Blog – Page 5 – CENTURY 21 Realty Partners

29 05, 2013

Realogy Charitable Foundation Lends Support to Oklahoma Tornado Relief Efforts

By Realty Partners|2017-03-13T15:54:53-05:00May 29th, 2013|Giving Back|Comments Off on Realogy Charitable Foundation Lends Support to Oklahoma Tornado Relief Efforts

As many of you know, on May 20 a deadly tornado (with estimated peak speeds of 210 m.p.h.) touched down in Moore, Oklahoma just south of Oklahoma City. The tornado killed 24 people, 10 of whom were children, and injured 377 others. As with the rest of the nation we are saddened by this tragedy. As residents of Texas we are not strangers to the devastation that tornadoes can bring. We are posting here a letter from Rick Davidson President and CEO of Century 21 Real Estate LLC that touches on the impact of this storm on CENTURY 21 Franchisees in Oklahoma and the communities they call home. The letter includes and appeal for charitable donations to several organizations that are working to relieve the suffering felt in Oklahoma. Please consider giving, many of these organization offer aid during natural disasters worldwide, and many of these organizations were there for us during Hurricane Ike. Thank you.

Dear CENTURY 21® System Members,

Our thoughts are with all those impacted by the tornadoes that ripped through Moore, Oklahoma. Some members of the CENTURY 21 Family incurred property damage, but all brokers, managers, and agents are safe.

The destruction caused by these tornadoes has affected schools, homes, and businesses throughout the area. If you would like to help, you can make a donation through the Realogy Charitable Foundation. Your gift enables the following charities to provide assistance in response to this disaster:

American Red Cross – At the forefront at any disaster, the Red Cross is on […]

6 05, 2013

3 Tips for Getting Your Home Ready to Sell: Curb Appeal, Clearing Clutter, Cleaning Windows

By Diane Lominac|2017-03-13T15:54:53-05:00May 6th, 2013|Advice|Comments Off on 3 Tips for Getting Your Home Ready to Sell: Curb Appeal, Clearing Clutter, Cleaning Windows

Getting your home ready to sell can be a lot of work. I find that sellers who invest in curb appeal, clearing clutter, and cleaning windows help buyers fall in love with their house.

Curb Appeal. First impressions matter. Drive up to your home as if you were a new buyer. What do you see? Are the gutters full of debris? Is the driveway clean? Do your flower beds need some fresh mulch and a little trimming? Are there brown spots or unmanicured areas in the lawn? Now, walk to the front door. Does it need a fresh coat of paint or varnish? Is the hardware okay or does it look past its prime? Look up, are there cobwebs or nests in the corners of the porch? Remember, this is the location a buyer stands waiting for an agent to unlock the door. They have time to look around and notice these things. Make a ‘to do’ list – and get it done!

Clearing Clutter. Buyers want to imagine your house with their belongings. Clean out closets to show off how much space is available. The same goes for kitchen and bathroom cabinets. If you don’t use it every day, consider packing it up and storing it. You don’t really need 50 glasses and 30 plates right now, do you? Having less clutter and storing your excess items makes it easier to keep your home tidy and show ready!

Being organized helps you when it’s time to start […]

25 04, 2013

Houston New Home Permits Up 44% To Keep Up With Demand

By Realty Partners|2017-03-13T15:54:53-05:00April 25th, 2013|News|Comments Off on Houston New Home Permits Up 44% To Keep Up With Demand

If you’re looking to buy in the Houston area, expect more and more showings to look like this. House Under Construction by Charles Rondeau As reported by the Houston Business Journal, new residential construction permits in Houston are up 44% since March 2012. These figures were compiled in a report by the Greater Houston Partnership. The city issued a total of $187.3 million worth of permits just for March, compared to $130.2 million for the same month last year.

This comes as no surprise since we have had very tight inventory in nearly every Houston area market. With Houston’s economy running wide open, and continued rise as a global city, the demand for more homes and workplaces will only increase. We have witnessed multiple bid scenarios with several of our listings and we expect supply to further tighten before it increases again.

Where have you seen new construction going up? Have you seen multiple offers on a home? Please tell us in the comments!

