Summer is here and Americans are hitting the highways for family road trips.  This brings to mind a story of an imaginary family on an imaginary road trip and two imaginary gas stations. 

Dad was driving along I-35 towards the beautiful Texas Hill Country (all of Texas is beautiful, however for this story we will focus on just one area).  He noticed his tank was getting low in gas so he pulled off into a town we will call Texasville.  He drove into a brand new Lexon gas station.

The Lexon was new, clean and bustling with activity.  Before filling up, the family ran inside to purchase snacks (essentials for a road trip) and use the restrooms.  The store was neat, clean and smelled fresh.  The clerks were polite, smiling and wearing uniforms.  They were prompt to answer questions, made eye contact and offered any help that was required.  They treated every customer as a friend and always encouraged them to return.  The children returned from the restrooms and remarked how clean and nice they were.

Dad knows Lexon well and recalls all their stations seem to be bright, clean and stocked with current merchandise.  It gives him a warm sense of comfort just being in the store after such a long grueling drive (yes this is a bit emotional for a gas station story but trust me I am going somewhere with it).

What A Deal

As the family piles back into the car, dad is about to start filling up and out of the corner of his eye, he sees another station.  Wow, the gas is $ .20 cheaper a gallon over there!  Dad thinks, forget this I am going to that station to fill up.  From a few blocks away the station looks similar to the one he just left, except the sign was a brand he had not heard of before.  Who is Vilgo?

No worries, all gas is the same and it is so much cheaper at the Vilgo station!

As he approaches the station he notices that it is not quite as new as the other station and the potholes in the driveway require careful navigation.  The windows are due for a cleaning and the trash cans outside have the Sunday paper stuffed in the overflowing lid.  That seemed odd as today is Wednesday.  As he pulls up to the pump he notices the yellow sign taped over the display which says in faded ink, credit card machine broken.  Dang, he has to walk inside to pay!

Oh well a small inconvenience to save money and since all gas is the same, it is so much cheaper at the Vilgo station!

As Dad enters the Vilgo the stale air hits him in the face like a brick wall.  The 1970s asbestos flooring reminds him of his elementary school and the store shelves had an assortment of products in no particular order and covered in dust.  Wow, spam, rolling papers and biker magazines all on the same shelf, nice merchandising skills.

Christmas In July

The Coke display has those cute polar bears cans, to celebrate the Christmas Season.  Dad loves those polar bears even on the Fourth Of July weekend.  Wonder how that Coke tastes now?

No worries, all gas is the same and it is so much cheaper at the Vilgo station!

Dad runs to the restroom and has to step over the plunger and a pile of paper towels by the trash can.  The dripping faucet, overflowing trash can, empty soap dispenser and missing paper towel holder validate why the last entry on the bathroom cleaning schedule was 9 months ago.

He drops off his credit card and goes to fill the tank.  The pump was slow in pumping gas and he had time to ponder the area.  He looked up and noticed all the cars he saw at the Lexon were long gone. They were already on the highway heading to their vacation.  He starts to wonder if the Vilgo gas is as old as their Coke.  Then the pump clicks off as the handle catch broke.  Crud now he has to hold the handle while it pumps.

No worries, all gas is the same and it is so much cheaper at the Vilgo station!

22 Gallons?

As the counter rolls past 20 gallons, Dad thinks to himself, that’s weird, I usually only need 20 gallons.  He consoles himself that he probably remembered wrong as the pump stops at 22 gallons.  Standing in the hot sun while the pump trickled along was not very relaxing but the tank is now full.  He starts to make excuses for all the inconveniences but he is very proud for being able to beat the system and find the cheapest gas on the Interstate.  It is perplexing that none of the other nicer late model vehicles were stopping at the Vilgo.

No worries, they are suckers for paying more as all gas is the same and it is so much cheaper at Vilgo!

Dad goes to pay and again notices the cars were zooming in and out of the Lexon station.  Wow, it seems like he has been at this Vilgo station for 20 minutes. 

Once inside the clerk brings out one of the old credit card imprinters.  Dad is thinking crud, now this guy who is wearing a stained T-shirt and worn out jeans is going to have an imprint of my credit card.  The clerk never looked up or speaks while struggling with the credit card machine.  Finally he gets it done and returns dad’s slightly bent credit card. 

