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Liz Carter,Broker/Owner of Liz Carter & Team Realty, Katy TX (Houston)

The Cinco Ranch Community -- Take a Vacation Everyday!

I've been in this business a very long time. During that time, I've had the opportunity to network with hundreds of real estate agents around the country, and one universal truth I've found to be true is that you can't be successful as a real estate agent unless you truly love the place you work and live. Let me put it this way... I am a very successful agent!

It is so easy for me to be passionate about helping people find a place to live in and around Katy Texas, because I love it!!!

Katy has so many wonderful things to offer, but my favorite community by far is the one I've chosen to live in: Cinco Ranch.

Cinco Ranch is one of the Top 20 residential developments in the United States. Located in Katy, Texas just 28 miles west of the most friendly large city in the world, Houston, Texas. We are actually like a small town unto itself, being a part of Harris and Fort Bend Counties Uninc. I have lived in the area since 1976 and watched as they stated developing this wonderful community in 1990 which is why I bought my home here in 1992...

I sell homes in Cinco Ranch...I live in Cinco Ranch...and I love Cinco Ranch because it's like

Taking A Vacation Without Leaving Home

Cinco Ranch in Katy Texas has so many amenities it’s like being on a permanent vacation. The Lakes were the main reason I first bought my home in Cinco Ranch. Over the years and over 8,000 homes later the developer still continues to build new features and amenities on a regular basis.

The Water Park being one of the newest and most popular... It's better than some of the commercial ones and you don’t have to drive anywhere…it’s right by your home! No driving, no planning, it’s convenient being right in our neighborhood, and its FREE. When Brian and Chris come to visit, (my 11 and 8 year old nephews), the first thing they ask is: “When can we go to the Water Park? Of course they like the fishing, biking, nature trails, world famous Beach Club, sail boats, paddle boats, golf course, parks, pools, tennis courts, basketball courts, and the horse shoe throwing area by the gazebo too…but the Water Park…that’s the “coolest thing” about coming to visit Aunt Liz in Cinco Ranch.

Not long after we moved in is when I realized haw great it was going to be to live in Cinco. Katy Texas is 28 miles due west of Houston Texas. The growth has been phenomenal and it is now the fastest growing area around the greater Houston area. People and families are originally attracted to Katy by it’s lower prices, top builders, and the top rated KISD school district plus a small town atmosphere. All this, while still being close to the dynamic city of Houston. Cinco Ranch was the fist Master Planned community and it helped put Katy on the map and made it one of the most desirable places in the country to live.

There is so much to see other than the beautiful homes, that I will usually spend a couple of hours showing buyers, and folks relocating to the Katy, TX area all the amenities of Cinco Ranch before we ever look at a home to buy!

When you buy a home in Cinco Ranch you are buying a lifestyle too. Currently we have around 8,600 occupied homes, and still building. This unique master-planned community encompasses 5,400 acres with 70 acres of woodland and wetland habitat. Plus all the land that is set aside for the 7 pools, 10 tennis courses, Golf Course, lakes, beach club, exercise trails, water park, gazebo area, basketball & volleyball courts, nature trails with foot bridges and lookout platforms, and dozens of pocket parks that are dotted throughout Cinco Ranch.

It's like taking a vacation without ever leaving home!

So, whether it's the small town charm and beautiful community, the friendly neighbors and great food, or simply the amazing amenities and surrounding nature, I guarantee you will love Cinco Ranch in Katy Texas!

Let me show you why I love this neighborhood so much, and why I am the number one agent in Katy...

liz carter

Liz Carter & Team Realty

281-391-SOLD

www.LizCarter.com


Winners of Texas Real Estate groups contest...The Best BBQ in Texas!

TX flagThis challenge was no easy task since Texas is Synonymous with Great BBQ

These three WINNERS came through like the true Champions they are, so be sure and check out their award winning post and stop by and thank them for sharing it with our great group...I know you will.

