Crosby, TX

This time of year, guys are always looking for a great place to buy that girl an interesting, romantic gift.

There is a really great little gift shop tucked into the old township of Crosby, TX on Kernohan named Mrs. Gena's Best Tea, and Candles.

This store is in a great location. It is across the street from the old Antique Stores on FM 2100. It is visible from FM 2100, with a colorful sign facing the main road.

When you go inside you see lots and lots of inventory. She stocks coffee, teas, little chocolates and breads to go along with the teas, and loads of candles, beautiful plates and tea pots and gifts. She also has lotions, jewelry, toys for the kids, and all kinds of collectibles. There are beautiful glass items in the windows that seem to glow. This store has a Victorian slant to it, which many ladies love.

Gina is a beautiful lady that has been through alot. Several years ago when she first opened her store, she sold quilts and antiques, but she had a life changing event that changed the direction of her business.

Gina was very sick. She had such a weak heart that she was on the list to have her heart replaced. Her back riddled her and although she loved to quilt, she couldn't do much because of pain in her back. She ended up in the hospital and was told absolutely no more salt. When she was sent home she decided to be very careful with her diet. She ate very healthy foods and drank 8 cups of tea a day. She in now completely healed. She credits her remarkable recovery to the changes in her lifestyle, including diet and exercise. But, she really believes that the tea she drank made the most difference.

She has free information for anyone that is interested in her teas and their health benefits. They are claimed to be very high in Antioxidants, which help prevent cancer, lower blood pressure, lower Cholesterol, Protect your heart, build stronger bones, and have Antibacterial and Antiviral properties. The tea also helps keep your Teeth and Gums healthy, brighten your skin, and improve your metabolism.

Gina said, "I have hundreds of Geormet Teas and it's just the healthiest drink in the world, and I blend them myself. They are really good."

So, if you are truly looking for a gift to give your loved one for Valentine's Day that will help them with their health and well being, go consult with Gena. Gina will set you up with a gift basket that includes everything your loved-one will need to enjoy this healthy tea. Don't forget to look at all the other beautiful items she sells as well! Visit Mrs. Gina's Best Tea and Candles soon. If you want check out her website and her blog, click the link right up there. It's full of helpful information.

One of the best reasons to live in Crosby, TX, Northeast of the Greater Houston Area of Texas, is February. I can remember once, back in 1984, it snowed the first week of February. The first week is usually cold. Then winter seems to loose it's edge and it warms up. 97% of Valentines Day's since 1973 have been clear, sunny days with highs in the 60's. Today the day started out Grey and misty, but around 11:00am the clouds parted.

There is usually a day that comes early in February where the clouds break, the sun shines and chases the clouds quickly away. Everything is scrubbed clean from the rain that usually lasts the entire month of January and the place looks great, clean and sparking.

When the sun comes out, the winter grasses instantly green up. You can see in the pictures that the clouds are breaking up and the sun is shining, and the grass is already more than half way green. And as much as it rained during January and the first week of February, there are just puddles here and there. No flooding. Harris County Flood Control district has this place well drained and except for the worst of tropical storms, nothing floods.

The ducks at the ponds at Newport and FM 2100 were happy to greet me. They flew over to see what treats I would be throwing at them. The Newport ducks are the most friendly, overfed ducks around. Kids love to go there and feed the ducks. It's a nice place.

One thing to note is that Newport Homeowners Association is planning to add some parking near those duck ponds so that we do not need to park right in the road any more. They are also planning to add jogging trails.

I went by the Newport Country Club and saw that they have the new driving range up and running. It looks great! The golf course was very busy this afternoon. I didn't take shots of that, due to the heavy usage.

The tennis courts look great and we can't wait for the improvements to be made to the pool.

It has been reported that they are going to add a splash park and a concession stand to the pool area very soon.

There are also plans to build an office across from the country club so that residents of Newport do not need to drive all the way to Clear Lake to do business with the homeowner's association.

This time of year, Crosby TX is a great place to be! Come join us! I can help you. Shoot me an email and we'll get the process started.

Single Family Home Sales Statistics for Crosby, TX

In December of 2009 there were 15 homes that closed within the month for Crosby, Texas.

This is a decrease of 3 units as there were 18 homes that closed in December of 2008.

The Average sales price per square foot for the homes that closed in Crosby for December of 2008 was $60

The Average sales price per square foot for the homes that closed in Crosby for December of 2009 was $73

The Average sale price for the homes that closed in Crosby for December of 2008 was $114,950

The Average sale price for the homes that closed in Crosby for December of 2009 was $140,000

The Average Market time for the homes that closed in Crosby in December of 2008 was 106 days.

The Average Market time for the homes that closed in Crosby December of 2009 was 95 days.

31 homes were listed in Crosby, Texas in the month of December.

January - December 2008 & 2009 Market Statistics for Crosby, TX

In Crosby, TX for the period of January to December of 2008 there were 308 properties sold.

In Crosby, TX for the period of January to December 2009 there were 221 properties sold.

In Crosby, TX for the period of January to December in 2008 the median sale price was $121,707 and the average market time was 99 days.

In Crosby, TX for the period of January to December in 2009 the median sale price was $122,988 and the average time on the market was 84 days.

** The above statistics are for single family homes only and do not include condo's or Multi-family homes in Crosby, TX. The data was taken from Houston Association of Realtors(r) reports. For more information, please see their website at www.har.com

In comparing year over year longer term data for Crosby, TX there was fewer homes sold as compared to 2008. These numbers were weak as compared to previous years. The average sales price of homes also held steady with a slight increase. There was however, a pretty substantial drop in the average days on the market for a home on the market in Crosby. This is a positive sign going forward. Crosby remains a good town for those seeking a moderately inexpensive home just outside of the more expensive Atascocita and Kingwood area.

