From his office on West Gray Street in Montrose, Realtor LeeRoy Smith provides his thoughts on what homebuyers and home sellers should know about the market.
What advice would you give to someone looking to buy a house?
The advice I would give to someone looking to buy a home right now is to make sure it is the right financial decision for them currently. Rising interest rates impact buyers by limiting their purchase power, but the higher rates could also help curb inflation.
What advice would you give to sellers?
My advice to sellers would be that this is still a great time to put their home on the market. Property values are still very high and, though buyer interest is starting to taper off a bit, people are still buying homes.
How does the real estate market in Houston’s inner loop differ from other parts of the city?
The Inner Loop is unique because of property diversity. You’ll see a newly constructed townhome next to a historic bungalow. Homebuyers in the Inner Loop have very diverse options as far as property type, lot size and neighborhood features.
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Gary Greene
1705 W. Gray St., Ste. 200, Houston
832-221-7628
www.leeroysmith.garygreene.com
Ask a mortgage expert
Native Houstonian John Frels has been providing mortgage services and advice for more than 20 years. He spoke on loans and refinancing.
What should first-time homebuyers know before applying for a mortgage loan?
First-time homebuyers should get with a local lender and make sure that they’re prequalified for what they think that they want to get. Prequalification is where they fill out an application; they supply the lender with their bank statements and pay stubs and W2s; and they pull their credit and they go over the process with each other. The borrower is basically on the same page with the lender, and when they finish, the borrower should feel confident to be able to go out and shop. The most important thing is that, today, most Realtors probably wouldn’t even talk to you unless you had gone through that step first.
When should someone refinance their mortgage?
Even with rates going up, there are still things that you might want to do. Say you want to remodel or you want to pay off some credit card debt. ... Even with rates going back up to the way they were right before COVID[-19], they’re still considerably less than what people are paying on credit cards.
How might someone get the best deal for a mortgage loan?
We all get our money from the same places today. Rates are going to be generally the same from lender to lender. The thing I always tell people and what most Realtors tell people is work with somebody that knows your neighborhood. Work with somebody that knows your community.
The Kelso Group
9601 Katy Freeway, Ste. 420, Houston
713-822-0475
www.apmortgage.com/john-frels
Ask an interior designer
Missy Stewart has more than 25 years of experience in designing homes and other spaces. She spoke on trends and the overall interior design process.
What should homeowners do to prepare for working with an interior designer?
I think [it would help] if they would spend a little time looking at photos on the internet, either on Pinterest or even Google Images. [They] can just say whatever they’re looking for, like a modern living room, and show a few photos that you like. A picture really is worth 1,000 words in this industry. If a client can show me a few things that they like, it’s very helpful. They may or may not know their style, but an interior designer can decipher their style through a few photos.
What can someone expect when hiring an interior designer?
They should first of all expect a beautiful design and a complete design. They might also be pushed a little bit outside of their comfort zone. It should be very tactfully done by the designer, but ... if you’ve hired a professional, it should look a little more grand. Sometimes it’s hard for people to go that extra mile—maybe that little edgy pink color or rug—and so they should expect to be pushed a little outside their comfort zone and basically just expect it to look very professional.
How would you advise someone on the best way to find an interior designer that suits their particular interests?
I would suggest looking at websites; Google it and look at different designers’ websites. And I think a good designer’s portfolio should not have everything look identical. They should have a portfolio that is a little bit different. For example, mine’s fairly modern. But I have a midcentury modern job that looks very much like it has its own personality in hopes that the designer needs to listen to the client and design for them and for their house. Find a portfolio that speaks to you and that also shows a lot of experience if they have a large portfolio. We don’t just want pretty pictures; we want to make sure it was not painful getting there.
Missy Stewart Designs
713-936-4265
www.missystewartdesigns.com