The Judges this time were myself, Liz Carter and my Partner Marchel Peterson, and as is fairly common with us we thought exactly alike and each of us picked the exact same three people in the exact same order. I would like to apologize to our winners for having to wait on me to get this write up done. It's no excuse but I'm been involved in the active rain makeover 2 takeover contest, so I ran a little behind

Our Judging Criteria:

  • Uniqueness, i.e. not your average run of the mill BBQ chain.
  • Descriptive i.e., you want to describe your BBQ so that the reader taste buds start salivating, and they must try your BBQ place NOW. Their hunger pains start they are suddenly overtaken by an intense desire for mouth watering, succulent juicy, BBQ.
  • Location must be included in your post; they are going to be so hungry for BBQ after reading all your great blogs they will immediately get in their cars and drive across Texas to find them all. Or jump on a plane and fly to Texas that day.
  • Pictures, you must have at least four pictures.
  • Extra consideration will be given for videos, or slide shows that are added, but NOT required.

Ladies and Gentlemen it gives me great pleasure to present our three winners

First Place Sondra Meyer 1,000 Points Her pick was the run away winner for its Uniqueness, you are just not going to believe what Sandra has in store for you, it's great. The location was perfect, and so we the #1ton of fun pictures she used...no more hints...you've just got to read it!

best BBQ in Texas: Best BBQ in Texas??? - 06/03/08 08:52 AM
Where can you find the best BBQ in Texas? I've spent several weeks thinking about where to go for the best BBQ in Texas. I thought about restaurants that are open now. I thought about the ones that have closed. I thought about the memorable places that I have eaten that I

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Second Place Steve Homer 750 Points Steve's pick got lots of taste buds going, with some creative writing and he also had a ton of pictures for the visual among us...and his pick was p2nd placeerfect, check it out! Steve, a native Texan gives it a raving endorsement...hard to top that!

best BBQ in Texas: Coopers Old Time Pit BBQ in Llano, TX - THIS IS IT!!! BEST BBQ in Texas! - 05/17/08 07:35 AM When I want REAL Texas BBQ, I hop in the car with the family and take a to ride Cooper's in Llano. Man it doesn't get any better anywhere in the world for BBQ. Now this is saying something, because I am a native Texan and have never had better anywhere

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Third Place Trey Thurmond 500 Points Trey went historical with his post, and it could be in a movie, 3rd placemaybe has bee. I think y'all will be wanting to plan a BBQ eating trip after reading these! Great Job

best BBQ in Texas: Best BBQ in Texas! - 05/15/08 11:59 PM
Martin's BBQ, in Bryan, ......... Texas a Texas Tradition since 1925! Now A Historical landmark. I don't know what is the oldest BBQ business in Texas but I do know one of the oldest, best tasting and most charming BBQ restaurants has definitely, definitely got to be Martin's in Bryan

Congratulations Sondra, Steve, and They you made us all Texas proud!

Liz Carter, Texas Real Estate group

If Y'all haven't check out our group, come on over world love to have you

Crybabies and Busybodies...

Avoiding a Lawsuit with a Database?

The Ending of a Thriving Real Estate Career...

Caused by being sued from a disgruntled seller or buyer over a real estate transaction happens. We live cry babyin a highly litigious society... that is a reality! There is a growing tendency to not take personal responsibility for what happens in your life unfortunately. Some people what to blame someone else for their mistakes, or lack of just about everything in life. People are always looking for an "easy" way to get rich by suing someone for just about anything and everything that happens to them. Remember the person that sued because the coffee was too hot, and they got burned? Come on, grow up take responsibility for what happens in your own life, and stop blaming the other person. However that is not reality, our society is full of crybabies and busybodies. They think they are a victim who everyone is "out to get", they want to cry about what they see as all the injustices' aimed just at them. Our society is also full of the type of person who wants to tell everyone else how to live their life. There way is right, and everyone else is wrong. They don't know the meaning of "live and let live", unless of course you do it, "their way"! Enough already, take responsibility, and as long as someone is not causing damage to others, leave them along to live their life as they choose.

In the recent Active Rain contest, Makeover 2 Takeover there was much said about the benefits of having a good database, and which software was best. In my opinion the two most important reasons to have a database were barely touched on, or not at all. #1, a large data base that has been worked correctly and is well established is the only "salable" asset a Realtor has, should they decide to leave the business. A database should produce at least 10% of the total number of people in it transactions per year. If you have a 500 person database you should be able to expect to close 50 transactions every year, just from the database. #2, which was not touched on at all, is a great database will not keep you out of a lawsuit, but it will make it highly likely that you win should you ever be sued.

