If you're in the market for a new home — in particular your first home — you may not be fully in the know about the tax benefits that come with homeownership. Here at The Sam Team, we want to make sure that prospective buyers and new owners are aware of the financial advantages to owning your own property, and tax deductions or credits are no exception. If you're filing your taxes at the last minute this year, that's no reason to rush on ahead without considering the credits you qualify for. If you're short on time and aren't able to delve into deep research, here's a handy list to help you get started!

Nonbusiness Energy Property Credit

If you haven't already made energy improvements to your home, this one is good to keep in mind for next year.

It’s the age-old question: is it better to rent or own? For residents of Manvel and Pearland, TX, that question comes with a few other strings since the current market in these areas is rapidly developing. So should you rent or buy in Pearland, TX? Let’s take a look at some of the facts:

How Much Does it Cost to Rent in Pearland?

Typically rental properties in Pearland consist of modern condo buildings with luxurious amenities. The average price for units in this area ranges from about $900-$1,800 per month, depending on the building, location, amenities, and unit features. The size of the units can be anywhere from 600 square feet to 1,600 square feet with one to three bedrooms.

Other costs you need to consider when renting a property

Pearland, TX is booming. For anyone passing through, it’s easy to see that the town itself is rapidly growing. With the benefit of being a short drive away from Houston, businesses and employers are capturing the convenience of setting up shop in Pearland. Amid this, the housing market in the area is staying relatively the same, which means there is going to a secondary boom of people looking to buy or rent in the area. If you’re toying with the idea of buying a house to rent, now is a perfect time. Here are some more tips and tricks on how to make money on a rental property.

How to Purchase a Rental Property?

Before you start thinking about the money you’ll make as a landlord, it’s important to get the logistics out of the way. When choosing a

There’s nothing quite as exciting as buying a new construction home. For many buyers, this is the opportunity to check all the boxes on their dream home lists as they get to customize many of the features in a new build. New construction homes give buyers the chance to move into a house that no one has lived in before, which is a desirable trait for many buyers.

But for many, the question remains whether buying a new construction home from the builder or from a realtor is the better option. Many homeowners wonder, “Do I need a realtor to buy a new home?” The answer is different for everyone, however, there are definite benefits and advantages to working with a realtor when you buy a new construction home:

Realtors work For You

Going to a

Bordered by W Orem Drive, City Park Central Lane, and Sims Bayou, City Park is a beautiful and diverse neighborhood a short drive from downtown Houston. Located minutes south Houston’s General Business District, City Park is an ideal spot for homeowners looking to capture a small-town vibe with the convenience of city living.

City Park Homes for Sale

City Park is home to a range of properties ideal for a wide variety of buyers. From new builds to existing single-family units, the homes in City Park provide buyers with the opportunity to live comfortably and affordably with all the unique Houston amenities they cherish.

Open-concept living areas, ceramic and hardwood floors, and walk-in closets in the master bedroom are all common features in

Across the real estate industry you'll find a wealth of people who claim that spring is the best season to sell your home. May especially typically posed to be one of the best months, but the entire season is rich with opportunity. If you're a homeowner who wants to take full advantage of the demand, spring is your best bet because just like the weather, the market starts to heat up!

There are, however, a few things to remember before preparing to list your home this coming spring. First of all, you'll be busy — while winter buyers may be more motivated, the sheer number of spring buyers and property viewings will leave you with a full calendar. As well, you'll have to put effort into making your home stand out above the competition; spring is a

Taking a quick look through the properties in Shadow Creek Ranch makes it clear that this master-planned, lake-themed community is a true gem in Pearland, Texas. Just south of Houston, Shadow Creek Ranch offers numerous benefits and unique amenities that residents can enjoy and take advantage of. Some of the most significant community features include:

The Schools

Shadow Creek Ranch is the perfect place to raise a family. This is compounded by the fact that the community is located in two school districts, giving residents the opportunity to choose from many fine educational establishments. Elementary schools such as Mary Burks Marek Elementary and Laura Ingalls Wilder Elementary offer young kids opportunity to grow and develop in a safe and

The title says it all for me . . . I mean, nowadays there's email, voicemail, telephone, text messaging, US Mail (a/k/a "snail mail"), Facebook messaging, Twitter (which seems to have gained popularity recently), Snapchat, Kik, Instagram, Facetime, and more!  But what's your favorite?  And do you use them all?

As an entrepreneurial Pearland-Houston Realtor, I have to be able to use all of the above . . . and more!  It seems that as soon as I learn to master one of them, it changes to another.  Then, the whole format changes.  No wonder wherever we go, everyone seems to have a phone in their face! But are they "communicating" or learning a new methodology? 

As I was talking to a group of newer real estate agents yesterday, I couldn't help but

There we were.  In the car, after engorging ourselves on bland food from Red Lobster.  We'd listened to the waitress tell us repeatedly how "it sucks in here because it's so cold" after we'd mentioned that it was cold.  Ah well, she proceeded to tell us how busy they were, and that's why her service sucked like the cold environment.......but I digress.  (Back to the story, old man . . . OK!)  We were in the car, Roger in the back seat, Jose in the front passenger seat, and myself driving.

Roger had been cleaning out my old house all day, as I've moved and it's finally time to rid myself of the memories that remained in the form of items that were part of my past.  Seated next to Roger in the back seat was a red laquered, mother-of-pearl jewelry box

Ah, leftover ham . . .

Looks amazing, doesn't it?  I bet you have one of these in your refrigerator right now too, n'est-ce pas?  Yes, that's what's left from the Christmas day spiral-sliced ham . . . .

So what to do with it?  In my standard "love-to-cook-and-create-on-my-day-off" mode, I got up and made myself a delicious ham and fat-free cheese egg-white omelette with 2 slices of Sara Lee "Delightful" toast . . . mmmmm . . . a whoppingly [sic] good breakfast and only 5 Weight Watchers points!  

Great start!  But now, lunch and dinner await . . . so what's next?  So it dawned on me . . . how about a "mess" of mustard greens?  After all the Christmas sweets, off-the-diet tamales, potatoes, noodles, roast beef (no turkey this year, for some