Dad asks for directions to world’s largest ball of twine (yes everything in Texas is the world’s biggest).  The clerk mumbles he does not know and tosses dad a five year old map.  Never mind!  As Dad walks out of the door to his car (which magically holds 2 more gallons of gas) he hears from behind him …. nothing.  The clerk never acknowledged him leaving.

No warm fuzzies here, but all gas is the same and it is so much cheaper at Vilgo!

Now back to the highway!  Wow those cars at the Lexon are coming and going so quickly. 

Back On The Road

After Dad gives himself one more imaginary high 5 about his great deal and the children chime in on their last observations on how gross the Vilgo station was, the family is back on the road.  After awhile dad notices the engine is sounding a bit different than he remembers and the acceleration is somewhat sluggish.  In the back of his mind he says nothing a tune up and fuel injection cleaning can’t fix.  Another $200 dad had not planned on spending.

But all gas is the same and it is so much cheaper at the Vilgo station!

As the family progresses down the highway the tank nears empty again.  Strange Dad wonders as he normally gets 400 miles to a tank, why is it only at 375 miles?

But all gas is the same and it is so much cheaper at the Vilgo station!

Dadcomes across another Lexon and pulls in.  The family runs inside to buy fresh snacks and use the clean restrooms.  The gas is about what he expects to pay however dad cannot help but take one last look to see if he can find another Vilgo.  After filling up, dad notices it only took 20 gallons.  That is weird!  Why did it take 22 gallons at Vilgo?

No worries all gas is the same and it was so much cheaper at the Vilgo station!

Ok our imaginary family is off to see the world’s largest ball of twine. 

But you have to wonder if there is a difference in gas and if buying what appears to be a deal can cost you more in the long run (tune ups, fuel injection cleaning, lower mileage, etc…) then maybe staying with the tried and true is a safer choice for your family’s large investments.  That could relate to your vehicles or your home.

If you would like to learn why all builders are not the same and how trying to save money building your home can cost you more in the long run, please feel free to call or visit our website.  There is a reason many builders go broke and why the cheapest homes often have the highest utility bills.

Ask about our Miles For Dreams Program where you can earn up to 500,000 American Airline AAdvantage Frequent Flier Miles for building a new home, remodeling your existing home or sharing the program with someone else. www.milesfordreams.com

Thank You

I hope this helps remind you that just like in almost any other industry, you get what you pay for.  Sometimes tripping over dollars to pick up pennies will end up costing you many times more than if you started out with the proven professionals from day one.

Your home is your family’s most significant and most expensive asset.  Be careful on who you trust it to, that low price on the sign may distract you from bigger bills hidden in the gas tank.

If you have a question on how we can help you build a custom home, please feel free to email your questions to our offices.  Garabedian Properties is a full service building firm serving the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.  We offer new luxury homes, premium remodels, green building/remodeling, home care services, storm/roof repairs and commercial building contracting.

Please feel free to leave your comments, drop us an email at mike@garabedianproperties.com or call our office at               817-748-2669         817-748-2669. I also encourage you to visit http://www.garabedianproperties.com to see movies on our homes, hundreds of pictures and information on how we can be of service to your family or clients.  Or become a Facebook Fan.

If your family is not quite ready for us at this time, we will be at your service when you are in need or wish to request our assistance.  If you know someone we can help, we welcome and honor your referrals. Ģ

With the Federal Reserve running out of money to buy mortgages and no more room to lower interest rates, is the low interest rate party about to end? Interesting perspective on the trap the Federal Reserve may be in via the Wall Street Journal

Be ready for a bumpy ride.

Please feel free to leave your comments, drop us an email at mike@garabedianproperties.com or call our office at               817-748-2669         817-748-2669. I also encourage you to visit www.garabedianproperties.com to see our entire website.

One of the frustrating parts of this industry is how many folks are selling products to homeowners that cannot work as advertised. 

One of the most common stories we are hearing in our region is companies selling radiant barrier under the shingles to entice them into using their roofing service.

The Pitch

The pitch, as I understand it, is that they will save money on their utility bills and qualify for a tax credit.  The sales reps use this as to entice you to sign up for their remodeling company or roofing repair company so they can sell you a roof and offer you this “Free” upgrade.

They will explain how it reflects the suns heat and save you big money on your utility bills.  They will tell you that it will qualify for an energy tax credit on your income tax return and that it is the latest and greatest new feature for your home.

There is only one BIG problem, it won’t work. 