A great paper trail is your best defense in a lawsuit, especially when it comes to a real estate scales of justictransaction. Texas is one of the states with the highest lawsuits filed in the US, and used to be a lot worse. There has been a lot of reform in Texas, but we have a long way to go. Our laws are weighted in favor of the consumers/claimant. The defendant has to prove they did no wrong...hence our cost of doing business is very high due to E & O Insurance (Errors and Omissions insurance). It's something you must have or you could find yourself out of business overnight. Lawyers know we have it, and they know what the dollar limit is, so they sue you for ten times the amount of your limit, and settle out of court for a lot less. You still have lost time, attorneys fees, and all the other cost and emotions that occur when you are sued.

In 32 years of doing an extremely high volume of real estate transactions I have only been sued once...yes I just knocked on wood. That's a damn good track record that I am thankful for, especially in these litigious society and times of ours. The case which is a post in itself was filed against me by a buyer who claimed we failed to disclose defects' of the home he bought. The really weird part is this was a past client of mine and he used to own the home he brought, and in fact had had it built originally! I helped them in that transaction also several years before. I also had sold the home for them when they got transferred. I had it listed when the people who bought it from them got ready to sell, and strangely the original client of mine was being transferred back to Houston. I of course had been in touch all this time, as I am with all my past clients. I knew they were coming back and wanted me to help them find another home, our fourth transaction together. I let them know what they had always referred to as their "dream home" was back on the market. Obviously they knew the home; they build it, and lived in it for several years. They did not even want to look at other homes; they wanted to buy back their "dream home", yippee. Well these people had been in many lawsuits over their lives, I guess I should have know "I would hit their sue happy list one of these days", and I did...about four months after closing I got "the letter".

Needless to say I was highly insulted, frustrated, angry, and innocent. None of that counts in a lawsuit, rsk in selling real estateor in our judicial system. It's not who is right or wrong, it's about what makes more financial sense to the insurance company. Is it cheaper for them to "settle" the lawsuit or fight it? Nine times out of ten they settle, and you have no say if it is within your deductible. The attorney for my E & O Insurance company said, "I have never seen a real estate agent that had as much or better detailed information as you do. If more agents would keep files like you do, we would see far fewer lawsuits". Yes they are still in my database; however their "contact type" has changed from past client, A client, Listor, Buyer, Christmas list, and Best Client to, S___ H___. Fortunately that "contact type" has very few entries in it.

Be 100% honest, build your real estate business on the Golden Rule "Do Unto Others As You Would Have Them Do Unto You", so ask that question in every real estate transaction. Keep detailed records and information in your database about every client and transaction you do. Keep way more than you think you will ever need and keep it forever, you never know when you might need it. Not only will a great database help you make money, it will help you KEEP IT.

To find our the latest on Active Rain's contest, check out Pre-Listing Package week 2 challenge, bringing in our A game...Team Tex-La...It's a great challenge again this week, and TWO TEAMS will be eliminated this week, so it's really A-GAME ON.

Liz Carter, owner/broker Liz Carter & Team Realty. Serving Katy, Sugar Land, and the greater Houston Texas areas since 1976, Call 281-391-SOLD (7653) or 800-783-4041. WWW.lizcarter.com

Referrals Appreciated!

Life is a journey not a destination for local Katy TX resident (in hindsight)

Is that all there is?

The saying "Success is a journey, not a destination", is something I had heard of course, but never really orange rose with reindropsthought to much about or fully understood the truth in that profound statement until several years ago. I was standing in a room surrounded by my friends, family and all of the Century 21 agents and brokers from around our four-state region.  My song had just finished playing, everyone was applauding, and I was standing on the stage in my fist haute couture formal dress, which made me feel like a princess when I put it on.  Everyone was smiling, flowers were being given to me by my friend, partner and broker, the regional director handed me my gold statue and the thought I had at that crowning moment was not one of jubilation.  I looked out at the crowd and thought to myself, "Is that all there is"!  Wow, it was the most amazing feeling of let down I think I've ever experienced, when you would have thought I would have been overjoyed, but I wasn't...I felt this tremendous letdown feeling.  You see I had finally made it, after years of working hard and always coming in less than #1, I was finally crowned the #1 Century 21 Realtor for the city of Houston, Texas, and was also in the top 10 in the US.  I had made the unfortunate mistake of not enjoying the journey. I don't do that anymore.

