Freezing Weather to hit Brazos Valley — Thursday, February 11th thru Thursday, February 18th

The Brazos Valley is under a Winter Weather Advisory from THU (2/11/21) 9:39 AM CST until THU (2/18/21) 7:00 PM CST

Weather forecasters are predicting Freezing weather for the Brazos Valley starting on Thursday, February 11th, and going thru to Friday, February 19th when the low temperatures are expected to reach the mid 30’s.

Stay tuned to local weather updates: KBTX,

If traveling, please be especially careful when traveling on bridges and overpasses as they tend to cool faster than surrounding grounds and may become slick.

 

Prepare your homes & property against possible damage from these temperatures by following these simple guidelines.

 

PROTECTING PIPES

  • Insulate exposed pipes.  These are the pipes that come out of the ground and go into your house.  Wrap them with old towels and tape the towels in place.  You can also buy insulation that fits around the pipe.  It doesn’t fit perfectly around the joints.  You may want to wrap towels on any exposed areas just in case.
  • Keep the heat on.  If you will be gone for a few days, set the thermostat to at least 60 degrees.
  • Drip your outdoor water tap.  This keeps the water moving and moving water freezes slower than still water.
  • Drip an indoor water tap the farthest away from where the water comes into the house.  By doing this you are moving water through most of the pipes in the house.
  • Open the inside door to the garage to circulate warm air into that part of the house.  Many of us have the pipes installed through the garage wall and then into the house.  The garage is not heated so by opening the door and allowing heat to escape into the garage, the walls and pipes inside them remain a bit warmer.
  • Open cabinets below sinks if they are located on an outside wall.  By doing this, the warm air circulates through the cabinet and keeps that outside wall, where the pipes are located, a bit warmer than it would be if the cabinet were closed off from the warm air in the house.
  • Know where the water cut off is for your home.  In case of a frozen pipe, you will want to turn off the water to your home so that when the pipes thaw out your home will not be flooded.

PLANTS

  • Keep cold-sensitive plants covered.  At this point, if you haven’t covered them, don’t worry about it.  The spring and summer growth has probably already died off.  But keep that growth on there because that dead leaves and branches insulates the layers below and keeps them from being damaged by other freezes.
  • Cover fruit trees.  Some fruit trees have done OK with the weather so far.  But with the very cold temperatures, you may want to throw a sheet over the tree if you don’t see any damage.  If there is damage just let the tree be and cut off the dead limbs in the spring.  The tree will probably not bear fruit next year but it should survive.

PETS

  • Pets need to be inside!  That fur can only do so much when temps drop below 40 degrees!  If you have an outdoor only dog, make sure the doghouse is protected from the wind and has plenty of warm blankets for the pup to tunnel into.  Puppies and elderly dogs are more sensitive to the cold.  And dogs that are ill should definitely be treated to a warmer room during this cold snap.
  • Bang loudly on the car hood before starting it up if you park outside.  Outdoor cats sometimes crawl into engine compartments that are nice and warm from all that driving.  If you start up the car and the cat is in the engine, you could injure or kill the animal.  Give the cat a chance to escape.
  • Get out the sweater.  Short-haired dog breeds get cold quick!  So dress them up in a little coat or sweater to keep them from catching a cold.
  • Never leave dogs or cats in the car alone.  A car can act as a refrigerator, holding the cold in.  Just think how cold you are and how long the car takes to warm up, animals are feeling the same thing.
  • Active dogs need more food.  Animals burn more calories during the cold weather. So add a little something extra to the bowl.  Of course, you want to make sure they have fresh, unfrozen water.

WATER HEATERS

  • Insulate your water heater.  There are blankets that are specially made for water heaters sold at home improvement stores.  You can put the blankets on yourself; however, if applied wrong, you can damage your water heater, cause damage to your home, and sometimes void the warranty.  It is best to have a professional install these.  Water heaters are often outside, in the cold garage.  They lose some of the heat to the air and become less efficient during this time of year.
  • If water is turned off to the house due to a burst pipe, turn off the water heater.  You can burn out the elements by not having water in your water heater.  So it’s best just to turn it off until everything is fixed.

