by Tracy Hammons | May 23, 2024 | Home buying & selling
Home… As real estate agents representing buyers and sellers, we get to look at a lot of houses, usually defined by an address. But we hear the term “Dream Home” used all the time, especially when our industry is represented by Hollywood or in the media. In Fact, many of the popular shows make it seem like the word “house” is shallow or uncomfortable. Since drama is what sells these episodes that must mean there is some emotional tie to “Home”.
So what is Home? We hear “Home is where the heart is” all the time. Sure it is cliche but there is just something to it. It also means that Home IS a place. But we already decided that home is emotional. So does that mean that Home is an emotional place? If emotion is “of the heart” and a house is physical maybe we can just agree that Home is the house of the heart. I guess that old saying isn’t so cliche after all.
For many, Home is where you can let your hair down. Put your feet up. Relax. Even rest and rejuvenate. Home is the place where you can really be you without worrying about the judgment of colleagues or classmates. Home is the place where you feel the safest. While I can tell you that I feel right at home wherever I am as long as Ashley is by my side, there is a feeling of ease that comes at once when we walk through the door of the house we refer to as Home.
At the time of this writing, we have only lived at our current address for about three years. So when did the house we purchased become “Home”? We have said from the very first day when we were headed there after a long day, “Let’s go home”. That was before it even felt like Home. At that time it was just the house where we kept our stuff and slept at night. How does a house become a home?
For us, it was after we began feeling comfortable there. After all our stuff was in its place and we began to develop a routine. After we had invited friends and family to join us and break bread at the dinner table. The first birthday party and lazy Sunday afternoon. That house wasn’t home until after the first argument and reconciliation. After the children had found themselves in discipline and we heard their giggles and pitter-pattertering feet echoing through the rooms once again. It’s the memories that make it Home. It literally takes time to make a house a Home.
Even though I moved from there many years ago, I can still go back to the hill where I was raised. There were 3 family Homes on that little hill. When I step onto the carport of my Grandfather’s place, I am instantly transported back to the day he brought his Skeeter bass boat home, all the fish frys with family, the first time I held my cousin’s son, Easter, Mother’s Day, Christmas, and every birthday in between. Step out back under the shade trees where we sat and shelled peas, cracked pecans, or just sat and enjoyed the shade and each other. So even after a Home is no longer where you live the status is never removed.
At AT Home Texas Real Estate, we understand that when we list your Home there is a part of it that will be yours forever. We also know that when we are house hunting, we may be looking at addresses, features, and room sizes, but you are looking at so much more than that. You know that house will one day be your Home and there is more to that than a mortgage. We get it. We love that part of our journey together with you and we will keep you informed about all the details, so you can make an informed decision all while dealing with the nuances of Home.
by Ashley Hammons | Apr 7, 2023 | Buying & Selling, Buying a Home, Home buying & selling, Real Estate, Real Estate Agent
While at the Hunt County foreclosure auction on Tuesday, I saw a couple frantically looking for “The Trustee.” They asked everyone who passed by on the 2nd-floor lobby, “Are you the trustee?” It seemed they had not been to a Trustee’s Sale before and didn’t understand how it worked. I was there waiting on my trustee, along with another bidder. We all started to chat and found out the story of this couple and why they were looking for The Trustee. I realized I could help them. I explained to them how the auction worked and that there wasn’t one single trustee; it depended on the property. I asked them if they had a copy of the Notice of Trustee Sale, and they proceeded to pull out a screenshot of the notice on the woman’s cell phone. These notices usually have a phone number or a trustee company name listed, but this one did not, so the digging began.
This couple’s story was that their son’s home was getting foreclosed on even though his grandmother left the home to him. The family was refinancing it when they found out it was getting foreclosed on sooner than they thought. After speaking with the mortgage company, the couple came to the sale to see if the house received any bids. In response to the situation, I started digging and got several phone numbers for possible trustees based on all of the names on the notice they provided me. After about an hour of phone calls, we were able to locate the right person. The woman was speaking to the trustee company and walked away down a hall. I stayed sitting on the cold marble floor waiting for my trustee. Minutes later, she came back covered in goosebumps and was almost in tears. My heart leaped. I wondered, “Are these sad or happy tears?” She then told us she talked to the right person and got the sale postponed! Her son wouldn’t be homeless. The other bidder started clapping and congratulating them. It was an exciting time at the foreclosure auction! After the couple left, the other bidder said he planned on bidding on that property but said to me, “What you just did was amazing! You are a hero!” Foreclosure auctions are not usually very exciting. It’s very uncommon for there to be praise or joy at these events. The other buyer said, “I am happier that they got to keep the home than I would have been if I had won the bid to own it!” I don’t think of the trustee sale as a happy place for the homeowners, but this experience has changed my perspective.
