But as many homeowners can attest, being part of an HOA isn't aways an easy experience.  A quick survey of the Internet reveals story after story of ordeals and horrors homeowner's have endured at the hands of their HOAs.  Some are simply petty - like fining a homeowner for having a fence a mere three inches too tall.  Some border on fraudulent - like using HOA funds to steer business toward board members' friends and relatives, and refusing to release details of HOA expenditures.  And some just seem to fly in the face of common decency - like foreclosing on homes when a homeowner is barely $100 behind on HOA dues.

One such story got national attention and helped spur HOA reform in the recent Texas legislative session.  In 2009, a Dallas-area family lost their home to foreclosure after the wife missed two homeowner's dues payments while the husband, Captain Mark Clauer, was serving in the National Guard in Iraq.  Despite the fact that their $300,000 home was already paid for, they received an eviction notice and their home was sold on the courthouse steps for $3500, the amount needed to cover the late dues and legal fees.  The one thing working in their favor was that a federal law prevents foreclosing in this manner on military personnel fighting overseas (the HOA wasn't aware of the husband's military status), and they eventually got their house back.

The result of this and many other cases was that a total of 18 different HOA reform laws passed during the most recent legislative session.  The most noteworthy changes are:

• While HOAs can still foreclose due to late homeowner's dues, they now must be judicially approved. Previously, HOA foreclosures were nonjudicial, meaning they didn't require a judge's approval and gave homeowners less recourse - and time - for appeal.  
  
• Another significant change is something referred to as "priority of payment."  When a homeowner falls behind on payments, $300 can quickly mushroom to $3,000 as late fees and attorney's fees are added in.  Previously, many HOAs applied any payments to attorney's fees, handling fees, etc. first, and to the actual assessments last, meaning that unless the homeowner could come up with the full sum of money, they remained delinquent, leading to more fees and a vicious cycle that was hard to stop.  Now, delinquent and current assessments are first on the priority list, a much fairer arrangement.  
  
• HOAs now must disclose important information, including any bylaws or deed restrictions, on a publicly available website, so that homeowners can readily access them and prospective buyers can make informed purchase decisions.  Homeowners can also request a resale certificate in which the HOA must disclose any pending lawsuits involving the association (which can be an indication of problems with homeowners), as well as any fees involved in later selling your home.  
  
• HOAs can no longer prevent homeowners from installing solar panels, "cool roof" or hail-resistant shingles, or flying U.S. or Texas flags on their property, although HOAs can make rules for aesthetics.  
  
• And, in a nod to the Clauers' case, a new law clarifies that HOAs cannot foreclose on active-duty military members without a court order, and requires better communication between HOAs and homeowners to help prevent similar cases in the future.

Not all HOAs are created equal; while some act as mini-autocracies, bullying homeowners all in the name of preserving property values, many are reasonable groups of neighbors simply trying to keep a livable community.  So, before you buy in an HOA neighborhood, research the rules and consider getting a resale certificate.  (You still have to pay for it.) If you already live within an HOA, get to know the board and attend meetings.  Just like any venture, you need to know your rights and be willing to speak up (respectfully) when necessary to defend them.

"The latest trend," says one of the 567 million Google hits I found on this very topic, "is to buy a house online."

You can't really buy a house online. But you can look at photos, watch video, print listings – or simply scan a QR barcode while out and about – to help narrow down the choices. 

"Baby boomers want a lot of information and it's up to us to get it to them in a way they want it," said Rosemary Bickford, vice president of sales and marketing at Brickland Homes. "Buyers want to know almost everything before they even pick up the phone."

And hopefully from there, they will want to meet in person.

"The Internet is a great way to gather information, but not to build a relationship of trust with the people you might want to build your home," said Ron Martin, who along with Marc Jungers owns Grand View Builders.

Aiming for that human touch, Grand View Builders has launched a series of real-life, in-person seminars for people who want to know more about its Build on Your Lot program.

"When we make ourselves available in this manner, we demonstrate both our expertise and our passion for homebuilding," Martin said.

"We look at it as an interview for a job. Potential buyers want to do business with people they trust."

Martin said the seminars have been well received and they plan to host more in the future.

Virtual shopping leads to real people

While an estimated 74 percent of buyers turn to the Internet for information first, 69 percent will also reach out to a Realtor – most likely someone they found the same way they found a potential home.

That's why sellers must seek innovative ways to standout online.

One way Realtors can remain competitive, Bickford said, is by earning and advertising any designations that go above and beyond state-mandated, continuing-education requirements.

"Buyers equate designations with extra education," said Bickford, who also teaches at Champions School of Real Estate.

But the "latest and greatest" thing, she said, is testimonials.

That means written, recorded or, even better, videotaped or webcam-captured kudos from buyers that can easily be posted online by sellers. A simple click of the "like" button on Facebook exponentially increases the number of users who see the positive message.

According to a 2009 National Association of Realtors survey on technology, 84 percent of Realtors are using social media.

The reality is…

Online and in person, sellers need to shine. The information highway brings buyers to the door, but someone has to be there to open it.

"Even if they end up buying somewhere else, they're going to remember us and say positive things about us because we took the time to help them," Martin said.

Bickford agrees.

"In this day and age," she said, "anything less than excellent is really not acceptable."

Currently, 1 in 5 mortgages is underwater; with these homeowners often pouring all of their resources into just keeping their homes, they often have little money left to put back into the economy.  Foreclosed homes, which in some areas sit in limbo for months or even years, often fall into disrepair, taking surrounding home values down with them.  Most analysts agree that home prices won't be able to recover until the "shadow inventory" of 1.8 million homes in foreclosure are dealt with in some fashion. 

And of course, there are the million or so jobs which have been lost in construction and related fields, plus an estimated 3 million more jobs lost indirectly due to the housing slump.  Given all this, it's hard to envision a true economic recovery that doesn't include a housing recovery. 

So what can be done?  It's pretty obvious that, so far, government efforts to help shore up the housing market have fallen short.  The president's home modification program HAMP fell well short of targets, and the Homebuyer Tax Credits didn't so much bring in new sales as simply move existing sales earlier - at a cost of $16.2 billion in lost tax revenue, according to a BusinessWeek article.

The last time housing values dropped this much and this many homeowners were underwater was the Great Depression, and that led to drastic changes, including bailing out 20% of all U.S. mortgages and the introduction of the 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage.  Similarly dramatic action seems needed today, or else we could be facing the same kind of stagnation Japan has endured since their housing bubble burst 15 years ago.  CNN and TIME recently reported on the ideas being floated by economists and inside the White House to help stabilize the housing market and bring it back to life.

To help underwater homeowners, economists at Columbia Business School are proposing a mass refinancing for all government-backed mortgages through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  Since those who owe more than their homes are worth can't go through the standard refinancing process, this would allow such homeowners to take advantage of the current low interest rates, and lower their mortgage burden.  Such a proposal is appealing, because it doesn't cost any taxpayer money and would save homeowners $85 billion by one estimate, money which could be pumped back into the economy.

Some are also suggesting mortgage principal write-downs to address the underwater issue.  One proposal would involve government-subsidized write-downs to the tune of $200 billion, though it's likely a difficult sell in today's political climate.  A more likely scenario is that write-downs would come from the private sector.  According to TIME magazine, "Bank of America, Wells Fargo, JPMorgan Chase and others may soon be forced by state attorneys general, who are seeking a collective $20 billion in penalties for faulty lending, to write down some individual mortgages" as part of settlement deals.

Then there's the problem with foreclosures.  While it may seem callous, some are suggesting the foreclosure process be sped up so that many loans in foreclosure can be finalized.  The reason?  Because in many parts of the country, the foreclosure process is drawing out over many months or years, while the homeowners - and homes - languish in limbo, essentially holding the housing market hostage.

In July 2009, 6% of delinquent homeowners were behind on payments for more than 24 months; by July 2011, that number was up to 37%, with another 34% not having made a payment in over 12 months.  The longer a home is in foreclosure, the more likely it is to be lost, and while some can be saved, usually it's just prolonging the inevitable.  By finalizing those which are seriously delinquent, the homes can be taken out of limbo and put back to use.

But what of all of those foreclosed homes, in addition to the excess supply already in the market?  Communities like Cleveland and Detroit are taking the radical step of demolishing vacant properties, many of which have become havens for criminal nuisance.  Of course, bulldozing three million homes is out of the question.  A more optimistic scenario for dealing with the glut of homes is to let private investors purchase them and rent them out, and in August the Treasury Department solicited ideas for how such a program could work on a large scale.  By reducing the number of homes for sale, the government hopes to stabilize the market and preserve neighborhoods on the brink. 

Obviously, there are no quick fixes, and we'll need more than one course of action in order to restore a healthy housing market.  But we will need action.  Because, as we've seen over the last 3 years, a recovery which doesn't include the housing market is really no recovery at all.

Luckily, there are things you can do to ease the pain - and that doesn't mean packing up to move north.  (You don't want to live there come winter anyway.)  With changes to your home big and small, you can slash your energy bills, help the environment - and use local and federal rebates to help pick up the tab.

Fix Those Leaks and Insulate

Regardless of what new, energy-saving technology might be out there, much of our home's energy efficiency comes down to simple and low-tech - how well our home keeps the heat (or cold) out and the cold (or heat) in.  And that means simple fixes like caulking, weatherstripping and insulation.

The best way to identify leaks in your home is to get an energy audit; in fact, some Houston residential energy providers, like Reliant, offer low-cost or free home audits.  Or, if you want to do it yourself, energysavers.gov has some good tips.

Check up on your insulation, too, as it tends to settle over time.  The amount you need depends on the type you're using, but a good rule of thumb is, if you can see your floor joists, you probably need more.  (Energystar.gov's Insulation DIY guide has more details.)  While you might want to wait for cooler weather to climb up in the attic, you'll want to do this by the end of the year; through December 31, 2011, weatherizing and insulation materials qualify for a federal tax credit of 10% of the costs, up to $500. (That's a lot of caulk.)  Local energy providers like CenterPoint provide weatherization rebates to some customers, too.

Upgrade the A/C

Perhaps the best invention for sweat-soaked Houstonians, A/C is also our biggest energy hog, so it pays to go as energy-efficient as possible.  An important note, though:  it won't matter how efficient your A/C is if you don't also fix the leaks in your home.  Installing a high-efficiency A/C unit in a leaky house just makes you pay twice, so seal it up first.  Also, keep your A/C happy with regular maintenance, as that helps it perform most efficiently. 

If you are ready to replace it, though, going with an energy-efficient model will generally cost more up-front - anywhere from a few hundred dollars to over a thousand more.  But keep in mind, those costs will be recouped in energy savings, on average, within 4 to 6 years and will continue past that - not to mention saving $300 through the federal rebate program.

Get a Cool Roof

On a hot summer day in Texas, a traditional roof can get as hot as 185 degrees.  Not only does this increase energy bills, hot roofs contribute to the urban "heat island" effect, where temperatures in cities are warmer than surrounding areas.  One solution is cool roofs, which use materials that reflect heat and stay cooler, keeping peak temperatures to about 120 degrees.

Again, there is a cost differential - cool roof materials add anywhere from 5 to 20 cents per square foot to the price of the roof.  If you're planning to stay in your home for more than a few years, though, it could be a worthy investment; in fact, one study found that cool roof owners saved almost 50 cents per square foot over the life of the roof.  And again, there's a federal tax credit of up to $500 for cool roof materials through the end of the year.

Going Solar

If you really want to go big, think solar.  There's no rush here - generous federal tax rebates of 30% for home solar panels are in place through 2016.  And, since solar panel component costs went down 15% just in the first quarter of this year, and are expected to continue to drop as technology matures, it might not be a bad idea to wait. 

But, even solar technology on a smaller scale like solar-powered water heaters are becoming more affordable and common with Houston homeowners.  Most Houston solar energy rebates focus on commercial buildings, but across Texas, residential solar energy rebates are becoming more common and will undoubtedly make their way to Houston.  Some customers are even making money, selling their solar power back to the energy companies.

Between high utility bills, the threats of rolling blackouts this summer, and climate change, it makes sense to make our homes as energy-efficient as possible.  And with federal and local utility rebates, taking the first step - big or small - is a little easier.

Nestled along Sims Bayou between I45 and Telephone Rd., Glenbrook Valley originally opened in 1953 with a lot of fanfare.  It was designed by the renowned Kansas City landscape architecture firm Hare and Hare, which was known for many Houston layouts, including River Oaks. The subdivision also received a lot of interest when Better Homes and Gardens featured 7923 Glenview on the September 1954 cover for an article titled “The Home for All America” and was the prize home for the 1954 Parade of Homes. 

By 1956, Glenbrook Valley was steadily becoming the go-to neighborhood for up-and-coming Houstonians. The 1956 Parade of Homes brochure described the houses and gave each one a name to express their individuality.  “The Suburban Styline,” “Lowe’s Electric All Electric Home,” “House of Ideas” and “Casa Manana” alluded to their modern amenities. “Holiday House,” “Tex-O-Rama,” “Modern Junior Executive” and “Greener Pastures” appealed to the variety of personalities who may choose to move there.

Fast forward to today. Glenbrook Valley can now add another accolade to its rich history.  It has just received what no other atomic era development in Texas ever has — designation as the first post-World War II historic district in Texas.  The Houston City Council voted June 29 and the historic district was approved by a 10 to 4 vote.  It is also Houston’s first district outside the 610 loop and, with over 1250 homes, the largest of the 18 other historic districts.

Many 1950s era homes are gone forever from inner-loop neighborhoods. However, over 90 percent of the original homes built in Glenbrook Valley still exist today. These mid-century modern and American ranch style homes now have the City of Houston behind them. None of the houses can be torn down without approval from the city and must maintain their architectural integrity, although the interiors can be redesigned without restrictions.

