Real Estate Market News for August – Leslie Lerner Properties – Houston Realtor

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Housing Stats ∙ Paint Instead of Replace

HOUSTON HOME SALES AHEAD OF 2016, BUT DOWN ON A MONTH-TO-MONTH BASIS

Houston single-family home sales rose for the tenth straight month compared to July 2016, but fell since June 2017. Prices seem to be leveling out.

Single-family homes inventory rose from a 4.0-months supply last July, to 4.5 months in July 2017. That is also a slight increase from 4.4 months in June 2017. Across the U.S., inventory is at a 4.3-months supply. The average days on the market fell to 48 days.

According to the latest monthly report prepared by the Houston Association of REALTORS® (HAR):

Month-to-Month Comparison:

Category	Jan. 2017	Feb. 2017	Mar. 2017	Apr. 2017	May 2017	June 2017	July 2017	Aug. 2017	Sept. 2017	Oct. 2017	Nov. 2017	Dec. 2017
Total Property Sales	4,997	6,111	8,495	8,014	9,744	9,993	8,821	7,077	8,150	7,614	7,270	8,125
Total Active Listings	34,958	35,685	37,926	39,567	41,257	43,326	44,299	42,822	40,848	39,692	37,914	33,432
Single-Family Home Sales	4,080	4,933	7,013	6,583	8,156	8,414	7,440	5,917	6,913	6,381	6,184	6,875
Townhome/Condominium Sales	379	495	652	594	715	665	572	399	470	536	481	535
Single_Family Months of Inventory	3.5	3.5	3.8	4.0	4.1	4.4	4.5	4.4	4.1	3.9	3.7	3.2
Single-Family Pending Sales	6,286	6,908	8,311	8,382	8,808	8,363	7,940	6,295	6,606	7,201	6,218	5,413
Days on Market	64	66	60	55	51	50	48	50	54	61	61	62

Single-Family Sales by Price Range (Harris, Fort Bend, Brazoria, Montgomery & Waller Counties):

Price Range	Jan. 2017	Feb. 2017	Mar. 2017	Apr. 2017	May 2017	June 2017	July 2017	Aug. 2017	Sept. 2017	Oct. 2017	Nov. 2017	Dec. 2017
$1 - $99,999	167	203	217	193	227	206	202	160	192	212	242	247
$100,000 - $149,999	575	565	732	657	776	720	666	550	587	595	595	647
$150,000 - $249,999	1,362	1,684	2,386	2,253	2,705	2,761	2,549	2,166	2,526	2,390	2,269	2,298
$250,000 - $499,999	1,108	1,539	2,173	2,055	2,569	2,652	2,210	1,869	2,150	1,902	1,849	2,134
$500,000 - $749,999	210	225	368	309	439	521	396	304	358	293	306	369
$750,000 and above	132	162	226	253	273	335	301	222	204	206	188	216

Year-to-Year Comparison:

• Single-family home sales rose for the tenth straight month, up 5.0 percent year-over-year with 7,440 units sold;
• Single-family home sales broken out by price range:
  • $1 – $99,999: decreased 11.9 percent
  • $100,000 – $149,999: decreased 1.8 percent
  • $150,000 – $249,999: increased 7.8 percent
  • $250,000 – $499,999: increased 3.2 percent
  • $500,000 – $749,999: statistically unchanged
  • $750,000 and above: increased 19.8 percent
• Total property sales increased 4.5 percent with 8,821 units sold;
• Total dollar volume climbed 7.5 percent to $2.5 billion;
• Single-family homes months of inventory grew to a 4.5-months supply, the highest level since September 2012;
• Days on Market for single-family homes fell slightly to 48 days versus 50 last year;
• Townhome/condominium sales fell 9.0 percent, with the average price up 1.8 percent;
• Leases of single-family homes jumped 15.6 percent with average rent down 3.2 percent to $1,815;
• Volume of townhome/condominium leases rose 12.3 percent with average rent down 5.1 percent to $1,546.

>>>Read the entire release.

WE LOVE HAPPY CLIENTS!

"My wife and I had to put our home on the market very quickly and from a different city, making the selling process all the more difficult than a normal sale. That said, Leslie’s attentiveness, ultra-responsiveness, and straight-forward approach made the entire process much easier. If timeliness, professionalism and cost are of highest priorities, I would highly recommend using Leslie as your agent.”

– Michael S.

PAINT INSTEAD OF REPLACE TO SAVE MONEY

Did you know that paint can be applied to carpet, appliances or vinyl floors? If you clean. patch and sand the area correctly, a little paint can go a long way.

General Rules:

• Prime before painting. Primer will allow the paint to adhere better.
• Most hard surfaces will take primer better if they’re roughed up a little with fine-grade sandpaper.
• When using spray paint, multiple, thin layers are better than one, thick coat. Ease up on your trigger finger, and spray in short bursts.
• Wait for the previous coat of paint or primer to dry completely before adding another coat.

In a few quick steps, with proper preparation you can paint hardware, a brick fireplace, ceramic tile, wood floors, carpet and vinyl floors. 

Door, Drawer and Cabinet Hardware
Spray paint can turn builder-grade brass locks and hinges into fashion-forward hardware with an oil-rubbed bronze, pewter, or stainless look.

Prep:

1. Clean hardware with a fine steel wool to remove grease and grime.
2. Rough up the surface with fine-grain sandpaper.
3. Before you paint, insert a tiny strip of painter’s tape into the keyhole to make sure paint doesn’t gunk it up.
4. Prime with a metallic primer, then paint with metallic spray paint.

Tip: Insert the door lock’s spindle into a square of Styrofoam, which will hold it upright while you spray around the knob.

