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About Walker County, TX

Do Properties Have Kharma or Dharma?

Deb Brooks, Lake Livingston Real Estate: Real Estate Brokerage in Huntsville, TX

Okay, I don't really know what these things are but I do have a slight understanding. I believe that Kharma is the bad stuff and Dharma is the good stuff. Stuff meaning luck or a power of attraction. So if you go putting out bad vibes to the world, the world sends you back bad stuff called Kharma. If you send out the good vibes then the world sends you Dharma.

(I'm not talking about Dharma and Greg although I just figured out why that was her name)kharma or dharma

So, I have a property that has been on the market for nine months now. I couldn't give it away.

I showed it no less than an average of four times a week for the nine month period. It was a beauty but it had an unusual floor plan and it would take the right buyer. It looked over big beautiful Lake Livingston Texas and was in an elite neighborhood.

Nobody wanted it. The house had been listed with yet another agency before they listed with me so it had languished on the open market for well over a year.

I guess it was kharma. Someone made the quote that:" there is never an original idea on this earth, if you're thinking about it then someone else is too!"

Who said that? I don't know! Look it up! (I learned that one from Archie Bunker)

Day one. Monday. Just like any other day. But...

1. Out of the blue an offer came in on my Lakehouse! YEA! I was so excited I about jumped out of my skin! It was for "the" house. The offer came over the Internet which I found strange but just didn't care. I immediately put the paperwork together and sent it to the buyer to be signed. He would send it to me the next day so I could present to my Sellers.

Day two. Tuesday. A call comes in from a man that wants to see the house. "the" house.

2. He was from California and was a trucker and had to see it right away. Of course, I showed it.

He fell in love with it right away and told me he would like to make an offer! Wow, I'm thinking this is too good to be true! His wife was involved but agreed with him by phone to go ahead and place a bid. I told them I had another coming. They placed a strong bid.

Day three. Wednesday. I was waiting till I got all the paperwork for both offers together and signed before I alerted the Sellers. I just wanted everything in writing.

3. By the time I received both signed offers it was late in the day on Wednesday. I contacted the Sellers to schedule an appointment to go over the paperwork. They were so excited! We scheduled a "sit down" for the next morning at 10:00 am.

Day four. Thursday. It was one hour till my meeting time with my Sellers. Our Office Manager walked in and said, "there is a couple wanting to see you and they want to see "the" house.

"the" house? huh. okay. I had yet to present the other two offers...

4. I showed "the" house. They, as everyone else did that week, wanted "the" house. They knew there were two other offers on the table so...they gave me a full priced cash offer.

They won!

So, this has happened to me several times with several properties.

Nobody wants it then everybody wants it.

From Kharma to Dharma. I vote for Dharma.

Later in the rain~Deb

and Proud of it!

HISTORIC DOWNTOWN HUNTSVILLE TEXAS...

Deb Brooks, Lake Livingston Real Estate: Real Estate Brokerage in Huntsville, TX

What do you get when you combine a quaint little town amongst hills, tall trees, tailored streets and an Active square? Then you mix in a little...okay, a lot of History, President Sam Houston of the Republic of Texas, a few prisons, massive expanse of State Owned land with grazing horses, cattle, crops and black and white striped workers herded by Prison Guards on horses? Then add up to 17,000 youth at any given time walking Sam Houston State Universities beautiful campus, winning football games, featuring Arts and Academics and is one of the fasted growing schools in Texas?

You get the one and only...

 

The city began about 1836, when Pleasant and Ephraim Gray opened a trading post on the site. Our land was hilly virgin land with wildlife, tall pines and natural streams galore! Ephraim Gray became first postmaster in 1837, naming it after his former home town, Huntsville in Madison County, Alabama. (Ironically, "Madison County" is also the name of an adjacent Texas County.)
Huntsville became the home of Sam Houston, who served as President of the Republic of Texas, Governor of the State of Texas, Governor of Tennessee, U.S. Senator, and Tennessee congressman. General Houston led the Texas Army in the Battle of San Jacinto into the victory of the Texas Revolution. Houston has been noted for his life among the Cherokees of Tennessee, and - near the end of his life - for his opposition to the American Civil War, a position which was a very unpopular in his day.
Huntsville Texas feels like its History! Walking the square you will stop and read markers talking about how Sam Houston and his friends would sit and play checkers or whittle the day away while watching the comings and goings of the townspeople. Sam Houston State University shares the same area (across the street) from Houston's original homestead. The Sam Houston Museum is built next to his Homestead's and provides a day of History, fun and great sight seeing. 

Huntsville was also the home of Samuel Walker Houston(1864-1945), a prominent African-American pioneer in the field of education. He was born into slavery on February 12, 1864, to Joshua Houston, a slave owned by Sam Houston. Samuel W. Houston founded the Galilee Community School in 1907, which later became known as the Houstonian Normal and Industrial Institute, in Walker County, Texas.

 In 1995, on the grounds of the old Samuel W. Houston Elementary School, the Huntsville Independent School District.

