Thank You

The title of this post is what Memorial Day has become to so many… A day for people to get together and merrily eat, drink and play. That is all fine and good and I hope each and everyone out there has a wonderful, fun filled day. But, please… Do not forget what the day is all about. It is about our fellow Americans who have served our country in the United States Military. Whether you have protected our family from abroad or domestically, I say to you, a heartfelt thanks. Others have served from the home-front… The many wives, husbands, children, mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters who have been left behind while a family member has gone to be in harms way for your safety and mine. You too, have sacrificed and my wife and I wish you well and want you to know our prayers are with you.

Enjoy a wonderful holiday and never forget those who have served, some paying the ultimate price, in order for us to enjoy the liberties this great country affords us. Nothing under the sun is free… and that goes for democracy and freedom as well.

911 Key Street

I just went live with my newest listing on Thursday over in the Heights. This great brick 1920’s bungalow is a wonderful home. Though it only has about 1200 square feet of living space with 2 bedrooms and a bathroom, it lives much larger than that. The living/dining combo is very spacious and the kitchen which has been updated with granite countertops and the whole nine is large and open itself. The owner, who purchased the house from me back in 2008 put a new roof on the place along with gutters and refinished the hardwoods. He is being transferred for work and stated that he would live there forever if he didnt have to reloacte. Sitting at 911 Key Street just off of 11th/Pecore Street, this home will not be on the market very long. In just one weekend on the market, it has received 15 showings which is more than many houses get in a couple months. The unique brick and large front porch with a swing are very appealing!

Good eat'n!

Im sure you have seen that ship… Alright Lazybrooker’s this blog is not about Lazybrook itself, it has nothing to do with real estate at all… This blog has to do with food! I love good food… and that is just what you get on that ship! So, you will have to drive a lil ways to eat on this ship… but not all the way to Galveston. Head out I-10 West, exit Westgreen Rd… make a u-turn under the freeway and head back East towards Houston, you will see the ship on the right… Capt’n Toms is the real deal! Ain’t nothin’ healthy about this place… It’s mostly fried seafood but it is excellent! It is kind of a free for all in regards to seating, on the weekends especially. You just kinda stand around and wait for some spots to open up along the bar… when they do, you gotta be fast! You can sit along the windows, but you get better service on the actual bar. A couple tips… When it comes to fried oysters or oysters on the half shell, you get much more than you order. We were there just last night, Hailey and I ordered a dozen on the half shell, we got 16 oysters… I then ordered a half dozen friend oysters (extra crisp of course)… I got 10! So it isnt about the quantity either, they have really good food. It isnt greasy at all, considering it is fried… Seriously, treat yourself to some great food at great prices. Those half dozen oysters which turned into 10 for me with extra crispy french fries… that cost $4.75. Cant beat that! Go get ya some!

Here we are, now a full month into 2010… Still crazy to me… Anyway, we have a ton of activity in our neighborhood. Here is a basic outline of the market activity.

ACTIVE LISTINGS

Currently as it stands, we have 12 active listings… Quite a few. On average as I usually lay out, nothing changes. The majority of Lazybrook homes actively for sale have 3 bedrooms and 2 baths. Although, of the 12 available, we do have two 4 bedroom homes and one 5 bedroom home. We have four 3 bathroom homes available and one 4 bathroom home out there. The average lot has 9,302 square feet with homes averaging 2,389 square feet sitting on them. These homes are priced at an average of $150.23 which comes out to $358,891.00. Average days on market = 100.

PENDING LISTINGS

We have one listing sitting in pending status as of now sitting over on Seamist Court. She boasts 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, sits on a lot that is 7,215 square foot lot and hasliving space totaling 2,165 square feet. Her listed price? She was $449,900 and shows that it never hit the market. Strange, but it is what it is.

SOLD LISTINGS

We also only had 1 closing in January.  1711 Haverhill Drive sat on the market for 80 days before receiving a contract. This one was a 3 bedroom home with 2 baths sitting on a 7,150 square foot lot, featuring living space totaling 2,004 square feet. Her askinig price was $330,000 and she was had for $322,000 which is $160.68 per square foot.

