Home for the Holidays

While people may think that home sales slow down during the holidays, it is not the truth. Many homes sell (or go sale pending) between Thanksgiving and Christmas. John Daugherty, Realtors sold some $60 million in December two years ago. (Last year sales were down due to Hurricane Ike.)

Riding on the tails of a successful October and November this year, where we [JDR] have sold well over our monthly goals set at this time last year, we are expecting another active December to close out 2009. So 'tis the season for home shopping, and Bah, humbug, to the naysayers!

To anyone thinking of relocating to Houston from a snowy city like Syracuse, New York, know this: While Houston does not often enjoy white Christmases, we do get snow on occasion (roughly every four years). Below are some photos that I took last Friday at home and in the neighborhood, when Houston's earliest snowfall on record made national news. Enjoy, and happy holidays!

Bottlebrush under the snow

Roof collecting snow

Backyard bench

 
Snow in motion

A car parked at Cherryhurst Park covered in snow

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

This Old House: Knob and Tube Wiring

After a brief hiatus from the blogosphere, in what I will call blogger’s block, I am back with a new collection of posts named This Old House. While the moniker obviously comes from the well known fix-it magazine, I have chosen it to dedicate posts that show my passion for old houses—selling them (or wanting to), living in them, and just generally appreciating their existence. From the gas cook-tops and the worn wood floors to the wood-burning fireplaces and the wavy glass of the original wood windows, I just love old houses. One day, I will fix one up myself. But for now…

It has been one year since my husband Chad and I put an offer on the place we now call home. How time flies. The house was built in 1920, but someone--Leonard Rutan we later found out--put some real TLC into our old new home, adding granite countertops, recessed lights, a built-in speaker system and plantation shutters, among other modern amenities. [Leonard Rutan owns a women's clothing store in the River Oaks area.] The house is charming, yet still very functional, almost 90 years later.

What we didn’t know when we fell in love with what we saw was that some of the internal aspects of the house were not as updated as the external ones. Our house had an unidentifiable amount of still-active old wiring, called Knob and Tube, which was common in houses built before 1930. While there are houses that still fully operate with this type of electrical system and minds that think the system is--in some ways--superior to current ones, the powers that be say it’s just not safe.

One of my go-to inspection companies, introduced to me by the late, great Realtor Warren Strauss, is Fox Inspection Group. Here’s what inspector Mark Chalmers of Fox has to say about Knob and Tube: “When electrical wiring gets old, the insulation can become brittle and fall off. If that uninsulated area comes in contact with something flammable, it can start a fire. For this reason, homeowners insurance is difficult to obtain and is priced higher than it is for newer homes.”

While Chalmers says he would live in a home with active Knob and Tube--depending on its condition, what my husband and I found out was that it was more than difficult to obtain the required homeowners insurance on a home with active K&T wiring--whatever its condition. If it’s active, it’s a no-go.

Due to time, heat and possibly hungry critters, a home inspector on oldhouseweb.com says, “This [K&T] system is rarely intact after 80 or so years of use.”

While Steve Hartwig of John R. Ray & Sons worked tirelessly to find us insurance to cover it, after hearing “no” from about nine companies to finally hear “yes” from one, we questioned its safety ourselves.

Though it was not cheap to do (about $6/square-foot), we had our entire new old house rewired by a licensed electrician and his team before moving in. They had to get permits from the City of Houston, and their work had to be inspected. It was a week-long project, but the headache was worth it. We feel comfortable living in an old house with all new wiring that stands up to 2009 code.

As a Realtor, my reader is probably questioning why I didn’t know more about Knob & Tube than I did. Our inspection report (not performed by Fox) briefly mentioned it, but did not call great attention to it. As Realtors, we are not experts on electricity or home building. We are experts in negotiation, the real estate market and servicing our clients. We learn with experience about the other things, but will direct a buyer or seller to the appropriate expert.

