Friday, July 30, 2021

Testimonial - Frisco

I'm profoundly honored that you chose me to help with your journey. You selected a great community and knew exactly what you wanted. You made brilliant decisions to get the best house available at a great price in this market.

Thanks again for your trust in me to help you find and secure your new home. Congratulations again, and Welcome Home!

   "Mark is highly professional, very responsive, walk the extra mile to serve customer. Definitely will recommend Mark H to everyone!

   Best agent you can expect in all aspects.

   We had very specific requirements on the house down to a very narrow area. Not easy to find. Yet Mark Hancock with his high professionalism, profound understanding of the area, and dedication, managed to find a suitable one (at reasonable price as well). Highly appreciated!"
Albert Lu, Frisco

I’ve Got Your Six!

Mark M. Hancock, GRI, MRP, AHWD
REALTOR, New Build certified
214-862-7212
DFWmark.com

#DFWmark #REALTOR #RealSatisfied #Frisco #FriscoISD #DentonCounty #TheTrails #review #testimonial #LandstarHomes #preowned

Market Watch - 30 July 2021

I’ve Got Your Six!

Mark M. Hancock, GRI, MRP, AHWD
REALTOR, New Build certified
214-862-7212
DFWmark.com


#DFWmark #REALTOR #MarketWatch #SellersMarket #MarketCorrection #MarketShift #Flattening #LeaseShortage #moratoriums

Tuesday, July 27, 2021

Testimonial - Frisco

I'm honored and happy that you chose me to help with your journey. You selected an amazing community and house. You knew exactly where and what you wanted, and your offers were brilliant in this very difficult market!

I'm so thankful for your trust and look forward to helping you however I can in the future. Congratulations again, and welcome home!

"I met Mark during an Open House visit back in May 2020 and left my contact information. Then I received emails providing information on how to take care of your house from time to time. It is really helpful when you face extreme cold weather and be prepared.

We decided to buy a house May 2021 and Mark was the first person I could think of to contact. It was Sunday and he responded immediately. In Sweden, you normally have to wait to Monday to receive a response. During our 2-month seeking for house, we made 3 offers and every time it meant lots of documents preparation and signatures. Mark worked so hard, sometimes from late night into the early morning trying to get the deal done.

Finally we bought our house involving Mark’s great efforts on a weekend visit. Yesterday we received the key, and it was the same day we landed in USA 2 years ago. We see professionalism, responsibility, customer-focus, work to last mile, etc. in Mark that make us trust. We are so grateful that we meet Mark and it’s meant."
Tao Wen

I’ve Got Your Six!

Mark M. Hancock, GRI, MRP, AHWD
REALTOR, New Build certified
214-862-7212
DFWmark.com

#DFWmark #REALTOR #Frisco #TheTrails #FriscoISD #WakelandHigh #DentonCounty #review #testimonial #LandstarHomes

Friday, July 23, 2021

Market Watch - 23 July 2021

I’ve Got Your Six!

Mark M. Hancock, GRI, MRP, AHWD
REALTOR, New Build certified
214-862-7212
DFWmark.com


#DFWmark #REALTOR #MarketWatch #SellersMarket #MarketCorrection #MarketShift #Flattening #LeaseShortage #moratoriums

Saturday, July 17, 2021

Market Watch - 16 July 2021


Since last week, the residential housing market rebounded while leases slid. All categories increased in the preowned residential market. With more New Listings than any other category, the market may finally be correcting.

The Lease market lost ground again on New Listings while even more houses were removed from the market as Leased or Pending.

The weekly volume of price decreases may indicate a flattening of the unprecedented market. If properties are priced right, they sell – most often above list price in 2021. As the market prices increase, so do listing prices. Consequently, there’s a little seller optimism baked into the listing price.

If houses aren’t priced right, they don’t sell and get adjusted to a lower price over time. After a low of 184 adjustments on 19 Feb. 2021, the volume of price decreases leveled out around 500-600 per week. Since 18 June 2021, the volume of price decreases has been more than 1,000 weekly – more than twice the volume of recent months.

The foreclosure and eviction moratoriums were set to expire on June 30 before it got extended to July 31. The Supreme Court effectively barred an additional extension of the moratorium, so the market may finally get an opportunity to correct. This delay is evident on the graph as a flat line from the middle of June through early July.
It’s time to sell underperforming or oversized properties. I can help get it sold quickly and smoothly. Please call, text or email.

