Homeowners, Windstorm, & Flood Insurance – What You Need To Know
When you purchase a house what is one sure way to protect your investment? Insurance. If you are financing you are required to have insurance on the property, but lets break down the main insurance policies you will see as a home buyer in Houston.


Windstorm Insurance

Windstorm insurance is a big deal down here. We live very close to the coast and deal with hurricanes or tropical storms often. But are you required to have windstorm insurance if you are in Houston? It all depends on the county the property is located in. If the county is considered a coastal county, then the lender will require you to carry windstorm insurance. The coastal counties in the Houston region are Galveston county and Brazoria county. So if you find a property you want to make an offer on and it’s in either of those two counties, be prepared to pay for windstorm insurance.

So how much does windstorm insurance cost?
Just depends on the value and age of the home, and where it is located. Also, who you decide to have your policy though makes a difference as well. I can tell you for about a $250k home you are looking around $1,200 annually. Again, there are too many factors at play, so it is best to speak with your insurance agent about getting quotes.

Flood Insurance

Ever since Hurricane Harvey wreaked havoc in the Houston region, the potential for flooding has left many consumers scarred. Although the concern for flooding is starting to dwindle again, the threat still remains. If you find yourself wanting to purchase a home in a flood zone, it’s a good idea to check if the property is a habitual flooder. If it only flooded once, let’s say during Harvey then you might be okay. Harvey poured biblical amounts of rainfall over Houston and the entire city was pretty much under water. Even properties that have never flooded nor where they in a flood zone. Truly was once in a lifetime storm (At least we hope!). Now if a property has flooded multiple times, then that could raise some areas of concern. But ultimately it’s what you are comfortable with.


So how much does flood insurance cost?
Well this all depends on if your property is located in a flood zone or not, the elevation of the structure, and the property’s value. If it’s not located in a flood zone, the policy is somewhere around $600-$700 annually. If you are in a flood zone, It will be more expensive and your insurance agent would have to give you a quote. You don’t have to get flood insurance if you aren’t located in a high risk zone, but if you are, the lender will require it. Regardless, it’s still great to have just in case another storm like that ever happened again – God forbid.


General Homeowners Insurance

Basic homeowners insurance is a must have no matter what. You are going to spend 100s of thousands on a house, why not protect your investment? Let’s review quickly what typical policies cover.

The Dwelling Itself – This is self-explanatory. Covering the inside and outside of the home, the main structural components of a house.

Content – covers personal items that are not part of the dwelling. Like clothes, furniture, firearms, jewelry, etc..

Personal Liability – protects you if an accident were to happen inside the home or on the property that injures someone or damages something.

Medical Expenses – covers someone’s medical bills if they were injured on your property.

Loss of Use – coverage for additional living expenses if you are unable to reside in your home because of a total loss.

What factors are considered when determining the costs of homeowners insurance?
Well there are several actually! Location, type of construction materials used, the age of the house, if the property has a pool or not, and the type of coverage the consumer wants. I would advise you to speak with your insurance agent to provide you a quick quote on the property you are considering to purchase. If you need recommendations, let us know!


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What Is A Leaseback In Houston Real Estate?

So you are buying a house in the Houston area and the sellers request a leaseback. But what exactly does that mean for you? Let’s dive in!

Leaseback Explained

A leaseback is when the seller conveys ownership of a property but will lease the property from the buyer after closing for a short period of time. The Seller becomes the tenant, the buyer becomes the landlord. Don’t worry though, it’s short term and usually a few days to a couple weeks. But why would the seller request a leaseback?

Why A Seller May Ask For A Leaseback

The most common reason someone will request for a leaseback is simply because they need more time to vacate the property and move on to their next location. Maybe they aren’t closing on their new house for a couple weeks after you buy this one. Or maybe they are renting a new house but the lease doesn’t start for a couple weeks after you close. Without the leaseback and your gracious understanding, the seller would have nowhere to go; basically homeless for a bit. But you have a schedule to abide by, they can’t just throw this at you last minute right? Keep reading.

When Should A Seller Ask You For A Leaseback?

Everyone has a schedule and things to do. If a seller needs a leaseback this should have been brought up before the buyer and seller sign a contract. If not shortly after. Any reasonable person knows something like this can’t be brought up last minute. Especially if you, the buyer, have already made your own arrangements.



What Are Your Options?

You can accept, deny, or negotiate terms. It really all depends on the circumstances and this is something you should speak with us or your agent about. They will be able to tell you if anything is unusual, the risks involved, and whether or not to negotiate terms if anything seems excessive. To me, anything 30 days or over for free is excessive. But every situation is different. Speaking of free, do you charge the seller for a leaseback?

Do You Charge The Seller For A Leaseback?

A renter would normally pay their rent at the end or beginning of each month but this isn’t like that. You can choose to have the seller pay for each day they remain in the house or not. I will say if it’s only a few days, it’s customary not to charge them for it. But if it’s a month or longer, than yeah. You need to charge them a day rate. You have a new mortgage to pay for so what I would do is take your monthly payment and divide by 30. That gives the day rate the previous owners need to pay. Of course, all of this is negotiable and it’s up to you and the seller to agree on what’s reasonable.

Make Your Preparations Accordingly

Under normal circumstances you would be moving in the day of closing or shortly after. But not this time. Since you signed a leaseback you won’t be moving in until the previous owner moves out. So, make all your preparations accordingly. Schedule movers, appliance delivery, utilities, cable and internet for when the leaseback ends. Maybe not the day of, because you should make sure the property is still in good condition once the previous owner vacates the property.

Final Word

A leaseback is very common and normal. Simply put, the sellers just need a little more time to move out for various reasons. At the end of the day, it’s up to you on what you see as reasonable or excessive and how you and your real estate agent want to handle it. Give us a shout if you have any questions!

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When you buy a house you will more than likely have an inspection done. And if you don’t know what you’re looking at you could feel overwhelmed or nervous to the point you want to back out. In this video and article we will break down reviewing the inspection report, what to be concerned about, and how to ask the seller for repairs.

When Do You Get An Inspection Done?

