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Puppy Love in the Highland Lakes

February 28, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Dog DazeThere’s always something happening in the Highland Lakes!  And its a great place to bring your puppy dogs…so if you’re looking for something fun and philanthropic to do this weekend, come to Marble Falls, Texas.

You and your canine cohort will get lots from the

1st Ever Marble Falls Walk-A-Dog-A-Thon

Out-of-towners should really check out this event because for only $20 (adult humans) and $15 (little humans) :) you will enjoy a wonderful walk through Marble Falls parks and lovely historic downtown, all while benefiting the the Highland Lakes SPCA no-kill animal sanctuary.  The event is being sponsored by WeAreMarblefalls.com. 

So all you daring doggies, grab your human companion, put ‘em on a leash and head down to Johnson Park in Marble Falls where it will all begin.  Enjoy the Pet Fair beginning at 10am and register for the event.  The Walk will officially kick off at 11am.  For details and additional information, click here on WeAreMarblefalls.com.

Let me know how you fare, can’t wait to hear who takes home the trophies! 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Marble Falls, TX Tagged With: , , , ,

Fun Foto Friday

February 22, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Llano Arm of Lake LBJTake a good look!  As we begin to show signs of Spring, this picture will change in a number of ways.  This Fun Foto is on the Llano arm of Lake LBJ during February.  Soon the colors will change and the quiet water will play host to visitors from everywhere…Hope you’re one of them!

This is a great place for Spring Break and family reunions!  One historic place you might consider visiting is the Antler’s Hotel in Kingsland, Texas. 

Log Country Cove

Or maybe you prefer something more like a log cabin, no problem we have that also at Log Country Cove.  There are also a number of lake home rentals available as well. 

Come see us this Spring.  Call me at 512-590-2258 for help in finding a fun place to stay to enjoy the Texas Hill Country…and Lake LBJ.

See Ya Soon!

Filed Under: Fun Fotos, Lake LBJ Tagged With: , , , , ,

Homebuyers 10 Commandments

February 21, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Hopefully everyone’s aware of the 10 Commandments…for Home Buyers I mean :)   But just in case, here’s a refresher…or a quick common sense lesson. The whole home buying process is exciting and there’s lots going on, even more so if you’re applying for a mortgage loan.

I know, I know, you’re excited and have found the perfect furniture for the soon-to-be-yours living room. Or wait, better yet, how about a new car to go into that fabulous soon-to-be-yours mancave garage.  DON’T DO IT!!!!

A pre-approved loan is a great way to show the seller that you’re a serious buyer.  However,

A pre-approved loan is not a green light to go spend crazy!

Your lender will have checked your credit to get you pre-approved, but you need to understand that there will at least one, if not more, credit checks prior to signing on the dotted line at closing. For this reason its extremely important that you don’t create changes to your credit history while in the home buying process!

So to help you remember let’s put them in the context of the Ten Commandments and what you should NOT do to hinder the pre-approval of your loan or potentially shatter the opportunity to close on your new home:

I.      Thou Shalt Not…buy new furniture

II.     Thou Shalt Not…incur any big expenses like purchasing a car, a boat or an airplane

III.   Thou Shalt Not…co-sign on a loan, for anyone including family, friend or foe

IV.    Thou Shalt Not…resign from your job, change jobs, or suddenly become self-employed

V.      Thou Shalt Not…apply for new credit cards, charge excessively on the ones you have, or fail to make payments on time

How we doing so far?  Good!  Only five more to go!!!

VI.    Thou Shalt Not…change bank accounts or open new bank accounts

VII.   Thou Shalt Not…make large deposits to your bank account without first discussing it with your lender, even if its winning the lottery or receiving a  substantial financial gift

VIII.  Thou Shalt Not…forget to pay your bills, including the ones you might be disputing

XI.     Thou Shalt Not…leave out any outstanding debts or liabilities on your loan application

X.       Thou Shalt Not..spend the money you’ve put aside for closing costs on other items that can wait until after closing

We’ve come to our the end of 10 good rules to follow, but mostly just be sensible and patient as your loan is being processed.  Lake LBJ and the Highland Lakes offers a variety of lovely homes, so if you need help finding one that’s right for you please give me a shout!  I will gladly assist you in finding a mortgage lender that is right for you.