Ranch style houses built in the 1950s are single story homes with low rooflines, usually built with an attached garage or carport.  Ranch style houses have fewer doors and hallways than earlier homes, with kitchens that were designed to accommodate the modern appliances of the day. These homes have large windows and sliding glass doors that lead to the back yard where families would spend much of their leisure time.  “Mid-century modern” is a term coined decades later for houses that build upon ranch style architecture. Many have floor-to-ceiling windows, open floor plans and flat roofs.

“We want to thank District 1 City Councilman James Rodriguez for his support,” said Robert Searcy, who helped spearhead the initiative along with members of the Glenbrook Valley Civic Club.   “The landslide victory reflects how most on council not only saw the worthiness of Glenbrook Valley for this designation, but also a repudiation of the tactics used by some on the opposition.”
 
Getting the historic designation was no easy task. The efforts began benignly in 2008, starting with accruing approval signatures from 51 percent of the neighborhood’s residents, which was met and exceeded. It also needed the blessing of the Houston Archaeological and Historic Commission as well as the Department of City Planning, which was received without complications. The Houston City Council was the final hoop for historic designation. However, neighbors against the restrictions that a historic district demands began to sway others against it, eventually sending in 241 retraction signatures. This neighborhood fissure played out publicly amid accusations of signature tampering from both sides, exaggerated claims on restrictions and even playing the “race card.”

Searcy said, “There has been discord, however, much that has been reported in the media is overblown and limited to a small group of troublemakers who are good at making a lot of noise.”

Despite the infighting, the publicity has sparked a newfound interest in Glenbrook Valley from those who may not have considered the location before. “Inner-loopers” who have what Searcy calls “southeast side vertigo” are now looking outside their traditional boundaries. Searcy said, “Sales for the first five months of 2011 doubled over the first five months of 2010, even though the 2010 period was during the height of the first-time-buyer tax credit rush.  That says a lot right there.  The increased exposure and respect level for being Texas’s first post- WW II historic district is something the community and the whole city can take pride in. As time passes, I think things will go much like this passage I got from Randy Pace, who just retired from the city as the director of the Houston Historic Commission: The most eminent US economist, not preservationist, but an economist, John Kenneth Galbraith, once said, ‘The preservation movement has one great curiosity. There is never retrospective controversy or regret. Preservationists are the only people in the world who are invariably confirmed in their wisdom after the fact.’”

When the area we now call Montrose was still being grazed by cows, in the late 19th century, suburbs were starting to come into favor in other cities around the country.  New York City, in fact, had had commuters traveling to and from Brooklyn by ferry since the 1850s.  But for a young, inland city like Houston - bayous and ship channels notwithstanding - it would take an entirely different mode of transportation to make the suburbs take off.  And that happened in 1891, when the electric streetcar came to town.

In a streetcar, what was previously a 30-minute walk was now a quick 10-minute ride, much faster even than a horse and buggy.  Suddenly, possibilities arose for those who worked in downtown, but wanted to live on a  peaceful, tree-lined street, out of the city-center fray. 

It was around this time that the Heights neighborhood came into being, no coincidence as its developer opened his own streetcar line to carry passengers to and from his new development.  Houston officially had its first suburb.  Others followed in its path - Woodland Heights broke ground, just to the west of the Heights, some 15 years later, and the development of Bellaire began a short time after that. 

Enter J.W. Links, a turn-of-the-century multi-hyphenate (lawyer-lumberman-politician-developer), who had a vision for a "great residential addition."  In 1911, he set out to create Houston's poshest neighborhood, complete with four grand boulevards landscaped with "seven train car loads of palm trees and 4,000 shade trees," boasting paved sidewalks and modern curbs.  In fact, Link decided to live in the neighborhood himself, building a lavish $60,000 home on the main boulevard, as if to set the tone for future residents.  And in order to convey a regal feel, he named it after Scotland's Royal Borough of Montrose.

Other wealthy Houstonians followed suit, and soon a collection of stately homes dotted Montrose Boulevard, including one owned by Humble Oil founder Ross Sterling.  Despite all of this, Montrose was not exclusively for the wealthy.  Link planned a variety of lot sizes and locations so that people of more modest means could live there, too, with the stipulation that homes cost a minimum of $3,000. 

By 1925, the Montrose neighborhood was all built out, with a collection of larger, lavish homes mixed with Craftsman-style bungalows, reflecting styles of the times.  From the 1920s to World War II, Montrose was considered to be a distinguished address.  In fact, it was in those early days that Montrose was home to two future distinguished Americans.  Future president Lyndon B. Johnson lived on Hawthorne Street when he was a high school teacher in the 1930s, and Howard Hughes lived on Yoakum Street - now a part of the University of St. Thomas.

Things started to change for Montrose, though, in 1936 when deed restrictions which had kept the area strictly residential expired.  By that point, the automobile had surpassed the streetcar in popularity, and Houstonians were seeking even further-out places to live.  Suddenly, Montrose's homes looked more attractive as potential offices or gas stations.  Many homes were subdivided into duplexes or apartments, or even demolished outright.  By the late 1940s, in order to ease congested traffic, the tree-lined esplanade on Montrose Boulevard was removed.

Not surprisingly, the original genteel character of the neighborhood began to change.  By the 1960s and 70s, Montrose became a hub for those seeking a laid-back, hippie or alternative lifestyle.  According to "A Walk Down Montrose" from Cite magazine, "Houses were converted into antique shops, topless joints, boutiques, bars and restaurants and were frequently treated to decorative makeovers that reflected the anything-goes aesthetic of the hippie culture."

For the past several decades, like so many Houston neighborhoods, Montrose has experienced a roller coaster ride of wealth, dilapidation, and resurgence.  And, also similar to so many places, each turn has left many longing for the "good old days."  When its original stately homes were turned into businesses or fell into disrepair, old residents lamented the area's decline.  As some of the funky businesses from the 70s became town homes of the 2000s, others bemoaned Montrose's loss of character.

Regardless of what some may perceive as the area's shortcomings, Montrose is something truly unique in Houston.  It has evolved into an eclectic mix of quirky and refined, from funky antiques to priceless antiquities, with offbeat shops at one end and elegant museums at the other.  It also happens to be, arguably, the most pedestrian-friendly area in the city, where trolling for shopping finds and grabbing a bite to eat can be done on foot as easily as by car.  And while it's not what it used to be (few things are), Montrose is a vibrant, funky, urbane 100 year-old gem in the heart of Houston.  Happy Birthday, Montrose.

Whole Foods broke ground April 2010. After three years of various construction and placement changes, the Austin-based company celebrated with the grand opening of its sixth Houston location on June 22, 2011.

Stone Soup 6 Architecture, which has partnered with Whole Foods on many projects, was the architect. Cleveland Construction, headquartered in Ohio, was the general contractor for the project.
Many green features have been incorporated into the $18 million, 42,000 sq. ft. structure. For starters, the location boasts a 1,500 gallon cistern to collect rainwater (when there is some!) and uses it to water the landscaping. “The rainwater cistern is not standard at all stores; however, our Sugar Land location has one, as well,” said Kimberly Crowder, Whole Foods Houston Media and Community Relations Coordinator.  There is also a secondary cooling system that circulates water through a water tower on the roof, then uses it to aid in cooling the refrigeration cases and the air conditioning unit.

Keeping with the green theme, the store even offers two complimentary charging stations for hybrid vehicles. “This is the first at any of our Houston area stores, although we have electric car chargers at our Lamar store in Austin,” said Crowder.

Energy saving LED lighting has been installed throughout the store and in the parking lot. There are also lighting panels that monitor the natural light, and raise or dim the LEDs, depending on how much natural sunlight comes through the store’s windows and skylights.

Each Whole Foods is built to reflect the uniqueness of the neighborhood where it resides. The Waugh location blends in with the Montrose style, displaying the artwork of local artists David A. Brown, Pen Morrison, Celeste Tammariello, Syd Moen, Lisa Chow and Julio Crews.  Reclaimed Texas woods and various recycled materials are also part of the décor.

The Montrose Whole Foods is not only a place to shop, but a gathering spot, offering the first grocery store in Houston built with a wine bar and beer on tap. Free Wi-Fi was also installed to encourage people to stay a while.

All of this eco-friendly attention to detail has garnered the Montrose Whole Foods a Green Globe certification. “Green Globe is the green building assessment and certification system for commercial buildings in the USA,” said Crowder. “We have buildings that are both LEED and Green Globe certified within the company. We are currently waiting to find out how many ‘globes’ this store will have. We can receive up to four globes. We will not find this out until the second round of inspections, which will take place at a later date, after we demonstrate that the green practices are continuing even after the store is opened.”

Complications are inevitable for large scale projects, and, likewise, the Montrose Whole Foods suffered a few bumps along the way. In 2008, the Fingers Companies acquired the land and granted Whole Foods a 25-year lease to build the structure. The building was originally going to be roughly 10,000 sq. ft. larger, but kept dropping until reaching its current size (causing many wrong news reports about the size).  It was also originally supposed to be built over two levels of parking.  One report explains that this was changed due to the amount of heat the parking lot would have generated. The placement of the building was another issue that had to be resolved, since the AIG building owner mandated that it be as far from the AIG campus as possible. As a result, the Whole Foods was built at the far edge of Waugh and Dallas, with the parking spaced in between AIG and the store.  And a series of delays pushed back the project, originally announced to be completed in November 2010, then Spring of 2011, and ultimately June 2011.

Has Whole Foods reinvented the grocery store? You be the judge!

I know! How about you, me, stepdad, dad, stepmom, sibling, half-sibling, step-sibling and the dogs all live together in one big house?

There's probably not a divorced parent out there who hasn't heard their kids ask for something like this.

They're not too far off.

Whether it's financially-driven or a unique take on "staying together for the sake of the children," some reports claim that more and more divorced couples are choosing to live together, yet separately, under one roof.

That certainly gives new meaning to the oft-quoted real estate mantra "location, location, location."

Too close for comfort

Spring resident James Wilson, a 38-year-old divorced father of two kids, ages 9 and 10, is somewhere in the middle. Not too close but not too far, he lives just a few neighborhoods away from his ex-wife.

"One of the big issues in a divorce tends to be where the kids are picked up and dropped off, but if you live close to each other, it becomes a nonissue," Wilson said. "And the kids will inevitably forget a pair of shoes, swimsuit, video game or cellphone, so it's easy to just swing by and pick it up."

Wilson has been divorced for three years.

"Have I thought about moving? Sure," Wilson said. "But it's about the kids."

You want to what?

Katy Realtor Mickie Cioccia said she's had divorced clients purchase homes right next door to each other.

Cioccia is a Real Estate Divorce Specialist, someone who has received additional training in the legal rulings, regulations and tax implications of real estate and divorce.

With more than 50 percent of marriages ending in divorce, it's a realistic niche that probably shouldn't be ignored.

"I kept seeing divorcing couples more and more and thought 'there's something I need to know here'," Cioccia said. "I was kind of winging it, but I really wanted to know where the landmines were."

One of the most explosive areas seems to be a simple misunderstanding, but one that can lead to disastrous complications.

"Some people think that because the house is their biggest asset, it's a negotiable item," Cioccia said. "It's really not. Typically, the wife wants the house because she's raised her kids in it, and she's thinking that when she sells it later, she's going to have money. That is not always true, especially in the current market."

Ties that bind

I think Cioccia is bang-on about mothers equating concrete and brick with flesh and blood. 

It was our first house in Texas after moving here from Canada. It's the house where I stood on the curb with my daughter, watching as the school bus swallowed her up and whisked her off to her first day of Kindergarten. It's the house where my son doffed the diapers and donned the superhero big-boy undies.

But someone had to leave. He wouldn't. I did.

After a year in a rented townhouse, I was ready to buy my own home.

Except that it wouldn't be my own.

There is no such thing as legal separation in Texas, and Texas is a community property state.

"Guess what?"  Cioccia advises people like me. "You have a spouse, and that spouse is going to own half your house. It doesn't matter whose name the mortgage is in or who actually acquired the property. If it was while the couple was together, it must be split directly in half."

Sign here, please

Paul Caver, owner of Infinity Title Company, said that unless the divorce decree is crystal clear on which spouse will own 100 percent of the property, the divested ex-spouse will have to sign a deed to the ex-spouse who gets the property, but not until a judge has approved the conditions of the divorce.

"A deed from one spouse to the other while they are still married is pretty much worthless," said Caver, who is also a board-certified real estate attorney.

New beginning, happy ending

After re-marrying, my new spouse and I decided to move to a larger house to accommodate our blended family.

Fortunately, with a properly-worded and judge-approved divorce decree that safely allowed for the sale of the house I purchased while still technically married, we put stakes down in a neighborhood 2.15 miles away from my ex. It's a six-minute drive. I know because I timed it.

It was important to live somewhat close to the ex because we parent our kids 50-50.

That was three years ago; a decision made with the kids in mind. Was it the right one?

"I think it's good we live close together because I can just call and ask to come for the day or ask if I can come earlier or stay later," said my now 10-year-old son. "And it's easier to see my mom or dad when I'm missing one of them."

This stuff happens in Houston, Texas. Get an Insurance Check-up Before an Emergency Hits.

When was the last time you looked at your homeowners’ insurance policy?  Was it, say, around the time you purchased your home?  If so, you’re not alone.  Many homeowners take a “buy it and forget it” attitude when it comes to their insurance, and for good reason - it’s not fun to think about all the calamities that could befall your home. 

But, as the recent outbreak of floods, tornadoes and wildfires across the country reminds us, disasters can strike whether we’re ready or not.  And in the middle of a crisis is not the time to find out whether your policy will fully take care of any damage to your home.

So, below are several steps to take to give your homeowner's policy a "check-up" and ensure you're covered before an emergency.

