Melanie Ferguson Real Estate Podcast

Why Krum, TX is a Great Place to Call Home

melanie@fergusonrealtygroup.com (Melanie Ferguson) — Thu, 7 Oct 2021 20:13:00 -0500

In case you didn't know I Love Krum! Well, that's where I live and have lived for over ten years after all. Krum, TX is a great place to raise a family, let me tell you why...

KRUM, TX IS SMALL TOWN LIVING

So many people are looking to move outside the bigger cities in search of a slower pace of life, better schools and more space. Krum, TX checks all of those boxes. With a population of approx. 5,000 spread out over 2.579 miles, Krum is relatively a small town.

WHAT DOES KRUM HAVE TO OFFER?

Krum is a bedroom community which has just about anything and everything one could possibly need. There is a small clinic, pharmacy, gym, nail place, restaurants, hair salons, chiropractor, daycares, churches, storage, gas stations, donut shops, dry cleaners, dentists, veternarians, feed store, insurance agencies, a boutique, photography, gymnastics and a dollar store to name a few.

There are five subdivisions and growing. There is an apartment complex and a new senior development is coming.

HOW BIG IS KRUM ISD?

Krum ISD is a 5A with approximately 2,000 students. Krum ISD is distinguished by the state of Texas as a TEA Recognized school district.

Read about Krum High School HERE.

Ferguson Realty Group was the proud sponsor of the Krum Championship Billboard Sign at the entrance of Bobcat Blvd.

HOW DOES KRUM RANK ON CRIME?

The rate of crime is much lower than the average US city. Krum is in the 94th percentile for safety, meaning 6% of cities are safer and 94% of cities are more dangerous.

WHAT MAKES KRUM SPECIAL?

Every year for the month of December, Krum, TX changes officially to North Pole, TX. It's so much fun for the kids to mail their letters to Santa at the official north pole aka Krum!

FACEBOOK GROUP FOR KRUM

I started a free group on Facebook just for Krum residents and Krum businesses to share their experiences and memories in one place. JOIN US HERE

As always, if you have any real estate needs, reach out to us at Ferguson Realty Group (melanie@fergusonrealtygroup.com)

How Our Ultimate 89-Point Marketing Plan Sells Your Denton County Home

melanie@fergusonrealtygroup.com (Melanie Ferguson) — Wed, 6 Jul 2016 14:39:00 -0500

Looking to Buy a Home in Denton County? Get a full home search

Looking to Sell Your Home? Get a free home market anaylsis

We use our ultimate 89-point marketing plan to help our clients sell their homes. We have cornered the market on a lot of these things. Here are the top five things we do differently:

We get on the phone and call buyers. We look for people who are interested in buying a home in your area.
We stage your home. That way, your property looks its best once it hits the market.
We hire professional photographers to come out so you can put your best foot forward when you list your property.
We create a personal property website for your home.
We advertise your home on all of the social media outlets. Our online marketing skills have gotten homeowners multiple offers within hours of putting the home on the market.
We do pricing research. We don’t just throw a price on a property; we do a lot of homework to make sure your home is priced right.
We care about your listing. We care about you. We care about getting your home sold as if it was our own.

"We care about your listing and we care about you."

Those are some of the top things we do. The main thing is we care about your listing. We care about you. We care about getting your home sold as if it were our own.

If you have any questions, give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!

Pre-Hab© Tour of Home on Acreage

melanie@fergusonrealtygroup.com (Melanie Ferguson) — Fri, 17 Jun 2016 17:02:00 -0500

Looking to Buy a Home in Denton County? Get a full home search

Looking to Sell Your Home? Get a free home market anaylsis

There are a lot of decisions that need to be made when considering putting a home up for sale. Whether to put in new flooring, paint, redo a bathroom, etc.

A lot of times, there are simple projects that can bring a lot of extra profit. But there are definitely others that are time consuming that don't bring any additional money.

