An Event you Should Look Up This Weekend - literally!

This weekend if you look up into the skies over the Clear Lake area you are apt to see some very large planes - and some vintage planes as well. Let's face it, you're going to HEAR some very large planes too. This weekend marks the 25th annual Wings Over Houston airshow at Ellington Field. It is an event you won't want your family to miss - it runs October 31st - November 1st.

Click here for the schedule and to answer your questions on tickets, parking etc.

How scary is your home?

It's almost Halloween. This year we have decided to celebrate with a party for some families - judging by our response this is a great idea for everyone! Many times parties are "just for kids" or "adults only". Why not have a party for the family - and why not have fun dressing up, carving pumpkins and playing games.....oh yeah and eat! Preparing for the "Spooktacular" means transforming our home into something festive and "spooky". Fake spider webs and decorations adorn our home to create the affect. My daughter says I don't even need to dust - it just adds to the affect. I like that idea!

Sometimes our homes can be scary - even when its not Halloween. Who hasn't been frightened to open the electric bill during the summer? In previous homes we have lived in, nothing was more creepy than the growth of mold on the walls, or seeing (or worse hearing) little critters scamper about the house. As we move past Halloween, perhaps it is a good opportunity to make sure your home doesn't remain scary by doing some basic maintenance and repair.

• Clean up your yard of dying limbs and trim shrubs back to allow in some light
• Look for possible entry points for "critters" and take care of it
• Look up - clean out gutters, wipe away cobwebs (they made low cost decorations up to this point)
• Clean off those windows and screens to let in that nice cool Fall air (okay I realize I'm in the minority in Houston - but I LOVE to throw open my windows on the few days its nice)
• Pick a closet a week to clean out - and donate items that are reusable
• Repair any leaky or dripping faucets or things that go creak in the night
• And with the time change coming - change your smoke detector batteries

So let's keep your home being scary for Halloween!

FYI for more actual Halloween ideas visit the newsletter from This Old House for pumpkin carving ideas

Love Those Charts

My most memorable experience with charts came in junior high. I was asked to read an Eye Exam chart - everything was blurry after the large letter "E". Obviously there was a great need for me to read that chart as it led to me actually being able to see! It was then, perhaps, I realized that charts can be an invaluable tool.

If you follow THIS LINK you can see the latest chart graphs from the National Association of Realtors for October 2009 and future forecasts.

I have to admit I am not really a "chart" person, but I like what I see here in the way of forecasts - anything that shows bars going in an upward direction relating to housing is a good thing! It is important to also realize this is a National view. Home prices in Houston didn't suffer quite so much - our drops in prices were not the extremes of California or Florida.

So if you like charts - check it out.....you might like what you see!

Time's Running Out

As you can see by the count down clock on this page, time is running out for the $8000 First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit (unless of course Congress passes an extension while I am writing this.....could happen).

What does this mean? It means if you are a first-time home buyer your loan must "close" by November 30th. So while that seems doable to you - remember that every lender is different - some can close in two weeks, others in two months. Here are some things you can do to help the process.

1. Find a house to buy! Connect with a Realtor (me for instance) and begin looking at homes
2. Contact a lender (okay you should probably do this first so you are pre-qualified). Ask friends or Realtor for recommendations - ask the lender how long it normally takes to close on a loan. (realize things can come up - but you want the average) All lenders are NOT alike!
3. Gather paperwork - current and past tax returns, pay stubs, bank statements, etc. If it relates to your income - save it and have it ready!
4. If your lender, or Title company, asks for information - deliver it ASAP
5. Stay on top of it - be in constant communication with your lender to make sure the process continues to move. Don't just assume everything is fine.
6. Don't spend anything until it closes! I know this sounds weird, but I read an article that says some lenders run a credit check just before close to make sure there hasn't been any additional debt. Sure we all know you're going to buy some type of new furniture - but hold off until the loan closes if at all possible.

While everyone is hoping the Tax Credit is extended, the above can help you streamline a closing as much as is possible. Praying a little helps too!

Your Home and Germs

I received a enewsletter from This Old House Magazine on how to battle the flu season at home (read article here)

It got me thinking that it is true that our health can begin at home. I remember when we just had two kids and rented a small house. We were not alarmed when mold began showing up on the walls - after all a spray with bleach water took care of it! (this was before the affects of mold were widely publicized). Our youngest daughter was always sick with something respiratory or a strange rash. Only after we moved from there to our first home did we make the connection that the house was a key culprit to making her sick. After the move....healthy child!

While the article linked above has many good tips to keep healthy in your home this year, here are some tried and true tips from a mom of four:

• Everyone has their own distinct towel in their bathrooms (no sharing)
• Paper towels - after tiring of passing a virus in a continual circle in our home, I realized we ALL used the downstairs guest bathroom at times and dried our hands on that towel. We added a nice kitchen type paper towel holder to our guest bath and voila! the cycle ended.
• Banishment - if possible set up on area for the sick family member to recover and keep everyone (but the caregiver) away. Make it comfortable and bring in a portable DVD player for movies if no TV outlet. If they are really sick - nothing wrong with the caregiver wearing a mask
• Wipe Down - when sickness arrives in your home, grab the Lysol wipes and wipe down every surface that can be touched - knobs, door jams, refrigerator handles, keyboards (well maybe use something specifically for keyboards) and phones.
• Stock up on key items needed when you're sick...clear liquids, soups, cold remedies. When sickness strikes you may not be able to run to the store....especially if you're the one sick!
• The obvious: wash hands frequently, drink plenty of liquids and stay rested

While it is odd in a Real Estate blog to have these hints - it is important to realize that a home is more than just Real Estate....it is the hub of our lives; and the place we want to be to get well.

Stay healthy!

When Down is a Good Thing

As my husband and I were out for a trek to North Houston to visit Costco and IKEA today, we found ourselves right on the storm line as the cold front moved into Houston. After driving head on into the rain, we decided that perhaps it was a wiser choice to turn around and shop another day. While I had hoped to be at home and enjoy a good rainstorm, here in the Clear Lake area there is no "storm" just a rainy, drizzly day. However, the best part of the day can still be enjoyed with the cooler temperatures - it is amazing what a difference a temperature drop can make!

And speaking of dropping, have you looked at mortgage rates? In an email update today from the National Association of Realtors they quoted the Chicago Sun Times with this great news about mortgage rates:

• 30 year mortgage rates 4.87%


• 15 year mortgage at 4.33%

This makes it a great time to buy a home (especially as a First-time Home buyer with the Tax Credit possibly ending soon) or refinance. Check with your lender and see how you can benefit from these lower rates.

So in an age where the word "down" can be negative, I think its great to enjoy a day where "down" is a good thing! It means achieving the purchase of a home, the possibility of saving money, and lower humidity! What more could you ask for?

A Good Reason to Live in Houston

It's October - you go outside and long for a cool breeze and instead are welcomed with the all to familiar humidity and heat. Sure we were teased with cool weather not that long ago - but obviously it was scared away. To add insult to injury our much needed rain brought an army of mosquitoes. Where is Fall? Where is cooler weather? Why do we live here again?

Well I have a little bit of good news for you on that front.

As part of an article that appeared in today's Houston Chronicle (10.07.09) the chart to the left appeared showing Houston at the top of the list. Now some lists you don't want to be on the top of (like Fattest City), but this is a good list.

While the figures are from 2008, it shows Houston having not only an increase in personal income, but also the highest average change in median home sales prices at 2.6%. Now that may not sound like a lot, but when you examine the chart further and see the national average is -15.6% - that isn't too bad.