Property Search

Harris County Clerk's Office -- Welcome ! The Harris County Clerk's office is a State Constitutional office with the duties of County Clerk varying somewhat in each of Texas’ 254 counties. In Harris County, the County Clerk wears three hats. As clerk, she maintains the records of Commissioners' Court, County Probate Courts, and County Civil Courts at Law. As a recorder, she is responsible for real property records including state and federal tax liens; vital statistics records such as marriage licenses; assumed names; and uniform commercial code records. As chief election official for the third largest county in the country, she administers county and state elections and also contracts for election services for political parties and smaller jurisdictions such as the City of Houston. The current County Clerk, Beverly Kaufman, was appointed to the office on March 11, 1994 and was elected to a full four-year term in November 1994 by sixty-one percent (61.3%) and re-elected in 1998 and 2002. She employs 311 regular employees and an additional 400 temporary employees during county election cycles. Her annual budget is approximately $24 million and she collects revenues through fees for numerous services provided such as property record filings, issuing marriage licenses, and processing court documents. The fees are used for a wide array of improvements including record preservation efforts to protect many of the county’s older documents. Mrs. Kaufman is also responsible for registry accounts created by probate and county court orders. Current total registry accounts average $70 million but have been known to reach the $100 million level during peak county condemnation periods for infrastructure expansion. The Harris County Clerk's Main Office is located in the Harris County Administration Building at 1001 Preston, on the 4th floor. Mailing Address BEVERLY KAUFMAN HARRIS COUNTY CLERK P.O. BOX 1525 HOUSTON, TEXAS 77251-1525