Call us to get a good idea of what should be tackled and
what should be left alone for the new buyers.

Pre-habbing© Tips that can Save you
Lots of Time and Money!

If you have a home that you are considering selling, give us a call first for your
FREE Strategy Session.

We know many shortcuts that can pay off in a big way!

Cross These 5 Projects Off Your DIY List

melanie@fergusonrealtygroup.com (Melanie Ferguson) — Sat, 28 May 2016 16:15:00 -0500

Looking to Buy a Home in Denton County? Get a full home search

Looking to Sell Your Home? Get a free home market anaylsis

There are a lot of projects people want to handle on their own. However, I feel that there are 5 projects you should not DIY - instead, leave these to the professionals:

1. Pest control. You might think you can head out to a hardware store, buy a spray, and take care of the pests yourself. Instead, call a professional. They know where to look for pests and can pick the best product to take care of the problem. It’s especially important to hire a professional if you have dangerous pests, like brown recluse or black widow spiders.

2. Tree removal. It might seem like a simple project - just chop it down! Don’t fall for this line of thinking. Cutting down a tree can be very dangerous. You might injure yourself or even damage your home. Call a professional to get that tree out of your yard.

3. Roof repairs. Maybe you just need to fix a small problem. Roof repair can be incredibly dangerous because you’re so high above the ground. Also, many insurance companies won’t insure the roof if they discover you have been working on it yourself.

"Hire a professional to take care of any dangerous projects."

4. Anything electric. Don’t try to wire something yourself or fix any kind of electrical problem on your own. It really could be the last thing you do. Hire a professional instead.

5. For Sale By Owner. Everyone owns a home, so everyone thinks they can sell it if they need to. Leave your home sale to the professional for a safer, more secure, and timely transaction. National statistics prove that a professional real estate agent can net you more money from your home sale than you could on your own.

If you have any DIY projects on your to-do list, give us a call. We know many professionals who can help you.

Don’t Buy in Denton County Without Asking These Questions

melanie@fergusonrealtygroup.com (Melanie Ferguson) — Thu, 5 May 2016 19:08:00 -0500

Looking to Buy a Home in Denton County? Get a full home search

Looking to Sell Your Home? Get a free home market anaylsis

In Denton, there’s three important questions to ask when you go house hunting. It’s not always about finding the perfect house at the right price.

The ratings of the area schools: Some people don’t think to ask because they don’t have kids, but it’s important to know where you sit in ratings of area schools for the purpose of resale value. Ratings range anywhere from poor to exemplary, and you can find them all on our website.
Utilities and fees: You can’t just look at the average utilities. Is the property in a co-op or is managed by the city? Those will make a difference in your rates, as well as whether or not it is unregulated. Can you choose your electricity provider? We can help you with all of that information. You need to find out if your property is located in an area that collects a special resale tax when you sell. Some areas tack on an additional fee when you turn around and sell.

What the area is like over the course of the day: Find out what the area is like during at least three different times of day. You’re probably seeing a house during the day, but look out at night for things like how many cars are parked and how many people are home or not home. You should also look into what it’s like on the weekend versus midweek.

Have further questions about these topics or anything about real estate in general? Give us a call or send an email and we’d be happy to speak with you.

What Does “Pre-Habbing©” Mean for Denton County Sellers?

melanie@fergusonrealtygroup.com (Melanie Ferguson) — Wed, 6 Apr 2016 11:05:00 -0500

Looking to Buy a Home in Denton County? Get a full home search

Looking to Sell Your Home? Get a free home market anaylsis

Spring is upon us and the selling season is in full swing. Today, I want to talk about “pre-habbing^©” your home for sale. Basically, pre-habbing^© involves the two D’s: depersonalize and declutter.

To depersonalize your home, remove all of the items that tie you to the home. That means taking down family photos, trinkets from vacations, and other things of that nature. You want to start the home selling process with a blank slate. If you’re not sure what I mean, feel free to stop by a model home and you’ll see what I mean.