 

 

 

Attention: Short Term Rental Registration Goes into Effect Oct 1, 2020

Well, they did it!  There were 4 members of the College Station city counsel  specifically who bent over backwards to implement the short term rental registration and hotel tax on it’s residence which now needs to be past on to everyone who comes into town.  It’s evident that they love big government and look for ways to raise taxes and make life just a little less comfortable for those who try to get ahead in life. What’s really funny is, now that they’ve imposed these new rental permits, rental inspections, renewal fees, and fines, the city now has to employ new staff to implement  the restrictions and look over the shoulders of people who have been operating short term rentals like Airbnb’s and VRBO’s for years and doing  just fine without big brother looking over their shoulder.  Now, as of October 1, 2020, Failure to file the required reports and to remit payment is a MISDEMEANOR PUNISHABLE BY A FINE AND A PENALTY OF 15% OF THE TAX DUE FOR EACH THIRTY (30 DAYS THAT THE REPORT IS NOT FILED OR THE PAYMENT IS NOT MADE.  Thank you very much College Station City Council for looking out for the residence and making life a little less comfortable and enjoyable to dwell .  Thank you to those of you who fought against the city imposing more ordinances, taxes, rules, and regulations.   Personally…I’m sick of it.  Vote them off of city council!

Most Sincerely, Myke Leatham

SHORT-TERM RENTAL HOUSING

An ordinance regulating short-term rental housing in College Station goes into effect Oct. 1, 2020. A short-term rental is a residential unit that’s rented out for fewer than 30 consecutive days. It includes single-family homes, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, multi-family units, and manufactured homes.

Short-term rental operators must have a permit and collect and remit hotel occupancy taxes. The ordinance was approved by the city council on June 25, 2020, and included a 90-day implementation timeline to establish procedures, set up hotel tax collection, and allow STR hosts to get permitted. A permit is valid for one year from the date of issuance and must be renewed annually.

Short-term Rental Permit Fee – $100
Short-term Rental Inspection Fee – $100
Short-term Rental Permit Renewal Fee – $75

Short-term rental operators also must:

  • Provide an informational brochure to guests that includes pertinent neighborhood information, how to contact the operator, and local emergency numbers.
  • Equip the dwelling with working life safety equipment such as smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors if using gas/propane, and one fire extinguisher per floor.
  • Maintain the unit in compliance with applicable city codes.
  • Collect and remit hotel occupancy tax from guest stays, filing on a monthly basis

HOW TO APPLY FOR A PERMIT

STEP 1:
Request access to the online permitting system by emailing [email protected] with your name, permanent (i.e., your homestead property) address, email address, and phone number. You must receive a login and password before applying online.

STEP 2:
Know your STR type. The ordinance permits three categories of STRs, and the zoning of your property is relevant to your respective category. To find your zoning, go to the city’s interactive map, click the layer icon on the upper right, then select “Zoning” from the options.

Non-Owner-Occupied STRs: Homes in General Suburban, Restricted Suburban, or Wellborn Restricted Suburban may be permitted only if they are owner-occupied. However, the ordinance also includes a grandfathering provision where operators of non-owner-occupied properties may apply for a permit by Nov. 27. The applicant must demonstrate that the unit has previously been used as a short-term rental through evidence of hotel occupancy tax remittance. To illustrate continuous use, proof of tax remittance must cover a period of at least six of the last 12 — or 12 of the last 24 — months immediately preceding October 2020.

STEP 3:
Apply online. Be sure to include the proper documentation: homestead exemption (if required), Guest Information Guide, and hotel occupancy tax evidence, if applicable.

STEP 4:
When notified, schedule your Life Safety Inspection to ensure your STR meets the ordinance’s life safety requirements. For most STRs, inspections are also required for renewal.

STEP 5:
Receive your permit when your application is approved.

STEP 6:
Register with Avenu Insights to set up your hotel occupancy tax remittance and report filing. The ordinance requires that Hotel Occupancy Taxes be assessed and collected by short-term rental operators. The Code of Ordinances authorizes a hotel occupancy tax equal to 7% of the occupant’s consideration where the cost of occupancy is at least $2 per day.

