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El Paso, TX Real Estate News

By Rick Snow - Selling El Paso TX, Cool Deals on Hot Real Estate in El Paso, Texas
(EXIT West Realty)
Would you prefer to live in a gated community? There are currently 88 listings in El Paso that are in gated communities. Properties are available all over town, but there is only one listing in the North East as of this post. And that's actually a trailer in a trailer park. Not that there's anything wrong with living in a trailer, but you don't typically associate that with a gated community. At least I don't. That doesn't make me a snob, does it? So why a gated community? Security, prestige, added value? I suppose it could be any one of those things, or even all three that cause people to want to live in a gated community. In El Paso there are actually very few gated communities, but we do have them. From a security standpoint you may be just as well off living in a community that has ...
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By Rick Snow - Selling El Paso TX, Cool Deals on Hot Real Estate in El Paso, Texas
(EXIT West Realty)
NorthEast El Paso continues to grow. After many years of being on the fringe 79934 is getting better and better. With continuing development of the retail sector along Sean Haggerty, you don't have to drive all the way to Walmart on Transmountain for your shopping needs. The inventory in North East El Paso remains lower than many areas of town, which means it may be a little harder to find what you are looking for. The average time on market in North East El Paso is lower than some other areas of town which is good news if you are a seller. For more information on the latest stats in 79934, or in any other area of town you might want to look at, click here or on the image below. You can even compare different zip codes.  
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By Rick Snow - Selling El Paso TX, Cool Deals on Hot Real Estate in El Paso, Texas
(EXIT West Realty)
Chaparral Park in West El Paso remains a popular area. It is one of those subdivisions in El Paso that is quite large and contains homes in all price ranges. Some of the homes were built in the 60s and there is still some new construction. It's also interesteing that there are other smaller subdivisions, like little islands in the great Chaparral Park Sea. Chaparral Park stretches from Belvidere on the west edge all the way up the mountain and from Alto Rey (near Mesa) to Ojo de Agua as the north boundry.  With several very popular schools, such as Polk Elementary and Hornedo Middle School, Chaparral Park remains a favorite area for those with school age children. Currently there are 104 active listings in Chaparral Park. These range in price from $94,900 (this house is a foreclosure, h...
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By Rick Snow - Selling El Paso TX, Cool Deals on Hot Real Estate in El Paso, Texas
(EXIT West Realty)
Highlands North Remains Popular Convenient location and moderate home prices has kept the Highlands North Subdivision in West El Paso a popular choice for buyers this past year. In addition to the location and price another popular feature in Highlands North is that most of the homes are single story homes. Perfect for those of us that are tired of stairs. 2013 saw 12 sales ranging in price from $183,800 for a 1946 sqft 3 bedroom, 3 bath home with no pool to a 5 bedroom, 6 bath, 3200 sqft home that sold for $379,000. Both of those homes sold in about 90 days. As a matter of fact the average time on market in Highlands North in 2013 was only 75.4 days. The home on the market the longest sold in 182 days and the shortest time was 27 days. Not too bad considering the average overall for El...
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By The Legacy Group, The LegacyGroup of CrossCountry Mortgage
(CrossCountry Mortgage)
  Use the Special Government Home Renovation Loan Program, the El Paso Texas FHA 203K Renovation Loans. Many are not aware of a special government loan program that is actually a part of FHA (Federal Housing Administration- a department within HUD). A buyer or existing home owner can do meaningful amounts of remodeling or updates to their existing home without having a higher cost second lien thanks to this special FHA loan program. You are not allowed to finance "Luxury items" such as a hot tub or swimming pool through this FHA loan program. You can repaint, remodel cabinetry in kitchens and bathrooms, replace appliances and flooring, add wallpaper, or even add a room to an existing structure (which will increase the value of your home because of more square footage). The biggest advan...
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By The Legacy Group, The LegacyGroup of CrossCountry Mortgage
(CrossCountry Mortgage)
There are many benefits to a preapproval for a home loan in El Paso TX.       Many consumers are not informed on the proper way for buying a home. Of course this is a big question that can stressful or enjoyable, it just depends on the steps you take in the home buying process for a home loan in El Paso TX and the surrounding areas. It is essential that you take the proper steps to keep your self educated on the initial investment, the buying power, and to take some time to think about your lifestyle choices. Each of these will be discussed in this article.     Education     There are many steps to buying a home in El Paso, TX, this is one and it begins with getting pre-approved for your home loan. Take note that we didn't say anything about getting pre-qualified because in today's mort...
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By The Legacy Group, The LegacyGroup of CrossCountry Mortgage
(CrossCountry Mortgage)
  We have been specializing in El Paso TX VA Loans for over 22 years! We will teach you how to qualify for your VA home loan benefits in this article.     #1:  Obtain your Certificate of eligibility.     Obtaining a VA loan is easy. The first step is to verify your eligibility. This is done by ordering your Certificate of Eligibility (COE) through VA which will also confirm the amount of your eligibility. To be eligible, you must be an honorably discharged Vet, or are active duty or reserves currently.     Ordering your COE: To get your COE fast, your lender can help you order it.  This is usually the easiest way. It can also be ordered through the VA either by mail or online. You will need a copy of your DD214 if you are an honorably discharged Vet.     #2:  Obtain pre-approval with a ...
