Filed under: Local Events — EasyMoneyNeverWorks @ 11:09 am
Take a drive to the hill country and Fredericksburg, Texas this spring. We should have a banner bluebonnet and wildflower season. Enjoy these hill country wildflower pictures in the link below. Drop by for a visit to our office. Sherman D. Durst
Filed under: Local Events — EasyMoneyNeverWorks @ 10:43 am
THE TRUE MARKET VALUE OF YOUR HOME IS NOT: What you have in it, What you need out of it, What you want for it, What it appraised for, What you heard your neighbor’s house sold for, What the tax office value is, How much you have it insured for, Based on your memories and treasures, Based on prices of homes where you are moving,
THE TRUE MARKET VALUE OF YOUR HOME IS WHAT A BUYER IS WILLING TO PAY: Based on today’s market Conditions, Based on today’s competition, Based on today’s financing, Based on today’s economic condition, Based on the buyer’s perception of the condition, Based on location, Based on normal marketing time, Based on showing accessibility.
PROPERTIES THAT SELL IN TODAY’S MARKET: Are the 10’s…How can you make your property a “10”? Improve the condition, Offer good terms, Improve the way the home shows, Adjust the price.
AS A SELER YOU CAN CONTROL: The price you ask, The condition of the property, and Access to the property
AS A SELLER YOU DO NOT CONTROL: Market conditions, The motivation of your competition, Location, or Value.
Over the years, I have been through up and down markets. Hopefully this information will assist you in making informed decisions regarding your real estate. Sherman D. Durst
Filed under: Local Events — EasyMoneyNeverWorks @ 2:17 pm
Fischer & Wieser Specialty Foods, Inc. is one of the many great success stories to come out of Fredericksburg over the years. The company was founded in 1969 by Mark Wieser as a peach stand to sell the peaches grown in the family orchard, and peach preserves made by Estella Wieser, Mark’s mother. Case D. Fischer joined the company in 1979. Come along as we speak to Mark Wieser, Founder and Chairman of the Board, and Case D. Fischer, CEO and President about their award winning products, and why they choose to live and work in beautiful Fredericksburg, Texas.
Filed under: Local Events — EasyMoneyNeverWorks @ 9:01 am
The WW2 Pacific Combat Zone located in Fredericksburg Texas, is the only Pacific theatre combat reenactment of it’s kind in the nation. Six times a year local volunteers put on a truly impressive reenactment striving to educate and honor the soldiers that fought in WW2. After catching a glimpse of this truly unique reenactment experience, you’ll want to plan your visit today!
The National Museum of the Pacific War is dedicated to perpetuating the memory of the Pacific Theater of WWII. It is the only institution in the United States dedicated exclusively to telling the story of the Pacific and Asiatic Theaters in World War II. It’s grand reopening on December 7 2009, unveiled the amazing new “George H. W. Bush Gallery”, complete with thousands of one of a kind artifacts and state of the art multimedia exhibits. It is a must see for any history buff, or for those interested in honoring the memory of the men and women that served their country so bravely.
I began earnestly searching for a home for my daughter and me in December. You would think being a real-estate agent would have given me the upper-hand. But it seems that I was only drawn to the “troubled” properties. With each home I was interested in, something invariably came up. I tried buying a “short sale”, but decided the process was too long and arduous. I considered a couple of other properties, but was concerned about the cost of converting them into the home I envisioned. More important than the home itself was location. Don’t get me wrong. There are no bad areas in Fredericksburg. Every neighborhood has it’s own charm. But I knew exactly what I wanted, a quiet, kid-friendly, single-mom friendly place.
And guess what? Out of all of the available properties for sale, there wasn’t a single one that I felt in my gut was the right one. I thought perhaps I was making excuses for not buying out of trepidation of being a single home-buyer for the first time. But I had faith the right home would come along – and I would know it immediately.
One of the biggest mistakes I made was in representing myself. Again, as a real-estate agent, you would think I would have the upper hand. But emotions got in the way of common sense – and I wasn’t doing my daughter or myself justice doing this house-hunting on my own.
One of the agents I work with told me of a For Sale By Owner in his neighborhood – an area that was exactly what I had envisioned for my daughter and I. I immediately called the owner and went and saw the house within the hour. When I walked in the door, I knew “This is it. This is our new home.”
Fortunately, I work with a great group of agents, and this same one volunteered to represent me and be my Buyer’s Representative. We filled out the paperwork and made it a formal agreement. Almost immediately after entering into this agreement, my Buyer’s Representative had an offer ready to present to the seller.
Needless to say, it was not an easy process by any means. I removed my real-estate agent cap entirely for this transaction and allowed my agent to take charge. And it was one of the best decisions I ever made. I wanted the house and knew I would do whatever it took – within reason – to get the house. My agent knew this, but the seller didn’t. Had I been representing myself, the seller would have known in a heartbeat how much I wanted his home, and I would have lost all negotiating power.
