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

 Have we become too informal?

In an age where most restaurants welcome shorts and flipflops, the absence of formal living areas in homes (that is my token real estate reference), no more hats if they are not either cowboy hats (which are Texas Formal), or backwards baseball caps, ladies without gloves and the younger generation seeing such as "martian-like" behavior as they seem "far-out" social standards

 Ozzie and Harriet-hey, I'm old and and I barely remember them, and the "The Beave," with the gentle yet offensively didactic moral lessons. Let's face it, there was no cussing on shows or the mention of the word "sex" or even use of the word  "tampon" in a commercial about "feminine protection." (I know what you're saying, where are the products for "male protection" during the time that "female protection" is needed?)

 What about that pendulum-has it swung too far the other way.  Where is the balance.  Why is it so foreign on the ears of a "yankee" to hear yes m'am or yes sir.  I am absolutely allowed to say that since I am from PA, moved south, had a cow the first time I heard such talk, struck it up to uncool obsolescence, and voila.  Years later, I am teaching secondary and insist that students address their elders as M'am and Sir.  What happened to me.  Did I feel as if the way we speak to each other could affect behavior in my choir room (classroom)?

Now, as many schools are going with some type of dress code which is HOTLY debated.,  If you don't believe me, pull up some school board meeting YouTube clips.  Like this one Click Here   Yikes! The point that is trying to be made is that the way one dresses just might affect said person's behavior.  Some are believers, some are not.   Yet, my friends who are teachers who are still in the profession-God bless them-tell me it does.  Do I believe it?

So, tell me.  Have you dressed up to go out lately?  It's kinda fun.  (by the way, just for the record, I am not addressing the cross dressers who are reading-although I am sure it is its own brand of fun and I believe people should have that freedom of expression as long as it doesn't hurt anyone and has nothing to do with spandex beyond a size 2)  I have to say it's rather refreshing to have a little formality every now and then. 

Tell me how you feel about it.  And for my Realtor friends, I haven't had the guts to show property in those orange crocs yet.  (just maybe it's a "faux-pas" up there with overstretched, overworked spandex-or maybe freedom of personal expression-uh...maybe not).

Going Green in a Semi down I-45

So, coming in to my office today, I witnessed one of the many available visual ironies.  A semi hauling-

you guessed it-yet another trailr (pups) with the logo "Go Green!"  Hmmm.  Kind of made me think of several things, besides the obvious irony.  For one, the new House Hunters episode last night (I love that show) was about a woman in Oregon looking to live in a kind of Green Commune. 

  The concept is smaller living areas with the basics and a large main house where communal dinners are shared and fresh organic vegetables from the communal garden are used.  Cool concept.  The neighbors mingled and talked with one another.  There were lots of smiles.  People without kids enjoyed other folks kids, older people shared their views and experience with the younger folks.  There was much bike riding, smiling, laughing, and well...communicating.

 You know what that made me think of?  If neighbors actually made the effort to talk with each other in our existing single family homes. Here's the problem.  You get kind of fired up about making a difference, make an effort to talk with your neighbor, or at least make eye contact.  And, well, you guessed it again.  They had a crappy as opposed to happy day.  Besides taking the wind out of your sails, you almost get run over and then humbly close the garage door and once again quietly retreat.

 What is the Answer?  I don't know.  Maybe keep trying and stay reasonably happy enough to not be the one spreading hostility.  Here's another question. Why does it take a natural disaster like Hurricane Ike to get neighbors to talk to one another and lean on one another?

I wish I had the answers.  Alas, I don't.  Just green food for thought.

What my husband will and will not allow me to do

By: Mari Zuvich Montgomery

Life is great when you have freedom. Freedom to speak, freedom to act, freedom to try new things.  I just went through a drive through to pick up some lunch, and a soldier in service to our great country crossed the parking lot.  I instinctively opened my window and shouted, "Thanks for your service to us," to which he responded by turning around to acknowledge, then removed his cap, smiled broadly tipped his head and said, "your welcome, mam."

 We live in a truly great country.  On a daily basis, it really helps to think about all those freedoms.  In our households, however, those freedoms may or may not hold true.  

I have a dear friend who lives across the country from me now who was married to a man who took her freedoms away.  She was an artist.  She loved to paint.  She was really good at it.  As a matter of fact, she had reached the point where she was being offered good money for her work.  It was at that point that her husband began to forbid her to paint.  She tried to sneak in some work when her husband would leave the house.  He would leave to take care of church business as he was an elder and spent a lot of his time at church.

Needless to say, she couldn't take it anymore as her soul was being ripped from her body being forbidden to do one of the things that she was meant to do.  She is now a thriving and happy artist remarried to a wonderful man.

Freedom is a great thing. 

Oh, and what my husband doesn't allow me to do....be unhappy.  Thanks baby.  You're the best.

Huntsville, TX, "One -Ways" and the way is UP

Huntsville goes to "One Way" and the way is "up."  Let's hear it for progress.  Huntsville, TX, the location of the fastest growing University in Texas, Sam Houston State University, now has one way service roads.  No more night fright seeing headlights coming straight for you exiting off the highway.  My husband has been in Safety for 35+ years.  It is good to see safer roads come to our town.  The look on his face was priceless, and not fright less when we moved and saw the traffic patterns moving on and off Interstate 45. 

Huntsville, in its effort of "upward and onward and one-way," is adding a Target and some great restaurants.  It looks like the "Houston sprawl" is heading directly our way. 

Time to get in ahead of the crowd?  Could be.  Stable property values are part of the Huntsville economy.  As a Realtor®, it is amazing to see stability on the housing market when all we hear about is the "ups and downs, mostly downs" of the housing market elsewhere.  Texas, for the most part, has stayed out of the fray of homeowners getting "upside down in their mortgage payments to home value. 

 Is it a good time to buy? No---it's a GREAT time to buy.  If you are renting, think about buying.  I will do a rent vs. buy comparison for you, for free, so that you can see in black and white what is in your best interests.  Check out my website at www.ETPropertySearch.com, use my "1-CLICK PROPERTY SEARCH" to see what is available, then contact me.  I would love to help you to find the right deal for you. 

And about Huntsville's new "One-ways," let's continue on the "up-way."  Let's grow and prosper as a city so that Huntsville's people grow and prosper with it.  Huntsville is a great town, and getting better and better.