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THEY HOLD THE KEY

Meet the KL Group.

You met Kyla and Ellen, the local powerhouses behind the KL Group, when they sponsored the Tidbits Twinkle Market. Now, get their advice on the local real estate market, especially for first time buyers. Follow them at @krantzlinngroup for more tips on buying or selling. 
 
Before you founded KL Group, how did you each get started in real estate?
We both enjoyed success in other industries before real estate. Kyla was in luxury fashion for ten years, and Ellen owned a very successful manufacturing business, also in the retail industry. We each experienced buying, selling, and investing in various capacities and neighborhoods before becoming real estate advisors. Our experiences (good and bad) with real estate and real estate agents have shaped how we run our business today. We take a customer centric approach to everything we do, knowing the type of service we wish we had when we were going through these processes ourselves. We believe every client deserves luxury level service at any price point, so we strive to create an unmatched experience for each of our clients. We also have a strong background in marketing, which allows us to better understand how to market properties in today’s quickly shifting digital environment. Our backgrounds make us uniquely positioned to give our clients the best competitive advantage when buying or selling. 
 
In what neighborhoods do you specialize?
One of the many advantages of working with a team like ours is access to area specialists all over Houston. While Ellen and I focus primarily on Inner Loop and close-in neighborhoods, we have nine licensed agents on our team and can offer market expertise all the way from Katy to The Woodlands, Sugarland and beyond! Whether your budget is $200,000 or $5M+, we believe every client deserves luxury level service, at any price point, wherever their search takes them in and around the Houston area!
 
3 tips for first time home buyers?
The biggest topic of conversation for first time buyers right now is the rising interest rate environment. Our advice for buyers concerned about a higher interest rate is to focus on a monthly payment they feel comfortable with and ensure that budget gets them into a home that meets their needs. With less competition in the market, buyers have more negotiating power. As buyer demand has cooled from the frenetic activity we saw over the past few years, sellers are more inclined to offer incentives to buyers such as seller credits to help buy down to a lower interest rate. Also, do not forget the interest rate on a rental is 100%, and it is almost always better to start gaining equity in something today rather than renting, if you are in the financial position to do so. 
 
It is also important to have realistic expectations about your first home. Most first time home buyers will purchase again in 5-7 years, so make sure you understand what is truly a “must have” for the next 5 years vs a “nice to have” feature, and work with your realtor to see if that’s attainable in your budget. 
 
Lastly, focus on location and resale value for a first home. You can change a lot about a house, but you cannot change where it is. Knowing this will likely not be your forever home, keeping in mind certain aspects that will ensure your home is marketable in the future (i.e., walkability, first floor living, backyard space, etc.) will help you maximize your potential return down the line. 
 
Up and coming neighborhood to watch?
We love Lindale Park and Independence Heights for proximity to some of Houston’s hottest neighborhoods (the Heights, Garden Oaks, Oak Forest). East Downtown and Greater Eastwood are also on our radar with the East River development underway in that area. Different neighborhoods are going to work for different lifestyles, so we always begin our buyer searches with an in depth consultation where we can recommend neighborhoods based on each client’s preferences. 
 
Why is it important to use a realtor with local know-how?
Real estate in Houston is hyper localized. Your realtor needs to understand the nuances within each of the neighborhoods in Houston. You would be surprised at the difference even one or two blocks can make in the value of a home, so you need to work with someone who understands the local market and how to properly price a home, whether you’re buying or selling. Working with a realtor who is active in the market will also give you access to potentially off market deals that are not visible to the wider public. We are constantly networking with other local agents to cultivate a collection of off market properties to give our clients the widest range of options possible. 
 
What’s fun about working with an all-female team?
Each of our agents is fabulous in their own right! We all come from different backgrounds and industries yet are aligned in our customer focus. It’s exciting to see a group of highly talented women collaborating to provide the best service possible. We make sure the buying and selling process is seamless and stress-free for all of our clients, so that they can focus on enjoying the ride!
 
Favorite place for a client coffee?
Any of the Common Bond locations are a great go-to or client consults. We can sometimes be seen at Common Bond multiple times a week! We also love A 2nd CupBrasil, and Tenfold if we need a quieter retreat on a weekend morning. 
 
Krantz Linn Group
4200 Westheimer Rd, Suite 1000
Houston TX 77027
 
Want more? Read KL Group’s Steps To Buying A Home.
 
@krantzlinngroup

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