One more fun activity, appropriate for all ages, will be going on in Seven Meadows for the next week weeks; it's the Summer Movie Series!

Escape the July heat every Monday, at 2.p.m, at the Central Park Residents (only) Club. Join your neighbors while watching classic Walt Disney films. OF course, there is no charge.

Following is the schedule:

• Monday, July 14th, The Aristocats, Rated G
• Monday, July 21st, The Rescuers, Rated G
• Monday, July 28th, The Little Mermaid, Rated G

Crossbridge United Methodist Church is graciously providing popcorn and water for the residents.

Don't you wish you lived in Seven Meadows?

Nottingham Country is a beautiful subdivision in the south Katy area that stands out from many of it's contemporaries. First it can never be described as cookie cutter. Many different styles of homes are represented in Nottingham including tudor, modern, colonial, victorian, and traditional homes. Homes can range is size from under 1500sqft to over 5000sqft and all are located in the wonderful Katyisd School District.

Another unusual feature of Nottingham is the large trees. The Katy area was once all Rice fields...so having large trees is a definite plus...and Nottingham has them in abundance. Nottingham also has an area pool and clubhouse (a yearly fee is charged to use the facilities).

As the first development in the south Katy area, Nottingham is located near I-10 and the Houston Energy Corridor for quick commute. The neighborhoods and sections of Nottingham are located along the Fry Rd corridor with all its wonderful shopping and restaurant options.

Homes are priced from the $150's to the $400's depending on section and size and many of the custom homes at the high end of the price point have beautiful woodworking and great custom touches.

If you would like more info about Nottingham Country or any of our fine Katy Texas subdivisions or Master Planned Communities contact us at www.KatyHomeFinder.com or jeffreydimuria@garygreene.com or call at 281-492-5916

Driving south to my office on Westheimer Pkwy, I exit the Grand Pkwy turning left into Cinco Ranch. As soon as I exit the Grand Pkwy traveling east there is the most spectacular flower bed full of purple petunias and golden marigolds! I adore this flowerbed; it’s my college colors purple and gold. Yes, it appears to honor my glorious LSU Tigers, National Champs once again. Yep, National Champs twice in five years!

Other purple and gold flowerbeds occur throughout Cinco Ranch; pictured above is the one across from the Katy YMCA. Do you think that the landscaper also went to LSU? I have to wonder.

I’ve been driving through Cinco Ranch looking for orange marigolds and white petunias or begonias. Horns, I can’t find you anywhere. Please help me undertake this search; let me know if you can find your school colors. I will take a photo and feature your floral display in my blog. Any neighborhood will qualify as long as the blooms are orange and white.

The same sad situation exists for the Aggies. I can’t find your flowers anywhere and I’ve been searching. Where are the Aggie colors? There’s a strain of maroon begonias that would qualify beautifully. Again, white petunias could complete the traditional display or, even better, white begonias would be perfect. Like the challenge to the UT graduates, Aggies please let me know where you find your colors. I will happily feature them in my blog.

Until then, dear friends, the Tigers rock!

Tokyo Steak and Sushi in Villagio!

Fantastic!

The atmosphere was great and the food was even better! I've never been to a place that had happy hour all day long with a free glass of wine with your dinner but it was a nice touch!

The HIBATCHI dinners were fantastic...I had the steak and my wife had the chicken but it all looked GREAT! Might I suggest the noodles instead of the rice though as the noodles were really good (especially withe Teriaki sauce).

The meals were about $15 a piece and the service was great! The do have a flat screen tv on the wall that was a little odd to be watching sports in a place like that but overall great place! Interesting decor as well (that looks like bamboo flooring used to panel the lower wall!).

My grandmother is coming to visit this month and we can't wait to treat her to this neat place!

Tokyo Steak And Sushi is located in Villagio at the corner of Peek road and Westheimer Parkway.

Image Courtesy Google Maps

Call Ron-- 281-935-7152 Direct or our Toll Free information line

Call (877)472-5390 and use the code to hear about the guarantee:

Easy Exit Listing Guarantee Code: 7003

$5000 Buyer Guarantee, Code: 7004

Your Home Sold in 29 Days GUARANTEED, Code: 7005

LaCenterra at Cinco Ranch announced the Summer Saturdays in Cinco series presented in partnership with the Cinco Ranch Property Owners Association and ARTreach. Summer Saturdays in Cinco is a children's cultural arts series offering free educational performances throughout the summer.

Series performances start at 10:30 a.m. and take place bimonthly on the third and fourth Saturdays in June, July and August. Performance locations will be shared between Simply Cinco, the new-home information center for the Cinco Ranch master-planned community and Heritage Square, both located in LaCenterra.

The retail center is located west of Houston at 23501 Cinco Ranch Boulevard at Grand Parkway in Katy. For directions, please visit www.lacenterra.com or call (281) 395-5533.

The series kicks off June 21 in Simply Cinco with storyteller Dan Gordon's "Dante Teller of Tales." Guests are invited to join Dante on an exciting and interactive voyage to the Land of Stories. Dante recounts stirring tales which teach lessons of understanding differences and finding good in all.

Guests are encouraged to participate in the tales with movement and voice. By the end of the adventure, voyagers will feel as if they've become storytellers themselves.

Most of the time when I visit a potential seller that is "upside down" on their home their are usually common characteristics.

1. They did not use a REALTOR when purchasing the home. If they did, they used a friend or relative to split the commission or worse, they were part of a move-up plan that allowed them to list their previous home for little commission so their listing agent could make up for it on the buy side. OOOOPS! I'll explain further down.