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By The Legacy Group, The LegacyGroup of CrossCountry Mortgage
(CrossCountry Mortgage)
A Special Government Home Renovation Loan Program with El Paso Texas FHA 203K Renovation Loans.     Many people are not aware of a special government loan program that is part of the Federal Housing Administration or FHA (a department within HUD). A buyer or existing home owner can do meaningful amounts of remodeling or updates to their existing home without having a higher cost second lien thanks to this special FHA loan program.       The loan program does not allow for “luxury items” which are defined as items like a swimming pool or hot tub, etc. Although, you can repaint, replace flooring and appliances, add a room to an existing structure (which can add to value tremendously as you increase the square feet of your home) as well as remodel cabinetry in kitchens and bathrooms.      ...
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By Rick Snow - Selling El Paso TX, Cool Deals on Hot Real Estate in El Paso, Texas
(EXIT West Realty)
Ok it's time to give back again. We are getting ready to head out to Matagalpa, Nicaragua where we will be building a house this coming week. Follow along on our blog if you want http://nica2013.blogspot.com/ While I'm gone you can still look for homes on my website and send me emails. I'll be answering every eveing and every morning. I probably won't post here this week but I'll be back. Best wishes to everyone and happy house hunting.
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By Rick Snow - Selling El Paso TX, Cool Deals on Hot Real Estate in El Paso, Texas
(EXIT West Realty)
Of course you need to list your home with an agent. Selling it yourself is against the law in Texas. No, No, No I'm just kidding. Even though it may be more advantageous to you to list your home for sale with a real estate agent, it is NOT against the law to be a for sale by owner. "Sure", you say, "this guy's a real estate agent who makes his living listing properties. Of course he would say it's better to list your home." Well, I don't make my living listing homes for sale. I make my living by selling homes. There's a big difference. You see listing a home costs me money. I work, as most real estate agents do, on a contingency basis. That means I obligate myself to market your home for sale and to use my best efforts to sell it using my own money. I don't get paid unless your home se...
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By Rick Snow - Selling El Paso TX, Cool Deals on Hot Real Estate in El Paso, Texas
(EXIT West Realty)
As we head into the election season in El Paso we have a ton on the agenda. In May we will elect a new mayor, and 4 city council seats, many school board postions, and some changes to the city charter.  Since we have had such a goofy couple years in El Paso politics there are a lot of people running and many contests will probably result in run-off elections because noone runs away with the vote. Here are some important dates for you to remember. last date to register to vote - April 11 Early Voting - April 29 - May 7 Election Day - May 11 Runoff election date - June 8 or June 15 For information about voer registration click here   For mayor we have 8 people on the ballot.   Steve Ortega, 35, City Representative, District 7 Jorge Artalejo, 51, substitute teacher Robert Cormell, 44, busi...
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By Rick Snow - Selling El Paso TX, Cool Deals on Hot Real Estate in El Paso, Texas
(EXIT West Realty)
Ok, so you have made a list and checked it twice (this might have been better around Christmas) and now it's time to set your priorities. Your list of wants is important. This is a big decision and a large purchase. Some things, however, are more important than others. You must prioritize. If EVERYTHING is important, then NOTHING is important. Your list says 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, 3 car garage, a swimming pool, tile roof, single story, under $300,000. As of this morning there are no homes in the MLS in El Paso that meet those criteria. If we take out the 3 car garage requirement we find 3 homes that fit. If we add back the 3 car garage and take out the pool we get 5 homes. If I take out the single story requirement we get 13 homes now that meet the criteria. So why make the list to begin ...
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By Rick Snow - Selling El Paso TX, Cool Deals on Hot Real Estate in El Paso, Texas
(EXIT West Realty)
Dear Mr and Mrs Buyer, What is your goal? Is it to find a home that meets your needs or is it to look at houses? Do I sound sarcastic? I don't mean to be. Your time is valuable, just like mine. We can spend our time much more wisely if we prepare and strategize before we climb in the car. Yesterday I talked about doing some research and having realistic expectations. Today let's talk about the buyer's counselling session you should have with your agent before you start looking at homes. Sometimes figuring out what a buyer wants is a little like being a detective. I worked with one couple for 9 months before we found them a house. It was early on in my real estate career and I didn't think we were ever going to find their home. I felt like every time we looked at homes their criteria cha...
