Registered REALTORS will ROCK the Vote! Voting Registration is less than 1 week away! 1 week from yesterday to be exact! Have you registered yet?  Double check and make sure as this will be an important voting year no matter if you are voting in a local, state, or national election. Registration Deadline:  OCT 9th Election Day: NOV 6th There are many issues that elected officials will be weighing in on and this year is more important than ever to get out there and VOTE!  “Time and again, restoring the health of the housing market and supporting home ownership has been shown to contribute to the economic recovery!”- Houston Association of Realtors   Find out how you can get Voter Registration Cards and pass them out to your office, fellow Realtors, and clients.  No matter where your poli... 10/02/2012

Can I help you find your Castle In The Sky? All buyers dream of the perfect home! And although we dream of that perfect home in every way, we have to consider reality.  It is like the proverbial….CASTLE IN THE SKY. It might not exist! Yes, sometimes the perfect house does exist….but most often there is something that a buyer must settle for…or rather compromise on! Take for instance a dream kitchen.  A particular buyer wanted a dream kitchen.  This dream kitchen did exist but in homes that were twice the price.  A compromise had to be met! So, they found a home in a desirable neighborhood and actually below their desired price range.  With a few quotes and a little research and imagination,  a solution was found! Buy the house they could afford and put in the kitchen of their dreams! No... 10/02/2012

  I think when Forbes names your city #1, The Woodlands, for a Paycheck Stretch .... people listen!   "Forbes names Houston #1 Paycheck Stretch" The Woodlands, 27 miles North of Houston, helps stretch those salaries! Source:  Forbes But wages are just one part of the equation — high prices in those East and West Coast cities mean the fat paychecks aren’t necessarily getting the locals ahead. When cost of living is factored in, most of the places that boast the highest effective pay turn out to be in the less celebrated and less expensive middle part of the country. My colleague Mark Schill of Praxis Strategy Group and I looked at the average annual wages in the nation’s 51 largest metropolitan statistical areas and adjusted incomes by the cost of living. The results were surprising and ... 10/01/2012

SURVIVING & BEYOND....WHAT A RIDE! Those of you who have followed me for the past two years most likely know my story.  Well, you really only know part of that story as I have never written about the rest of the story as the saying goes.  I share it with you today. The day was very much like many of my other days, filled with real estate appointments, working on my business, networking, family and a little personal time.  I didn't have time to get sick.  The lung tumor however that was lurking deep inside however, was ready to rear its ugly head. When you get that news, the world sort of goes fuzzy as does your brain and you literally go into auto pilot mode.  Everything seemed to be a blur as I went from doctor to doctor at MD Anderson.  Dozens of tests, scans, needles, consultations a... 09/27/2012

THE “EASY” PART IS AT THE START   PRE-QUALIFICATION LETTER The world is beautiful at this point with visions of homeownership & white picket fences on the horizon. This chapter of our love story (sorry – loan process) begins with a phone call to a loan officer who comes highly recommended by someone you trust and respect.  The loan officer will take a loan application and give you a pre-qualification letter based on income & credit history.  “Wow” you think “that was easy”.  PRE-APPROVAL LETTER  (Ok, so what’s the difference)? You must supply documentation to support the information you put on the application.   Stop here and reread previous sentence.  Seriously, reread the first sentence.  This is where a good loan officer comes in handy, but I’ll get back to that.  The lender will ask... 09/25/2012

  As a realtor in The Woodlands, I have found the commute time to I-45 is extremely important to Home Owners and Buyers.   Homes and Condo's For Sale in East Shore are less than 1/2 mile away from the freeway.     East Shore is stunning as it reflects against Lake Woodlands.   Enjoy the paths that wind around East Shore.   Exquisite Sculpture. Lush Landscaping in the common areas.   As I drove through East Shore this morning, enjoying the sunrise, I couldn't help but feel peaceful beside the still water, birds flying and a few people out in their kayaks.   Here are the current Brownstone Condo's, Condominiums and Homes For Sale in East Shore. EAST SHORE Active Listings On the Market   Open House Listings   New Listings on the Market   Recent Sold Homes   View East Shore, The Woodlands i... 09/25/2012