I’ve Got Your Six!

Mark M. Hancock, GRI, MRP, AHWD
REALTOR, New Build certified
214-862-7212
DFWmark.com


#DFWmark #REALTOR #MarketWatch #SellersMarket #MarketCorrection #PriceDecreases #MarketShift #Flattening #LeaseShortage #moratoriums

Friday, July 16, 2021

Which Screw To Use?


The goal of a screw is to pull two materials together and fasten them in place using compression. Screws can be removed later with minimal damage compared to glue, rivets or welding. Screws also allow wood to expand and contract with humidity.

  Screws are harder and more rigid than most nails. They are resistant to “draw out” or being pulled out of a material. The head presses down while the threads pull upward. Screws can be shorter than nails for equal structural integrity. Screws are more accurate and easier to install in volume than before and have become more important in various construction projects since the 1970s.

Components of a screw
 
 Head: the top of the screw. It determines where the screw will stop moving forward into the construction material. There are two components: shape and drive type.
  Shank: the main body of the screw.
  Threads: wrap around the shank and move the screw forward. Screws can be partially threaded or fully threaded.
  Tip: pointed tips to go into wood or metal, self-drilling tips have a split or bit tip, machine screws are squared off with no point.


Head types

  Flat head: has a flat top to be flush with the material surface.
  Pan head or “raised head”: sit on top of the material. Used when affixing metal or plastic to other materials. Includes truss, round, hex, button, capped and integrated washer.
  Trim head: very small diameter head used for finishing work with lighter materials.

Shank

  The diameter of a screw is indicated by a number such as #00, #6 or #10. This number is the first number on the box. It is often followed by thread count (pitch angle) and length.
  The screw gauge is a measurement of the outside thread diameter on the shank. It is an industry agreed upon scale rather than tied to any specific measurement system (metric or imperial).
  A flat head screw length is measured from the top of the head to the tip for countersink purposes. All other screws are measured from the bottom of the head to the tip.


A variety of screws include (from left to right) 
zinc electroplated slotted machine , carbon steel
flat head machine screw, Galvanized hex head
lag screw/bolt, and bugle head drywall screw.
Types of thread

  Threads are normally 24 or 32 per inch. This is important when working with machine screws that may need a matching nut. Some screws are simply labeled as coarse or fine thread. Fine threads are for hardwoods and coarse threads are for softwoods and materials (sheetrock).

  High thread count machine screws have more surface area than low thread count screws. While they take longer to install and remove, they hold better for the same depth. 

Tips

  Square: designed to be used with tapped (threaded) holes or with a nut. These are machine screws.
  Pointed: pierces the material to start.
  Self-starting: is cut or shaped like a drill bit to be self-tapping. Depending on the style and hardness, they can drill through an existing metal screw to repair a previous mistake.

Types of screws

  The materials being held together often dictates the best kind of screw for the job. Meanwhile the screw composition is determined by the environment. The driver style can be a preference but can come with added expense.

  Wood: mostly flathead with a semi-threaded shank and pointed tip. Most are Phillips head in the U.S.
  Drywall: flathead with bugle shape head bottom to avoid tearing drywall paper. They have a fully threaded shank and pointed tip. They are good for rough work. These are inexpensive and have a coarse thread to go into most material quickly and easily. They have thinner shanks than wood screws. They are typically coated in black paint. They are brittle and meant for soft woods. They are not structural because they break and corrode easily.
  Multi-purpose (production): made with hardened steel. They have a flat head with a beveled head bottom. They also have a self-drilling point, are semi-threaded and have recessed specialized driver style. Often eliminates the need for pilot holes. These cost more but save time and frustration.
  Deck: flathead with bugle shape head bottom. They have a fully threaded shank and pointed tip. They have a corrosion resistant coating.
  Pocket: pan head with a semi-shank and self-drilling tip. These are designed to go into recessed areas and avoid splitting wood (fine furniture).
  Machine: pan or flat head with fully threaded shank and no point. They are designed to go into tapped (threaded) or predrilled holes with a nut. Sold in threads per inch.
  Sheet metal: tiny screws with a pan head, fully threaded shank and sharp point intended to pierce metal.
  Masonry (cement): These require a pilot hole but can bite into concrete to pull materials tight. They are necessarily hardened, and a drill driver will break them off at moderate to high torque.
  Lag screw/bolt: robust screws intended to connect heavy lumber to other materials and bear an intense load. Lag screws require a drilled hole and only have hex heads to apply enough torque.
  Carriage bolt: used to fasten metal to wood or metal to metal. It has a shallow, mushroom top with a square section on the bottom of the head before the shank to make the bolt self-locking when seated into a squared recess. Often used to affix iron plates to wooden beams or to bare timber itself.

