Tag: richmond texas homes and rentals

Chewy Coconut Cookies

 

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoons baking soda
  • ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ cups salted butter, softened
  • ½ cups brown sugar
  • ½ cups granulated sugar
  • 1 whole egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1-½ cup shredded sweetened coconut

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugars. Add the egg, mix well. Add the vanilla, mix well.

Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing well after each addition. Once all the flour is combined, add the shredded coconut and mix.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spoon 1 teaspoon of batter onto pans. Dough spreads while baking, so leave ample space between dough balls.

Bake for about 8-10 minutes, or until edges are browned.

Remove from oven and cool on a cooling rack.

 

VARIATIONS AND TIPS

  1. Add 1/2 cups of chopped pecans for a yummy variation
  2. Let cookie cool completely moving them off the pan. Cookies will be very softs right out of the oven
  3. You can make the batter in advance. Scoop into portions and freeze. You can take them from the freezer to the oven. You might need to add 1 more minute to the calling time. The cookie will last 2-3 months in the freezer.

Cómo aumentar el valor de su hogar para vender

1303 SPRING CITY COURT
HOUSTON, TX 77090

Cómo aumentar el valor de su hogar para vender

Ya sea que ponga su casa en el mercado este año o en los próximos cinco años, es una decisión inteligente comenzar a construir el valor de su casa ahora. Estas son algunas formas de crear un hogar cómodo y, al mismo tiempo, facilitar el ingreso de más dinero en su cuenta bancaria el día del cierre.

Pequeñas reparaciones y mantenimiento.

Si piensa que el mantenimiento del hogar los fines de semana pierde su tiempo y energía, piénselo nuevamente. Las pequeñas tareas que realiza en su hogar evitan que pierda valor. Si se descuida el mantenimiento y las reparaciones pequeñas, el 10% del valor de su hogar saldrá de su puerta. La mayoría de los tasadores afirman que las casas que muestran poco o ningún mantenimiento preventivo pueden depreciarse de $ 15,000 a $ 20,000.

Un estudio realizado por investigadores de la Universidad de Connecticut y la Universidad de Syracuse muestra que el mantenimiento regular aumenta el valor de su hogar en aproximadamente un 1% por año. Sin embargo, los costos continuos de mantenimiento compensan ese valor, lo que significa que el mantenimiento regular en realidad reduce la tasa de depreciación. Además, debido a que los compradores de vivienda generalmente notan las reparaciones necesarias al comprar una casa nueva, el mantenimiento proactivo le permite al comprador saber que no tendrá que gastar dinero extra para mantener lo básico. Esto hace que su hogar sea más atractivo y, por lo tanto, es más probable que obtenga ofertas a precios más altos.

Mantener lo básico puede costarle poco dinero y, ciertamente, algo de esfuerzo, pero hay una manera de realizar esta importante actividad de manera inteligente. Este artículo de HouseLogic, por ejemplo, le muestra cómo mantener el mantenimiento del hogar por debajo de los $ 300 al año. Planear con anticipación también ayudará a facilitar el mantenimiento de su hogar. La mayoría de los tasadores profesionales y agentes de bienes raíces recomiendan un programa de mantenimiento proactivo que incluya:

  • Mantener suficiente efectivo a la mano para reemplazar sistemas y materiales.
  • Creación y seguimiento de un programa de mantenimiento.
  • Planificación de una habitación rehacer cada año.
  • Manteniendo un cuaderno de todos sus mantenimientos y reparaciones.
  • Paisajismo

La Extensión Cooperativa de Virginia en Virginia Tech publicó un estudio que muestra que el paisajismo puede aumentar el valor de una casa en un 15%. El estudio afirma que una casa valorada en $ 150,000 podría aumentar su valor entre $ 8,300 y $ 19,000 con la adición de paisajismo. Elementos particulares del paisaje añaden valor diferente. Por ejemplo, el diseño del paisaje puede aumentar el valor de su hogar en un 42%, el tamaño de la planta puede aumentar el valor de su hogar en un 32% y la diversidad de plantas puede aumentar el valor de su hogar en un 22%.

Reemplazar puertas de entrada

Si las puertas de entrada son de madera, considere cambiarlas por puertas de fibra de vidrio o de acero. Las puertas de acero agregan estilo e interés arquitectónico a su hogar al tiempo que mejoran la seguridad; puede agregar un cerrojo y teclados electrónicos para evitar la entrada de intrusos. A diferencia de las puertas de madera, las puertas de acero no se pudren ni se astillan.