As a home buyer you may be wondering when is the right time to get an inspection on the house before you purchase it. And this is done during what’s called your ‘Option Period’. Once you and the seller sign a contract to purchase, you will typically have an option period that will last around 7-10 days. Depending on how the contract was written. Time is of the essence here and inspectors could be backed up, so it’s important to get an inspection scheduled right away. Ideally right after all parties have signed the purchase contract and your earnest money and option fee have been delivered to the title company.

How Long Does A Home Inspection Take?

This all depends on the person inspecting the property. But on average they are probably there around 3 hours. Note that it is well within your rights to be there but most buyers will either wait to see the report or show up when the inspector is nearly finished. Once they are finished with the inspection you won’t see the report until the next day at the earliest.

How Long Is The Inspection Report?

The length of the report is determined by how many items or defects the inspector found. What we have seen is the newer the home the shorter the report. The older the home, the longer the report. That’s not to say one is better than the other, it’s just there are usually less items on a new construction home than a home built in the 70’s. Don’t panic If you received a super long report, we will cover that in a moment.


What’s Covered In A Home Inspection Report?

As I mentioned earlier the inspector will note any deficiencies regarding the house. But they will look at the entire house from inside out, top to bottom. They check major items such as the roof, HVAC, foundation, electrical, plumbing and windows. They also check for any interior cosmetic issues like flooring, cabinets, doors, mold growth or moisture issues. You name it. Literally everything. It’s important to note here that inspectors are humans and humans can make mistakes. Although an inspector will be as thorough as possible they can miss something.

What To Be Concerned About

An inspection report can seem overwhelming, especially to a first time home buyer. This is why it’s absolutely crucial to hire the right agent that understand construction and knows what they are looking at. Whether it’s us or someone else, make sure your agent is knowledgeable on this topic.

As I mentioned earlier there will be a lot on the report to review. You and your real estate agent should go over the entire report together and pick and choose items that are most concerning to you. What we are looking for are major defects in the house that simply can’t be ignored. Not a dent in drywall or something minor like that, which the report will be filled with minor items like it.

Once we have identified any items that we would like to be addressed, we start making our list to provide the seller and their agent.

Negotiating Repairs
Once we have a list of repairs we would like the seller to complete, we send this off to the sellers agent in the form of a legal document that you sign. Keep in mind, it’s up to the sellers to agree, disagree, or counter our request. Let’s review those 3 possible outcomes..

Sellers Agree:
This is the best possible outcome for you. It means they have accepted all of your repair requests and will get them complete before you take ownership.

Sellers Disagree:
This is the worst possible outcome for you. The seller decided it’s not worth repairing the items you requested. If they won’t budge, it’s up to you to decide if you want to move forward with the deal or not. Or perhaps removing some items from the list and resend.

Sellers Counter:
The sellers are willing to do some repairs but not all them you requested. It’s best for you and your agent to review the items they have agreed to and gauge your comfortability moving forward. There are couple ways to negotiate repairs. You could ask the seller to come down on the sales price to compensate for the difference it would cost you, or you can ask them to contribute money towards your closing cost in lieu of any repairs. I like less money out of pocket to close so in my opinion this is the best route. But you ultimately make that decision.

When Will Repairs Be complete?
If you and the seller can reach an agreement on repairs, they need to be done before closing. When we do our final walkthrough, you and I will physically verify they have been completed. If they haven’t been completed then we have some problems the seller needs to address quickly or closing will be delayed.

We understand buying a house in Houston can seem overwhelming, especially if it’s your first time. Which is why we created a Houston Home Buyers Guide to help you along the way.

What Is It?

This guide explains the home buying process from start to finish. Most home buyers are unaware of the process and how long it takes to buy a house in Houston or the hoops you have to jump through to get to closing. By creating this downloadable guide, our hope is to shine some light on the entire process.

When Would You Use It?

Don’t look at this guide as a one and done kind of thing, like a book. Think of it as something you can always look back to should you have any questions throughout the process.

Where To Download It

You can find the link on our main buyer resource page. Just click on the link and the guide will be sent to your email immediately. Best of all, its FREE.

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Filing for a Texas homestead can save you quite a bit of money here in Houston. Texas property tax is high enough as it is because we don’t have state income tax. So every bit of savings you can get adds up quickly! But what exactly is homestead? Who qualifies?

What Is A Homestead Tax Exemption

A homestead is a property that is owned in the form of a manufactured home, single family, or condominiums that is your principle residence. It can also include up to 20 acres of land. Filing for homestead exemption removes part of your homes value from being taxed; meaning you pay lower property tax.

For example let’s say your home is worth $300,000 and you qualify for the mandated school tax reduction of $25,000. You will only pay school taxes as if the property is worth $275,000 instead of $300,000.

What Homestead Exemptions Are Available?

There are several of exemptions that you may be eligible to qualify for. Let’s review them.

School Taxes: Homestead owners are allowed a $25,000 reduction from their homes value for school taxes as mentioned above.

County Taxes: If a county you reside in collects special tax for Fm roads or flood control, you are allowed a $3,000 tax reduction.

65 or Older & Disabled Person Exemptions: In addition to the $25,000 exemption you receive for school taxes, if you are 65 years or older or a disabled person you can qualify for $10,000 on top of the $25,000.


Does Every Home Qualify For Homestead Exemptions?

No. Only a homeowners principle residence qualifies. So you can’t homestead your secondary home, investment property or vacation rentals.

How Do I File And When Is The Deadline?

You need to fill out the Application for Residential Homestead Exemption and submit all supporting documentation to the appraisal district where the property is located. If you are in the Houston region that could mean several different counites. Harris, Galveston, Fort Bend, and Brazoria are the major counites here. I will provide the links below to each county’s appraisal district.

To get approved for homestead exemption you need to submit the completed application and required documents no later than April 30th of the tax year you are applying. Don’t worry though, this is one and done. You won’t have to keep applying every year. The Homestead will stay with you until it is no longer your primary residence.

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It’s becoming increasingly difficult every day to find the perfect house for home buyers because of the housing shortage. Inventory is so low, buyers are tearing each other apart and sellers are getting multiple offers within minutes of going on the market. But what are some creative ways you can find the perfect house no one else can? How do you find off market homes for sale? Watch the video and keep on reading for a more in depth look.