So with the above in mind, I plan to send this post to the Texas Real Estate Commission in hopes that they will add “Presence of Active Knob & Tube Wiring” to the Seller’s Disclosure form, just as “Previous Use of Premises for Manufacture of Methamphetamine” was added in 2007. I have no doubt that this would help all parties involved in a real estate transaction of an old house.

Photo: OldHouseWeb.com

Round Top Round Up

Last Friday, on my way from Houston to Austin, I made a detour through Round Top, Texas, a town with a population of 77 located smack dab in the middle of my points A and B. I didn't go for the pie at Royers, but for the antiquities which draw in the masses from all over the country during the area's bi-annual antiques fair.

While many people lean toward new home decor items that are crisp and clean, I tend toward those with a little history. Our house, to begin with, was built in 1920, which is about as old of a home you will find in this country. As a child, I always loved going to my grandmother's house and seeing all the things from the olden days, like the butter churn and wooden wall phone. Reminders of a simpler time, I guess.

I can effectively call myself an avid antiques market goer, having regularly visited them in the places I have lived, including the monthly Alameda Point Antiques and Collectibles Faire outside of San Francisco. (Best buys are just as the day breaks there. My friend Kirsten used to remind me to bring a flashlight!) In New York City, I loved to hit the West 25th Street Market, open every Saturday and Sunday. But Round Top takes antiques markets to a new level. However, I have never been to the markets in London or Paris, but hear they are the best. One day...

While it is fun to peruse the markets in a carefree manner, it's better to have in mind what you are looking for. This lets your eyes and mind work coherently, as these markets can be quite overwhelming. A few tips before you go: take measurements of the space you have to fill, bring a tape measure with you and don't forget your checkbook or wads of cash.

So, last Friday, I knew the general lay of the land, having been to Round Top once before for the fair and another time for the pie! But, on this day I only had two hours to kill before I was needed in Austin. Two hours is not nearly enough time to cover but a small fraction of the approximately 300 acres of tents and tables.

My goal was to find a container for an herb garden. I had watched this video on YouTube earlier in the week, so was looking for something that was 1. "pretty" and 2. had "good drainage." I happened upon a Hungarian baby bath early in my two hours. I wasn't convinced on the initial price I was quoted, so decided to move on down the road.

I spent most of my time at Marburger Farm looking inside the tents. I loved this circus tent, but knew I needed nothing from there.

The clock was ticking. I was beginning to kick myself for not having purchased it at the first place because I didn't want to back-track and be late. So, I narrowed in on the garden items, which are mostly kept just outside of the tents for a garden-like effect.

And then, lo and behold, at literally the last booth, 10 minutes past my departure time, I came across another Hungarian baby bath! But, uh-oh, the price was higher. I explained my situation to the dealer, my time crunch and the fact that there was an exact item up the road for less. As it turned out, that booth up the road happened to be his son's. He knew I wasn't making up the price, and he honored it. (He said he had just raised the price to compensate for the fact that they only had two left.)

So there she is, my Hungarian baby bath, formerly used in an orphanage or hospital to wash babies and now the future home of my herb garden. I will save my attempt at following Rita's how-to steps for a later post, but instead will put in a plug for one of my John Daugherty, Realtors colleague's listings. This farm in Round Top would be a serene second home for any flea market junkie. If interested, please feel free to contact me for more information.

Perhaps the simpler times are just an hour and a half outside of Houston.

 

Welcome, Fall!

If you've been following my blog, you'll know what I mean when I say: Today should be the day that I pop in You've Got Mail and get excited for the new season. (Interested? Click here.) You might also know what I mean when I say: Today, summer is officially-officially over. At the exact moment this entry posts, fall will have begun : September 22, 2009, 5:18 pm EDT.

So, below, find 10 things for you to do in and around your home this fall:

1. Rake the leaves.
2. Clean gutters and drains; be sure downspouts direct water away from your home's foundation.
3. Have your HVAC system serviced.
4. Clean and vacuum dust from any vents or return air grilles.
5. Attend a football game.
6. Caulk exterior joints around windows and doors; add weatherstripping where you can see daylight from inside your home.
7. Carve a pumpkin.
8. Get your chimney inspected and cleaned by a chimney sweep.
9. Check chimney and outdoor electrical fixtures for bird nests needing to be removed.
10. Enjoy the cooler weather!

