About Fannin County, TX

It was a gorgeous day in North Texas. Every 2nd Monday of the month is Bonham Trade Days, the local area-wide sale weekend.

I was there with a lot of old doors which I use to make room dividers, armoires, tables, etc., mantels, wrought-iron work, barn doors, stall walls, roofing "tin" and some really cool ceiling tin that is stamped from flattened barn tin.

I build near-zero energy homes, which means that my clients are really into green. This includes using old materials out of other homes. This is good for recycling and for giving old charm and character to new homes.

Here's pics of some of what I brought to sell:

If you have any interest in the ceiling tin, let me know. I have this pressed to order in any quantity you like. These are 2'x2' and we've used this for: Ceilings, both inside and out on porches, wainscot, door inserts. Because this is from barn tin, you can specifiy that the rusted side go to the face. This makes a very interesting effect. The piece above has a white-wash that was applied and then wiped off.

I'm working on getting a die cut with the state seal stamped in the center.

If you're a RE agent or broker in Texas, particularly in North Texas, here's a very unique opportunity to promote your business, give your clients a reason to check out some awesome properties and generate some business for yourself.

You can sponsor slots on this county-wide hog roundup that will be taking place on some featured country acreage in Fannin County. You can use this hunting opportunity to give your clients a reason to go out looking at these beautiful properties while they enjoy the outdoors. You can even put together a team or group and bring them up yourself!

Here's the flyer:

The details for the hunt are at texas-re.tripod.com. If you sponsor some spots, then we will put a link back to your website as a sponsoring agent.

Its official: fly the flags. There's a reason for Texas to be proud. Another first in the real estate industry.

Fannin County is having a county-wide open house and Wild Hog Roundup. And you are invited.

The perfect storm has hit Fannin County, Texas that created this world's first:

1. We have lots of nice, unspoiled, "green", open land for sale in the county.
   
2. We are overrun with wild, feral hogs.
3. I am looking to promote Fannin County's natural resources and proximity to the DFW area as the "Outdoor Playground to the Metroplex".

Put all these things together, mix well and viola', making a silk purse out of a sow's ear, so to speak: a county-wide Wild Hog Roundup on featured listings!

Before you go "ballistic" on this idea, check out the links and information at the bottom of the page about the enormous problem and impact feral hogs are having on the southern US.

The idea evolved over a couple of months. I have a bad hog problem on my place. So do my neighbors. The county NRCS agent has told me they are getting to be a bigger problem every year. They're so bad that the State has offered to bring in the "Hog Airforce" and shoot hogs from helicopters!!! However, the money hasn't been appropriated by the state, so this may not happen.

Anyway, I've had friends wanting to come hunt. And they wanted to bring more friends. etc., etc., etc.

So that led me to the idea of enrolling more propeties in the hunt. Chasing them off of one property does not solve the problem. It just pushes it off on your neighbor. That led to the idea of making this a county-wide event. Which meant that we needed more property. Then the final piece of the puzzle fell in place and that was to ask property owners that had land for sale to let us hunt the hogs off of their land and showcase the property to all the hunters who come for the hunt. Want people to come to your open houses? Give them a reason!

As agents, we know the more eyes see a piece of property, the better the chance of making a sale.

Long story a little shorter, today the final OK came back from one of our beneficiaries, Fannin County Habitat for Humanity. They're in. So now we have Cabela's as a sponsor along with several local businesses.

Here's the flyer:

I've posted preliminary information on this a couple of other times to test the idea. I've gotten a very positive response from those likely to be involved or attend.

This event will do the following:

• Promote Fannin County as the Outdoor Playground for the Metroplex
• Generate economic activity for the local economy
• Provide much larger exposure for featured properties
• Boost real esate activity and interest
• Benefit local service organizations: 4H and Habitat for Humanity
• Help control a growing hog problem in the county
  

Now its your turn as an agent to get involved and boost YOUR business.

Here's how:

You can sponsor spots in the hunt. You can purchase tickets at a discount to the early registration price. You will then be linked to the website for more marketing exposure and Google juice. You can use the tickets as comps for your clients or as awards or incentives in your business. And if you send a client up for the Roundup, be sure to have them under a buyer's rep agreement.

Rules and details will be up on the Fannin Fun website in a day or so.

Please pass this along to your clients, colleagues and professional networks.

If you have any questioins, just drop me an email or call.

**************

As promised, here's the links to what's up with feral hogs: From the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department website:

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/nuisance/feral_hogs

And here's a link to the "Pig Bomb" a video by the Discovery Channel on the hog problem in the US:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWWD4kEH02Q

So don't go feeling sorry for these critters. They are destroying food, ecosystems, wildlife and property at horendous rates.

My daughter, Micala, is really into graphics of all kinds. She draws, takes award winning photos, and . . . . carves!

She free-handed this design from a picture and carved this pumpkin. I think it looks pretty cool.

In case you can't quite tell, its a dragon, her favorite mythical creature. Here it is in daylight, and all lit up. I love fall in north Texas.

Living out in the country has its advantages, charms and . . . . Challenges.

I'm a bit of a history buff, and when you combine that with RE AND construction, you get this:

If you came across this on a property that you had to value, how would you treat this? Burn it, bull-doze it, or . . . ?

Turns out, this is a very rare structure. Here's some more pics to help you see what I'm talking about:

BTW, that thing on top of the chimney is a buzzard. Somewhat appropriate I think.

House looks pretty much a total. Push it over and be done with it.

Just the structure and layout of the house says its pre-1900.

However, here's the two details that give me a clue about historical significance of this house. If the siding hadn't been partially blown off, I would never have known.

Look carefully at the framing members in the circle. This is not 2x framing, it is TIMBER framing. This house was built with hand-hewn timbers and then joined together with mortise & tennon joinery. Notice axe marks on the timbers, the notches cut for the joists and the pegs used to pin the timbers together?

Here's another pic showing more joinery:

Look carefully and you'll see the axe marks and the pegs that hold the frame of the house together.

This type of construction fell out of use quite a bit before the Civil War. So this house dates from around Texas Independence to the Civil War.

So NOW, how much is it worth? Trying finding a comp on this type of home with the construction and history. Market-wise, nothing. Historically speaking, priceless.

It is not beyond saving, but only just. A few more years and the timbers will all be rotted away. I'm currently working with the owner's to get it documented, deconstructed, moved and saved.

So next time you're toolling around the countryside and you see an old farmhouse, if you have the time, check it out. You just never know what history you're really looking at.

BTW, I have found 14 log structures from before the 1900's in counties surrounding DFW. All will be going into my Pioneer Heritage School when I get the funds.

If you ever think you might want to come and take part in the school, let me know. We'll be having classes that will be involved in the preservation of these structures.