About Nueces County, TX

PORT ARANSAS, Texas - There is cause for celebration. It was reported yesterday that Governor Perry has signed into law HB 2276 which amends the State Tax Code to include Port Aransas along with Galveston and South Padre Island in the cities to which special state hotel tax allocations apply.

Simply put, Port A will now receive a portion of the State's Hotel Occupancy Tax Revenue to clean and maintain public beaches. This will provide an ongoing revenue stream that will help the City fund beach maintenance operations and assist with erosion response projects. Initial estimates suggest that this could provide the City of Port Aransas with $350k annually and that number is expected to grow over time.

The State Comptroller's website reflects the change and the new policy is effective on July 1, 2009.

PORT ARANSAS, Texas - Planning a trip to Port A? If so, you'll want to check out the definitive resource on all things Port Aransas and Mustang Island. The Port Aransas South Jetty Newspaper publishes a visitor guide four times per year.

The guide contains plenty of useful information on places to stay, eat and shop. The map provides a detailed look at the city and points of interest. Check out the Port Aransas Visitor's Guide online or download the pdf version of the Summer 2009 issue.

PORT ARANSAS, Texas - The Corpus Christi Caller Times reported yesterday that we remain one of the "birdiest" places in the US.

"Local birders from the Audubon Outdoor Club of Corpus Christi and Coastal Bend Audubon Society counted 217 species in Corpus Christi within a three-day period, down from 241 spotted in 2008. San Diego, Calif., placed second with 198 species counted. Nueces County was named the Birdiest Coastal County with 238 species spotted, down from 253 spotted last year."

Nature tourism has been on the rise in Port Aransas. The local Chamber of Commerce features a dedicated section of their website to offer information on local birding sites. Check out the Port Aransas Chamber of Commerce website or download a pdf of the Birds & Nature brochure which shows the best birdwatching sites in the area. The complete Caller Times article is available here.

PORT ARANSAS, Texas - The Corpus Christi Caller Times published the 2009 Hurricane Guide for residents and visitors along the Texas Coast.

The guide contains lots of good information:

• A map with evacuation routes for the greater Corpus Christi area
• Information to help create a hurricane plan in advance of a storm
• Items to include in your hurricane kit
• Instructions on how to properly cover windows and doors
• Details on insurance coverage

MCE EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT:

Join Ashley Whittenberger, Staging Expert, Trainer and President of the Texas State Chapter of the Real Estate Staging Association for an informative TREC-Approved MCE course (3-credit hours) that will change the way you do business, for the better. Don't miss the opportunity to learn how you can integrate staging into your real estate business, without affecting your bottom line. "The Secrets of Staging to Sell: Strategic Marketing through Home Staging"

a TREC-approved MCE Course #03-00-060-7051
Provider #0173
DATE: Friday June 19, 2009

TIME: 9:30am - 12:30pm

LOCATION:
To Be Announced
COURSE FEE FOR LICENSED REALTORS AND BROKERS: $30 if you register before June 17, $40 at the door.
GENERAL PUBLIC: $175 before June 17, $200 at the door. * Minimum attendance requirements must be met in order for us to bring this course to your marketplace. If minimum attendance requirements are not met, the event will be cancelled and you will be notified prior to the course. In order to ensure a successful turnout, forward this invitation to your colleagues! Is your company interested in becoming a sponsor or providing space for this event? E-mail shannon@theinterioritycomplex.com for more information.

In this course, you will learn how to use home staging as an effective marketing strategy to package & sell your listings AND get more clients and gain...

• The confidence to give educated advice to your sellers on effective staging strategies.
• The knowledge of how to integrate staging into your business and marketing plan at little to no cost.
• A strategy for separating yourself from the other agents in your market during your listing presentation.
• The tools you will need to brand your listings and earn a reputation for always listing "model" homes.
• Materials and information you can use in your listing packet.
• To learn more about the course content, click here.

What others are saying about this course... "Ashley... You were AWESOME!!! I learned so much.... informative, and a wealth of informational facts the I did not realize that STAGING holds for all clients that want to sell their home!!! Thanks so much for a GREAT CLASS!!!" -Christine Rayburn, Broker, AHLS,ABR,SRES,PMN - Rayburn and Associates

"Hi, Wow! I will certainly recommend you to other brokers looking for a shot in the arm for their agents. What a great job. One agent said her goal for the day was to create her 'elevator' speech. Thanks to you, too." - Sami Dinhoble, Broker, EXIT Realty.

"Ashley, my agent and I really enjoyed your home staging class yesterday and found it very interesting. Thank you for teaching the class!" - Van Davison, Broker

"Ashley, Your staging course was incredibly informative and extremely helpful. I now know how to effectively integrate staging into my business and marketing plan. This will help my business and my listings!" - Mark Tanner

"After being a real estate agent for 35 years, I thought I knew it all. You've proven me wrong. Thank you for your fresh perspective and enlightened point of view on effectively 'packaging' our listings!" - Debbie Kelsey, ReMax

"Ashley is the best home stager in the business. She stays at the forefront of the industry attending seminars, reading relavent articles. She understands and effectively communicates with sellers on effective home merchandising strategies! Whether a home is already beautiful or needs some love, she will bring it to its full market potential. I highly recommend Ashley!" Matt Menard, Realtor, Home Resource

_________________________________________________________________________

To reserve your seat e-mail: shannon@theinterioritycomplex.com or call 512-289-7177.

Click here to view the online event flyer.