San Antonio Homegirl Report

7 July 2014 San Antonio Realty Related News You Can Use

noreply@blogger.com (Randy Kelley) — Mon, 07 Jul 2014 17:37:00 +0000

These nifty San Antonio realty related news nuggets are compliments of Steven Gragg, Realtor® and Broker at Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio.

Jobless claims are down slightly.
The composite index of leading indicators increased slightly last month for the 4^th month in a row, indicating the national economy will continue to improve in the months to come.
Mortgage rates have eased down slightly.
Nearly 2 million people in the world became millionaires last year - a 15% increase year-over-year. San Antonio has more than its share of millionaires plus 6 known billionaires.
Baby Boomers are liking big houses again. A recent study shows boomers not only are not downsizing, they want homes as big as when they were raising children. The average sized new home in 1960’s was 1500 sq.ft., by 2004 was 2100 sq.ft. and grew to 2600 sq.ft. in 2013.
The new HEB Market has opened in Stone Oak at Hardy Oak and Wilderness Oak.
San Antonio Board of Realtors® (SABOR) May Stats:

San Antonio's average single family residential sales price reached a record in May at $225,114.
Days-on-the market from listing to contract was down to 65.
There's a 4.7 months inventory of homes for sale.
Compared to May 2013, home sales decreased 6%. That's the first decrease in 2 years.
Average apartment rents were up 4.1% in May to an average of $830. Occupancy remained steady at 91.4%.

8. San Antonio area foreclosures are at the lowest in 12 years. In July, there were only 469 foreclosure
postings. The year-to-date foreclosure trend is steadily downward from 8398 in 2012, to 5305 in
2013, to 3744 in 2014.

Top 3 Free Things You Can Do to Sell Your Home

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 15:59:00 +0000

Do you ever watch "Hoarders" on TV? I think it comes on HGTV. I'm not sure why it would be on that network, but it serves as an inspiration for those of us that fall into the "almost hoarder" category.

When folks are thinking about listing their homes for sale, some of my colleagues are able to convince their listers to hire a stager, rent furniture and spend lots of money, while my clients tend to want to hang on to their hard earned money and spend as little as possible. My job is to figure it out, give them a list of what they can do at little or no cost and get it sold for the most money in the least amount of time possible.

Placing a home on the market instantly changes its status from home to product. Think about buying a new dress or even a new car. A new dress that's missing a button or has a dirt spot or a ripped hem will be discounted by the merchant or it will never sell. A car with dings or dirty carpet will not sell for full price. It just doesn't happen. So why do people think that they can get top dollar for their home when it is cluttered and even worse dirty and in a sad state?

My top three things you can do if you seriously have no money to invest in prepping your home for sale involve the 3 C's. Clutter, Cut and Clean.

1. Your first step should be to de-CLUTTER. Seriously. Hoarders - get rid of your junk. Less is more and yes, that does include your garage. Breaking up is hard to do, but If you haven't used it in 6 months, you probably don't need it. Buyers will open drawers and closets and refrigerators. They will see your clutter and the accompanying dirt. That clutter could cost you a few coins when they bring an offer. You should be able to walk around the furniture on easy paths in the living, sleeping and dining areas.

Minimize the decorative items. Kitchen counters should be cleaned and all but 3 functional items removed. Maybe a toaster, a coffee pot and your knives will be enough for most except for the very largest kitchens. Buyers will want to see the countertops.

Bathrooms follow the same rule. Flush the toilet (yep, some sellers don't) and put the lid down.

Remove shampoo bottles , soaps, lotions bathtub toys and just about everything. Minimize and put what you absolutely must have under the sink or grouped in a decorative basket or box. Simplify!

The same rules apply for the dresser, armoires and any furniture with a horizontal surface anywhere in the house.

Remove any religious, political and personal pictures and decor. Fair housing laws require that agents show the home to any and all protected classes, but that does not prevent a prospective buyer from discriminating when comparing your property with others.

Think about all the time for fun activities when you don't have to spend time cleaning and dusting all your chachkies (also know as bric-a-brac), not to mention how quickly you can be ready for an unexpected last minute showing.