Land For Sale Acreage

North Carolina Land for Sale | Asheville NC Land and Large Acreage Tracts Home | Featured Listings | MLS Search | About Us | Contact Us Horse Farms | Land | Luxury Homes | Condos & Lofts | Waterfront Property | Commercial | 1031 Exchange Phone Us 828.694.1558 North Carolina Land For Sale Acreage in the Greater Asheville NC Area I f you are seeking North Carolina land for sale, Sheelah Clarkson Asheville Real Estate Agency is pleased to assist you . We serve as buyer's agents helping national and international investors locate tracts of mountain land that are suitable for investment, 1031 exchange , or private estate property. As a land specialist, Sheelah Clarkson is a member of the Realtors Land Institute (RLI), the only national organization comprised of licensed real estate professionals who broker, sell, lease, manage, and develop land. This influential affiliation gives our agency the leverage and network necessary to identify and procure large acreage land tracts on behalf of our buyers and investors. Featured Land For Sale Our featured land for sale is a rare 228-acre tract of land in Waynesville, NC . This property has been passed down in the family for generations and is available on the open market for the first time. With frontage on all sides of an intersection along major Highway US 276 less than 1 mile from the city limits , this acreage is ideal for a major mixed use development or urban village. The prime location with multiple access points, level land, and nearby utilities make this acreage a developers ideal. View more information on this Waynesville NC land . Our featured investment land includes 101 acres and 62 acres near three pretigious Cliffs Communities with views to The Cliffs at Glassy in upstate South Carolina. This acreage is perfectly positioned for a private mountain estate, high end residential development, or a national retreat center. The 101-acre tract lies adjacent to more than 1,700 acres of the Chestnut Ridge Heritage Preserve , protecting your year round mountain views. Both offer paved road access and access to utilities. These land tracts are within easy driving distance of Greenville SC, Hendersonville NC, and the GSP Airport. View more details of this prime acreage. If you would like to see other properties on the market, contact us with your acreage requirements. Also, a number of land listings can be found in the Farms and Land section of the Asheville MLS or the Lots and Land section of the Tryon MLS . Ask us for more information on specific listings that interest you. Finding NC Mountain Land for Sale The magnificent vistas and ecology of our western North Carolina highlands have drawn people here for centuries. However, locating large acreage tracts of North Carolina land for sale can be challenging. Why? Portions of our most spectacular mountain ranges are protected by state and national agencies. More than one million acres are contained in the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests. State parks and forests also hold thousands of acres. In the Brevard and Hendersonville area alone, The Gorges State Park and the Dupont State Forest protect more than 20,000 acres of pristine mountain land. Large acreage tracts are rare and exclusive mountain land for sale is not always listed in a public MLS. However, a number of significant land tracts in western North Carolina are still available if you know how to find them. Most real estate agents focus on houses and residential lots. Few realty professionals excel in the sale of land and acreage, perhaps because this specialty area is unique, requiring knowledge of an extensive geographic region, willingness to travel the back roads, and an in-depth understanding of land tract zoning, characteristics, and markets. Our North Carolina Land Services As large acreage buyer's agents, we cover 11 counties in the greater Asheville NC area, a wide territory that spans some of the most stunning mountain land and pastoral foothills in western North Carolina and upstate South Carolina. We help match your investment needs with the most appropriate land tract. We understand how the unique characteristics of a property can impact your proposed use of the acreage. For instance, the topography in western North Carolina varies greatly from rolling foothills that provide an exceptional location for horse farms , to steep mountains with scenic vistas, to valleys suitable for agri-business. Zoning and restrictions vary from county to county as well. We serve our buyers and investors by tapping into a network of land savvy specialists throughout our region to locate acreage for a variety of purposes, including property for 1031 exchange , land for investment, and acreage for private luxury homes and estates. We know this region. We drive the back roads. And we are pleased to work closely with qualified buyers who are ready to purchase land. Contact us to discuss your needs regarding large acreage land tracts for sale in western North Carolina. North Carolina Land Conservancy Under all is the land. Upon its wise utilization and widely allocated ownership depend the survival and growth of free institutions and of our civilization. - Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice of the National Association of REALTORS At Sheelah Clarkson Asheville Real Estate Agency, we believe in the wise use of land. We support land stewardship through such measures as personal responsibility, sustainability, and land conservancy. The North Carolina Conservation Tax Credit Program (CTC) North Carolina boasts some of the most progressive legislation in the nation regarding land conservancy. The North Carolina Conservation Tax Credit Program (CTC) offers financial incentives that encourage both corporate and private property owners to protect the land. Preserving our land benefits both the environment and future generations. Moreover, it can be a smart financial strategy for land owners because it offers substantial income tax credit for those who donate real property for conservation purposes. Land conservancy is a win-win for all involved. You can learn more about the tax credits offered through conservation easements and other land conservancy options by visiting the website of the North Carolina Conservation Tax Credit Program . North Carolina Land Conservancy Organizations A number of nonprofit groups are dedicated to protecting our North Carolina land. We invite you to visit these websites for more information on land preservation in the Tarheel state. The North Carolina Chapter of the Nature Conservancy Durham, NC State chapter protecting more than 100 sites across the state including several sites in western North Carolina. Million Acre Initiative Raleigh, NC State program dedicated to preserving one million acres of open space in North Carolina this decade. Conservation Trust for North Carolina Raleigh, NC Statewide organization working with local land trusts, community groups, and private landowners to protect North Carolina land and water resources. Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy Hendersonville, NC Local organization serving Henderson and Transylvania counties. Pacolet Area Conservancy Lynn, NC Local group focused on the Pacolet and Green River watersheds in portions of Polk County and Henderson County in North Carolina as well as parts of Spartanburg and Greenville Counties in South Carolina. Land Trust for the Little Tennessee Franklin, NC Local trust serving the upper Little Tennessee Valley area that lies along the corridor between the Nantahala and Cowee mountains of western North Carolina. Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy Asheville, NC Local conservancy serving Buncombe and Madison Counties plus Highlands of Roan, a major project that preserves 15,000 acres along the North Carolina and Tennessee border. Blue Ridge Rural Land Trust Boone, NC Local trust serving a seven county area in northwestern North Carolina including Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yancey Counties. National Committee for the New River West Jefferson, NC Local group focused on the protection and restoration of the New River and 5,000 acres of watershed in northwestern North Carolina. Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina Morganton, NC Local organization serving Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, Lincoln, McDowell and Rutherford Counties. If you are interested in purchasing large acreage land tracts of land for sale in North Carolina, contact us to discuss the benefits of land conservancy. Sheelah Clarkson is a member of the Realtors Land Institute (RLI) Asheville Real Estate | Asheville North Carolina MLS | Tryon North Carolina MLS | Asheville Homes For Sale | Asheville Condos North Carolina Luxury Homes | North Carolina Land For Sale | North Carolina Acreage | North Carolina Mountain Real Estate North Carolina Horse Farms | Equestrian Communities | Horse Property | Equestrian Property | North Carolina Mountain Land North Carolina Commercial Real Estate | 1031 Exchange Real Estate | NC Waterfront Property | Sitemap | Links | About Us | Contact Info © 2005 Sheelah Clarkson Sheelah Clarkson Asheville Real Estate Agency • PO Box 8804 • Asheville,NC 28814-8804 Phone 828.694.1558 • Fax 828.694.1549 • Email sheelah@sheelahclarkson.com