CONCLUSION

Lazybrook, in my opinion continues to be one of the best Inner Loop values in Houston, no doubt! We are about to hit the peak months in our industry as Spring draws near. We should see a rise in sales beginning this month which will only get better as we hit March and April… The great ranch style homes Lazybrook has are timeless and even better, the lots are nice and spacious, with beautiful and mature trees. The large lots you will not get over in the Heights and you get as much or more square footage in our homes, many times for a lesser price! Again, I have a bright outlook for Lazybrook in 2010.

* Data taken from HAR.COM *

If you purchased a home in 2009 OR if you are a  home buyer and haven’t owned a home in the past 3 years, you may be able to claim a tax credit up to $8,000.

Homes bought in 2010 must have a binding contract by April 30th and close by June 30th. Also if you are a long time home owner and you are purchasing a replacement home for your principal residence, you may qualify for a credit of up to $6,500. If you bought the home in 2010 you have the option of claiming the credit on either your 2009 or 2010 tax returns.

You must attach a copy of your settlement statement to your tax returns to get the credit. You will not be able to file your tax returns electronically since you have to attach the settlement statement. For more information:

www.irs.gov/recovery

Recovery.gov is the U.S. government’s official website providing easy access to data related to Recovery Act spending:

www.recovery.gov

New Provisions

Effective Date - November 7, 2009
Deadline - Contract signed before May 1, 2010, must close before July 1, 2010
Members of the uniformed services, foreign services, and intelligence employees who served an extended service of 90 days will have until April 30, 2011 and June 30, 2011.

Amount – First-Timers: maximum of $8,000 or 10% of sales price. Prior Owners: $6,500 if lived in prior home for at least 5 consecutive years of past 8 years

Income Limit – Individual: $125,000  & Couples: $225,000

Other Restrictions – Buyer must be at least 18 years old and not classified as a dependent for tax purposes
Home must cost less than $800,000.
Home must be primary residence for at least 3 years. If home is sold or buyer moves, before 3 years, must re-pay full amount of credit. Exception for military, foreign services, or intelligence with extended 90 days service overseas.

How to claim If purchased in 2010, by amending 2010 tax return or claiming on 2011 tax return

The Longhorns and Crimson Tide will battle it out tonight at The Rose Bowl

OK… So please do not hold this against me all you Texas Longhorn fans… But, Im sorry… It is of my opinion that
Terrence “Mount” Cody,
Javier Arenas and All-Everything LB,
Rolando McClain will reek havoc on Texas’ offense tonight. Cody, Bama’s mammoth 6′5″ 370 pound defensive lineman, will be in Colt McCoy‘s backfield all night making it an easy night for McClain to roam the field and make big plays. Javier Arenas, Bama’s best defensive back, will be locked up much of the night with Texas’ Jordan Shipley, making it a rough night for Texas’ pass game.

I guess that's a "Heisman Pose"

Texas’ Sergio Kindle will do his best to stop Bama’s QB, Greg McElroy and Heisman Trophy winner, Mark Ingram but in the end, the Tide roll their way to the National Title tonigh. It will be a tough, hard fought game between two of college football’s most storied and tradition rich programs. This hould be a fun one to watch!

Tune in to ABC, Channel 13 at 7 pm for beginning to end coverage.

Closed on December 18th

It is always a good thing to close out a deal in the dreaded month of December. Many times in our business, the market goes dry but it just goes to figure… During the Holidays, folks are likely caught up with family and friends celebrating the two greatest Holiday’s on earth, Thanksgiving and Christmas. So, being caught with family and friends… thats a good thing! Anyhow, I was fortunate enough to close out my sale over in the Rice Military area. Keith and Sophie Fletcher, my clients, are now the proud owners of a beautiful town-home at 5222 Lillian Street. Congrats to them. They are a wonderful couple who relocated here in 2009 for Sophie’s career. Now it is time to get the show on the road for 2010!