Should you need names of technicians to do any of these jobs, send me an email at emilyc@johndaugherty.com. Most importantly, have a wonderful fall!

CLASSIFIEDS: That 70s Shop

FOR SALE: Location! Location! Location! Cherryhurst residents [my husband, Chad, and I] seeking quality, new owner for That 70s Shop. Price: $1,500,000.00, which includes more than the 4,136-square-foot (per owner) retail space that is That 70s Shop. (Click here for more details.) Suggested use: coffee shop serving Fairtrade coffee, tea, wine, craft beer, fresh juice, creative sandwiches and tasty pastries with free Wi-Fi...or...fine restaurant, à la across-the-street neighbor, Da Marco...or...something more affordable, like Empire Cafe up Westheimer.

Lunchtime in H-town

Tuesdays through Thursdays for Realtors are "broker open house" days, for Houston at least. When I am not holding a listing open myself, showing property or scheduled to answer the phones on prime duty at the office, I do my best to hit a few open houses in the neighborhoods I service. It is a good way to preview what is on the market and also a good way to meet other Realtors. Houses are held open from noon to two, and although I rarely partake, lunch is often served—a tactic used to draw more eyes to the house. So, to keep this post real-estate related, I am breaking down my favorite places for lunch in H-town according to open house days. If you are a buyer, keep in mind that these broker open houses are also open to the public. So don't be shy if you see a sign or balloons on a Wednesday during your lunch break!

Tuesdays, Areas 16 & 9: Afton Oaks, The Heights, Hyde Park, Lynn Park/Highland Village, Memorial Park, Midtown, Montrose, Oak Estates, Rice Military, River Oaks, Upper Kirby

Let's start in the heart of River Oaks, where on the bustling corner of Kirby and Westheimer Stone Mill Bakers is serving up creamy chicken salad on Dakota bread with avocado and lettuce. Their new granola cookie is addictive! Zoe's Kitchen, on Shepherd, also has a great chicken salad. I add a few dashes of pepper to it to make it even better. Their coleslaw is also tasty, and my sister, Laura, loves their chocolate sheet cake, which always looks tempting but I’ve never fallen prey. (Though I haven't been yet, Zoe's just opened a new outpost on the hip and happening Washington Avenue, also in Area 16). If I’m meeting a friend, Barnaby's on Kirby does the trick. They have a delicious chicken salad sandwich with artichoke hearts and basil mayo. It comes with fries, which I substitute for the sweet-potato variety. Their portions are extra-large, so I try to split. At its sister restaurant, Brown Bag Deli (pictured), I get roast turkey, Monterrey Jack cheese, lettuce, tomato and honey mustard on their warm Honey Whole Wheat bread. Another few spots to meet a friend: Paulie's, Tiny Boxwood's or Ruggles Green. Paulie’s is famous for its iced sugar cookies. For lunch, I usually get the Mediterranean Pasta Salad. At Tiny Boxwood’s, Tiny’s Trio has a perfect mix of green salad, chicken salad and fresh fruit, set in the pristine garden of Thompson+Hanson. Their just-out-of-the-oven chocolate chip cookies are to die for! At "Houston's First Certified Green Restaurant," Ruggles Green, the Goat Cheese Salad is a satisfying choice for lunch, served with Texas goat cheese. Near Memorial Park, Shandy's has a good chicken salad sandwich that comes with a cup of cubed tropical fruit salad. I’m beginning to think I should have named this post “Chicken Salad in Houston.” But, at Neilsen's Delicatessen, I go for the tuna salad sandwich—junior size. I add Baked Lays between the bread for crunch and saltiness. I also get the tuna salad—the one with the cranberries mixed in—at Whole Foods Market, on Kirby. And at Kraftsmen Baking on Montrose (slated to be at West Ave soon), I opt for the Green Gobbler, a turkey sandwich with provolone cheese, alfalfa sprouts, green apple slices and apple butter on Biologique bread. Last but not least is Epicure Café on West Gray. This is a good place to go alone or with friends. Truthfully, I go for the alfajor (an Argentine cookie), but their tomato basil soup and fresh mint tea are both worth the stop as well. While Area 16 has so many wonderful options, I still have to say: I miss Mom's Kitchen.

