Lake Conroe Real Estate - Huntsville TX Real Estate - TexasBlogSpot.com

My Favorite memory at ActiveRain?  The day I realized I couldn't "break it." (Active Rain -that is) 

I was so nervous about "doing it right." (blogging, that is)  I read all this stuff about how newbies can avoid blogging pitfalls, etc.  I know there are pitfalls in which to well--fall, and ways you can tick someone off by you lack of blogging prowess.  I became free when I just "did it anyway."  I realized well, I needed to try it--I couldn't break it.

I started blogging, searching ActiveRain  for stuff to learn about Real Estate, lending, how Active Rain works, interesting people on AR and more.  There is so much to see and learn.

The most important thing to remember "You Can't Break It"  Just do it, try it, take the plunge.

Read, comment, post a blog.  Face your fear and do it anyway.  Don't be intimidated by the points or your inexperience.  Everyone started with no points. Even Jason Crouch!  (609062 points as of 12:15am Central Time 9-25-09)

Wanna have fun?  (Legally, that is)  Try a blog--you might like it--or even love it, then you'll have your own killer memories and birthing creativity memories--Your Favorite "Memories at Active Rain"

Love him or hate him--you must admit, he's brilliant.  Cuban, Mark Cuban that is,  is the owner of the NBA team the Dallas Mavericks--among other things.  He became a billionaire in the mid-90's when he and a friend came up with broadcast.com which started the audio broadcast wave on the internet.  The technology was bought by Yahoo for, let's say a lot of money.

Why do I love Mark?  His spirit.  He has been incredibly successful, buying the Dallas Mavs in 2000 and turning the franchise into a much more marketable and successful entity.  He gave them personality, pizzazz.  One of his trademark moves was drafting Dennis Rodman (of Detroit Piston fame), the ultimate "badboy" in basketball, causing an uproar, stir and a presence under the basket.  More importantly, it got the Mavs on TV more often.

I remember stopping at a bar in Dallas about 8-9 years ago-- on one of my husband and my adventures.  There was a big screen tv, that's not so odd.  What was odd: the bartender invited us back for a broadcast later that week in HD, you know before HD was HD.  You guessed it, it was a experimental site for Mark Cuban.  He owns HDNet!  It's his baby. 

Does the proverbial ball go out of the park every time he swings the bat?  No.  I remember seeing him on a program about a year ago, and he was convinced that America was going to have a "Bidet Epiphany."  He talked about the potty more that a toddler "in training."

Why is he so successful?  Here's my take.  He puts his money where his mouth is, he follows his passion, he has passion, and he's still a kid at the age of 51 .

Want to see for yourself why he's so brilliant?  Check out his blog.

My husband and I LOVE the Dallas Mavs.  I swear my husband grilled me incessantly about being a Mav Fan before we got married.  I insist it was a type of crazy pre-nup.  It worked, I am hooked.  Through all of their ups and downs, we are MFFL (Mavs Fan for Life).  We can't wait for Basketball Season.  But until then "Go Texas Rangers! (MLB Baseball).

I cannot think of much of anything that I enjoy more than learning.  Learning keeps me alive, keeps my senses sensing, my blood pumping.  Today's CRS class --CRS 206 Technology--that I attended, taught by CRS instructor Extraordinaire-- Allen F Hainge was excellent.  These types of classes continue to demonstrate to me the vastness of what I have yet to learn.

Hope is the bud of a flower in an eternal spring.  Regeneration never ceases.

Woah--What's up with me tonight?  I guess I really feel inspired.  I have just had my head down just working away for a long time.  I feel like I have come up for air and it's so refreshing.

Widgets, "snag-it," blogs, websites, SEO, keywords, lions, tiger and bears, oh my!  Ah, isn't it just otherworldly, this world we live in?  Things sure have changed in technology and even what is considered technology since I've been a kid.  Today we learned that the internet will double in size every two years.  I can't even wrap my head around that.

It's been a big day.  A great day.  A day of learning.

A Fall From Grace--In Front of Everyone.  This is not my first blog about the Texas Rangers, but it is my first about Hank Blaylock.  How tough must it be to be not just a starter, but a psuedo-superstar.  There were so many fans of Hank.  there were even "Hank's Homies" that made an incredible statement at the games in support of Hank.