2. CUT the grass! That means mow the lawn. Water the grass and at a minimum rake the mulch, trim the shrubbery and pull the weeds. If your city has a brush site like we do in San Antonio, you can get free mulch. If the raking was not enought to "dress up the place", add the mulch. If possible a dark color will make the yard "pop". Red mulch is better than no mulch, but probably not the best choice. When it comes to nature, think of the colors we really see in nature. Flowers are nice, but to add them will cost money so that will be addressed in another blog. This article is all about what you can do for FREE!

3. CLEAN If your house is really clean, you won't need to cover up with candles that "smell good", or baking cookies or bread before someone comes over for a look-see. Clean is clean. That means wash the baseboards and walls, wipe the switch plates, move the couch and clean underneath. Dust the ceiling fans and make sure the lightbulbs are all working.

Windows should sparkle. (There is a recipe for sparkly windows in a previous blog.) You can take the screens off the windows in the front of the house for additional sparkle. Keep them in one spot in the attic, basement or garage, so the inspector doesn't give you a ding for not having screens.

If your window treatments(curtains and drapes) are dated, faded, or torn, just take them down. Leave the privacy treatments such as blinds or shutters, but make sure they are clean and in good repair. If your curtains or drapes are stylish and you plan to leave them with the house, just make sure they are washed and pressed, or cleaned. Drapes and furniture absorb odors, so if they are not clean, the house will not smell fresh.

Vacuum and clean carpet. All of that decluttering that you did earlier will help make this job alot easier. Be sure to check what I call the "gray edge" that I have seen in many houses that will develop along the edges of carpet on staircases or in corners. It comes from an accumulation of dust over time. If the carpet is badly stained, the sad news is that the remedy for this condition is not free. Offering a carpet allowances may help, but you only get one chance to make that first impression.

Setting out a bowl of vinegar overnight will help to remove lingering odors. Be sure to get rid of the bowl before you have a showing! If the weather is accomodating, open the windows and "air the house". Hanging pillows and throws on the fence to soak up some sun will improve the level of freshness when you bring them back in the house.

One more note - I mentioned first impressions. The first thing a potential buyer sees is the walkway up to the entrance and the front door. They are standing there looking around while the agent accesses your property or while you come to the door. The door, porch, any light fixtures should be sparkling clean and in good repair. Remove any damaged or faded door mats, make sure the porch is swept and hosed off before any showing. People should feel welcome when they come to your door. Remove any personalized signs. You want them to think of it as their own home.

Of course the most important thing to consider is pricing your home appropriately. With the help of your agent, you can consider comparable properties and their condition. There are many other things to do to make your home "sellable". Unless you are planning to discount the property, the home should be in good condition.

These "FREE" suggestions are what I consider to be the most important and can be done without taking funds from your account. Please let me know if you have more ideas, or if I can answer any questions about selling your property.

I am Stephanie Kelley, Realtor® at Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio, Texas. If you have questions about San Antonio real estate or just want to chat a bit about our wonderful Alamo City, please call me at or (210) 867-8743, or E-mail me at swkrealtor@aol.com Our experienced Realty Solutions Team is always ready to help you with your home buying or selling needs. Visit me at http://SanAntonioHomeQuest.com

Boosting your Home Value in the New Year

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 18:08:00 +0000

Time for the procrastination to be over - It's already mid January and I haven't even gotten back on my new year diet and exercise program yet!

Its been a long time since I posted. Fun flies when you are having time, and I just didn't take the time to continue on my posts after about the middle of last year. My weight loss program, some traveling and yes, even real estate took precedence over the blog and for that, dear readers, I apologize.

Its the new year and this year will be even bigger and better than the last. (The last was actually pretty good, and I am still about 16 pounds lighter than I was in 2012). I plan a better blog schedule to keep you informed on fun stuff, and real estate developments around San Antonio, my weight loss ideas and encouragement, and of course how to improve your Texas home if you are thinking of selling, renting or just improving for your own enjoyment,

As super bowl rapidly approaches, folks begin to think not only about football, but about moving. Maybe they just need more wall space for a bigger screen TV or better entertainment areas or a major life change, but thoughts of a new living space for the new year just seem to happen, particularly in an improving economy. Here from a recent HomeGain.com survey are 5 low cost ideas to improve your homes value without breaking the bank.

