The MAD Promise
Our Mission
To listen to your needs, to advocate for your results, and to care throughout the process.
Our Vision
To help every client transition from one stage of your life to the next.
Our Values
Integrity - Respect - Gratitude - Ambition - Responsibility
Our Promise
To provide a superior customer experience to every client by being honest, loyal, understanding, and attentive to your needs.
To make every effort to be proactive and limit surprises.
To always exceed expectations by being solution-based and to listen when there are opportunities to improve.
Meet Your Team Leaders
Melanie A. Dubendorff
Team Leader
Melanie A. Dubendorff (the MAD in MAD Properties Group) has been a Real Estate Ninja for the last twenty years and counting. During her time as a real estate agent, she has gained a growing trust from her clients knowing that the unique marketing approach she and her team deploy will help get their home sold quickly and for top dollar.
As a Houston native and the founder of the MAD Properties Group powered by Keller Williams Signature, Melanie and her team achieved the recognition of being in the top 5% of all Houston area Realtors in 2018 and have maintained that status ever since.
She is the founder of MAD for Vets, a 501c3 non-profit organization whose purpose is to contribute to a variety of charities to support Veterans and First Responders. As a Blue Star Mom, it is her focus to support all members of the military. That's why every agent on our team is VA certified from the get go.
Sarah Robinson
Your Agent
Sarah Robinson has been with MAD Properties Group since 2016 and has been integral in helping them grow under Melanie's leadership. As a top producing agent, Sarah has a successful track record of gathering the right requirements and qualifying clients to get them into the home they were meant to live in.
Sarah's background with the Space Shuttle Program allows her to utilize her information gathering skills in the most unique and detailed fashion to ensure her clients are heard and their needs are met.
She also spent 5 years as the President and Vice President of the local school Parent Faculty Organization. This allows her to connect with clients on a personal level. Finding her clients the right home is not just a transaction, but a personal journey she walks side by side with each and every person.
Melanie and Sarah co-founded the Adopt a Katy ISD Teacher Group in 2020 amidst the pandemic, aiming to enable community support for teachers even remotely. This innovative initiative allows community members to "adopt" a teacher for the school year, offering encouragement through various means such as notes, texts, and gifts. With nearly 9,000 members, the group serves as a robust platform for uplifting support and encouragement, demonstrating its enduring value in fostering a positive educational environment.
The Benefits of Buying a Home
Not sure if you should buy a home? The rent you pay could build equity in your own Real Estate over time. The chart below shows how the rent you pay can add up to a sizeable sum.
| RENT | 5 YEARS | 10 YEARS | 15 YEARS | 20 YEARS | 25 YEARS | 30 YEARS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,000 | $60,000 | $120,000 | $180,000 | $240,000 | $300,000 | $360,000 |
| $1,200 | $72,000 | $144,000 | $216,000 | $288,000 | $360,000 | $432,000 |
| $1,400 | $84,000 | $168,000 | $252,000 | $336,000 | $420,000 | $504,000 |
| $1,600 | $96,000 | $192,000 | $288,000 | $384,000 | $480,000 | $576,000 |
| $1,800 | $108,000 | $216,000 | $324,000 | $432,000 | $540,000 | $648,000 |
| $2,000 | $120,000 | $240,000 | $360,000 | $480,000 | $600,000 | $720,000 |
When you buy your home and pay your monthly mortgage, you can gradually accumulate equity. Equity is an ownership interest in the property that you can convert into cash by borrowing against it or by selling your home. As a renter, equity is not accumulated.
RENT:
- •No tax benefit
- •Rental amount may increase
- •Landlord approval needed for any cosmetic changes
- •No equity is accumulated
BUY:
- Tax benefits, including deductions for mortgage interest
- Payments remain stable
- No approval needed for cosmetic changes
- Property value usually increases over time
The Process
Your journey to homeownership in 9 steps
Hire a Real Estate Agent
Partner with experienced professionals who will guide you through the entire process
Obtain Financial Preapproval
Get prequalified to understand your budget and strengthen your offer
Find Your Home
Search properties that meet your needs and lifestyle
Make an Offer
Submit a competitive offer with guidance from your agent
Offer Accepted
Celebrate this milestone and prepare for the next steps
Home Inspection & Negotiate Repairs
Professional inspection to identify any issues and negotiate repairs
Lender Orders Appraisal
Bank appraisal to verify the home value
Final Walkthrough
Final inspection before closing to ensure everything is in order
Close on Your Home
Sign documents and receive keys to your new home
Buyer's Closing Checklist
Prior to Closing:
- Pay Earnest and Option Period money to chosen title company within the first 3 days of contract execution.
- Provide a copy of the receipted contract to the mortgage company processing your loan.
- For home inspection, schedule the appointment with the inspector and Seller as soon as possible.
- Contact an insurance company to obtain Homeowner's Insurance. Supply this information to the mortgage company and title company at least one week prior to closing.
- Set up utilities to begin service on the day of closing.
Required at Closing:
- Valid Driver's License or other photo identification, such as passport.
- If money is due at time of closing, set up a wire with funds, or provide a cashier's check made payable to the title company.
- Any required documents that your lender has requested you to bring to closing.
Avoid Closing Delays:
- !Verify Driver's License or other photo identification, such as passport, are not expired.
- !If you will not be present at closing to sign documents and intend to use a Power of Attorney (POA), the following must occur:
- •The title company and your lender must approve the POA prior to closing.
- •The original POA must be delivered to title before closing to be recorded with the County Clerk's office.
- •Contact must be made with you via telephone on the day of closing to be certain you are alive and well and have not revoked the POA.
What Our Clients Say
Melanie and her team are absolutely fantastic! Melanie worked diligently to find us the perfect home we were looking for, and quickly. She kept us informed and answered all our questions and was always available. Her knowledge in her profession made our home buying process so smooth. Definitely a client for life!
This team is FANTASTIC! After a really bad experience with my first realtor they came in and told me exactly what to expect from them and they DELIVERED! What a great experience it was working w/ them.
She was extremely knowledgable about the process and kept us informed from day one. Melanie and her crew were extremely helpful throughout the entire process. We would strongly recommend to anyone thinking of buying or selling a home.
Melanie and Sarah and their whole team are absolutely wonderful. They were always available and communicative throughout the whole purchasing and seeking process. I even loved their periodical check ins. Melanie's experience and confidence in negotiating gave me so much confidence. I always felt supported! Thank you, Melanie and Sarah and the whole MAD team!
We've purchased 3 homes in the last several years. This has by far been the best experience for us. Dealing with Sarah, we had all the confidence in the world we could move forward in this crazy market. We will never use anyone else!
Thank You
For the amazing opportunity to help guide you through your home buying process. While the process can seem very overwhelming, we want you to rest assured that we are here to guide, educate, network, advocate and negotiate to the best of our abilities, on your behalf.
It's what we do and we do it well!