Buy Property

Buying A Property Guide from channel4.com/4Money E4 More4 FilmFour FourDocs TV Listings Site A-Z NEWS FILM HOMES LIFE ENTERTAINMENT HISTORY SCIENCE COMMUNITY SHOP SPORT CULTURE CARS MONEY VIDEO LEARNING HEALTH MUSIC GAMES Home On TV Compare & Buy Mortgages & Homebuying Smart Money Banking & Saving Borrowing & Spending Insurance Tax & Pensions Funny Money Forum Latest features Mortgages and homebuying features Special features Guide to renting & letting Homebuying guides Property buying Property selling Remortgage How much can I borrow Conveyancing What mortgage type Flexible mortgage Choose an interest rate type Decide a repayment method Cut your bills Gas & electricity Home phone Digital TV Mobile phone Broadband Top tools Mortgage calculator Overpayment calculator Stamp duty calculator Payments calculator Money jargon A-Z Compare and Buy 400 Loans 300 Credit Cards 7000 Mortgages 1000 Saving Accounts 300 Current Accounts Subject to Moneysupermarket .com Terms Money Books Latest personal finance books Share money tips Share your money tips Buying a property guide next Where to start There comes a time in most people's lives when they decide to take the property plunge. Perhaps you've reached the point where you want a place of your own; or perhaps you've been renting and had enough of paying someone else's mortgage. Written by Hilary Osborne, Editor What Mortgage magazine. There comes a time in most people's lives when they decide to take the property plunge. Perhaps you've reached the point where you want a place of your own; or perhaps you've been renting and had enough of paying someone else's mortgage.Whatever the reason, the months it takes to buy your first place are likely to be some of the most exciting - and anxious - of your life. But before you start gazing through estate agents’ windows, you need to work out how much you can afford to spend. There's no point setting your heart on a three-bedroom townhouse in Chelsea if your budget will only run to a studio flat in Chesterfield. Establish how much you can borrow (see guide), add the amount you have in savings, and you have a good idea of how much you have to spend. next About C4 | Jobs | Text Only | Access Advice | Contact Us | Terms and Conditions | Privacy | Help | Online Ad Sales