Wednesdays, Area 17: Bellaire, Boulevard Oaks, Braes Heights, Medical Center, Museum District, Rice, Southampton, Southgate, Sunset Terrace, West University, Woodside

My list is much slimmer in this locale, most likely because I am obsessed with Picnic's chicken salad with sun-dried tomatoes (pictured). The little side of fruit is accented with mint, making it quite the refreshing side dish. Though I can never pass up their cookies, usually going for the Peanut Butter, they aren't as sweet as I'd like them to be. Edloe Street Cafe & Deli is good for lunch, but doesn't ever really call to me like Picnic does. A little French place called Croissant Brioche, in Rice Village, is also a good spot. There's another Brown Bag Deli in the Village, too, but I always forget it's there and have actually never been, because who am I kidding? If I'm going to Area 17 for open houses, I'm going to Picnic.

Thursdays, Areas 22 & 23: Briarbend/Charnwood, Briarcroft, Briargrove, Brairgrove Park, Briarmeadow, Galleria, Larchmont, Memorial Villages, Sandalwood, Tanglewood

I can get in a rut in Areas 22 and 23, but there really are some fine lunch establishments. I love the little side salad that comes with all of the sandwiches at the Argentine Deli, although it is actually called Yorktown Deli. Like Epicure, I really go there for their alfajor—and I actually like it better than Epicure’s. The deli’s walls are covered in snapshots from their patrons’ travels, all featuring their yellow menu. As seen in the photo above, my husband and I took the menu with us to Africa this summer and shot it in a Maasai village. Look for it on their wall soon! Nearby, Jersey Mike's sub shop is pretty good. I like it "Mike's Way," with Italian seasonings and oil. I get the same treatment to the Skinny TKY at Potbelly in Uptown Park. But beware: Potbelly is dangerously close to Crave, a cupcake shop with every flavor cupcake imaginable. Also in Uptown Park is Andre’s, which I failed to mention is also in Area 16 (but I rarely go to that one). It’s a good spot to meet a friend. I order the tuna salad on croissant "portion-size;" the menu can be confusing. A few doors down, Café Express is a sure bet, but never gets me very excited since Wendy’s bought it. I know the Del Grandes bought it back, but still... I love Neiman Marcus' Mariposa, but it doesn’t leave you much time for open houses when you are in a department store! In Memorial, I like A Moveable Feast. It's a health food store and restaurant. They have a crunchy Apple Pecan Tuna Salad, and you just feel healthy eating there. There’s another outpost of Stone Mill on Voss, although I don’t think it’s as good as the one on Kirby. Occasionally, I will go to Dessert Gallery, which is not just dessert! I like the California Dreamin' sandwich, but sometimes their bread is stale and they are not shy with the Chipotle mayo. Although always crowded at lunch, Barnaby's new-ish Tanglewood spot is, of course, good. I’m also très excited that Zoe's is opening on San Felipe and Bering soon! The French House: duh. I get the chicken salad plate that is served on a bed of lettuce with avocados. Delish! In the Briargrove Shopping Center, Cafe Mezza starts off every table with pita chips and an addicting olive oil-based dipping sauce. I like to follow it with their yummy—and quite interesting—chicken salad sandwich. Lastly, at Smoothie Island, aka Island Grill, I order the "Eric the Homebuilder Pita," a wonderful medley of roasted veggies and hummus on warm pita bread. And being that a homebuilder dreamed it up, I'll say it’s an appropo way to end this post.

If I have missed any obvious lunch spots in any of the aforementioned areas, do tell me in the comments section. It was either an oversight, we like different foods at lunchtime or I am missing out. Happy lunching!