My listing @ 2507 Brooktree Drive

Wow… It is 2010! Didnt think this new decade would come so fast! I still remember back 10 years ago, like it was yesterday, when everyone was “preparing” for Y2K and all the “problems” that were going to occur. Well… Here we are… Happy New Year!!

It is time for another market report here in Lazybrook… There is a ton of activity in this neighborhood, so here it goes…

ACTIVE LISTINGS

Currently we have 9 active listings… Quite a few I’d say… At this time, as usual, the average Lazybrook home is unchanged. We typically have 3 bedroom, 2 bath homes and on average, that has not changed nor has the 2 car garages. We do have a couple thrown in the mix that buck the system. There is one 4 bedroom and 3 and a half bath home (which happens to be my Brooktree Drive listing) along with a 5 bedroom and 4 and a half bath home. Naturally, this is going to raise the average asking price in the neighborhood. Here are the current numbers… Average lot size stands at 9,889 square feet with the homes sitting on them averaging 2,420 square feet. The average list price stands at $375,000 ($155.00 sft) and they have stood on market an average of 101 days.

PENDED LISTINGS

We have one home in contract at this time. As you might guess, it is a 3 bedroom and 2 bath home with only a 1 car garage. It sits on a 7,150 square foot lot and has 2,004 square feet of living space. It was listed on the market for $330,000 which is $164.67 per square foot and was on the market for 80 days.

SOLD LISTINGS

The month of December had 3 homes closed on in theusually  dreadful month for real estate. Not bad at all to be honest. Again, do I have to say, they were 3 bedroom homes with 2 baths and 2 car garages. They again sat on large lots, which we love in Lazybrook. They are 8,957 square feet and the homes that sit on them average only 1,809 square feet. They were listed for $291,766 and sold for an average of $274,300 which is $151.63 per square foot. Not bad as this means the homes brought in 94% of what were asked for them. The average days on market was 127 days.

CONCLUSION

Lazybrook continues to be a hot neighborhood. People looking to get into the city, inside the 610 loop, love Lazybrook for it’s convenience and All-American neighborhood feel. Our homes offer large lots and great square footage at great prices as compared to what you get over in the nearby Houston Heights. Before you all know it we will be in Spring and I look for things to only get better. Especially with the home buyers tax credit being extended into April. With the way things are going, I wouldnt doubt if they extended that deadline again… That is simply my speculation, I have no idea.

Have a blessed and prosperous 2010!

As a kid, growing up there on Brookmere Drive in Lazybrook, mom and dad always made Christmas the most special of special days. Christmas Eve would bring great anticipation and joy throughout the house. I would be gitty with nervous anxiousness… What would be waiting for me under the tree on Christmas morning? What would Santa have left for me? I remember finally falling asleep and waking up at the break of dawn to race out of my room and down the hall too see what would be awaiting me. Christmas was without a doubt the most exciting time of the year for me as a child. Christmas day, without a doubt, the most exciting day! I guess you could say it truly brought out a “child-like wonder”!

The joy that the Christmas season brought to my brothers and myself was also there for my parents. They enjoyed seeing the smiles that were brought to our faces. As I get older, I understand the true joy and meaning behind all of those Christmas’. The Christ child! A baby who went on to live a perfect life, ultimately giving up his own life so that you and I can have eternal life.

The point to my story here is that, the “child-like wonder” and the wonderful anticipation of this season has never gone away. Each year, around Thanksgiving time, we break out our favorite Christmas music, we put up the Christmas tree, we  place nativity scene’s around our homes, we put lights up on the house and a lil more joy overcomes us all. We speak with a lil more cheer and a bigger smile on our faces. We walk with a lil more pep in our step. The joy that is Christ, comes out in us all, even those who are not believers! It is no wonder… It is Christmas!

My prayer is that we have all approached this most joyous of seasons as we did as children. Whether we have many gifts or zero under our trees this year, we can ALL have the most precious and exciting gift that was given freely, Christ!

Merry Christmas!!!

Source: HAR.COM