Texas Pride Realty - We're hiring in Dallas

Do the math! See how would 80/20 or 90/10 commission splits would affect your income?  This is not for everyone! There are plenty of puppy mill agencies out there for agents who don't have the drive to really work at this profession.



Why Texas Pride Realty?  80/20 or 90/10 splits.   Let's do the math and see how would that help you. http://goo.gl/a0Lxee

* We have high ethical standards
* We work as a team, encouraging and supporting each other.
* We train agents one-on-one.
* We have low commissions splits.
* We allow agents to pay their taxes directly at closing.
* We teach you to build YOUR business instead of depending upon the brokerage.
* We don't charge you a monthly fee.

Agent Benefits

* One-on-one mentoring with the Broker
* Broker is a TREC certified instructor
* Commissions are paid at closing
* Online CDA Request & document review
* Your listings posted on 15 company websites
* Listing tours & flyer propagation available
* Personal website with company IDX
* HUD certified broker!

No franchise fees -- No marketing fees

Hiring Agents at Texas Pride Realty

Agents...please stop using this disclaimer!!

I don't know how many times I've seen agents use something like this in the private remarks:
"The buyer is to verify ALL MLS info including, but not limited to schools, taxes, sq. ft., etc. Broker doesn't warranty validity of ANY info or condition of anything on or within property."

It's the responsibility of the listing agent to be accurate and honest in their listings.  It's duty both under the Texas Real Estate License Act and the REALTOR Code of Ethics.  Adding this type of disclaimer just lets me know that the agent isn't trained and doesn't understand the rules and laws of the industry. 

Green Homes - Rainwater collection

I have four 330 gallon rain water containers that are quickly filling up in this rain.  
The tanks are about $100 on Craigslist and many vendors will deliver.  Be sure you know what was stored in them before.  Food grade items only should be used.  I keep these on the far side of the house where they aren't seen.  I feed the water to them using nicer looking 55 gallon rain barrells connected by hoses.  I use the water to fill my pool (it gets chorinated) and to water my landscaping. So 1760 gallons of potential water savings in every one inch rain.  
The cost is nominal and the water is free.   I can also hook these up to a hose and do drip irrigation or attach a small pump and add pressure for a sprinkler.

It's an easy system to install and great for the environment.

 

Photo Phatigue - So many photo apps!!

I have been working hard on my social media profiles and I have to admit that I'm confused by the number of photo sites out there.
Each of them have unique features and reasons to use it but I don't time to post original content to each site.  Which do you prefer and why?  I know Pinterest is great for social media SEO, but there others have their values too.  What are you ideas?

NAGLREP Policy Statement

 Policy Statement of the

Texas Chapter of the National Association

of Gay & Lesbian Real Estate Professionals

Whereas the Texas Association of Realtors (TAR), through its Texas Real Estate Political Action Committee (TREPAC), endorses candidates in local and state-wide elections
* and Whereas TAR and TREPAC pride themselves on a "proven track record of protecting private-property rights, preserving the dream of homeownership, and supporting the vitality of the real estate industry."
* and Whereas the National Association of Realtors (NAR) Code of Ethics Article 10 codifies that "REALTORS® shall not deny equal professional services to any person for reasons of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity." 
* and Whereas Marriage between two consenting adults gives both parties Property Rights of inheritance, homestead, taxation and more which can not be easily replicated in wills, living together agreements or other such documents
* and Whereas TREPAC and TAR take substantial donations from LGBT Agents and affiliated real estate professionals
* and Whereas NAR has issued a Policy Statement against "Religious Freedom" discrimination laws
* and Whereas Texas has the second largest LGBT population second only to California, with Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth, Austin & San Antonio having well established LGBT communities

THEREFORE the Texas Chapter of the National Association of Gay & Lesbian Real Estate Professionals requests the following changes from our local and state Associations of Realtors.
1. Local and State PAC committees will add the following two questions to their candidate interview questionnaire:

The legal state of marriage grants both parties unique and distinct property rights which are difficult to replicate through wills, contracts and other legal devices.  NAR estimates that 66% of home buyers are married couples.  Marriage provides stability for families which builds better communities and improves housing values.  Home sales stimulate the local economy via repairs, improvements and ongoing community involvement. The Realtor Code of Ethics and Federal Fair Housing laws require REALTORS not to discriminate in our real estate practices and hiring.  Do you support Marriage Equality and the Property Rights of gay and lesbian couples?