Back to School

While many Americans spend this tax-free weekend stocking up on school supplies and new clothes, I will be mourning the passing of the summer of '09. Not once did I wear a swimsuit! What is summer without a swimsuit? What ever happened to my float trip down the Guadalupe River that I planned in June? I suppose since it's still 100 degrees outside in H'town, there could be time for a quick dip. But schools are in session; summer is officially over.

Although most of Houston will begin this Monday, many private schools started this past week. My cousin's kids, who live in Phoenix, actually started school August 10! As house-hunting and school choice often go hand in hand, I thought it would be an appropriate time to blog about schools in Houston. So, below is a round-up of resources that I find useful for buyers to use in their home search.

If you've found a house located within the Houston Independent School District (HISD), click here for a tool that will show you what schools are associated with that particular address. HISD also offers some flexibility through School Choice Options, including Magnet, Montessori and technical alternatives.

Are you looking in the Spring Branch Independent School District (SBISD)? The house you've fallen in love with might be in Hunters Creek Village, but it is not necessarily zoned to Hunters Creek Elementary. To be sure, click here to enter the address of the house and find the corresponding schools.

Below is the feeder pattern for Memorial High School. You can find other feeder patterns for SBISD here.
Many families struggle with the public versus private school debate. The Buzz, a local magazine that is distributed to Bellaire, West U, Memorial and Tanglewood, did an informative article on it in their current issue. A good resource for private schools is Houston Area Independent Schools (HAIS), which currently has 68 member schools. For Montessori schools in Houston, click here. If you decide to go the private school route, read D Magazine's How to Pick a Private School for some good tips.

While these are all good resources, if school is important to your home-buying decision, be sure to independently verify what school your potential new home is zoned to by contacting the school district directly.

If you have other good sources for information on our schools, I'd appreciate your comments to this post. Here's to all A+'s in '09-'10!

Getting Personal

Last weekend I watched You've Got Mail with my 10-year-old niece. I watch this movie every fall, or just before fall hits. I used to live in New York City, and the scenery and weather is the perfect entrée into the new season. I admit that watching it last weekend was a little premature weather-wise, seeing as it was during the dead heat of a Houston summer, but it was one of the only PG selections in my library.

In the movie, Joe Fox (Tom Hanks) uses a quote from The Godfather to defend the opening of his super-sized bookstore, which will in turn force Kathleen Kelly's (Meg Ryan) mom-and-pop bookshop to close. The quote, "It's not personal...it's business," struck a chord with me, as I find the real estate business to get personal often.

The sale or purchase of a home in itself is nothing but personal, investment properties aside. People live their lives and make their memories in their homes. It can be hard for some sellers to even attend closing. Some cope with this by distancing themselves and closing separately from the buyers. Then others want to become friends with the new homeowners to retain that connection to their soon-to-be former home.

Agent-to-agent negotiations can get personal. They shouldn't, but sometimes agents get emotionally involved and do or say things they regret later. The point is to be the voice of the client, whether the agent's counsel is represented in that voice or not. But attacking the other agent on a personal level is not the fastest way to gain their respect.

Now where the Godfather quote bests comes into play is when buyers or sellers choose their Realtor. "It's not personal, Sally Jo Realtor, it's business."

There have been times when I've wished a buyer or seller would just say this to me. At least it would give me the opportunity to respond by saying, "I understand. Hopefully, I can earn your business in the future."

In Houston, social circles are really small. The city is comprised of 2.2 million people within 600 square miles (and 5.7 million people in the entire metropolitan area). 25,000-plus members of HAR makes 1 Realtor for every 88 Houston residents, not including those that are non-MLS agents (a lot of folks on the commercial side). Point being, people are not only bound to know more than one Realtor, but they're also bound to be good friends with more than one Realtor. Now some buyers or sellers don't even want to work with their friends. But at the end of the day, wouldn't it be comforting to know that your friend, the professional representing you, is looking out for your best interests?