Get any necessary disaster coverage

Not surprisingly, the most common insurance claims in Texas are weather-related; according to a 2010 survey of Allstate customers, (non-flood-related) water, wind and hail damage were the top claims made by Texas homeowners.  And while these are usually covered under standard homeowners’ policies, flood insurance has to be purchased separately through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).   Some Gulf Coast residents may also have wind and hail exclusions on their policy, in which case coverage can be obtained through the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA).

If you live in a high-risk area, chances are you already have this coverage. If you live inland, though, you still might want to consider coverage due to Houston's history of dramatic floods during tropical storms.  Just keep in mind, if you do plan to purchase flood insurance, a 30-day waiting period is in effect for all policies and, of course, no new policies can be written once a storm is in the Gulf of Mexico.

Make a home inventory

According to a 2008 survey by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, 48 percent of respondents said they did not have an inventory of their possessions, and of the ones who did, a sizable portion said they didn't have pictures or receipts to document their items' value, or hadn't stored the inventory in a safe place.

Obviously, having an inventory will not only make it easier to determine the proper level of coverage (see below), but also make replacing items go much more smoothly in case of a loss.  Use a template from your insurance company, or use one of the many electronic guides or apps which can help guide you through the process.  Take pictures as you go - being sure to open cabinets and closets - and keep receipts of any large items to document their value. 

Know your policy terms

Specifically, know whether your policy provides replacement cost or actual cash value.  Replacement cost is what you would pay to rebuild or repair your home, based on current construction costs. Replacement cost is different from market value (remember, this would mean hiring a construction crew to rebuild your home) and does not include the value of your land.

Actual cash value is the replacement cost of your property minus depreciation. While these policies are cheaper, they provide significantly less coverage.  If your home is destroyed and you only have actual cash value coverage, you may not be able to completely rebuild.

Adjust your coverage amounts as needed

You should know - without digging out your policy - how much your home and contents are insured for.  Keeping in mind the terms above, do an annual check with your agent to ensure your home is valued correctly, or even hire an appraiser if you want a third opinion.  Use your home inventory as well to gauge the correct level of coverage for personal property.  Note that there are usually limits on luxury items like jewelry and furs; if you have any of significant value, you'll need to purchase additional coverage for them if you want them to be insured.

Also, take a look at your liability coverage.  The standard amount on many policies is $25,000, but that amount would be insufficient in many lawsuits.   If you have a dog, for instance, some experts recommend raising the coverage to $100,000 or more.  While weather-related claims are among the most common in Texas, dog bites and other liability claims are the costliest.

Have a home savings account

Yes, insurance is there to be a safety net, and your insurance agent should work with you to ensure it continues to provide adequate coverage.  But, no policy covers everything; whether it's damages due to termites or hail damage to plants or just the deductible, it's helpful to have a savings account to dip into for those things, and provide your own safety net.

Of course, each case is unique and you should always talk to a qualified insurance professional when making any policy changes.  Above all, do your research, revisit your policy at least once a year, and get the coverage you need... before you need it.

You can do it - the keys are simply preparing properly, and not cutting corners.

Seeking: The Perfect Grass for Houston, Texas

The first step is choosing the proper grass, which will vary depending on your specific lawn needs and lifestyle.  The top three most often seen in Houston lawns are bermuda, zoysia and St. Augustine.

Bermuda grass is what you often see on playgrounds and athletic fields; it takes a lot of abuse and is quite weed-resistant.  It's not great in shady areas, or next to flowerbeds, as it will invade them.  Also be prepared to water and tend to this grass more than some others.

Zoysia grass is the beautiful "golf course grass."  It's drought resistant, weed-resistant and requires much less frequent mowing, making it a popular eco-friendly choice.  It's not good for high-traffic areas, though, and is also more expensive - up to twice the cost of grasses like Bermuda and St. Augustine.

St. Augustine is the grass most frequently seen in Houston yards, as it's well-suited to the local climate and soil. It's shade-tolerant, well-growing but not aggressive, has a nice green color and is relatively inexpensive. Its major downside is maintenance - it requires frequent mowing and watering.

Preparing the Soil - or, Turkey Poop Can Be Your Friend

It can be tempting to want to just plop those grass squares on top of your existing soil, but packed soil and old grass will make it difficult for new grass to take root.  Also, it's very possible that your soil has lost its nutrients over the years (or never had them to begin with).  Home builders are infamous for using cheap topsoil around homes, sometimes called "red death" for its reddish color and ability to lead plants to an early demise.

To find out what kind of soil you're dealing with, take a soil sample to your local gardening store or use a home soil testing kit, and buy any necessary amendments such as compost or fertilizers.  Before adding those amendments, though, you'll want to till the old soil in order to break it up and dig up any old roots or rocks which might be impeding growth.  You can rent a roto-tiller (a.k.a. the "bucking bronco") from a hardware store.

Now you can add amendments - a half-inch to inch layer of compost can give your grass a much better start, and there are so many good varieties on the market now.  My personal favorite is turkey compost, and yes, it smells just about as lovely as you'd imagine.  But the plants surely do love it.

Till the soil again after these additions, and smooth it out with a metal rake, removing any dirt clods or old pieces of grass that might be lingering.  Then, give the soil a once-over with a grass roller to even it out (again, these can be rented).  Once you've done this, now you're finally ready to lay the grass.

Laying Down the Sod

The key here is speed; sod should be installed the day it arrives, so don't order until your soil preparation is done. Start laying it down on a straight edge, like a fence, then stagger the sod pieces in the adjacent rows in a “brickwork” fashion. Since sod pieces may shrink after installation, push them together tightly, and use a machete to cut around trees and flowerbeds.  (If you successfully use a machete and a roto-tiller on this job, you are truly an intrepid lawn warrior.  Give yourself a gold star.)

Water the sod within 30 minutes of installation, and roll it again with a roller to ensure good soil contact.  Now go grab a beer and collapse.

But I Want to Be in My Yard NOW!

Of course, it's tempting to want to enjoy your new lawn, but practice patience.  To help the roots establish, water it daily for the first two weeks and avoid walking on it as much as possible.  Once the roots are established (you can't pull the grass from the soil) - usually in three weeks to a month - start watering more deeply and infrequently, and you can begin regular mowing. 

There's no doubt that sodding a yard is hard work; there's a reason the landscape companies charge so much to do it.  But if you want to hold onto more of your hard-earned money, and don't mind a few days of honest labor, there's no reason you can't sod your yard - and enjoy the satisfaction of having done it yourself.

While Texans overall enjoy a relatively low tax burden thanks to the fact that we don't have a state income tax, Texas property tax rates average higher than most states, These tax rates are not set by the state; in fact, all property taxes are both collected and spent locally.  Rather, it's up to each individual taxing unit (i.e. the school districts, cities, counties, MUDs and so forth) to set local property tax rates.  Then, county appraisal districts, or CADs, assess the value of properties upon which those taxes will be paid. 

So just how do those appraisers decide what Houston homes or property is worth?  First, it's good to know a bit about the property tax calendar.  All properties are appraised based on their value as of January 1.  Actual appraisals take place from January 1 through sometime in April, with notices of appraised value going out in April and May.  You then have at least 30 days to protest your valuation, often until May 31, with protest hearings usually happening May through July.  Tax bills are sent out starting October 1, with taxes - which were assessed as of January 1 - due by January 31 the following year. 

In most cases, properties are appraised using market value; in other words, "What are properties similar to this selling for?"  Of course, appraising each property individually is usually impractical, so to save time and money, appraisal districts often use mass appraisal - essentially grouping properties based on factors such as size and construction type, and assigning a "typical" value based on recent property sales. While they make adjustments to take into account differences such as age or location, it's not hard to imagine how some appraisals could miss the mark or be flat-out wrong - so it pays to double-check and know your rights.

The Texas Constitution requires that property taxes be assessed uniformly and evenly; that is to say, if two properties have the same value, their taxes should be identical.  So, if you have evidence that similar homes in your area have been appraised for less than yours (tax documents are public record), you may have a case for an appeal under this uniform assessment clause, even if your home's appraised value stayed the same or went down.

You should also check to see that your tax assessment reflects any exemptions for which you qualify - disabled, over 65, or the standard homestead for your primary residence.  An exemption is simply a provision which lowers the taxable value of a home (i.e. a $100,000 home with a $15,000 homestead exemption would be taxed at a value of $85,000).  These are not automatically granted, though, so be sure you've submitted the appropriate paperwork to your Appraisal District - either when you closed on your home or within a year of qualifying for one of the special exemptions.

And lastly, check your home's description on the detailed property record.  It's not uncommon to have the number of a home's bedrooms or bathrooms misstated, leading to an erroneous value appraisal.

If you do find mistakes or believe your property is over-valued, file a protest with your appraisal district by filling out a protest form from the districts' website, or simply returning the "protest" portion of your appraisal form. You will usually be given a chance to resolve the issue through an informal meeting at the appraiser's office first, but if you are unable to resolve it, the next step is a hearing in front of the appraisal review board or ARB.

As scary as they sound, the ARB is actually made up of citizens from the community, chosen by the appraisal district to hear disagreements.  You will be asked to provide evidence to back up your case, so do your research beforehand and bring documentation - whether it's tax records of similar properties in your area, photos of your home, or a report from an independent appraiser.  If this all sounds a bit daunting, or if you just don't have the time to deal with it, you can hire a property tax reduction specialist to help, although most cases can be resolved before reaching the ARB hearing stage and with a relatively small investment of time.

Bottom line, pay attention to those appraised value notices that are coming in the mail; be familiar with the laws and rules that govern your taxes and be prepared to speak up should you see something that's not right.  Because, although we all need to pay our fair share of taxes, there's no reason we should pay a cent more.

To learn more about appraisal districts, the appeals process or tax rates, visit the Greater Houston Area Appraisal Districts and Tax Assessors summary page on our website.

One look at your grocer’s seafood counter will tell you - it’s officially mudbug season in Houston (that’s crawfish for you recent transplants).  This is the time of year when we break out the boilin’ pots and get ready to do some serious stompin’ to Cajun tunes - all thanks to our neighbors to the east. 

Just as having Mexico to our south has given us an excuse to celebrate Cinco de Mayo and our beloved Tex-Mex, our proximity to Louisiana has brought Cajun culture to our doorstep.  In fact, so many Cajuns have settled just to our east - near Orange, Port Arthur and Beaumont - the area is sometimes called “Lapland,” where Cajun and Texas cultures overlap.  With our bayou buddies so linked to our own culture here, it’s easy to forget they originally came from the far, far north.

In case you didn’t know, Cajuns are actually descendants of French colonists in modern-day Canada.  (It’s hard to imagine the people who gave us gumbo coming from the land of poutine,  but it’s true.)  In the 1630’s, peasants in west-central France began emigrating to an area then called Acadia, the present-day Canadian Maritime provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.  These Acadians, as they were called, eked out a living as fishers and farmers, and formed a culture that valued independence and industry over social position - traits you can still see in today’s Cajuns.

Although the Acadians essentially governed themselves and enjoyed minimal government interference, they were still loyal to France - and the official religion of Roman Catholicism.  So when the Protestant British conquered Acadia in 1713, they refused to sign an unconditional oath of allegiance to Britain.  Tensions between them mounted until, fed up with the Acadians’ lack of loyalty, Britain ordered their expulsion in 1755. 

Known as Le Grand Derangement, or the Great Upheaval, this mass deportation split up families and had them shipped off to various locations along the Atlantic seaboard, or even back to France.  Many Acadians, wanting to stay in a French territory, emigrated to the bayous and swamps of Louisiana.

Upon arrival though, the Acadians found out - much to their dismay - that France had ceded control of the Louisiana territory to Spain about two years prior.  Luckily for them, Spain was also a Roman Catholic nation, and they allowed the Acadians to continue to practice their culture, language and religion as they pleased.  And so, they were able to form a virtual island of their own brand of French(ish) culture in western Louisiana, even as American expansion crowded in around them.  (In fact, it was these American settlers who truncated their name to “Cadians” and eventually “Cajuns.”)

It wasn’t until the late 1800’s when Cajuns finally began to migrate into our fair state, driven mainly by economic devastation in the wake of the Civil War.  Two industries at the time drew in our Louisiana neighbors - rice and railroads.  Rice was becoming a major crop in southeast Texas at that time, and of course, who better to cultivate rice fields than the people who gave us gumbo?  And as railroads expanded, many workers of Cajun descent moved to Houston, where Southern Pacific had their district headquarters.

And then came Spindletop, and the industry that would forge the strongest economic bond between our two regions.  The burgeoning oil industry would bring streams of Louisiana Cajuns looking for work in the oil fields, and Texans into Louisiana as their petroleum industry took off as well - a link which continues today.

And so, it turns out that we have French settlers, British overlords, Spanish overlords, rice farmers, railroad workers and Spindletop to thank for the gumbo, jambalaya and crawfish etoufee we get to enjoy on a regular basis today in Houston.  Let’s just thank our lucky stars they didn’t bring poutine with them instead.

HDA members and nonmembers alike purchased tickets that granted access to dramatic residences with up close and personal views of the downtown skyline. Owners graciously opened up their private residences at the Bayou Lofts, Franklin Lofts, Commerce Towers and the Cash Register Building. Other stops included the Four Seasons Private Residences, One Park Place and the Post Rice Lofts, which served as the Downtown Home Tour headquarters for the event.

Attendees were given walking maps showing the location of each of the properties. The Houston Wave was also on the route to offer those weary of walking the opportunity to catch a ride to the next stop on the self-guided tour.

Heather Pray, the HDA director of communications, said, “This is the fourth consecutive year that HDA has hosted the tour, although it began years before. President Andrew Huang and I revived it when we came on board in 2007.”