Alternativamente, las puertas de fibra de vidrio se pueden diseñar para que se parezcan a las puertas de madera y le den a su hogar un aspecto moderno. Las puertas de fibra de vidrio conservan más energía que las puertas de acero.

En lo que respecta al precio, una puerta de acero le costará $ 1,335 con un 91% de retorno de la inversión, mientras que una puerta de fibra de vidrio le costará $ 3,126 con un 82.3% de retorno de la inversión.

Reemplazo de la puerta del garaje

Al principio, es posible que no piense que la puerta de su garaje aumenta el valor de su hogar. Sin embargo, la puerta de su garaje distingue su hogar de los otros hogares en su bloque. Como la entrada más grande de una casa, las puertas de los garajes se notan primero porque son el punto focal de su casa. Si desea aumentar rápidamente el valor de reventa de su hogar, necesita aprovechar al máximo este espacio.

Algunas cosas interesantes que se hacen con puertas de garaje incluyen:

  • Mayor tamaño: las puertas de garaje más grandes ayudan a que las casas se destaquen más, y los propietarios de viviendas pueden hacer más creativamente con ellas.
  • Colores audaces: los colores brillantes y audaces ahora pueden complementar el color de su hogar, o puede crear un concepto alrededor del color de su hogar.
  • Faux Wood: puede instalar puertas de garaje de fibra de vidrio o acero que parecen puertas de garaje de madera. Esto le da a su hogar un nuevo nivel de sofisticación.
  • Ventanas: las ventanas grandes en la puerta de su garaje mejoran la estética de su hogar y brindan luz en su garaje para que ya no sea un espacio oscuro.

Más importante aún, un reemplazo de la puerta del garaje le costará $ 1,652 y agregará $ 1,512 al valor de su hogar; Eso es un retorno de su inversión de 91.5%.

Aislamiento de fibra de vidrio en el ático

Si bien la eficiencia energética aún no es el punto de venta más atractivo de su hogar, la instalación de aislamiento de fibra de vidrio en el ático ahorra energía y le proporciona una gran recompensa a su inversión. Según el informe de tendencias principales Costo vs. Valor de Remodeling Magazine de 2016, el aislamiento de fibra de vidrio del ático obtuvo el mayor retorno de la inversión entre los 30 proyectos del informe de este año. Usando Remodel / Max como la fuente de costos, un proyecto de aislamiento de fibra de vidrio para áticos cuesta $ 1,268 en todo el país. Los profesionales inmobiliarios encuestados estimaron que el trabajo aumentaría el precio de una casa en reventa, dentro del año de su finalización, en $ 1,482. Eso es un 116.9% de retorno sobre la inversión.

Reemplazo de Windows

Reemplazar sus ventanas es otra forma de ahorrar energía y aumentar el valor de reventa de su hogar. Reemplazar sus viejas ventanas con modelos de ahorro de energía embellecerá su hogar, lo mantendrá cómodo y facilitará la carga de trabajo de su sistema de HVAC. Según HGTV, verá una reducción en su factura de servicios públicos entre un 7% y un 15%. Sin embargo, si está vendiendo su casa, podría esperar una recuperación de su inversión del 60% al 70%. Los dos tipos de ventanas de reemplazo que traen el mejor retorno son vinilo y madera.

Remodelando tu cocina

La remodelación de la cocina puede ser costosa, pero las pequeñas renovaciones pueden hacer que su hogar sea más fácil para el comprador. Cambiar la textura y el color de su cocina con un acabado mate y colores neutros como masilla o gris mejora el valor de reventa de su hogar. Debido a que los acabados mate tienen cualidades de transición, su potencial comprador de casa puede igualar fácilmente sus electrodomésticos de acero inoxidable o blanco y negro. Además, el reacabado de gabinetes o el cambio a los electrodomésticos Energy Star ™ brindan la comodidad que usted desea y el gusto de los compradores.

El flujo es importante para cualquier diseño interior de una casa. Si sientes que tu cocina dificulta un buen flujo, cámbiala. Una pequeña inversión para derribar un muro no estructural o remover una isla de cocina crea espacio y proporciona el flujo que los compradores adoran.

Una remodelación de la cocina de menor importancia puede costarle $ 20,122 mientras que pone $ 16,716 de valor de reventa en su hogar; eso es un 83% de devolución en el proyecto. Si desea hacer un modelo de cocina importante, esto le puede costar alrededor de $ 60,000 y poner alrededor de $ 39,000 de valor de reventa en su hogar, lo que representa solo un 65% de reembolso en el proyecto. Por lo tanto, considere una remodelación de cocina menor primero.

