Decker Prairie, TX

Whenever we see a piece of land with large mounds of dirt, we look at each other and snicker. That sight makes us harken back to the Decker Prairie Real Estate office Ralph owned from 1990 until about 1998.

The office was in a 5000 sq ft metal building. There were offices, a warehouse area and a small front yard. In the interest of looking friendly we attempted to make the yard welcoming by maintaining turf and flowers.

One day we noticed several small mounds in the grass. We quickly ruled out craw-fish as the origin. After a consultation with the people at the feed store which was next door at that time, Ralph emerged with the solution. He had been sold little tubes to insert into each mound. The tubes were then to be lit and the tubes would emit a gas which was to send the little digger peacefully into another realm. Once the tubes had been lit and the holes closed up, we retreated into the office to get some work done.

Later when we returned to the yard, we found that Mr. Mole had cleverly and completely removed the tubes from all the holes and left them just inches away on the ground. He then had covered up the holes and moved on...

We had many interesting Decker Prairie moments but none that served to frustrate us more completely. As far as we know, the enterprising mole may still be alive and well in downtown Decker Prairie Texas, just three miles north of Tomball. Perhaps he moved onto your yard.

There is no question that the best lessons are learned from experiences.

In looking back over journals from years past, today I found the story of how to be sure you do not have serious problems in the sale of land.

We had listed an acre of land close to Decker Prairie. It was specially beautiful and offers literally poured in within a few days of the listing. One full price offer was placed in title with the earnest money and then the fun began.

The sellers had worked with us before and were kind enough to remember us when they had real estate needs. A few days later the sellers wife came into the office crying hysterically. She had just come from visiting the land she was selling. She found that the prospective buyer had bulldozed almost all the trees. Now keep in mind that he had NOT closed on the sale yet. This would have been bad enough had the trees just been trees. In this case she had brought special seeds from her homeland and lovingly planted them many years ago. Part of her plan in going out to the land today was to find some small seedlings and pot them to take with her when they moved where ever, whenever.

She was hurt and angry. We were in shock. We really could not believe that someone would do something like that. The land was only under contract, it had not closed. With the sale not final, the trees that were now gone did not belong to the buyer.

I called our favorite Real Estate attorney. He said that the remedy would be in the closing. Great! We had a seller who was now of the opinion that she did not want the buyer to finalize the sale. The buyer had contracted with a mobile home company to deliver his new home. He had been so excited about the mobile being delivered, that he did not think about the land not being his YET. He had not meant to upset the sellers, he was just moving forward as he saw fit. Needless to say, he was instructed not to even set foot on the land again until after the closing.

To make things more traumatic, the seller then decided not to sell the property. It took several weeks of trouble shooting to get things back to a workable solution. It looked for a time as though we had reached a mega impasse.

When the papers were signed and the sellers received their money for the land, we all were able to breathe again. To this day we always remind potential buyers of any property that they do not have the right to make ANY changes before they sign the papers and bring their money. Who would have ever thought we would have to make statements like that? It goes back to a basic premise. Do not ever assume that anyone knows anythin.

Ahhhhh! Being a Broker is NEVER dull.... Even for a minute!!

Have you ever noticed how life tends to make us revisit parts of our past? Such was the case a couple of weeks ago when we volunteered to help a friend by picking up his son at the airport. There are two commercial airports in Houston and one is WAYYYYYY across town accessible only by an antique freeway and many questionable streets. That was of course the one this young man was flying into.

Because we wanted to be sure to be there on time and the aforementioned freeway is almost always fraught with delays, we left from Tomball about three hours early. Naturally Our trip was delay free. Since we were early, it gave us an opportunity to study the people who were coming and going in the terminal.

Soon I found that I was fixating on the shoes being worn by the young women. Ladies! What on earth are you thinking? Those shoes may be attractive, but there is no way they are comfortable. The spike heels being worn by large numbers of people could in fact present a real and present danger. If you were to mis-step, you could twist an ankle, or fall and break a bone, such as your neck for example. If you were to walk outside, you could end up seriously stuck in the mud. Hit a pebble and your entire torso could be propelled through the air in a less than graceful manner.

Soon I found myself hiking down memory lane with my extreme opinions about these potentially dangerous shoes.

One of my first experiences showing a country property, as in homes on acreage, was in Decker Prairie Texas. With the appointment made and the clients gathered into the car, we headed Northwest.

The standard uniform for Real Estate agents in that day was a business suit and high heeled shoes. When we arrived at the gate of the first property, the owner was waiting for us in his pick-up truck to assist with the gate.

I enthusiastically hopped out of my station wagon to assist him in the process. He was noticeably amused. “Little lady, you might just as well stay here while I show these folks around. With the shoes you are wearing, you would be apt to get yourself hurt! You most certainly are not shod for the country.

I assured him that I would be fine. I wanted to be any assistance I could be. I was allowed to come along, but the tour was anything but comfortable. When I left for the next appointment, I was aware that a large portion of the property had been aerated courtesy of my improper shoes. Just to imagine trying to do that walk in the shoes I was seeing today made my feet hurt. Luckily shoes now worn for showing country property are sensible and comfortable.