Balmoral Houston

Balmoral has been named a top neighborhood in Northeast Houston! Exciting news. Check out their new Crystal Clear Lagoon Pool. Stop by the Lake Houston Home Center for all builder plans and community information. 16903 West Lake Houston Parkway. The Doug Erdy Real Estate...

Springtime in Houston

The first day of Spring brings on the anticipation for blooming flowers, weekends at the ball park and for the real estate world, the start of busy season. Houston is one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas and per Moonraker Marketing and Great Guys Moving, one of the more affordable areas in which to purchase a home. While the competition may increase in a Springtime realty market, buyers shouldn’t be dismayed. With Houston-area housing prices remaining below the national average, home ownership can be the ideal option. Per statistics and information gathered by Moonraker Marketing and Great Guys Moving, this housing cost difference is about six percent lower than average while apartment rental prices are more than 30% above the national average. Coupled with the affordable housing costs, Springtime often offers an increased inventory of homes from which to choose. Sellers find Spring to be ideal for many reasons, including their Springtime curb appeal. Houses don’t get a second chance to make a first impression and a well-manicured yard in full bloom warmly welcomes interested buyers. As the school year wraps up, buyers begin to realize if they are wanting to be settled before the next school year, now is the time to be buying. Heightened competition can also result in a higher selling price for many sellers compared to other, slower real estate seasons. For buyers looking to buy in this hot season, there are a few tips to consider to help edge out the competition. Get pre-approved by a lender before setting out on your search. This works two-fold to give you a more realistic budget and...

The Groves Builder Series: David Weekley Homes

The Doug Erdy Group is expanding its footprint to yet another office. Upon completion of the centre, our team will have offices a new state of the art facility located on West Lake Houston in Atascocita, TX. This location will be in addition to our current offices. This office will offer us the ability to be in the heart of the real estate boom in the area and stay one step ahead of the game while working alongside local builders and communities. One such community will be The Groves which sits adjacent to the new office complex. We are excited to continue our work with each of the builders and the developer of The Groves. Over the next several weeks, we will be introducing the builders of The Groves in hopes of helping in your home search. David Weekley Homes is one of the esteemed builders in this community and a great fit for any size family. David Weekley Homes was started in Houston in 1976 and is now the largest privately-held home builder in the U.S. With homes across the Houston area, The Groves is just one of the area neighborhoods where its beautiful homes can be found. David Weekley currently offers seven different floor plans in The Groves with prices beginning in the mid $290s. While building from the ground up is always an option in The Groves, many builders have move-in ready inventory. Currently, David Weekley has four move-in ready homes, three different floor plans, each of which can be viewed on their website. If you’re interested in viewing one of these homes or any of...

The Groves

Trees. Natural beauty. Great Amenities. Sought after schools. There isn’t much more that can be asked of in a neighborhood and The Groves checks all of these off the list plus more. Located off of West Lake Houston with convenient access to both Beltway 8 and 59, as well as sitting a short 25 minutes from the George Bush International Airport, The Groves is quickly becoming one of the most sought after and awarded developments in the Greater Houston area. At the recent Greater Houston Builders Association (GHBA)’s 2016 Houston’s Best PRISM Awards, The Groves was awarded more awards than any other community in Houston, including The Developer of the Year Award. Crescent Communities, LLC, developed the community to be an oasis for homeowners filled with luxury set amidst the beauty of nature. Currently, The Groves offers homes from eight different builders with prices starting in the high 200s. Current builders include: David Weekly Homes, Village Builders, Perry Homes, Westin Homes, Darling Homes, Highland Homes, Trendmaker Homes and Taylor Morrison. All homes in the community are zoned to the highly desired Humble ISD, with two new schools to be located in The Groves within the next two years. A new elementary school will open in Fall 2017 with the middle school anticipated to open its doors in Fall 2018. Part of the lure of The Groves is its amenities and convenient location. Currently the community houses an incredible nature playground which incorporates wood recycled from trees cut down during community development. The playground, which is located at the community center, sits near the community’s splash pad, as well as the...

The Decision to Rent or Buy

Rent or buy? Buy or Rent? It’s a question that leaves many scratching their heads trying to make the right decision. So, which is the right answer? It will depend on the individual situation, but there are factors to consider. The most obvious of considerations is finances. For the majority of people, there will be no more expensive single purchase made during their lifetime than their home. Buying a home cannot be jumped into delicately for this reason. According to a recent msn.com article, it’s important to calculate your after-tax income and compare that to your expected home costs. These costs could include a monthly mortgage, potential HOA fees, maintenance fees and more. However, there may be some tax advantages to home ownership that can also be factored into these calculations. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has a monthly payment worksheet that helps potential buyers assess whether their wallets are able to take on the costs of owning a home. While it may seem renting would be cheaper with all that goes into owning a home, that isn’t necessarily the case. According to Trulia.com’s Rent vs. Buy Report, in Houston and the surrounding areas, it is currently 46% cheaper to buy than rent. (Check their rent vs. buy calculator out for a better gauge of your financial situation https://www.trulia.com/rent_vs_buy/) Outside of the financial obligations, there are other responsibilities that need to be considered before making a decision. Owning a home affords the owners a sense of community and belonging. Buying a home gives one an asset and the ability to build equity. It also brings the freedom to truly make...

Could the Fall be a Seller’s Market?

It is often said that fall and winter are considered the slow season for listing a home to sell. However, Realtors have seen a change in recent years and this old adage isn’t holding as true anymore thanks to motivated buyers and less competition. Strategically, these two conditions could make the fall the best time to make your move. Buyers who are out looking for a home during the fall months are typically needing to find a home quickly do to a job relocation or other life change, making them eager and ready to buy the right house. In addition to a more keen buyer, listed houses often face less competition during the fall and winter months. This less saturated market can be a huge advantage to the seller. Furthermore according to research on listed homes compiled by the Redfin Corporation, homes listed during the off months “have a 9 percentage point greater likelihood of selling, sell a week faster, and sell for 1.2 percentage points more relative to list price than homes listed in any other season.” It’s time to put the thought of slow fall season to rest and get your house ready to...