Melissa Fitzgerald, the HDA director of promotions/special events, has organized the tour for the past three years. She said, “The Downtown Home Tour is a really unique opportunity to tour several downtown buildings in one day. Downtown is a really walkable place.  Sometimes people don’t realize what a great neighborhood it is until they take the tour.”

Downtown has a vibrant energy that people who live downtown were excited to share. Post Rice Lofts residents Jim and Mary Bratton have lived in downtown for the past four years. Jim, a voiceover specialist, said, “This is the second high rise we have lived in. We lived east of downtown for 30 years before moving over here. Living downtown, you can actually feel the heartbeat of the city. At the Rice alone, we have five restaurants on the premises and any number of restaurants within walking distance.” Mary said, “For people with mobility issues, downtown is fantastic. Almost everything is barrier free.  Virtually everything is accessible.”

Pray is also a downtown resident. She said, “I live in the Historical District, which is right in the Theater District as well, so it is nice to be able to walk to the theater and enjoy the arts after work.”

There was plenty of history on this tour. Each of the historical buildings had their own incredible backgrounds. Among them was the Commerce Towers, which was built by Jesse H. Jones in 1928 and completely renovated in 2004.  And on the property where the Post Rice Lofts now stands once stood the Capitol of The Republic of Texas.

Fitzgerald said, “One Park Place and Post Rice Lofts are both for lease buildings. Commerce Towers has a private home and a corporate unit viewable on the tour as well as a vacant unit for lease.”

The Commerce Tower private residence had particularly impressive views on all three sides. The décor was a mixture of old and new, reflecting the rich history of the building and the modern renovation.  Sylvia Drake, ASID, was the interior designer and spoke to visitors on the tour. Susan Speck, the sales and leasing agent for Commerce Towers, also guided individuals through the showcased properties.

Two of the stops were the residences of local artists.

Olga Porter lives in the Franklin Lofts where she also keeps her studio. Porter was eager to show off her art as well as her downtown living space. “It’s a great opportunity for people who probably would not come into the gallery,” she said. “I like living downtown because I’m from a big city myself — Moscow. When I was making a decision where to live in Houston, downtown was my first choice.”

Nicola Parente has lived in the Bayou Lofts for about seven years. He said, “It’s been great to be a part of the downtown urban colony. As an artist, I draw a lot of inspiration from what surrounds me and I like to be a part of the urban landscape.  Growing up, I was fascinated by trains, so a lot of my paintings are influenced by train rides and seeing the landscape go by. I am surrounded by trains where I live, with the METRORail and the trains by I10. The Bayou Lofts was also originally the Southern Pacific Railway headquarters. To me, that is all a part of the experience of living in an urban environment.”

One of the most unique residences on the tour was the free-standing two-story Cash Register Building, which was built in 1927, has been completely renovated into office space on the first floor and into a private residence on the second floor by owners Deborah Keyser and James Stafford. The living space is appointed with architectural and industrial elements transformed into decorative items as well as works from local artists. Keyser said, “The downstairs was originally the cash register showroom as well as their sales and training offices. This upstairs was their factory and repair space. It took us about three and a half years to renovate it, including the planning and permit stages and the actual construction. We chose this building because we were looking for a place where we could live and work. It fit in with our lifestyle and we enjoy downtown. We also wanted to get out of our cars where we can walk or ride bikes.”

Those looking for the ultimate in luxury headed over to the Four Seasons Private Residences. Built in 2007, the hotel offers urbanites fully furnished properties for sale and lease.

Realtor Paige Martin, also a downtown resident, was an integral part of the creation of the home tour. You can find a complete list of available downtown properties on the Houston Properties website.

First, consider whether leasing is truly the right option for you.  If you live in a Houston neighborhood with a homeowner’s association, check the by-laws regarding leasing.  Also, take a critical look at your house:  if it’s older or needing frequent repairs, leasing might be an endless headache for your and your tenants.  And, if you still owe a considerable amount on the mortgage, think twice before leasing.  You should have in savings at least 6 months’ worth of housing expenses ; if you’re relying on the money from your tenant to pay your mortgage and they fall behind, you could be in danger of losing your house.

So, let’s assume you have a new-ish house, in good condition, with little to no mortgage, and you’ve decided to lease it out either to ride out the market or hopefully make a few extra bucks.  Becoming a landlord is like taking on another job - and you should be prepared to put in time and effort, particularly up-front, if you want a successful lease.

Get it ready

Obviously, having your house clean, tidy and in good working repair will help you attract better renters.  Also, though, go through and remove any expensive fixtures or furnishings (if you’re leaving it furnished) which you might not want damaged.

Establish your price

Determining your rental price is not as simple as adding up your monthly housing costs and adding a few hundred dollars; you need to be competitive, too.  Check online listings to get an idea of the prevailing rates of comparable properties in your area.

Screen applicants 

This is where things can get tricky.  At a bare minimum, always insist on a credit and background check.  The nicest-seeming people in the world can have criminal backgrounds or major credit issues.  Again, it’s a business so be sure to treat it as such.  Insist on running any checks yourself (as opposed to having the applicant provide you with them), and ask for references of previous landlords.

Decide up front what credit or background problems will cause an applicant to be declined, and apply your standards uniformly.  Failure to do so can lead you to be in violation of fair housing laws.  If you do end up declining an application, document the reasons why and keep it on file in case of any future questions.

Write up the contract

Again, this can be a difficult area.  Obviously, a rental contract is a legal document and should be written carefully.  There are many boilerplate documents available online, but according to nolo.com, the most important items to include are: the names of all tenants, limits on who can occupy the property, the term (length) of the tenancy, when rent is due and how it should be paid, amounts of deposits and fees, responsibilities regarding repairs and maintenance, restrictions on illegal activity, pet policy, and any other restrictions in line with state law or homeowners’ association rules.

Maintenance

One of the major downsides to leasing is that you are ultimately responsible for most repairs and maintenance the house should need - and that includes on weekends and during vacation.  Even if you plan on doing much of the maintenance yourself, it’s a good idea to form a relationship with a good all-around handyman who can take care of things when you can’t.

Decide if you need help

For those who want or need to lease their homes, but don’t have the time or inclination to play landlord, property managers can come in handy.  For a percentage of the monthly rent, these companies will field maintenance requests, ensure rent is collected on-time and provide updates on the property - particularly important if you live in another town.

Or, if you just need help with the up-front listing and screening applicants, consider a lease broker.  Generally real estate professionals, brokers will help ensure your home is advertised properly, applicants are screened thoroughly, and contracts meet legal standards.  Fees can run from a few hundred dollars to a full month’s rent, although for many landlords the peace of mind is worth it.

We build taller fences to feel safer in our own yards.

We know the make and model of our neighbor's car, but nothing about the person who drives it.

We crave our cave, and ignore our community.

We're supposed to be neighbors, but more often we're strangers. What happened?

Even the Welcome Wagon doesn't go door to door anymore.

Thomas Briggs of Tennessee founded the organization in 1928, hiring women to personally deliver baskets of gifts from local businesses to new homeowners.

It was a win-win-win situation. Newcomers learned about the community, local business got a boost, and people met their neighbors.

But home visits stopped in 1998, when an increase in two-income families meant nobody was there to answer the door.

Now, newcomers are greeted via mail – of the "snail" and "e" variety.

One has to wonder if the explosion of the Internet is one reason we've gone deeper into our bat caves.

Basically, we're surfing the Web instead of walking the streets.

We're text messaging to our neighbor instead of actually showing our face.

I'm guilty of it myself. I have, via text message, asked to borrow an egg from a neighbor. To which I got a "no, sorry..."

But I've also experienced the human kindness of neighbors, especially after Hurricane Ike. We were without power for more than two weeks, but the folks a few blocks over had their juice back after one week. Three nights in a row, a sweet woman personally delivered hot, home-cooked meals to dozens of families in my neighborhood.

It's not uncommon for disaster to bring neighbors out of the cave and into the light. Same thing when it comes to crime.

Consider the popularity of Neighborhood Watch programs, launched by the National Sheriff's Association in 1972. The whole idea is to work with your neighbors towards the common goal of crime prevention. Some 10 years later, National Night Out hit the streets, a demonstration of unity among fire fighters, cops, families, kids...and neighbors. Last year, more than 75,000 Houstonians participated.

The Woodlands resident Julia Belforti is known for having the best National Night Out parties on her block. In fact, she recently received a Neighborhood Services Volunteer of the Year Award. The 37-year-old mother of three moved to Creekside Park in 2008 and immediately looked for ways to pull the still-developing community together.

"Somebody once said to me 'I could die in my home and nobody would know,'" Belforti said. "That bothered me."

No doubt. Nobody means for their bat cave to become a mausoleum.

Houstonian Sarah Gish wanted to live in a neighborhood with a fun and friendly vibe, so before buying a house, she knocked on doors.

"We introduced ourselves, asked questions, met the neighbors, absolutely," Gish said. "I thought it was a great idea."

Realtor Mary Frances DuMay of Greenwood King is the one who suggested it.

"Go ahead and knock," DuMay said. "Just say 'hi, we're thinking about buying the house across the street. Can you tell me what you know about the block? What's it like living here?'"

More than 11 years later, Gish is still happy in her 'hood.

If you would prefer to investigate the neighborliness of a neighborhood in a more subtle way, get online before getting out. At www.newcomersclub.com, there's a worldwide directory of organizations full of people who want to get to know you too. The list is extensive, but it's easy to navigate and locate your corner of the city.

Some greeting clubs reach out not only to new residents, but to people who are simply ready to leave the bat cave. The Newcomers and Neighbors of Greater Houston's mission is to "offer a warm welcome to both the newcomer and the established resident." They've been doing so since 1957.

However, sometimes things go wrong. Click here for more on that, but suffice it to say, some neighbors will make you wish you never met them in the first place.

Houston resident Matt Morris once tried to help a neighbor down on her luck by buying her a basket full of groceries. It backfired when the neighbor accused him of being a drug dealer.

Then there was the time Morris and his fellow neighbors got to know a new family on the block in a rather unexpected way.

"Their two little kids, 6 and 7 years old, came home from school and no one was at the house to let them in, so they were just standing there in the middle of the street," Morris said. "Another neighbor gave them a snack and finally called the cops, who said we should keep the kids as long as we could because otherwise they would end up in foster care and probably be separated."

Four hours later, the dad came staggering out of the house. He didn't open the door to the neighbors, cops or his own kids because he was sleeping.

That neighbor obviously didn't read "20 Ways to Get to Know Your Neighbors." Number 20 is the best. "Control the highly annoying things your family might be doing."

If you can't do that, at least say sorry once in a while. Or perhaps thank you. Or maybe just start at the beginning and keep it simple…

Hello, neighbor.

Real Estate Sellers

Hire a Listing Agent - Although it is possible to sell a home without representation, selling a home is best accomplished with the help of a real estate professional. A real estate agent knows all the ins and outs of the real estate transaction and can be a seller’s greatest ally. The real estate agent will determine the home’s value using a Comparable Market Analysis (CMA), which will show a list of active, under contract and recently sold homes in the seller’s area. The price of the home will be determined by this as well as the home’s condition and amenities. The seller will sign a contract with the listing agent for a certain period of time. The Realtor may also go through the house and give advice on how the home should look. Photographs will be taken for brochures.

Seller’s Disclosure of Property Condition - The Seller’s Disclosure is a form the seller fills out listing of all the home’s appliances and features to disclose whether each item is in working order. The Seller’s Disclosure also provides various details regarding the home’s condition.

Home Service Contract - Sellers may opt to add a home warranty to provide an extra incentive to buyers. Coverage varies, but most home warranties cover repairs to appliances, water heaters, air conditioning and heating units, etc.

Listing the Home - The home will be given an MLS number and listed on multiple real estate sites, such as 2MRealty.com and HAR.com. A sign will be placed in the yard with the Realtor’s information along with brochures for potential buyers. A lock will also be added to the front door so other real estate professionals can show the home to their clients. Usually, the seller will receive a phone call to alert them that a buyer is interested in viewing the home at a certain time.

Real Estate Buyers

Fix Your Credit - Before purchasing a property, buyers should correct any credit inaccuracies. Pay down debts and address any credit blemishes. Credit.com advises buyers to start working on their credit scores three to six months before shopping for a home. Many lenders will also give advice on how to repair credit or refer a buyer to a legitimate credit repair firm.

Loan Pre-qualification and Pre-approval - Lenders look at numerous aspects of a person’s financial background to determine how much they can be prequalified for. Buyers should be prepared to provide tax returns for the past two years, two to three most recent pay stubs, bank statements, any savings and general living expenses. The buyer will also receive a Good Faith Estimate (GFE), which will include an itemized list of fees and costs associated with loan. Buyers have a variety of choices when it comes to mortgages, including an FHA loan or a VA loan, if applicable. They can also choose their mortgage terms, generally starting with a 15 year loan up to a 30 year loan, with either a fixed rate or an adjustable rate.

Hire a Real Estate Agent - A real estate agent can help buyers with every aspect of the home buying process. Once a buyer has figured out his or her price range, a Realtor can help the client pinpoint what best suits their needs, including home style, size and location. Once the properties have been selected, the agent will show those residences to the buyer. After a home is chosen, the Realtor will represent the client, negotiating with the seller’s agent regarding the sale price and requests from the buyer.

Both Buyer and Seller 

Purchase Offer/Counter Offer - When a buyer chooses a home, a Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) purchase offer contract is sent to the seller. The contract can include any requests that the buyer wishes the seller to make. The seller can either accept the offer or respond with another contract to the buyer. The real estate agents negotiate on behalf of their clients until an agreement is reached.

Earnest Money - Also known as a “good faith” deposit, earnest money shows the seller that the buyer is serious about wanting to purchase the residence. An earnest deposit is included in the purchase offer (and is deposited at a title company). It is usually nonrefundable, but will go towards the down payment of the home if purchased. In Texas, it is generally 1 percent of the sales price of the home, but it is negotiable. Buyers can also pay an Option Fee to allow them to walk away within a short period of time (usually 7-10 days) without risk of losing their earnest money. This secures the offer for the buyer and the seller will no longer accept other offers. If the transaction closes, the Option Fee is usually credited back to the buyer at closing.