8 04, 2013

Houston: The Next Great American City

By Realty Partners|2017-03-13T15:54:53-05:00April 8th, 2013|Our Communities|Comments Off on Houston: The Next Great American City

Here at CENTURY 21 Realty Partners, we always keep an eye out for what the chattering class is saying about Houston. For years, many urban planners have sneered at Houston, dismissing it as merely the center of a sprawling and anarchic metropolitan area. The suburbs, the freeways, the lack of density, the lack of zoning, the poor mass transit, Houston was deemed a backwards and tasteless city that would never amount to much. While gallons of ink has been spilled describing why Houston shouldn’t work, Houstonians have been quietly going to work, living their lives, and building a vibrant urban region. It seems that people are starting to realize what we knew all along: Houston is not just a great place to do business, Houston is a great place to live.

Coming to our intellectual defense is Joel Kotkin, Professor of Urban Development and a Fellow at Chapman University. He has recently penned and article titled, “Houston Rising—Why the Next Great American Cities Aren’t What You Think.” Kotkin’s article applauds us for many of the reasons we already know about, job

s, growth, diversity, culture, opportunity, and many more. What stood out however, was his standards by which he judges a city and his explanation as to why they grow:

“Cities grow primarily because they do what cities were designed to do in the first place: help their residents achieve their aspirations.”

What a simple yet powerful statement. A city is just a physical place where people live in […]

18 03, 2013

CENTURY 21 advertising, now even FASTER.

By Realty Partners|2017-03-13T15:54:53-05:00March 18th, 2013|CENTURY 21|1 Comment

Whether you’ve seen it when working with a CENTURY 21 Agent firsthand, or heard it at the Super Bowl for the last two years, it is no secret that CENTURY 21® Agents are the SMARTER. BOLDER. FASTER. real estate experts. Well now we are once again showcasing how we are FASTER by going to one of the fastest spectacles in the world, the Indianapolis 500. Here is the official blurb about the race:

At the 2013 CENTURY 21 Global Conference in Las Vegas, Chief Marketing Officer Bev Thorne announced that the we will be the primary sponsor of the #21 car at the 2013 Indy 500. This race will take place on May 26th at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway – and air on ABC television in front of millions of avid fans! The #21 car, part of the Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing Team with driver Josef Newgarden, has a sleek design with CENTURY 21 black and gold graphics that will be highly visible on this famous oval track. This sponsorship is a key element in the 2013 marketing plan and is designed to increase CENTURY 21 brand preference and drive more leads to CENTURY 21 Agents. We started the year by highlighting CENTURY 21 Agents with an ad in the biggest television event of the year, the 2013 Super Bowl – and now we’ll join the Super Bowl of auto racing, the Indy 500.

4 03, 2013

Why Choosing The Right Agent is Important

By Diane Lominac|2017-03-13T15:54:53-05:00March 4th, 2013|Advice|Comments Off on Why Choosing The Right Agent is Important

Choosing an agent is crucial. Here are some things to consider when selecting a real estate professional.

Are you planning to buy or sell a home in the near future? Choosing your agent is critical. Whether you’re a first time buyer or seller or a seasoned veteran, you want to make sure your agent is a professional. When considering your agent selection, ask yourself if he or she is:

Available. When you reach out to a potential agent, is he or she available to answer the phone or call you back within a reasonable time? If you’re selling you want to know that potential buyers can reach your agent.
Visible. What marketing plan does your agent provide? Does your agent have the ability to properly promote your property and attract potential buyers? If you are buying, does your agent have insight into homes that are available and meet your criteria?
Knowledgeable. If you’re buying, how much knowledge does your agent have about the area? Is he or she willing to do the homework to provide you with any answers for your concerns? Will your agent advise and guide you throughout the process? Will he or she provide you with a list of helpful references such as inspectors and handymen?
Experienced. Working with an agent who understands negotiating and performs on […]

26 02, 2013

Live in Montgomery County? Expect More Orange Construction Barrels.

By Realty Partners|2017-03-13T15:54:53-05:00February 26th, 2013|News|Comments Off on Live in Montgomery County? Expect More Orange Construction Barrels.