by Emily Blankenship | Feb 9, 2023 | Buying & Selling, Home buying & selling, Income Property, Real Estate, Real Estate Agent
From the perspective of Emily, who had never experienced a trustee sale and accompanied Ashley to the courthouse:
On a rainy Tuesday in downtown Greenville, Ashley Hammons of AT Home Texas Real Estate climbs up to the second story of the courthouse. She has general knowledge about the properties she is bidding on and has run a preliminary title search. In hand, she has cashier’s checks for many different amounts and some cash (in a previous experience she almost lost the bid because she didn’t have any small bills and a bystander gave her one dollar to win). In her stomach are butterflies, she shared she always gets nervously excited even though she has done this so many times.
This process is a waiting game. In Hunt County, Texas, you have a three-hour window when the trustees can appear. They either announce themselves loudly, or they can be sneaky, possibly hiding behind a fake plant or other decor and whispering about the property with the hope no one hears. During this waiting game, other bidders mill around and try to get you to share which properties you are there to purchase so they know if you are the competition. Ashley sits on the cold marble floor and keeps her files and the homes she wants to bid on close to her chest, not fully answering the questions asked by the curious investors present. Each person walking by draws Ashley’s stare, wondering if they are simply an attorney going to court or a trustee she needs to follow.
After an hour in, the trustee for one of the properties Ashley is interested in bidding on shows up and runs the auction. Six people gather around, and the bidding starts. Ashley counters the bank’s starting bid by just $30 and wins the house in a few seconds. The Trustee and Ashley sit on a nearby church-like bench in the foyer of the courthouse and complete the paperwork for the real estate transfer. She ruffles through her stack of cashier’s checks and cash to find just the right amount. The paperwork and exchange take less than ten minutes, and the property is hers. Then the waiting game for the other two properties on her list begins. In this case, Ashley waits two more hours to have the other trustees cancel their auction.
by Ashley Hammons | Oct 10, 2022 | Buying & Selling, Buying a Home, Home buying & selling, Preparing your home, Real Estate, Real Estate Agent, Selling your home
Real Estate in Hunt County Texas, and Greenville Texas
The housing market is being directly impacted by the Fed’s strong monetary policy, which is relieving the pandemic-caused housing frenzy. Let us see what is happening in Hunt County and Greenville Texas!
The housing market is still being dragged down by aggressive monetary policy, which has stopped the previously torrid streak of home sales. As home inventories increase and home prices decline, the housing market continues to exhibit symptoms of relaxation. The increased demand for buildings shows that many potential homebuyers may be delaying their major purchases despite a decline in construction permits across the state.
In the previous year, mortgage interest rates increased by 2.84 up 5.22 percent. Texas’ home market immediately reduced sales amid these significant rate increases, and supply has been steadily building up. Despite the decline, prices still are high and stock levels are well below historical levels. Even while costs have decreased recently, they are still extremely high when compared to before the outbreak. Texas’ median price is still 11.4% more than it was a year ago as of August.
Regarding Hunt County & Greenville, Texas, the market for real estate has had various difficulties. Let us find out what the latest market reports and updates are:
Situation till October 2022:
Hunt County sellers are still witnessing a good increase in price even though other indicators indicate toward a cooling market, even though the local property market is characterized as “a shifting market.”
According to a Redfin analysis, house sales in Hunt County in August had a median value of $305,000, a 22.9% increase over the same month last year. Homes in HuntCounty typically sell within 30 days (about 4 and a half weeks) on the market as opposed to 22 days (about 3 weeks) the year before. In August of this year, 155 properties were sold, compared to 172 in August of last year. Hunt County’s short average time on the market for homes suggests that the sellers’ market will continue to be robust.