In my three years of experience as a Realtor, I can already count a number of occasions where friends have been too timid to admit they've chosen another Realtor friend over me, or they prefer to use a Realtor they don't know socially. They've avoided the subject entirely and made some awkward moments for themselves. I've even had a friend flat out lie that they were not selling their house. (Hello!? I see your house online.) Ben Franklin gave good advice when he said: "Honesty is the best policy."

If any of you are out there reading this now, know this: It's okay. I promise I'm not going to egg your house! But I would like to earn your business next time. Tell me how. It's not personal... it's business.

Green Hills of Africa

It's been more than a month since my last post. There's reason for this: I've been on vacation! That's what people do in the summer, right?

Well, residential real estate and time off is, for lack of a more creative metaphor, like oil and water. It ain't no Bayou Breeze! Choosing to be a residential Realtor means subjecting your time to the mercy of your clients' time, or other Realtors' clients' time. Just when you were about to walk out the door to go for a jog in the park, you have a showing on your listing in 30 minutes. Or, just when you've settled onto the couch to decompress and watch a movie after a long day, you get a call that an offer on your listing is awaiting you in your email inbox. This is something that, hopefully, with time, I'll be able to manage better. But it makes taking a vacation really hard.

I did it though! No complaints. Two and a half weeks across the pond whiling away the hot Houston summer on a continent I'd never stepped foot on before: Africa.

But what with Blackberries, iPhones and the Internet, you can't escape knowing what is going on back home. It's almost impossible not to be connected. You have to try to not be.

My sweet husband Chad cherry-picked two chapters of Tim Ferriss' 4-Hour Work Week for me to read, one of which was "The Low-Information Diet," which actually teaches you how to disconnect. But it's a real struggle.

"Let me just see if I can get a connection here in the middle of the Serengeti in Tanzania...wa-la!" The best signal of the vacation. I knew that if I wasn't able to disconnect there, I had a problem. But, hey, I haven't finished the book yet...?

"We found a home," my client of a year and a half says via email.

It's Murphy's Law. Not that his finding a house was a bad thing, it's just that I wanted to be there when he found it. It happens to all of us Realtors, so I am learning. What's the fastest way to get your listing sold? Go on vacation!

I am fortunate to have my mother as my working partner, a true shepherd for me in learning the business, not to mention garnering clients. But the mother-daughter business relationship fails when you and your mother go on the same vacation.

It worked out, thanks to some of my colleagues at John Daugherty, Realtors. I am grateful and indebted to them for their willingness to help cover my business while I was away enjoying those green hills.

Two interesting things--among a hundred--that I learned on my vacation:

1. Even Maasai have cell phones. 
2. Even Maasai aren't afraid to take calls in the middle of a ceremonial dance.

It's a testament to technology, I guess. A little sad, but an unstoppable force.

At this one amazing lodge where we stayed in Kenya, there was an Ernest Hemingway quote painted on the wall. "All I wanted to do now was to get back to Africa. We had not left it, yet, but when I would wake in the night I would lie, listening, homesick for it already." Lovely, as was the whole vacation. But now it's back to business.

I ♥ Cherryhurst

Amongst my colleagues at John Daugherty, Realtors, I am considered young in the business. Maybe so, but there's an opportunity being young did afford me recently: stepping into the shoes of a first-time homebuyer. This, my husband Chad and I accomplished at the end of last year, when we stumbled upon and purchased our first home in Cherryhurst, an adorable subdivision tucked quietly inside of Montrose.

It was an uncertain time in the economy. Houston was just starting to feel what we did of the recession, which they say has maybe turned a corner now. If it is in fact turning a corner, Houston did not experience it like the rest of the country did. We had a mild case of the recession. But at the time, interest rates were low--not as low as they got, the house fit the bill and we were eager to become homeowners. Fortunately, we were eligible for the $7,500 first-time homebuyer tax credit that is paid back over the course of 15 years. Unfortunately, we missed the cut--by seven days--for the new-and-improved $8,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit that never has to be repaid!