2. They usually fall for the built-in incentives paying thousands more than they should have or worse, could have!

3. They for whatever reason fall for the Builder Lender Scenario. The builder often tries to hold the buyer hostage by refusing to pay for owners title policy, and other items that almost ALL resale sellers pay for on behalf of a buyer! What the buyer doesn't know, is that the builder ALWAYS get's their money back. What is YSP POC mean? What are points on the back? www.GregNino.com

4. Sadly, many buyers will buy a home and not realize most of the fluff was VERBAL and NOT in writting. That pretty green lot behind your home might be a perfect example. The sales counselor usually has ZERO clue about developer intentions! Do YOU? www.Listingsforhouston.com

5. Builders LOVE to pay FAT commissions to Realtors! Why? very simple, to keep our mouths shut. I gladly pass along the extra commission to my buyers. My ethics, loyalty and care for my client CANNOT be purchased by a 2-3 or 4% BTSA! www.YourHomeInHouston.com

***Ask about My Great Buyer Incetives & New Home Seminar!****

When you allow an agent to be slammed on a new home contract YOU ALSO need to make them earn it! Not just by selling your home, but buy simply DOING THEIR JOB! High fives, lunch and a happy face don't count. Ask ME how! 832-298-8555! 24/7! You deserve the truth!

This is the perfect time to buy down here in the Houston area. There are many great deals to be had. New construction is the main area of deal making out here in Katy. There are many local mortage companies that can help the first time buyer also. I would love to help anyone understand the growing market here in Katy. Just send me a message.

Reprinted from Wikipedia

In real estate, a "short sale" is when a bank or mortgage lender agrees to discount a loan balance due to an economic hardship on the part of the mortgagor. The home owner/debtor sells the mortgaged property for less than the outstanding balance of the loan, and turns over the proceeds of the sale to the lender in full satisfaction of the debt.

For example, if the unpaid balance of a loan is, say $100,000, and a property sells for $90,000, under a short sale the lender might accept $90,000 as payment in full. In such instances, the lender would have the right to approve or disapprove of a proposed sale.

Extenuating circumstances influence whether or not banks will discount a loan balance. These circumstances are usually related to the current real estate market climate and the individual borrower's financial situation.

A short sale typically is executed to prevent a home foreclosure. Often a bank will choose to allow a short sale if they believe that it will result in a smaller financial loss than foreclosing. For the home owner, the advantages include avoidance of having a foreclosure on their credit history. Additionally, a short sale is typically faster and less expensive than a foreclosure.

In short, a short sale is nothing more than negotiating with lien holders a payoff for less than what they are owed, or rather a sale of a debt, generally on a piece of real estate, short of the full debt amount.

Lenders have a varying tolerance for short sales and mitigated losses. The majority of lenders have a pre-determined criteria for such transactions. Other distressed lenders may allow any reasonable offer subject to a loss mitigator's approval. "Red tape" is very common in short sales, similar to REO and HUD properties, requiring potentially multiple levels of approvals and conditions.

Junior liens, such as second morgagees, HELOC lenders, and HOA (special assessment liens), may need to approve of the short sale. Frequent objectors to short sales include tax lieners (income, estate or corporate franchise tax - as opposed to real property taxes, which have priority even unrecorded) and mechanic's lien holders. It is possible for junior lien holders to prevent the short sale.

While it is frequent if not common for a lender to forgive the balance of the loan in question, it is unlikely that a lien holder that is not a mortgagee will forgive any of their balance. Further, it is common for a lender to omit updating the zero balance and settlement option on the mortgagor's credit report, or even flat refuse to do so "due to their financial loss."

On April 21st, 2008, Keller Williams Realty Katy @ Cinco Ranch hosted their 3rd Annual Golf Classic, this year benefitting Cinco Charities®. The tournament, held at River Ridge Golf Course, boasted over 140 players, assisted by 50+ Keller Williams' volunteers and supported by over 40 Katy area businesses through generous donations of funds, goods and services. This year's tournament raised over $23,000, bringing the three year total to over $75,000 to further the mission and goals of Cinco Charities®.

Cinco Charities was formed by Associates of Keller Williams Realty Katy @ Cinco Ranch who want to "build a community of care and support" and in particular meet some of the needs of those who visit us for medical care. As our city's medical services expand, Katy will become the temporary home for families who need treatment for serious and often life threatening illness. It is our desire at Cinco Charities to reach out to those families and give back a measure of the "Katy Spirit" we have received.

For more information or inquiries about the organization, please visit Cinco Charities' website at cincocharities.org or call me anytime at 713-818-2404.

Julie

Cimarron is a small subdivision in Katy Texas south of I-10. It fits nicely between Cinco Ranch to the south and Governor's Place to the north. The first thing that will strike you when viewing similar neighborhoods to Cimarron is the quiet location the subdivision's location affords it. Other fine neighborhoods that offer homes in the same price range tend to be bordered by main highways, or lots of commercial buildings. They might have a bunch of large or main roads running through them with increased traffic issues. Not Cimarron. The location is ideal...and the lack of issues bordering the neighborhood make it a perfect place for first time home buyers or empty nest buyers.

Homes in Cimarron run from just below $100,000 for a home that may need some updating, to around $150,000. The majority of the homes are one story homes between 1300 and 2000 square feet. Nice tree lined streets and a strong Home Owner's Association have kept Cimarron looking go through out all of it's many sections. Because of the location, great KISD schools, and nice level of amenities (Parks, pools, etc...) Cimarron is also a big hit with investors and those moving here from out of State.

All who are interested in a nice neighborhood at a reasonable price in a great location...near everything...should put Cimarron high on their list.