On the last business day of the month after the month of collection, entities required to collect the tax must file a report and remit the appropriate taxes. Failure to submit the report and remit payment is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine and a penalty of 15% of the tax due for every 30 days that the report is not filed or the payment is not made.

What are hotel Occupancy taxes?
A hotel’s owner, operator or manager must collect hotel taxes from their guests. For the purposes of the state tax, a hotel is considered to be any building in which members of the public rent sleeping accommodations for $15 or more per day. Local hotel taxes apply to sleeping rooms costing $2 or more per day.
The tax covers hotels, motels, and bed and breakfasts, as well as condominiums, apartments and houses rented for less than 30 consecutive days. This includes short-term rentals. Hotel tax does not apply to hospitals, sanitariums, nursing homes, student dormitories operated by colleges and universities, or condominiums, apartments and houses leased for more than 30 consecutive days.

How are local occupancy taxes used?
Under the State’s Tax Code, expenditures of hotel occupancy taxes must directly enhance and promote the tourism industry in College Station.

Are Short term rentals required to collect and remit hotel occupancy taxes?
Yes. According to the Tax Code, a short-term rental is subject to hotel occupancy taxes (see Tex. Tax Code § 156.001(c)).

What is the hotel tax rate for College Station, Texas?
7% of the consideration paid by the occupant of any hotel or short-term rental where the cost of occupancy is at the rate of $2 or more per day.

How often do hotel occupancy taxes have to be submitted?
Every month. On the last business day of the month following the month of collection, every person required to collect the tax must file a report through Avenu Insights, the City’s contracted hotel occupancy tax collector. A report must be filed every month, regardless of whether any stays were recorded and taxes collected.
Avenu Insights offers online filing at revds.com.  For questions, contact Avenu Insights at (866) 556-7274 or by email at [email protected].

I own a short term rental.  How do I remit these taxes?
First, to operate a short-term rental in College Station, you must receive a permit by applying online. Once you’ve received your permit, you’ll need to file and remit your taxes through Avenu Insights, the City’s contracted hotel occupancy tax collector, on a monthly basis. Avenu Insights offers online filing at revds.com.

I thought Airbnb takes care of my taxes?
Some companies like Airbnb have an agreement with the State of Texas to collect and remit the appropriate taxes on behalf of hosts registered with the platform. However, this only covers the 6% state tax rate. Hosts must also file and remit the appropriate local hotel occupancy taxes to the City of College Station and Brazos County.

Is there a penalty for late filing?
Yes. Failure to file the required reports and to remit payment is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine and a penalty of 15% of the tax due for each thirty (30) days that the report is not filed or the payment is not made.
Violations of the STR ordinance (such as nonpayment of hotel occupancy taxes) may result in permit revocation or denial of your permit at renewal.

CONTACT INFORMATION

For questions about the STR ordinance or registration process:
Code Enforcement Division
Community Services Department
979.764.6363
[email protected]

For complaints about STR operators:
Code Enforcement Division
Community Services Department
979.764.6363
[email protected]
SeeClickFix

For questions about Hotel Occupancy Tax:
Avenu Insights
800.556.7274
[email protected]

15 Ways to Show Gratitude

15 POWERFUL WAYS TO SHOW GRATITUDE FOR OTHERS:  100’s of easy random acts of kindness ideas.

I’m truly thankful for the trust, and confidence my clients have entrusted in me at Brazos County Realty throughout this year in College Station, TX.

As  important as it is  to verbally express gratitude,  it’s even better to SHOW gratitude to the people we work with, associate with, and especially our families who are closest to us.   Here’s some ideas that will make this Thanksgiving exceptional and one to remember.

1. MAIL A HANDWRITTEN NOTE OR LETTER TO SOMEONE

Snail mail seems to be a lost art form these days, yet everyone I know loves receiving mail that isn’t just bills. Tell that person what you love or admire about them in a written form and you’ll be sure to make their day!