Why Won’t It Work

Radiant barriers require an air space to work otherwise they just transfer the heat to the items/materials it is touching. No air space, no benefit.

Here are some web resources that reflect this dynamic.  You will note in every case that they refer to the need for the air space.

http://www.ornl.gov/sci/roofs+walls/radiant/index.html

http://www.radiantbarrier.com/faq.htm

http://www.energyefficientsolutions.com/rbfaq.asp

http://atticfoil.com/radiant-barrier-shingles.htm

Placing any type of radiant barrier between your shingles and decking will not work.  If a salesman is trying to tell you it does, then you should be cautious of all their claims.

Avoid Those Who Don’t Know

There is more to building a home than what you see on TV or reading brochures from manufacturers.  When you work with a contractor on roofing, remodeling or new construction, make sure they understand the science of building.

If don’t understand the basics of radiant barriers, they probably have other areas they lack knowledge in as well.  If they do understand the basics of radiant barrier BUT still want to install a product that won’t work, then kick them in shin for being a jerk and contact a trusted contractor who can give you a choice of options that work.

This will not only save you money and time but it will make your home a more comfortable place to live.

 Questions

If you have a question on how to repair your home or seek out energy saving options, please feel free to email your questions to our offices.  Garabedian Properties is a full service building firm serving the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.  We offer new luxury homes, premium remodels, green building/remodeling, home care services, storm/roof repairs and commercial building contracting.

Please feel free to leave your comments, drop us an email at mike@garabedianproperties.com or call our office at 817-748-2669. I also encourage you to visit http://www.garabedianproperties.com to see movies on our homes, hundreds of pictures and information on how we can be of service to your family or clients.  Or become a fan on Facebook.

If your family is not quite ready for us at this time, we will be at your service when you are in need or wish to request our assistance.  If you know a family or client who may be in need of our services, we welcome and honor your referrals.

This article relates to storm damaged roofs specifically, however it has relevancy with almost any incident you have filed an insurance claim on.  Wind, water and fire damage claims all have similar issues to storm/hail damaged roof claims.  As roof claims are the most common, we will use them as our example.

Our knowledge of this subject comes from years of working with homeowners and insurance companies to repair storm & water damaged properties throughout our region.  A question we frequently hear is; “Do I have to replace my roof?”

The short answer is NO, BUT.

To the untrained eye, a hail damaged roof looks just like any other roof, so you may take a look and say why bother.  However with exposure to the elements and time, hail damage can create greater problems.  Loose shingles, damaged vents, blistering shingles and other damages can lead to leaks or a roofing system failure. 

Waiting too long to conduct the repairs may forfeit your ability to make any further reimbursement requests from your insurance company when you realize they are needed.  This may create a scenario where your actual out-of-pocket costs could be greater than your policy’s deductible.

Delays may also make your home susceptible to other damages which you may be limited or prohibited from seeking further claim funds from your insurance company.  Such as water damage to roof decking, walls or the rafters.

Your insurance company cannot force you to repair your roof so they use other tools to encourage you to have the work done.  The most common tool at their disposal is the depreciation withholding.  This is where they hold back a portion of your claim until you document the work is completed.  They also place time limits on when you can file for the depreciation or supplemental fund requests.  As they cannot force you to fix the damage, they do want you to be responsible for the consequences of not moving forward on the repairs.

When You Sell

When you sell your home, you have a legal obligation to disclose any items you have knowledge of that need repair.  If you file insurance for a roof replacement and do not replace your roof, you will have to disclose this when you sell your home.  Buyers may request you repair the roof or lower your sale’s price so they can have it repaired.  Either way it could cost more than the insurance proceeds you received.

Another point to remember is your buyer may have challenges getting homeowner insurance or will have restrictions placed on their policy if unrepaired storm damage is found on the home.  This may result in them requesting a repair, a price adjustment or delays in the closing date.

Future Claims

If your home is damaged by hail and you decide not to complete the repairs and another storm hits, you may have a new problem.  Your insurance company may want to see proof you completed the previous work before they settle any current claims.  They may also determine that some of the damage you are claiming from the current storm was actually damage from a previous event and not offer any insurance proceeds for those items.

Either way you could be left short of having the funds needed to repair your home when it is needed.

Insurance Is To Help Make It Right

Your policy is there to help you repair your home.  Any perceived gain you may envision from not conducting the repairs will seldom serve you well in the long-term.

