About Sheila Cox – Katy Real Estate Agent

Award-winning Katy real estate agent and expert in the Katy, Sugar Land, Richmond, Fulshear areas (Fort Bend County). I don’t just work here…I’ve lived here for over 20 years!

Licensed since 2009, I am a high-quality, high-integrity, premium service real estate agent who provides one-on-one dedicated attention and customer service (see my client reviews).

I don’t “just” sell houses; I sell a SERVICE to guide home buyers and sellers through the entire real estate transaction…which usually takes several months. So I consider myself more of a real estate consultant than a salesperson.

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3300 N Interstate 35 – Suite 700
Austin TX 78705

 

TREC Disclosure 

Consumer Protection Notice

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Afterall, buying or selling a home is not like buying or selling a TV, a computer, or a car. You can’t buy/sell a home in one day with the click of a few buttons. There are MANY legal aspects, deadlines, and requirements that most people are not trained to handle. What’s more…mistakes along the way can cost you thousands and even hundreds of thousands of dollars. The financial risk is much greater than just about anything else you may buy.

That’s why you need your own dedicated, experienced real estate agent looking out for YOUR best interests.

My focus is on guiding home buyers and sellers through the entire, multi-phased real estate transaction, looking out for YOUR best interests, and PROTECTING your interests to the best of my ability. There are high financial risks and legal repercussions associated with buying and selling a home, and I provide the knowledge and expertise to guide you through the process.

My clients are generally amazed with my personal dedication and professional expertise, and they usually describe my services as “ABOVE AND BEYOND” their expectations.

• Winner of Five-Star Real Estate Agent award (based on client satisfaction) every year since 2010 and featured in “Texas Monthly” magazine
• Five-star rating with the Houston Association of REALTORS – HAR (based on client satisfaction)
• ePRO- and EcoBroker-certified Katy real estate agent
• Business Degree (B.B.A.) with Major in Marketing
• Also a Sugar Land expert (view my other website)

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List of My Valuable Services

My job isn’t “just” helping you find a house to buy…I’m helping you through the entire 2-4+ month process of buying a home. There are over 100 action items on my checklist during the purchasing process. I’m looking out for you every step of the way and keeping my eye on the listing agent, the seller, the builder (if applicable), the lender, the inspector, appraiser, HOA, and the title company. I’m on YOUR side because I’m YOUR agent and have a fiduciary duty to take care of you to the best of my abilities.

I help with house pricing data/analysis, contract negotiations, legal paperwork and deadlines, inspections, appraisal issues, repair negotiations, home warranties, HOA issues, hazard insurance, surveys, title insurance, home warranties, and more. I have the expertise to help solve complicated problems that often occur in the transaction and I work to prevent, to the best of my abilities, you losing your earnest money or worse.

My goal is to make the process as easy as possible and to guide you every step of the way. You’re not trained in all the legal deadlines and requirements regarding Texas real estate, but I am! Real estate is a huge financial and legal commitment. Don’t you deserve to have a Five Star real estate agent on your side?

How I add value to your home buying process:
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1. Premium, customized home search based on your criteria and filtering out homes as necessary  (based on my knowledge of school ratings and flood zones). PLUS, my search has the “Coming Soon” listings not available on Zillow, Realtor.com, etc. You can’t get this level of a home search on your own because you don’t have my tools or my knowledge of the area.

 “You can’t trust everything you read on the Internet. Beware of seriously  inaccurate information that can have very serious consequences to your home  buying transaction.” (read my expose´ on Redfin’s “Flood Factor”)

2. Expert counseling on important real estate topics and help with things like obtaining preapproval from lender, understanding agency and representation, understanding the complete home buying process, understanding option periods and inspections, dealing with appraisals, etc.
3. Preliminary home investigation BEFORE you tour a house, to look for potential defects such as high-risk flood zone, high-voltage power lines, MUD tanks, previous flooding, and other issues…so you don’t waste time touring undesirable homes that don’t meet your criteria.
4. Detailed home tours (in-person or via VIDEO* for out-of-town clients), where I help identify the features and benefits of each home and neighborhood as well as any potential home defects (so you don’t end up with a “money pit”). You’re probably not familiar with the common house defects in our area, but I am, and I will point them out to you when I see them so we get you the RIGHT house (which includes its CONDITION as much as its APPEARANCE & PRICE).

