We're Teaming Up with CASA to Help Foster Children

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The holidays quickly approach. During this time of year, many people give back to their community. We're here at CASA Hidalgo, located on 1001 South 10th Avenue in Edinburg. Executive Director Diana Almaguer joins us to discuss her charity.

What does CASA stand for? What does CASA do? CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates. Community volunteers serve as voices for children who've been placed in foster care due to abuse or neglect. Our volunteers speak for the children in court to represent the child's best interests.

If someone wants to become an advocate, what steps should they take? You must be at least 21 years old. Before you apply, you must pass a criminal background check and a sexual offender check. After you submit the application, you have to complete 30 hours of training. You will be sworn in by a judge, and then you will take on one of our cases.

What is an advocate's role? As an advocate, you will follow up with parents, educators, attorneys, and anyone else involved with a child. We need to ensure these kids have everything they need. If there is something missing, you must go to the judge. You make sure these kids don't fall through the cracks just because they are in foster care.

If someone wants to help your nonprofit but can't commit to becoming an advocate, what else can they do for these children? If you cannot become an advocate, organizations help us at events. You can make monetary donations or donate gift cards. We may use the money to help pay for a child to register in a school sport, or buy a new pair of tennis shoes. Any donation from you helps us meet kids' needs.

In addition to making sure each child's needs are met, we provide happiness. The Ryan and Brian Team is teaming up with CASA and hosting a Cards for Kids event on November 5th at Roosevelt's at 7. The event will last from 6 to 8 pm. We will accept gift card donations of $20 or more that will go to the children, and every guest who donates will receive a free drink on us!

This event is the perfect way to kick off the holiday giving season. If you have any questions, give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to seeing you there!

Should You Consider Buying Now Before Market Conditions Change?

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For those on the fence about buying a home right now, you don’t have to look very far to find a great reason to buy in our current market. We are going to share with you four reasons today why you should consider buying a home in this market. Without further ado, let’s get to it:

1. Prices will continue to rise. The Home Price Expectation Survey polls a distinguished panel of over 100 market experts. Their most recent report projects home values to appreciate over 18% over the next 5 years. Home values will continue to appreciate, so waiting longer to purchase may cause you to miss out on this appreciation, and pay more for a home later than you would now.

2. Mortgage rates are going up. The Mortgage Banker’s Association, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the National Association of Realtors are all in unison in saying that interest rates will rise by at least 1% by this time next year. For every point they go up, your purchasing power decreases by 10%. If you’re going to need a mortgage to finance your home, buying sooner rather than later is the key.

3. Pay off your own mortgage. If you rent a home, you are paying off someone else’s mortgage each month, plus the rate of return. Owning a home makes more financial sense than renting, because you are paying down the principal on your own mortgage instead of doing the same for someone else.

4. The time is right. The cost of a home is determined by two major components, price and interest rate. Both are on the rise, is it worth waiting for you? One of the most important aspects to buying a home is your motivation. Whether you want to have a better space for your family to live, or you want to have control over renovations, market trends are set up perfectly to buy right now.

If you’ve been considering buying and want some expert advice on the matter, give one of our buyer specialists a call today at (956)-948-4129 for a FREE consultation. We guarantee results in every aspect of your transaction, and we look forward to hearing from you!

McAllen Real Estate Market Update

Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search
Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation 

Today, we'll discuss the market trends and updates in the greater McAllen area. As real estate professionals, we often get asked about current market conditions, and whether now is a good time to buy or sell. The real estate market is constantly in a state of flux, so these questions are best answered with statistics.

With that in mind, we prepare monthly market trend reports, which provide data and information to answer your real estate questions.

For a period of time, we were definitely in a buyer's market. However, with the average list price and sold price steadily increasing and days on market steadily declining, we are definitely in a seller's market.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. We look forward to hearing from you!