If you’re like many people, you’re wondering whether it’s a good idea to buy a foreclosure in Port Aransas or North Padre Island.
After all, foreclosures often sell for less than market value – and you’d make out like a bandit when it comes to equity, right?
The truth is that buying a foreclosure isn’t always a good idea.

Pros of Buying a Foreclosure in Port Aransas or North Padre Island

If you’re buying a foreclosure, it’s probably true that you’ll spend less than market value on the home.
Sellers who are in foreclosure – before the lender actually takes possession of the home – are often in a big hurry to sell, too. That can work in your favor.
Sometimes lenders are willing to negotiate the price, particularly if the home has been on the market for more than a little while.

Cons of Buying a Foreclosure in Port Aransas or North Padre Island

Remember, you’re not the only person in Port A or on North Padre Island who’s looking for a great deal on a foreclosure. In fact, you might need to dive into a bidding war – and the home’s price can jump up quickly (and exponentially), and that can negate any savings you might have seen.
You’ll also need to account for the fact that when you buy a foreclosed home, the previous owner didn’t have the money to make mortgage payments. What if he or she didn’t take care of routine maintenance (or major issues) because of money problems?
You may also inherit debt connected to the home, so it’s important that you work with a reputable title agency and that your Realtor® thoroughly vets the property.

Foreclosures in Port Aransas and North Padre Island

You can come out ahead by buying a foreclosure in Port Aransas or on North Padre Island, but it’s extremely important that you work with a qualified expert who understands how to help you through the process… and who’s looking out for your best interests every step of the way.

Are You Moving to Port Aransas?

If you’re looking for a home in the beautiful city of Port Aransas, we’d love to help you.
Call us at 361-563-7788 or get in touch with us online to tell us what you want from your next home. We’ll begin searching right away.
While you’re here, check out our:

• All-in-one mortgage calculator
• Free homebuyer handbook
• Free eBooks about buying a home (and more!)

Filed under: Blog, Buying, Buying a Foreclosure by Julie Woodward
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If you’re selling your home, your Port Aransas Realtor® will walk you through all the steps you need to make to put its best foot forward.
But what else can you do to make buyers fall in love at first sight?

3 Tips for Staging Your Port Aransas Home

You want buyers to walk in and love your house, so you have to be proactive. Each house has its own charms, so you’ll want to highlight them; likewise, each house has its own quirks, and you’ll want to minimize (or eradicate) those.

Home Staging Tip #1: Make Buyers Feel Welcome

Your goal: to make buyers feel right at home. Ideally, your potential buyers can envision themselves living in your space. In order to help them do that, you can:

• Leave the house. Buyers don’t want you hanging over their shoulders during a showing. (You wouldn’t, either.)
• Put out wrapped candy or other takeaways that your potential buyers are welcome to take.
• Make the interior temperature as comfortable as possible. Forget about your utility bills, just this once, to ensure that potential buyers aren’t sweating or freezing.

Home Staging Tip #2: Set the Mood

Turn on water fountains if you have them, and light a fire in the fireplace if it’s cool enough outside to make sense. (Remember that you’re leaving, though, so you’ll have to time it right.) If you can, pipe soft, relaxing music throughout the house.
Open all the shades to let in as much natural light as possible. Turn on all the lights, too. The brighter the home, the more likely buyers will view it more favorably. However, if there’s something unsightly outside, keep the blinds partially closed.

Home Staging Tip #3: Skip Heavily Scented Deodorizers or Air Fresheners

Lots of people are sensitive to synthetic smells, and lots of other people are just plain turned off by certain scents. Don’t burn candles or spray perfume, and skip the air fresheners and deodorizers.
Instead, open the windows if you can. (If there’s a lot of noise outside, though, leave them closed.)
If you’re going to bake cookies, make sure you leave them out for visitors with a nice note that says, “Please help yourself.”

Are You Selling Your Home in Port Aransas or North Padre Island?

