The Property Source Real Estate Blog

Spring is here and The Spring Home & Garden Show is returning to The Woodlands for the 10th Consecutive year!  Mark your calendar for March 31 & April 1.   The show will be at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center.  Doors open on Saturday from 9am-7pm and on Sunday, 10am-6pm.  Tickets are $9 for Adults and $7 for Seniors.  Children under 12 are free.

Experts and exhibits at the show include expert tips to create a kitchen that reflects the owner's personality, taste and budget by John Johnston, president of Designer Kitchens. Complete rooms will be set out for attendees to see, touch, and sit in.  The Billiard Factory booth will have special guest Texans defensive end Connor Barwin.  The Home Media Pros will present the 4-D Home…

The Woodlands Crawphish Festival is fast approaching! Mark your calendars for March 24, 2012. The festivities will be held in Town Green Park from 11am to 6pm.

You'll find crawfish, Rudy's BBQ, and activities provided by The Woodlands Children's Museum, Painting With A Twist, live bands, dancing, a tent decorating contest and loads of fun for the entire family.

This community event is designed to increase awareness of Pulmonary Hypertension and the South Montgomery County Woodlands Chamber of Commerce's Young Professionals.

Tickets may be purchased in advance at a discounted price from The Woodlands Chamber's Office at 1400 Woodlock Forest Dr Suite 300, The Woodlands Mall, and Market Street Concierge.

The San Antonio Business Journal is reporting that only two U.S. metro areas have seen increases in home values since 2007 - (the year in which home values peaked) and they're both in Texas!  Houston and San Antonio.  I feel so blessed to be located in the greater Houston Area!

According to FNC Inc., a mortgage technology company based in Oxford, Mississippi, Houston reported a 4.8% increase in home values and San Antonio saw a 2% increase.

Nationally, home prices were down 3.5% at the end of 2011, compared to prices reported in 2010.

In other real estate economic news today, The Houston Business Journal is reporting that Houston is expected to add 91,000,(yes, that's 91,000) jobs in 2012, according to a new report out from Marcus & Millichap. …

According to CNNMoney, if you want to date, own a home.  Evidently it's the ultimate aphrodisiac.  Now this is the news I've been waiting to hear!  

1,000 single people were surveyed and it was found that more than 1/3 of the women and 18% of the men said they would rather date a homeowner than someone who rents. On the flip side, just 2% of the women and 3% of the men surveyed said they would prefer to date someone who rents over someone who owns a home.  62% of both men and women surveyed said that they would prefer to date singles who live alone.  Dah!

If you're back home living with your parent or parents, you're just out of luck.  Less than 5% of the singles surveyed said they would even date someone living at home with mom and dad.

So what are…

One of three wineries in Montgomery, TX. located in the old First State Bank building in historic Montgomery at 211 Liberty Street.  Open Wed - Sat 11am to 7pm and Sun noon to 6pm.  Stop in, check out the award winning wines, and enjoy a glass!

I've been going to this great Paul Mitchell hair salon for a few years now and want to introduce you to it.  If you live in the area, I hope you'll try it out.

This beautiful home located at 134 Waterfront in the gated community of Walden Estates is currently available.  The 4695 square foot one story home is situated on 1.5 acres.  Call today for your private showing:  281.844.6584

According to Clear Capital, which services mortgage and lending industries, the Texas housing markets are doing much better than the rest of the nation. 

The average Houston home prices dropped .8 percent in 2011 compared to a 2.1 percent nationally.  Houston's home prices increased by 1.8 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011, compared with a national decrease 4 percent.

Clear Capital is further expecting Houston home prices to increase by 3 percent this year while expecting to see only a 2 percent rise nationally.

 

Homeowners associations have new guidelines for maintaining their association documents, providing access to the association records, and conducting open meetings.  Also effective January 1, a homeowners association is required to use an "expedited foreclosure" process before foreclosing against a property owner, unless the property owner gives a written waiver.  The process includes obtaining a court order by the association against the property owner.

HOAs are now prohibited from foreclosing a debt that consists solely of fees charged to obtain copies of HOA records.  They are also now required to apply owner's payments in the following order:  first to delinquent assessments,  then current assessments, and finally attorney's fees and fines.  This…

If you live in the Lake Conroe area, you're well aware of the devastating drought we've had and the toll it's taken on Lake Conroe.  The lake is down a whopping 8 feet!  Although there are a few public boat launches open, just about all of the waterfront properties are dry docked.

Waterfront home prices are falling, making it an excellent time to purchase waterfront property.  If you're looking for an investment, now is the time.  Of course, buying waterfront property when there is little water is not for the feint of heart.  No, it's for the serious investor or homeowner with a vision and an understanding that Lake Conroe was created as a water supply reservior and the lake level will come back once this historic Texas drought has passed.

This…