What has happened?  Hard enough to be in a slump, but in the national spotlight in what may have been a pennant race?  That's the issue, what "may have been a pennant race."  We need someone to blame or something.  Poor guy, no one seems to remember when he just lit it up night after night.  That's the way of the world, but when you are a public figure, look out.

Almost came out of his slump against the Angels last night.  He hit a beautiful homerun to put the Rangers ahead, then blew a double play that would have ended the game.  Rangers won, thank goodness, he would have never heard the end of it.  Let's go Rangers! And Let's Go Hank!  Glad to see you out there tonight.

What a night.  The Dallas Cowboys debuted in their new stadium.  It sure is pretty.  And how did it turn out?...a loss.  But, it was a huge night--the glam of the Oscars, touted as the 8th wonder of the world--what a place!  Unbelievable.  Over a Billion dollars--that's Billion with a "B."  It's kind of hard to wrap your head around--that much money--a thousand Million.

Lots of people have lots of opinions about the money spent and professional sports in general.  There is so much money on the line and when a team represents an area or city--what does that mean?  Are the players from the area, only rarely.  Yet, most of us get all lathered up about a game.  I live in TX.  I wasn't born in TX.  My husband of course says I got here as fast as I could.  And, just for the record, my husband had been a Cowboy fan since the 70's.  He has met "Too Tall Jones," Roger Staubach, and Harvey Martin.

And me, I sure feel like a Texan.  I have pride in my state--except for the "appraisal reform" passed by our governor, but that's another blog.  Why do I feel like a Texan when I was born in PA and lived in two other states?  Maybe we all need to feel like we belong somewhere, and well, it may as well be where we live, because, welll that just makes sense.  Or makes our choice make sense.

Now, back to sports,the Dallas Cowboys to be exact.  America's Team, right?  You either love 'em or hate 'em.  Not a lot of people lukewarm about the Cowboys.  Not many can argue the high level of business acumen of owner Jerry Jones.  Not a bad business move, huh?!  Build the stadium that is the mecca of all sports.  The state of the art of all state of the art facilities.  Not a bad "call" Jerry.

Too bad it had to be a loss, but the game was a lot of fun--even for a girl like me, not even from here.

The $8000 tax credit.  Have you seen the latest ad from NAR.  It's done well and the message...well see for yourself:

http://www.realtor.org/home_buyers_and_sellers/2009_first_time_home_buyer_tax_credit 

This is huge.  If you are single and earn up to $75,000 or married with a combined income up to $150,000

Who Qualifies?

First-time home buyers who purchase homes between January 1, 2009 and December 1, 2009.

To qualify as a "first-time home buyer" the purchaser or his/her spouse may not have owned a residence during the three years prior to the purchase.

Link To Frequently Asked Questions

Could you use an extra $8000 this year?  Think about it.  If you are renting right now, add up what you spend in a year, then think about the fact that you are not investing that money in anything, it is basically flushed.  And the interest rates right now....remarkable. 

So, what do you say?  Talk with a lender, get pre-qualified, take the plunge.  Work with a real estate professional.  He or she will help guide you through the process.  Looking in East Texas, call me.  Check out www.ETPropertySearch.com ...find home!

Death by Oysters?! --not likely in a month with an "R"

"R's" Rock! It's that time again--a month with an "R"--Do u know what that means? Eating RAW OYSTERS--

RAW OYSTERS, baby!   If you are not familiar, it has been said that you should only indulge in the succulence of raw oysters in months with an "R"--basically September through April--get it, the r's.  No R's in May, June, July or August.  Oops, got an "r" in there.  Dang it, again

So, to all of you raw oyster lovers out there--this is our time.  Oh, I remember oysters in South Padre one holiday season you'd slap yo' momma for.  I mean to tell you---Umm.  I think it was at Blackbeards.  After that my husband and I decided to drive on the island until the road ended.  It was spooky, raining and the road really ended into sand and sea.  How cool is that?!

Texas is that kind of place where there is so much to enjoy that is so diverse.  There's Big Bend to lakes to Ocean to you name it.  It is not uncommon where I live to be driving down a secondary highway or main highway for that matter, and see someone travelling by horse.  It is so cool.  I was born in the Northeast so it is both cool and novel.

Ah, but I digress.  The subject is Oysters--raw--the way God intended for them to be enjoyed.  I can't wait. It is going to be a good fall and winter. Thanks goodness for SeptemberRRRRRR!