Work with a trusted contractor and he or she can explain the process, offer you value solutions and help get your property back into  “>tip top shape.  A well cared for and properly repaired property offers you value for the long-term.

Competitive Bids

One last note, it is often ingrained in us that we need to get competitive bids on all home improvements.  I will save my quality over price post for another time.  However, selecting the “cheapest” roofer seldom serves you well in storm repairs.  Your deductible is a constant so if you find a roofer who will work cheap, there is little benefit to your family.  It only saves the insurance company some money.  I seriously doubt it will save you any headaches. 

Remember your insurance company does NOT warrant the repairs, they only pay for you to get the work done.  You are the one who will have to chase down the bargain roofing company if you have a leak or they leave a mess after the fact.

Choose a trusted local contractor to do your repairs.  He will work with your insurance company to find a fair price and provide you the warranty care you deserve.  Local contractors that you know where to find and have a prominent role in the community have more to risk than a storm chaser with a sign on his truck.

Other Options

Ask your roofing contractor/builder about Class IV, Impact Resistant Shingles.  These are designed to be hail resistant so you may avoid replacing your roof from hail damage in the future.  They also offer insurance discounts which you can enjoy every year even if there is not a hail storm.

Questions

If you have an insurance claim but are not sure of your options, please feel free to email your questions to our offices or call your insurance agent and ask them to explain your options.  Make an informed decision before making one that could cost you big money when you least expect it.

If you have a question on how to repair your home, please feel free to email your questions to our offices.  Garabedian Properties is a full service building firm serving the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.  We offer new luxury homes, premium remodels, green building/remodeling, home care services, storm/roof repairs and commercial building contracting.

Please feel free to leave your comments, drop us an email at mike@garabedianproperties.com or call our office at 817-748-2669. I also encourage you to visit http://www.garabedianproperties.com to see movies on our homes, hundreds of pictures and information on how we can be of service to your family or clients.  Or become a fan on Facebook.

If your family is not quite ready for us at this time, we will be at your service when you are in need or wish to request our assistance.  If you know a family or client who may be in need of our services, we welcome and honor your referrals.

Many times you hear home buyers observe that “it is a quality home because it has granite counters and crown molding”.  I also have heard “he is a quality builder because he builds million dollar homes”.

 All I can say to that is BULL HONKEY.

 Often when home buyers describe the quality of a home, they are describing the features and amenities.  We refer to these elements as “eye candy”.  Sweet stuff that gives you short term satisfaction, won’t fill you up and gives you an upset stomach when the reality sets in.

 Amenities and features are important elements in a home, but please don’t confuse them with quality.  Cramming all the amenities in the world into a home does not mean it was put together well. 

 Building the largest home on the block does not mean the builder understands how to build a home (construction science).  I could make a living taking buyers on tours of “million dollar homes” that were designed and built by individuals who know as much about building homes as I do about cold fusion. 

 Hint, I don’t know much, hence I am a home builder and not blowing up nuclear bombs (probably a good thing).  Yes, I know cold fusion and nuclear bombs are not one in the same, kind of proves my point.

 Quality is not what you do but how you do it.  Quality is the “meat and potatoes” of a home.  When you have a well built (quality) home, you have a sense of satisfaction that often comes after a big steak meal.  No sugar rush but a sturdy well built home that performs well and justifies the price you paid for it.

 Examples;

 Granite counters which are currently found in many homes; however their installation, seam location, matching slab colors and aligning them on the cabinets can vary greatly.  It would come as no surprise that the cheapest (lowest skilled) installers usually do the poorest installation job.

 Wood flooring are in high demand, however, upon closer examination you will discover not all floors are the same.  Some are made up almost entirely of 2’ or 3’ long boards.  We call these leftovers.  The end result is a wood floor that looks choppy and pieced together.  The better (quality) installations use longer pieces and blend them so the end seams are not all together.

 The best carpenters miter, glue and sand their splices (were two moldings come together).  They also work to minimize splices or place them in inconspicuous areas.  This takes time and forethought, not just throwing the molding up on the wall.  As you suspect, these carpenters cost a bit more and take a bit more time. 

