Localism: Texas

Granbury's Pecan Plantation, DeCordova Bend, Bentwater & Harbor Lakes

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 13:10:19 -0500

The absorption rates for these subdivisions in Sept. '08 really don't look bad at all considering all the hype the media's going on about. You'd think the sky was fallin'. We, here in Texas, know that our market, though local in nature for sure, defies the norm for the rest of the country. Here in Granbury, here's whazzup:

DeCordova Bend Estates had 42 active residential homes on the market, 1 with an option, 2 with kick-out clauses, 4 are pending and 5 sold. Average days on the market was 143, giving DCBE an eight month and one week supply of homes.

Pecan Plantation had 107 active residential listings with 1 contingency, 1 option, 3 pending, and 11 sold in Sept. with an average of 179 days on the market and a nine month and a couple of weeks for an absorption rate.

Bentwater had only 25 active residential listings, 2 option, 1 pending and 3 sold with an average of 112 days on the market but only 94% list to sales price for an absoprtion rate of a little over 8 months.

Harbor Lakes had 14 active, 2 pending and 2 sold for 93% of list price to sales price with an average of 339 days on the market and a seven month inventory of homes.

Figures relieved on this report off the North Texas Real Estate Information System on Sept.6, 2008.

Is this a sign of things to come?

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 12:15:07 -0500

The following article was sent to me by a friend of mine that lives in Lufkin, Texas. Guys this is scary and should make EVERYONE who supports Obama take another look at their reasons. If this is a sign of the type of changes that will come with HIM as the next President, I, for one, am really scared for our Country and the freedoms we now have.