Inspection - During the termination option period, a certified home inspector is hired to check the structural elements, exterior, roof, plumbing, air conditioning and heating system, electrical components, appliances, garage and more. The buyer can then use this report to ask the seller to make any repairs needed or negotiate a cash amount in lieu of repairs. The buyer makes a final walkthrough once any repairs have been made before the closing, as well.

HUD-1 Settlement Statement - The title company issues a HUD-1 Settlement Statement to both the buyer and the seller prior to closing. The HUD-1 is a list of all the costs for each party that will be needed to close the transaction. The lender sends the title company instructions and they compose the buyer’s side based on those instructions. Since January 1, 2010, the lender’s GFE, given to the buyer at the when securing the loan, must also match the HUD-1.

Closing - The closing is handled by a title company. It is what the buyer and the seller (and their Realtors) have all been waiting for. Both the buyer and the seller pay closing costs to the title agent, which have previously been negotiated during the purchase offer phase. By this time, the lender will have approved the loan and the interest rate locked in. The closing is the point where the keys are handed over to the buyer, the real estate agents are paid and the seller receives whatever funds are left after the previous mortgage is paid off.

To my left is a single mom breeding Pit bulls in her back yard. To my right is a lady who lets her big, black Lab do the #2 on our yard.

Across the street is the house that never sleeps. People are constantly coming and going, day and night. Cars and trucks parked facing the wrong direction, every day, all day.  And the children, who roam the 'hood with air-soft pellet guns.

We find pellets and doggie deposits littering the front yard, much to my husband's dismay when he's mowing.

Speaking of mowing, we get letters from our Homeowner's Association (HOA) if we don't edge.

But nobody seems to care about Pit bulls, BB guns, dog doody, and cars parked willy-nilly.

Yep, I have crazy neighbors.

But some people have unintended neighbors.

It wasn't a Nature Preserve

DeWayne Addison, a husband and father of two, built a new home for his family in the Sugar Land area.

It was a new area, and he got the back corner lot on a cul-de-sac, nothing but nature behind him. Life was good.

"Three weeks later this big erector set goes up behind the house," Addison said. "I thought what the heck is that?"

"That" was the beginning stages of a Hindu temple, a project that took two years to complete.

Addison doesn't have any problem with whatever floats your boat. Christian, Catholic, Hindu, Jewish, whatever.

But this was practically in his back yard. And, the grand opening of the temple lasted for 14 days, he said.

Addison got used to regular worship sounds, including chanting, to where it just became background noise.

But not on Saturdays, especially if there was a wedding taking place.

"Fireworks would blast the night air at 10 p.m., waking babies, parents and pets," Addison said. "The whole neighborhood would go crazy for half an hour."

As Addison's kids grew older, the family decided to move to an area within the Katy school district.

He worried the proximity of the temple may affect resale value, but was pleasantly surprised when the house sold within three weeks at 95 percent of list price.

So they moved, this time into a spec home. They found out about areas earmarked for retail development, and they knew the plans for neighborhood expansion.

No surprises for Addison this time, right?

Wrong.

A petition is currently circulating, he said, in an attempt to kill a developer's proposal to build townhomes nearby.

What's a guy to do?

Research

Any time you see an empty field or lot in the area, ask your Realtor about it. If that doesn't help, contact the HOA and ask about restrictive covenants.

If the land in question is outside the governing HOA's boundaries, you might want to try and identify the land owner through tax rolls, the appraisal district, or deed records. Call city or county planning departments and ask if any plans have been proposed for that parcel of land.

You can also do a title search to trace the land's history in terms of previous owners, and whether or not there are any existing restrictions.

"But it’s a very lengthy and costly process," said Michelle Taylor, branch manager of Stewart Title Conroe. "You'd be paying the title company at least $500."

Although, Taylor said, in her 21 years in the title biz, nobody has asked to do that.

Maybe it's because nothing is forever.

"Even if there aren't any plans proposed," said Paul Caver of Infinity Title "there is no guarantee that this will still hold true two years down the road."

Eyes Wide Shut

Connie Zientek moved into a house that was directly in the flight path of Bush Intercontinental, half a mile from a dump, half a mile from a minimum security prison, and down the road from a crematorium where unclaimed pets end up.

Zientek knew about the airport, dump and prison, but chose to live there anyway.

"Yeah, the airplanes were noisy enough that we had to stop all conversation if we were on the patio," she said. "The dump was far enough away to where I didn't have to drive by and see it, although on humid, stagnant days you could smell it. But the house was close to where I worked, close to where my husband worked, and it was on a cul-de-sac in a nice, established neighborhood."

Zientek did not know about the animal crematorium. She discovered it when her own pet went missing, and…never mind.

But it wasn't the crematorium that chased her away. Zientek didn't mind that unintended neighbor. What she did mind was a crazy neighbor.

"A house across the street became a rental house," Zientek said. "It was inhabited by single-partiers or the Brady Bunch and everything in between. I would come home from work and find a dozen kids trampling my yard playing football."

Zientek now lives in the country. Eight acres, five ponds, zero neighbors.

Caveat Emptor ~ Latin for "Let the Buyer Beware"

So in the end, there are simply no guarantees when it comes to unintended neighbors or crazy neighbors.

"It's buyer beware, and that's how it's been for years and years," Taylor said. "All I can really tell you is to do your homework, find out what you can, and hope for the best."

Focus First on What You Can’t Change

Location, Location, Location: As the cliche goes, this is the most important part of any real estate decision, and the one thing you absolutely can’t change. Take into account, obviously, how close this house is to your work, shopping, restaurants and schools. (FYI, if you have children who will be going to public school, you can get information on schools’ and districts’ ratings by the state of Texas at the Texas Accountability Rating System website.) Note the traffic in the neighborhood and along the street. Take a look at the view from the house: do you have a scenic vista, or a straight shot at your neighbor’s kitchen? If anything major about the home’s location is displeasing, consider moving on. A bad view or major commute won’t get better over time; this isn’t an area for compromise.

Neighborhood: Certainly, there are some things you won’t learn about a neighborhood until you live in it, but a few telling signs will be visible with a simple drive-through. Are the homes kept tidy? How does your home compare to the others - are you looking to be the biggest or smallest in the neighborhood? Are all of the homes relatively the same, or are they an eclectic mix of styles? Will you be part of an HOA? For some, homeowners’ associations spell consistency and high standards; for others, they’re intrusive nuisances. Either way, know what you’re getting into before you buy.

Look at Function over Form

Floor Plan: It’s easy to get sucked in by granite countertops and upgraded hardware, but first take a close look at room functionality, which is often harder - or more expensive - to change. Is there adequate cabinet and closet storage? Think about what things you’ll be doing most frequently - cooking, entertaining, gardening, nightly storytime - and how the home is set up for that. Imagine the dailies: hauling groceries in from the car or cleaning up the kids’ toys. If you’re looking at a two-story, weigh the pros of (usually) lower price-per-square-foot over the cons of shlepping everything up and down stairs. Consider the future as well and how your needs may grow - or shrink.

Condition of the home: Of course, it is generally recommended that you get an inspection, but take the initiative to check out a few things first:

• check for any obvious foundation issues
• turn on the faucets, flush toilets to check for water pressure and adequate drainage
• turn on the thermostat and check air flow from all vents; are there any warm or cool spots in the house?
• open and close doors and windows to ensure they work properly
• assess the general condition of caulk, plumbing and light fixtures

Also, ask the following:

• How old is the roof? (Typical shingle roofs have a 15-25-year life expectancy.)
• How old are the pipes, and what type are they? (For older homes)
• What did utility bills average last year?

Lastly, Look at the Icing on the House

Finishing Touches: Finally, the fun stuff. If everything else is to your liking, now you can consider whether a home has the cabinets or countertops or hardware fixtures you’re looking for. Take a look at the crown moulding, if you’re into that. (And even if you’re not, it can often be an indicator of construction grade and worth noticing.) Try to look past things that can be easily fixed or replaced. Yes, it can be hard to visualize past the bright blue wall in the the dining room, but don’t let that stop you if everything else about it is your dream home.

More often than not, what we envision when we start house hunting doesn’t match what we eventually get. Compromise is almost always necessary. The trick is knowing when to bend, when to stand firm, how not to be swayed by a beautiful granite countertop...and when to look for the elephant in the room.

He is not out to climb the corporate ladder or collect a paycheck, but has the spirit to be his own boss.

"I wasn't the kid who wanted to play football," said 28-year-old Benjamin Floyd. "I was the kid who wanted to own the team."

That's why Floyd recently received his real estate license, despite media reports on the sinking-to-the-cellar state of the industry.

"At the end of the day, I'm not built to be under anyone else's schedule or constraints," Floyd said. "I want to be an entrepreneur and I saw opportunity out there."

He's now partner at Thomas and Floyd.

Floyd completed his education online, with one eye on the monitor and one eye on his many mentors.

"A lot of them obtained wealth and status through real estate," he said.

Rita Santamaria, president and founder of Champions School of Real Estate, has been in the biz for 27 years, ever since opening the school's flagship location on FM 1960.

Santamaria now has three locations in Houston, two in Dallas, one in Austin, one in San Antonio, and an online campus that launched in 2004.

New enrollments took a hit in 2008, 2009 and most of the way through 2010, said Santamaria, who declined to provide definite numbers, but did say the first quarter of 2011 is looking up.

The average age of folks heading back to school for a real estate license is 54.

That's a state average, Santamaria said. Here in Houston, both age and ethnicity run the gamut.

"From college students wanting to be their own boss, to people looking for a new career they can ride out until retirement, we most definitely see it all," Santamaria said.

The majority of folks entering the real estate biz are women, but just slightly at 55 percent.

However, when it comes to the school's loan officer/mortgage broker courses, the numbers are flipped. And, Santamaria said, it's currently a hot topic.

Part of the reason could very well be the hot-button known as H.R. 1728.

The "Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act" places federal restrictions on the way loan originators and brokers do business, something everyone in the industry are quite concerned about.

"The change in the national law simply made our loan officers take specific courses, but in fact the hours are fewer than what they were prior to the national law being instated," Santamaria said. "We had more loan officers when the hours were 60, then the economy took a dip and many went out of the business for a short while."

Santamaria said she feels increased enrollment is due to a recovering market in Texas.

"It's interesting to us that our loan officer courses in 2008 and 2009 were down significantly in terms of enrollment, but already in this first quarter of 2011, have really increased," she said. "Real estate brokers, managers, lenders – they call us regularly to see how our numbers are, because over the years it's been an indication of the feeling of the industry, whether it's negative or positive.

"Now we can tell them we're getting new people in again. It's a great feeling."

What's Your Flavor?

Certainly there are several career options in real estate – including lending, inspecting and appraising - so to further clarify, this article will now focus on the ones putting out the for sale signs: the real estate agents.

Before signing up, ask yourself this - do you like to be in a group or fly solo?

The majority of students, 60 percent, prefer to take classes in a brick and mortar classroom, Santamaria said, but there's no doubt the younger folks are more interested in studying on the Internet.

Either way, hitting the books at real-estate school is much quicker than going back to college. At a time when corporate America is still laying people off, this can be a mighty tempting option, Santamaria said.

Students are required to take 210 hours of education before qualifying to write a state and national exam.

Once licensed, students must take 60 hours of continuing education within the first year. After that, it's 15 hours every two years.  The Texas Real Estate Commission mandates that at least six of those 15 hours be devoted to legal and ethics courses.

After that, the type of continuing education class you take really depends on whatever floats your boat.

There's a ton to choose from, including social media, staging, even farm and ranch real estate.

Options are constantly updated and refreshed because "different generations have different expectations," Santamaria said.

More than 70 percent of real estate salespeople go on to renew their license after the first year, Santamaria said. Of those, state stats show that more than 80 percent renew the second year.

"There tends to be a misconception that people who get their license don't keep it," Santamaria said, "but they do."

Book Smart, Test Anxiety?

Okay, so you've put in the time ...now you have to pass the test.

"It's a challenging exam that requires students not just read information, but understand it – and understand it well," Santamaria said. "It includes state law, national law, contract law, statues, homestead, financing…"

Josefina Duran was rather intimated when she went to take her test.

Sitting there in the lobby was a crying woman who had failed it for the third time.

"I started questioning myself," Duran said. "But I just took a deep breath, went in there and took it."

She passed on the first try, and is now happily ensconced at Keller Williams.

Duran has been licensed since January 2010. But it's not just the piece of paper that makes her successful at what she does.

"You have to be comfortable with face-to-face interaction," Duran said.

That's why her message to potential industry newcomers is to do what a lot of people do not do.

Talk to other agents.

"I didn't go into this blindly," Duran said.  "I did my homework first, researching brokerage firms and visiting agents. I didn't jump in expecting to be some kind of Real Estate Extraordinaire overnight."

To learn more about the requirements to obtain a Texas real estate license visit the website for the Texas Real Estate Commission.

Clear Capital, a provider of real estate valuations and data, said in its Home Data Market Index Report last month that it expects the Houston-Sugarland-Baytown area to see 3.6% growth in home prices, second out of fifty metropolitan areas included in the report.  Washington, D.C. led the way with a projected 6.5% growth, and eleven other areas, including Dallas-Fort Worth, New Orleans, and Memphis are also expected to make modest gains this year.  Nationwide, though, home prices are expected to slip an average of 3.7%, after a 4.1% decline in 2010.  It’s not hard to see how even the modest growth expected for Houston puts us close to the top of the nation.