Filed Under: FAQ, Home Buyer Tagged With: , , , , ,

Fun Foto Friday-Lake Bugs!

February 15, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Sexy BugHowdy folks! Its another Fun Foto Friday  and here’s an adorable VW that you might see cruising around the Highland Lakes area!
If you are a VW, or Beetle  aficionado, then check out the  Volkswagen Show in Fredericksburg, Texas this coming April.  Here’s what they say about about this annual event:

It’s the Biggest Volkswagen Show in Texas!

There’s always something fun to see and do in and around the Lake LBJ area, so tune in each Friday for a new snapshot!
Can’t wait until next Friday?  Call me anytime and I’ll help you find out about things to do and see here in the Texas Hill Country!  By the way, have you seen any interesting “bugs” lately?

Filed Under: Fun Fotos, Lake Life Living Tagged With: , , , , ,

5 You Oughta Knows When Buying A Lake LBJ Waterfront Home

February 14, 2013 by Leave a Comment

SLake Homeo you have decided to invest in that vacation or retirement lake home on desirable Lake LBJ in the heart of Texas!   Its an exciting prospect and quite often along with the purchase of the home, plans begin on ways to make changes or fixes to make it your own.  With that in mind, here are 5 important considerations to be aware of when making that commitment:

1.  Which county is the property located in?  Since Lake LBJ is essentially split between two counties, Burnet and Llano, its important that you find out which flood plain administration rules you will be required to follow if you are considering making improvements or changes to your home after you close.  Although it would seem logical that the flood plain rules for both counties on the same body of water should be the same, sadly they are not.  Regardless though, a permit from the designated flood plain administrator is required before you begin exterior improvements to your lake abode.

2.  Was the home built prior to 1991?  This is important because such a property, according to FEMA, is considered “pre-FIRM”.   (FIRM stands for Flood Insurance Map)  And as such, new owners need to be aware that there are rules governing the remodeling, repair or improvements they might be wanting to make.  Homes located in the flood plain but built after 1991 are governed by certain development rules as well.  You will want to find out about these rules before you purchase the property so that there are no surprises when you begin any construction project on your new lake home!

3.  Get an elevation certificate!  An elevation certificate is necessary for two reasons, the first being that it is required by the National Flood Insurance Program(NFIP).  The elevation certificate certifies the reference level of a building for insurance rating purposes. Without it your home can’t be rated for flood insurance if you’re getting a mortgage.  The second reason is that you will need this information when applying for a permit from the county for construction projects.

4.  Know who owns the fill area!  When buying your lake home its important to know if the property you are purchasing has fill area and if so, who owns the fill area…the property owner or another entity? Quite often, mortgage lenders require that the fill area be owned by the property owner.  For cash buyers it is still important to know in case you decide to sell the property later because the question will probably arise again.  In addition to finding out from the seller if they own “to the water”,  a current survey will illustrate whether the seller owns the fill area or not.  Retaining walls along waterfront properties have a different boundary than the original water lines, creating what is referred to as fill area.

5.  What are the deed restrictions, if any?  As in any community, there are a number of neighborhoods with property and homeowner associations.  If you are wanting to make changes to buildings on the property you are considering purchasing, find out first what restrictions or procedures are in place so you know exactly what is allowed before you start your project.

Navigating the purchase of a waterfront home is something I am happy to help you with, and get answers to all of the “oughta knows”!  Call me anytime directly at 512-590-2258 or email sonyapowers@enjoylakelbj.com.

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Home Buyer, Lake LBJ Tagged With: , , ,
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