If you live near a National Park, State Park or Local Park, this Saturday, September 29th, 2012 is National Lands Day and it is one of the only free entrance days to our many national and state parks across the country.  There are 2100 parks that will be offering free admission.    It not just a day of fun but is also the largest single day in the nation for Volunteering!  Volunteer   opportunities are available if you are into more than just hanging out in the parks.   170,000-180,000 Volunteers are expected at over 2100 different sites.  This is a very important day for parks across our country as people can go out and learn more about these wonderful places that we can enjoy and learn at all year long.   If you are interested in visiting or volunteering visit www.publiclandsday.org  ... 09/24/2012

Fall Home Maintenance Series: Part 3 Fall Yard & Garden Maintenance It’s a great time not just for home maintenance as mentioned in my 2 previous blog September....The Other January! Household Projects for the Fall Part 1 &   Fall Home Maintenance: Household Projects for Your Home Part 2 But let’s not forget that there is also Important YARD Maintenance Before you put your garden tools to bed before winter, remember the works not over just yes! The fall is a crutial time to help your lawn recover from the hot summer and ensure that it will be healthy next spring!  Here are a 15 tips for keeping your yard & garden in good shape as we enter the fall and winter!   Yard & Garden Maintenance Tips:   1.      Watering Your Lawn in The Fall- you may think summer & spring are the times you need ... 09/23/2012

Yes, it was a beautiful day in the neighborhood!   It has finally cooled off (a bit) here and I decided to put my computer away for a little bit and go out and enjoy some fresh air!  We are so fortunate to have such beautiful trails here in The Woodlands.  With over 160 miles of trails you can definitely find your favorite or change it up from time to time.  Today we went to the Waterway area and it made for a very enjoyable afternoon.  The Woodlands Pathway & Trail Map has an over view of how the Villages are linked together for your outdoor enjoyment.      Whether walking, running, biking or even enjoying the view from a park bench The Woodlands is a great place to get out and enjoy a beautiful day in the neighborhood!   Make it a great day! If you or someone you know would like more ... 09/23/2012

Just a few minutes after we entered our newest listing in MLS we got a call telling us that we had an inquiry about it.The possible buyer had a litany of questions.  They went something like this:"is this a foreclosure or short sale?""the tax assessment is about $50k lower than the asking price.". Why?"is there anything wrong with this property."I answered with the facts that the house had been purchased a few years ago by a group of investors who had put a lot of time and money into a complete update.  I then explained that the tax evaluation was not the same as market value.  Then in a fit of silliness , I told this apparently extremely well educated potential consumer to feel free to call us back if she had any interest in seeing the property.  The answer was sent and I unclenched.Fo... 09/22/2012

Foundations are incredibly important in everything.  Ever since our beginnings in showing homes in the Greater Houston Area, we have seen settlement from mild to moderate to severe.  The soil is mostly gumbo and in the areas with old trees, there are a lot of "split level" homes.It is high possible that every foundation in the area , with a slab that is dry, is or will develop cracks.  Some are not a big deal but others ARE!This weekend we got to observe the process of foundation repair on a new listing whose cracks were deemed unhealthy.The initial inspection was done by a young man with lots of knowledge about the subject.  He used an electronic level with a 50 or 60 foot cord.  This showed where the highs and lows were in the foundation.  The assessment showed the need to put 19 pier... 09/18/2012

  Fall Home Maintenance:   Fall Organizing and yard maintenance is Important and it’s a great time for this as mentioned in my other blogs as a part of this series:  September....The Other January! Household Projects for the Fall Part 1 &  Fall Home Maintenace Series Part 3: Yard & Garden Maintenance  But let’s not forget that there is also Important Home Maintenance  Should be done at this time of the year before the winter season hits.    Here are a 10 tips for keeping your home in good shape as we enter the fall and winter!     Interior Maintenance Tips: 1.       Heating and Cooling-  These accounts for almost HALF of your energy cost in your home.  By making sure your windows and doors are properly sealed you can reduce your electric bill. Apply Weather Stripping or Caulking where n... 09/17/2012

A few days ago we wrote about one of our latest challenges.  That of having a young consumer challenge our fee for service.   In drawing up our offering to his questions, we spent a lot of time crafting a menu that we thought might be useful for others.   So....  we offer the following!   Explanation of the services we perform as a part of our fee for service for selling properties in this area.   In arriving at a price for services we offer, we are attaching a menu of what is available.   As you know the commission charged on each listing is negotiable. A part of the total commission is the part offered to cooperating agents who will hopefully bring an offer.   The things  we do to market properties are as follows.   Research market for current actives and solids.  Confirm the tax reco... 09/16/2012