A couple of areas for optimism exist in the national picture, though.  First, the roller coaster ride home prices took in 2010 isn’t expected to repeat itself.  Last year, as government incentives encouraged homebuyers in the spring, average sale prices rose 9.7% between March and August, only to fall by 9.4% over the remainder of the year as the tax credits expired and foreclosure sales increased.  Now, as markets shed the after-effects of those tax incentives, prices - while lower - are expected to stabilize in 2011.  Additionally, nearly half of all the price declines predicted in Clear Capital’s report are expected to hit in the first quarter.  In fact, 14 of the 50 markets reviewed are expecting gains in the latter half of 2011.

Another positive prediction for Houston came from Mike Inselmann, president of Metrostudy research firm, last month.  Speaking of the local homebuilding market, he said he believes it has hit its bottom and is on an upswing.  After a flat couple of years, Inselmann predicted increases in home starts between 1.3 to 6.6% over 2010.  And while he noted that it’s hard to call a little over 1% growth a recovery, again it’s all in the perspective.  “We’re at the bottom,” he said.  “Most non-Texas markets are still searching for the bottom.”

So what’s helping make Houston’s future brighter?  As Alex Villacorta, senior statistician at Clear Capital states, “Understanding which path a given market is likely to follow is dependent on several key factors, but the two clear drivers are local unemployment rates and the prevalence of distressed homes.”  Houston’s percentage of homes sold as foreclosures is around the national average of 26%, but it had a year-over-year drop in January of 2%, a positive sign.  And as for jobs, economic forecasts are predicting over 18,000 new jobs this year for Houston.

With jobs, of course, come people.  Allied Van Lines’ annual moving survey listed Texas as the state with the most net relocation gains (i.e. more people moving in than moving out), a title our state has held for the last 6 years.  And people need homes.  As Inselmann pointed out, 15,000 apartment units were absorbed in 2010, leading to higher demand this year.  Higher demand generally leads to higher rent, and higher rent will send some renters into the homebuying market.

Some of these predictions seem to coming to pass.  The Houston Association of Realtors’ market report showed that total home sales rose in January for the first time in seven months.  Additionally, average home prices increased 2.2%, continuing an upward trend that began in mid-2010.  A single-family home’s average selling price was $196,879, the highest on record for a January in Houston.  While much of the price increases are attributable to gains in the luxury home market, the $150,000-250,000 market segment also saw growth starting in December, its first uptick since last May.  In fact, all home markets saw increases last month, and while we’ll need to see a few more months of growth before calling it a trend, Houston’s market certainly started 2011 on a positive note.

Of course any recovery is tenuous, and factors like oil prices and state budgets will no doubt have an effect.  But Houston is well-positioned to lead the way towards a steady housing recovery.  To quote Mike Inselmann, “The next 10 years are a great time to do business in Houston.”  It’s not a bad time to live here either.

Such was life in the 1930’s: the so-called “five o’clock curtain” was in force to keep Jews and Gentiles separate after business hours.  The Houston and River Oaks Country Clubs didn’t allow Jews as members, and the various club rooms in which business deals were made over cigars and brandy were closed to them as well.  Sharing a neighborhood was unthinkable. 

The answer was Riverside Terrace, an enclave of stately homes south of downtown and free from the restrictions of River Oaks.  Set in the rolling hills and Spanish moss-covered trees along Braes Bayou, Riverside Terrace became a haven for wealthy families such as the Weingartens, Fingers, Battlesteins and of course, the Sakowitzes.

In a Houston Press article about Riverside Terrace, Katharine Shilcutt writes, “Notable architects built homes for these families, such as Houston’s own John Chase and John Staub, as well as Birdsall Briscoe and Bolton & Barnstone.”  Even Frank Lloyd Wright was rumored to have a hand in some of the mansions, and they remain some of the best examples of Art Deco and Mid-Century architecture in Houston. 

The quiet, oak-lined streets began to attract other families too, and by the end of the 1940’s - although the area was still known as “Jewish River Oaks” - many non-Jewish families had moved into the area.

Things took a dramatic turn in 1952, when a wealthy, black cattleman by the name of Jack Caesar decided to buy a home in the neighborhood.  As Shilcutt wrote, “It was a contentious settlement from the beginning, as Caesar’s white secretary bought the home for him and transferred the title to the family, which then moved into the house during the middle of the night.  Such precautions were necessary, it turns out, as a bomb was detonated on Caesar’s front porch only a year later - a sign that the new neighbors weren’t exactly welcome.”

During a time when the nation practiced institutionalized segregation, integration of this sleepy Houston neighborhood wouldn’t come easily - or at all.  Although many residents were reportedly sympathetic to their new black neighbors - perhaps because they, too, had once been neighborhood outcasts - it wasn’t clear that they would stick around to express their sympathies.  Nervous homeowners began to sell their homes, sometimes at a loss, convinced the neighborhood would soon be in decline.  Unfortunately, their actions became a self-fulfilling prophecy as opportunistic developers bought up homes to subdivide them into apartments.  Things worsened when historic homes were demolished outright during the expansion of Highway 288 in 1959.

In the 1960‘s some of the remaining white neighbors staged a campaign to prevent, as one resident called it, a “completely non-white neighborhood.”  They put signs in their yards which read, “This is our home; It is not for sale.”  Eventually, though, most did in fact sell, and by 1970 the neighborhood had stabilized into a new identity - as home to wealthy, African-American families as doctors, lawyers, politicians and college professors moved into the area’s stately homes.  But again, as Shilcutt writes, “As time progressed, more and more homes in the neighborhood fell by the wayside, abandoned due to foreclosure or simple neglect.”

Not surprisingly, today Riverside Terrace is undergoing yet another transformation.  The area has seen an influx of white, gay residents who are renovating the area’s neglected historic mansions.  With its beautiful scenery and proximity to Hermann Park, the Museum District and Medical Center, many are taking a renewed interest in the neighborhood.  In fact, as the economy was starting to falter in 2008, housing demand was still high here, their market among the strongest in the city.

Riverside Terrace’s future is far from certain, though, as some of the historic homes have yet to be rescued from decline and the encroachment of condos may further threaten them.  Hindsight, of course, affords us the opportunity to decide which parts of history we wish to safeguard and maintain, and which to discard.  This community, which was simultaneously exclusionary and home for the excluded, deserves to have its homes continue on, even as some of its old practices deserve to die away.

Houston General Manager Kimberly Paulus said, “Del Webb is known as the industry experts for the active adult demographic.  Our communities provide a lifestyle that promotes a healthy life in body, mind and spirit. As a national builder, we have our presence in every major community in the country and Houston was an opportunity that we were very interested in.” 

The Baby Boomer generation is arguably the most influential and successful age group in American history. This generation has continued to shatter stereotypes, even as they enter retirement age. Those who are beginning to think about the next phase of their lives are seeking an active lifestyle once their children are grown and out of the house.

Del Webb, a division of PulteGroup, caters to that concept.  At least one member of the household must be 55 years of age or older to live in a Del Webb home and no permanent resident can be under 19 years of age.

Sweetgrass is largest of its kind in the Houston area. The 500-acre site offers 1,500 lots, a 50-acre stocked lake with fishing pier, 3.8 miles of walking trails, open spaces and greenbelts, where 80 acres will not be built on.

“It’s a really great location that we were pleased to find,” said Paulus. “So much of what we do is about finding the right piece of land. If you look at the property from a topographical standpoint, it is probably one of the prettier pieces in that corridor. It’s got a rolling landscape, very large oak and pecan trees on it, and a natural bayou we’ve enhanced and developed a little bit further. The location is really dynamic. It’s also close to life amenities, banking, hospitals and restaurants. It’s 10 minutes from Sugar Land and about 25 minutes from downtown.”

Sweetgrass will also have a 27,000 sq. ft. recreational facility scheduled for 2012. Called “The Lakehouse,” it will offer health and wellness activities like yoga and cardio classes and social events like dancing, crafts classes and cooking demonstrations. Del Webb has also hired a lifestyle director for this facility.

Sweetgrass, has three different series of homes to choose from, ranging in price from $140K to $240K.  The Garden Series homes range from 1,100 to 1,500 sq. ft. The Classic Series ranges from 1,600 to 1,900 sq. ft. and the Estate Series are from 2,100 to 2,700 sq. ft. All the homes are one story, with 3 ft. wide doors and large garages. “All the walls are enforced, so bathrooms can be retrofitted with grab bars in the future, if necessary,” said Tim Stimpson, one of the Del Webb sales professionals.

Paulus said, “Our floor plans are designed for active adults, meaning they don’t need four bedrooms anymore.  A 2,000 sq. ft. single-story home may only have two bedrooms because that is all they need. And then, of course, there’s our community at large. Our amenity structure is built for this demographic, as well. Other master planned communities are filled with kid-friendly activities, but Del Webb designs communities with the active adult in mind.”

Ron and Jo Ann Rieger were among the many grand opening invitees. The Riegers purchased the very first lot at Sweetgrass. Ron said, “We really liked the scenery of Sweetgrass. We could choose any lot, any house, at any elevation. We chose a lot overlooking the water. It will be finished at the end of July.”

Representatives of Fort Bend community set up vendor booths, as well, so those attending the grand opening could get to know more about the area. Along with many other booths, the Central Fort Bend Chamber Alliance provided community information. Fort Bend County Public Transit informed guests about their $1 door-to-door pickup service. The George Memorial Library gave out fliers. And the Fort Bend Country Club, next door to Sweetgrass, gave out golf and dining information.”

Paulus summed up Sweetgrass by saying, “If you are an active adult at the age 55 and better, what we offer is a community, a lifestyle and a floor plan that is specifically designed for you. Come on out and see it for yourself!”

How to decide between a 1-story or 2-story house?

Really, it seems to be whatever floats your boat.

"Cleaning stairs sucks so bad," said Spring resident Karen Edgerley, who lives in a 1-story.

"I love having stairs," said Spring resident David Bamberg, owner of a 2-story. "You can decorate the area all the way up and make it look great."

"I always wanted a 2-story...I like the idea of kids coming downstairs on Christmas morning," said Rosenberg resident Cristy Johnston. "But stairs are inconvenient. And cleaning up and downstairs would suck."

Cristy lives in a 1-story.

But Houston resident Samantha Young, owner of a 2-story, likes the added privacy of having her bedroom downstairs while the kids are up.

"You can put the kids to bed and still have your own fun," she said. "And then there's the added level of difficulty for the kids to sneak out."

All excellent points indeed.

Before deciding, here are some thoughts to wrap your brain around.

Heating and Maintenance

Keeping the heat and air balanced between two floors can be tricky, especially if the house only has one unit for heating and cooling.

I'll admit, every time the seasons change, I have to mess with the vents on both floors to try and keep everyone comfortable. One room will be a sauna, the other an igloo. I still haven't found exactly the right combination.

If you're the kind of person who likes to hang lights at Christmas, or if you have any need to get on the roof, you'll need an extra-long ladder.

The vaulted ceiling in my first-floor living room stretches up the full 2-stories. There's a smoke detector there and I've often wondered what we'll do when the thing starts beeping in the middle of the night because the batteries are dying.

And I have a friend whose second-floor toilet sprung a leak, while they were on vacation, which, of course, is when these things tend to happen.

Water damage on the second-story floor means ceiling damage on the first.

Okay, so far, 2-stories might not be sounding so good.

But…

Game room/office space

Angie Hunt, broker/owner of Package Realty currently has a buyer who wants to look only at 2-stories because she wants a game room for the kids.

I totally get that.

One of the reasons I wanted to move from our 1-story to a 2-story is because I didn't want to have to see the kids' mess every day. I find it hard to concentrate, even work, if there are toys and such in my line of vision. Tucked away upstairs, I don't see it unless I go up there. I like that.

Then again, I go up there every day. That's where my home office is. I'm doing pretty good at walking past the mess and closing the door though.

Bamberg, an illustrator, has his art studio on the upper floor of his house.

A 2-story shack seems to be a good fit for folks who work from home.

The 'having kids' part is open for debate.

"I grew up in a 2-story house, and trust me, no kid ever kept their stuff in the game room," Karen Edgerley said. "I still remember my mom placing crap at the bottom of the stairs for us to take up when we went to our rooms."

True that. I do it too.

Yard Space

One-story houses are more spread out, meaning less yard for kids to play or gardeners to dig; less space to put in a pool or a pergola.

David Bamberg loves the yard space at his 2-story.  He has himself a gorgeous garden, which, by the way, he loves to look down upon from the window of his second-floor office.

For others, filling up more yard with more house mean less time mowing and weeding.

Location, location, location

Of the bedrooms, that is.

Karen Edgerley prefers having the bedrooms on one floor, where she can easily get to her boys should they need her.

Now that my kids are older, I'm happy to have their bedrooms up and away from my sacred "parents retreat." That's what one realtor called the master bedroom when she was showing me houses.

"Most of my buyers want the master suite down so they can be away from the kids," Hunt said. "Some moms will sacrifice walking up the stairs to check on the kids in exchange for the clutter being contained."

Show me the money

Imagine a 3,000-square foot home.

The single-story requires 3,000-square feet of foundation and roof.

The 2-story, basically, is half that.

A general rule of thumb in construction is that it's cheaper to build up than out.

But when it comes to purchase price or re-sale value, it's more about lot size and location – corner lots, for example, are premium - and square footage.

"Most houses are priced per square foot, whether the 3,000 square feet is spread over 2-stories or one," Hunt said.

Living your life

How do you live in your current house?

That's the first thing Hunt asks her clients.

"Before we even talk about 1-story or 2, I ask them to walk me through a typical week and weekend at home, so I can get a feel for what their needs are," Hunt said. "If they want a big yard, an office and/or a game room, 2-stories is where it's at. If they're older, looking to downsize, maybe they're thinking about their health and don't want to worry about climbing up and down stairs, then a 1-story is where it's at."