Brick Fireplace
When you paint your brick fireplace, you transform the entire room. But beware! Once you paint brick, it’s nearly impossible to return it to the original brick color.

You can paint brick a single color, or achieve some variation — like the variations in real brick — by sponging on slightly lighter and darker hues.

Prep:

1. Lightly sand away any loose bits of brick or mortar with 120-grit sandpaper.
2. Clean dirt and soot with a wire brush and heavy-duty cleanser.
3. Allow to dry completely before applying an oil-based, stain-blocking primer.
4. Paint with a semi-gloss latex.

Tips:

• Never paint the firebox.
• Brick is porous and drinks paint, so buy twice what you think you’ll need.
• Wear safety glasses and gloves when cleaning anything with a metal brush.

Ceramic Tile
Some good places to paint paint ceramic tile are laundry room floors, backsplashes under cabinets (but not above ranges where pasta sauce splatters), and walls around tubs you rarely use. Stay away from painting tiles in high-traffic and high-moisture areas.

Prep:

1. Repair cracked or chipped tile with caulk or grout before painting.
2. Give patching material ample time to dry, then lightly sand before applying an epoxy or urethane bonding primer.
3. Sand after priming and between each coat of quality latex paint.
4. Wait several days for the paint to cure completely, then seal with two or three coats of clear, water-based polyurethane.

Tips:

• To get a smooth look, apply paint in zigzags, then roll down in one, smooth motion.
• Use 240-grit wet/dry sandpaper for prep and between coats.
• Don’t forget safety goggles and masks when sanding tiles.

Wood Floors

When wood floors are beyond another refinishing, painting can give them a second life — and give you a chance to add a personal touch to your home.

Prep:

1. Slightly sand the surface so your primer will adhere better. No need to sand down to the wood; even roughing up the seal coat will help the primer adhere better.
2. Vacuum and mop with a damp cloth to remove all the dust — nothing ruins a paint job faster than dust.
3. Tint your primer to reduce the number of coats you’ll need of latex enamel floor paint.

Tips:

• Before you commit to a paint color, paint a large piece of foam board with a sample of your desired color and put it on the floor to give you a good idea what the finished floor will look like.
• It takes each coat about 24 hours to dry completely. So don’t jump the gun when applying the next, thin coat.
• Your painted floor won’t completely cure for almost a month, so hold off on moving back heavy things like pianos and chests of drawers.
• Protect your painted floor by putting mats down at the sink (wood and paint hate water) and high-traffic entryways.

Carpet
Yes, a little upholstery paint can cover stains and revive carpet.

Kathie Smula of Spray It New upholstery paint says carpets with a short pile are the best candidates for painting; long-pile carpets become hard and matted when painted.

Prep:

1. Thoroughly clean the carpet before painting. You don’t have to steam clean it, but scrub up the worst stains and vacuum so dust and dirt don’t mix with the paint.
2. Skip priming and just spray paint two or three coats, depending on how deep you want the color. Make sure it’s dry to the touch before spraying another coat.

Tips:

• Don’t confuse upholstery paint, good for carpets, with fabric paint, good for T-shirts.
• If you get heavy handed and paint clumps, loosen the area with a bristle brush and dab up excess paint.
• Six cans of spray paint will cover an 8-foot-by-10-foot carpet with at least two coats.

Vinyl Floors
Painting is an inexpensive way to get a few more years out of old vinyl floors in kitchens and laundry rooms.

Prep:

1. Wash the floor with a TSP (tri-sodium phosphate) solution to get rid of built-up dirt and grime.
2. Rough up the shiny surface with 180-grit sandpaper. If some nooks and crannies remain glossy, apply a deglosser (paint stores sell it) to remove shine.
3. Prime with a latex primer.
4. Paint with a porch/floor paint.

Tips:

• Save your back when sanding floors by using a sanding pole, like the ones drywall installers use.
• Highly textured vinyl floor may require another sanding and a second coat of primer.

Appliances
Heat-resistant appliance paint will perk up your kitchen. Use an indoor appliance paint to change colors, or a liquid stainless steel application to give your appliance the stainless steel look.

Use a roller for small touchups; two or three thin coats of spray paint is better for total appliance coverage.

Prep:

1. Clean appliance exteriors with a heavy-duty cleaning solution and, if needed, a scrubbing pad.
2. Remove handles and hardware; place painters tape over trim and logos.
3. Sand the exterior.

Tips:

• Make sure the front of your appliance is metal, not plastic. Plastic exteriors will require priming, while appliance paint will stick more easily to metal exteriors.
• If you’re spray-painting, haul the appliance outdoors to avoid getting paint on cabinets and floors. If you paint indoors, open windows to assure proper ventilation.
• For the stainless look, Liquid Stainless Steel is the go-to product. It’s got real flakes of stainless steel. Apply with a brush.

Information from House Logic.

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LESLIE LERNER PROPERTIES WILL:

• List Homes $300,000 – $799,999 for $4,500
• List Homes $800,000 – $1,499,999 for $12,000
• List Homes $1,500,000 – $1,999,999 for $25,000
• List Homes above $2,000,000 for $30,000
• $200,000 – $299,999 for 1.5%
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• We will rebate 1.5% of the Buyer’s Agent’s Commission if we show you 1 – 3 homes.
• We will rebate 1% if we show you 4 – 6 homes.
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If you think it is time to buy or sell a home, remember to call Leslie Lerner Properties at 713.489.9900.  Leslie Lerner Properties is the Home of Flat Fee Listings and Rebated Commissions.  A great amount of information can be found at www.LeslieLernerProperties.com.  Leslie Lerner Properties offers all of the service for less money, when buying or selling a home.

 

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