Decluttering your home feels amazing. Go ahead and have the best garage sale ever. Advertise your garage sale on social media to draw more people. If your neighborhood or community is having a sale, chime in with them. You will sell even more by partnering with a community sale.

If you don’t have time to do these things - or if you aren’t interested - just give us a call. We have great relationships with multiple estate sale companies. We can find one in your area that would love to take care of you.

These two steps are very important to the pre-hab^© of your sale. If you have any questions, give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!

How We've Helped Stephen & Jillian in the Process of Their New Construction Build

melanie@fergusonrealtygroup.com (Melanie Ferguson) — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 11:57:00 -0500

Tell me about your experience working with Melanie Ferguson and Ferguson Realty.

"Melanie and Brett were great. We posted our house for sale on Wednesday and we had a contract by Friday. So it was quick and we got full asking price for it. So it was amazing.

Also, just the process of them helping us with a new construction build of our new house has been fantastic. We really appreciate what they've done for us, and happy to be customers."

To contact the Ferguson Realty Group, call 940-784-3374 or send a message to melanie@fergusonrealtygroup.com

How We Sold Lance & Kristi's Home with Just a Coming Soon Sign

melanie@fergusonrealtygroup.com (Melanie Ferguson) — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 11:51:00 -0500

Tell me about your experience working with Melanie Ferguson and Ferguson Realty.

"We had a great experience. I was actually not really looking forward to it to be honest with you. Just the listing process and showings, and having people come through your house and everything. We met with Brett and Melanie. Great experience. We were in the same thinking about pricing and that sort of thing. They helped us get prepared as far as what kind of furniture to leave in the house and the way it looked. We put a Coming Soon sign [in the yard] and had a listing date in mind of when the listing was going to start. Actually Brett and Melanie were able to get us an above list offer with just a Coming Soon sign in the yard. We originally had a 30 day close that turned into a 21 day close. We were really happy about that. With only one night of showings with four different potential buyers. It was great! We loved it!"

To contact the Ferguson Realty Group, call 940-784-3374 or send a message to melanie@fergusonrealtygroup.com

How We Got A Better Deal Than Chris & Yvette Were Expecting

melanie@fergusonrealtygroup.com (Melanie Ferguson) — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 11:47:00 -0500

Tell me about your experience working with Melanie Ferguson and Ferguson Realty.

"Awesome people. When you think about all the things they've done for us. The first time we sold in 2007. They helped us buy a second house. We thought that was our dream home. We had a bad experience with another house and she came in a saved the day. That was awesome. They found another house for us. She got us a better deal than we were expecting. Six years later, 2015, she helped us get more than expected on that house. She actually put the house on the market on Good Friday, and it sold that evening. It was amazing! So naturally, as we're going into this new house, what are we going to do? Call Melanie and Brett! So they're representing us now. Gotta love them!"

To contact the Ferguson Realty Group, call 940-784-3374 or send a message to melanie@fergusonrealtygroup.com

Our Top Tips for Winning a Bidding War

melanie@fergusonrealtygroup.com (Melanie Ferguson) — Tue, 8 Mar 2016 11:15:00 -0600

Looking to Buy a Home in Denton County? Get a full home search

Looking to Sell Your Home? Get a free home value report

Today we’re going to talk about how we set our clients up for success when making an offer during a bidding war. If you’re thinking of selling this spring, you’ll likely face situations similar to this. It’s important to know how to deal with them.

There are several secrets and tricks of the trade we have to win offers for our clients that find themselves in multiple offer situations. One of the most important of these is a pre-approval letter. The seller doesn’t know you from the next buyer, but this establishes your credibility with them. Get pre-approved by a local lender, who is recognizable by the seller’s agent, so they can recommend this as a good move and a solid pre-approval.

