal background check he would have never known that the reason there was little credit history was because the prospective tenant had spent the past 2 years in jail for aggravated assault.  So do your homework.  Better safe than sorry!

The action was taken “in an effort to determine the full harm Texas homeowners may have suffered or could suffer as a result of these business practices,” said Jerry Strickland, a spokesman for Attorney General Greg Abbott.  That includes improperly signing the documents that are related to the foreclosure process.  They halted also the sale of properties previously foreclosed upon and all evictions of people living in previously foreclosed upon properties. 

I guess we should see foreclosure listings in Houston stop in the next couple of months…  I hope they will not withdraw properties that are currently on the market and that my investors clients are in the process of buying.

Truth # 2:  Disputes, inaccurate and erroneous information is a problem on almost 80% of individual credit reports.  One should fignt and can fight these on his own, but there is a process, and it can be tricky and time-consuming, however not impossible.  So… if you don’t fall in the DIY category here is what you need you know about Credit-Service Organizations (CSOs)  otherwise known as credit-repair companies:

1- They are regulated: check www.sos.state.tx.us for an active registration of the company

2- Upfront fees can only be charged if the company has a $10,000 surety bond, a requirement for an active registration

3- How long has the company been in business is important.  A lot of companies have sprouted recently to capitalize on the tighter credit score requirements.

4- The Texas Credit Repair Association is a trade organization whose goal is to self-regulate the industry.  Check to see whether the company you are considering is a member

5- Contracts for credit-service repairs MUST be writing, with the right to cancel up to 3 days after signing the contract.  The contract has to state the payment schedule, a description of service, estimated time for performance and most importantly the name and address of the registered agent and address of the place of business

6- Take any claims or guarantees of credit score improvement with a grain of salt – there should not be such thing – and always read the fine print!

The only place to obtain you truly free credit report is at www.AnnualCreditReport.com