Please email me today if you are interested in listing you home for sale in the Crosby area. I will be happy to help you!

I sit in my office, waiting for the phone to call, as it is my turn for floor duty. The brokerage that I work with does not believe in answering machines. My broker believes that when people call our general number, they are ready to speak to a real live person that can answer questions, or give out cell phone numbers of an agent with out having to push a lot of buttons. I completely agree with her. When I am ready to get business done, I do not want to sit on a answering machine tape for

When I was a teacher, I had to do duty, too. But the duty was different... I had to watch the kids as they ate breakfast, or as they waited for their bus to arrive. Sometimes I'd have to stand there watching too many children for an hour. Desk duty in my office is much more pleasant. I get to sit at MY DESK, and work on MY computer, and answer phone questions or greet people that come into the office.

I really think that this is a great service my office provides. We always have someone on duty to answer the phones, from 9-5 Mon-Sat, and 12-6 on Sundays. Many times the questions are random and lead to no immediate business. But, often someone will call and wish to list their house, or lease their offices. We are happy to provide them with instant service. This provides the agents that are on duty yet another way to gain business and make connections.

This is just one of the many things that makes Alliance Properties SHINE in the Houston area Market.

If you want to learn more about why Alliance Properties is great, give me a call, and I'll show you around!

There is so much history surrounding the San Jacinto River, which runs through several counties of East Texas. However, most of this great river runs through sections of the Greater Houston Area. It is a magnificent area in which to live, so if you are considering moving to the Houston Area, here is some information about the San Jacinto River area and the great places the surround it. This blog will cover the Eastern banks of the river. Next time I will discuss the Western banks.

The mouth of the San Jacinto River opens onto and forms Galveston Bay. Before the river reaches the Bay, it joins up with Buffalo Bayou, which is the body of water that the Houston Ship Channel is built upon. Because of this connection to the Houston Ship Channel, many people are under the misconception that this area is strictly commercial. This is absolutely not true. There are many lovely wooded communities and parks along the San Jacinto River. The best part about the Eastern Banks of the San Jacinto River is that property values are extremely reasonable.

The first community on the East side of the river is Baytown. There are lovely houses and parks in Baytown. They are home to ExxonMobil which does a great job supporting the community. Along with jobs and fringe businesses to support the plant, they invest heavily in the region which really helps make Baytown a great community. Baytown's school district is called Goose Creek Consolidated ISD. Here are links to the City of Baytown and Goose Creek ISD, if you are interested in finding out more.

North from Baytown is Highlands. Highlands is an old-fashioned country-feel community that has a town center and many charming old homes on nice sized lots. The area is called Highlands because it is much higher than the San Jacinto River and it does not tend to flood when other places along the River might. Most of the kids that live in Highlands attend school in Baytown, but there are a few little neighborhoods that attend school in Deer Park ISD, which is across the Houston Ship Channel. Highlands has a grocery store and some restaurants and other small businesses. For more information on Highlands, TX, here is a link: Highlands City Data

North from Highlands is Barrett Station. Barrett Station is a historical community along the banks of the San Jacinto River that was originally settled by freed slaves. There is a rich cultural heritage to Barrett Station and besides houses; Barrett Station has some great churches. There is a wide variety of properties available in Barrett Station. The students that live in Barrett Station attend school in Crosby ISD, which is listed below. Click here for more on Barrett Station.

Floating upstream to the next community on the East side of the San Jacinto River is Crosby, TX. Crosby is an unincorporated town site located North of Hwy 90. They have their own little award winning school district, Crosby ISD. There are stores and businesses, and a couple of car dealers in Crosby. Crosby has several impressive deed restricted communities. There are also lots of homes on acreage available. The thing about Crosby is that is it a country type community but not far from the "big city". The largest deed restricted community in Crosby is Newport . The largest crop grown in the Crosby, East San Jacinto River area is grass farms. Crosby seems to be the center of the grass farm movement in East Harris County. To find out more about Crosby and the many subdivisions, look here, at Alliance Properties, or city data and for their school district, click here: Crosby ISD .

The River is dammed in the Crosby area, which creates Lake Houston. Some of the communities on the Eastern Banks of Lake Houston include Lake Shadows, Indian Shores and Commons on Lake Houston. These are all deed restricted neighborhoods that have a variety of houses. They have larger than average lots, from 1/3 an acre to 5+ acres. There are many lake-front lots, and many more on deep-cut boat cannels. Parts of Indian Shores, and all of Spanish Cove and the Commons of Lake Houston are in the Huffman school district. Huffman is a great little "town" with a medium sized 3A high school and some nice stores and restaurants.

This region of Texas is Simi-tropical and not what most people imagine when they think of Texas. The gardening zones are 9B-8B, depending on how close your house is to the water. Many tropical house plants grow great here is this region as landscape plantings. The climate would be a bit "upside down" to what most people are used to. We stay inside (or in the pool) during the heat of the summer. It is usually just too hot and humid. However, from the middle of September through the middle of June, the weather is excellent. The average daily highs are around 78⁰ F, and night temps of about 60^O F for a most of the fall, winter and spring. When it does get cold, it rarely lasts for more than 4-5 days.

The Piney Woods of East Texas used to start on the Eastern banks of the San Jacinto River. There are still many old-wood trees left. We just built around them. Deer and other wildlife are commonly seen roaming the banks of the river. It is a very short drive to get to the country from the Eastern banks of this river. The last rural stance of land in Harris County is in the Highlands/Crosby/Huffman area. That won't last much longer, because the there are lots of new houses being built.

Come check it out. Take a driving tour up FM 2100 and drive through some of the neighborhoods. You will be impressed! Stop by my office while you're out and have a cup of coffee.