We also like to see buyers put down a substantial amount for an option fee. This is the fee that shows the seller you are a serious buyer and aren’t just putting out offers on any and every property.

Another tip is to write a personalized letter to the seller. You want to put some feeling into it and make the sale real to them. It shows that you are a real buyer with a real family looking to buy a home.

As for the amount you offer, you want to be realistic about price. If it’s priced right, offer what they are asking, or maybe a little more depending on what the situation is. However, we would never let our clients overpay for a property.

Finally, we like to make sure we are utilizing the seller’s agent’s preferred closing office. This is something a lot of agents will pass over, but is just another way to highlight your offer and help it stand out amongst others.

These are just a few of the tips and tricks we have for getting our clients’ offers accepted in a multiple offer situation. If you have any questions for us, give us a call or send us an email. We would love to hear from you!

Foreclosures, Short Sale, and Traditional Home Sales in Denton County

melanie@fergusonrealtygroup.com (Melanie Ferguson) — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 14:04:00 -0600

Looking to Buy a Home in Denton County? Get a full home search

Looking to Sell Your Home? Get a free home value report

Which is the better deal: a foreclosure, a short sale, or a traditional home sale?

A foreclosure goes into default and the banks reclaims the home. Many times, the banks can be a little behind in what the market values are, so foreclosed properties are priced too high for the current market. Additionally, most foreclosed properties are in disrepair. That’s why foreclosures aren’t always the best deal.

One of the great secrets in real estate is the short sale, which is perfect if you’re not in a hurry. Contrary to its name, a short sale is anything but short! These are properties where the homeowner has defaulted, but the bank has agreed to sell the home short of what’s still owed on it. You can get a tremendous deal on a short sale, especially if the homeowner has taken care of the property. You just have to be a little patient.

If you need a home in a timely manner and you don’t want to handle a lot of repairs, a traditional home sale is your best option. If you hire us, we can negotiate the best deal for you.

If you have any questions, give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!

How We Solved Problems for Elicia

melanie@fergusonrealtygroup.com (Melanie Ferguson) — Tue, 16 Feb 2016 13:52:00 -0600

Tell me about your experience working with Melanie Ferguson and the Ferguson Realty Group.

"They did a really great job for us. Anytime we had a problem they were able to resolve it quickly. She was really good. During our closing, she was able to help us out and made sure we were able to get the house we wanted. She was very friendly. I only have good things to say about her. I'll recommend her to all my friends."

To contact the Ferguson Realty Group, call 972-672-3341 or email Melanie@fergusonrealtygroup.com.

How We Helped Mike Sell His Previously Sell-By-Owner Home

melanie@fergusonrealtygroup.com (Melanie Ferguson) — Tue, 16 Feb 2016 13:46:00 -0600

Tell me about your experience working with Melanie Ferguson and the Ferguson Realty Group.

"They did a really great job for us. Anytime we had a problem they were able to resolve it quickly. She was really good. During our closing, she was able to help us out and made sure we were able to get the house we wanted. She was very friendly. I only have good things to say about her. I'll recommend her to all my friends."

To contact the Ferguson Realty Group, call 972-672-3341 or email Melanie@fergusonrealtygroup.com.

How We Got Rex into the House He Wanted

melanie@fergusonrealtygroup.com (Melanie Ferguson) — Tue, 16 Feb 2016 13:35:00 -0600

Tell me about your experience working with Melanie Ferguson and the Ferguson Realty Group.

"The results were great. Originally I tried to buy another property. She was very open and honest about the faults with the property. I ended up not buying it. She asked about what I was looking for, and about a week later she calls me and tells me about the property I ended up buying. It was a really good experience. She is very honest, open, friendly, caring. I never felt like I was pressured in any way or forced into anything. If I had questions or a need, I could call her and get a hold of her almost any time. I bought a few other properties and have had experiences that weren't very great. Other people put you off or delay you for one reason or another and that never happened with her. The people she [recommended] for estimates, appraisals, inspections, the loan, were all first class people. It's rare that you find not just a realtor but everybody that she associates with are in the same class. That was a great experience. She'd respond to my questions or communicate with me even late at night. A lot of people would just put you off until the next day. Melanie is a great realtor, very open and honest. She genuinely cares about getting you into what you want instead of just making a sale."

