When i travel outside the Clear Lake/ South Shore Harbour area... or find myself showing families, individuals or corporate clients either homes or commercial sites in the area, i have discovered that there are two questions that seem to always come up. In thinking about this, i decided to just put my answers in writing. First , because i think my answers speak volumes about the " quality of life " in this area and, second, i think it is important to let people see "beyond the business application " and " into the heart " of who it is that is helping them find that perfect home or business location. Here are the two questions, followed by my answers :
WHY HAVE YOU CHOSEN TO LIVE AND WORK IN THE CLEAR LAKE/ SOUTH SHORE HARBOUR AREA FOR 25 YEARS ?
When i first moved to this area in 1985, i wasn't expecting to stay for a quarter-of-a-century ( and beyond ). As a single " twenty-something ", i expected to gain a few years of experience in the field of real estate marketing, and then move on. Within a short time, however, i began to fall in love with the area. If Houston could be likened to a " smaller " form of Los Angeles .... then the Clear Lake area felt like a smaller form of San Diego. The proximity to water, the diverse people who lived in this area, the small-town feel of the area and proximity to the beaches of Galveston and " big city " culture of Houston ( both, just 30 minutes away ), all served to create a " pull on my heartstrings " like no place i had ever lived before!
As the years passed by, i married and had two amazing daughters. I grew both professionally, and as a man. As an employee of South Shore Harbour Development, Limited, i was responsible for corporate and community relations, selling residential lots to homebuilders, building a network of commercial and residential realtors, and marketing/negotiating and selling commercial sites to end-users. Assisting a diversely experienced management team in creating a fully functional master-planned community with residential/resort and retail/ commercial villages and business centers. As the years passed..and we continuously sold an average of 200 homes a year, i witnessed ( and was a part of ) this awesome, quaint, bayside community be transformed from a small country town, into an amazing place for families and businesses alike, to call... home.
The years passed by, and with it... the community grew...and so did i, and my daughters. I was lucky to be a part of growing something amazing... and special. Village after village was developed, eventually exceeding over 20 ( with over 4000 homes being sold and occupied ). Office complexes, a resort hotel and conference center, a world-class fitness center, and a slew of packet parks and other amenities appeared. Schools, retail shops, community services continued to blossom. Casual friends became close ones, many feeling like family. I discovered an amazing church home in Clear Creek Community Church, and learned ...through the help of many special, loving people... what it meant to embrace my faith, and help/ serve others, through it. Watching my daughter's grow from little girl's into amazing young women, passing from this community's elementary schools... then into intermediate school...and finally into high school, only served to reinforce why i loved this area, and still call it home... today.
So, to summarize for the reader, here are the things that i think make the Clear Lake Area in general...and South Shore Harbour, in particular, so special to me:
* The amazing, relaxed lifestyle !
* Wonderful, diverse and loving people.
* A highly-rated school district.
* A plethora of shops, restaurants, services and amenities.
* A diverse, sound, economic base, with stable employment opportunities.
* The proximity to water, boating and.... seafood !
* Location, location, location... being half-way between Houston and Galveston.
* Amazing houses of worship, no matter your denomination or faith.
I can honestly say to others... when queried... that the community that i have called home for a quarter of a century is...in a word.. "special". If you decide to move here, i have no doubt that in a short time, you will agree with me !
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO BE A RESIDENTIAL/ COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE AGENT ?
The short answer is " I LOVE PEOPLE ". The longer answer is.... " I LOVE HELPING PEOPLE"! It might seem cliche', but it is the honest truth. There is nothing that sets my heart on fire, more than knowing that someone in need has come across my path, and i have aided them in some form or another. Through sheer circumstance... and God's amazing love, i have been fortunate to be a part of something special... the nurturing of not only THIS community, but the concept of "community", in a larger context. Whether it's someone needing to sell their home out of circumstance, or desiring to buy one... i love helping them in any way i can. If someone is hurting, and needs an ear or physical help... i love helping them in any way i can. If someone wants to open a new business, and wants to understand the growth patterns of our area... i can help them, and want to do so. If someone new to our area needs a doctor, or a group of friends to connect with, i like to believe that i am aptly suited to help them, and really want to!
If you are reading this, you have probably figured out that i am a " people person", and that assumption would be right on! It's the main reason i did choose to enter the field of residential/ commercial real estate, after my 23 year career at South Shore Harbour ended, due to it's inevitable " build-out ". The real estate profession enables me to constantly be placed in the path of new people, needing help. Often... the people i help find homes, land or business locations become my friends, and i wouldn't want it any other way. It's a fun profession, where helping people becomes a daily occurance, and way of life.
Should you find yourself in this awesome community, and are thinking of, perhaps, calling it your home... try me out. I would love to meet you, listen to you, share with you, and.... help you.