Terminated & Expired Listings

When things get tough in a low inventory market, tough times call for creative measures. This is where terminated listings and expired listings can help out a home buyer in today’s market. A terminated listing is when a homeowner and agent have decided to remove the listing from the market for various reason, and an expired listing happens when the house did not sell for whatever reason. Even some of the best houses don’t sell the first time around. It happens. Maybe the market was different then.

But how does this help you? Well, the agent you hire has access to this information. You know the location where you want to buy a home right? So have your agent, whether it’s us or someone else, pull the data in that area. You can even go back years in the past if you want to! The idea here is to see what didn’t sell back then and pick the ones you’re interested. After we come up with a list, your agent will then make contact with the homeowners to see if they would be interested in selling their house again.

If the owner doesn’t have to go through the whole process of listing again, they may be up for it. This is a great way to find your house especially in a super low inventory market.

For Sale By Owners

Finding a house listed by owner is another avenue to explore. But tread with caution. Most FSBO’s we normally come across are asking way more than their property is worth, which is probably why only 8% of all homes sold nationwide were sold by owner (According to NAR). Most end up listing with a realtor, but if you can catch a FSBO that’s priced correctly or even below market value it could be worth your while.
Comin Soon & Agent Sphere

Working with a Houston real estate agent has its perks. Our MLS has something called ‘Coming Soon’ that’s not available for the public to view. So if there is a coming soon in the area you are looking in, your agent should know about it.

And don’t underestimate an agents sphere. An established agent more than likely has connections with other agents and can ask around what they all have coming up in the area. Maybe their seller doesn’t want to go on the market and prefers to sale privately. Who knows, but at least you can get ahead of the game.

Wholesalers & Investors

These guys work with off market properties all the time. Your agent should have contacts in the investing world and be able to see what properties these guys have under contract ready to sell. Keep in mind though, most of the houses they have will need some work. As they normally sell to investors who like to flip houses. Speaking of house flippers, they may be nearing the end of a project so it’s worth pursuing if they would consider a private sell.

Another avenue to explore are investors who buy and hold; Landlords. If the tenants lease is about to expire they may be interested in selling to free up some capital. Worth a shot!

Direct Owner Contact

If you have narrowed down a specific neighborhood, drive around and note any potential homes you would be interested in looking at. Save the addresses and give them to your agent. They will be able to track down the owners and make contact with them. This method is less effective than others, but desperate times calls for desperate measures!

Narrowed Down To One Neighborhood

If you have narrowed your search to one neighborhood this a great way to find any potential sellers that aren’t on the market yet. No need to drive around like the last method. Your realtor can simply write a letter explaining your needs and criteria and send it off to every last house in the subdivision. You would be surprised how many people may call back! And all It really takes is one seller to match you up with.




Final Word:

Low inventory is a tough market for a buyer and can be extremely frustrating. Use some of these unorthodox methods to help your search. Who you hire also matters…so make sure the agent you decide to hire, If it’s our team or someone else, puts in the same effort you do. Hope this article and video gave you some awesome tips to work with. Reach out to our team if you have any questions and share this article with someone you think it could help too!

Think of a home warranty like your cars warranty from a dealership. If something happens after you purchase a new car you can get it repaired if the car is still under warranty. It’s the same way with a house. But is it worth it? Let’s find out!

What Is A Home Warranty?

A home warranty is a service contract that covers the expenses to replace or repair certain items and appliances within the home. Some example of coverage can include your washer, dryer, fridge, dishwasher, electrical, plumbing, roof, and probably the most important – the HVAC system.

How Does It Work?

It’s just like any normal insurance policy. You have a premium to pay to get the coverage. If an issue arises with the home like HVAC issues for example, then you would make a call to the home warranty company and file a claim. They would then send out a service technician to diagnose the issue and make the determination if the something needs to be repaired or replaced. Most of the time they will just repair the item, so don’t expect a full blown replacement unless it’s absolutely necessary.

Keep in mind, the item you are claiming needs to be fixed has to fall under what’s covered in the warranty package you chose.

How Much Does It Costs?

The cost of a home warranty all depends on the package and add-ons you choose, but on average home warranties costs around $600. When you purchase a house you can opt to have this paid for at closing. In addition, you can also continue to re-up every year thereafter.

One thing to consider when deciding if purchasing a home warranty is worth it or not, are the service charges when you make a claim. Each company is different but expect to pay $75 to $125 for each visit a technician makes after you file a claim. So if your microwave stops working, unless it’s made of gold, just go buy another one!

Are Home Warranties Worth It?

In our opinion, it all depends on the condition and age of the home and it’s appliances. If you are purchasing a new construction home than it may not be worth paying $600 for a warranty when you will have a builders warranty and manufactures warranty.

However, if you are the least bit concerned about the performance of an HVAC unit and it’s getting up there in age, than maybe you should consider purchasing a home warranty to be on the safe side. To each their own!

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Staging your home not only helps the buyer visualize themselves calling your house their home, but it helps sell your house fast and for more money. Staging your house will showcase the beauty of the property and deliver a fantastic showing experience.

Sell The Space
When you stage your vacant house, buyers will see your home in a fresh way that’s difficult to imagine themselves. Thoughtfully furnished rooms will showcase the property like a new model home. Even though the use of space may be impractical for some, the idea is to sell the space that’s available. Make the flow of the home feel natural.

82% of buyers can visualize themselves living their lives in the home and not the sellers when it’s staged properly. Staging also gives buyers that warm and cozy feeling vs. an empty house that puts off an ‘abandoned’ vibe.

If you are occupying the home, than you still need to consider working with a stager. When you sign a listing agreement with our team, we pay for a stager to meet with you and go through the whole house together. They will let you know what you should remove, pack up, declutter, paint, and what to move around to make better use of the space.

The goal is the same for all listings – get the seller the highest price possible in the least amount of time. Staging is one surefire way to make that happen!