Clean and de-clutter The average cost is $290. with a $1,990 increase for a 586% ROI
Lightening and brightening The average cost is $375 with a $1,550 price increase for a $313% ROI
Home staging The average cost is $550 with a $2,194 price increase for a 299% ROI
Landscaping The average cost is $540 with a $1,932 price increase for a 258% ROI
Repairing electrical or plumbing The average cost is $535 with a $1,505 price increase for a $181% ROI

If you are planning to sell, you should at a minimum do #1. People don't want to buy other peoples dirt and all of that clutter makes it almost impossible to see the good features of a property. Besides that, its just good feng shui to get rid of the junk and simply your life in the new year, even if you don't plan to sell. It's the reason the container store runs the Elfa shelving system on sale every January.

For more information, check out the homegain.com website or call me! Real Estate is always local, and prices for improvements may vary. Any repairs or improvements that you can do yourself will save you money in the long run, provided you can do those repairs in a safe environment and provided that the results are professional in their appearance. Consult with you real estate professional before beginning any projects.

I am Stephanie Kelley, Realtor® at Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio, Texas. If you have questions about San Antonio real estate or just want to chat a bit about our wonderful Alamo City, please call me at or (210) 867-8743, or E-mail me at swkrealtor@aol.com Our experienced Realty Solutions Team is always ready to help you with your home buying or selling needs. Visit me at http://SanAntonioHomeQuest.com

Time Block Blues

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 17 May 2012 14:52:00 +0000

I don't know about you, but I really, really, seriously hate it when I get the overly long drawn out message that sounds something like: " Hello, your call is very important to me, blah, blah, blah, I am in meetings or in an appointment and I will be returning calls between 4 & 6 or after 9."Blah, Blah, Blah, if this is an emergency please call the receptionist, secretary or Uncle Charlie (choose one - none of them answer the phone) Cheerio.

If I sound frustrated, it is because I am. It's really nice that the very important person that we are trying to contact has a booming business and busy life. (Look up Girls Raised in the South for the meaning of "That's Nice", and if you don't get it, you don't really know any girls from the south).

The problem that I have is that my life is busy and sometimes hectic, too. While it is nice to know what time the important person is planning to call back, I have an issue with the assumption that I am going to be available in the particular time block that works for him (or her). Shoot, it might interfere with MY time block.

Recently an agent told me that he couldn't possibly present an offer after 6:00 pm, that he had 2 kids to feed and bathe. Now I understand about the feeding part, but any kid I know would gladly time block that bath until next week. The feeding part could be handled with a chicken nuggets happy meal from the Mickey D drive through. Be sure to block in 15 minutes for the wait time in line. That leaves a couple hours to manage an appointment or even just a phone call, so that my clients don't have to miss their flight the next morning, pay for an extra day in a hotel, and can make a decision that will affect their families for at least (based on national averages) the next 5.5 years.

My point is that Real Estate is a service business. I really would like to have my own life and my own time and maybe I am just a poor scheduler, but when I have clients that are sitting in a hotel room waiting for a response from a very important person, I wonder about the level of service that is being achieved. The person who has so perfectly maintained his own schedule is wrecking and attempting to control the schedule of everyone else around him. That is a disservice to the customer.

I am Stephanie Kelley, Realtor® at Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio, Texas. If you have questions about San Antonio real estate or just want to chat a bit about our wonderful Alamo City, please call me at or (210) 867-8743, or E-mail me at swkrealtor@aol.com Our experienced Realty Solutions Team is always ready to help you with your home buying or selling needs. Visit me athttp://SanAntonioHomeQuest.com

*For those of you following my weight loss and a little less of the home girl. . . I am down 31 pounds since the first of the year and sticking with it! Join me at my fitness pal!

Losing it while Hiking around San Antonio

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 21:13:00 +0000

I bet you didn't think I would stick with it. Well. So far, so good. I am down 15 pounds since I last posted, and determined not to give up until I reach my goal.

Not winning The "biggest loser" contest could have been a major obstacle and was emotionally disappointing, but grit and determination won out, so I am hanging in there with my 2012 resolution. Yay homegirl!