Stories?  Say What?

Why are they called "stories" anyway?

A Google search came up with several gems.

- In the old days, building levels were measured by a tool called a "story pole," which is basically a marked pole for measuring masonry during construction

- It comes from the Latin word "historia," meaning history. Roman buildings had carvings or murals on the exterior walls on each floor level depicting historical battles. Multi-level buildings were marked by levels of historia. The word was shortened to stories and, today, a building is so many stories tall

- Churches use stained glass, more so in the old days. Each window pane told a piece of a biblical story. As churches grew and built up to a second level, the story would be continued by using more stained glass. If someone said "where's the priest?" the answer might be he is on the second "story" of the church

If you know the correct answer, leave me a comment…

Now you have to move. And it's going to cost money one way or the other. Did you budget for that?  ...don't worry, I never did either. But I moved anyway.

I've moved every which-way possible. Hauling boxes in the 1986 hatchback from one tiny apartment to the other; feeling like a true grownup the first time I rented a U-Haul; and then there was the big "international" move from Alberta to Texas for which the ex-husband's company paid.

Near or far, here's that I've learned.

Pay for boxes

There is something much sturdier about the boxes one can buy at a storage facility place, rather than foraging for rotted-out containers in the dumpster behind the grocery store. In fact, these boxes are so darn good, you can use them again and again, move to move. And that means you're being "green," which is even better. Good job.

Stacking said boxes

Whether you are putting boxes in a rental truck or the backseat of a Mustang, they fit better if the lids are closed properly. No bulging out the top means you can stack another box on top of it! A totally genius timesaver.

Consider the cost

Will you really save very much by making 500 trips in your Smart car? Or should you do it all in one big bang?

To hire or not to hire

Make it clear how much work you will expect of the movers. Are you going to pack your own boxes, and move them to the front room so the movers can hustle? If so, you might be able to spend less. Some moving companies charge by the hour. The more organized you are, the better. And I've learned that some movers charge you an extra fee should it get dark outside while they're still doing their thing. I suggest you invest in a whip to keep those boys moving. Kidding, of course.

Don't hide stuff

When a mover comes in to give you a written estimate, don't forget to mention the stuff in the shed in the backyard. Or tell him you're planning to sell the washer, dryer, bunk beds, and Grandma's massive armoire before you move. Not. Gonna. Work. They give you an "estimate" for a reason. The actual cost can be quite different.

Fancy-dancy movers

These are the people who come in and pack up your entire house in one day, load it all up, and deliver it to your new address. I got to do this once, thanks to a generous expense account.  But I was a little skeeved out by the thought of strange people – and let's face it, movers are most often men – handling my unmentionables. Then I worried about things like tampons, massage oils, mustache bleachers and bikini line blasters. So I stuffed a duffle bag with my personal products instead. I know these guys have probably seen it all, but that didn't mean they were gonna see mine.

Talk to your Realtor

These people have been around the block. They know who's good and who's not. Heck, maybe they'll even let you borrow their truck.

On a more serious note, Ken Mafli, Web master of http://www.apexmovers.com/, said folks can find a great moving company by following three easy steps.

This is the article, http://encompassmore.com/great-articles/finding-a-great-mover but in a nutshell:

• Start with the Better Business Bureau
• Check out http://www.movingscam.com/, a Web site launched by a dude who was so sick of "rogue" movers he decided he was going to take them on single-handedly
• Get a written estimate, and remember the price can go up, but will never go down

There you have it.

Wait, one more tip.

Let the perishables, well, perish

Try to empty the fridge and freezer the old-fashioned way before you move – by eating the stuff in it - unless you're only moving down the block. I once had an incident with an exploding spaghetti sauce jar.

Happy packing!

What kind of construction does your company build?

Our development company Zieben Kirksey Development creates high-end gated communities and then its sister company, ZK Homes, builds the homes ranging from $350-$800K. We currently have three communities. Pine Ridge Villas are patio homes in Bellaire. Enclave at Bellaire is a community of townhomes. We also have Enclave at Lake Pointe, a 100 unit new patio and town home project inside Sugar Land right by the Whole Foods. Recently, we launched another division of our business, building high-end, green built custom homes.

How has your company fared in the last few years?

Before 2009, we were producing about 12 houses a year. When everything slowed down, the economy made it lot harder to do business and get financing so we built six homes in 2009.  Fortunately, we didn’t have to let any of our employees go. When our sales started ramping up, we brought in some new sales people and we were able to build 19 homes this past year, however our profit margins still remain conservative.

You still made the Houston Business Journal’s Book of Lists for Largest Houston-Area Homebuilders for 2009.  Were you surprised?

Profits were way down for everyone and we somehow made the list. When I saw we made it to the 25th largest builder, I laughed. What’s incredible is that Houston has become the largest homebuilding market in the nation.  It goes to show how drastically the market has been affected when we are the 25th largest builder in Houston. I’ll be interested to see where we rank next time.

What homebuilding sector has been affected the most?

The large tract home builders in the $150K market have suffered the biggest loss in terms of profits, like KB Homes, Lennar and David Weekly. Those kinds of builders are such big machines, operating in several markets besides Houston. They were building so many homes when all this happened that they had to pull their reins back. Plus, their banks weren’t letting them do as much and that slowed them down. Houston Custom home builders have been hit too because their customers are much more cost conscious now. Buyers can’t just go in and spend what they want on a home.

What has your company done to stay competitive?

One of the big initiatives we pushed for last year was to get into green building by launching ZK Green. My partner, John Kirksey, is a Certified Green Builder.  In 2010, he won the Green Building Advocate of the Year Award for the Houston’s Best Awards from the Greater Houston Builder’s Association and the Texas STAR Award from the Texas Association of Builders. We don’t certify every home, but they are all LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Silver level or higher. We are also building the first Gold level LEED home in Sugar Land.  We use tankless water heaters, spray foam insulation and rain sensors with our irrigation systems in all of our new Houston and Sugar Land custom homes. We install 16 SEER air conditioning systems that filter the air at a hospital grade level. We also use water-based paint so there’s no chemicals in it. Our carpets are made from recycled materials, etc. We work very hard with our vendors and contractors to keep our costs down and pass that on to our homeowners, whereas typical true custom and green homes can be very expensive.

What is your advice on how builders can increase business prospects?

Be innovative and focus on providing value to your buyers. Find new ways to provide products and features in a more efficient manner. One way we have tried to be efficient is by using portals where our vendors can log in to bid. Our construction managers carry tablet PCs and PDAs while working in the field.

Do you see any emerging trends for new homes in 2011?

Even though we have been implementing these types of building practices, green is the new hip, sexy thing. I was just at the International Builders Show in Orlando Florida. Four years ago when I went, green building wasn’t even mentioned, now half the whole floor was on green home building products. At the show, GE showcased new appliances that have a wireless signal that can interface with your electricity meter so when you look at your power usage, you can determine when to use it. There are peak times and off peak times at night when fewer people are using it. Houston is the first city in the US to have installed new smart electric meters on people’s homes. This new line of appliances talks to your electric meter so when it hits off peak, it will automatically turn on your dishwasher and your washer and dryer so you will pay a lot less to use them. We are installing them in 2011.

What advice do you have for homebuyers?

If homebuyers want to build a custom home, I think now is an incredible time to do it. One, interest rates are low; two, they can buy products and get labor at a lower cost than before; and three, a lot of companies, like ourselves, are looking to retool their businesses to be more innovative since it’s harder to get clients and we want to make ourselves stand out. That falls in line with us becoming the 25th largest builder. We’re trying to separate ourselves and pushing up. Other guys who haven’t separated themselves are going down. Home buyers can take advantage of that.

From your perspective, what is the homebuilding outlook for 2011 and beyond?
 
I think we’re going to see things slowly come back. I think it’s going to be about 10 percent better this year and really pick up in 2012. I just saw a slideshow from the Greater Houston Partnership and I also recently read an article by Mike Inselman from Metrostudy speaking to GHBA members.  Both are saying that the worst is behind us. We’ve already bottomed out and are slowly on our way back up.  If you can imagine a graph, we have just finished hitting the bottom of a trough and we’re heading back up the other side.  I think this year we’ll continue to come back and next year is when we’ll start to see things roaring again. I also believe that the current political climate must change and when it continues to do so as we saw in the past elections, consumer confidence will continue to grow.  Think back to how slow things were mid-summer all the way up until the November elections we just had. After that, things started to pick up again. No matter your political views, when you look at ratings of the President combined with the Republicans winning some elections, people felt excited after the election and it showed in their spending. I think even the President is seeing this and he is now changing his tune a little bit. I think we’ll see this even more after the Presidential election, and the building industry will benefit from it.

Contact ZK Homes by visiting their website, by email at info@zkhomes.com or by phone at 713-715-1456.

The Woodlands, a master-planned community in south Montgomery County, has several developments and upgrades underway, including the widening of Kuykendahl from FM 2920 north to Woodlands Parkway.

Creekside Park, the newest village in The Woodlands, is still building out, and Tomball ISD is building a second elementary school, slated to open August 2012.

Furthermore, a parcel of land recently cleared at the northeast corner of Augusta Pines and Kuykendahl has led to speculation of further homebuilding.

But that's not the case everywhere. Susan Vreeland-Wendt, director of marketing for TWDC, said "the Woodlands Development Company is doing pre-development work on a 5.5-acre commercial/church site. But, there are no immediate plans or details for the site."

What about the 1800-acre tract of land west of I-45 and north of the Hardy Toll Road in Harris County?

It will soon become the "nature-inspired, mixed-use" community of Springwoods Village.

Keith Simon, senior VP and director of development for CDC Houston, a subsidiary of Conventry Development Corporation, said Coventry has owned the land for almost 50 years.

"We've waited and waited and waited until the time is right," Simon said. "We think now is the time. Our market research shows residential growth has been in excess of 35 percent in the northwest side of Houston. Over the next five to 10 years, projected demand is for more than 100,000 new homes in this area. Those are good statistics that gave us the confidence to go ahead."

Simon said they're gearing up to award $80 million worth of public infrastructure construction projects this spring, followed in June by discussions with a variety of homebuilders.

"We typically like to have a range of product types, from apartments to townhomes to single-detached, at price points of $100,000 - $400,000," Simon said. "We want fairly small neighborhoods within Springwoods Village so we have a finer grain to the community. And frankly, with the economy these days, it's less of a financial commitment for homebuilders to develop a community of 50 homes instead of 200 homes."

Simon said CDC Houston is researching different builders they think would best fit their objectives, including "very good quality and a strong eye towards building in sustainable, green kinds of ways" in order to complement the 33-mile Spring Creek Greenway preservation.

When it's all said and done, 4,500 – 5,000 homes are expected to be built in Springwoods Village, along with more than 8-million square feet of commercial office space and 1.2-million square feet of retail space.

Long-term possibilities include a hotel or two, a medical center, and public transportation, Simon said.

Simon said the entire build-out is expected to take 15-20 years, creating up to 50,000 jobs.

Speaking of jobs…

The timing indeed seems right for development as speculation continues about Exxon's possible move to the area.

A recent article in the Houston Business Journal said Exxon is evaluating real estate options, with a formal study expected to be completed sometime in 2011.

"We really can't comment on Exxon at this point," Simon said. "We happen to think the time is right for Springwoods Village now anyway, given the progress of the Grand Parkway and other things coming up in this area."

For more details on Springwoods Village, including market conditions, projected growth and economic impact, click here. 

Burglary ranks as the second most common crime reported in Houston, just underneath theft incidents, according to the Houston Police Department. Each month there are over 2000 burglaries reported within the city’s limits. Car break-ins are common, as well, averaging about 1000 a month. 

There are certain areas with higher incident rates, but no neighborhood is completely protected. The website for the Houston Police Department is a great resource to help Realtors and potential homeowners discern which areas have fewer incidents. On the website, there is a useful interactive crime map that tracks violent and nonviolent crime throughout the city. Website visitors must first read the disclaimer before entering, which notes that it only shows crimes reported, and may not accurately reflect incidents. The map can be used to pinpoint crime activity in a certain area from the past 24 hours, seven days or the previous 30 days.  This site is free to the public and shows seven different types of incidents, including burglaries and auto theft as well as violent crime such as murder.

Potential renters and homebuyers can minimize their risk by knowing which areas have more reports than others. It is also useful to keep up with crime activity where you currently live that you may be unaware of. 

The Houston Police Department website also has a crime prevention page that can help homeowners keep their neighborhoods safe. The site has a slew of safety brochures and videos. It also provides information about community programs, including a citizen patrol, police volunteer initiatives program and something called CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design), which is an innovative approach that protects “homes and neighborhoods by going beyond the traditional approach of dead bolts and window locks.”

Other ways to combat crime that may seem obvious, but are not always heeded:

Know Your Neighbors

Neighbors who know each other watch out for each other. Getting to know your neighbors isn’t always on the top of everyone’s “to do” list when they first move in, but taking time to become familiar with those living near you can be extremely helpful in an emergency. If you know your neighbors, you can count on them and they can count on you.

Create a Google Groups Page

Get everyone in your neighborhood to sign up to a community Google Groups page. It is a great space to keep everyone informed about various activities. It can also be a good resource to record any suspicious activity.

Meet with Your Local Law Enforcement

The Houston Police Department has different divisions. If you are experiencing a high level of crime in your area, ask your division’s police to meet with your neighborhood. Showing a community interest will keep police alert to your certain area and will make a point to patrol it more often.

Provide Deterrence on Your Home’s Exterior

Add sensor lights to your front and back yard. Put a lock on your circuit breaker box so no one can switch off your electricity. Keep a lock on your back yard. Even thorny plants can be a deterrent. Door reinforcement can also help against smash and grab situations.

These are just a few of the many ways you can better protect your home. No matter what area of town you choose to live, you can arm yourself against criminal activity by being mindful of your surroundings, securing your home, and being active in your community.