Cluttered Photography

This part is for the sellers who still occupy the property. Don’t think of staging just for a vacant home. Staging also applies to occupied properties. As I mentioned a second ago, the stager will meet with you and let you know what you should do to get the property picture ready. One of my favorite sayings from our stager is “Less = More”. The less stuff you have out, the better it looks. Think of a model home for example, there’s not much laying around!

Most buyers today find their home online, I’m sure that’s no surprise to you. But it’s imperative we achieve the best look for photography. If the house seems cluttered buyers may not give your listing the time of day and go visit the one down the street. So do the best you can and listen to the stagers advice. We want clean, crisp, beautiful photos to showcase your house like it deserves.

Virtual Staging Vs. Real Staging

There are pros and cons to each, but you can’t ever beat the real deal if your house is vacant. Real staging provides an excellent showing experience to prospective buyers. Not just how pretty the house looks online. For an average sized house in Houston, real staging could cost you around $2,000.

If you don’t have a couple grand laying around to spend on staging, don’t worry. Our team can pay for virtual staging. At the very least, the pictures online won’t seem so empty. And virtual staging has come a long way since its inception. You would be surprised how good they look when done properly! Only downfall is when the buyers tour your house, there won’t be any furniture inside for them to see.

RESA Staging Statistics

Here are some quick stats from the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA)

A staged house can sell up to 10% faster in slower paced & highly competitive markets

A study in 2020 revealed 85% of staged homes sold for 5-23% over list price

There many more statistics you can view on their website to see if staging is right for you. But it worth the money?

Should You Stage?

As you can see, staging a house plays a major role when it comes to getting the seller the most money possible. But is it worth it? Well, it just depends on market conditions and how competitive it is for sellers. If inventory is high, it might make sense to dress your house the best you can to stand out from the crowd.

On the flip side, if homes are flying off the shelf with multiple offer than you may want to hold off on spending money on staging.

At the very least though, regardless of market conditions, if you still occupy the house you need to meet with a stager to get your home picture ready. Again, this something our team pays for our clients!

Professional photography is extremely important when selling your house. It can make or break you. And stay far away from agents who like to take pictures with their cell phones….

First Impressions Matter
As I mentioned in one of our previous videos and articles, most homebuyers find their home online so it’s crucial your agent hires a professional photography to make a good first impression. Have you ever scrolled through houses online and noticed a house that had horrible pictures? Unless you were looking for a fixer-upper you probably skipped right over it.

One of the many reasons most homes don’t sell is because of junk photographs that looks like the agent took the photos with their flip phone from the early 2000’s…Pro photos make a home shine, cell phone pictures make a house look dull and broken.

A picture is worth a thousand words, what story are you telling potential buyers?

Technology & 3D Matterport
Have you ever seen a house on HAR where you can do virtual tours? It’s quite amazing actually. Today’s technology works wonders! You give buyers the opportunity to walk through your house virtually without ever having to leave their own house. Only downfall is you may not have a lot of physical showings…BUT the showings you do have, they may be serious candidates to buy your house since they more than likely did the virtual tour.

More Photos = Better Results
Statistics show a house listed for sale with more than 15 photos sold faster and for more money than those who had less. Are you letting you agent leave money on the table?


Leave It To The Pros

Look, professional real estate photography is a niche. It’s all about lighting and capturing images that show the right angles. Leave it to the pros! Don’t let your agent take photos on their camera and for dang sure not their cell phone. No matter how expensive a camera we buy, our team will never take photos of our listings. We always hire pro photographers to showcase our listings and give it the attention it deserves.

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📧 Email Us: andrew@thelaketeamtx.com
☎️ Call Us: 832-207-3222
⏰ Schedule Appointment: thelaketeamtx.com/schedule-an-appointment


Follow our blog for more exciting home buyer resources!
📑 thelaketeamtx.com/category/buyer

Read our seller resources here:
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Download Our FREE Buyer & Seller Guides!
Houston Home Buyers Guide: https://www.thelaketeamtx.com/buy
Houston Home Sellers Guide: https://www.thelaketeamtx.com/sell


Thinking of selling your house? Click below to find out how much your house can sell for in todays market!
💲 thelaketeamtx.com/free-home-valuation

Finding the best real estate agent in Houston can challenging. Especially since the barrier to entry is basically nonexistent and everyone and their mother has a license. You can throw a rock in a crowd and hit 10 realtors, quite literally. There are over 30,000 real estate agents in Houston, how do you choose the right one?? Check out this video and read the article for a more in depth review on how to find the best real estate agent in Houston.



Final Note:

Choosing who to hire as your real estate agent in the Houston area can seem overwhelming. Especially since there are so many. Use this article and video as your guide. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out to us. If you want to schedule an interview with us to discuss if we are a good fit or not, I will put a link to schedule an appointment with us here.

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Thinking of selling your house? Click below to find out how much your house can sell for in todays market!
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When you start thinking about the possibility of selling your house in Houston, you may be wondering how much it’s worth and how much the market will accept. Before you make the decision and commit to selling you house, let’s review a couple things..

Your First Look At Price

The first thing you should do before you make any decisions or start calling realtors is look at the actives and pendings around your area. This will give you a rough idea what houses are selling for in your area. Don’t worry about getting exact numbers just yet, the agent you hire will help you with that.

Narrowing It Down

If you are comfortable with what you saw when it comes to what houses around you are selling for, then you have 2 options. Call a realtor or appraiser to narrow down the exact price. Calling a realtor won’t cost you anything but an appraiser will cost around $500 depending on the size and how unique the property is.

When you call a realtor out to evaluate your property they will be able to break down all the numbers with you so you can have a visual. Price is one thing, but you need to know the Days on Market (DOM – how long a house sits on the market before getting an offer), the current market conditions and what direction it’s headed, List Price to Sales Price Ratios, etc..

If you need to sell fast when there is steep competition with your neighbors, than you may consider adjusting your price accordingly. If you have time to sit around than list at market value. Keep in mind, overpricing your house can end up costing you more in the long run. Anyways these are conversations you and the agent you hire will have together.


What Is A CMA?