If you’re selling your home, we’d love to help you do so quickly and at the right price. We’ll be happy to give you a free comparative market analysis so you know exactly how much your home is worth. While you’re here, you can also download our free home-selling eBook and read our useful tips for selling your home faster.
When you’re ready, call us at 361-563-7788 or contact us online to find out how we can help you sell your home in Port Aransas or North Padre Island.
 

Filed under: Blog, Selling, Staging by Julie Woodward
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El Constante Condominiums are some of the hottest on North Padre Island (they’re technically part of Corpus Christi), and it’s easy to see why. These affordable condos have everything buyers want: great location, excellent amenities, and so much more.

El Constante Condominiums on North Padre Island

El Constante Condominiums have been around since 1985, and since that time, they’ve continually earned the reputation for having great condos.

Amenities at El Constante Condominiums

Aside from the fact that El Constante Condominiums are close to everything (including Schlitterbahn Water Park, Packery Channel, and the Bob Hall Pier), this complex has some great amenities, including:

• Beach location
• Large community swimming pool with hot tub
• Wifi throughout the community
• Spectacular landscaping
• Security lighting
• Private patios and balconies
• Roomy condos with deluxe kitchens
• Walk-in closets
• High-efficiency HVAC systems
• Solar-glazed windows
• Cathedral ceilings in two-bedroom condos’ master bedrooms

Are You Looking for a Condo at El Constante Condominiums?

Whether you’re looking for a condo at El Constante Condominiums or another type of home for sale in Port Aransas or North Padre Island, we’d love to help you find the perfect place to live.
Call us at 361-563-7788 or get in touch with us online to tell us what you want from your next home. We’ll start searching right away.
In the meantime, check out our:

• All-in-one mortgage calculator
• Free homebuyer handbook
• Free eBooks about buying a home (and more!)

Filed under: Blog, Buying, Condos on North Padre Island, El Constante Condominiums by Julie Woodward
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If you’re like most people thinking about moving to Port Aransas or North Padre Island, you know that you want to buy in a community where you feel right at home.
That means getting to know your neighbors—and that’s something you can do long before you make the decision to purchase a home. If you’re not much of an extrovert, you can at least do a little homework on the neighborhood before you sign a purchase agreement.

How Do You Know if a Neighborhood is Right for You?

Ideally, you’ll be able to get to know a few people in a neighborhood you’re considering making “home.” If you can’t, though, these three signs can help you decide whether a community is right for you.

Good Neighbor Sign #1: Property Upkeep

Drive through potential neighborhoods to look for signs of neglect or disrepair. You should especially look at homes that border the one you’re thinking about buying, but the entire neighborhood’s look and feel can tell you whether it’s the right place for you. What you’re really looking for is pride in ownership—and you can see that whether homes are new or old, modest or large.

Good Neighbor Sign #2: The Residents

Few things can help you get a feel for a neighborhood than driving through it at various times of day can. Swing by in the early morning, during the afternoon and once it’s dark to get an idea about what kinds of activity levels you’ll see if you move in. You can search for crime statistics online if you’re interested in a particular neighborhood, too.

Good Neighbor Sign #3: Empty Houses

If there are a lot of homes for sale, or if there are plenty of vacant homes, you may want to consider the “big picture.” A home surrounded by empty houses, whether they’ve been foreclosed or just haven’t sold yet, may not be the right choice for you.

Are You Buying a Home in Port Aransas?

Whether you’re looking for a home for sale in Port Aransas or North Padre Island, we’d love to help you find the perfect place to live.
Call us at 361-563-7788 or get in touch with us online to tell us what you want from your next home. We’ll start searching right away.
In the meantime, check out our:

• All-in-one mortgage calculator
• Free homebuyer handbook
• Free eBooks about buying a home (and more)

Filed under: Blog, Neighborhoods, Subdivisions by Julie Woodward
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