Adición o remodelación de baños

Asimismo, considere cuidadosamente agregar un baño o remodelar su baño. Cambiar las puertas de la ducha de vidrio esmerilado por puertas de vidrio, limpiar la lechada, reemplazar la ducha y los azulejos del piso, cambiar el fregadero o el inodoro o reemplazar los accesorios del lavabo y la ducha puede costarle poco dinero.

Agregar un baño puede ser costoso, pero puede reducir la congestión durante los tiempos agitados y proporcionar a sus invitados un baño. Consulte con su agente de bienes raíces o con un tasador local antes de decidir si una remodelación completa o una adición es adecuada para su situación. Mientras que la remodelación de un baño le costará alrededor de $ 18,000 con un retorno de la inversión de aproximadamente el 66%, la adición de un baño le costará aproximadamente $ 42,000 con un retorno de la inversión de aproximadamente el 56%. Por lo tanto, es mejor hacer su diligencia debida antes de trabajar en su baño.

Sus necesidades y deseos de los compradores

En esa nota, si necesita renovar su casa, asegúrese de considerar cómo esos cambios afectarán su atractivo para los futuros compradores. Conocer las tendencias de diseño le dará la oportunidad de realizar cambios en su hogar en función de dónde se intersectan sus necesidades y los deseos de su comprador potencial, lo que aumentará drásticamente el valor de reventa de su propiedad.

Los diseñadores y los sitios web de diseño ofrecen excelentes ideas cuando está realizando una lluvia de ideas sobre las renovaciones en el hogar. Sin embargo, tenga en cuenta al investigar, que no desea sacrificar sus necesidades por un hogar cómodo solo por lo que cree que querrá un futuro comprador.

Por lo tanto, antes de comenzar a realizar cambios en su hogar, consulte a su agente de bienes raíces. Los agentes de bienes raíces, ya que trabajamos constantemente con nuevos clientes compradores, tenemos información privilegiada sobre lo que los compradores de viviendas están buscando ahora y en el futuro. Podremos ayudarlo a tomar decisiones inteligentes al remodelar o renovar su hogar.

Si piensa que puede querer remodelar o renovar su casa en un futuro próximo, o si simplemente tiene curiosidad acerca de otras formas en que puede aumentar su valor de reventa, comuníquese conmigo.

How to Amp Up The Resale Value of Your Home

How to Amp Up The Resale Value of Your Home

Whether you’re putting your home on the market this year or in the next five years, it is a smart decision to start building your home’s resale value now. Here are some ways to create a comfortable home while making it easier to put more money into your bank account on closing day.

Small Maintenance and Repairs

If you think that home maintenance on the weekends waste your time and energy, think again. The small chores you do around your home prevents it from losing value. Neglecting small maintenance and repairs causes 10% of your home’s value to walk out your door and slip through your windows. Most appraisers claim that homes showing little to no preventative maintenance can depreciate from $15,000 to $20,000.

study conducted by researchers at the University of Connecticut and Syracuse University shows that regular maintenance boosts your home value by about 1% per year. However, ongoing maintenance costs offset that value, which means that regular maintenance actually slows down your rate of depreciation. Furthermore, because homebuyers generally notice any repairs needed upon buying a new home, proactive maintenance lets the homebuyer know that he or she will not have to spend extra money to maintain the basics. This makes your home more attractive, and thus more likely to get higher priced offers.

Maintaining the basics can cost you little money and certainly some effort, but there’s a way to accomplish this very important activity smartly. This article by HouseLogic, for example,shows you how to keep home maintenance below $300 a year.  Planning ahead will also help make maintaining your home easier. Most professional appraisers and real estate agents recommend a proactive maintenance schedule that includes:

  • Keeping enough cash on hand to replace systems and materials
  • Creating and following a maintenance schedule
  • Planning a room redo every year
  • Keeping a notebook of all your maintenance and repairs

Landscaping

The Virginia Cooperative Extension at Virginia Techpublished a study that shows landscaping can increase a home’s value by 15%.  The study claims that a home valued at $150,000 could increase its value between $8,300 and $19,000 with the addition of landscaping. Particular landscape elements add different value. For instance, landscape design can increase your home’s value by 42%, plant size can increase your home’s value by 32%, and diversity in plants can increase your home’s value by 22%.