Comparative Market Analysis or CMA, is a detailed report for you house when it comes to pricing, market conditions, and data metrics. Ultimately, it’s used as your guide to discover appropriate pricing strategies and timelines. When you schedule an appointment with members from our team, we will thoroughly review a CMA with you and develop a game plan according to your goals.

Market Conditions & Timing

When you decide to sell your house, you need to understand the current market conditions and if the timing is right for you. If you thought you could sell for more but know that’s not possible, maybe you should wait. However if the timing is right to make a move, great!

We understand every clients situation is different and their motivating factors for moving are different as well. It’s difficult to give one straight answer for everyone, so if you want a more personal approach give us a shout. We would be happy to work with you!

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⏰ Schedule Appointment: thelaketeamtx.com/schedule-an-appointment


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Thinking of selling your house? Click below to find out how much your house can sell for in todays market!
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The Costs Of Overpricing Your House
Have you ever heard the old saying “It never hurts to ask”? Well it’s true it most cases. But definitely not true in real estate. Overpricing your house from the start will actually hurt you, scaring off potential buyers. Leaving you with additional holding costs and expenses. Every month you are not under contract with a buyer is another mortgage payment you have to make. And don’t forget any maintenance costs that come along with homeownership.

If you are flexible in price and are willing to list appropriately, you may attract buyers who never would’ve thought of going that high in price and possibly finding yourself in a bidding war. BUT you need to be priced right from the very beginning.

I want to address the elephant in the room for a second…some homeowners believe all real estate agents just want a quick and easy sale so they underprice it on purpose. This couldn’t be further from the truth. We share the common goal of with the seller, to sell their house for the most money possible.

Far too many times I have seen agents work with sellers who refuse to list at the recommended price only to sit on the market for a year. And ultimately reduce the price where it should’ve been all along and then (even worse) the only offer they receive is a lowball offer. Why? Because the buyers perception is no one wants it and you look desperate sitting on the market for a year. Choice is yours! Anyways, lets move on with the price points..
Price Point – 15% Above Market Value

The first and most dangerous price point is 15% above market value. The reason why someone may want to list this high is because they are chasing the market up. It’s dangerous because the market could reverse course and the pendulum swings back to favorable conditions for a buyer. The house will sit for over a year, and probably never sell. The buyer pool is less than 10%
Price Point – 10% Above Market Value
This next price point is nearly the same as above. Conditions are similar. However, since the price is slightly lower the buyer pool increases. If your house is quite frankly the best house around with tons of amenities, than you may be able to justify this price point. But expect your DOM to be higher than average. Buyer pool: less than 30%

Price Point – At Market Value
This is the most common price point and where most houses are listed at. Depending on market conditions, buyers could end up in a bidding war. Possibly driving the price to that 15-20% above market value mark. Funny how that works huh?

This is the price point you will most likely be listing you house. If you want to list higher than this we need something to justify our price not only to buyers, but to the appraiser as well. Most people don’t consider that the house has to appraise. It’s not the agent or the buyer you really need to worry about, it’s the appraiser. Unless your toilets are made of gold, we need something to provide an appraiser to justify price. Even though a buyer may have agreed with your price. So keep that in mind when you think about pricing your house.

Buyer Pool: 60-75%

4th Price Point – 15% Below Market Value Or More
This last price point isn’t for normal sellers you see every day on the market. But pricing this low is because of condition issues which can be cosmetic and structural damage. This price point is where most investors will search for a property to add to their portfolio for a buy and hold, or a quick flip. Depending on the condition of the home, some investors may want to see a steeper discount closer to the 30-40% range. They have their own numbers to plug in and see if they can make it work.

Final Word:

There are pros and cons for every price point and which one is best for you is determined by your motivation to sell your house. Obviously, an agent will do their best to get you the most money possible. If you want to sell your house more than it’s worth at the moment, maybe you should consider holding off and take the chance to see if the market can catch up to your standards one day. But be cautious, if you want more now, you may want even more later. So you will always be playing the chasing game! My advice, list appropriately from the start. Follow the advice from the professionals who do this every day.

Anyways, if you want to know what your house could sell for in today’s market, give our team a call. We would be glad to help you!

If you made the decision to sell your house, you may be wondering how long it takes. Real estate has a million moving pieces to get to the closing table. So how long does it take from start to finish? Watch the video and rea the article for a more in depth review. Let’s dive in!

Establish Your Timeline

First things first, you need to establish you own timeline and why you are selling. Are you relocating? If so, when? Do you need to sell this house first before you purchase another one? Are you wanting to move into a new school district before the school year starts? You should know the answers to these questions to help you determine when you need to be on the market. When you decide to list your house for sale, make sure your realtor is aware of the timeline you are on so you both can develop a game plan that fits your needs.

But for the sake of this article, let’s assume you are ready to sell and hire a realtor now. Start scheduling interviews with an agent. If you need help on how to find one, check out the video we did covering the awesome strategies to find the perfect real estate agent

Prepping Your House For Sale
After you know what kind of timeline you are on, next is prepping your house for sale. Your agent should have walked the house with you at the initial listing appointment. In addition to us walking the house with you, we could send out our stager to help you on how to prep the house inside and out. Be sure to watch our video we did covering how to prep the interior of your home and exterior of your home when selling your house.

Just quick recap of those videos, we talked about cleaning, decluttering, knocking out any deferred maintenance, painting, moving furniture around, landscaping, pressure washing, etc..

Depending on how fast or slow you get this done and how much work there is, you are probably looking around 2 to 4 weeks. Maybe sooner!
From List To Contract
Next up we are going live! As soon as you are done prepping we will have photos back within 24 hours once our photographer gets out there. It’s really difficult to tell you how long it takes to go under contract because every sub market in Houston is different. Some houses are receiving multiple offer within hours right now, while other take a little more time. But we will go with an overall perspective of the Houston real estate market as a whole; on average it takes roughly 24 days to go under contract when you go live on the market. Again, this varies from house to house. Contact us if you want exact numbers for your neighborhood.