YES _____ NO _____

Various states including Texas are contemplating “Religious Liberty” laws designed to allow employees with “deeply held religious beliefs” to deny service to LGBT members of the community.  This will include police, fire, ambulance personnel as well as hospital, municipal and service employees, like REALTORS.  These laws allow discrimination against a class of people simply for being who they are.  The Realtor Code of Ethics and Federal Fair Housing require REALTORS not to discriminate in our real estate practices and hiring.  Do you support Religious Freedom Bills which legalize this type of discrimination.

YES _____ NO _____

2. Currently Endorsed Candidates will be informed by TAR & TREPAC about the concerns surrounding anti-Marriage Equality and "Religious Freedom" legislation as it relates to Property Rights and equal service.

3. Candidates who are identified as sponsoring discriminatory bills or activities will have their TREPAC endorsement reviewed or pulled.

4. TREPAC and TAR staff and volunteers will commit to a substantive, ongoing dialog with the leadership of the Texas Chapter of NAGLREP for greater understanding of LGBT Realtor and community issues.

#   #    #

The National Association of Gay & Lesbian Real Estate Professionals (NAGLREP) advocates on behalf of the rights of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender (GLBT) community as it relates to housing and discrimination laws. Specifically, this will require NAGLREP to initiate action and encourage existing efforts amongst the civil rights community, local and state Realtor Associations, and the National Association of Realtors to support fair housing for the GLBT community.
For Further information contact Bob McCranie at Bob@BobMcCranie.com 972-754-0582
------
Related Blogs
Separate But Unequal - Property Rights Are Important to AllFrom the President of the National Association of REALTORS®
Did you realize the Code of Ethics once required discrimination
Code of Ethics Under Attack by RPAC Endorsed CandidatesWould you sell a home to these couples?  You may not have to
Property Rights are Realtor Issues.  Our Candidates Should Agree
The REALTOR Party, Human Rights and the Code of Ethics

Separate and Unequal - Property Rights Are Important to All

 

For many weeks I've been blogging about Marriage Equality and how it applies to Property Rights.
There are many real property laws that kick in via marriage, particularly with a community property state such as Texas.

* If one spouse owns a property, that property belongs to BOTH spouses regardless of who’s name is on the title.

* If I bought a house completely in my name, it would still belong 50/50 to my spouse.  That is not the case if you are not able to marry.

* Furthermore, the laws of intestacy (dying without a Will) are greatly affected as a same-sex partner is NOT considered an heir.

* Let's say I married a man in another state where it was legal and we lived in Texas in a home titled in BOTH of our names.  If I died without a Will, my half would belong to my blood family.   If Texas recognized our out-of-state marriage, my half would belong to my spouse (assuming there are no children involved).

My hope is that the Texas Association of Realtors and Texas Real Estate Political Action Committee (TREPAC) will stop endorsing candidates who are against marriage equality and thus, against our property rights.  The top four endorsed candidates are anti-equality candidates.  If any of the candidates opposed the rights of women to own property or integrated communities, TREPAC would rightfully pull the endorsement.  But being homophobic isn't considered abhorrent enough in society, or our Association, to demand better candidates.

For example, TREPAC endorsed candidate Paul Bettencourt attended and spoke at the Harris County Republican Party’s “Stand for Marriage” news conference — billed as a "Rally Against Sodomite Marriage".  Paul Bettencourt believes that we should be able to vote on Civil Rights and if enough people vote then certain types of people don't have to be equal. TREPAC should represent it's LGBT Realtor Members better than this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKaYGa8bVnw

From the President of the National Association of REALTORS®

This evening I received a call from Steve Brown, President of the National Association of Realtors.  He was between flights but wanted to reach out to me personally and let me know my blogs, conversations and posts about the "Religious Freedom" bills which promote discrimination have been on target.  He wanted to personally read me a statement released from the National Association of Realtors to all state level association presidents concerning these bills:

Steve Brown President National Association of REALTORS®

The Code of Ethics of the National Association of REALTORS® has guided the professional lives of our members for over a century. For the last four decades REALTORS® have embraced the Code's duty to provide equal professional services to all persons. Initially the Code mirrored the federal fair housing law's protective classes of race, creed, sex and country of national origin. Later, as sensitivity to the evils of discrimination increased and laws changed, color, religion, handicap, and familial status were added to Article Ten of the Code to help REALTORS® fully understand and comply with their ethical and legal duties. More recently, the scope of Article 10 moved beyond the requirements of the federal law, adding sexual orientation and gender identity. The REALTOR® leaders of the National Association, as well as REALTORS® nationwide, are deeply troubled by legislation proposed in state legislatures that would, if enacted, expressly authorize discrimination in housing or real estate professional services against individuals and groups. Attempts to authorize and encourage discrimination in housing or real estate services under any banner are ethically wrong and wholly inconsistent with the fundamental principles of the REALTORS® Code of Ethics. It's unquestioned that where the Code of Ethics and the law conflict, the Code must give way to the law. But we will continue to tell the public, and legislators should be on notice, that the Code's duties, which often set a higher bar than law or regulation, do and will continue to prohibit discrimination in providing real estate services despite what the law may permit. The Code of Ethics is the cornerstone on which the REALTOR® organization was built, and REALTORS® will never waver in their heartfelt commitment to equal professional services for all.

I am very proud of the National Association of REALTORS® for taking this very brave and public stand against discrimination.  This statement was reviewed by NAR's Professional Standards Committee and Diversity Committee as well as the NAR leadership team.

Needless to say I was overwhelmed and thankful for Steve's time and personal concern that I understand his clear concern about this issue.

We discussed how NAR and the various state political action committees interact.  NAR can not tell the state PACs whom to endorse, however this statement should make it very clear where the organization stands and what values it places on equality.  Steve encouraged me to use NAR's statement in blogs and posts to spread the word.

My hope now is that the state PAC's will take this statement and enforce it with the various candidates.  I also hope that the large number of LGBT Realtors who have been silently waiting for NAR and TREPAC to change on their own, will now step forward and demand the fulfillment of this policy.

Did you realize that the Code of Ethics once required discrimination?

I've been doing research on the Code of Ethics as it applies to Fair Housing and the new "Religious Freedom" Laws.  I still have a lot to learn, but I found some very intersting details about segregation.

In the late 1910's Protective Covenants became popular as a way of protecting white neighborhoods.  The states were barred from setting specific racial boundaries, but private citizens could.  The Supreme Court case, Corrigan v Buckley, resulted from a 1921 agreement between thirty white persons who owned 25 parcels of land. These individuals agreed that no part of any of these properties would be sold, leased, or given to anyone of African American descent.  The court upheld the rights of property owners to protect their land from being sold to non-whites.

It's interesting to see that the Code of Ethics went even farther.  Even if the land was not protected, Realtors could not sell property to those whose presence was detrimental.

ARTICLE 5 (renumbed from 35) of the Code of Ethics from 1924 to the mid-1950's read:
"A Realtor should not be instrumental in introducing a character or use of property for occupancy by members of any race or nationality or individual whose presence will be detrimental to the neighborhood"



Here's an example: "16. Racial Restrictions:  NO property is said Addition shall at any time be sold, conveyed, rented or leased in whole or in part to any person or persons not of the White or Caucasian race.  No person other than one of the White or Caucasian race shall be permitted to occupy any property in said Addition or portion there of or building thereon except a domestic servant actually employed by a person of the White or Caucasian race where the latter is an occupant of such property."

In 1956, due to the affects of the decision in Shelley v. Kraemer, which struck down protective covenants, like the one above, placed on the land, the COE was amended as follows:
ARTICLE 5 from the mid 1950's to 1974
"A realtor should not be instrumental in introducing into a neighborhood a character of property or use which will clearly be detrimental to the property values in that neighborhood."



While they took out race and national decent, the meaning was still clear.  Fair Housing was not our aim. Realtors who actually disagreed could be fined or removed from the local Board due to selling a property to the wrong person.  Can you imagine someone trying this today?

In 1963, California Legislature passed the Rumford Fair Housing Act which outlawed restrictive covenants and the refusal to rent or sell property on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, marital status, or physical disability.

In reaction to the law, a well-funded coalition of REALTORS and landlords was determined to protect white neighborhoods and property values. They immediately began to campaign for a referendum that would amend the state Constitution to protect property owners' ability to deny minorities equal access to housing. Known as Proposition 14, it was passed by 65 percent of the voters.