Screw Composition

  In addition to purpose and strength, the environment around the screw determines the best screw choice. Is the screw structural? Must it bear a heavy load? Will it be in salt water?

  Carbon steel: most common.
  Stainless steel: designed to avoid corrosion. Best for use near water – especially salt water. Very expensive and not as strong as deck screws.
  Zinc plated: most used fastener material (machine screws and bolts).
  Galvanized: alloyed steel coated to resist regular water corrosion.
  Brass: does not rust, but it will corrode or tarnish if not protected with lacquer. It has no magnetism.
However, they rust as easily as steel or drywall screws when exposed to water.
  Ceramic coating: exterior grade and is the second best to stainless steel for corrosion resistance.
  Silicon bronze: for saltwater applications. No magnetism.
  Titanium: have high strength-to-weight ratios and corrosion resistance. Titanium metal exhibits higher tensile strength at increased temperatures than many other materials. Mostly used in aerospace, military and commercial maritime applications due to expense.
  Grade A (yellow electroplated zinc): like drywall screws but treated to resist the chemicals used in lumber products.
  Exterior rated: resist caustic and corrosive chemicals used in pressure-treated lumber production.

Driver Styles (heads)

  Slotted: the original, single slot screw turned by a flathead screwdriver. Be careful with torque because these are designed to strip to prevent overtightening.
  Phillips: became popular in the 1930s and are an improvement from the slotted screw head. These are intended to use less torque to possibly be removed at some point. They are also designed to “cam-out” (slip the tool out of head slots) to prevent overtightening.
  Star Drive (Torx): uses a recessed 6-pointed asterisk shape driver head. It is the preferred driver by most serious craftworkers. It ensures the driver stays connected without “cam-out.” Additionally, this style accommodates high torque. First used in an Apple computer to prevent average person from opening the machine.
  Hex: same diameter and similar to star drive. The contact with the screw is at a greater radius, which allows more torque for the same force. However, some of the force is applied outward, which can damage both the tool and the screw.
  Square Recess also called Robertson Screws: more common in Canada. Was an improvement over Phillips heads but not as good as star drives and has lost popularity in construction. This style of screw saved Ford about two hours of production time on each Model-T.
  Other specialty heads include: Trimmit, Frearson, Pozidriv, Clutch, Hex, 12 Point, Hex Socket, Spanner, One Way, and Spline Socket.

Additional items

  Washers: A washer is placed around a screw shaft between the material and the screw head or nut. The main purpose of washers is to increase the surface area of downward pressure or distribute the load over a larger area. The various kinds of washers include flat, fender, finishing, split lock, external tooth lock, internal tooth lock, square, dock and ogee.
  Nuts: Nuts are most associated with machine screws and bolts. The nut applies compression pressure to the tip end of a screw or bolt shaft. They are precisely tapped pieces of metal that are designed to tighten onto a screw or bolt. They can allow the shaft to pass through or be capped to limit or cover the shaft.
  Types of nuts include wing, cap, acorn, hex, heavy hex, nylon insert lock, jam, nylon insert jam lock, flange, tee, square, prevailing torque lock, coupling, slotted, castle, and K-Lock or Kep.

I’ve Got Your Six!

Mark M. Hancock, GRI, MRP, AHWD
REALTOR, New Build certified
214-862-7212 (call or text)
markhancockrealty@gmail.com
DFWmark.com

#DFWmark #REALTOR #screw #bolt #tips #InformationOfValue #construction #HomeImprovement #DIY #tools

Friday, July 9, 2021

Market Watch - 9 July 2021


Since last week, the housing markets lost much steam. All categories decreased in the residential market. The Lease market was flat with significantly fewer Leased Properties. A total of three more lease properties came onto the market than left in the last seven days. There simply aren’t enough quality leases remaining for an area with 6.4 million people.