The contest was actually kind of fun. With the help of myfitnesspal.com, I learned by journaling what was going into my mouth and what kind of energy I was expending that this should really be a no brainer. If I cheat or fudge on what I journal in my fitness pal, I am really only cheating myself. If I am honest about the input, then my body responds with the appropriate weight loss in relationship to calories in and out.

There were competitors that lost much more than I did. The winning female lost 25 pounds in a month. Wow, now that's impressive. When I asked what she done to lose so much, so fast, she was a little hesitant, but said that she had cut to 500 calories a day and worked out twice a day. She drank no coffee, no soda, no simple carbs, very little fat and mainly existed on lean protein and complex carbohydrates. Even though she didn't tell me, I bet she had to avoid any Realtor functions like she would avoid the plague.

My lifestyle has changed, but not so much. I still manage to go out for dinner or happy hour with friends and clients. My diet has included almost anything you can imagine. Cooking light recipes are my friend, but I could still enjoy a dirty martini or 1 glass of wine. I could have a bite of fried avocado ( although indulging in the fried stuff or alcoholic beverages greatly reduces the other good things I could be enjoying). Dairy Queen visits mean that I order a plain small cone in lieu of a banana split. The bottom line is that I have to be accountable and disciplined.

Hiking in Government Canyon

The biggest change has been incorporating exercise into my lifestyle. Randy and I love to hike! Walking on a track or repeating the same routine is the ultimate boredom for me, so the exercise quest became an adventure. The goal of walking about 4 miles a day was surpassed by a need to explore and find more challenging paths. Even getting off the beaten path (in and away from urban development) was part of the process. San Antonio has many parks with hiking and biking trails to explore. Please follow the links below:

Downtown/ Southtown Route

River Walk / Museum Reach

Metro Health to Lexington

Brackenridge - Alamo Loop

San Antonio Highlights

San Antonio Greenway Map

Dry Creekbed in Government Canyon

I am Stephanie Kelley, Realtor® at Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio, Texas. If you have questions about San Antonio real estate or just want to chat a bit about our wonderful Alamo City, please call me at or (210) 867-8743, or E-mail me at swkrealtor@aol.com Our experienced Realty Solutions Team is always ready to help you with your home buying or selling needs. Visit me at http://SanAntonioHomeQuest.com

Post Script: I have let almost a month pass without publishing - Sorry about that, but I am down another 5 pounds. Yay me!

Better Life in 2012? Weight and See!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:24:00 +0000

It's the second week of 2012 and this time I really am sticking to my number #1 resolution to lose a few pounds.

You probably already know that losing a few pounds is one of the most common resolutions. Did you know that January 9 is the most common day that people give up on thir resolutions? Well, the Home Girl is no quitter, and the only kind of loser I want to be is "The Biggest", so I am steadily hanging in there.

There are all kinds of articles, websites and blogs offering helpful hints on how to best lose weight. My favorite this year is Myfitnesspal.com. It's available as an app for your smart phone, your I-Pad or your Mac or PC. ITS FREE! I also like it because it makes you accountable for what goes into your mouth and it has almost every item I could think about eating and almost every (chain) restaurant's menu items and nutritional content listed in it's data base, so I don't have to spend a lot of time researching nutritional information and recording it in my data base. I was very pleased when I pulled up HEB southwest spicy black bean soup and was able to find that in the data base. Wow! a specific "generic" brand from my favorite grocery store. Truly amazing. Reports show that people who journal their diet lose twice as much weight as those who don't. This app makes it easy to journal not only what you eat, but also tracks your exercise and your progress, and has the ability to invite friends to join in with you on the weight loss quest. The home girl (along with thousands of other people ) gives this app 5 stars!

Another incentive that is inspiring me was initiated by Shane Tokheim at Alamo Title Company. He invited just about every real estate agent and related business workers to join in our own Biggest Loser Contest. This is not to be confused with the one on TV. He gathered a group of 17 women and I think about 12 men who contributed to a pool to see who could lose the largest percentage of their body weight. Sometimes it is just being surrounded, supported, challenged by and competing (all at the same time) with my peers that gives me the initiative to work out, cut calories and get healthy.

