Dwight Cook's Blog Posts

Now could be a great time to take advantage of our Virtual Home Buying Program! For several years we have helped buyers purchase homes without ever leaving the comfort and safety of your home. 

As the long lines at any Houston Costco suggest, the coronavirus/COVID 19 phenomenon has caused some to interpret news reports advising sensible precautions such as “wash your hands thoroughly

Texas ranked second in the nation for relocation activity in 2017,  according to the Texas Relocation Report released by  Texas REALTORS®,  which analyzes the latest migration

Did you know that interest rates are about as good as they are ever going to be? Time to reach out to your lender. It may be time to lock a rate, but it's best to shop for the best deal. There is a

Take Advantage of Your Home Equity: A Homeowner’s Guide  Homeownership offers many advantages over renting, including a stable living environment, predictable monthly payments, and

Real Home Value Calculator: Assessed Value vs Market Value Understanding a home’s true market value is about more than pictures, software assessments and price-per-square-foot. Whether&

Assessed Value vs Market Value Understanding a home’s true market value is about more than pictures, software assessments and price-per-square-foot. Whether you’re a current

 Whether you’re a first-time buyer or a seasoned homeowner, shopping for a new home can feel daunting. In fact, 56% of buyers said that “finding the right property” was the

 We’re in the midst of the longest economic expansion in U.S. history, and economists think there’s still room to grow. A recent survey by the National Association for Business

National & Houston Home Market Update HoustonNovember marked the fifth consecutive positive month of home sales with continued low mortgage interest rates helping to keep the Houston real

TCJA Changes Vacant Land Tax StrategiesDo you own a vacant lot or other unproductive lands? First of all let me say, I am not an accountant - so this is for informational purposes only. Be sure

The risk of residential fires increases dramatically during the winter months. It’s important to make sure your fire extinguishers are in good, working order. So brush up on how to use a fire

 Are you searching for new and innovative gift ideas this holiday season? If so, check out our list of the hottest home technology offerings. We’ve selected a few of our favorites for

Double master bedrooms are proving to be a growing trend in new luxury developments.More homeowners want to live near their families and multigenerational households become more common, relatives

The flourishing second home market has been a bright spot in a softer high-end real estate space. Intent to purchase is high, buyers are younger, and the drive to own a second (or third or fourth)

How to Prevent Identity TheftOnly carry essential documents and cards with you.Avoid carrying extra credit cards, your Social Security card, birth certificate or passport with you outside the house

If you just bought a house or have owned it for a while can you afford to replace your appliances? Many refrigerators cost over $1,000 and certainly, the HVAC system is more than that. What about

5 Steps to Finding Your Next HomeWhether you’re a first-time buyer or a seasoned homeowner, shopping for a new home can feel daunting. In fact, 56% of buyers said that “finding the right

“Refinancing” is a scary word for many people, but that shouldn’t be the case for you. For many homeowners, refinancing can not only lower your monthly payments and help with your

If you’re financing a property purchase, you’ve probably come across the term points or discount points. Although there are other meanings, most often these terms refer to prepaid

International Homebuying Activity Adds Nearly $8 Billion to Texas EconomyTexas ranked third in the nation for homes sold to international buyers from April 2018 to March 2019, according to the 

Low mortgage rates are fueling more favorable opinions on home buying. Nearly two-thirds of Americans—or 63%—believe now is a good time to buy a home, shows the National Association of

National Snapshot: What’s Ahead for Real EstateThe U.S. unemployment rate is at a 50-year low, and consumer confidence remains high. In fact, the University of Michigan’s latest Surveys

Electric bills hit all time highs in August but so did home sales.  August sales of single-family homes throughout greater Houston totaled 8,679. That is up 3.9 percent year-over-year and marks

A newer color palette with jewel tones is taking hold in landscaping, and it’s among the hotter trends for this fall, according to the National Association of Landscape Professionals. Seventy

If you're using a public or shared WiFi, any data you access is at risk. Really! Here are a few tips to keep yourself safe when using public WiFi:• Don't access sensitive information.•

Mortgage rates moved higher today, and it has nothing to do with any news headlines.  The bond market drives mortgage rates. The change had to do with the weakness in foreign

Mortgage rates moved higher today, and it has nothing to do with any news headlines.  The bond market drives mortgage rates. The change had to do with the weakness in foreign

Home buyers push sales volumes to record highsHOUSTON — (August 14, 2019) — Consumers kept Realtors across greater Houston busy in July, accounting for the greatest one-month volume

Mortgage rates fluctuate so keep an eye on rates.  We can refer you to lenders personally.  We do not make a dime on referrals, we just want our clients to get the best rates and service.

Rates for a 30-year fixed mortgage have hovered around 4% in the past week after hitting a 12-month high near 5% in November. While those tenths of a percentage point will matter to your clients

Wallethub.com has rated the top cities in America. America is undergoing an extreme makeover, thanks to rapid demographic diversification. By 2050, many shifts will happen. For example,

Thinking of buying a flooded home? Three-quarters of the 204,000 homes and apartments in Harris County damaged by Hurricane Harvey were outside the 100-year flood plain, so many homeowners were

The Travel Channel has named hotel Galvez as the creepiest place in Texas. Known as "Queen of the Gulf," Hotel Galvez in Galveston opened its doors in 1911 and was added to the National

HOUSTON HOUSING MARKET POPS IN MARCHDemand for rental properties remains strong; inventory reaches a five-month highHOUSTON — (April 10, 2019) — Lower interest rates pushed fence

Houston home prices are rising — fast — but local rents are a different story, as a new report lists the Bayou City among the top three U.S. cities with the most dramatic rent decreases

Onion Creek 10th Annual H-Town Chili ThrowdownHouston is known for being diverse and our diversity gives Houston many culinary choices.  But let's not forget Texas favorites ...Do you like?