To contact the Ferguson Realty Group, call 972-672-3341 or email Melanie@fergusonrealtygroup.com.

New Construction Properties in Denton County

melanie@fergusonrealtygroup.com (Melanie Ferguson) — Mon, 8 Feb 2016 15:48:00 -0600

Looking to Buy a Home in Denton County? Get a full home search

Looking to Sell Your Home? Get a free home value report

We’ve experienced some changes in construction properties over the past few years. Since the late 90s, the average home size has gotten larger by approximately 24%. In 1999, homes were about 2,100 square feet. Comparatively, homes today are about 2,600 square feet.

Additionally, as this progresses, lot sizes have been shrinking. They’ve shrunk by 10% since the 90s. That means homes being built now have smaller yards. These are some of the things we track here at the Ferguson Realty Group.

If you’re thinking of buying or selling a home in Denton County, we’d be happy to meet with you and discuss the options available. For instance, we help determine if a new or previously owned home is best for your situation. Feel free to give us a call or email today!

How to Sell in a Divorce

melanie@fergusonrealtygroup.com (Melanie Ferguson) — Fri, 5 Feb 2016 16:58:00 -0600

Looking to Buy a Home in Denton County? Get a full home search

Looking to Sell Your Home? Get a free home value report

This isn’t a fun topic, but it’s an important one to discuss. Many people face the reality of selling a home in a divorce settlement. In a divorce, the house can often be the last item discussed. Oftentimes, a home is the one of the biggest investments in our lifetime! Here are some ways to handle this.

Sign off and let the other party deal with everything. Basically, you’re walking away from the home.
Split everything in half. This is an ideal option if both parties are willing to work together fairly.
Buy the other party out. Of course, this isn’t an option for everyone, because it’s expensive. Only do so if you can afford to.

If you’re going through a divorce or similar situation, reach out to us. We’re happy to help you with your real estate needs. Feel free to give us a call or send us an email today!

Whip Your Denton County Home into Shape for the Spring Market

melanie@fergusonrealtygroup.com (Melanie Ferguson) — Wed, 20 Jan 2016 12:46:00 -0600

Looking to Buy a Home in Denton County? Get a full home search

Looking to Sell Your Home? Get a free home value report

This spring will be an amazing selling season, and there are three simple things you can do to whip your house into shape.

Think about the ages of your big ticket items. When's the last time the roof was replaced? What about the AC unit, water heater, or gutters? If these items are relatively new, that is a great selling point.
Do your own walk-through. Do your carpets need to be replaced? Are there some spots on the ceiling that need a quick paint touch up? See what little things you can do on your own to improve home appearance.
Call in the pros! This is the most important step, and it's where we come into play. My team and I can go through your property and let you know what items are necessary to repair in order to get the most bang for your buck.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

We Sold Corey's House Faster than He Expected!

melanie@fergusonrealtygroup.com (Melanie Ferguson) — Fri, 11 Dec 2015 14:27:00 -0600

Tell me about your experience working with Melanie Ferguson and the Ferguson Realty Group.