Jerome "Jerry" Jones, Jr.
Shoreline Properties
(281) 224-0206
John Duncan's Bank Owned Inventory Homes List
July 16, 2009
Temp: What can I say, it's HOT!
Click below to see the latest foreclosure listings in the Clear Lake area.
Last 7 days
All Foreclosures
***NOTE*** If you're looking for a home in a really cool area with a large
lot, be sure and check out 1202 Verdun in Friendswood. It is in one of the
prettiest areas of town loaded with trees. Great price too.
Buying a foreclosure can be exciting, and challenging all at the same time.
There are some differences between purchasing a foreclosed home and a
"normal" transaction between a buyer and a homeowner.
It is not uncommon for example to be in a multiple offer situation where one
home can have as many as 8 or 10 offers. In addition, the banks can take
some time just to find out if they've accepted your offer. Sometimes it can
take up to a week.
Foreclosed homes are sold "as-is." The banks do NOT make repairs. You've
heard the expression, "what you see, is what you get." It's never been more
true than in this case. You can have inspections done and you have the
option to either (a) move forward, or (b) terminate the contract and receive
your earnest money back.
While we're talking about earnest money, although I don't see it often, I'd
say that about 20% of the time, the banks are now requiring 3% as earnest
money. Quite a bit different than the typical $1,000 you might see. This
means on a $150,000 home, $4,500 would be required for earnest money. Budget
accordingly. It's critical to close on time as well. The banks often will
charge a per diem penalty for not closing on time; generally .1% of the
price.
I want to buy a foreclosure- but one in GREAT condition. Remember how we
got here. If a homeowner could not make the payments and the bank took the
property back, they didn't have the money to make repairs, or do normal
maintenance. Like anything else, some homes are in better condition than
others.
You MUST have an approval letter from a reputable lender. Another little
requirement for some banks (Wells Fargo is a good example) is that they
are now requiring not only an approval letter, but an approval letter from
the same bank that owns the property.
Now this one IRKS me!
It seems it should be illegal. But, it's the way they're playing the game.
In some cases, they won't even LOOK at your offer until they have that letter.
They "claim" that you do not have to use them for your mortgage and that it
is just so that they can feel comfortable taking the house off the market
while you get your loan etc. But I promise you, they want to "encourage"
you to use them as the lender.
Don't get me started...
Here's the thing. I should have been an educator because I believe that
many of the horror stories you hear about someone buying a home, really did
not have to be that way. It's about managing expectations. As a homebuyer
whether you're buying a foreclosure, or a home from a homeowner, you MUST
be knowlegable. And, you need to know BEFORE you get into the home buying
process; before you get caught up in the emotional part of purchasing a
home.
That's it for this week. Stay tuned. More to come...
Till next Thursday,
John
281-336-3175
www.BayAreaPropertiesSearch.com
homes@searchclearlake.com Contact John today for all your real estate needs!
Another Great Broad Cast using RSS! http://www.mlbroadcast.com/74352
Natalie Julian and Richard Ainsworth are Real Estate professionals serving the League City - Clear Lake Area. We pride ourselves on our superior customer service and our ability gain our clients trust. As a buyer you will be pleased to know we always look out for what's best for you, we will work hard and efficiently determine your individual needs. As a seller you will be impressed with our innovative use of current technology in our marketing efforts. Whether you are looking to purchase or sell a home, call us today.
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First American's oldest & strongest branches. We are located in the heart of Clear Lake on El Camino Real between Bay Area Blvd and NASA Parkway in the Oynx One Buliding. Houston Texas
The Clear Lake office is one of First American's oldest & strongest branches. We are located in the heart of Clear Lake on El Camino Real between Bay Area Blvd and NASA Parkway in the Oynx One Buliding. Our recently remodeled office includes a coffee bar and movie room. The escrow & sales staff is equipped to serve Realtors, Builders, and Lenders in many ways. Whether it's raw land, new construction, residential resale, or refinance transactions, we have the technology, resources, and experince to make any closing smooth. We strive to build relationships with real estate professionals in the Houston, League City, Webster, and Friendswood area. Call, click, or visit us soon! Call us with any needs! 281-488-0607
www.fatcohouston.com
Kevin Heinrich
Create Your Badge
I have a Marketing and Sales background. I like to help my clients take thier business to the next level in the real estate business. I do this with cutting edge technology helping builders, agents, and investors to increase thier productivity while not increasing thier budget or hours of work! I believe that if you are a winner you will make it happen, and all the rest will just let it happen. I bring this approach to all my activities! www.fatcohouston.com www.activerain.com/kheinrich
Hunting, Fishing, boating, Golfing, and anything outdoors!
I love sports Football and Basketball are my top 2 with Texas ATM being College and the dare to be Great Texans followed by the Rockets are my pro teams!
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