I think a lot of people do that, more than experience the joy along the way, most like I did get lost in the rush.  I had been so driven, so focused, so caught up in the working that I had not stopped to smell the century-21 awardroses along the way.  The last few years at that moment seemed a big blur because I had rushed through them to get to the end goal and once I got there, it was just a letdown.  In fact more than just a letdown, it was like I had wasted those precious years, and I had to some extent.  So my friends please remember this, "It is not the things we get, but the hearts we touch, that will measure our success in life."  Do stop and smell the roses, relax and enjoy whatever journey you decide you want to take with your life.  It will all be over in such a short time.  Let's be softer, kinder, gentler, and take some time to enjoy this beautiful life we have.

Tina Turner is one of my idols, and I think one of the best voices and entertainers in the world.  I have every album and song she ever did.  I have seen her in concert three times, the energy she has and the voice is simply the best...which of course is my favorite song.  This was the song they always played as they announced the #1 agent for the city at our annual awards banquets. I was with C-21 for 30 years, that's a long time my friends. I always went to the awards even before I was getting an award, I just loved it when they would make the announcement and Tina would burst out over the speakers. Please enjoy Tina Turner singing Simply the Best.

Liz Carter, Realtor Katy, TX www.lizcarter.com

When you need to buy or sell a home in the greater Houston, TX area, please call Liz Carter & Team Realty. Serving Katy Proper, Cinco Ranch, West Memorial, Nottingham Country, Green Trails, Seven Meadows, Grand Lakes, Remington Trails, Memorial Parkway, and all the surrounding subdivisons of Katy, TX since 1976. 281-391-SOLD (7653) "Your Real Estate Rescource For Life"

 

active rain's contest makeover2takeover, is a database an important part of Real Estate?

Team Tex-La...Simply The Best

Joshua Lazaro the Superstar Apprentice and Liz Carter aka Coach Carter the Mentor are hard at workliz carter mentor in active rain's contest make over 2 take over Picture of Real Estate Agent: Joshua Lazaro (Prudential Gardner, Realtors)getting Josh's new database launched.  We were fortunate to be chosen to be in Active Rain's contest makerover2takeover, the brain child of our Fearless Leader Rich Jacobson .  Now while we have been working many hours each day on selecting the best software available, and we have selected Top Producer, since it is the software program I have used since it first come on the market in 1989.  I think it is one of the best for many reasons.  The two main ones are it is web based now, so it can be accessed from any PC.  It also can be networked so that multiple members can share and manage the database.  I can't tell you much more than that until the first challenge is over this week.

We are also hard at work we me teaching Josh how I use my Top Producer software program to generate, and maintain my database of 3000 past clients to make money.  That's a lot of people, which bookis one of the first things you must do, find people to put in your database.  So for now I would like to hear from you on,

1.  What software program you use?

 2.  How big is your database? 

3.  How to you plan to grow you database to a level that it will produce business for you on a regular  ongoing basis?

This contest is not just for those of us in the contest, but also for all of you, for all of us.  To learn from and help each other to grow our real estate business.  After this first week we will be sharing with you the ideas that I am giving Josh, and hopefully they will benefit you as well.  In the meantime I would love to hear and learn for each of you. 

Josh is from Metairie, LA, and I am from Katy, TX, so our team name is Tex-La, and we have come up with a slogan and a theme song for our team.  The slogan is, "Sharing state boarders and knowledge", and our theme song is "Simply The Best", by my favorite entertainer, and singer in the world.  This woman is remarkable, I saw her in concert when she was 60 years old, and she has the energy of 10 much younger athletes, and those legs, WOW.  So while you are typing your comments and making your plans, please enjoy the music of Tina Turner singing, Simply The Best.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Liz Carter, Top Realtor for Katy, Texas           281-391-SOLD (7653)     www.lizcarter.com