A couple of co-workers stopped by the morning and offered their advice on what the do to succeed in the never ending "Battle of the Bulge". Besides "Just Do It", a couple more I Phone apps that help are Run keeper and Map my run. I am using my Garmin Forerunner watch and heart monitor, which tracks not only my milage, but my time and heart rate and syncs to the computer.

Being healthy will help with every aspect of my life. Losing a few pounds (or more) won't hurt. Lighter Realtors move faster & have more energy. Love that - "move faster". That's what most of my clients want - a faster move - HA! I work in a business that can truly zap your youth and vitality if you let it. Easting healthy, exercise and holding myself accountable should help give me the energy to do not only the physical but the mental gymanistics to help my clients successfully. Sounds like a win-win! You are cordially invited to join me in my quest. Sign up for myfitnesspal and "friend me".

If you have any apps , suggestions or comments, please leave them at this site. If you just want to follow the home girl and see if I succeed or fail, click on follow me. I will keep you posted!

Need more help ? Top Rated Gyms and Fitness Centers in San Antonio

Velocity Sports

Bella Women's Fitness

YMCA of Greater San Antonio

Gold's Gym - 9 Locations in San Antonio

Lifetime Fitness - 2 Locations in San Antonio

Spectrum - 10 Locations in San Antonio

I am Stephanie Kelley, Realtor® at Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio, Texas. If you have questions about San Antonio real estate or just want to chat a bit about our wonderful Alamo City, please call me at or (210) 867-8743, or E-mail me at swkrealtor@aol.com Our experienced Realty Solutions Team is always ready to help you with your home buying or selling needs. Visit me at http://SanAntonioHomeQuest.com

Best Clean Windows in San Antonio or Anywhere Else for that Matter

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 22:48:00 +0000

The home girl has cleaned up all the Halloween Decorations at the homestead. (with a bunch of help from the hubby)

Halloween has got to be one of my favorite holidays for many reasons.

Candy
Grown ups can play dress up.
You don't have to have a clean house for it to look absolutely marvelous!
Chocolate Candy
Dust and spider webs and windows you can't see through are appropriate.
Snickers, Butterfingers, Peanut M&M's
Everybody loves witches and its ok to act like like one.
More Candy

Alas, it's over. The pumpkins are melting, the bats and ghosts are back in a box, the left over candy is hidden so that I will forget where I put it and all that is left are a few cobwebs, some dust and thoughts of the next big event - Thanksgiving.

It's time to clear away the dust and the cobwebs and get the home clean, sparkly and ready for the holidays.

The best way for a truly great outlook is to clean up what you are looking out. (That's terrible grammar, but I hope you get the gist of what I am trying to say.) Clean your windows!

The best recipe that I ever found for sparkly windows came from an article in the San Antonio Express News in December 2001 by Maribel Zimmerman.

Please read the whole article and you will find the recipe for sparkly windows at the bottom of the page.

***

San Antonio Express-News Sunday Real Estate Sunday Dec 9, 2001
By Maribel Zimmerman

Some windows look like they were cleaned with a good amount of spit and an oily mechanics rag. Sticky fingers and wet noses pressed to the glass can wreak havoc on your view, too. But some windows look worse after they have been cleaned. Why? What could possibly have gone wrong? Plenty.

Hastily pursuing the perfect view can mean forgetting the most important credos of crystal clear windows: clean water and the right tools. So, how do you get windows to sparkle the first time? It's really not that hard.

There are several ways to do the job right. Commercial cleaning solutions can work well, but are not necessary for the job. Old fashioned household cleaners are plentiful in most homes - and expensive.

Experts at Andersen-Windows suggest beginning with the right stuff: rubber gloves; two buckets or one bucket with two wells; sudsy ammonia; white vinegar; rubbing alcohol; several clean, dry rags, a squeegee; and a ladder, if necessary.