Contract To Close
So you have accepted an offer on your house and the house is sold right? Not so fast. There are still some hoops to jump through. The buyer still needs to get pass the inspection period, the appraisal, and of course obtain the clear to close from their lender. Assuming the buyer isn’t paying all cash, and even then you would still need a clear title report from the title company. But you are typically looking around 30-45 days to close after you accept a buyers offer.
Also, funding should happen that same day at closing as well.

Total Time
Alright so this brings our total days from start to finish around 60 days from the day you list to the day you close. don’t forget to add in the prep time which could add a couple weeks.

Market Conditions May Vary
Every situation and client is unique in their own way. And market conditions will vary wildly from one neighborhood to another. The physical condition and price of the home plays a major factor on how fast a property will sell. So if you were expecting shorter numbers, don’t get discouraged. This is just an overall birds eye view of the entire Houston region as a whole. Like I mentioned earlier, if you want a more accurate prediction of how long it will take to sell your house and for us to develop a solid game plan with you, schedule your appointment here.

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📧 Email Us: andrew@thelaketeamtx.com
☎️ Call Us: 832-207-3222
⏰ Schedule Appointment: thelaketeamtx.com/schedule-an-appointment


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Thinking of selling your house? Click below to find out how much your house can sell for in todays market!
💲 thelaketeamtx.com/free-home-valuation

So you’ve decided to sell your house and not really sure what to do next. Should you hire a solo agent or an established team of agents for the same price as one? Let’s review.

What Is A Team
A team of consists of multiple agents and staff members conducting their day to day operations. It could come in many forms and how they operate can be different from other teams. You could have one individual agent that is the face of the organization while everyone else operates behind the scenes as the backbone of the business. A team could have multiple listing agents, buyers agents, transaction coordinators, admin staff, and so on. Think of it like Chick-fil-a, they have a proven system that works and gives customers a high satisfaction rate. It’s a streamlines process.

What Is A Solo Agent
A solo agent is just that, solo. They are wearing every hat and have multiple jobs so to speak. A solo agent is their own admin, their own listing and buyers agent, transaction coordinators, etc. They handle everything themselves.

Pros & Cons When Hiring A Team
There are some pros and cons when it comes to hiring a team rather than a solo agent so let’s review them together.

Pros –
A team has an established system in place streamlining the entire process

You get multiple people for the price of one

Chances are they are working with many buyers and sellers, which could result in client matching

Designated people to perform daily tasks, minimizing the chances of becoming overwhelmed and back up
Cons –
May not always be easy to get in touch with after or before business hours

You could end up working with more than one person, rather than one (Example: After your house goes under contract with a buyer, you could be speaking with a transaction coordinator and your listing agent).

If you need heavy attention or needs like speaking with your agent every day, a team could prove difficult for you.

Pros & Cons When Hiring A Solo Agent

Just like hiring a team, hiring a solo agent also has its pros and cons. Let’s review a few of those real quick.

Pros –

Could be easier to get in touch with

A more personal approach

Solo agents could have less pending transactions than teams, giving you more attention

Less structure but possibly more availability

Cons-

Easy to get overwhelmed

Too busy and not having enough time to focus on your listing

Growing pains if they are in the middle of building a team

No task delegation, they do it all themselves

Which Is better?
So there you have it the pros and cons of each. But which is better? I think this answer really depends on you and what you are looking for. If you want someone you can call nearly every day, a solo agent may be better for you. And if you are looking for a streamlined process with a some personal touch, than maybe hiring a team is a better option.

Bottom line is selling is stressful enough, so interview agents and team to select the one you feel is right for you. There is no right or wrong answer here. But obviously we think hiring a team is the best route. :)

Let’s see if we are the right fit for you! To schedule a phone call or in person meeting you can do so here.

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Thinking of selling your house? Click below to find out how much your house can sell for in todays market!
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Buying a fixer-upper can be a fantastic opportunity to build wealth in real estate. Finding them in today’s market can be challenging, but definitely worth perusing. But let’s take a deeper dive before you call yourself the next Chip & Joanna Gaines.

Buying A Fixer Upper The Smart Way

How to find them

MLS
There are multiple ways to find a fixer upper. Our favorite is the MLS, or property that’s one the market. When we flip houses, we go after homes in price ranges most people are not looking in. Most people are chasing the 100k-200k homes and competition is steep. But when you start getting to the 300s-500s, their isn’t much competition and you have time to think. We have saved searches set up so it does the heavy lifting for us should one come on the market that matches our criteria. And sometimes, you have to make something out of nothing. The home may be on the market for a long time and you can lowball the sellers. Our biggest deals ever came from doing this. So regardless of what those seminar gurus tell you, the mls, in our opinion, is the best option.

Wholesalers & Other Investors
Next we have wholesalers and other investors. Take whatever a wholesalers says with a grain of salt though. By the time you see a deal from them, they have taken most of the meat from the bone and leave with you scraps. But I will say every now and then a good deal does come across my desk from a wholesaler. So don’t totally disregard them and make sure you do research on the “deals” they send you.

When it comes to other investors, they may have deals they need to unload. Maybe they are strapped for cash, maybe they took on too much of project or maybe they just can’t handle more than they already have going on. So make friends with other investors if you can, they can be a resource to you.

Driving For Dollars
This method is super time consuming but can create a deal or two for you. Have you ever driven by a house and thought to yourself, “dang that house looks abandoned”? Well chances are it is. Write down the address and track down the current owner to find out if they are interested in selling. I wouldn’t recommend doing this all day every day, but just when you are out and about running errands.

Other Methods
There are many other ways you can find fixer uppers but I wont go into detail here. But some other ways you can search are pre-foreclosures, foreclosures or REOs, short sales, bandit signs, and auctions.

Find Reliable Contractors

This is probably the hardest thing to do! Seriously. Contractors can make or break you. And bad ones are EVERYWHERE. My advice, start by getting recommendations from your friends, family, colleagues, and real estate agent before you start googling people to work with. Talk with any investor and they will have plenty of horror stories to tell you about their shortcomings with contractors. Be extremely cautious on who you choose and don’t always take the lowest bid. Also, if it’s your first time and you know nothing about construction, find a contractor who has the capability and employees to do most of the work, if not all. When you gain experience you can hire your own subs to save money.

