Saturday, August 13, 2016

Looking for a Pet Dog or Cat? Don't Buy ... Rescue!

Looking for a Pet Dog or Cat?
Don't Buy ... Rescue!

Patti Lee Properties, realtor

Here is a photo collage of our happy fur babies! On the left is Charlie, she was given to us about 5 years ago by someone that was going to take them to the pound aka Animal Shelter. She is my daughter's dog and my grand dog aka gram cracker LOL!  She has been a great friend to me through some very rough times. She "sits pretty" when she wants some attention. She does not beg unless you call putting her paws on my leg and laying her head on her paws and then looking up at me with those eyes! I love this dog, she has been amazing. I have spent so much time with her and there were a lot of family and/or emotional issues that we went through and she was such a comfort to me. 

The top right furbaby is Shasta, she I purchased 12 years ago. I have since learned the error of my ways! Not that she isn't a great dog, she is. I love her but I could have saved a dog! Don't get me wrong I wouldn't take for her. She has been a loyal friend as well. She is smart, trainable and yet hard-headed all at the same time. She has an obsession for squeeky toys and balls. Oh my gosh, she would chase these all day long if I would throw them. I remember once when we were trying to collect the multitude of toys from all over the house. We would let her bring one then put it up. Not too long after that, she would bring another and we would put it up. This went on and on until we had a bucket of toys. We were also  in the process of moving and had a few boxes packed waiting to be moved sitting in the corner. In the corner of the ceiling was a plant hook, which I proceeded to hang this bucket of toys from. You can not see any toys in the bucket from below. There were maybe three boxes in corner each box just a little smaller than the next creating a very small ledge. Keep in mind these are nine foot ceilings and the boxes are maybe stacked four feet high. While relaxing one night watching a movie, we heard a crash. We went into the room with "The Bucket" and saw that it was on the floor with all the toys everywhere and the little five-pound wonder dog just chewing away. That hard-headed, little dog got that bucket down! The only way I can figure is she jumped to each ledge even though there was not enough room to land, then got to the top somehow and jumped to hit the bucket to knock it off and then all came tumbling down. She had to have gotten it on the first try or we would have heard her attempting this madness! What a wonderful, crazy, independent little girl!

The third dog is Sadie, she was rescued from our local shelter in Decatur, Texas at the Wise County Animal Shelter. I wish I could find the before photos. I took pictures of her when we walked the line looking at all the soon to be gone babies (People this is a kill shelter!) (sad face). We saw her, she saw us. She had picked us, not the other way around. That was almost 2 years ago. She has been the most loyal, loving, eager to please pet I have ever seen. She is so trainable. She has some quirks like if we hear her howling whether it is her outdoor play time or her "quiet time" in her room, we know to just listen a little longer and we will hear sirens. She hears them way before we do and apparently either loves or hates them. The shelter is not too far from the hospital, so maybe she heard them a lot while on death row at the shelter. Anyway, I haven't had as much time with her as with the other rescue but she has been a lot of fun. She is so smart, I can snap my fingers and she knows to go get on her bean bag bed in her room. What a beautiful fun-loving dog she is. 

People if you have not been to this shelter please go, please rescue first! It is a nice shelter but there is a metal roof. The roof is not insulated and with the concrete floors and nothing to absorb the sound, it is incredible loud! I can not stress enough how loud it is! I can not imagine having to stay in there myself and I don't have bionic hearing like the dogs do. I suspect this definitely affects their demeanor! It would make me crazy! Please help the babies! Plus the shelter does not offer the greatest of hours to adopt, oh sure, if you don't work you can go during the day. If you work the typical 9-5 though, it's hard. I mean you can't go before because there is not enough time to get the dog home and somewhat acclimated before running off to work, so you have to go after and I seem to remember them saying you have to be there by 4! What kind of deal is that? I think they offer some Saturdays though, so please go!!! So although they have become numb (and I guess they would have to in order to work there) they are all these little fur babies have until you come and rescue them!! Please save these babies! Purchasing a "pure" bred dog does not give status or more joy than a rescue pet. We used to raise jack russell terriers, most were really great dogs but there were the occasional quirky one, so it can happen whether pure bred or a rescue. It's cheaper to rescue, not as much training involved as with an eight-week old puppy, it's all around a better experience for you. 
Please know that these statements are just my observations and changes may have been made since I have been there. 

PLEASE RESCUE FIRST! ADOPT A PET AND GIVE THEM A FUR EVER (forever) HOME!!


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Friday, August 12, 2016

Why You Should Hire a Real Estate Professional When Buying a Home!

Why You Should Hire a Real Estate Professional When Buying a Home!


Patti Lee Properties Realtor
Patti Lee, Realtor ... Results that Move You!

Many people wonder whether they should hire a real estate professional to assist them in buying their dream home or if they should first try to go it on their own. In today’s market: you need an experienced professional!

You Need an Expert Guide if You Are Traveling a Dangerous Path

The field of real estate is loaded with land mines. You need a true expert to guide you through the dangerous pitfalls that currently exist. Finding a home that is priced appropriately and ready for you to move in to can be tricky. An agent listens to your wants and needs, and can sift through the homes that do not fit within the parameters of your “dream home.”
A great agent will also have relationships with mortgage professionals and other experts that you will need in securing your dream home. 