2. GIVE HUGS – LOTS OF THEM!

You don’t have to be one of those people standing on the corner holding a “free hugs” sign, but do offer up more hugs and affection to those you love. Hugs have been proven to decrease stress levels in both people partaking – what a great way to reduce some stress for someone having a rough day!

3. DO A FAVOR FOR SOMEONE

Whether it’s dropping soup off to your sick friend, bringing coffee or treats to a neighbor just to brighten their day, or running an errand for someone. Simple favors like these can go a long way in showing others that you care about them, and doing these small favors will likely put you in a great mood as well. It always feels good to give to others!

4. PROVIDE ENCOURAGEMENT

Maybe this person is wavering in their abilities and questioning whether or not they are capable of completing something they might like to do. Be an encouragement to them and a cheerleader to help them in reaching their goals. Sometimes all it takes is someone else believing in us to help us make our dreams happen.

5. GIVE A GENUINE COMPLIMENT

If you appreciate how a friend of yours is always so uplifting to you and is a great positive influence in your life, tell them that!

6. SHARE YOUR SKILLS

If you are a master photographer, perhaps offer up your skills to a friend to take their family’s Christmas portrait this year. Or maybe you are excellent at writing resumes and you have a friend who is struggling to find work – offer up your talents, and I’m sure they will very much appreciate it!

7. CELEBRATE THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS

When something wonderful happens for someone else, be happy for them and celebrate their accomplishments. Even if you might feel a bit of envy, push that to the side and focus instead of being happy for that person and celebrate all the hard work they did to achieve their goal. Celebrating for someone else feels a heck of a lot better than throwing yourself a pity party!

8. PERFORM A RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS

Random acts of kindness are such a fun way to spread cheer and joy to others around us! I’m loving these ideas for 50 Easy Random Acts of Kindness from Frugal on the Prairie.

9. OFFER SUPPORT

If someone is going through a hard time, let them know you are there for them. Sometimes just knowing that others are thinking of us and are there with an open ear if we want to talk about it can make someone going through a rough time feel so much better.

10. TIP WELL FOR SERVICE

If your hairstylist gave you an awesome hair cut, or your waiter made your meal an extra pleasant experience, be sure to tip extra for that. What might only be a few extra dollars out of your pocket can really make the day of someone who relies on that income to make a living. Not only that, but it will make them feel good that you acknowledged their efforts!

11. BE FULLY PRESENT

Giving others our full attention and presence when we are with them is one of the greatest gifts we can give. It shows that we respect and care for them enough to give them our undivided attention.

12. PAY IT FORWARD TO A STRANGER

The next time you are getting coffee or a quick meal, try paying for someone behind you in line. A small gesture like this can really make waves of kindness, as that person will likely continue to pay it forward as well.

13. BE POSITIVE

Even when times are tough, it can help those struggling to be around someone else with a positive attitude. Positivity can be super contagious! Wouldn’t you rather spread that than negativity?

14. INVITE THEM TO DO SOMETHING YOU KNOW THEY’LL LOVE

Maybe they have been wanting to see a new movie that came out, or try out a restaurant but can’t find anyone to go with them. Invite them to go with you, even if it may not be your cup of tea. Your gesture will be appreciated and will show them how much you care for them.

15. SMILE OFTEN

Sometimes I think we can underestimate the power that a simple smile can bring to others. I know that when I’m having a rough day and even a stranger smiles at me while grocery shopping, it truly has the power to turn my entire day around. Just knowing that someone cared enough to brighten my day always puts me in a good mood.

How do you like to show gratitude for others? Which of these powerful ways to show gratitude for others is your favorite?

 

Myke Leatham, Broker/Owner

Brazos County Realty in College Station, TX

979-693-0201

Moving tips to make your life so much easier

Moving doesn’t have to be such a mess. Take a look at the 100’s of tips with Pinterest boards I’ve put together for you to minimize the discomfort of moving. Things will be so organized that you won’t have to hunt for anything when you get to your new location.

Follow this link to see how to move and pack like a pro.