Replace Entrance Doors

If your entry doors are wood, consider switching them out for either fiberglass or steel doors. Steel doors add style and architectural interest to your home while improving security; you can add a deadbolt and electronic keypads to keep out intruders. Unlike wood doors, steel doors do not rot or splinter.

Alternatively, fiberglass doors can be designed to look like wood doors and give your home a modern look. Fiberglass doors conserve more energy than steel doors.

Pricewise, a steel door will cost you $1,335 with a 91% return on investment whereas a fiberglass door will cost you $3,126 with an 82.3% return on investment.

Garage Door Replacement

 At first, you might not think that your garage door increases the value of your home. However, your garage door distinguishes your home from the other homes on your block. As the largest entryway of a house, garage doors get noticed first because they’re the focal point of your home. If you want to quickly increase the resale value of your home, you need to make the most of this space.

Some interesting things being done with garage doors include:

  • Increased Size:Bigger garage doors help homes stand out more, and homeowners can do more creatively with them.
  • Bold Colors:Bright and bold colors now can complement the color of your home, or you can build a concept around the color of your home.
  • Faux Wood:You can install fiberglass or steel garage doors that look like wood garage doors. This gives your home a new level of sophistication.
  • Windows:Large Windows on your garage door improve the aesthetic of your home, and provide light into your garage so that it’s no longer a dark space.

 More importantly, a garage door replacement will cost you $1,652 and add $1,512 to the value of your home; that’s a return on your investment of 91.5%.

Fiberglass Attic Insulation

While energy efficiency is still not the sexiest selling point of your home, installing fiberglass attic insulation saves energy and garners a big payback on your investment. According to Remodeling Magazine’s 2016 Cost vs. Value top trends report, fiberglass attic insulation gained the top return on investment among the 30 projects in this year’s report. Using Remodel/Max as the cost source, a fiberglass attic insulation project cost $1,268 nationwide. Real estate professionals surveyed estimated that the work would boost the price of a home at resale, within a year of its completion, by $1,482. That’s a 116.9% return on investment.

Replacing Windows

Replacing your windows is another way to save energy and increase your home’s resale value. Replacing your old windows with energy saving models will beautify your home, keep it comfortable, and ease the workload of your HVAC system. According to HGTV, you’ll see a reduction in your utility bill by 7% to 15%. However, if you’re selling your home, you could expect a 60% to 70% recoupment of your investment. The two types of replacement windows that fetch the best returnare vinyl and wood.

Remodeling Your Kitchen

Kitchen remodeling can get expensive, but small renovations can make your home more buyer friendly. Changing your kitchen’s texture and color using a matte finish and neutral colors such as putty or grey enhances your home’s resale value. Because matte finishes have transitional qualities, your potential homebuyer can easily match his or her stainless steel or black and white appliances. Also, refinishing cabinetry, or switching to Energy Star™ appliances provide comfort you like and pizazz buyers adore.

Flow is important to any interior design of a home. If you feel that your kitchen hinders a good flow, change it. A small investment to knock out a non-structural wall or remove a kitchen island creates space and provides flow that buyers love.

A minor kitchen remodel can cost you $20,122 while putting $16,716 of resale value into your home; that’s an 83% payback on the project. If you want to do a major kitchen model, this can cost you about $60,000 and put about $39,000 of resale value into your home, which is only about a 65% payback on the project. Therefore, consider a minor kitchen remodel first.

Bathroom Addition or Remodel

Likewise, carefully consider adding a bathroom or remodeling your bathroom. Switching out your frosted glass shower doors for glass doors, cleaning the grout, replacing the shower and floor tiles, switching out your sink or toilet, or replacing your sink and shower fixtures can cost you little money.

Adding a bathroom can get expensive, but it can reduce congestion during hectic times and provide your guests with a bathroom. Consult with your real estate agent or a local appraiser before deciding whether a full remodel or addition is right for your situation. While a bathroom remodel will cost you about $18,000 with a return on investment of about 66%, a bathroom addition will cost you about $42,000 with a return on investment of about 56%. Therefore, it’s best do your due diligence before working on your bathroom.

Your Needs and Buyers’ Wants

On that note, if you need to renovate your home, be sure to consider how those changes will affect its appeal to future buyers. Knowing design trends will give you the opportunity to make changes to your home based on where your needs and your potential buyer’s desires intersect, thus increasing your property’s resale value drastically.