According to Macrotrends, DFW’s population grew by an estimated 96,000 since 2020. It’s a 1.52% increase since last year or an average of 8,000 new residents per month.
After hitting record highs in May, lumber futures had a record-smashing dive in June – down 40% in one month. This still hasn’t hit the retail market but has started to appear as builder activity. Meanwhile, the national unemployment rate dropped to 5.9% in July 2021 from 10.2% in July 2020.

The expectation is that lumber and other building materials will become more reasonably priced and abundant as laborers return to work. This shift may manifest as more new home construction.

According to TAMU Real Estate Research Center, 4,515 new home starts were recorded for DFW in April – the most recent report.

All this information means it’s time to sell underperforming or oversized properties. I can help get it sold quickly and smoothly. I also know of available new homes that don’t require “best and highest” bidding. Please call, text or email.

I’ve Got Your Six!

Mark M. Hancock, GRI, MRP, AHWD
REALTOR, New Build certified
214-862-7212
DFWmark.com


#DFWmark #REALTOR #MarketWatch #SellersMarket #LumberCorrection #FlatLeaseMarket #PopulationGrowth #BackToWork #ConstructionStarts #HomeStarts

Tuesday, July 6, 2021

Testimonial - Celina

I'm deeply honored that you chose me to help with your journey. You selected a great builder, a great community, the perfect first home and handled it all flawlessly!
I'm also thankful for the trust you placed in me to find a home for your friends who are now only minutes away from you and the friends that are yet to come. Congratulations again, and welcome home!

"Words can’t even begin to define how happy I am with the performance of Mark in my first home buying experience. Buying a first home is not easy and even less easy when it is done virtually. Mark spent countless hours on the phone with me explaining the market to me and elaborating on important key terminology I was not familiar with. Mark went to various communities virtually to show me around. Every time I spoke to Mark, it felt like I was his number one priority. His main goal was to make sure I was happy and loved the home I would be moving into. Mark walked me through the entire process, updating me on critical dates and sometimes being a listening ear when stress got the best of me. There is no other realtor I would want to be a part of my first home buying experience. I have already referred a friend to Mark and will continue referring all those who want to come to the Dallas market.
#bestrealtorever"
Kasia, Celina

I’ve Got Your Six!

Mark M. Hancock, GRI, MRP, AHWD
REALTOR, New Build certified
214-862-7212
DFWmark.com

#DFWmark #REALTOR #RealSatisfied #Celina #CollinCounty #review #testimonial #NewBuild #HighlandHomes #FirstTimeBuyer

Monday, July 5, 2021

Market Watch - 2 July 2021


Since last week, the markets moved back to inverted territory. New Listings decreased. Pending Properties were flat while Sold and Under Contract properties increased.

The Lease market made some gains with a modest amount of New Listings while Pending dropped significantly and Leased Properties outpaced all gains. The net effect is still fewer lease houses available.

When The White House announced an additional month for the eviction and foreclosure moratoriums, it threw the market back into inverted status. While not stopping the moratorium, the Supreme Court effectively blocked another extension.

Anecdotally, speculative construction has started in parts of the Metroplex. Extra stimulus money was removed from unemployment benefits, which helped reduce unemployment numbers. Meanwhile, lumber and other building materials have become more readily available for builders. If you want a reasonably priced, new-built home, please call, text or email me. 

According to Markets in a Minute, “The FHFA reported a monthly home price increase of 1.8% and year-over-year growth of 15.7% for April. Both Figures broke previous records.” They also stated that mortgage applications have dropped as inventory remains tight.

I’ve Got Your Six!

Mark M. Hancock, GRI, MRP, AHWD
REALTOR, New Build certified
214-862-7212
DFWmark.com


#DFWmark #REALTOR #MarketWatch #HousingShortage #MoratoriumExtended #InvertedMarket #UnemploymentEnds #BackToWork #ConstructionStarts #LumberAvailable

Welcome to the DFWmark Blog!

Welcome to the DFWmark Blog! This is a collection of content by Mark M. Hancock, a REALTOR with Keller Williams North County in Celina...