We have all heard "do as I say do, not as I do!"   Wrong!  If it is worth doing ,  it is worth doing well .  No matter what others are doing, you need to have your standards.  Most of that is due to the well established fact that the way we perform our tasks is a direct reflection on us and our work ethics.   Do you believe that what you are doing is important?  Do you know about the hoes and whys?   If you truly want to find success, exercise your ability and give each chore your best efforts.   The reward is the knowledge that you  have gone the extra mile and hopefully the client will see the extra effort you have put in.   People appreciate having their needs taken seriously.  They also love to share their experiences.    When you get people saying good things about you, it is the g... 09/16/2012

Do you feel as if you are being held back from doing your best?   Chances are thst you have acquired some self limiting habits.   When I took my initial Real estate courses, each instructor made it clear that we had tremendous liability.  Needless to say I took that admonishion to heart and still do every day and every transaction.   The more we know the more we fear having negative things happen.  This is indeed self limiting on many levels.   If we are not careful, fear can absolutely paralyze us.   Realistically though,  FEAR is "false evidence appearing real.". There are risks in everything but proceeding with caution and care makes more sense than allowing the if's to rule us!   Part of finding out who we are and what we are capable of accomplishing is refusing to accept the limita... 09/16/2012

  September....The Other January!   It is time for SPRING FALL CLEANING!   It is that time again...gone are the lazy days of summer! The temperatures will soon change (here in Texas, it cannot be soon enough!!), kids are back in school, and it is reminiscent of when we were in school and new projects began. It is the perfect time to make a list of the things we have been meaning to do around the house and have them checked off our list well in time to enjoy the upcoming holiday season....yes it will be here before we know it!   It is easy to let the list of items pile up and we begin to wonder where to start! A tip I like to use will leave you with an easy to follow schedule and before the holiday season arrives you will have checked everything off your list. Take your fall calendar and... 09/16/2012

What do you do when a potential seller contacts you with a series of unrealistic expectations?   Of course it depends upon the listing potential of the property he is proposing to allow you to market.   It also depends upon how much cooperation you can count on getting during the listing period.  And the extent of the listing is an important factor.   Over the years we have taken listings that appeared to be less than desired due to the owner attitude.   Some have proven to be a waste of time and money.  It would have been best in those cases if we had respectfully declined the opportunities.   In other cases the impossible dreams came true for all of us.  In those cases we had learning experiences coupled with income.     It is those experiences that keep us open minded at least to som... 09/16/2012

  Happiness in Small Spaces!   No matter the size of your home or any room, make the most of the place you call home! My Mud Room and Kitchen workspace was a little drab and left little to be desired so I thought, why not have a space that would inspire? Before                                                  During                                                 After        It is often the smaller more personal spaces I like the best and this spot has become filled with things that make me happy by making just a few small changes. this space was  Peachy&  Drab and now it is Cool & Calm.  In a few easy steps I was able to turn this adorable little nook from a catch all clutter area into one of my favorite spots in my house!   ·         Color- -Paint, an easy fix that took me less than ... 09/16/2012

Have you ever really stopped to consider what makes you... YOU?   You might find that analysis interesting and perhaps educational. It might even unearth some buried potential.   We are all the sum of our experiences,  so if you think about what factors into your thought process you may be enlightened.   If you are totally pleased with your current levels of production, this exercise may not be for you.   If you want to add enhancements to any part of the who you have become, consider the following:   The way you perceive things is what is real to you.  Do you always attempt to look at things in their best light?  Do you allow what you see to cause negative thoughts to arise?  Do you attempt to solve potential problems with positive answers before the problem becomes huge?   In short, h... 09/16/2012

No matter how we may avoid it, hustle and bustle find their way in our lives.The result is far from tranquil.  In fact I believe we blow out thousands of brain cells weekly due to our pursuit of who knows what!Periodically we find it necessary to just find a quiet country road and take a drive.  With no destination in mind, there are no time restraints.I can literally feel layers of tension remove themselves as these drives commence.  The Ahhhhhh factor takes control, the speed slows down and my head and heart rate slows too.One more sign of our times being filled with things that are clearly not healthy for our overall well being, is the joy of being freed from deadlines etc.Granted we cannot afford to indulge in these quiet drives often.  They do not make the required income.  They do... 09/15/2012