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By Rick Snow - Selling El Paso TX, Cool Deals on Hot Real Estate in El Paso, Texas
(EXIT West Realty)
Mama always said, "Real estate is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get."  Okay maybe she didn't really say that, but how true it is. Like the piece of chocolate in the box, we can look at the house from every different angle we can think of, get an inspector to come in and look at it with a different perspective than we have, get an appraiser to come and tell us what he thinks it's worth and yet when we bite into it we find something different than we expected. With the chocolate we can bite off a little piece and if we don't like it we can put it back. (Don't do that with someone else's box) But with a house, if we buy it it's hard to give it back.  So how do we avoid not liking what we've bitten into? Research, realistic expectations and communication. Resea...
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By Rick Snow - Selling El Paso TX, Cool Deals on Hot Real Estate in El Paso, Texas
(EXIT West Realty)
University Medical Center in El Paso is proposing a bond sale to finance the construction of additional outlying clincs in the area.  UMC has been holding a series of public meetings to discuss the issue and Jim Valenti, CEO of UMC has posted a video of one of those presentations. University Medical Center has done fantastic things here in El Paso. The Children's Hospital, the medical school and research facilities and now the satellite clinics around town, providing access to healthcare without the hassle of the main UMC Campus. Thanks to Jim Valenti and the University Medical Center Staff. You can view the video here
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By The Legacy Group, The LegacyGroup of CrossCountry Mortgage
(CrossCountry Mortgage)
The area surrounding El Paso,Texas is great for mortgages to help with your home purchase needs as a result of USDA home Loans.   A down payment option of 0% exists to home buyers searching for home purchases in El Paso,Texas.   A lot of home buyers realize the significance of keeping their cash reserves for other purposes than home down payment. Fortunately, a special USDA loan government program is available that can help with this.   An important part (for several reasons) for home buyers success is post closing reserves.   It is always a good idea for the owner of a home to have 6 months or more of reserves on hand in case of emergencies, so that items can be replaced like oven, disposal, stove, air conditioning/heating and hot water heaters.  Next, many home owners want to purchase...
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By Rick Snow - Selling El Paso TX, Cool Deals on Hot Real Estate in El Paso, Texas
(EXIT West Realty)
I just got home last night from the Texas Association of REALTORS® Winter Meeting in Austin, TX. I attended committee meetings for Professional Standards and Professional Development, attended classes on Property Management and Cloud Computing, and meetings foe the Executive Board and Board of Directors. And last night I went straight from the airport to a TREPAC event here in El Paso. I'm tired. But I am also fired up about the real estate market. One of the speakers I heard a couple times was Dr Mark Dotzour, Chief Economist at the Texas A&M Research Center. Dr Dotzour's insight into the economy and the real estate market never ceases to amaze me. I love listening to him talk, whether the news is good or bad. In this case though Dr Dotzour's assesment is positive. Continued low intere...
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By Rick Snow - Selling El Paso TX, Cool Deals on Hot Real Estate in El Paso, Texas
(EXIT West Realty)
El Paso Spring Home Show -- The home-improvement expo is open through Sunday at the El Paso convention center. Hours: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. Eric Stromer of the HGTV and A&E home-improvement shows will appear at an autograph and photograph session from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Admission is $5.95; $4.95 for seniors and military; free for children younger than 12. Discount admission coupons online at homeshowelpaso.com. 800-756-4788. Downtown walking tour -- The tour of historic sites and public art, including sites scheduled for restoration or demolition, will start at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the El Paso Museum of History, 510 N. Santa Fe. The group will walk for an hour, stop for lunch, then walk for another hour. $5 benefits the El Paso Railroad Museum; disco...
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By Rick Snow - Selling El Paso TX, Cool Deals on Hot Real Estate in El Paso, Texas
(EXIT West Realty)
Wait just a darn minute. What do you mean it's 28 degrees outside? This is January. It's not supposed to be this cold. If I wanted to live in the cold I'd move to....Montana or something. I know, I know I'm whining, but one of the perks to living in the desert is that we typically have mild winters. It's cold now but we'll be back into the 50s next week with lows in the 30s again. I can live with that for a month or so, but I will probably still whine a little when I have to go out. Or I'll try to stay in the sun. Since even when it's cold we typically still have sunny days. I love the weather in El Paso. Low humidity, mild winters (usually) 300+ days of sunshine every year. A golfer's paradise except duriny the windy season. Even during our rainy season you can golf in the mornings bef...
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By Rick Snow - Selling El Paso TX, Cool Deals on Hot Real Estate in El Paso, Texas
(EXIT West Realty)
If you’ve ever dreamed of the Old West then you may want to consider a home purchase in one of El Paso’s historic districts. If the names Billy the Kid, Pat Garrett or Pancho Villa excite you then El Paso’s Sunset Heights Subdivision may be just the place for you. Originally the vision of J. Fisher Satterwaite in the early 1880s, the Satterwaite Addition was the first planned subdivision in El Paso. It wasn’t long before the El Paso and Juarez elite were living on the hills overlooking Downtown El Paso and Juarez, Mexico. In the mid 1890’s Mr. Satterwaite lost the remaining lots due to financial difficulties and the subdivision went through a series of name changes before a 1901 contest by the El Paso Herald, after which it was known as Sunset Heights.   Many prominent families in El Pa...
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