Start your move off right. Call Myke Leatham, Brazos County Realty to help you through the entire process. She has years of experience with more than 1000 homes SOLD. If Myke can’t sell your home, NO ONE CAN! ‘Let Myke Help You With Your HOMEwork!’

Check out our website at www.CollegeStationHomes.com. Experience counts when you’re selling one of the biggest investments of your life.

Call Brazos County Realty: 979-693-0201

College Station Real Estate: We sell in the Brazos and all surrounding counties. See up to date listings in the entire Bryan College Station MLS and the Houston MLS.

College Station Apartments are among the largest in US

More information about College Station,Texas rentals and student housing .

According to data from Rentcafe, people who lease apartments in College Station get to enjoy more square footage than most places in the USA.  College Station, TX ranked #20.  Seattle Washington apartments are the smallest with an average of 711 square feet while College Station average size apartment is 945 square feet and the largest apartments were found in Tallahassee, FL with 1038 square feet. Rankings are based on the top 100 U.S. cities with the largest stock of apartments (sometimes referred to as “largest cities for renters”) located in multi-family buildings of 50 units or more.  Brazos County Realty leases typically between semesters because the market is in general dictated by Texas A&M and its housing needs.  It’s important to start looking for housing as early as possible.  With a record enrollment in the spring of 2018,  many of the 63,599 students  attending Texas A&M University had to really scramble to find housing.  Current occupants usually let the landlord know if they are staying another year or moving out within 90 days of the end of their lease so that properties may be advertised for lease to new tenants.

Properties for lease are listed as they come available at CollegeStationHomes.com. 

Don’t just look for apartments.  There are a lot of single family houses, patio townhomes,  duplexes,  and 4-plexes priced the same as apartments, and often for less,  located within 10 minutes of the Texas A&M Campus.   College Station has a lot of new apartments that are priced at around $600/bedroom.  So, one 4 bedroom apartment would cost about $2400/month.  Tenants can probably do better than that by finding a property which leases by the unit, not by the bedroom.   As always, call Brazos County Realty when you need help with your HOMEwork.  Everything ‘College Station Real Estate, and Bryan Real Estate’ is who we are.   We’re here to help when you need us.  Call 979-693-0201.

 

As Apartments Are Shrinking, Seattle Tops New York with the Smallest Rentals in the U.S.

Rents climb in 93% of the nation’s biggest cities, with demand still outpacing supply

Here’s a rent report with data compiled from actual rents charged in the 252 largest US cities. Although nationwide rent prices remained relatively flat M-o-M, we are still seeing a strong 3.3% increase Y-o-Y in October. The national average, which clocked in at $1,420 last month, is $45 higher than in October 2017.

“A new trend is reversing recent years’ statistics, with demand now outpacing new supply. This is especially true in secondary cities and workforce housing,” says Doug Ressler, senior analyst at Yardi Matrix.

You can check out the rents by city or state in the interactive table at the end of the report. Here are the main highlights for large, mid-size and small markets:

  • Renter Mega-Hubs: With rent increases close to 8% Y-o-Y, Phoenix and Las Vegas outperform the largest renter hubs. Rent growth picks up speed in three major Florida markets: Orlando (6.9%), Jacksonville (6.8%) and Tampa (5.8%).
  • Large cities: Rents in Los Angeles went up by 6.5% over the year, while San Francisco and San Jose both recorded a 4.7% increase. At the same time, Queens (-0.9%) and Houston (1.8%) registered some of the slowest growing rents in October.
  • Mid-size cities: Mesa is in the lead with an 8.7% rent hike Y-o-Y, followed by Sacramento (6.2%) and Long Beach (5.8%). At the other end of the spectrum, rents inched up by 1.5% in New Orleans and Lexington.
  • Small cities including College Station, TX: Rents in Midland and Odessa remain virtually the same compared to September, with significant Y-o-Y increases of 23.3% and 25.2%, respectively. On the other hand, Central Texas rents decreased by 0.4% in Waco and 1.6% in College Station.

If you want to see how your city fared rent-wise, you can read the full report here.  

