Appraising in Texas

[Mike Ault]

Very nice. What program do you use to put that together - or is it prepared by using options on the MLS site?

That is just a custom report option that I made & saved in the Flexmls system.

 

[Alsie35]

A few random comments - Now that I am getting the hang of it, I am starting to like SABOR better than I liked BAREIS back in CA. Simpler to use, and a lot more useful fields seem to be populated in each MLS listing which export nicely to my spread sheet.

CRS DATA is hands down better than either REALIST or Parcel Quest. The one-touch pdf download of suggested comparables is one of the most useful tools I've come across in 20 years of doing this job.

Yessir, everything IS better in Texas!!!

 

[Alsie35]

A few more observations a couple of weeks in ...

Laminate kitchen countertops are not only common around here, but appear to be the builder's standard in newer, lower-end construction homes; (This was a real surprise to me);

There are fewer pools than in CA;

There are fewer homes with solar panels (as expected and GOOD - who wants to deal with bracketing that );

There are NO (and I mean NO) tiled roofs. 99% of roofs are composition shingle, with a few metal roofs here and there. Don't know if the Texas hail has something to do with the lack of tile roofs. Curious.

Oh yeah. And its beautiful. And wonderful to look up from my laptop while being driven and see the vistas of San Antonio and the Hill Country. Instantly transports me back to my military days here and makes my heart skip a beat. Every time.

 

[Alsie35]

A couple more observations .... there are no crawl spaces (at least I have not seen one yet) out here ... makes the FHA jobs that much easier ...

... realtors will readily put a combo lock box on the home without arguing with you about why you don't use MLS lockbox codes (hint: There's about $1600 reasons I don't - and they stay in my pocket every year )

... and there are speed bumps EVERYWHERE ... good for kids, a mild annoyance while driving comps ... ... oh and the scenery and the clouds (there were NONE where I lived during my exile), are wonderful to look at ...

... today I did something I never imagined was possible: Gave a "C3" rating to a house with laminate kitchen counters (which are standard around here) ... (over on the Left Coast the only laminate kitchen counters you see are 30 years old ... )

edit: almost forgot: God Bless Texas!!!

 

[Tim Hicks (Texas)]

A couple more observations .... there are no crawl spaces (at least I have not seen one yet) out here ... makes the FHA jobs that much easier ...

... realtors will readily put a combo lock box on the home without arguing with you about why you don't use MLS lockbox codes (hint: There's about $1600 reasons I don't - and they stay in my pocket every year )

... and there are speed bumps EVERYWHERE ... good for kids, a mild annoyance while driving comps ... ... oh and the scenery and the clouds (there were NONE where I lived during my exile), are wonderful to look at ...

... today I did something I never imagined was possible: Gave a "C3" rating to a house with laminate kitchen counters (which are standard around here) ... (over on the Left Coast the only laminate kitchen counters you see are 30 years old ... )

edit: almost forgot: God Bless Texas!!!

Granite appears to dominate in DFW, even in D R Horton and most History Maker Homes.

 

[Alsie35]

Granite appears to dominate in DFW, even in D R Horton and most History Maker Homes.

Granite appears to be most common in upper end homes in SA but the vast majority of middle class and lower middle class homes around here that I have seen so far have laminate as the standard kitchen counter. I can't imagine that new builders today are not using granite, but so far I've avoided new construction orders as they would take me more time to "boot up" (ie I'm not familiar with any new developments around here). I'll get to them when things slow down.

 

[Tim Hicks (Texas)]

Granite appears to be most common in upper end homes in SA but the vast majority of middle class and lower middle class homes around here that I have seen so far have laminate as the standard kitchen counter. I can't imagine that new builders today are not using granite, but so far I've avoided new construction orders as they would take me more time to "boot up" (ie I'm not familiar with any new developments around here). I'll get to them when things slow down.

Granite counters have only been popular for about 20 years. There are a lot of homes in Texas that would need that upgrade. It seems many have done that upgrade during the pandemic. I estimate 80% of the assignments I get have granite or quartz counter tops.

 

[Mike Ault]

Don't know what to say. In the Panhandle about half the FHA orders I get have a crawlspace (houses built <1960) and we have quite a few ceramic tile roofs as well (mostly Spanish-style homes). For new construction it's all granite, slab and composition (95%) or some sort of metal/tile roof option.

 

[Bobby Bucks]

Granite counters have only been popular for about 20 years. There are a lot of homes in Texas that would need that upgrade. It seems many have done that upgrade during the pandemic. I estimate 80% of the assignments I get have granite or quartz counter tops.

Just got off the phone with my mortgage broker buddy in Fort Worth. He hates Horton's mortgage people, said they are sleazy and operate a shell game regarding interest rates and points. He's doing my refi and was very talkative today. He said he was overwhelmed with all the wokeness going on in the business and was very sympathetic to what appraisers must be going through. He told me I better lock in today because rates were creeping up. I told him that's like a "Real-a-tore telling you now is the best time to buy..
He also said that per capita Tarrant County has the highest rate of peckerwoods and candy asses in the nation..........actually he did not say that......I did.

 

[Mike Ault]

I think you need to re-watch Lonesome Dove, you were supposed to come back to Texas after you got all those rustled cattle up there.