Look For The Right Renovations

Every house doesn’t warrant a full remodel or any rehab for that matter. Just because the kitchen has ugly cabinets doesn’t mean if you paint them you can sell for 50k more than you bought it. Well, I guess you could depending on what price your bought it for. But if you are looking to lowball and do a full blown rehab, than you need to find a house that looks rough on the inside. If you ever looked at property for sale online you know what I’m talking about. You are looking for houses that haven’t been updated since it was built, houses that have been neglected or severely damaged from the previous owners. If the pictures make you say “EWW” than you’re on the right track.

Know When To Walk Away
Every deal isn’t worth going for. Know when to walk away. Don’t let emotions cloud your judgement. If the numbers don’t work, don’t force it. That’s a surefire way to lose everything you have. And if the remodel is more than you are comfortable with, like I said earlier find something smaller that you can handle.

Final Word

Buying fixer uppers is an excellent way to invest in real estate. I hope you can find success in this industry. Take our advice and do with it what you will. We flip a dozen houses a year and wanted to write this article to help anyone out there who is thinking about jumping in. Reach out to us if you have any questions, we are here to help. If you found this article helpful share it on social media with your friends and family, maybe it could help someone else too!

A key metric you should understand before putting your house on the market is DOM. Knowing this metric will help you understand how long it will take to sell your house and how to price it right according to your goals.

What Is DOM?

Bread, cake, chips, all get stale eventually. And when it comes to selling your house, the last thing you want is your listing becoming stale. There is a key metric known as Days On Market or DOM, that counts up every day and tells buyers how long your house has been on the market. We first look at this metric when determining your price and your goals before we list. We study all of the active, pending, and sold listings in your area to get an accurate depiction on how long it should take to sell your house if we are priced appropriately.

DOM can vary based off your actual subdivision compared to the entire local market in Houston. If you need an accurate prediction of how long it should take to sell your house, contact us or your realtor if you already have one.

Quick note about DOM, there is a bad perception with buyers when it comes to listings that have a DOM; no one wants it. And that’s the last thing you want!

Data shows the most activity a seller typically sees is within the first 2-3 weeks of being on the market. Afterwards, showings start to dwindle. So that’s why is so crucial to price it right from the very beginning.

So how do you prevent high DOM? Well, it almost always boils down to 3 things. Price, conditions, and location.

Pricing It Right

As I mentioned earlier, data shows the most activity sellers typically see Is within the first 2-3 weeks of going on the market. This is within your control so make sure you get it right. Your agent, whether it’s us or someone else, will provide you with plenty of data and make recommendation on price. Ultimately it’s your decision! Check out our video we did covering the 3 different price points.
Property Condition

This is something else within your control. How is the condition of the property compared to those selling around you? Are the houses in your neighborhood completely remodeled and your house needs some updating? Well you can make the adjustments in price to accommodate the difference, or you can start calling some contractors out and get a remodel going. Up to you!

Location – Desirable Or Un-Desirable?

Are you in a highly sought after school zone? Or maybe you your house is on a main road somewhere with high traffic. Whatever the case is, you obviously can’t change the location of the home. So just focus on the things you can control which Is price and condition. You can make it quite appealing for a new buyer if those two things are right!

Final Word:

As you can see, there are several factors at play when it comes to DOM. Follow the advice from your agent the best you can. Focus on what you can control and don’t worry about the rest. If you want a more accurate prediction on how long it will take to sell your house, or maybe even some further guidance, reach out to us directly and we will be glad to help

Like Us On Facebook: facebook.com/thelaketeamtx
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☎️ Call Us: 832-207-3222
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Follow our blog for more exciting home buyer resources!
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Thinking of selling your house? Click below to find out how much your house can sell for in todays market!
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There are a few things that are within your control when you sell your house in Houston. And there are some things that are completely out of your control! Let’s review.

Pricing
This is my opinion is the most important key factor that’s in your control. Everything sells for the right price. Now I’m not saying give your house away or anything crazy like that! Be realistic about your price and the actual condition of the home vs. those around you. Most seller typically see the most activity within the first 2-3 weeks of being on the market. So make sure you and your agent get it right from the very beginning!

Condition – Is It Important?
The condition of the home is important as well. Buyers will either fall in love with your home or walk away disappointed. If you know the condition of the home isn’t good, then make sure to price it accordingly. You don’t want to price your house the same as the fully remodeled one down the street if yours is in poor condition.

On the flip side, if your house is fully updated with no issues then you can price at full market value. Or you can fix the place up before listing it on the market so we can get full market value out of it.

Location – What You Should Know

You can’t pick up your house and move it. Well, I guess some houses you can. But let’s be real here, you’re not doing that! Buyers shop for specific areas, lots, and sometimes school districts. One can be perceived as better than the other. Location and desirability is not within your control when you sell your house. But, buyers may compromise and go for your house if it’s cheaper and looks the same but is located in a less desirable area or lot. So again, focus on what you can control!

Market Conditions
This is another key factor that’s out of your control. The strength of the economy, neighborhood competitiveness, buyer’s market or seller’s market, interest rates, etc.. are all factors that can either work for you or against you. Although you have no control over those, it’s still important to understand the conditions of the market you are about to enter. The real estate agent you hire, if it’s us or someone else, should be able to accurately describe the current market conditions and what your options are.

Timing The Market

When is the best time to sell your house in Houston? Well the answer isn’t straightforward like you think. For example, prime buying and selling is commonly referred to as the summer time. But, everyone and their mother is selling their house at the same time, so you will have steep competition to go up against. On the flip side, selling in the winter bares little to no competition and can yield outstanding results. It really just depends on your goals, market conditions, and how quickly you would like to close on the house.

Showing Availability
Not really a key market factor but this is important. When you decide to sell your house, be as flexible as possible with showing requests. The last thing you want is to deny a potential buyer the opportunity to view your house and make an offer. Now don’t get crazy, I am not saying let someone see your house at 9pm. I’m talking normal business hours here.

But we understand life gets in way sometimes, and that’s okay. Just try and be as flexible as you can when buyers request a showing.