 When you see this attention to detail in the visible elements of a home, you can have greater confidence the builder showed that same level of detail in the parts you can’t see, such as the wiring, foundation, framing, duct work, plumbing, etc…

  “Quality is not what you do but how you do it”.  So please, before you become enamored with the eye candy of granite, crown moldings and rubbed bronze faucets, look deeper into the home.  Just as with real candy, any short term sugar rush you receive will wear off but the issues the eye candy was hiding can give you an upset stomach.

Please feel free to leave your comments, drop us an email at mike@garabedianproperties.com or call our office at 817-748-2669. I also encourage you to visit http://www.garabedianproperties.com to see movies on our homes, hundreds of pictures and information on how we can be of service to your family or clients.  Or become a fan on Facebook.

If your family is not quite ready for us at this time, we will be at your service when you are in need or wish to request our assistance.  If you know a family or client who may be in need of our services, we welcome and honor your referrals.

There are only two ways to build a home.  We previously discussed the; “Tell me what you want and I will tell you how much it costs” method.  Now I would like to discuss the; “Tell me what you want to spend and I will tell you what you are going to get” method.

Previously we compared building a home to grocery shopping.  You choose the store, the brands, the quantities and when you’re cart is full you pay the cashier.  Your actions and decisions determine what you end up spending.

Today we will look at the opposite approach.  Most families want to stick to their budget.  However it is difficult to fully appreciate how small variances and overages can add up quickly and escalate the costs of their home.

There are 34 accounting subsections in a home construction budget.  If you go over by $1,500 in each budget category, you bust your budget by over $50,000.  Small overages add up quickly and you can get into budget trouble very quickly if no one is watching the project’s accounting.

An example is requesting a wood window upgrade.  Not only do the windows cost more for each unit, there are several other costs that you will incur that are not readily evident.  There will be additional costs for window installation, trimming out the windows, painting the windows and cleaning.  These are all above and beyond costs associated with other window products and can add thousands if not tens of thousands to the cost of a home.

By developing a budget with your builder, he can give you a road map on the decisions you need to make to stay on target.  A builder can give you options in the design, floor plan and amenities of your new home that will help keep you on budget.  By guiding your selections based upon your builder’s guidance, you can minimize the stressful surprises of budget busting change orders.

Another aspect of the building experience is the sales representative (lighting, tile, granite, appliances, etc…) who will encourage you to spend just a little more to “get what you want” of their products.  They will assure you that you can save money on something else further down the line. 

In almost 20 years of building, I have NEVER seen a family cut back their budget in any significant manner to pay for these extras.  Your builder acts as a buffer when you have the urge or are being urged to go over budget.  His motivation is not to sell you an extra light or a more expensive tile but to guide you through the process and keep you as close to your budget as possible.

Building a home is not much different than other large purchases.  You either pick what you want and pay what it costs or stick to your budget and choose from what is in your price point.  With an understanding of these concepts, building your new home can be fun and exciting instead of stressful and confusing.

Thank you for visiting with us at Garabedian Properties.  Please feel free to leave your comments, drop us an email at mike@garabedianproperties.com or call our office at 817-748-2669.  I also encourage you to visit www.garabedianproperties.com to see our entire website.

There are only two ways to build a home.  One is; Tell me what you want and I will tell you how much it costs.  The other is; Tell me what you want to spend and I will tell you what you are going to get.

No secret formulas, no magic spells or google algorithms.  Every home is a compilation of the decisions and specifications of each family.  The more items you select, the more complicated the home, the more difficult the lot and the more detailed the specifications, the more your home will cost.

One of the best examples I can share is a story of two families we built homes for several years ago.  Although both homes were about the same size, the difference in the costs (excluding land, architects, etc..) was over $500,000.  This was a direct factor of the choices each family made in the style, finish out and amenities.  In other words, they told us what they wanted and we informed them the costs to do what they requested.

Another way to illustrate this is by imagining three families taking a trip to the grocery store.  One goes to Central Market (higher price), another to Kroger (mid price) and another to Publix (low price).  They all have similar lists as well as picking up some impulse items.  Even with similar lists, the total for the shopping cart will be higher at Central Market than Publix.  Where they shop, the brands they choose and quantities they select will affect the price they pay at the cashier. 

As the stores serve different markets they, will offer brands and services appropriate to those markets.  Wine at Central Market will be different from the wine sold at Publix or Kroger.  The staffing at the stores and amenities offered will be different as well.  These are all factors families take into consideration when they select a grocery store. 