Designers and design websites provide great ideas when you’re brainstorming home renovations. Keep in mind as you research, however, that you don’t want to sacrifice your needs for a comfortable home just for the sake of what you think a future buyer will want!

Therefore, before you begin making any changes to your home, consult your real estate agent. Real estate agents, because we are constantly working with new buyer clients, have insider insight into what home buyers are looking for now and in the future. We’ll be able to help you make smart choices when remodeling or renovating your home.

If you think you might want to remodel or renovate your home in the near future, or if you are just curious about other ways you can increase its resale value, please reach out to me!

Child Advocates of Fort Bend – Donate Today

I recently had the pleasure of touring the facility. I was moved by the dedication and enthusiasm that every employee/volunteer showed during the visit. They are doing AMAZING work. 

Child Advocates of Fort Bend is a nonprofit agency serving child victims of sexual abuse, physical abuse and neglect through two nationally-affiliated programs:  Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and the Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC).  Started in 1991, it is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2016 having served over 14,000 children ages birth – 18+ years old over these years.  Its mission is to:  Provide a Voice, Heal The Hurt and Break the Cycle of Abuse and Neglect for Children in Fort Bend County.

With a staff of 35 professionals, volunteer corps of 200 child advocate volunteers and collaborations with 40 partner agencies, it is consistently ranked as the “best practices” model for the investigation, treatment, advocacy and prevention of child abuse.  It employs a Multi-Disciplinary Team approach and practices trauma-focused, evidence-based practices.  Child Advocates of Fort Bend is community supported, public/private partnership that provides all its services at no cost.

For more information

This holiday season I will be collecting new toys, clothing, shoes, backpacks, stuffed animals or blankets for the Child Advocates of Fort Bend. Wish list: 2018 Child Advocate Donation 

I will be collecting items through December 15, 2018. 

I’d be happy to pick up items or you can mail the items to me . Email me for my address. ali@happyclientsrealtygroup.com

Thank you in advance!

Am I the best agent for you?

I’ll be beyond honored to help you buy or sell a home!

As long as I’m the best agent for you…which I probably am, since I have the guts to even say that.

Most agents get so excited when someone even breathes the words buy or sell (or even just breathes), that they cram people in their car to go see homes, or push you to list your house on the spot.

It’s like going in for a kiss when you’re asking someone out on a date…let alone on the first date!

I prefer setting a date…just to chat and get to know each other.

Hopefully we are as good of a match as I feel like we’ll be!

So, for now, let’s just set up a good time to chat and get a feel for what you want and need in an agent. This will help me get a feel for who I’m agreeing to go steady with…before we put a ring on the relationship.

I’m here when you are ready

 

Breath, read, then sign…

E-signatures have made it very simple for people to sign documents on the go. It’s made it too easy. At times the documents send deserve to be read.

I’m always amazed at how many people just sign these things without truly reading through it. After all, it is a contract to purchase your largest assets.

So please, take your time. I like seeing that, because it means I’m dealing with someone who’s careful and will take the time to make solid decisions as we move forward.

Kind of a side note…

So many agents push people to sign these things on the spot, and rush right into things. I think it’s probably because they’re afraid if they don’t walk away from the appointment with signatures, they won’t get the business.

To me, if you deserve to be hired, you don’t have to push.

Heck, I feel like if you do push, you don’t deserve to be getting the business. Agents should be pushy for clients and their best interests…not pushy with them.

Anyhow, take the time you need. Ask me any questions you have. I’m even glad to go over it line by line with you. I’m here when you are ready to move forward.

Want in on that list?

You wanna know one of my secrets to getting my clients the best deal when they buy a house?

Well, it’s not really a secret, everyone knows you need to do what I’m about to tell you.

However, a lot of buyers (and even some sloppy agents) think it’s fine to put it off…

It’s getting pre-approved for a mortgage. The secret in my sauce is that I make sure my buyers do it as early on in the process as possible!

I doesn’t matter if someone got the greatest deal on a house…too many buyers get hosed on their mortgage because they didn’t get pre-approved until they found the house they wanted.

Then they gotta go from pre-approval to the loan process faster than a Ferrari, and that’s where, why, and when they lose money. Those rates and fees are along for the ride for a lot of years later. And it adds up to tons of money.

But since my clients get pre-approved so early on, they get a chance to really look at what the lenders’ programs, fees, and rates are, and make the best choice.

Here’s another thing I’ll let you in on…

I’ve got a private list of lenders I know and trust. Want in on that list? Or do you have a list of ones you know and trust already?