Along with the Huntsville Arts Commission and the high school's Ex-Students Association, commissioned the creation of The Dreamers, a monument to underscore the contributions made by the black community in the growth and development of Huntsville and Walker County.

This is one of the most impressive pieces I have ever seen.

 
The detail is gorgeous and worth seeing. Huntsville is filled with artistic pieces from many very talented artists.
The faces are created to depict the progression of time, beginning with the youth at the bottom, middle aged at the middle and the elders at top.
Beautiful piece!
Mr. Dan Phillips is a well known "local" gentleman here in Huntsville. Dan is well known for his "unconventional, eclectic" designs of homes. Dan's philosophy is that each and every person in this world deserves a home. Dan actually puts his money where his mouth is too. He collects remnants, old boards, nails, broken glass, chipped concrete, cracked wood and any other "creative" piece of leftover building material and waves his magic hands. Up comes a home fit to be enjoyed by anyone at a cost of at least 1/2 the local average price. Dan gleans pleasure from teaching an Eco Friendly lesson to all that want a home. Dan Phillips is making his own history for our little town of Huntsville, Texas. Please watch this video and enjoy... 
I was lucky enough to grow up in the small town of Huntsville Texas and I have many memories there. Our The WallsPrison system has always been a seed for jokes...I tell everyone that I grew up on the outside. Ha-ha.  I was going to share a story with you that is special to me and not something everyone would get to do!
Back in 19...uh, well, what the heck...1969, I was assigned a special "writing" report for English class. I had a boyfriend, and his father was on the Board of Directors of The Texas Prison System and he was in charge here in Huntsville.
Downtown Huntsville, is the Prison Unit called "The Walls" and it houses the worst of the worst criminals. Many of these prisoners are on death row.
Due to my connection I was allowed to interview a man that was serving life in prison right there at the walls. He was very old but full of colorful information!
This man (I will call him George) was serving time consecutively with Clyde Barrow. 
  
Clyde met, and fell in love with Bonnie just after being thrown into one of Huntsville's prison units. He was a part of the labor crew
digging out white rock from one of our quarries. 
George knew Clyde personally and gave me incredible insights into his character and attitudes.
George told me a girlfriend was sending Clyde many a letter, love letters at times and angry letters at other times. Clyde was known to be a real Casanova.
  
Clyde shared a great deal of personal information with the general cell mates which later posed as bad news for Clyde.
He shared a bit too much and some of the details were later used against him in the locating of CW Moss, one of their right hand men.
 Bonnie and Clyde
Although Clyde grew up in a poor home, he never really acclimated to hard work. George told me about the day when they were on Quarry duty. The sun was hot, the men were weak and tired and Clyde took his shovel and chopped off a couple of his toes from his own foot.
George said that the day Clyde got back to his cell from his medical stay in the prison was the very day Clyde's news was delivered to his cell.  Clyde had been officially released from TDC and would be going home. History tells us that was the beginning, and the end of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow.
George said he believed the "higher ups" had planned it that way just to punish Clyde............................................could be.
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Please come visit Huntsville, Texas when you can. There is much beauty and history to be shared.
For more information contact me at
and Proud of it!  

I want to buy waterfront land! What do I need to know?

Deb Brooks, Lake Livingston Real Estate: Real Estate Brokerage in Huntsville, TX

Our market, next to the water, is still in great demand. Lake Livingston Real Estate and Waterfront land is getting so difficult to find. I am finding that Lake Livingston Properties, as well as many various large waterfront communities are experiencing the very same phenomenon. At this point, it is almost as economical to purchase the land with an existing structure as it is to purchase unimproved land. The land values have multiplied in worth to the consumer to the point of near exorbitance. What does this mean to the landowners' future of equity?

Herein lies the problem. Land value is affected by several outside variables. How deep and boat-able is the water? Which part of the lake is it located on? Is it located in a deed restricted subdivision? Are there city utilities available and what about sewer?

Five years from now, what will my land be worth? Is it worth my investment today?

If there is no sewer and the land is right on the water it must be over 1/2 acre to qualify for an aerobic system. If it is less than 1/2 acre on the water, the Trinity River Authority requires either city sewer or what is called a Drip System. A Drip System consists of hundreds of tiny field lines that run underneath the ground that distribute waste in minute amounts throughout the ground. This system is very Eco Friendly but this type of system is very expensive.

Up goes your land cost.

What about erosion? There are many parts of the lake that require bulk-heading. What does bulk-heading require? Depending on the area of your lake and the body of water, bulk-heading may be necessary to preserve your land. In the larger areas of Lake Livingston there are waves the same size as found in the Gulf of Mexico at times. These waves are a threat to your existing shoreline, landscaping and homestead.

While you are shopping bulk-heading don't forget the boathouse! Your boathouse is the main housing for your boat and the center of your entry to the water. Contact www.watersideconstruction.com for personalized information on bulkheads and boathouses. David and Gabrielle Thomson will be of service.

