Donna Thomas’s Blog

This is from a Keller Williams Realtor-some good information

 It is a good idea to advise your clients buying a new home to have a home inspection done.  Most buyers think since it is a new home it is inspected already and it is by a city building inspector, but they don’t inspect for the items that a licensed home inspector will.  Tell them this story if they need convincing:

I have a friend who bought a new home four years ago.  It is now out of warranty.  After the recent severe hailstorm he called his insurance company to check the roof.  The adjuster came out and told him there was no hail damage.  Shortly afterwards he got a letter from the insurance company telling him they were cancelling his policy because the roof had “construction damage” or what they call “footfall damage” that was done by the roofing crew when they built the house.  He has never been on his roof and did not have an inspection done when he bought the house (I didn’t know him then).   The builder is refusing to accept responsibility and fix the problem as he says the damage may have been caused by my friend walking on the roof, since he never has he knows that isn’t true but can’t prove it.  My friend is very upset as he now doesn’t have insurance and can’t get it until the roof is fixed, which he will have to pay for even though it is construction damage done when the house was built.

So let this serve as a warning of what can happen when you don’t have an inspection done on a new home and advise your buyers that the small investment they will make in a home inspection when they buy a new home will certainly be worth it.

And does anyone know a good roofing company they can recommend?
Thanks!

Jodi Foster

COLLEGE STATION (Real Estate Center) – The Texas economy continues to produce more jobs than the national economy, according to the latest report from the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University.

Texas nonfarm employment rose 2.2 percent from December 2006 to December 2007 compared with the 0.9 percent annual growth rate for the United States.

The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell from 4.7 percent in December 2006 to 4.5 percent in December 2007.

The state’s mining industry ranked first in job creation, followed by professional and business services, the leisure and hospitality industry and the financial activities industry.

All Texas metro areas except Killeen–Temple–Fort Hood had positive employment growth rates from December 2006 to December 2007. McAllen-Edinburg-Mission ranked first in job creation followed by Tyler, Austin–Round Rock, and Brownsville-Harlingen. Midland had the lowest unemployment rate, followed by Amarillo, Lubbock, Odessa and College Station–Bryan.

Read an interesting quote this week from Laurence Sterne (1713-1768) ” The desire of knowledge, like the thirst of riches, increases ever with the acquisition of it.”

 Perhaps like many of you, I am new to the blogging side of the internet, however, I am told that is the way we are now communicating due to many factors.   As I continue this pursuit in trying to educate myself on the intricacies of what you might find interesting and how I might provide it to you, I will continue through the web-site to provide you with a current list of homes on the market as well as homes sold. There is also information for you as a Buyer or a Seller.  I look forward to hearing from you and whether or not this is of help to you. 

 Have a wonderful and blessed 2008! 

Donna

The McKinney ISD Board of Trustees voted 5-1 Monday to lower the district’s combined tax rate from last year’s $1.84 to $1.517 per $100 property valuation.McKinney ISD’s maintenance and operations tax rate will decrease from last year’s $1.34 to $1.04 per $100 property valuation. The debt service tax rate will go down from last year’s 50 cents to 47.7 cents per $100 property valuation.Under the new $1.517 per $100 property valuation, the owner of a $200,000 home will pay about $3,034 to the district. Under last year’s rate of $1.84, the owner of a $200,000 home paid about $3,680 in school property taxes.

Welcome to Donna Thomas’s Blog! This blog will provide you with valuable information, tips, and general insight into the real estate market in McKinney, Plano, Frisco, Allen, North Dallas and general North Texas areas.