In 1964 the US Government passed the Federal Fair Housing Act which has been amended over time to be the great instrument of equality we know today.

(This sounds very familiar as California passed gay marriage, Prop 8 was voted in taking it away by popular election, and now the Supreme Court has set that proposition aside.)

I also discovered that a separate organization for African-American agents.  The National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB) was formed July 29, 1947, making it the oldest minority trade association in America. NAREB was established by African-American real estate professionals as an alternative for African-Americans who were excluded from the National Association of Realtors.

So as I look at the struggle we are having now to protect LGBT clients and realtors by trying to stem the tide of RPAC / TREPAC endorsements to homophobic candidates, I have to realize that change takes time.  It takes advocates and it takes dedication.  And that the steps being taken to stop change have been tried before, and they have failed.

Code of Ethics Under Attack by RPAC Endorsed Candidates (Updated)

Discrimination is a REALTOR issue.  Article 10 of the Code of Ethics requires Realtors to serve everyone equally.  Our endorsed candidates should uphold these ethics, but currently no one is watching as RPAC and TREPAC endorsed candidates who pass laws that allow open discrimination.  The new "Religious Freedom" Bills open the door for agents and other professionals discriminate against anyone with whom they have a "deeply held religious belief", even in violation of Fair Housing and the Realtor Code of Ethics.  And brokers would be powerless to discipline or fire the agent.

 

Mississippi is the latest state to pass a version of the "Religious Freedom" bills and send it to their Governor. Their Governor, Phil Bryant, is an RPAC endorsed candidate who now openly supports discrimination.  RPAC endorsed pastor and Mississippi state representative, Andy Gipson, who advocates stoning LGBT people to death per the Bible, is one of the cosponsors of the bill.

 

(Rep Andy Gipson)

These bills can be found in several states and are working their way across America.  The supporters dub these bills as protecting Religious Freedom, but the end result is that employers and employees serving the public can refuse service to whole classes of people simply if they claim a "Deeply Held Religious Belief" against that group of people.

Currently these laws are aimed at gay and lesbian people.  But the same law could be applied to white people, African-Americans, Asians, Jewish people, Women...just about anyone you didn't like today.

Article 10 of the Realtor Code of Ethics clearly states that REALTORS can not discriminate in their real estate practice nor in their hiring.   However these laws are being passed and supported by REALTOR PAC endorsed Candidates.

Discrimination is a REALTOR issue.  Equal access to housing and home services are REALTOR issues.  Segregation is a REALTOR issue.  We must us our influence and political muscle to fight discrimination.  We must not allow the false cloak of "religious freedom" to allow our Code of Ethics to be compromised and we certainly should not be backing candidates who support and pass such bills.

(Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant endorsed by REALTOR PAC)
Andy Gipson, State Rep, who advocates stoning LGBT people death as per the Bible, endorsed by Realtor PAC
My prior blog...Would You Sell A Home To These Couples...You May Not Have To Soon


This post originally appeared at http://activerain.com/blogsview/4364137/code-of-ethics-under-attack-by-rpac-endorsed-candidates-updated-

Would you sell a home to these couples? You may not have to soon!

A couple walks into your suburban real estate brokerage and wants to look at homes today.  They have new jobs in your city and need a house near good schools.  They need to move quickly and have a pre-qualification worth gold.  Do you sign them up, put them in your car and go?

Well, if the new Religious Freedom bills circulating though many state legislatures are passed, you won't have to, and Article 10 of our REALTOR CODE OF ETHICS would be greatly affected.

These bills state that anyone with a "Deeply Held Religious Belief" can not be compelled to give services to the public.

For Example:
* If there was a Fireman who had a deeply held religious belief against interracial couples that fireman could refuse to put out their house fire.
* If a hotel clerk had a deeply held religious belief against lesbian couples he would not have to provide a room at the Hilton.
* If a REALTOR had a deeply held religious belief against African-Americans that REALTOR would be allowed to deny them showings.
These bills fly in the face of common decently, the REALTOR Code of Ethics and Equal Housing Laws.



The Texas Legislature already has bills like this ready for next session.  Your state may as well.

