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This just out - May home sales in the greater Houston area marked the 24th straight month of positive home sales and accounted for the largest one-month sales volume of all time and record-high pricing.  Needless to say, this is causing a further shrinkage in the short supply of Houston area homes on the market.

According to HAR's latest monthly report home sales jumped 28% compared to May of last year, with contracts closing on 7,794 single-family homes during the month of May. Both the median price and average price of single-family homes saw increases. The median price rose 11.9% over last year to $188,000.  The average price increased 9% year over year to an all time high of $256,790.

Homes selling between $150,000 - $500,000 saw the greatest…

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Texas shoppers will again get a tax break from state and local taxes on most clothing, footwear, school supplies, and backpacks priced under $100.  Shoppers can save as much as $8.25 for every $100 they spend.  You must keep each individual item purchased under $100.  If the item is over $100, you will pay the full tax due.

Here's a short explanation of what's included and what's not:

Most clothing but not special clothing or footwear designed for athletic activity or protective use and not normally worn except for the athletic activity or protective use.  For example, golf cleats or football pads which are designed for athletic use and not normally worn elsewhere do not qualify.  But, tennis shoes, jogging suits, and swim suits qualify.

Jewelry,…

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funny_man_approvalI realize that by now, everyone looking to purchase a home is aware of the fact that a pre-approval letter is a must-have.  But some of you may not understand exactly why you have to have one, and why it should be from a local lender.  Here are some reasons:

1.  You should only look at homes you can afford and are comfortable making the payments on.  Why in the world would you want to torture yourself looking at homes that you cannot afford or frustrate yourself looking at homes that are well below your price point and don't meet your expectations?

2.  Realtors® are self-employed and only get paid when the transaction closes which is sometimes 6-8 weeks after a contract is accepted.  Many hours and money goes into helping you find your dream home.…

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The latest monthly data prepared by the Houston Association of Realtors, home sales are up 17% compared to the same time last year.  March housing inventory was down slightly from January and February to just 3,5 months!

The lower supply of homes and high demand has caused prices to rise.  The median price of a single-family home rose 6.5% to $172,000, setting an all time record high for Houston.  The average price rose 4.6% compared to the same time last year, reaching $236,195.  This is the second highest price level ever.

5,779 Single-family homes closed in March, setting the largest on month sales volume since August 2012.  All housing segments saw gains except those priced below $80,000.  The greatest sales volume increase were in homes selling…

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With the Houston market as hot as it is and inventory at near record lows, pocket listings are becoming more an more common. So, you might be wondering just what is a Pocket Listing?  A Pocket Listing is a listing that doesn't show up on the MLS. 

The homes are sold by real estate agents in private, off-market transactions and are never seen by the buying public.    It's not a new term, the practise has been around for years and is usually requested by the sellers for privacy reasons.  The listing agent enters into a listing agreement with the seller and then the agent tells other Realtors about the listing.  The home gets shown and a contract is offered without ever being offered publicly.  Once the home is under contract, the agent posts it for…

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Our Houston area housing market is hot, hot, hot!  In many cases, as soon as a home hits the market, people are lined up to see it and put an offer in on it.  I had heard about this sort of thing happening in California and Florida years ago but we've never experienced it here in Texas. One of my clients called me last week to view a home in The Woodlands.  It had just come on the market that morning.  I had scheduled the showing for noon the same day it had been listed.  When we arrived, there was already one Realtor inside showing it, another one in the driveway waiting to show it, we were third in line and another buyer was waiting for his Realtor to show up.  It's not unusual to see homes in the greater Houston area receive contracts the same day they…
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ruthie_foster_400Grammy nominee and Blues Music Award winner Ruthie Foster will be the concert headliner at the 8th annual Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival on Saturday and Sunday, April 13-14 from 10am-6pm, along The Woodlands Waterway® in Town Green Park.  Foster will perform at 3pm on Sunday, April 14 on the Palette Cafe' stage, near The Woodlands Waterway®.

Ruthie Foster, a Texas native, is a consecutive Blues Music Award Winner, winning Best Contemporary and Best Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year.  She was also recently nominated for a Grammy for Best Blues Album, Let It Burn, and in 2009 was nominated for a Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album for The Truth According to Ruthie Foster.  She is a multiple winner at the Austin Music Awards, winning Best…

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rick_loudermilk_400Austin artist Rick Loudermilk has been selected as the Featured Artist for The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival 2013.  He is a favorite at popular juried art shows in the Midwest, Florida, and Texas.  As Featured Artist, receives special recognition at the festival and his colorful and whimsical interpretation of The Woodlands Waterway called "Kaleidoscope on The Waterway" will appear on all advertising and signature items produced for sale at the festival.

This year's festival will be held April 13 and 14 from 10am to  6pm along The Woodlands Waterway® and in Town Green Park in The Woodlands Town Center. 

For detailed information about the festival and to purchase tickets online, visit www.thewoodlandsartsfestival.com.  Tickets are $10 per day or…

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wwaf_2012_7_400The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival is set for April 13-14 from 10am to 6pm along The Woodlands Waterway and in Town Green Park in The Woodlands Town Center.

More than 15,000 people attended last year's festival.  The variety of original art work that will be available at the festival includes clay, drawing, fiber, furniture, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media, 2D and 3D, painting, pastel, photography, sculpture, textile, watercolor, and wood.  Something for everyone!

The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival is ranked #9 among the Top 100 Art Festivals in the U.S. by Art Fair Source Book, the definitive guide to the best juried fine art and craft fairs in the U.S.

For more information about the festival and to purchase tickets online, visit…

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Homes in The Woodlands are selling at an incredibly fast pace.  The average months of inventory is just 1.7 months, based on the past 12 months of sales activity.  With just 219 homes currently listed for sale, The Woodlands housing market has reached what many consider to be a housing shortage. 

Visit The Woodlands Home Finder Center and you'll see steady stream of people coming in to find out more about the area.  It seems like everyone moving to the Montgomery County area wants to live in The Woodlands.

I'm finding that the buyer's attitude has changed somewhat over the years.  In the past, buyers were looking for a home that needed a little work or minor cosmetic changes.  They wanted to put in "sweat equity" to add value to their investment. …

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