Categories Tips

Get A Fresh Start With A New Home

 

Whether you are going through a divorce or just looking for a change of pace in your life, moving to get the fresh start you are seeking can be an excellent and life-changing decision.

Become Who You Want

If you have been stuck in a life that does not match your expectations 100%, moving may be able to give you the freedom to change your perspective and become who you want. Many people question this motive, finding that moving is simply escaping existing problems; however, studies have proven that in fact moving can give individuals new mental freedom that cannot come from staying in their current home. Transitioning to a new space allows you to see the world in a different light – and often, create a lifestyle that fits your wants.

Get A Clean Break

If you have recently experienced a break-up or even a divorce, then moving can give you the fresh start you need to get your life back on track.  You may feel lost, especially if you had been with your significant other for an extended period of time. The neighborhood may remind you of your time together, bringing up both positive and negative emotions. Creating a new life in a home where you had a life with an ex-partner can be extremely challenging – therefore, moving to a new home can bring about an opportunity to not only redecorate but also to find yourself and discover who you are outside of that old relationship.

Challenge Yourself

When you stay in the same home for an extended period of time life can become simple, filled with the same people and the same routines. You learn the ins and out of the neighborhood and how to exist with ease. Although this may sound appealing to some, to others it creates a sense of dissatisfaction with life – it makes individuals feel stuck. Moving to create challenges can be a healthy decision, forcing you to meet new people and try new things. Not only can this reduce your feelings of complacency but it can actually improve your mental health and increase overall happiness.

Escape A Bad Situation

Life is full of unexpected surprises and often it is hard to find solutions to those problems. For example, if your child’s school district is not challenging them to their full potential, or if you have a dispute with a neighbor that cannot seem to get resolved. Unfortunately, these situations happen and sometimes staying in your present home only intensifies the problem. If this has happened to you, you may want to consider moving for a fresh start – say, to get your child into that new program that helps them grow or allows you to escape the persistent neighborly dispute. Moving to escape does not admit defeat, but instead represents courage as it is difficult to admit you need a new start and even more difficult to take that leap.

Expand Your Relationships

If you find yourself living in a neighborhood that lacks community interaction, you may be experiencing a sense of loneliness. Since the 1990’s there has been a reduction in the amount of interaction Americans have with their neighbors. In fact, many Americans report that they do not even know their neighbors. This can reduce one’s satisfaction with their living situation – If you are living alone it may enhance the feeling of isolation; if you have a family it may create challenges in meeting people for weekend activities. Therefore, moving to a neighborhood that is focused on community events and interactions can assist you in expanding relationships and getting a fresh start to a new life.

Taking the Leap!

It is estimated that in 2018 only 11% of Americans moved. Although you may be thinking that this is because Americans are happy in their home, it is actually due to the fact that people avoid moving at all costs – it is time consuming, can be expensive, and creates unwanted stress. However, for those that do take the leap and start fresh in a new home, they often report an increase in happiness and satisfaction in life.

We love hearing stories from members of our community who took the leap and improved their situation, and we also love helping them get there. This is why we have created a process that makes the transition a bit easier. If you own your home and are ready to get a fresh start, we offer an all cash offer for your home – this way you can focus on your next move.

We purchase homes in all conditions and as-is; we provide quick closes and even help our clients with their moving fees.

If you are ready for your fresh start, contact us today for a free consultation.

Categories Tips

Get Rid of Your HOA Fees Today!

 

When purchasing a home, homeowners must determine if they are willing to take on HOA fees, or Homeowner Association Fees. These fees are typically paid monthly and are used to cover the costs of maintaining communal areas in the neighborhood, including landscaping, amenities such as pools, tennis courts, and meeting rooms, as well as all other areas used by the residential complex.

Why People Move to an HOA Community?

Many individuals are extremely hesitant to moving to a neighborhood that has HOA fees. However, the communities can provide a multitude of benefits to homeowners. First and foremost, these neighborhoods are committed to maintaining the cleanliness, uniformity, and beauty of a community. Not only are funds attributed to ensuring this, but the association also sets strict rules on community members to confirm that the premises are well maintained. This includes limiting the color an individual can paint their house and ensuring that all community members keep up with their house maintenance.

In addition to ensuring the beauty of the neighborhood, homeowner associations can also assist community members when they are confronted with neighbor disputes. Problems that would often require police assistance, such as loud music and unwanted parties, can be mediated by individuals in the association.

The Downsides of Moving to an HOA Community…

Although living in a HOA community may sound great to start, many homeowners discover the downfalls once they move in. The reality is that HOA communities can be costly. The monthly fees can range, usually from $100 and beyond. For those who are looking to prepare for retirement, this can be a barrier to getting ahead. Paying monthly fees can easily hinders one’s ability to add to their 401k. Plus, once someone finally retires, even if they have their home paid off, they are committed to paying monthly HOA fees until they move. When you are trying to live your retirement with minimal stress this can be an unwanted responsibility.

Additionally, these required monthly dues can create havoc if some unexpected life event occurs that requires financial restraint – say if you lose a job. Most bills can be negotiated and reduced with a change in lifestyle – however, if you live in a HOA community, you are stuck paying the fees regardless. This could eventually lead to an unwanted move, and one that could have been avoided if you were not living in a HOA community.