I believe that RPAC (and in Texas, TREPAC) needs to send a clear message to our endorsed candidates from BOTH parties that discrimination disguised as Religious Freedom will damage our ability to offer equal services to all.  Political Candidates who play with discrimination as an election issue do not deserve our endorsements.  Discrimination hurts families and property values.  Red lining and segregation are antithetical to the American Dream of home ownership.  Our Code of Ethics holds REALTORS to a higher standard and our endorsed candidates should understand that legalized discrimination will not help them gain our PAC money or our endorsements.




This blog post originally appeared at http://activerain.com/blogsview/4349583/would-you-sell-a-home-to-these-couples-you-may-not-have-to-soon-

Property Rights are REALTOR Issues. Our Candidates Should Agree

In August 1996 I met Warren.  We would spend 15 years together building a family and life.  Over years we raised two great kids and bought several properties.  We had mostly normal suburban lives with shopping, homework, jobs and family.

Because we lived in Texas, we knew our relationship would not be recognized by the state.  We drew up wills to cover each other in case the worst happened, but we also knew that conservative judges would have to probate those wills.  In 2003 Texas passed the Defense of Marriage Act and in 2005 the State voters passed an amendment that only marriage between a man and woman was recognized and that anything similar was unconstitutional.   The question would then be, were our wills similar to marriage because they transferred property rights upon death?

Warren and I have owned 7 different properties together, but between us there were no legally established property rights.  Fifteen years together meant nothing.

Marriage provides property rights. 
* One spouse owns a house prior to marriage and the other spouse spends one night in the property, they have rights. 
* When one spouse sells a home the other has to sign for that closing as well
* When purchasing a home both spouses can count towards the income and credit rating for the purchase.
* When one spouse dies the other has immediate rights to the property which can not be superseded by other family members.

I am a professional REALTOR.  LGBT Marriage Equality is a property rights issue, and thus, a REALTOR issue.  My relationship with Warren counted.  It was real.

Texas is a red meat state with politicians who get more votes every time they ring the bell of discrimination.  It draws out voters when you tell them others are trying to take something away from them.  But discrimination is wrong.  It is antithetical to the American dream and the Code of Ethics. Discrimination destroys families, communities and property values.  Texas won't change over night, but our PAC can be an important catalyst for protecting the property rights of our LGBT Realtors and neighbors.

I want our PAC to put the issue of Marriage Equality in front of candidates before giving out endorsements.  If they see a 90,000 person PAC ask for their position on the issue, they will understand its importance.  Texas candidates may not agree with the issue but at least they should be asked the question.  LGBT Realtors like myself should no longer be second class members of our associations as our property rights issues get ignored.


This post originally appeared at http://activerain.com/blogsview/4349579/property-rights-are-realtor-issues-our-candidates-should-agree

Property Rights for the LGBT Community...these are REALTOR issues

On Friday I had a quick conversation with Mark Lehman of the Texas Association of Realtors concerning LGBT Property Rights as they relate to Marriage.  He was very receptive as were my friends at the Collin County Association of Realtors.  Mark wanted some follow up information so here's what I sent him.
_________________________________________

Mark

We spoke Friday concerning TREPAC and TAR Endorsements.  You were going to send me a list of LGBT candidates TAR has supported,  I wanted to write you with some further information.  I am a member of the National Association of Real Estate Professionals (NAGLREP).  NAGLREP is responsible for getting Article 10 of the Code of Ethics changed to include Sexual Orientation and now Gender Identity. 

I believe that anti-gay marriage legislation and the recent Denial of Service bills floating through the various states are REALTOR issues.  Endorsing homophobic candidates who use LGBT issues to rally their base is not only personally insulting as a member of the Association, it damages our property rights.  

Let's start with Marriage:

Marriage provides property rights. 
* One spouse owns a house prior to marriage and the other spouse spends one night in the property, they have rights. 
* When one spouse sells a home the other has to sign for that closing as well
* When purchasing a home both spouses can count towards the income and credit rating for the purchase
* When one spouse dies the other has immediate rights to the property which can not be superseded by other family members.

I was with my partner 15 years and we had to pay lawyers a couple thousand dollars to create wills, life estates and other documents to simulate marriage, all the time knowing that those documents were only as good as the conservative judge who would review them if they were ever needed.  Judges can throw out these documents because the Defense of Marriage Act  (DOMA) requires that any document that is "similar to marriage" is illegal, only marriage can be considered valid.  On the whole, these document simulate marriage so a judge could through them out and deny my partner rights to our property.