"Yeah, well, Melanie did a great job. She was very knowledgeable and was able to help sell my old house and buy my new one. So, on the sale of the house, she helped us sell faster. We had it on the market before for a few months prior with another Realtor but weren’t getting results. What was frustrating with the other Realtor was that she would never tell us feedback from those that viewed the home. We never knew what was going on, so we’d always have to reach out to her.
Conversely, Melanie would always get back to us right away with feedback when we had a showing. Based upon her recommendations, we were able to sell the house faster. The whole experience was better.
She also helped us with the purchase of our new home. This is the first time we bought a pre-existing, resale home. She helped me out with that process. There were several things we wanted to ask the seller of that house to do and she put everything together for us. She went to bat for us. We got everything we asked for, which is awesome.
Additionally, everything went smoothly. She recommended GenEquity as a lender and the person I worked with turned out to be awesome. She had equity and the lady I worked with -- Margaret -- we’re friends now. The closing went as smoothly as possible. Everything, from start to finish, went very well."

To contact the Ferguson Realty Group, call 972-672-3341 or email Melanie@fergusonrealtygroup.com.

Gina Loves That We Never Let Her Down!

melanie@fergusonrealtygroup.com (Melanie Ferguson) — Thu, 10 Dec 2015 16:47:00 -0600

Tell me about your experience working with Melanie Ferguson and the Ferguson Realty Group.

First off, we have worked with Melanie on several real estate deals and she's never let us down. Recently, she sold our house very quickly at a great price and she was great through the whole process. One thing she is very good at is responding to whatever we needed. She met with us and explained the process of selling our home. She took the time to really hear us and did everything perfectly. Some of it wasn't easy, but she gave her word and worked until our needs were met. Overall, we're very happy with her.

To contact the Ferguson Realty Group, call 940-784-3374 or send a message to melanie@fergusonrealtygroup.com

Brad Was Not Disappointed Working with Us!

melanie@fergusonrealtygroup.com (Melanie Ferguson) — Thu, 10 Dec 2015 16:29:00 -0600

Tell me about your experience working with Melanie Ferguson and the Ferguson Realty Group.

They did everything they said they would do and it was a pretty quick sale. There were no issues or hiccups. There were a few times that she had to meet somebody over there last minute to let them in and she met the inspector as well. She pretty much handled every bit of it. She was a very nice lady, very trustworthy, and honest. She came highly recommended by some friends and did not disappoint. Once I buy or sell another house, I'll definitely be using her.

To contact the Ferguson Realty Group, call 940-784-3374 or send a message to melanie@fergusonrealtygroup.com

Kris and Her Family Always Comes Back to Us!

melanie@fergusonrealtygroup.com (Melanie Ferguson) — Wed, 9 Dec 2015 16:56:00 -0600

"We've actually worked with her several times. We've always had positive experiences. We have worked with other people, but have always comes back to her. That speaks to her capabilities. One time we bought a house that ended up having a power of attorney involved. We had to get a lawyer involved, and ended up having to go through legal hurdles. She kept us informed and was the go-between so we didn't have to worry about making sure their side of things got figured out. That would probably be the most successful transaction and her value really shines through. She has a great personality and is really good at what she does. We have worked with other people, but have come to depend on her exclusively because she goes the extra mile."

Where Can You Find the Most Accurate Home Valuation?

melanie@fergusonrealtygroup.com (Melanie Ferguson) — Fri, 4 Dec 2015 16:51:00 -0600

Looking to Buy a Home in Denton County? Get a full home search

Looking to Sell Your Home? Get a free home value report

Today I wanted to answer a question that I’ve been getting a lot lately about Zillow. People want to know how accurate Zillow’s automatic Zestimates are, and if they are useful when buying or selling in DFW.

In short, Zestimates are not accurate, nor are they what we could call “Market worthy.” Here are three reasons why:

1. They don’t take into account any improvements or renovations you have done on the inside of your home when determining your home’s value.

2. They use stale numbers and aren’t in tune with our local market, which changes every day.

3. They readily admit their numbers are off by an average of 7%. This could mean thousands of dollars out of your pocket if you choose to take your Zestimate to heart.

Each home is unique, and the only way to get the true value your home deserves is by working with a trusted real estate professional. If you’d like to get the most accurate home valuation, we know this market and would love to help. Give us a call or send us an email, we would love to speak with you!