A group of economists from the Dallas Federal Reserve published a paper in March that claimed the local housing market was in the initial stages of a bubble. Due to sellers’ concern that they would miss the hot market, there are 41% more houses listed for sale now than there were two weeks earlier in the DFW area, where home sales have increased. M&D realtors only recently reported observing more indications of a cooling market, including open houses that had little to no attendees, a slowdown in the flow of offers, and an increase in the number of vacant homes. In Rockwall County, there were 100% more houses listed for sale in the last month than there were at the same time last year.
It should be noted that, according to M&D research, mortgage demand has decreased to its lowest level since 2018, with 14% fewer persons applying than at the same period last year. Additionally, rates of interest have been climbing, with the 30-year bond presently hovering at 5.5% since December 2021, up from 3.29%. Naturally, buyers may still encounter soaring prices, but you might be up against fewer bidders and proposals than they were for just a home even a few months ago. Inventory sales will increase over the following few months, providing more possibilities for purchases.
The market remains favorable for sellers despite recent indications of a slowdown, in part because of ongoing population increase and other considerations.
by Ashley Hammons | Sep 5, 2022 | Buying & Selling, Buying a Home, Home buying & selling, Homeowner Financial Prep, Real Estate, Real Estate Agent
Don’t sleep on listing your Hunt County home for sale while the market is still in your favor.
If you’re looking to list your home for sale in Hunt County, it has never been a better time. However, it won’t be a seller’s market forever. Here are a few reasons why now is the perfect time to sell your Hunt County and Greenville, Texas real estate.
Supply is low and buyer demand is high
At the height of the pandemic, there was a surge in demand for homes, and that demand has yet to wane. Following a 2020 and 2021 buying frenzy, the supply of available homes is dwindling, but the demand for those homes is still as high as it was in early 2020. If you are looking to sell Greenville, Texas real estate, strike while the iron is still hot!
Real estate prices are high
Home prices in the United States hit a record high in May of this year when the median home price tipped just above $400,000. Prices are projected to remain high throughout the fall season and into the holiday season of 2022. Even though interest rates have risen and home sales have slowed somewhat, overall home prices remain high, but they may not stay there forever.
Rents continue to rise and buying is an attractive option
With rents increasing across the United States, buying has never been a favorable option meaning you’ll have an endless pool of interested buyers. Overall, the US saw an average median rent increase of 13.4%–higher than the rate of inflation. Though home prices have also surged, rental prices have increased beyond the median mortgage payment rate making the buying versus renting debate a no-brainer. The swelling of rental prices has buyers looking for homes for sale in Hunt County and opting for smaller markets like Greenville, Texas real estate.
If you’re thinking about selling your Greenville, Texas real estate, now might be just the right time. The team at AT Home Texas Real Estate has years of experience helping sellers navigate the entire selling process from listing and vetting buyers to negotiating and closing. Let the AT Home Texas Real Estate team take care of the fine details while you relax and let the offers roll in.
by Ashley Hammons | Aug 22, 2022 | Buying & Selling, Buying a Home, Home buying & selling
There are many architectural styles that dominate the Greenville, Texas real estate scene. Though charming historical homes may be few and far between, downtown Greenville real estate still plays host to its share of charming Victorian and Early American homes. If you prefer a newer build, you’ll be delighted to find a number of ranches and single-family homes in Greenville, too.
Siding, Brick, and Stone Single Family Homes
There are an array of siding, brick, and stone single-family homes for sale in Hunt County, Texas and the surrounding counties. These types of homes run the gamut from multi-story mansions with multiple bedrooms and ample land area to small properties nestled inside neighborhoods. If you’re looking for a newer build in your search for homes for sale in Greenville, Texas, single-family homes with brick or siding are typically your best bet.
Ranch Homes
Nothing says Texas quite like a ranch-style home boasting large, open living spaces with wooden beams and accents. If you’re looking for homes for sale in Greenville, Texas, you’ll be pleased to find many suitable ranch-style homes.
Early American
Homes built in the early to mid-twentieth century are often referred to as Early American style homes. Homes of this style have a range of accents and architectural details depending on the time period in which they were built. They’re also chock full of charm. If you prefer a home with old-world charm, start your search for an Early American home in Greenville, Texas with help from the AT Home Texas team.