Now, follow these steps to the best view you've ever enjoyed:

1. First, read and follow the manufacturer's instructions on each cleaning agent and all tools before beginning. In addition, use extreme caution when using ladders around open windows to maintain safe operation and avoid injury. If elevation devices are required, do not use furniture, only equipment intended for that purpose, including ladders, scaffolding, and step stools. And follow all the manufacturers instructions for safe operation.
2. Fill both buckets with 1 to 2 gallons of the hottest water your gloved hands can stand. Use caution in handling hot water to avoid burns and scalding.
3. In one of the two buckets, add one cup each of ammonia and vinegar, plus two tablespoons of rubbing alcohol and stir. The latter will help the water evaporate and add that "twinkle" factor.
4. Begin at the top of the house at the top of the window.
5. Wipe the entire surface with the solution. If necessary, bugs, stickers, and stubborn marks can be removed with a new straight-edge blade, being careful to avoid personal injury or damage to the wndow. Once the dirt is removed, wipe the window a second time with the clear water.
6. Immediately squeegee the window, using a rag to wipe the squeegee dry after each swipe. This will limit the streaks caused by wet lines of water at the squeegee's edge and eliminate dripping onto your sparkling windows with wet tools.
7. Use a clean cloth to wipe only the wet corners and the sill.
Some extra tips

Again, use extreme caution when working around open window openings. Never leave a window unattended, especially when children are present. Falls may result in serious injury or death.
Try swiping in only one direction - horizontal or vertical on the inside of the house, and the other direction on the outside. If you do find streaks, you'll know which side needs to be redone.
Change the water often to eliminate streaks.
Tie a rope to the squeegee and secure it to the ladder or your belt in case you drop it. Letting the solution dry onto the window while you climb down to retrieve your tools could be the difference between sparkle and debacle.
Try cleaning windows on sunny, but dry days. Sunlight dries the solution too fast and makes streaks more likely.
Really dirty windows may need to be rinsed first with the garden hose, but be prepared to clean them immediately. Hard water stains can be stubborn.

For more information about windows, including maintenance, repair and replacement, contact the Greater San Antonio Builders Association at (210) 696-3800 for a free copy of the Remodelors Directory.

The Greater San Antonio Builders Association is a local trade association that offers opportunities to its members to display their products and services.
It makes no representations expressed or implied , regarding the qualifications of its members or the quality of their products and services, but invites you to examine them for yourself at www.sabuilders.com

Maribel Zimmerman is an architecutral representatve for Black Millwork Co. Inc., a member of the Greater San Antonio Builders Association Remodelors Council

***

This is the recipe for sparkly windows

Solution:
1 cup ammonia
1 cup vinegar
2 Tablespoons Rubbing Alcohol
plus
1 to 2 gallons of HOT water (stir it all together)

After removing the dirt, wipe with clear water only, then squegee.

***

*Home Girl Note

This article was written almost 10 years ago. The website for The Greater San Antonio Builders Association is still good, but I'm not sure about the phone number or if they still have copies of the Remodelors Council Directory.

I do know this recipe for cleaning windows works. It did 10 years ago, and it still does. I have had many clients and other agents ask for my secret, and it's really no secret! I found this article last week when I was cleaning out a file, and thought this would be a great time to share it.

Sparkly windows just make us feel better. They make a home look better and may be just the missing piece to help somebody's home sell. If nothing else, clean windows give us a better outlook. :-)

I am Stephanie Kelley, Realtor® at Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio, Texas. If you have questions about San Antonio real estate or just want to chat a bit about our wonderful Alamo City, please call me at or (210) 867-8743, or E-mail me at swkrealtor@aol.com Our experienced Realty Solutions Team is always ready to help you with your home buying or selling needs. Visit me at http://SanAntonioHomeQuest.com

Things to Do in San Antonio for Halloween

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 19:31:00 +0000

The home girl loves Halloween! Here is a list of my favorite things to do this year in San Antonio., along with a few tips for your added enjoyment.

Haunted Houses I was able to find 4 haunted houses that looked really good, and have provided links to their websites so you can get their hours, pricing and location.

13th Floor This one claims to be the longest and largest horror house in San Antonio, full of intense graphics and theatrics.

Ages 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult to enter. Please call (210) 338-0382

Nightmare on Grayson A San Antonio Classic! I was having my nails done yesterday with a lady who works there. She told me that they have been there 22 years and it is family friendly. I am most excited about Zombie Night, when you can dress like your favorite Zombie.