Selling Home & Garden

Home Buying - Home Buying and Home Selling Advice - Buying a Home  You are here: About > Home & Garden > Home Buying / Selling Home & Garden Home Buying / Selling Essentials 10 Things Home Buyers Shouldn't Do Best Tips for First Time Home Buyers "Must-Do" Tasks Before You Sell How to Buy a Home, Step by Step For Sale by Owner Advice Articles & Resources How To Buy a Home How To Sell a House Celebrity & Historic Credit Reports & Scores Design & Remodel Home Maintenance Inspections & Appraisals Investing & Foreclosures Modular & Manufactured Mold, Radon, Lead, etc. Mortgage Advice Moving & Relocation Real Estate Careers Real Estate For Sale Vacation Homes Buyer's Guide Before You Buy Top Picks Home Buying Books Foreclosure Books Mortgage Books Product Reviews Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Home Buying / Selling newsletter! See Online Courses   Search Home Buying / Selling From Janet Wickell , Your Guide to Home Buying / Selling . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! Getting Ready to Sell Your House Guests and lots of activities make it difficult to show a house during the holidays, so home owners sometimes put off selling their homes until after the first week in January, when life starts returning to normal. If you're in that category take some time to evaluate the condition of your home before you list it with an agent or sell it by owner . Be sure to analyze your situation to determine if selling is your best move, then think about the home's curb appeal and get the interior and exterior in tip-top shape . It's not a bad idea to do a few inspections to make sure the house is ready for potential buyers. Handle as many tasks as you can now and you'll find that the sales process will be a breeze. Monday December 26, 2005 | permalink Before You Buy Gas Logs Gas logs are growing in popularity every year, so manufacturers have geared-up to offer us a wide selection of appliances. You'll find gas logs to put in a hearth, freestanding gas stoves, and fully contained fireplace units that are mounted to a wall. But did you know that the dangerous gas byproducts produced by gas logs is not always vented to the outside? It's important to understand the differences between vented and vent-free logs before you buy a gas log fireplace. Saturday December 24, 2005 | permalink Pros and Cons of Becoming a Real Estate Agent You've decided you want to become a real estate agent, but what's your motivation? Do you understand the type of work real estate agents do and are you savvy about the true pay they receive for their work? It can be a rewarding career choice, but it's definitely not the best option for everyone and there are lots of things to consider before you decide that a real estate career is right for you. Wednesday December 21, 2005 | permalink Step-by-Step Directions Help You Measure Square Footage Each year, home owners discover that their new home's square footage is not the figure that was stated when the house was advertised. Owners sometimes decide to sue the people who were involved in the transaction, especially if the difference is significant. Real estate agents and for sale by owner sellers can reduce their risks of encountering a lawsuit by knowing how use accepted standards to measure and calculate a home's square footage . Get it right the first time so that everyone's happy with the results. Wednesday December 21, 2005 | permalink Buying Land for Your New Home If you've looked and looked, but can't find the perfect combination of land and house, maybe it's time to consider building. And while buying land for your new home can seem intimidating at first, you'll find it really isn't a horrible task if you fine-tune your wants and needs before you start searching for real estate. Tuesday December 20, 2005 | permalink Buying a Home with Great Resale Potential A few generations ago it wasn't unusual for people to live in the same home for many years, somtimes the rest of their lives after becoming homeowners. We're more mobile today, always "moving up" to a larger house or relocating to a new town. So it makes sense to put some thought into buying a home with good resale value , one that will sell easily and put extra dollars in your bank account if you do decide to move. Tuesday December 20, 2005 | permalink What's a Quit Claim Deed? Home buyers usually receive a general warranty deed when they purchase real estate, because it's a type of deed that offers several guarantees from the seller that the title to the property is good. Another document that's sometimes used is a quit claim deed . It works perfectly for some situations, but it's important to understand the limitations of a quit claim deed before accepting one when you purchase real estate. Friday December 16, 2005 | permalink How Credit Scores Are Calculated Everyone looking for a mortgage to buy a home--and that's most of us--finds out right away that credit scores play a huge role in the types of loans and interest rates that are offered to them. It's helpful to study your credit reports and scores before you apply for a mortgage, and to do it as early as possible to give yourself time to correct errors before a lender takes a look. Wednesday December 14, 2005 | permalink Moving Tips and Timeline Buying a home is exciting, but let's face it... moving is a chore. A big one. The only way I know to get through it without an excess of stress is to manage the moving process in little steps instead of letting it overwhelm you at the last minute. Start early and stay organized and you'll be ready for the moving truck before you know it. Monday December 12, 2005 | permalink Typical Home Buyer Closing Costs Closing costs are the expenses associated with buying real estate. You can expect to pay a large chunk of your closing costs the day the trasaction is complete, when the property becomes yours, but some closing expenses are nearly always paid before that day. There's no single set of expenses that every home buyer must pay--every transaction is different--but it's a good idea to become familiar with typical closing costs so that you'll have a better understanding of the items billed to you on your HUD-1 settlement statement . Wednesday December 07, 2005 | permalink Display Latest Headlines | | | Read Archives powered by Movable Type Important disclaimer information about this About site. Advertisement Related Blogs Mortgage Fraud Blog The Real Estate Blog The Money Pit Most Popular Modular and Manufactured Homes Finding Your Best Place to ... Home Buying Don'ts First Time Home Buyer Tips Before You Sell Your Home What's Hot Coping with Unethical People How To Buy Land Real Estate Appraisal Before You Buy a Log Home Package Home Buying / Selling - GuideReviews Related Topics Home Repair Architecture Credit / Debt Management Housekeeping Landscaping        Topic Index | Email to a Friend Our Story | Be a Guide | Advertising Info | Work at About | Site Map | Icons | Help User Agreement | Ethics Policy | Patent Info. | Privacy Policy | Kids' Privacy Policy ©2005 About, Inc., A part of the New York Times Company . All rights reserved. Around About Oprah's Life Vacation Ideas Shop Safely Online VIDEO: Craft Rooms VIDEO: Christmas Traditions What's Hot Coping with Unethical People How To Buy Land Real Estate Appraisal Before You Buy a Log Home Package Home Buying / Selling - GuideReviews Headlines Getting Ready to Sell Your House Guests and lots of activities make it difficult to show... Before You Buy Gas Logs Gas logs are growing in popularity every year, so manufacturers... Pros and Cons of Becoming a Real Estate Agent You've decided you want to become a real estate agent,... Step-by-Step Directions Help You Measure Square Footage Each year, home owners discover that their new home's square...