They would not blame the cashier or store manager if they spent more than they had intended as it was their choices and decisions which are reflected in the total grocery bill.

The same can be said for building a home, your builder is like a personal shopper.  He walks with you through the aisles while you select items off your list.  He can offer suggestions on where to shop, what to put on your list and how many items to select, however, the decision rests with your family.  If your bill at check out (contract) is higher than you had hoped, please know the builder was only following your directions.

Our next post will illustrate the other way to build a home; tell me what you want to spend and I will tell you what you can get.

Please feel free to leave your comments, drop us an email at mike@garabedianproperties.com or call our office at 817-748-2669.  I also encourage you to visit www.garabedianproperties.com to see our entire website.

Over the past few weeks, the ever shrinking pool of builders in our area have visited. As we compare notes on our industry we are noticing a dramatic disappearance of subcontractors. We are also hearing about homeowners having to wait weeks for simple handyman services.

What this will mean is that once building starts to  up tick there will be fewer workers to service the industry. The ones that are still in business will quickly escalate their charges and only show up to the builders who are willing to pay. During past boom cycles, it was not uncommon for a subcontractor to pull of a job or never show up because he got a better offer somewhere else.

What this means is that building costs will move up quickly as will home prices.

I mention this because another common denominator the building community is aware of is how many families want to build but are sitting on the side just waiting. In some cases they need to sell a home, in other cases they are just waiting.

The fear is that once homebuilding picks up, all the families who were waiting will rush back in and will overwhelm the best builders. This will lead to the fly by night builders coming back into the market and many families will get hurt.

An example of this is when everyone at a football game waits for half time to go to the concession stand.  They rush to get in line, spend the entire half time in line and those at the back will either miss part of the third quarter or go back to their seats hungry.  If some of the fans got an early start and went to the concession stand in the 2nd quarter, they would have no lines, get their food fast and leave a shorter line for those who come after them.

If you are considering building but are just not quite ready to pull the trigger, get with your builder now and get all the preliminary items out of the way. This will cut off months from the process when you are ready to start and give you the ability to jump when the timing is just right.  Another benefit is that you will be first in line with your chosen builder as well as have a shot of getting your home built before the costs start to jump up.

Please feel free to leave your comments, drop us an email at mike@garabedianproperties.com or call our office at 817-748-2669.  I also encourage you to visit www.garabedianproperties.com to see our entire website.

Under the current laws of Texas, builders & remodelers who have liens, criminal records, dishonest business dealings and other such issues are not be allowed to register or build in the State of Texas. 

The state has cleaned up the industry from those who perpetrated such acts.  Here is a link to the registration provisions/requirements. – TRCC Provisions

This has helped remove many unsavory characters from the building industry and served as a deterrent to builders who maybe tempted to go down the road to financial mismanagement. 

However, as of September 1, 2009, these safeguards will disappear.  The TRCC will begin to wind down its operations and cease to register or renew  builder/remodeler registration.   This is happening because some self-appointed consumer activists and some ill-informed state legislature members failed to authorize the TRCC’s renewal.  The agency will end operations by 9/1/10 and there will be no centralized agency to register builders or offer dispute resolution to home buyers.

This will allow builders who were previously not able adhere to the standards, back ground checks and requirements of the registration process to return to the building/remodeling industry.  With the TRCC shutting down, there will be no way for homeowners, Realtors, subcontractors or city staffs to validate a builder’s status with the state.

As these unsavory characters return to the industry, homeowners will be exposed to unfinished homes, unpaid subcontractors, liens, substandard building practices and a lack of enforceable warranty coverage.  The very problems that the TRCC was created to address will return in force.  I suspect it won’t be too long before we start to read stories of how the TRCC was not as bad as its opponents made it out to be.  However, by then it will be too late.

Check your builder’s status now before the database ceases to recieve updates. – Look Up Builder

Our next post will illustrate some of the horror stories we are hearing about builders and how they maybe part of the builders returning to the industry in the coming months.

Please feel free to leave your comments, drop us an email at mike@garabedianproperties.com or call our office at 817-748-2669. I also encourage you to visit http://www.garabedianproperties.com to see movies on our homes, hundreds of pictures and information on how we can be of service to your family or clients.  Or become a fan on Facebook.

If your family is not quite ready for us at this time, we will be at your service when you are in need or wish to request our assistance.  If you know a family or client who may be in need of our services, we welcome and honor your referrals.