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📧 Email Us: andrew@thelaketeamtx.com
☎️ Call Us: 832-207-3222
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Follow our blog for more exciting home buyer resources!
📑 thelaketeamtx.com/category/buyer

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Download Our FREE Buyer & Seller Guides!
Houston Home Buyers Guide: https://www.thelaketeamtx.com/buy
Houston Home Sellers Guide: https://www.thelaketeamtx.com/sell


Thinking of selling your house? Click below to find out how much your house can sell for in todays market!
💲 thelaketeamtx.com/free-home-valuation

So you’ve listed your house for sale but what’s next? What should you expect for showings? Let’s dive in to find out!

Extra Security – Supra Lockbox

When we initially sign docs, we install what is called a Supra Bluetooth lockbox, most likely on the front door handle. This box is great because only licensed agents can access the box and we can track anytime it’s opened and closed. Unlike normal lockboxes, there’s no code to give out which provides an extra blanket of security of who can obtain the key.

ShowingTime!

Once we go live on the market, we use a showing system called Showing Time. When a buyer wants their agent to make a request to view your house, they will do so on the showing time app. After they make the request, you will receive a text, email or phone call with the details on the showing request. Day, time, and length. You will have to confirm, deny, or propose a different time, when the request comes through.

Vacant Or Occupied?

If you live in the house then we set the showings up to be confirmed by you first, for obvious reasons. If the home is vacant, we usually set the showings up as “Go & Show” meaning there is no confirmation needed, however you will still be notified of showings when they are scheduled.

Lead Times

If the home is vacant we wouldn’t have a lead time for showings. Meaning an advanced notice. However if the home is occupied than it’s common to have at least a 1 hour notice before the showing occurs. Meaning if the buyers want to see the property at 1pm, the agent needs to schedule by 12pm to give you time to prepare. This all depends on what you’re comfortable with or if even want a lead time.
Stay Show Ready!
Keep your house show ready at all times, the best you can. No dirty dishes in the sink, dirty laundry laying around, etc…be sure to check out our video we did about keeping your house show ready for a more in depth review.

You’ve Accepted The Request – Now What?

Once you approve the showing, make sure if you have any pets they are either taken with you or crated up. When the house is in order and ready for showing you would need to leave so the buyers and their agent can walk through the property without interruption or feeling awkward. You can come back after the showing is over, which is typically blocked out for 1 hour. If you are at work then you don’t have to worry about finding something to do. But if you are at the house and someone wants to see it, go grab a bite to eat or run some errands.

Receiving Feedback

Later during the day after the showing is complete we may receive feedback from the agent on what their buyers thought about the house. The email and form and sent to the buyers agent at least 5 times through the app until they submit feedback to us.

When it comes to feedback, it’s important to note any trends. If multiple people are saying your house stinks like dog, well, your house stinks and you need to do something about it!

Final Word:

I hope this article shed some light on how to handle showings and what to expect. If you want to know what it’s like to sell your house in today’s market, give us a call or schedule an appointment here.

Like Us On Facebook: facebook.com/thelaketeamtx
📲 Follow The Lake Team On Instagram: Instagram.com/thelaketeamtx


📧 Email Us: andrew@thelaketeamtx.com
☎️ Call Us: 832-207-3222
⏰ Schedule Appointment: thelaketeamtx.com/schedule-an-appointment


Follow our blog for more exciting home buyer resources!
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Alright, so you have decided to sell your house and you may or may not know what to expect. In this video and article we will break everything down and what you should know before listing your house for sale.

Prepping The House
If you haven’t already, check out the video we did covering the entire prepping process. But in a nutshell, you want to knock out any exterior and interior deferred maintenance & repairs, declutter, paint, and landscaping. First impressions are everything when selling your house.

Find An Agent
This one should’ve been at the top of the list. Before you go off and spend money on updates and repairs, make sure you speak with a real estate agent first. But how do you find an agent that’s best fits your needs? We did a whole video and article covering this topic so be sure to check it out!

Gather Documents
Find any documents related to the house like a survey, floorplans, warranties, and any upgrades you did. Keep them in a folder to provide your agent so they can make copies to use for marketing. The more the better!

Sign Docs, Install Sign & Lockbox
When you decide on an agent to work with, you will sign a listing agreement and other documents related to the property. After expectations for each other are set, the next thing is to install the for sale sign and grab an Instagram worthy photo! Make sure you have a spare key to give your agent to place inside the lockbox which will be installed on the front door most likely.


Staging Consultation – If Needed
One of the perks when working with our team is we pay our stager to come out and view the property and make suggestions. She will walk with you through the entire house and voice her opinion on how to make the place look better. Sometimes it’s as simple as moving some furniture around in ways you wouldn’t think was possible to make an area flow more naturally. Not every property needs this, but some do!

Schedule Pro Photography
Our team will NEVER take pictures of your house with our phone or any professional camera for that matter. Real estate photography is a specialty, and it’s best we leave it up to pros. If you hire someone other than us, and they pull out their cell phone for pictures, consider firing them immediately. Cell phone photography shows the house no justice whatsoever.

Anyways! When you give us the greenlight to schedule photos, it typically takes 24 hours to get someone out and another day to receive the final pictures. So in about 2 days’ time we will be ready to go live if you are!

Establish Expectations & Communications
This is usually done during the listing appointment but you and your agent should establish expectations with each other from the very beginning and what that looks like.

When it comes to communicating, everyone is different on their preferred methods. But we like to have group texts so you and all of our team members involved are on the same page. Makes things easy!

Review Final Comps
It’s not uncommon for things to change from when we initially met and signed documents with an agreed upon price. For example, we had a client in Pearland reach out to us because they were relocating out of state and needed to sell their house. Well, it took them 6 months after we signed to go live. I am glad we always check comps one last time before we go live, because we ended up listing nearly 35,000 over our original price! And yes, it sold quickly!

Going Live!

Once everything looks good, we are ready to submit the listing and officially go live on the market! Agents will see the listing immediately but it could take 30 minutes to an hour or so before it hits the consumer side and you will be able to see it!

Our next article – What to expect: when your house is on the market! Check it out!

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