ResalesKaty, Texas Benefits From Location, Weather
Katy, Texas is about 25 miles west of Houston, and is a growing community that is benefiting from new highways, a sub-tropical climate, and new planned communities, say local Realtors.
"Katy is uniquely located within three counties, Fort Bend County, Harris County and Waller County," explains Realtor Margie Kaplan, "Katy is a prime beneficiary of the constantly improving highway network in and around metropolitan Houston. It is strategically located to offer the best of all possible worlds in transportation.
"One of the reasons people love the Katy area is the pleasant subtropical climate," she says. "Situated on the coastal plains of Texas, with relative proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, moderate summer and winter low temperature extremes, the winters are mild and the summers warm and humid. Average daily high temperatures in the summer is in the low 90"s and daily high temperatures in winter average 65 degrees. Gulf winds make summer nights pleasant and snowfall is rare.
"Fort Bend County"s residential real estate market offers a diverse range of products to meet the demands of its expanding population," offers Kaplan. "Master-planned communities account for approximately one-third of the Fort Bend housing market. There are currently 32 planned communities in the county with a minimum planned population of 1,000 residents. The total designed population of the planned communities is 327,165 persons. Over 9,075 acres were announced the past year for development in eight locations throughout the county. Additionally, several of the existing planned communities are continuing to develop, and others are undergoing expansion to address the increased housing demands in Fort Bend County. In 2001, 7,037 homes were sold in Fort Bend County, a 5 percent increase over last year"s numbers, outpacing the surrounding counties in the region."
Says Realtor Rosa Jimenez, "Buying your first home? Make sure you are prepared in today"s market. Homes under 100k are selling at a record pace. You need to make sure you have all your ducks in a row before you head out with your agent, or you will be very disappointed.
Advises Jimenez, "Before you even start looking at homes online, speak to a lender about the pre-approval process. Find out how much money you will need and whether or not you will be needing seller contribution. Also be prepared to make the best offer you can. In some cases this means offering above asking price, in particularly on a home that has been well cared for and has been updated. Don"t take too long deciding on making your offer, if you like it, go for it. It may not be there tomorrow! Our market is experiencing a shortage of homes under 100k that are in "move in" condition."
She suggests, "If you are the seller of a starter home, take the time to spruce it up. A good coat of interior and exterior paint, new or clean carpet and some general updating will net you a much higher price for your home. Your home will fly off the market. Keep in mind that most first-time buyers will not have the funds to do repairs after the purchase and they would much rather pay more for a home in good condition."
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