We advertise  College Station and Bryan rental properties for lease as they come available at www.CollegeStationHomes.com
Looking forward to Helping you with your HOMEwork!

Myke Leatham, Broker/Owner
Brazos County Realty, LLC
Office:  979-693-0201

 

Thank you Iona for sharing this information with Brazos County Realty, LLC.  This information is important to our investors and parents of students who want to take advantage of the College Station rental market or who have already purchased College Station real estate.

About our data and methodology
The reports from RENTCafe.com are based on data that comes from Yardi Matrix, an apartment information service and a sister division of RENTCafé. Data is compiled from actual rents charged in market-rated apartment communities of 50 units and larger in over 130 markets across the US. This allows us to create an accurate representation of what renters are expected to pay for rent in apartment communities across the country, unlike reports based on listings (i.e., asking prices) only.


Ioana Popovici
Communications Specialist | RENTCafé
[email protected] | www.rentcafe.com

College Station is 6th Fastest Growing in America

College Station, TX Ranked #6 among the fastest growing cities in the nation!
WASHINGTON (WalletHub) – ​​​Four Texas cities have snagged spots on WalletHub’s list of 2018’s fastest-growing cities in America.

​Midland​ and Pearland ranked second and third​​​, respectively. ​McKinney came in fifth, and College Station followed in sixth.

​The four cities were also the top ​fastest-growing mid size cities on the list. Frisco and Round Rock​​ were the ninth and tenth.

Austin was the fastest-growing large city.

​​​​Frisco, McKinney, and Pearland​ tied for first in the highest population​ growth category. Other cities tying for first were ​Enterprise, Nev.; ​​Lehigh Acres, Fla.; ​​​and Meridian, Idaho.

Frisco and McKinney were also first in highest job growth, tying with Meridian, Idaho;​​ Lake Charles, La.; ​Fort Myers, Fla.; and ​St. George, Utah.

​Pharr had the ​​highest poverty rate decrease in Texas. It tied with ​​​Lake Charles, La.; Fort Myers, Fla.; Compton, Calif.; ​Port St. Lucie, Fla.; ​​and Victorville, Calf.

​​​WalletHub asked Real Estate Center Chief Economist Dr. Jim Gaines to chime in on ​the biggest challenges for rapidly growing cities.

“Local government(s) generally cannot keep pace with fast population growth in providing necessary public goods and services,” said Dr. Gaines. “Everything from water/sewer capacity, roads and transportation infrastructure, police/fire/EMS services, schools, and virtually every other service typically lag behind the increased demand for facilities and services. The faster growth occurs, the harder it is for local government to keep pace. It also may not help that current residents may not really want the growth, not want to foster the growth, and especially may not want to pay for the growth.

“The result is that not only are fiscal problems revealed – unwillingness to support higher tax rates or increased bonded indebtedness – but also local philosophical and political attitudes either for or against the growth.”

​The rest of the top ten fastest-growing cities rankings are: No. 1 ​Fort Myers, Fla.; No. 4 ​Bend, Ore.; ​​No. 7 Lehigh Acre​s, Fla.; No. 8 ​Mount Pleasant, S.C.; No. 9 ​​Enterprise, Nev.; and No. 10 Irvine, Calif.​

A couple ‘not so well known facts: 

1.      Interest rates are projected to increase at least 3 times in 2019 with at least one more by December of 2018!   If you’re thinking of purchasing a house in College Station in, you’d better do it fast.  Small interest percentages can increase your mortgage payment significantly.  

2.     Land costs are still increasing.  A typical lot can cost $50,000+ which means homes being built are approximately $300,000 today. 

3.     If you’re thinking about building, it will cost you approximately $6000 through the city of College Station for impact fees. 

4.     There is currently a labor shortage which means if you’re building your dream home in College Station or Bryan, it will take 8-10 months vs 6 months previously.  Plan for it to take a little longer.  

5.      Approximately 4000 people are moving to the College Station and Bryan areas each year.  College Station is no longer considered a small town, but a metropolitan area according to Dr. Gains of the Texas A&M Real Estate Center. 

