Robert Gilbert(Bob) Realtor, CPA, MBA, Katy TX Real Estate Expert -281-904-6772

Texas Home & Garden Show in Houston

The Houston Reliant Center is hosting the 26 th annual Texas Home & Garden Show starting on Friday February 10 and going through Sunday February 12. The Show promoters call this “Houston’s Premier One Stop Shopping Opportunity” for all a homeowner needs for their home and garden. The show hours are: FRIDAY FEBRUARY 10 2:00 p.m. TILL 8:00 P.M.; Saturday February 11 10:00 A.M. until 8:00 P.M.; and Sunday February 12, 2012 from 11:00A.M. until 6:00 P.M.

Tickets are Adults $10 per person; Children 14 and under are FREE: Seniors (65+) are $8.50. A 1.00 discount is available online and in local Randall’s Weekly circular.

Major attractions at this show include but are not limited to: Remodeling; Green energy and green products; Home décor; Building products; Kitchens, baths & many more rooms; Outdoor living (newest rage among home buyers); How to do it workshops are held each day; Pools and spas; Food from Southwest farmers Cooking café; Vacation, outdoor attractions plus many more topics.

Michael Graves and Laurie Lopez will be doing live workshops on how to faux paint all weekend long. Other speakers include Jim Dutton from KTRH Texas Home Improvement radio show and he will do a live show at this event. Paul Wishnow or The Antique man will be performing appraisals all weekend long.

It will be a busy weekend at Reliant Center as the Houston RV show (see my blog) and this show are going on at the same time. I also believe there is a special model Train Show for enthusiasts. If you are bored this weekend or are having NFL withdrawals try one or both of these fine events. I personally have to work all weekend. Enjoy these attractions and let me know if you attended and what you like the best. The Reliant Center is an easy drive from Katy Texas on a weekend especially if you use the West Park Tollway. (I hope there is no planned construction this weekend)

Comcast in Katy Texas opens a new store

I am not writing this article as an advertisement or endorsement for Comcast. We use their services at my home and right now and we have virtually everything bundled. Supposedly this saves you money but also makes changing service providers much more difficult. Our situation was more an outgrowth of time as opposed to our picking this service provider. In addition Comcast bought out Time Warner in the Houston area several years ago. I am posting this blog to let folks in Katy know that the old Comcast Store just off Mason Road and Kingsland is now closed and a new XFINITYTM Store has replaced it.

Comcast celebrated ribbon cutting on their new Katy store on January 31, 2012. Many local dignitaries and City of Katy Council member plus Comcast employees were in attendance at the grand opening. This store is the first of its kind in all of the United States. Katy was picked due to its large future growth potential. The new location occupies 3,200 sq. ft. of space. The important part is that it is located on Mason Road in the Kroger Center maze of shopping strip stores. If you know where the Wings store is located then keep going towards the back of the strip towards the Alamo Drafthouse. The actual address is 517 S. Mason Road Katy, Texas. I found it a few weeks ago by accident and I was not sure if the old store was still functional.

The new facility supposedly has all of these special features to assist customers with picking the appropriate services. I will believe that when I see it. If you use Comcast and need to obtain a new TV converter box or obtain or exchange anything else with Comcast then you will need to go to this new facility. Based on the size of this store and the services they claim to provide, I would guess Comcast had to hire some new employees for this first of its kind facility here in Katy. If true then this is excellent news to me.

The store hours are Monday thru Friday 9:00 A.M. until 6:00 P.M. and on Saturday 9:00 A.M. until 5:00 P.M. My comment is simply every time I went to old facility I always had to wait in this huge line and the Comcast employees working the counter were not very nice or easy to deal with. Unfortunately they usually acted like they had a chip on their shoulder.

Huge RV Show going on in Houston Texas

Reliant Center in Houston Texas is hosting the 48 th annual RV Show on February 8 - February 12, 2012. This is easily the biggest RV event in the entire State of Texas. There will be over 600 Recreational Vehicles (RV) available you to view including Travel Trailers, Tent Campers, Motorhomes, Fifth Wheels and Van Conversions. In addition RV related vendors/suppliers will be there displaying their wares and will be willing to make some deals.

The expo is being held at Reliant Center halls D & E. Parking is at the McNee entrance with actual parking in the RED NORTH Kirby lot. I am sure there is a fee to park at Reliant as there always is an associated fee.

Every day of the expo seminars will be held at 2:00 P.M. and will be taught by RV experts.

Every day family campers priced from $5,000 to luxury motor coaches are highlighted.

The show hours are as follows: Wednesday February 8 and Thursday February 9, 2012 from noon until 8: 00 P.M.; Friday February 10 and Saturday February 11, 2012 from noon until 9:00 P.M.; and Sunday February 12, 2012 from noon until 6: P.M.

Tickets prices are $10 per adult; $5 per child (6-12) under 6 years old are free.

Hunting, fishing, camping and touring the state in RV’s are a huge recreational past times for many residents of Texas and certainly in Katy Texas this is also a true statement. Texans love the outdoors and all associated activities. If your passion lies in this area you might want to consider attending this fine Expo. I will not be attending as in my family camping out equates to spending the night at a Holiday Inn and any RV or in a tent is out of the question. If you attend enjoy yourself and let me know what you liked best about the Expo.

Carbon Monoxide can be a deadly gas in Katy and everywhere else

Every winter we all see a number of reports in the press of Carbon Monoxide poisoning and this year is no different. Listed below are salient points all of us should be aware of regarding this dangerous gas as it applies to our homes:

· Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas which is lighter than air. The gas can be very toxic to both humans and animals if the victim is subjected to high concentration levels. The gas is produced in natural animal breakdown but this type of carbon monoxide gas is in very low concentrations and should not harm anyone or thing.

· CO is produced when there is not sufficient oxygen available to create Carbon Dioxide when carbon containing mixtures are dissolved.

· All of us need to know the symptoms of CO poisoning such as sudden headaches, shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea and sudden fatigue.

· If you suspect CO poisoning is occurring then immediately phone 911 and leave the location where you are at.

· Every home should have at least one CO detector. Batteries should be checked on a regular basis and replaced when needed. The sound given off when the battery is low is extremely distributing.

· All home heating systems should be serviced at least once a year by a qualified technician and this includes vents, chimneys and flues.

· Check all fuel burning types of appliances such as generators space heaters and etc. are properly maintained and working in the manner they should.

· Don’t warm up your car in a garage or any enclosed space where the door is closed. I also believe that you should crack your window in the car when you are sitting at one spot for a long period of time and not driving forward. Don’t leave children or pets alone in an auo with the motor running and all the windows totally closed.

Special Needs Children Art Blast in Katy Texas

The Easter of Seals of Greater Houston is partnering with Katy Visual & Performing Arts Center (KVPAC) to provide an “Art Blast” for special needs children ages 3-14 with all types of disabilities and their siblings ages 3-10 on Saturday February 11, 2012. The event will start at 9:00 A.M. and last until 3:00P.M. and will be held at the KVPAC facility. The idea of course is to give these children a day of fun and play while the parents get a needed break from the normal routine.

How it works is that all the children will be matched with volunteers aged 15 or older and they will spend the entire day together doing fun things.

If you are a Special Needs family and want to participate in this activity you will need to E-mail Christine Ellery at CEllery@eastersealshouston.org as reservations are required and will only be taken via E-mail.

This event is another fine example in Katy Texas of the local community stepping forward to help residents who really need assistance.

KVPAC is a 501 c (3) non-profit organization and is located at 2501 S. Mason Road Katy Texas. Their phone is 281-829-2787.

If you desire more information about KVPAC then go to their web site.