Why You Should Use a Realtor

All realtors® are not the same. While realtors® are committed to treat all parties to a transaction honestly, they have a fiduciary responsibility to the party they represent, i.e. buyer or seller. Realtors® subscribe to a strict code of ethics and are expected to maintain a higher level of knowledge of the process of buying and selling real estate. An independent survey reports that 84% of home buyers would use the same Realtor® again.

Real estate transactions involve one of the biggest financial investments most people experience in their lifetime. Transactions today usually exceed $100,000. If you had a $100,000 income tax problem, would you attempt to deal with it without the help of a CPA? If you had a $100,000 legal question, would you deal with it without the help of an attorney? Considering the small upside cost and the large downside risk, it would be foolish to consider a deal in real estate without the professional assistance of a realtor®.

But if you're still not convinced of the value of a Realtor®, here are more reasons to use one:

1. Your Realtor® can help you determine your buying power.

2. Your Realtor® has many resources to assist you in the selection process by providing objective information about each property (local community information on utilities, zoning, schools, etc.).

3. Your Realtor® is skilled in negotiating. There are myriad negotiating factors, including but not limited to price, financing, terms, date of possession and often the inclusion or exclusion of repairs and furnishings or equipment.

4. Your Realtor® provides due diligence during the evaluation of the property. Depending on the area and property, this could include inspections for termites, dry rot, asbestos, faulty structure, roof condition, flooding, septic tank and well tests, just to name a few. Your REALTOR® can assist you in finding qualified responsible professionals to do most of these investigations and provide you with written reports.

Courtesy of NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

Your Realtor,

Jenny Vargas
Broker Associate, CNE
281.948.2951
Jenny@MyPlaceinHouston.com

Oak Forest

My all time favorite neighborhood in Houston. I am so grateful to have bought a home in this area b/c I instantly fell in love w/ it. I had seen it growing up b/c I worked just down the street but never really thought much about it & never realized the potential & how unbelievably close it was to EVERYTHING. Oak Forest is like nothing else (well close in amenities & Inner Loop like Idylwood & of course gorgeous Garden Oaks) & its still affordable. Plus, there are lots of people that have lived in this neighborhood forever (& don't want to leave) & are astonished at all the changes. Homes are relatively small 2-3 bedrooms, 1 bath but many are remodeled & have been added on to or have been torn down & completely rebuilt. So you can pretty much find anything you are looking for, old to new, small to large, etc. The neighborhood was started in the 1940's & now has over 5,000 homes and over 24k residents. The neighborhood is super charming & inviting w/ lots of large, shading trees, parks everywhere & bike/walking trails. Not only is Oak Forest right outside of the loop (literally less than 5 minutes) but its close to many major freeways - 610, i10, 290 and 45. You can take back ways anywhere from here, that's great for those of us who like to avoid traffic. Houses usually contain hardwood throughout & since are typically small the lot is enormous & keeps you a good distance from neighbors. Lots are typically 7,000sf & deed restrictions don't allow you to combine lots so this has helped keep the integrity of the size.

Oak Forest has grown and there is a lot to keep you in the neighborhood when it comes to shopping & convenience & service: a Signature Kroger, tanning salon, all the banks, a credit union, Dollar Store, Dollar General, Palais Royal, a new Ross, Walgreens, CVS, antique shops, Bally's, hair salons, nail salons, Massage Envy, churches & liquor store. Not to mention on the other side of the freeway (610) you have Memorial hospital, Lowes & Home Depot. If you keep going down 34th headed to 290 you will find a vast array of options, restaurants, Randalls & smaller grocery stores, Sonic, Jason's Deli, Radio Shack, Citi Trends, shoe stores, Starbucks, TMobile, Academy, Luby's and a few more things, you name it, we got it.

When it comes to food, you can get almost any fast food off of Ella - McDonald's, Arby's, Taco Bell, KFC, Burger King, & pizza etc. Mom & pop shops in the area: Doyle's, Raznovsky's Hamburgers, Mexican restaurants, & Chinese etc. Newer places in Oak Forest include: Baskin Robbins, Plonk, El Rey, & many more!

Come by Oak Forest or learn more below...
For more information visit www.jennyvargas.com
For the wiki definition: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oak_Forest,_Houston
HOA is voluntary, but for more info visit: http://www.ofha.org/our_community.html

Regards,
Jenny Vargas
Resident of Oak Forest
Realtor, CNE
281.948.2951
Jenny@MyPlaceinHouston.com