*VIDEO TOURS: I’ve sold many homes “site unseen” to out-of-state and out-of-country clients, via my HD video walkthroughs (view sample). I will even video the inspector summary and final walkthrough for you. 

5. Hyperlocal knowledge and expertise so I can tell you about the amenities, PROs and CONs, flood zones, schools ratings, and HOA details of most neighborhoods in this area. Getting detailed information about HOA rules and guidelines can be challenging on your own, but I usually know where to get answers for you. Most of our neighborhoods have Home Owner Associations (HOAs) which help maintain property values.

   Read Sheila’s Client Reviews

   

6. My “Ultimate Home Buyer Guide” for THIS AREA (not generic) that includes a helpful “Checklist for Buying a Home” and information about the INs and OUTs of the home buying process here in Texas (including Option Periods which are unique to Texas). Remember that real estate laws are different from state to state.
7. Detailed pricing data and analysis and expert Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) on the house you select to purchase, so you can make a good decision regarding the price to offer for a home. Pricing homes is my “superpower”! 😊 Texas is a non-disclose state so you can’t get ACCURATE sales data online…and tax appraised values do NOT equal market values in Texas!
8. Expert contract creation and negotiations to help you make the right kind of offer on the house that you want…especially in multi-offer situations. And to make sure you get as much protection as you choose on the 20+ negotiable items in our contracts and addendums.

“Yes! There are approximately 20 negotiable items to consider when making an offer on a home in Texas. You probably don’t know them all, but I do!” J  

9. Assistance with hiring home inspectors, reviewing inspection reports, and guiding you on necessary repairs/costs so you make the wisest decision in your home purchase. Help getting you OUT of a contract (without losing your earnest money) if/when you decide to do so after inspections.
10. Floorplans and videos! I can create a floorplan and HD video walkthrough of any home you purchase, whether provided by the home seller or not. These are excellent tools for making plans regarding your new house.
11. Project management of the legal deadlines and requirements throughout the transaction. You’ve got enough to deal with the packing, moving, and job/school relocation activities. I’ll make sure you meet all the legal deadlines and actions in this 2-4 month process.
12. Assistance in the title commitment/insurance process and working with the title company (who checks for liens, tax issues, and past due HOA fees on the property). This includes assistance with getting out of the contract (if necessary) without losing your earnest money.
13. Assistance with home surveys and their impact on your transaction, especially if any encroachments are found and you need to get out of the contract.
14. Assistance with appraisals and their impact on your transaction. I know how to protect you if the appraisal “comes in low” (which can happen in a super-hot “seller’s market”) so you don’t end up paying a lot more than you expected at the Closing table.
15. Assistance with Home Owner Associations (HOAs) compliance, documents, fees, deed restrictions, etc.
16. Help with obtaining home owner’s insurance and flood insurance to protect your investment.
17. Guidance with choosing a home warranty as needed. (I typically negotiate that the seller pays for your home warranty the first year, to help give you some “peace of mind.”)
18. Information regarding the utilities (including MUD info) applicable to the home you purchase.
19. Helpful “Planning the Move” checklist and detailed “Info About New Home,” (which I obtain from the current home owner) that will help make the transition to your new home easier.
20. Assistance scheduling the Closing and all that involves including scheduling remote Closings, arranging for Power of Attorney forms, scheduling the final walk-through, reviewing the final Closing Disclosure (costs), etc.
21. “Moving Survival Kit” provided as my Closing gift. This contains the things you will need on your moving day (but are usually packed) such as: soap, trash bags, paper plates, cups, toilet paper, snacks, box cutter, etc. So helpful!
22. Guidance on your homestead tax exemption and how to apply for it in a timely manner to reduce your property taxes.
23. A copy of my “Guide to Home Maintenance” and helpful monthly home maintenance reminders (via email), to remind you how to take care of your house/investment!

Whew! That’s way more than “just” showing houses (#4 on list). 😄 

 

Here are some other articles about “buyer representation”…

• Should You Use a Buyer’s Agent?
• What is a buyer’s agent, and do I need one?
• How a Buyer’s Agent Can Help Your Home Search
• Do I need a Realtor to buy a house?

 

Sheila's Services for Home SELLERS  

Please read:

⇒  Does My Agent Really Represent Me?