Are you looking to buy a house? That's fine, but just keep in mind that in this heightened emotional state, it's easy to get swept up in the moment and make an emotional decisionSome decisions

Did you know that Houston represents more than 70 countries and American regions in its restaurants? The city has 10,000 restaurants showing off the diversity of palates and cuisines among its 6

How To List Your Home for the Best PriceMany people price their home based on neighborhood gossip or on how many dollars they need. Get real information and talk to an appraiser or Realtor

HOUSTON — (February 13, 2019) — Fresh on the heels of a record-breaking 2018, home sales across greater Houston began the new year at a dramatically slower pace. Sales volume fell

When you think Texas, Oil, and Cattle come to mind.  No dish more accurately reflects Houston’s guns-and-oil heritage than the almighty Texas steak. No matter how it’s cooked,

Do You Prefer the Charm of an Existing Home?When homebuyers begin their research, they want to see all their available options! In many cases, they will include both new construction and existing

Never, am I right? Frozen treats are great all year. Two new shops for creamy frozen desserts are now joining the Houston food scene.La Argentina Gelato, originally a Katy creamery, just opened

Was one of your goals for 2019 to learn a new skill? If so, it doesn't get much cooler — or more useful — than knowing your way around a cocktail kit. And who better to learn some

How Much Has Your Home Increased in Value?During 2018, home values increased nationally by over 5%! If you are planning on selling your home in 2019 you may be pleasantly surprised by how much your

The top reason homeowners cited for not listing their home for sale in 2018, was their belief that they would be unable to find a home to buy. After 3 years of declining inventory for sale, we&rsquo

You may have heard that the housing market is softening. There is no doubt that buyer traffic has decreased. There are fewer purchasers in the market than there were last month and at this time last

If you’ve ever watched “The Price is Right,” you know that the only way to win is to be the one to correctly guess the price of the item you want without going over! That

HAR shared stats with us on home sales in 2018.Despite uncertainties amid Houston’s ongoing recovery from Hurricane Harvey, 2018 proved to be a record year for Houston home sales with 82,177

Below are the websites for the Homestead Exemption forms for Harris and surrounding counties.  It is also a good time to get a market analysis to fight your tax assessment. At the

2414 Rosedale St, Houston, TXPrice: $500,000It's kinda crazy but the childhood home of megastar Beyoncé set the web ablaze this week.Built in 1946, the three-bedroom home has

The following is the official announcement from the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo:Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo officials released the entertainment lineup for the 2019 Rodeo season, which

Get half price carnival tickets for a limited time.  Yes, the Rodeo will be back in Houston soon. Visit: https://www.rodeohouston.com/Tickets/Carnival-Rides-Games

Have you made a New Year Resolution yet?  Making a New Year's resolution is a great way to make a positive change in your life, whether it's going to the gym, waking up earlier, or saving your

Technology Hiring plans remain robust across the nation. The table below shows percentages of technology managers from 28 U.S. cities who expect to add to their teams in the first half of 2019.RankU

If your security camera makes you feel less secure, there might be a problem.Especially when a voice emanating from the other end claims to be a “white hat hacker”. That&rsquo

Houston is famous for its stifling summer heat, but we do have winter. The coldest temps are yet to come! Here are some important winter home maintenance items to help you protect your home from

Builders are super-discounting right now - because they’re trying to get rid of inventory.  Discounts don’t just apply to new homes. Market observers say that as the housing

Home sales continue to outpace 2017’s record levels Holiday's are here and even though Houston home sales slowed slightly in November it was not enough to knock the real estate market off

The city’s post Harvey recovery ‘Czar’, Marvin Odum, who recently stepped down, says a comprehensive protection infrastructure for Southeast Texas will cost billions and take

Like most major cities, Houston has had its fair share of market cycles. However, this most recent decline in the local economy’s growth rate that was caused by a steep drop of oil prices put

It seems like every day I get a least a dozen(s) of spam calls.  What a waste of time.Be sure to register your phone numbers at the National Do Not Call Registry. https://donotcall/

A Whopper for a penny?Brilliant, but competition in the burger arena may be a prediction for real estate.  I'm not suggesting that you can buy a house for a penny, but I have seen homes listed

Hi, thank you for attending our Airbnb event.  Here is the info for the Airbnb slide deck:Slide Deck - Click hereHere is the info on the broker that offers ownership and passive income streams

Only three US cities featured in the latest comprehensive ranking of the 72 best cities to live in the world as an expat.According to the recent Expat Insider report, conducted by networking group

Thanksgiving is a great time to gather with family and friends and share our stories of gratitude. Unless its your thing there’s no doubt some folks find the prep work and cooking exhausting.

A survey including Texas reveals that for the past five quarters, the majority of Americans said their housing markets were overheating. Now, in the fourth quarter, 75 percent of Americans say their