Okay, say you've always wanted a waterfront property--you want to fish, have access to the open water--enjoy the good life, but haven't been able to afford it.  Here's your answer

A BEAUTIFUL 2300+ sq ft property on Lake Livingston only a couple of hours from Houston Click to see. 

Okay, here's the skinny: Well cared for, 2-car garage, brick, 2381 sq ft, gorgeous sunroom, wildlife including deer roaming in your yard 

Cap Cod style exterior

And have I told you about the view from the fishing dock and sunroom!

Think about weekends with family.  Invite the crew--you'll have the space.  How about Thanksgiving at the Lake. Would that be cool.  Serve dinner and go fishin'.  Not to mention the holidays and have something for everyone to do.  How valuable is that?

If you would like to see this property, don't delay.  The seller is motivated and this price reduction just happened today.  Realtors, pull the comps, you'll see what a great value this property is.  This property was listed at 245K.  Now 209K

Want to see more?  Visit www.11IndianHarbor.com  Call me!

September 13, 2008--Hurricane Ike strikes Galveston Bay and proceeds inland.  I live in Huntsville TX, we were not the most effected, but we got creamed.

So, here's the personal chronology:

I had just started in Real Estate.  I was at a closing of my very first sale at noon on Friday, September 12 2008.  It was all downhill from there.

I got home as quickly as I could, and my husband and I started bringing everything in from the outside, hummingbird feeders, bird feeders, hanging baskets, patio furniture.  We have 3, 4o+ foot porches--all with stuff on them.  Our house was full to the brim.

During this time, my very first clients were moving in to their new house.  The winds started to pick up that afternoon.

Water covered roadways in Galveston county long before projected.  There were already reports of people who were trapped, unable to evacuate. Wow, this was serious.

You know it's been a while since I have allowed myself to think about it.  We were safe, but our neighborhood sustained a lot of damage and loss of life.  It was heartbreaking. Our neighborhood really pulled together.  Our neighbors were great!

That night was full of unusual noises, crashes of glass, trees moaning, cracking, snapping and crashing, tornadic activity and the freight train noises that go with it.

No cell phone, no power for a long while.  The first e-mail I received on my Blackberry was a picture of my first clients new home with a 70 foot tree through the middle of it.  Yikes.  It was very sad.

When times get tough, I guess we get tough with the help of family friends and neighbors.  That's when we find out what we are capable of, I guess.

So many people suffered so much in this tragedy that was Hurricane Ike one year ago.  I am so grateful it has been a relatively quiet year in the tropics, at least in the Gulf of Mexico.

Where we are today:

Bolivar: Very little has been rebuilt.

Brennans (the restaurant that burned to the ground) is supposed to reopen in Dec.

Moody Gardens got 14 feet of water and lost 70% of the fish in the aquariums.

They are tearing down the Flagship (Galveston) and haven't decided if they are rebuilding the Balinese Room or not.

Galveston lost 35,000 trees.

Boliver had 3500 houses destroyed and only 250 have been rebuilt.

Stats:

32 Billion in damage in the US making it in the top 5 costliest Atlantic Hurricanes in history

103 people killed in the Caribbean and the US

Gale force winds extended 420 miles--top ten in recorded history

Two people were killed in Huntsville, one with a few blocks of us.

Baseball and more baseball and Elvis,  The Elvis I speak of is Elvis Andrus of the Texas Rangers.  Shortstop extrordinaire and all of 21 years old.  Tonight, it's the Texas Rangers at the Cleveland Indians.  A double header as a result of the rain-out in Cleveland last night.

Even witjout our All-Stars. Michael Young and Josh Hamilton out on the disabled list, we are looking good.  Elvis Andrus just made the most incredible defensive play in the bottom of the 2nd in the second game--and he made the identical defensive play in the first game. He is definitely a future All-Star.  Defense and offense.  Can you believe the Rangers have defense AND pitching this year.  I am so proud of them.

My husband and I both adore our announcers, Josh and Tag.  It's kinda like they are just sitting in your living room chatting with you about the game and other subjects from time to time. When other announcers are sitting in, it's just not the same. 

Any Ranger fans out there?  Have you seen Neftali Feliz pitch yet?  I know he gave up a run tonight--but, yikes what a start in the majors.  His strike out rate is phenomenal.  7-0 top of the fourth.  Go Rangers!