We already knew we liked Cherryhurst. Its location cannot be beat. It has culture and an urban vibe with a twist of traditional neighborhood feel. Cherryhurst is about four streets wide by five streets tall with Cherryhurst Park at its center, offering tennis, a community center, a field to throw a football or run the dog (future dog for us...one day!?) and a playground. While we haven't made use of the park on a regular basis yet, we have enjoyed walking to nearby restaurants (our favorite: Hugo's), shops and bars--something you can't often do in Houston, whose walk score is the definition of average at 51/100. Montrose ranks second within Houston for walkabilty, with Downtown ahead at numero uno.

While I could go on about how I ♥ Cherryhurst, learning a few things about the home-buying process would probably be more worthwhile to my loyal readership. So, here are a few tips:

• Get organized with your lender sooner than later. You don't want to fall in love with a home you can't afford. You also don't want to drag on getting your loan approval and have your earnest money up for grabs if you don't end up getting the loan approved in the time prescribed.
• Don't worry about bothering the sellers during the option period. The option period is your time to bring in all kinds of specialists, not just the inspector himself. Get everything suspect checked out and know what you are buying.
• Try to keep it friendly with the sellers. You never know when you'll need to ask them a question about the house down the road.

Buying your first home is both exciting and scary. Trust your instincts and you will make the right the decisions. And expect to keep learning about home ownership every day.

Gruene Opportunity

June 1. Summer is here in my book. I love summer!

Two weeks ago I went to an information session about a new development in the Gruene Historic District of New Braunfels, one of my favorite places to visit during the summer as a kid. Although I haven't been to Gruene in probably 12 years, I can picture it pretty well from my memories: The Gristmill, Gruene Hall, that little ice cream shop, the General Store where they sell delicious homemade fudge and, of course, Hunter Junction with the hilarious t-shirts. It's one of those treasured Texas towns where time seems to have stopped just enough. My favorite thing to do in Gruene--hands down--was (and is) to float the river in an inner tube: hours of relaxation, Vitamin D and good times with friends and family. I may just have to schedule a float trip this summer. But, back to the real estate relevancy of this post...the Van Horn River Lodge.

The Lodge is going to be a "boutique condo-hotel" with only 40 units. It will rise three stories over the banks of the Guadalupe River, just a four-minute walk away from the slow bustle of the town. The great thing about the condos is that you can rent them out when you are not using them. The Lodge doubles as a hotel with a great room anchoring the condominiums. Services will include a reception desk, housekeeping, conference space, maintenance and more. The terraced pool, decks, nature trails and a riverfront park (almost 200 yards long) will all be "common" property of the owners. Owners and guests can rent "play" items for the river and town, like tubes, kayaks and bicycles, and the operations will be run by an on-site general manager.

The look and feel will be "mountain lodge" with all units enjoying a riverfront view. Prices start in the upper $300s. There are 2 floorplans, the "Encino" and the "Cypress," both two bedrooms with around 1,200 square feet of living space plus balconies.

You can reserve a unit now with an initial deposit of around $10K. When 80% has been reserved, construction will begin. At the info session two weeks ago, 12 units had already been reserved. If you're interested in learning more, feel free to send me a line at emilyc@johndaugherty.com.

Here's to a great Summer of '09!

It's Property Tax Protest Time!

It's a busy, busy time at the Harris County Appraisal District. The June 1 deadline to file property tax protests is fast approaching. Commercials by property tax consulting companies, like O'Connor & Associates, are proliferating in local news breaks. If you haven't done so, be sure to register your protest by sending in a Notice of Protest form. Better yet, protest online! Through HCAD's new iFile and iSettle systems, you can save time and money. All you do is take the iFile number from your Notice of Appraised Value, which you should have received in the mail, and enter it and your HCAD account number. It will prompt you through some pretty simple questions about the value of your home. I found it to be quite painless (better than spending a day in the courthouse) and was pleased to have lowered our appraised value for 2009 myself. Of course it helps that being a Realtor®, I have access to recent sales data. Should you need any for your neighborhood, I would be happy to assist you. Good luck!