6.     Dr. Gains reported this morning to local real estate brokers  that Texas has more oil than Russia!  Who knew, right?

 

College Station City Recognition and Rankings    In recent years, the College Station-Bryan area has received many prestigious national recognitions and rankings in a variety of economic and social categories. Here are our rankings since 2009

Brazos County Realty tries to provide community information on a regular basis.  When you’re thinking about making a move to College Station, investing in Bryan-College Station, or would like to consider the area as your new home, CollegeStationHomes.com has what you need and can help you in ALL things real estate related.  Available housing in College Station MLS.  Pick up the phone and give us a call 979-693-0201.  Let us Help you with your HOMEwork!

Myke Leatham Broker/Owner

 

Brazos county Realty, LLC

Rents are down in College Station

If you’re looking for College Station rentals, you may be interested in knowing that this season may see lower rents than last year according to the Rent Cafe apartment market report. The slowest rental markets in February in the U.S. were Lubbock, TX (where rents decreased by -4.8% y-o-y), Norman, OK (rents down -2.7%) and Baton Rouge, LA(rents down -2.1%). Apartment rents in College Station, TX were also decreasing over the year by -1.2%. Pricey Stamford, CT saw rents slightly down in February, by -1.1% year-over-year, with an average rent of $2,331/month.

We just released our monthly rent report with data compiled from actual rents charged in the 250 largest US cities. The national average rent was $1,364 in February 2018, 2.7% higher than this time last year. Starting this month, our rent reports will showcase more in-depth data focused on markets by size:

  • Large cities: Las Vegas boasts the fastest increasing rents year-over-year (6.6%), followed by Denver (5.8%) and Detroit (5.7%). At the other end of the spectrum, Brooklyn and Manhattan saw the most significant decreases: 0.7% and 0.2%, respectively.
  • Mid-size cities: Colorado Springs (6.5%) and Stockton (6.3%) challenge Sacramento (7.9%) with rising rents over the year, while New Orleans is the only mid-size city to see a decline (0.7%) in rent prices this February.
  • Small cities claim 19 of the top 20 largest rent increases in the US. Odessa and Midland are the long-time leaders, with spectacular Y-o-Y increases of 38.9% and 35.7%, respectively.
  • Colorado, Nevada, and Arizona are on the watchlist of fastest growing markets, with many cities seeing rent increases well above 5% year-over-year.

 

Brazos County Realty posts properties for rent as tenants let us know they’re vacating.  Properties for lease

Brazos County Realty tenants are required to notify the Landlord within 90 days of the end of the lease if they will be renewing or the contract automatically renews for another year.  Check back often for updated information on availability.  Brazos County Realty:  979-693-0201  Office hours 9-5 weekdays.

 

 

All information is deemed reliable through Rent Cafe  but must be independently verified.

 

Our Rental Market Report 10-2017

Attention investors looking for rentals in the College Station/Bryan, TX areas.  I’ll try to keep you informed about trends and cash flow opportunities.  Keep your eye on the College Station market because the Texas A&M area is still ‘RENTAL MARKET SUPREME!’  Texas A&M University has posted a record enrollment of 68,625 students for the fall 2017 semester, remaining the largest university in Texas and among the national leaders. Click here for important enrollment stats  for investors.   Parents of students can invest in local housing and reduce the cost of college expenses for their kids.  I want to talk to you about how to get it done and save money. Don’t put this off if you have kids here in College Station or plan to in the future.   Contact Myke Leatham, Realtor/Broker of Brazos County Realty, LLC  Office phone:  979-693-0201 for full access to the entire Multiple Listing Service for the Brazos and surrounding counties.  Let me know what else I can do to help make your searching for property investment opportunities a little bit easier.

Here’s an example of a good investment.  Upscale duplex  located within 10 minutes of Blinn and TAMU with 3 bed and 3 bath on each side.  Your student lives in one bedroom and leases out the rest to roommates to make the mortgage payment.  With 25% down on a 30 yr mortgage ($69,975),  your mortgage would be $209,925 and your payment would be approximately $1,053.53.  Rents in the B/CS area right now are between $400 and $600/month.  So, worse case scenario at $400/month/bedroom, if your child were living in one of the rooms, your cash flow would be approximately  $546.47 and your child would have free housing and you would be making money instead of losing it.  :-).  Sell when your child graduates and you make money again.  Worse case scenario you break even, and you win again.  Your child gets FREE HOUSING! Call me.