In the end, with much assistance and guidance from my agent, it all worked out. My daughter and I are now happily ensconced into our long-term home, the seller walked away happy and the buyer (me) is elated. (Any my agent now has a new neighbor!)
Kudos to my Buyer’s Representative. He had a challenging deal: representing an agent he works with in a For Sale By Owner transaction – without any compensation! (The seller refused to pay any commission, and my agent refused payment from me.) And he did an excellent, A+ job.
Filed under: Local Events — Jeanne Zenner @ 11:16 am
Hallelujah!Finally, after several months of dry, parched weather - we have been blessed to receive rain - and lots of it! It’s been at least 9 months since our beautiful Texas Hill Country received a significant amount of rain. With the high winds we’ve been having, the entire area has been under high fire alert. Several hundred acres of land have been lost to fire. (A reminder to NEVER toss a cigarette butt out of the car window!) Gillespie and surrounding counties have been placed in Severe Drought Stage. As a matter-of-fact, Governor Rick Perry has asked that every county in the state be considered for drought assistance.To put it simply:
Texas has been bone-dry.But thankfully, the clouds opened up and the
Gillespie
County area received a good, soaking rain. I’ve heard reports of 3 1/2 inches of rain in the city of Fredericksburg, 4 inches in the outlying areas, 3 plus inches in
Mason
County.Records from the last 21 months show the Hill Country area to be 28″ behind normal rainfall. While this blessed 3″ rainfall we’ve received is only a small portion of that, we appreciate every last drop of it.Before long, the bluebonnets will be sprouting, the fields will be greening up, and springtime will look like springtime in the beautiful Texas Hill Country. Come on out and take a look!
With all of the numbers and programs being bounced around Washington these days, The First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit seems to be the most well-thought out, easiest to comprehend - and most beneficial to working-class Americans.
A few of the highlights of the 2009 First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit:
Who is eligible:
The $8,000 tax credit is available for first-time home buyers only OR those who have not owned a PRINCIPAL residence in the past three years prior to purchase.
If you own/ed a vacation home or a rental property, but not your principal residence, you still qualify for this credit.
All U.S. citizens who file taxes are eligible to participate.
Payback provisions:
This is a true credit that does not have to be repaid UNLESS the home owner sells the home within three years after purchase.
Income Limits:
Single or head-of-household:
the full $8000 credit can be taken if their modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is less than $75,000.
a partial credit can be taken if MAGI is between $75,000 and $95,000.
the credit is not available if MAGI is over $95,000.
Married filing jointly:
the full $8000 credit can be taken if their modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is less than $150,000.
a partial credit can be taken if MAGI is between $150,000 and $170,000.
the credit is not available if MAGI is over $170,000.
Effective Dates for the Tax Credit:
Closing on the home must take place between January 1 and December 31, 2009.
Additional Information:
The tax credit is refundable.
Examples:
If you qualify for the full $8000 credit:
If you owe $6000 in income taxes, you will receive a $2000 refund from the IRS. ($8000 tax credit - $6000 taxes due.
If you are due a $2000 refund, you will receive a total refund of $10,000 refund. ($8000 tax credit + $2000 refund due.)
2. All homes are eligible, provided they will serve as the home buyers primary residence. This includes single-family residential, townhomes, and condominimums.
3. The tax credit can be taken on either the 2008 or 2009 income tax return.
Did you know you can bring your horse trailer/RV to Fredericksburg and have a place to hook-up and ride your horse? Yes, at Oxbow stables there are Hookups and stalls available to riders out on the road. Stay a night or as long as you want:-) Ask me for details!!!
If you haven’t been to Fredericksburg Texas at Christmas time you are really missing out!!! The lights are amazing, it truly brings out your Christmas spirit. We have a parade to celebrate the Holidays that will definitly put a lump in your throat. People decorate their floats and cars/trucks with lights and decor and the parade takes off right at dark. Fredericksburg is a perfect town to celebrate the Holidays.
Rain at last. My gauge show nearly an inch and half. With this rain we can expect the hills to come alive with bluebonnets on a blankets of green grass. Little creeks and the Pederanales River are refreshed. Swiming and fishing holes will be ready when the warmer weather arrives. Time to get out and clean the dusk off the bikes to tour the many county roads. Now is the time to come and enjoy Fredericksburg and the surrounding hill country. Make it a day or week..rest in one of the quaint bed and breakfasts or many motels. Visit the many shops and restraunts and don’t miss Enchanted Rock. You won’t run out of things to do!
Listing information is provided for consumer personal, non-commercial use, solely to identify potential properties for potential purchase; all other use is strictly prohibited and may violate relevant federal and state law. All listing information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be independently verified through personal inspection by appropriate professionals. Listings displayed on the website may be subject to prior sale or removal from sale; availability of any listing should always be independently verified. Fredericksburg Realty is a licensed Real Estate Broker in the State of Texas.