Marriage rights are not debatable.  According to NAR's 2013 Profile Of Home Buyers and Sellers, 66% percent of recent home buyers were married couples—the highest share since 2001.  Married people buy homes.    Also they note: "Married couples who purchased a home have the advantage of more buying power and added financial stability—their typical household incomes are higher than single households"

Religious Freedom / Denial of Service Bills:
These bills, on their face, are absolutely discriminatory.  It's a return to Separate But Equal Jim Crow style laws. Any person with a "deeply-held religious belief" could deny service to LGBT people.  Some of the bills include Police, Fire and Emergency personnel.   Imagine an ambulance shows up to an emergency and the EMT decides that due to his religious beliefs he's not going give life-saving services to your family member. 

Kansas has stalled their bill in the senate.
Arizona raced the their bill through both house and Jan Brewer finally vetoed it.
Mississippi has passed their bill through both houses and it's going to their Governor to sign.

I suspect that this type of bill will be introduced in the Texas Legislature when it starts back up this year.  And most likely it will be endorsed and supported by TREPAC Endorsed members. 

This law flies in the face of Article 10 of the Code of Ethics.  We should let our endorsed candidates know that this will damage the reputation of Texas and will hurt property values as LBGT buyers will look elsewhere. 

I look forward to talking with you further when you have time.  I would very much like to help advance these concerns so that LGBT Realtors are better represented by TREPAC and so that property rights or LGBT citizens of Texas are protected like everyone elses.

Bob McCranie,Broker / Owner
Texas Pride Realty
972-754-0582 cell
www.BobMcCranie.com
Information About Brokerage Services -  http://tinyurl.com/TPR-IABS

Get your KIDS home SAFELY

We all tell our kids that if they're at a party and their friends have been drinking, don't ride with them.

Here's a great suggestion, put the UBER app on their phone.  UBER is a car service that uses the GPS on your phone to schedule rides right away, 24 hours a day.  If you open the app on their phone you can show them how to summon a car to pick them up.  Tie the app to your credit card and your daughter or son won't need cash to get home.

So many kids don't want to call mom or dad and admit they were partying too hard or that their friends are in trouble.  But we want them to get home and be safe.  This is a great way to be sure they get home.

My son's car after a drunk driver hit him in 2010.  He was not drinking.  He is fine, but if the other driver had used UBER or taken another ride he would not have endangered my son.


Here's their website.  There are apps for Android and iPhone.

A Checklist for Preparing the Home for Inspection

Here is a simple list for Sellers whose homes are on the market.  Get ready for the inspection early.  If you want, you can have pre-listing inspection done so that you know what to expect.  Talk to you real estate professional to see what they suggest.  Check us out at www.TexasPrideRealty.com for more tips and information.
Exterior
• Be prepared with any documentation or repair records for additions and improvements.
• All exterior doors should be accessible.
• All door locks should be operable.
• Remove debris from gutters & downspouts.
• Trim shrubs away from the foundation
• Clean your windows!  Any window that is dirty can be considered "Fogged" and could be called out as a problem.

Interior
• All interior areas should be accessible
• Crawl space & attic access should be clear
• Remove as many belongings from rooms & closets as possible.
• Have fixtures in working order and all repairs made.
• Utilities need to be on.  Agents and inspectors will not turn them on for you.

Electrical
• The electrical panel needs to be accessible to the inspector.
• Be sure all light bulbs are working so that switches can be accurately tested.
• Be sure everything is up to code. If you have any questions, have a qualified professional check it out.   
Plumbing
• To prevent any water damage, fix or let the inspector know about any leaks prior to inspection.
• Fix those leaks asap!
   
Heating & Air Conditioning
• Install a clean air filter & vacuum all vents and returns.
• Consider having the unit cleaned and serviced, especially if it has been awhile since the unit was last serviced.
• Maintain all repair invoices
   
Fireplace & Chimney
• Consider having the fireplace and chimney cleaned by a chimney-sweep before the inspection, especially if it has been awhile since it was last cleaned.
• If your house has gas logs, you will need a damper block installed which is low cost item.
   
