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 Tracy Hammons | Mar 18, 2023 | Real Estate, Real Estate Agent
Tracy and Ashley promote attending TREC and Texas REALTOR events throughout the year for agents to understand the market, tools available and to network with industry partners across the state. In February, they attended the Texas REALTOR Winter Meeting. At this meeting, REALTORS discuss business affecting the association, address local trends, and network with other Texas REALTORS.
Before this event, Ashley was stressed about the first day because she was to present a 20-minute mock Graduate, REALTOR® Institute (GRI) class. Many people in the industry consider the GRI designation “Masters Degree of Real Estate”. During the presentation, Tracy watched her impress the room full of professionals and instructors with her teaching. The evaluators told Ashley, “They loved you so much! You are approved.” She was the only candidate at the Winter Meeting authorized to teach GRI, becoming one of only 28 approved GRI instructors in the State of Texas! This opened up opportunities to teach for their local association and several others. In conclusion, Ashley explained, “It wasn’t as scary as I made myself think for weeks. It was enjoyable. I was just myself and that worked. If you consider doing something you feel is out of reach or out of your comfort zone, Do it and don’t hesitate. If it is not meant to be, it will not work, but you will not know until you try!”
Looking back over the event, Tracy & Ashley were disappointed they could not participate in more activities. The event offered so many valuable classes and meetings scheduled so closely together that they were leaving events early or entering classes late. Another surprising thing, according to Ashley, was that one percent of the agent body attended this event. She explained that there are 170,000 agents in Texa, but only 1,700 agents attended. However, that is a record attendance for the Winter Meeting, about 500 more agents than they have ever had. Ashley said that our association is the second largest in the state with 27,000 agents in MetroTex, and only 30 of those agents attended this event.
There were many great takeaways from this meeting, Tracy and Ashley were pleasantly surprised with their interactions with the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC), a government agency that is a safeguard for consumers in matters of real estate transactions and valuations. They realized that some of the TREC commissioners are brokers and genuinely want feedback for proposed rules. The process is there are rule ideas and deliberation at this meeting. Next, the rules are proposed and put out for public comment. Then there is a waiting period for several months before changes are made. Tracy and Ashley saw some of the rules changed and adopted as revised based on comments made at the Winter Meeting. The biggest takeaway is that TREC wants feedback and cares about opinions. In addition to asking for opinions, TREC is improving its customer service from a five-week response for new applications to a four-day turnaround.
In the end, there was a lot of information to bring back to the agents here in Hunt County. Tracy and Ashley will continue attending these events, learning, networking, and letting others in the industry know where Greenville,Texas is on the map!
by Tracy Hammons | Mar 16, 2023 | Buying a Home, Income Property, Real Estate Agent
In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, we want to share a treasured story with you.Not so long ago, Ashley received a call from a family inquiring about a house next door to them that had been foreclosed on. In rural Hunt and Hopkins Counties, next door can be a half mile away as many acres tend to separate homes in this part of Texas. The family was interested in purchasing the property for a son and daughter-in-law, whom Tracy went to school with in Cumby. Ashley did some research and confirmed that the property had been foreclosed on and was being managed by an asset management company. Since the house was not currently for sale, all she could do was call the foreclosing bank and inquire.
Several months passed and the family stayed in contact with Ashley, calling her each time they saw a vehicle at the property. Ashley, in return, kept an eye out for the property and any change in the records. Out of the blue, Ashley received an email from an REO residential management platform she subscribes to explaining that she had been assigned the listing of this very property! If that isn’t divine intervention, what is? After all, we do believe everything happens for a reason.
Upon inspecting the home, it was immediately apparent this property would be a hard sale on the open market. It had been on fire in the past and not fully repaired, an add-on was literally falling off the house, and rain was leaking in many places from the roof. Many businesses at the time were still working from home due to an illness we will not name, so it took almost six months for Ashley and Tracy to negotiate and close the deal for the family.During negotiations, Tracy waved his commission to get the deal done for the family. After the closing, the family was so happy they delivered a very emotional thank-you letter inside a small treasure chest filled with silver pieces! Yes, Tracy received a REAL treasure chest! If you know Tracy, you know he enjoyed telling his kids about helping pirates buy real estate and paying him with treasure!
Tags: Home, Homes, Hopkins County, Hunt County, Listing, Northeast Texas, Rains County, Real Estate, Real Estate Market, Rockwall County
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 Emily Blankenship | Nov 4, 2022 | Buying & Selling, Buying a Home, Real Estate, Real Estate Agent
Why AT Home Texas Real Estate is the Best Choice for YouThere are lots of real estate agents out there, so what makes AT Home Texas Real Estate the best choice for you? First and foremost, we know the Greenville and the Hunt County area like the back of our hand. Whether you’re looking to buy a home in one of Greenville’s historic neighborhoods or sell your house in the fast-growing country properties, we can help. Our deep knowledge of the Greenville Texas Real Estate market means that we can help you find or sell your home quickly and for top dollar.
In addition to our local expertise, we’re also experienced negotiators. When it comes to real estate in Greenville Texas, nothing is more important than getting the best possible price. Whether you’re buying a home and need to get the seller to come down on their asking price or selling your home and trying to get the buyer to up their offer, we know how to get the job done. Our proven negotiation skills will save you time and money, guaranteed.
Finally, we genuinely care about our clients and always put their needs first. We’ll be with you every step of the way, from your very first showing all the way through closing day. And even after you’ve moved into your new home or sold your old one, we’ll still be here for you if you have any questions or need any assistance. AT Home Texas Real Estate is more than just a business—we’re your neighbors and friends, here to help however we can.
When it comes time to buy or sell a home in Greenville Texas, make sure you call AT Home Texas Real Estate. Our experience, local knowledge, and dedication to our clients are second to none, and we’ll work tirelessly to make sure your home buying or selling experience is as smooth as possible. Give us a call today—we can’t wait to work with you!
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.