You Need a Skilled Negotiator

In today’s market, hiring a talented negotiator could save you thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of dollars. Each step of the way – from the original offer, to the possible renegotiation of that offer after a home inspection, to the possible cancellation of the deal based on a troubled appraisal – you need someone who can keep the deal together until it closes.
Realize that when an agent is negotiating their commission with you, they are negotiating their own salary; the salary that keeps a roof over their family’s head; the salary that puts food on their family’s table. If they are quick to take less when negotiating for themselves and their families, what makes you think they will not act the same way when negotiating for you and your family?
If they were Clark Kent when negotiating with you, they will not turn into Superman when negotiating with the buyer or seller in your deal. 

Bottom Line

Famous sayings become famous because they are true. You get what you pay for. Just like a good accountant or a good attorney, a good agent will save you money…not cost you money.


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What Does Home Mean to You?

What Does Home Mean to You?




Patti Lee Properties
No matter what shape or size your living space is, the concept and feeling of home can mean different things to different people. Whether it’s a certain scent or a favorite chair, the emotional reasons why we choose to buy our own home are, more often than not, the more powerful or compelling ones.
Every year, The Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University conducts a survey to find driving factors behind why Americans decide to buy a home. by 
The top 4 reasons to own a home cited by participants of the survey were not financial. 

1. It means having a good place to raise children & provide them with a good education

From the best neighborhoods to the best school districts, even those without children at the time of purchase may have this in the back of their mind as a major reason for choosing the location of the home that they purchase.

2. You have a physical structure where you & your family feel safe

It is no surprise that having a place to call home with the means for comfort and security is the number two reason.

3. It allows you to have more space for your family

Whether your family is expanding, or an older family member is moving in, having a home that fits your needs is a close third on the list. 

4. It gives you control over what you do with your living space, like renovations and updates

Looking to actually try one of those complicated wall treatments that you saw on Pinterest? Tired of paying an additional pet deposit for your apartment building, or do you want to finally adopt that puppy or kitten you’ve seen online 100 times? Who’s to say that you can’t in your own home?
The 5th reason on the list, is the #1 financial reason to buy a home as seen by respondents:

5. Owning a home is a good way to build up wealth that can be passed along to my family

Either way you are paying a mortgage. Why not lock in your housing expense now with an investment that will build equity that you can borrow against in the future?

Bottom Line

Whether you are a first time homebuyer or a move-up buyer who wants to start a new chapter in your life, now is a great time to reflect on the intangible factors that make a house a home.


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Thursday, August 11, 2016

Thinking of Selling Your House? Pick the Right Agent!

Thinking of Selling Your House? Pick the Right Agent!



Today, more and more sellers are stepping back, taking a look at the advice real estate professionals give them, and asking themselves whether they can trust that advice. And that is exactly what they should do.
The most important question you can ask when you are choosing a real estate agent is whether you feel you can trust them. You must know that they’re giving you great advice, and that they’re going to be able to help you accomplish your family’s goals. You must trust your listing agent enough to allow them to:
  • Handle the liquidation of possibly the largest asset your family has
  • Help set the market value of that asset (get the price right)
  • Set the timetable for the liquidation of that asset
  • Set a fair fee for the services required to liquidate that asset
All four of these require a tremendous amount of trust. They’re going to sell your prized possession, set its value, set a time schedule as to when your family will be able to move, and determine the fee that you’re going to pay to get those three things accomplished. 
You have to trust your agent enough to allow them to help you and your family reach your dreams.
Whether you’re a grandfather up North looking to move to Florida to spend your later years with your grandkids, or a young person who wants to take that job in San Francisco but first has to get your house sold in Chicago, you need an agent you can trust to help you move on with what's important.


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Who Pays What in Closing Costs: By State

Who Pays What in Closing Costs: By State

Texas:  We fall somewhere in between

Across the nation, home buyers can expect to pay about $2,128 in closing costs on their home purchase, based on a $200,000 loan. But Hawaiian home buyers likely will face much heftier costs at closing – the highest in the nation – at $2,655. Pennsylvania home shoppers, on the other hand, typically face the lowest, at $1,837. The latest findings come from Bankrate.com’s survey of average closing costs by state. (Note: The survey excludes discount points, taxes, title fees, property insurance, association fees, interest, and other prepaid items in its calculations.)
“Thanks to the new and improved mortgage disclosures that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau introduced last October, closing cost estimates have become more accurate because they mandate that lenders include all costs ahead of time,” says Holden Lewis, Bankrate.com’s senior mortgage analyst. “This is great for consumers who can now comparison shop with more confidence.”
Bankrate surveyed up to 10 lenders in 50 states and Washington, D.C., in June to gather loan estimates for a $200,000 mortgage for a single-family home with a 20 percent down payment. The costs include fees charged by lenders and third-party fees for services, such as appraisals.
The following states had the highest closing costs:
  • Hawaii: $2,655
  • New York: $2,560
  • North Carolina: $2,409
  • Delaware: $2,358
  • South Carolina: $2,322
  • Connecticut: $2,313
These states had the lowest in closing costs:
  • Pennsylvania: $1,837
  • Wisconsin: $1,863
  • Kentucky: $1,874
  • South Dakota: $1,904
  • Oklahoma: $1,911
  • Missouri: $1,926
View a full breakdown of all states and Washington, D.C., to find the average home buyers pay in closing costs in your area.   Source: Bankrate.com


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