Real estate agents help

Real Estate Agent Printer-friendly version ( HTML ) Real Estate Agent What is this job like? | How do you get ready? | How much does this job pay? | How many jobs are there? | What about the future? | Are there other jobs like this? | Where can you find more information? What is this job like? Back to Top Real estate agents help people buy and sell houses. They must be able to say approximately how much money a house is worth. They need to know what the neighborhoods in their towns are like. They must know the laws that have to do with buying or selling a house. They also can tell home buyers where to get a loan if they need more money to buy a house. In return for selling a house, real estate agents get to keep a small part of the money that the buyer paid for it. Real estate agents work for real estate brokers. Real estate brokers manage real estate offices. People who want to buy a house often ask a real estate agent to help them. They meet with the agent to tell him or her what kind of house they want. They must also discuss how much money they can afford to spend. The agent then takes them to see houses for sale. Buying a house is a very important decision because houses cost a lot of money. This means that buyers often want to look at many houses before they decide to buy one. Real estate agents also sell houses for people. They help the seller set the price for the house. To do this, they must know what the house is like. They must also figure out what people would be willing to pay for the house so that it will sell quickly. They make sure that people see ads for the house so that they can think about buying it. Once a person agrees to buy a house, real estate agents still have work to do. They must fill out special forms that let everyone know that the house has a new owner. Both the buyer and the seller of the house must sign these forms for the sale of the house to be legal. Often, the agents must help the buyer to get a loan from the bank to pay for the house. Real estate agents generally work in offices. Since much information about properties is available over the Internet, some agents can work out of their own homes. In either case, however, much of their time is spent outside the office showing houses to buyers. Sometimes they must leave the office to meet with people who have houses to sell. Good real estate agents also spend time away from the office finding out more about the houses in their town that might one day be up for sale. Agents often work more than 40 hours a week. They often must work in the evening or on weekends. This is because most buyers and sellers are free only at those times. How do you get ready? Back to Top Real estate agents must have a license from the State in which they work. To get a license, a person must have graduated from high school. The person must be at least 18 years old and pass a written test. In some States, a person who wants to be a real estate agent must go to a special school for a few months. Sometimes it helps to take some college courses about real estate. This is because the process of selling a house can be hard to understand. Good real estate agents must get along well with buyers and sellers. It helps if real estate agents are pleasant and dress neatly. They should be well organized and be able to remember people's names. They should deal honestly with people and have good manners. They must also be very eager to sell houses, which is sometimes a lot of hard work. How much does this job pay? Back to Top Most real estate agents do not get a regular paycheck. Instead, they get part of the money that the home buyer pays to the home seller when a house is sold. This means that agents who sell more houses earn more money. It also means that agents who sell more expensive houses earn more. The middle half of all real estate agents earned between $21,010 and $52,860 a year in 2002. The lowest-paid 10 percent earned less than $15,480. The highest-paid 10 percent earned more than $83,780 a year. The middle half of all real estate brokers earned between $29,240 and $90,170 a year in 2002. The lowest-paid 10 percent earned less than $17,290. The highest-paid 10 percent earned more than $145,600 a year. How many jobs are there? Back to Top Real estate agents and brokers held about 407,000 jobs in 2002. Many work part time, and have other jobs as well. Most real estate agents work in large cities. Many also work in smaller cities that are growing quickly. This is because there are more houses being bought and sold in such places. What about the future? Back to Top The number of jobs for real estate agents is expected to grow more slowly than the average for all occupations through the year 2012. This is partly because more information about real estate is available on the Internet. This allows agents to conduct more business in less time, so fewer agents are needed. It should be rather easy to find a job as a real estate agent. This is because many agents find that they cannot sell enough houses to be successful, so they quit their jobs. Only people who enjoy selling, and are good at it, should try to become real estate agents. Are there other jobs like this? Back to Top Insurance sales agents Retail salespersons (car salespersons, etc.) Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing Securities, commodities, and financial services sales agents Travel agents Where can you find more information? Back to Top More BLS information about real estate brokers and sales agents can be found in the Occupational Outlook Handbook . The Handbook also shows where to find out even more about this job. Last Modified Date: October 21, 2004