There are other factors that individuals overlook when moving into a HOA community as well, and these are the restrictions that many HOA communities place on their community members. Often, the rules are quite rigid on what homeowners can and cannot do. For example, many communities restrict their members from: renting a room in their home, growing food/gardening, parking commercial and recreational vehicles on the streets, and entertaining guests for an extended period of time, to name a few. Unless you as a homeowner are ready to abide by a long list of rules and regulations, you may want to reconsider if living in a HOA community is right for you.

How Can You Get Out Of Your HOA Community?

Have you purchased a home in a HOA community and have you now realized that it was a poor decision? If so, then selling may be easier than you think. You can sell to us, Gulf State Homebuyers. We are all-cash investors who purchase homes in the Houston area. We have worked with multiple homeowners who have regretted purchasing in HOA communities, whether it was because of their monthly fees or unwanted restrictions; therefore, we have developed a system that helps these homeowners get out of their fees and find a home that they can one day own, free and clear.

Selling your home on the market can be time consuming and tedious – it often creates stress and anxiety, steering people away from selling. They then end up living in the HOA community longer than they want.

Deciding to sell to an all cash buyer on the other hand can assist in reducing those negative emotions. We purchase homes all-cash and as-is. We provide competitive offers to individuals such as yourself, giving you the freedom to focus on finding your next home. We purchase homes that have HOA fees, and we even assist our clients with their moving costs.

If you want to learn more about how to get rid of your HOA fees today, contact us now to speak with one of our qualified staff.

Categories testimonial

Ronnie Foster’s Amazing Story

There is nothing better but to hear exactly what people have to say about doing business with you.  One of the most heartfelt testimonials we have ever received.

 

“Please forgive me for taking so long to get back to you, but here we go.

The story I am about to share with you is one of God, our faith in God. A story of how, if you will allow Him to, God will bring very special people into your lives in he worst of time, especially when you least expect it. Such is the story of Camila Litton and Gulf State Home Buyers.

Our home of 34 years burned on April 11, 2018. A few days later I was contacted by phone by this cheery little voice on the other end of the line introducing herself as Camila Litton. She wanted to know if we would consider selling what was once our home, no matter what the condition. At the time, I was not sure what we were going to do with the house and shared that with Camila. But she was more than welcome to make me an offer if she wanted to. So, we agreed on a meeting time. The morning Camila was to meet me at the house she was punctual and on time. Being in sales most of my working career, punctuality has always been a good measuring tool as to how sincere someone is about what they are doing. After arriving at the house, we visited for a few minutes as I shared my story as to what had happened to our home and how devastated we were by not only the loss of our home but the loss of so many precious memories. Camila expressed her very compassionate and sincere sympathy regarding our home and our loss. As she examined the house it was evident that she was more than a little overwhelmed by our personal loss not to mention the financial loss. After Camila completed her inspection of the condition of the house and how devastated we must be. She thanked me for my time, again expressing her sympathy for our loss, saying that she would keep me and my family in her prayers and that she would get back to me with formal offer in a day or so. Within 48 hours Camila emailed me an offer. I immediately called her, expressing my appreciation for her prayers and her generous offer and shared with Camila that we still had not decided what we were going to do but, either way, I would get back to her when we made a decision.

Several days went by and I received a call from Camila wanting to know how “we” were do? Never once asking if we had made any decisions as to what our intentions were with the house, but to reassure me that me and my family were in her prayers daily. This continued for over a month. Never once did she ask the obvious question, although somewhere in the conversation I would usually share with her where we were in the decision-making process and where we were with the insurance company. I don’t recall exactly when it was that we finally decided we just couldn’t bear the thought of going through the process of rebuilding the house we called our home for so many years and were going to sell it. But when we did, decide I contacted Camila, sharing with her our decision to sell and asking her if the offer was still good, it was so I told her to draw up the papers that we had decided to sell the house to Gulf State Home Buyers (GSHB) as soon as we settled with the insurance company. In the months prior to finally deciding what we were going to do I had several other offers on the house, none of which would I consider strictly because of the sincere concern Camila showed for me and my family. The best I recall this was sometime in late June or early July. However, it was the week before Christmas, 2018 before we finally settled with the insurance company over the contents portion of the claim. The battle we had with the insurance company over the contents in the house was a nightmare I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. However, in the five or so months that went by between verbally committing to sell to GSHB and actually being able to do so Camila rarely ever missed a week without calling, texting or emailing me to let me know she was still praying for us and to see how we were doing. Never once did Camila ever try to pressure me into closing on the house. Camila was extremely helpful, helpful to the point that when I mentioned I was having trouble recruiting help to remove the salvageable contents from the house, she volunteered to and did send a couple of her own construction crew over to spend the day helping me load and unload two trailer loads of contents in the storage facility we had donated to us. By the time we were finally able to close on the house our relationship grown to one of true friendship rather than a relationship of buyer-seller.

I/we look forward to maintaining our friendship with Camila through the coming years. A friendship that God created and will maintain if we will continue to pray for and care for each other. My family and I will continue to keep Camila, her family and Gulf State Home Buyers continually in our prayers.”

Blessings,

Ronnie Foster

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