Pets
• It is best to remove pets from the home during inspection both for the sake of the inspector and the protection of the pet. Doors and gates can often be left open which could lead to a lost pet, especially with strangers in the home. Garages & backyards are not good alternatives.

New listing in Carrollton Texas - Corner Lot 3/2/2 priced at $170,000

Check out this great new listing for Texas Pride Realty

 2223 Trinity Springs , Carrollton, TX 75007

Your best advocate when buying or selling your home

Map

Photos:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Description:

Heres a home with enough rooms and yard to please everyone. 3 bedrooms, 2 baths. The dining room fits your largest table. Kitchen has double ovens and radiant cooktop. 33 foot covered patio lets you enjoy summers under the shade. BBQ for backyard party and have plenty of room. Lots of possibilities and space to use. Backyard also has shed for storage. Located near shopping & schools. Easy access to 190, 35 and the Dallas North Tollway.

Details:

• Beds 3
• Baths 2
• Square Feet 1769 per tax
• Price $170,000
• Lot Size Less Than .5 Acre (not Zero)
• Year Built 1980
• Schools SHEFFIELD
• Status Active

Features:

• Patio Covered
• Cable TV Available
• High Speed Internet Available
• Paneling
• WasherDryer Included

Contact Info:

• Contact Bob 972-754-0582

My Electrical Usage - Year End Results

As some of you may know I help clients retrofit existing homes to be green.  I teach a course on Green Practices and in 2010 I was an NAR EverGreen Award winner
I wanted to update my annual energy usage chart.  My log-term goal is to have solar or wind energy generation on my property.  But to make it cost effective, I need to reduce my usage.  So I track my electrical usage every month and put together my annual figures.



Over the years we have reduced our electrical usage by 41%.  To do this we installed
* 16 Seer HVAC units,
* R50 Insulation with radiant barrier
* Triple-pane windows
* Solar water heating
* Solar clothes drying
* Two-speed pool pump
* LED lighting throughout.
There have been set backs but much progress.  Right now, however, it seems right now I may have reached a plateau.  During the last 12 months I did have a roommate who used the dryer extensively which ran up the usage.  We also had an excessively hot summer.  So my goal is to take conservation to the next level.  I'm not quiet sure what that will be but as soon as I figure it out I'll let you know.
Follow my GREEN BLOG at www.facebook.com/DallasGreenStreets

My previous Green ActiveRain blogs can be found below
Collin County Association of Realtors Goes Green
http://activerain.com/blogsview/3704302/the-collin-county-assocation-of-realtors-goes-greener
CFL Bulbs. Ours lasted 7 years
http://activerain.com/blogsview/2319271/do-compact-florecent-bulbs-really-last-try-seven-years-
SolaTube Installation at Texas Pride Realty
http://bobmccranie.blogspot.com/2010/03/let-there-be-light-solatube.html
Installing R50 Insulation & Radiat Barrier in our attic
http://bobmccranie.blogspot.com/2010/05/upgraded-our-insulation-to-r50-this.html

You really have to watch your mail...

After you purchase your new home your mail box will fill up with ads and letters from all sorts of vendors.  Many of them will try to make you think that your Realtor, Lender, Inspector, Title person, Mother, Father and Great Uncle wanted you to use their service.  Everything from flooring, window coverings, loan insurance, home insurance, cable tv, home security, and more -- Each of them want you to use them and try to use our names to show they are a reliable source. 

Texas is a Non-Disclosure state.  The official deed shows that for "Ten Dollars and other consideration" you purchased the property at 123 Main Street.  The other consideration is $150,000 other dollars but no one records that in the Deed.  Now, the Note the creates the lien against the property does show the amount of the lien and sometimes you can play the percentages and guess what the sales price was.  But it's only a guess.


Here are some samples that my client sent me recently.  You'll notice they have the correct name of the lender but little else is accurate.  And they show in the little highlighted box that they are not from the lender at all.   I've tried to remove any personal information.  You'll see that it appears to be from the Lender or the Title Company.

This last one wants the buyer to pay over $80 for a copy of their deed.  The Title Company should send you this after closing for free but certainly you should never pay $80 for a document you can get for less than $5.

If you ever have questions, the best bet is to contact your real estate professional directly to find out what is real and what is fake.

-- Bob McCranie
Texas Pride Realty