⇒  How Real Estate Commissions Are Paid

⇒  Do I Need a Real Estate Agent? Maybe I Can Do This Myself

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Get In-Depth Information
Download These Reports
— Written by Sheila Cox —

Get access to school ratings and demographics as well as detailed market data for Katy neighborhoods.

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My Reputation

Don’t take my word for it. I have received the Five-Star Real Estate Agent award for the past FOURTEEN YEARS because of my client satisfaction ratings.  

Less than 1 percent of all agents have received this award for FOURTEEN YEARS IN A ROW!

 

 

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Background

Hey! My name is Sheila Cox, a Katy real estate agent. I have lived in this area since 1998…starting in Upper Kirby, then Westchase, then Sugar Land, Richmond, and now Katy. So I guess you can say I know the area. I wrote every word and took every local photo and video that you see on this website…so I hope that proves that I’m the local area expert. 😀

I have been a Katy real estate agent since 2009 and I really enjoy the complexity of this business. I’m one of those “think outside of the box” problem-solvers that my clients find invaluable when problems crop up in the real estate transaction. (If you have ever bought or sold a house before, you know what I mean.) Before I became a Katy real estate agent, I worked as an instructional designer, corporate trainer, and tech writer in the software industry. That’s how I learned to do websites!

On a personal note, I have a teenage daughter who is my pride and joy. She was a “band geek” (saxophone and oboe) at the awesome Seven Lakes High School and graduated from there in 2022. We enjoy going for walks around our Katy neighborhood with our little Rat Terrier/Dachshund mix “Darla” and visiting Galveston Island. I enjoy Live Music (especially Classic Rock!), healthy green-living, beaches/oceans, reading biographies and historical fiction, Tex-Mex food, college and professional football, and helping other real estate agents improve their business skills. I was voted “Wittiest” of my Senior class in high school (a hundred years ago) so I have a fun sense of humor and speak sarcasm fluently (but not when on the job). 

Hiring the right real estate agent is very important, but you need someone that has more than “personality” going for them. This is (probably) your largest financial investment, so please consider these five important reasons why you should work with me:

1. Even though I have a fun, upbeat personality, I am also smart and analytical…so I can help pinpoint PROs and CONs of homes and situations in a way that truly helps you “cut to the chase” and make the wisest decisions and solve problems quickly.
2. Because I am analytical, I provide you with important data that you can’t get online…to help with pricing decisions. I hate to say it, but most agents have no idea how to pull all the data, reports, charts, and stats that I will provide you. My goal is to ensure that you always get a good deal in your real estate transaction.
3. Since I have lived in this area since 1998, I really know the area and can listen to your needs and help you narrow your options so you can focus the best neighborhoods to meet your specifications.
4. I take my “fiduciary duty” to you very seriously and I’m always looking out for your best interest. You can be sure that I am on your side and that I “have your back.” 
5. I’ve selling real estate since 2009. My expertise and knowledge will be invaluable to you when challenges pop up in the process. Plus, my expertise enables me to make the process as smooth as possible for you…providing you with the help and guidance you need along the way.

Video Introduction of Sheila Cox

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I Love My Clients!

I am an equal-opportunity real estate agent and love the diversity of our area.

 

What Do Sales Commissions Pay For?

There is an old story that goes something like this. A home owner calls a plumber to his home to solve a plumbing problem. The plumber looks around the house for about 10 minutes, and then he grabs a pipe wrench and hits a pipe three or four times in the same place. The plumbing problem is quickly resolved.

The plumber then hands the home owner an invoice. The home owner is shocked to see that the invoice is for $200. The home owner objects, “How on earth can you charge $200 for simply banging on a pipe three or four times with a pipe wrench? I demand that you itemize this bill.”

The plumber takes the invoice from the man, recalculates it, and hands it back.

The invoice now reads:

Item one: Hitting the pipe with a pipe wrench–$2.00

Item two: Knowing to hit the pipe with the pipe wrench–$99

Item three: Knowing where and how to hit it–$99.

So the plumber’s fee compensates him for his service (hitting the pipe), knowledge (know to hit the pipe), and expertise (knowing where and how to hit the pipe).

Likewise, sales commissions compensate real estate agents for our  services, knowledge, and expertise in real estate, as well as all our out-of-pocket expenses. Remember that every transaction takes approximately 2-4 months of our time and effort and we only get paid if you buy/sell your house. 😊