Appealing Your Property Taxes
Thousands of Texas homeowners will go through the property tax appeal process this year because the appraisal district incorrectly assessed their home's value. Sometimes getting a satisfactory...
View ArticleOver 65 Exemption Portability - You Can Take it With You When You Go
Thousands of homeowners take advantage of the Over 65 exemption allowed by the Texas Property Tax Code. After years of working and paying taxes, it's about time you get a break, right?
View ArticleNew Home Construction Affects Home Tax Values
Most people see new home construction in their neighborhood as a good thing. New homes typically help increase the market value of properties, so when someone in an older home goes to sell, they often...
View ArticleCommercial Real Estate Appraisal Cost Approach
The cost approach was historically prepared as a part of most commercial real estate appraisals. However, the compunction to include the cost approach (when it was not relevant) has dissipated over the...
View ArticleApartment tips -- find a Great Apartment in Houston in One week
Apartment shopping in Houston is easy when you organize the process. This article will help you find a great Houston apartment at a great price. It will also make the Houston apartment shopping...
View ArticleApartment Walk Through
If possible, visit the property and do a "walk-through" with apartment management several days before you move into your unit. The apartment management will have a checklist of the items to prepare the...
View ArticleHouston Apartment Market Update
Monthly absorption in Houston was positive 403 units, while annual absorption (rolling twelve months) totaled positive 9,386 units. 4,488 units are in the planning stage.
View ArticleStart searching for an apartment?
It depends. If you are living in an apartment in the same area where you want to continue living, you should probably start 60 to 90 days prior to the end of your current lease.
View ArticleLeasing Office Space – Part 3 of 23
Set up meetings with two or three of the tenant rep brokers if you have not chosen one after the first round of phone calls. The objective is to visit more regarding their office assignments, obtain...
View ArticleLeasing Office Space – Part 1 of 23
Leasing office space is time-consuming, complex and can divert attention from the primary functions of the business. Steps in the process of leasing office space include selecting a tenant rep broker,...
View ArticleLeasing Office Space – Part 8 of 23 Renewal Rates and Amenities
Rental rate options include: gross, gross plus expense escalation, modified gross, and triple net. A gross lease simply has a rental rate and no allowance or adjustments for expenses.
View ArticleLeasing Office Space – Part 9 of 23 Office Lease Term and Space Prospects
The term of the lease is often a complicated and contentious issue. You want a very short initial term and a huge number of renewal options. An outrageous extreme of this would be a one-day lease with...
View ArticleLeasing Office Space – Part 8 of 23 Renewal Rates and Amenities
Rental rate options include: gross, gross plus expense escalation, modified gross, and triple net. A gross lease simply has a rental rate and no allowance or adjustments for expenses.
View ArticleOffice Space Leasing – Part 12 of 23 Lease Negotiations
The amortized cost of your tenant improvements will be the cost over the term of your lease. To keep matters simple, if you are spending $60,000 to renovate your space, and your lease term is five...
View ArticleLeasing Office Space – Part 14 of 23 Letter of Intent
Other issues which you may want to address in the letter of intent include expense escalations, eminent domain, foreclosure, maintenance standards, definition of the amount of leasable space, personal...
View ArticleLeasing Office Space – Part 15 of 23 Lease Negotiations
Tenants are generally provided time to prepare the office space for occupancy prior to the date when they must begin paying rent. However, in hot markets and for some very desirable properties or...
View ArticleUse the Appraisal District Information to Reduce Your Property Taxes
Homeowners are amazed to learn they can obtain a copy of the appraisal district's evidence at a nominal cost. This is referred to as a House Bill 201 package, and is the only information many...
View ArticleAppeal Your Property Taxes on Market Value and Unequal Appraisal
The first step to annually appealing your property taxes is to send a written notice to the appraisal review board (ARB) for the county in which your home is located. Even if you have not received a...
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