This article was sent in to the Lufkin paper in the editorial. There is NOTHING right about this events that took place with this woman & her family.

~~~~~~Editorial that appeared in the Lufkin, Texas Paper~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On Wednesday the 1st of October I received a call on my cell while in the car with my husband. It was a woman who identified herself as calling from the Obama Campaign. The phone # she called from was 903-798-6020 which lists as "Obama Volunteers of Texarkana" ( Texas ).

She asked if I was an Obama supporter to which I replied:

"No, I don't support him, your guy is a socialist who voted four times in the State Senate to let little babies die in hospital closets; I think you should find something better to do with your time." I hung up.

Thursday, October 2, I answered the front door to find the Secret Service. Immediately I thought of the call and was furious that apparently you are not allowed to call Obama a Socialist without the Secret Service coming to investigate. Instead, they asked me about the following comment, relayed by the Obama Volunteer of Texarkana who called me, unsolicited on my cell phone:

"I will never support Obama and he will wind up dead on a hospital floor."

My husband laughed and told them "No, she called him a socialist but she never said a word about him dying." I gave them my actual quote. The woman asked insolently "Oh?? Well why would she make that up?"

I replied that I supposed she wasn't happy about what I said about her candidate and the Agent said "That's right, you were rude!" The last time I checked being rude wasn't a crime in America .

Luckily the big file they had gathered on me didn't indicate mental instability or a past life of stalking/crime, however they did want to know how I felt about Obama. That was my limit.? I told the Agent in no uncertain terms that my thoughts were not pertinent to their investigation, that this was America and the last time I checked I was allowed to think whatever I wanted without being questioned by the Secret Service. In fact, even if I had said what she claimed, that isn't a threat. I told them (again) and my husband verified that the statement reported by Obama's volunteer was a lie. I asked them if there was a tape of the call and they said no. I said, "So on the word of a ticked off Obama supporter you are on my porch with no other evidence and you want to question me about my THOUGHTS!"

They informed me that there was no evidence she was an Obama supporter, She was someone calling from his campaign, are you kidding?

I was not allowed to know the name of my accuser at which point they informed me that it wasn't like I was in a court of law, YET, as if this was a good thing. I recognized this as a veiled threat. I told them I would happily go to court since I did nothing wrong and at least then my accuser would have to face me rather than sending the thought police to my house.

They then said they were trying to do me a favor, that they came to me first before "embarrassing you by going to all your neighbors and family", another threat?? I told them to be my guest and talk to whomever they wanted but they weren't going to investigate my thoughts on my porch.

They also informed me that it would be easier if the next time a supporter calls me I should just say "Yeah sure count me in, or just hang up" apparently so she won't get her undies in a bundle and give them more useless trips. Yeah right! I said "Look, someone calls me unsolicited on my cell phone to ask me to support their candidate and I can't tell them why I don't?" I said I was sorry they made a wasted trip but if they had a problem with some made up lie they needed to go talk to her about it because it wasn't my fault they had to drive from Houston for nothing.

At one point I went inside and got a notepad to record their badge numbers and they refused to show me their badges. They had done the quick flip when they arrived. I asked for a card and the female Agent refused to give me one stating "You're not going to get a card." The male Agent gave me a card and told me I could contact Houston with any questions.

The fact that the volunteer lied, the fact that the Secret Service came to my house to question me about my thoughts and feelings and threaten to embarrass me to my neighbors and go to court if I didn't cooperate is not really the tragedy here. Because that girl on the phone doesn't have the pull to send the Secret Service to my home. Someone high in the ranks of a campaign working for a man who may be the next President of the United States of America felt comfortable bringing the force of the Federal Government to bear on a private citizen on nothing but the word of a partisan volunteer.

I want to file a counter complaint that false charges were made, that a false report was given to a peace officer. The Secret Service told me I cannot because they will protect the identity of the complainant. I also want the file they have on me destroyed and I want to know that my phone isn't tapped, etcetera. I am hearing a lot of "Out of my Jurisdiction".
Do I also hear jackboots?
Jessica Hughes
Lufkin,Texas
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I can just hear the excuses that will probably wind up here on this blog for WHY this happened. I can't wait to hear them! To me there is NO JUSTIFICATION for this type of harassment in the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!!! This is NOT Russia or some other socialistic country where our thoughts are cause for a criminal interrogation! NO EXCUSE FOR THIS!!

SABOR MLS ~ Solds August 2008~ San Antonio, Texas

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 11:51:54 -0500

The San Antonio Board of Realtors has released it's MLS stats for August 2008.

Here are the high spots:

The total Active Listings has stayed steady at around 13,000.

The top three sales prices for homes that sold in August, 2008 were:

1. $140,000 to $159,999 (at a whopping 181).

2. $120,000 to $139,999 (close behind at 179).

3. $200,000 to $249,999 (167 homes).

Another interesting stat that was listed was time on market of units sold with the highest days on market being for 531 units at 120+ days on market and the lowest for 74 units at 0-30 days.

The average sales price for August 2008 was $189,509 a tad up from the average sales price in August 2007 at $188,897. Days on market has increased from 68 days in August 07' to 83 days in August 08' as well as the number of homes that sold have decreased. In August 2007 San Antonio as a whole had 2317 homes sold, in August 2008 there were 1710.

*Information deemed from the SABOR MLS.

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Looking for more information on San Antonio Real Estate? www.KristinMoran.com to search for homes in San Antonio or anywhere throughout South Texas.

Kristin Moran, RE/MAX Access - The Moran Team "Sisters that sell", (210)313-7397, Kristin@KristinMoran.com. Buy or sell from me, use our truck for free!

AVERY RANCH - Amenities

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 10:49:30 -0500

Did you know there are 5 community centers in the Avery Ranch neighborhood? Yes, there are and they are scattered throughout the area so wherever you live in Avery Ranch, there is something near by. At the main amenity center off Avery Ranch Blvd. is a junior olympic lap pool, playground, tennis courts, volleyball courts, basketball courts plus an amphitheater for special events.

Sprinkled throughout the area are other playgrounds, pools and there is a 8.5 mile hike and bike trail spanning between Round Rock and Cedar Park. The area also includes a kid's beach pool and a tanning pool and spa.

Don't miss the Avery Ranch Golf Course complete with a proshop and restaurant.

If Avery Ranch sounds like a place you would like to live, give me a call. I'd love to help you find a home there.

Robin Scott, Broker. Certified Residential Specialist, Accredited Buyer's Representative, Seller's Representative Specialist.

Open House Sunday 1-4, Travis Country!

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 09:42:55 -0500

This home features 3 bedrooms, two baths and 1782 square feet. With a large back yard, and neighborhood pool, hike/bike trails, Travis Country can fulfill your need for outdoor activities. With close proximity to MoPac/Loop1 and highway 290, your daily commute is a breeze!

Offered at $305,000.

4909 Calhoun Canyon Loop.

See you there!