If you are not in a restricted area of the Lake and you want to build for the future you must be careful. If the area is non-restricted and you are the only occupant on that stretch of the lake it may seem great right now. But, be careful. If you build a 3200 square foot retirement paradise (or anything close) and use top of the line products for build-out, you still want to protect your value. If you are setting up on unrestricted land your neighbors may soon set up a manufactured home and a "used parts" business right next to you and no one could stop them. Be careful. This will determine the amount of equity you have for your future.

These are just a few of the intricacies of buying at Lake Livingston and Brooks Prime Propertiesis the company to call for advice. Our specialty is Waterfront Properties and we can help you with all your questions. We will help you find the right property for purchase and minimize the possibilities of problems that may arise. Our helpful staff will give you a personal tour of the area, a list of available properties, comparables and advice you will need to make the "right" decision here on Lake Livingston. We can represent you so the transaction will progress smoothly, efficiently and you will be educated all along the way.

If you are considering the purchase of an existing home on Lake Livingston or you want to know what is available for building (or holding) purposes, do not hesitate to contact us.

We are your Lake Livingston Waterfront Specialists!

So, is waterfront land a good investment? You bet it is. Just do it right. Call us today.

and Proud of it!

Rodeo Houston

Robert Arnold,  Lake Livingston Real Estate: Real Estate Agent in Huntsville, TX

YUP, that's right here in the Houston area the rodeo is in full swing. It really is a something to see. The actual rodeo itself last for about three weeks, but the whole thing is over a month long from start to finish. So if you want to make it this year you have about a week left as it ends the 22nd of March. Do not worry though if you do not make it this year. Come on down next year. Here is a link to the official site.

I will try and walk you through all of the major events in the order they occur. But first a little history, the actual rodeo started back in 1931 and was held downtown. Then about 1957 some people got together and decided to help promote the rodeo they would have trail ride before the rodeo. Now it is the precursor to the rodeo.

Once the tra il riders are all gathered in town at memorial park a parade is thrown the next day. After the parade we have what we call the cook off, a three day event of smoking different types of meats and partying. Now don't get me wrong there is some serious cooking going on so they can win the prize of World Champion.

Now we start with the livestock show and rodeo, oh by the way the world's largest. You know what they say about Texas everything is bigger and better. Okay, I may have added that last part about being better. Now of course with this we have to have a carnival for kids of all ages including myself. What ever you do, don't forget to bring your wallet because it is going to cost to play at the carnival.

The livestock portion is broken down into two parts the first part is for the professional breeders to show their stock and get some business. Then the second half it the kids turn. Here is where the kids bring their animals for judging. In the end there is an auction for all of the animals which helps raise money for scholarships for the kids. Did I mention that was the main goal of this rodeo, well shame on me for waiting so long to tell you.

While you are in the livestock show you can shop for everything from tractors to leather belts. They also have a art show of drawings and paintings from local high school kids that will simply amaze you at the talent of these kids. Another fact for you now is that this rodeo is put on by 19,000 volunteers!

If that is not enough they have music's top performers putting on a show after the rodeo each night. Oh did I mention we have a rodeo going on also.Now they have taken the astrodome and made it into honky tonk known as the hideout, where they have different performers putting on a show

What I am saying is come early, be prepared to stay late, eat lots of food, and get entertained.

Lake Livingston Real Estate…Huntsville, Texas Relocation Package! What’s HOT about our SPOT?

Deb Brooks, Lake Livingston Real Estate: Real Estate Brokerage in Huntsville, TX

Lake Livingston Real Estate...Huntsville, Texas Relocation Package! What's HOT about our SPOT?

Are you considering relocating to our Lone Star State of Texas?

Or, are you looking for another perfect spot to call home for your retirement?

Do you already live in Texas but would like to own a "Getaway" Lake House?

Are you ready to move "up" in the area?

Maybe you're just "considering" where to find your HOT SPOT....

Brooks Prime Properties & Team are here to help you get it right!

Visit with our Team of Specialists to see what we have to offer. You will find professional, educated, service oriented Real Estate Agents ready to help with your Lake Livingston Texas Real Estate, And Huntsville, Texas Real Estate Needs!

For loads of information about our areas

Click here: Everything's bigger in Texas...What's HOT about our SPOT?

What's HOT about our SPOT? Lake Livingston Real Estate...

What's HOT about our SPOT? Huntsville Texas Real Estate...

Each Day A Man Spends Fishing...What's HOT about our SPOT?

Dive into the Blue Lagoon...What's HOT about our SPOT?

Deb's Lake Livingston Real Estate Blog! Realtors are people too!

Search for Lake Livingston Properties! Search for Huntsville, Texas Real Estate!

http://activerain.com/lakelivingston

http://www.brooksprimeproperties.com

http://www.lakelivingstonprime.com

For more Lake Livingston Real Estate information or,

For more Huntsville, Texas Real Estate information contact: Brooks Prime Properties

71A Morris Lane

Huntsville, Texas 77320

936-295-0005

and Proud of it! Deb