Archives for January 2022

3 Things To Think About Before You Sell

It’s exciting to put your house on the market. It can also be nerve-wracking. How do you make sense of all the options and decisions? There are a few things to bear in mind:

Is it Time and Money Well Spent?

Be aware that you may not be able to recoup all of your remodeling costs when you sell your home with a remodeled 1970’s style bathroom for exampe. Some remodeling decisions, such as using out-of-style materials, make it more difficult to sell a home. Other improvements may be required to attract any reasonable offers. Additional considerations include the condition of surrounding homes for sale, the home’s price range, and whether current market conditions favor buyers or sellers.

What Benefits Every Household

It pays to keep your home clean, uncluttered, appealing, and free of small annoyances, regardless of its size, age, price, or location. A fresh coat of paint and a few potted plants go a long way toward making a good first impression. Sticking doors, an overgrown yard, or dripping faucets, on the other hand, can turn buyers off before they ever give your property a chance.

Don’t Mistake the Importance of This

Your asking price is perhaps the most crucial issue. A figure that is too high may discourage offers and leave the property unsold, while a number that is too low may create a bidding battle that drives offers higher than you ever imagined. Elements outside your control may also dictate price, such as market conditions and time constraints to sell.

Your REALTOR® is the trusted professional who can guide you through the entire process of selling your home.

Padre Island Housing Data – Dec 2021

WHAT DO SUPPLY AND DEMAND TELL US ABOUT TODAY’S HOUSING MARKET?

There’s a well-known economic theory – the law of supply and demand. Elevated demand persisted as homes averaged roughly one month on the market and after multiple offers coming in. When demand for an item is high, prices rise. When the supply of the item increases, prices fall. Of course, when demand is VERY HIGH and supply is VERY LOW, prices can rise significantly.

If you’re waiting to enter the market because you’re expecting prices to drop, you may end up paying more in the long run. Even if price increases occur at a slower rate this coming year, prices are still projected to rise. That means the property of your dreams will likely cost even more in 2022.
The bottom line is, high demand and very low supply on Padre Island are what’s driving property prices in today’s real estate market. And while prices may increase at a slower pace in the coming months, experts still expect them to rise.

If you’re a potential real estate buyer, connect with your trusted REALTOR today to discuss what that could mean for you if you wait even longer. It’s a seller’s market and they feel if you don’t buy their property, the next one will.

Cheri Sperling is the owner of Coastline Properties with a dedicated team of agents specializing in residential listings, sales, and property management in the Padre Island real estate market. Coastline’s team is the most knowledgeable real estate office on Padre Island. No pressure style, patience, and an intimate understanding of the local market. They go to work for you!

Padre Island December 2021 Data (Click Pic below for Larger Image)

padre-island-housing-report-dec-2021

Human Trafficking Awareness 2022

The month of January serves as Human Trafficking Awareness Month. Governor Abbott has proclaimed January 2022 as Human Trafficking Prevention Month. During this month, advocates, organizations, and individuals unite to raise awareness about this very important issue. According to the Department of Homeland Security, human trafficking is “modern-day slavery and involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act.” Human trafficking is not the same as human smuggling, which involves the illegal transportation of a person across a border. Victims of human trafficking are of all genders, ages, races, countries, socioeconomic statuses, and so on. While human trafficking can happen to anyone, people who are already in vulnerable situations – such as people experiencing homelessness – may be more likely to be targeted.

Human trafficking is often thought to be an international issue, however, this crime exists in all fifty states within the United States. Human trafficking has become the second-largest criminal activity/industry in the US and generates billions of dollars in illegal profits annually. According to the Human Trafficking Institute, 22,326 people were identified as victims or survivors of human trafficking in 2019. In addition to this, The National Human Trafficking Hotline reported that in 2019 over 11,500 human trafficking cases were reported in the U.S. Approximately 1,080 of these cases were reported from within Texas. It is crucial to continue to be proactive and increase our partnerships and collaborations with organizations or governmental entities locally and throughout our nation to stop this activity and bring awareness to this issue.

In order to prevent human trafficking, we must expand our knowledge of the issue.  Understanding what human trafficking is and how to recognize it is essential.  Some resources to review are the Polaris Project https://polarisproject.org/human-trafficking and the Blue Campaign https://www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign. To research statistics and other facts about human trafficking in Texas, visit the Texas Human Trafficking Task Force Reports https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/initiatives/human-trafficking.

The Texas Legislature continues to work diligently to introduce legislation to combat this industry. For this reason, the current anti-human trafficking laws were reviewed and revised throughout the most recent Legislative Session to ensure the prosecution of these criminals continues and stops others from being involved in these activities. The goal is to create laws that stop, prevent, and end the human trafficking epidemic.

If you have questions regarding any of the information mentioned in this week’s article, please do not hesitate to call my Capitol or District Office.  Please always feel free to contact my office if you have any questions or issues regarding a Texas state agency, or if you would like to contact my office regarding constituent services. As always, my offices are available at any time to assist with questions, concerns or comments (Capitol Office, 512-463-0672; District Office, 361-949-4603).

– State Representative Todd Hunter, District 32

 Rep. Hunter represents Nueces County (Part).  He can be contacted at todd.hunter@house.texas.gov or at 512-463-0672