FM 1097 is about to get a little bit bigger.

According to the Montgomery County Courier, FM 1097 in Willis has been approved to be widened by TxDOT. The estimated $3.2 million dollar project will widen the road between I-45 and Texas Highway 75, significantly improving access and safety. Engineers expect the project to be completed in 18 months after construction starts and will add a much needed turning lane to ease traffic. With rapid growth within the Houston Metro Area, and Montgomery County in particular, many roads and intersections are already operating at or over capacity. One of Montgomery County’s most congested intersections may soon be much better.

Further south on I-45 at State Highway 242 near The Woodlands and Shenandoah, plans have been approved for a $33.9 million dollar project to build flyovers allowing traffic to bypass the traffic lights at the feeder street. This in addition to the dozens of road construction projects throughout Montgomery County in the last decade including the widening of I-45 to at least 3 lanes all the way through the county.

Why all this construction? More residents and businesses are relocating to the area. The Houston Area led the nation in Gross Metropolitan Product growth (the total value of all goods and services […]

4 02, 2013

C21 Super Bowl Ads

By Realty Partners|2013-10-18T12:17:01-05:00February 4th, 2013|News|4 Comments

In case you missed it during last night’s “Blackout Bowl” here are the CENTURY 21® ads from Super Bowl XLVII . Prices for 30 second ad spots on CBS started at $4,000,000 a pop, which makes more sense when you consider that Super Bowl XLVII was the highest rated Television event since ratings were first tracked. For the second year in a row, we are proud to see our brand represented in the biggest TV media event of the year.

Is there a CENTURY 21 Agent in the house?

I’m a CENTURY 21 Agent.

29 01, 2013

Are moving expenses tax deductible?

By Realty Partners|2017-03-13T15:54:53-05:00January 29th, 2013|Advice|Comments Off on Are moving expenses tax deductible?

It’s okay to curse at heavy furniture, probably when doing your taxes too. Photo is Creative Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Tara Hunt.

Moving can be a stressful and chaotic time, but when it is all over not only will you be comfortable in a new home, but you could also qualify for a nice tax deduction for your efforts. While you should of course talk to a Tax professional, if you are qualified, you may deduct the expenses of:

Packing and transporting household goods
Mileage for use of your own car (or gas and oil expenses)
Tolls and parking fees on the trip
Up to 30 days’ storage of household goods
Disconnecting and connecting utilities
Transportation and lodging for yourself and members of your household while traveling to the new home

Of course, not all moves are deductible. In order to deduct your moving expenses you have to meet two tests:

TIME – You must being working as a full-time employee within 13 weeks of your move, and you must work at least 39 weeks during the 12 months after your move. And it doesn’t matter wheter you were transferred by your employer or you took a brand new job.

DISTANCE – To meet this test, your new job has to be at least 50 miles further from your old home than your old job was. If you didn’t have a job before the move, your new job has to […]

17 01, 2013

Want a raise? Move to Houston.

By Realty Partners|2017-03-13T15:54:53-05:00January 17th, 2013|News|Comments Off on Want a raise? Move to Houston.

Where did wages increase the most in 2012? Since this is the official C21 Realty Partners blog, you may not be surprised to learn that it was none other than our fabulous metropolis, Houston (although we did tie with Seattle who also registered 4.8% year-over-year wage growth). Why did H-town lead the nation in wage growth? Just ask the folks at PayScale who track wage rates across the United States: “The largest city in Texas hosts a variety of strong industries, including aeronautics and healthcare, but the boom in the oil and gas industry has had the biggest positive impact on wages in Houston, historically.” With the Houston’s white-hot energy sector and a robust yet diverse economy that features everything from taco trucks to NASA, Houston will be welcoming many more newcomers in the near future. Given the massive new ExxonMobil campus being built just south of The Woodlands, the Houston job market will keep getting stronger. What does this mean for Real Estate? Higher wages equals more prosperity which means more demand for homes and businesses. The perfect time for natives and transplants alike to contact a CENTURY 21 Realty Partners agent.

The PayScale Index: Houston Metro Area by Quarter