I’m always here if you need me.

Myke Leatham, Broker/Owner

National Rents on Pause for the Entire Peak Rental Season, Including Priciest Cities; Mid-Sized Cities Continue Rally

Prescreening Tenants in Bryan/College Station, TX

 

Make note that there are several different search engines within Brazos County to help you pre-screen future tenants. It’s important to check these links each and every time you get an application.  It may be foolish to let your guard down when leasing out one of your most important investments.  

 Justiceweb   I’m not suggesting that you search every link for every potential tenant (though it doesn’t take long), because some of them are not as applicable to you as others. But I highly encourage you to save the Judicial Records Search and be cautious who you lease to.

  Sheriff Jail Search  is updated as soon as someone is booked into jail in this county. It shows you their latest address given to the jail and their latest mugshot, plus all the charges. Criminal Case and Criminal Hearing searches are not updated immediately and those search engines are designed to let the public keep track of where someone is in the judicial system once arrested.

J.P. Civil Search .  This allows you to see if judgments against a person in the way of eviction, also called Forcible Entry Detainer, has occurred in this county. These eviction judgments are not posted on Justiceweb until the judge issues eviction after a civil court hearing.  So, if the tenant is served with a hearing date for an eviction, and they move out before then, obviously, there will be no court date. When this happens, there will be no evidence of the problem tenant on J.P. Civil Search. So be aware. This group attempts to fill that gap among other loopholes that often allow you as landlords to get burned by low-quality tenants.

J.P. Criminal Search

Criminal Case Search

Yahoo Neighborhood Website for Bryan, TX owners and property managers.  This site has a list of past tenants who have been evicted, skipped, done damage to a property, or bounced checks, etc….  It’s a good ‘DO NOT RENT TO’ list which was designed by officer Will Holt in the Bryan Police Department so that when one tenant does damage to a property, that they won’t be able to go across the street to another unsuspecting landlord and do it again.  Once you have applied to gain access, you will be able to post to it.  This site is well worth your time and it is updated regularly.  Click on ‘Groups’ at the top, then ‘More’, then choose the database to the ‘Proceed with caution tenants’.

 

Your detective work may be made a little easier if you utilize Facebook and these other tools to help  prescreen applicants.

“Generally people leave their pictures up and leave themselves unguarded. When you do your email pre-screen, most people give their real name. It’s very easy to look up a given name on Facebook. If you look up an applicant’s post on Facebook for instance, and they’re celebrating being clean X days with pictures of needles, you may find other posts which substantiate what you are really thinking.

The other thing about Facebook is that you can see applicants’ pets and get at least a good idea of how many people are in their family. If they post that they have three kids and they show pictures, then that unmasks the pre-screening claim that only two people will be living in the house.  Hmmmm… Also, the gal that replied in this pre-screen questionnaire, said that she had an “English terrier” (which doesn’t exist). So of course it was obvious that it’s a pit bull mix.

If you’re not on Facebook, you might fake a profile so you can check these things! It’s also interesting to see their friends. It’s not necessarily about partying, just what’s acceptable among their group. You can see if the applicant is a gamer, a gangster, if they have dogs, and what clubs they belong to in some cases. For example, if the applicant is a biker enthusiast or sympathetic to questionable groups of your way of thinking. It could be very telling.

It’s my hope that all my investors will have a rewarding and satisfying experience as property owners.  Prescreening is an important way to keep not only our properties safe and sound, but our communities as well.

I’m here if you need me.

Myke

 

‘Let Myke Help You With Your HOMEwork!’

Myke Leatham, Broker

Brazos County Realty, LLC

13464 I and GN Rd.

College Station, TX  77845

Email:  [email protected]

Office:  979-693-0201

Website:  www.CollegeStationHomes.com

 



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