 

Do you want to sell your home for top dollar?

That seems like a ridiculous question, doesn’t it? Who wouldn’t say yes?

But yet, so many people make one huge mistake that stops them from getting top dollar for their home.

What’s weird is that the reason they make the mistake in the first place, is because they think doing so will get them top dollar for their home. But it doesn’t. In fact, it typically causes them to get less than they should…

That mistake is overpricing their home.

The hazards of overpricing are too numerous, and detailed to get into in this email. (But if you’re interested, just let me know and I’m glad to chat with you at length about them.)

Sadly, it happens more often than not.

How and why???

Here are 3 main reasons:

  • Because it’s natural for a homeowner to believe their home is worth more than an agent suggests.
  • Because many agents aren’t very good at explaining the data to clients, or illustrating how much damage overpricing can do.
  • Because many agents will agree to list someone’s home for too much, simply in order to avoid a tough conversation…or to get the business, and convince the owner to reduce the price over time.

So, it leads to many people selling for less than they should, and taking a longer time to get it sold.

Now, this isn’t to suggest that you should price your home too low, or “give your house away”. You need to price it perfectly. And that can be a fine line.

Pricing is as much an art, as it is a science. And, I take great pride in making sure I help my clients find the perfect pricing and positioning within the market in order for them to achieve the highest market value.

As experts in your neighborhood, my team and I have the knowledge and experience to choose the best list price for your property. Our goal is to maximize your proceeds while minimizing the time it takes to sell your property.

We are hiring smiling faces

 

Are you looking for change? Are you a new agent that would like to be part of a group that supports and helps each other prosper?

We are a group of agents that strive to share knowledge and help each other grow. Education is key.

We are seeking like minded agents that would like to be part of our team.

For more information contact Ali Palacios, Broker/Owner at ali@happyclientsrealtygroup.com, 832-418-0670.

Our  VISION

At Happy Clients Realty Group our goal is to serve each client with utmost professionalism, integrity, and outstanding customer service. Our fiduciary relationship with our clients is the highest priority. We work diligently to help them achieve their dreams. We educate and simplify the many challenges of buying and/or selling a home. We provide consistent communication and prompt follow-thru from the beginning of the transaction to the end, and beyond. We utilize our outstanding negotiating skills and vast knowledge of the Houston metro area to the benefit of our clients. We are a team of talented professionals devoted to clients.

Vocabulary: Agency & Agency Relationships

The term “agency” is used in real estate to help determine what legal responsibilities your real estate professional owes to you and other parties in the transaction.

The seller’s representative (also known as a listing agent or seller’s agent) is hired by and represents the seller. All fiduciary duties are owed to the seller, meaning this person’s job is to get the best price and terms for the seller. The agency relationship usually is created by a signed listing contract.

The buyer’s representative (also known as a buyer’s agent) is hired by prospective buyers to and works in the buyer’s best interest throughout the transaction. The buyer can pay the agent directly through a negotiated fee, or the buyer’s rep may be paid by the seller or through a commission split with the seller’s agent.

A subagent owes the same fiduciary duties to the agent’s customer as the agent does. Subagency usually arises when a cooperating sales associate from another brokerage, who is not the buyer’s agent, shows property to a buyer. The subagent works with the buyer to show the property but owes fiduciary duties to the listing broker and the seller. Although a subagent cannot assist the buyer in any way that would be detrimental to the seller, a buyer customer can expect to be treated honestly by the subagent.

A disclosed dual agent represents both the buyer and the seller in the same real estate transaction. In such relationships, dual agents owe limited fiduciary duties to both buyer and seller clients. Because of the potential for conflicts of interest in a dual-agency relationship, all parties must give their informed consent. Disclosed dual agency is legal in most states, but often requires written consent from all parties.

Designated agents (also called appointed agents) are chosen by a managing broker to act as an exclusive agent of the seller or buyer. This allows the brokerage to avoid problems arising from dual-agency relationships for licensees at the brokerage. The designated agents give their clients full representation, with all of the attendant fiduciary duties.

A transaction broker (sometimes referred to as a facilitator) is permitted in states where nonagency relationships are allowed. These relationships vary considerably from state to state. Generally, the duties owed to the consumer in a nonagency relationship are less than the complete, traditional fiduciary duties of an agency relationship.

Source: Realtor.com

Texas Real Estate Commission Consumer Protection Notice Texas Real Estate Commission Consumer Protection Notice