 HOUSTON – January 18, 2011 – The Houston Real Estate Observer (HREO) is proud to announce a spectacular line-up of expert contributors, including veteran journalist Ralph Bivins, who will be driving commentary, insight and opinions on various real estate topics.  HREO is the newest online destination designed to provide industry news and company-neutral thought leadership amongst Houston’s real estate community.

“Our contributors have varied backgrounds and solid regional experience that will offer Houston’s real estate community a more unique and broader perspective on what is transpiring in the market,” said Mark W. Martin, editor of the Houston Real Estate Observer.  “I am honored by the caliber of contributors that have joined us thus far, and I hope more thought leaders in the area will come forward and join us in an effort to freely and safely collaborate on timely real estate news and developments.”
      
The current line-up of HREO contributors includes:

• Ralph Bivins – Ralph, a veteran journalist with extensive experience covering real estate and economics, will be covering commercial real estate trends for HREO. After a 25-year career in the newspaper business, including 17 years of real estate coverage at the Houston Chronicle, he launched an online publishing venture and began a variety of independent writing projects. Ralph writes about real estate for several national and regional publications and is founding editor of the award-winning RealtyNewsReport.com, which focuses on commercial real estate. He is former president of the National Association of Real Estate Editors, a 600-member organization of journalists and authors, and has won number of journalism awards, including the Texas Headliners Club award for best business writing in the state of Texas.  The Texas A&M Real Estate Center ranked Ralph as the second-most popular blogger in Texas. 
• Ken Brand – Through both spectacular failures and shared triumphant victories, Ken has seen, heard, and most importantly, felt it all. He will be covering the always active and ever exciting development of The Woodlands real estate market for HREO. Brand has been involved in more than 15,700 real estate transactions since 1978 in San Diego, Austin, Aspen, and The Woodlands. Ken is also a frequent speaker on the use of social media to advance real estate business at industry events. Currently, he is Sales Manager of Prudential Gary Greene, Realtors.
• Cindy Bryant – A key component to any transaction is making a good first impression on a buyer.  Therefore, great home staging strategies are vital for success. Cindy is owner of Redesign Etc. Home Staging, a full-service home staging company serving the greater Houston area and will be covering this area of real estate for HREO. From 2007-2010, Cindy served as Regional Vice President for the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA)® and is a member of American Society of Home Stagers and Redesigners (ASHSR). She has also earned the RESA-PRO™ designation which holds home stagers to the highest level of industry standards, and has been featured on Houston’s KTRK and in the Houston Chronicle.
• Jim Mulholland – A proud web geek since 1996, Jim knows his way around the web whether it be by creating e-commerce stores for both small and enterprise companies or by winning the 2009 SXSW Web Award in Activism for Tweet Congress, a website that allows people to search by location and find out if their Congressman or Senator is on Twitter.  But his current passion since 2005 has been the real estate industry where Jim successfully harnessed his expertise in technology to jump start a career as a Realtor.  He is an agent with Zing Realty in Cypress, TX and maintains a website dedicated to the area called Cy-Fair Real Estate.  For HREO, Jim will be covering the Cy-Fair region and offering various tips and recommendations for Realtors on how to best use technology to advance their business objectives.
• Allison Zapata - Between her job as resident boo-boo kisser and CEO of her home, Allison somehow manages to find the time to write.  She started a blog as a way to keep family updated following the birth of her son, but it quickly turned into a passion and opened many doors for her as a freelance writer.  Allison will be featured on HREO in her own designated place, “Allison’s Corner “, where she writes about the more comical aspects of real estate and the ups and downs of home ownership. You can also find more of Allison on her personal blog, Me and Mine, and as a regular contributor on the Curvy Girl Guide.

HREO was designed to be company-neutral and provide a unique outlet for thought leadership perspectives on the real estate profession. It serves as a repository of real estate news and information designed to educate consumers and professionals alike. Access to the site’s information is available at any time and comes at no cost to readers or contributors.

All leading Realtors and industry professionals are invited to submit quality content and begin sharing their unique perspectives of the local real estate community.  Marketing themes and self-promotion are strictly prohibited in the articles. However, contributors have the opportunity to briefly discuss their company and credentials, and link to their professional affiliation’s website in a short biography featured at the end of each article. Contributors will also have the opportunity to provide a more comprehensive description of themselves and their expertise in the Contributor section of the website.  Parties interested in participating are welcome to visit the Contributor section of the HREO website at  to ask questions or to find instructions on how to submit articles.
      
About Houston Real Estate Observer

The Houston Real Estate Observer provides news and promotes thought leadership amongst the local real estate community. We partnered with the Boston Real Estate Observer to leverage their unique market position, create synergy between the two sites, and provide a geo-targeted informational portal for the Houston real estate industry. The site is comprised of collaborative thoughts and unique articles contributed by Houston’s leading Realtors, attorneys, mortgage brokers, and outside experts who give their individual commentaries on the industry.  On the web at: http://www.houstonrealestateobserver.com/.

Zoning is how land is controlled. For example, an area can be zoned only for residences, only for commercial properties or for a mixture of land uses. Zoning can also limit the population of areas or the same kind of businesses within an area.

Houston does not have these kinds of usage restrictions. For the most part, land is a builder’s blank canvas, ready to be used as the owner chooses.

“Houstonians have a ‘don’t tell me what to do with my property’ mentality,” said Real Estate Broker Robert Searcy. “To a certain degree, you get used to a block by block adventure. It just comes with the urban terrain around here.”

Supporters of zoning can provide examples of ways that zoning would improve certain areas in and around Houston.  Those who prefer to keep Houston zoning-free can give many counter-examples of how zoning doesn’t work.

In a nutshell, those against zoning believe that keeping Houston free of zoning:

• Protects property rights
• Gives owners the ability to choose how their land is developed
• Delimits use of regulation to impose any type of segregation
• Maximizes a property’s potential 
• Keeps housing, business and consumer costs down due to availability of developable land
• Removes strain on taxpayers to pay for costs associated with zoning 
• Allows for mixed use development, putting residences, work and shopping in proximity

Those who think Houston would be better off with zoning believe that it:

• Gives the community more control over how land is used
• Preserves existing neighborhoods
• Prevents intermingling of incompatible land uses
• Creates a logical organization for land usage
• Helps conserve environmentally endangered areas
• Helps home values by controlling the size and kind of businesses in an area
• Provides a citywide planning vehicle 

While zoning has been a hot topic of debate at different times in Houston’s history, each of the three times it has come up for vote, it has been defeated, the last time in 1993.

Barry Klein is the cofounder of the Houston Property Rights Association along with Meredith James, a retired appraiser. Klein was an instrumental figure against zoning for the 1993 campaign. Klein said, “That was a four year battle. City hall did not intend to let citizens vote on the ordinance, so HPRA began a petition drive for a referendum to amend the Houston charter with language that would repeal any zoning ordinance on the books and require a new election.”

By the time HPRA submitted the signatures necessary for the referendum, the city council had decided to instead place the zoning ordinance on the fall 1993 ballot to let the voters decide. Klein said, “We defeated the ordinance itself in ’93 and in ’94 the language on the ballot omitted any reference to overturning a zoning ordinance because there was none at that point. It read:  Do you want to adopt the amendment that requires a referendum for any future proposed zoning ordinance to be preceded by a six month period of debate and hearings?  The outcome was 79 percent in favor.”

That amendment is one of the reasons that zoning isn’t debated much today. Having the requirement of writing an ordinance, then having debates and hearings on the proposal makes it extremely difficult to change Houston into a city with zoning.

Klein believes that this decision by voters was an important decision for Houston. “Zoning is a cost to the community, borne by the taxpayer. It means that those who do get the permits to go forward have to pay a premium to get their approvals. Typically, it involves hiring an expert to help owners navigate the zoning bureaucracy or city council for the waiver, the exceptions, the redefinition or the rezoning.”

Klein continues as a property rights advocate leading HPRA. They have regular meetings with guest speakers who discuss all local issues dealing with property, taxes, transportation, etc.

Although Houston will not be adopting city wide zoning anytime soon, the city has the ability to regulate some things. A brochure from Planning and Development states, “The Department’s primary function is to review plats for compliance with development codes and recommend action on the plats to the City’s Planning Commission…The Department checks development and subdivision plats for the proper subdivision of land and for adequate street or right-of-way, building lines and for compliance with Chapter 42, the City’s land development ordinance.”

Under this function, the department has requirements for the height and placement of structures on some blocks as well as the placement of new development on thoroughfares near METRORail. There is also a new airport zoning ordinance around Houston's three airports.

If zoning ever does come up for a vote again, Searcy would support it. He said, “What has worked for Houston in the 20th Century is not necessarily what is going to be successful for Houston in the 21st Century.  There are areas that have made lack of zoning work, like Rice Military, but when you get just outside the loop, that is where the dark side of no zoning starts to emerge and you start seeing nice areas with good housing stock that have diminished due to the things that are around it. Another one of the downsides is when you get areas that are overbuilt with multifamily like Greenspoint and Sharpstown. In cities that are zoned, you don’t see the concentration that you see in Houston.”

Searcy is a specialist in mid-century modern homes. He is a proponent for preservation and tries to match mid-century modern enthusiasts with homes from that era. He said, “In regards to zoning, I look at it as it’s no more an invasion of private property rights than fire codes, building codes and it’s necessary if you are going to be a part of a high density society in a city. You don’t live out on 40 acres in the country.”

Whether or not Houston eventually adopts a zoning law will ultimately be up to the voters. Until then, you are free to do with your property what you choose…unless you have deed restrictions or violate a city ordinance.

No way was I going to leave them in the house when someone was coming to see it. The hamsters had colorful cages, and were really quite cute. But, they're rodents. They stink, they kick wood chips through the bars of the cage, and they get noisy running on the squeaky wheel.

I had nightmarish visions of a Realtor opening the door to my house, potential buyers sniffing the air, or even worse, witnessing the cat pounce on the hamsters for a mid-day snack should they get loose.

Indeed, as much as we love our pets, they are unpredictable and can kill a house deal.

Realtor Carol Knott of Remax in The Woodlands said sometimes people won't even look at a house if they know pets have been living in it.

"Just recently I had a client who has severe allergies to cats," Knott said. "I had to ask before any house he went into to see if it ever had a cat in it. He could handle dogs, but not cats. If the house had a cat, he wouldn't see it."

Cats have caused some trouble for Knott, who once spent an entire hour tracking down a rogue feline.

"There had not been any instructions about a cat at this house," Knott said. "But I opened the door, and this cat runs out. I panicked. I had to go out and find this cat. I searched and searched and finally found her. I'm not a cat person, but I picked that cat up and got her back into the house."

Wait, it gets better. Or worse.

The next day Knott found out the cat didn't live there in the first place. It had slipped in un-noticed the previous day during a viewing with a different Realtor.

"So there I was, outside looking for this cat for an hour, and it wasn't even their cat," Knott said.

Knott's not knocking only cats.

She's shown houses with snakes, gerbils, giant spiders in an aquarium, and birds. Lots of birds.

"Birds talk a lot to you while you're there," Knott said. "It can be very loud and very annoying. I actually had to put a cover on a cage one time because the bird was so loud we couldn't even talk about the house."

Big but fluffy
Realtor Yvonne Harvin with Keller Williams said she's never had a situation where she hasn't been told a pet is in residence, but it happens quite a bit that the pet is someplace other than where the seller said it would be.

"There was a dog that was supposed to be in the garage, but the sellers must have forgot, because there it was in the house, big and fluffy, ready to greet us," Harvin said. "I had the clients go back to my car until I was able to get the pet in one of the other rooms while they looked at the house."

Harvin said the dog turned out to be nonaggressive. But she didn't know that at the time.

At least that dog had somewhere else to go.

Some people refuse to put their pets out.

"This person I'm thinking of had cats and dogs," Harvin said. "The wife was there during the showing, and she refused to put the pets away. She insisted her pets were not aggressive and that if we wanted to see the house, they would have to see it while the pets were there. We ended up leaving. There was just no way."

Harvin, like most Realtors, understands where pet owners are coming from.

"People are very protective of their pets," Harvin said. "They're not concerned if it's large or deemed aggressive to somebody walking in. It's their pet, they're used to the pet, they care for the pet, the pet is a member of the family."

That doesn't smell like cookies
One thing Harvin will not pussy-foot around is the unique aroma pets tend to leave in their wake.

It might not be obvious to you, since you live there and are used to it. But others can smell it the second they walk in the door.

"I tell my clients who have pets to do double what they're already doing," Harvin said.

That means extra time scooping, sifting, vacuuming, deodorizing.

And for goodness sake, don't neglect the yard.

"There is so much talk about curb appeal, making the house smell like cookies, staging and so forth. But rarely do you see anything done about the back yard," said Nathalie Bland, founder and owner of Call to Doody Pet Waste Removal Service and Products.
 
The smell can be horrendous, especially on a hot, humid Houston day, never mind the visual of piles of dog poop and worn-out patches of grass.

"Very few people can see beyond what's right in front of them," Bland points out. "You can lose a buyer in an instant. People will say they love the house, but not the yard."

That's why Bland suggests that Realtors "sweeten" the deal by offering a service such as Call to Doody free of charge to the seller for as long as they have the listing.

That way, Fido is happy, the seller is happy, the buyer is happy, the Realtor is happy - and the quicker a deal can be signed, sealed and delivered.

My hamsters didn't help or hinder the sale of my house. In fact, it sold while I was out of the country and they were in the house. They've since died, and even though I swore up and down I wouldn't get any more pets, I have added a cat to the brood.

Good thing I'm in not in any rush to sell again.

Contacts:
Nathalie Bland 281-573-8970
Carol Knott 713-253-7812
Yvonne Harvin 713-292-6067