Terror Mansion **** 4 Star Rated SA Express News San Antonio's Scariest Haunted House

Ripley's Haunted Adventure I took Liby and Nikki (my grandkids) here when they were around 7 or 8 and they LOVED it. (They are pretty tough cookies) We got chased by a monster with a chain saw who turned out to be pretty nice. Nikki lost her flip flop while running and screaming in the dark and the monster handed the flip flop to her. It's a pleasantly creepy haunted house, but then it doesn't take much to scare me.

Amusement Parks

There is just too much information to share here, so click on the links below.

Sea World

9-30 through 10-30 2011 Howl O Scream

Fiesta Texas

Weekends 9-30 through 10-30-2011 Fright Fest

PumpkinPatch
Artisan's Alley

Date(s): 10/22/2011 - 10/22/2011

Time: Sat. 11 a.m.

SCARY MOVIE

Wake up with Tim Burton at The McNay! You can wear your PJ's! Now that sounds scary!

Beetle Juice 10/22 @ 11:00 A.M.

Corpse Bride 10/29 @ 11:00 A.M

McNay Art Museum

6000 N. New Braunfels

San Antonio, TX 78209

Phone: 210/824-5367

BOOtanica!
Fall Festival at the Botanical Garden

Sunday, October 23, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m
Thanks to H-E-B, all guests will enjoy $2 off admission to the Garden.

· Plant Sale from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m
Last Chance Forever - Birds of Prey Show 12 - 1

· San Antonio-friendly trees will be given away by the City of San Antonio Tree Mitigation Fund (while supplies last).

· Learn about vermicomposting with the Texas Red Worms’ worm bins.

· Participate in the BOO Fitness Challenge.

· “Amazing Butterfly” Photo Contest winners will be announced.

Kids will especially love the following activities:

· Costume parades at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

· Getting gooey with Schulz Nursery’s Gak slime.

· Face painting.

· Corn printing.

· Making wildflower seed balls.

The San Antonio Botanical Garden is located at 555 Funston at North New Braunfels Avenue with free parking. The Botanical Garden is operated under the auspices of the City of San Antonio Department of Parks & Recreation and is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. year round except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.
For more information, the public can visit San Antonio Botanical Garden.

Spook-Trackula

Train Rides and Halloween Show for the Family

Date(s): 10/29/2011 - 10/30/2011
Time: Sat and Sun 7 p.m. - 9.30 p.m.

Texas Transportation Museum
11731 Wetmore Road
San Antonio, TX 78247

"Dressed to Chill"

Bud Light Coffins on Parade

Coffins on Parade San Antonio River Walk

October 29, 2011 Time: 6:00PM - 8:00PM

You do not want to miss this famous Halloween spectacle. Imagine floating coffins in barges traveling along the San Antonio River!

Dance with the Dead

Institute of Texan Cultures
801 E. Cesar E. Chavez Blvd
San Antonio, TX , 78205Dance with the Dead

Come dressed as your favorite departed Texan! It's a Halloween Masquerade Party with music, dancing, costume contest + hors d'ourves and a cash bar.

25th Annual Zoo Boo

Zoo Boo

Sunday, October 30 and
Monday, October 31, 2011
6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Join the Zoo for some “spook”tacularly scary fun at the 25th Annual Halloween event, Zoo Boo at YOUR San Antonio Zoo.

Zoo Boo is an exciting, safe, and non-scary Halloween event for families with children 12 years of age or younder held on the grounds of the San Antonio Zoo.

* This event can get REALLY crowded. Go early, plan to walk far from parking , you may want a flash light or reflective clothing to get to and from the zoo.

The San Antonio Ghost Tracks
I've never actually done this, but I'm sure all my kids have, and it seems to be a popular urban legend. San Antonio has rumours of ghosts at the Alamo, the Menger, the Emily Morgan and even the Missions, but I must admit this one truly intrigues me. Maybe this Halloween I will check out a real ghost. Or, maybe I will be a Zombie at Nightmare on Grayson.

Do you have a favorite halloween haunt in South Texas? Suggestions for a fun fall activity? Please add a comment and keep it clean - Texas Home Girl runs a family friendly site :-)

Happy Halloween!

Texas Home Buyer Two Steps Around Her Agent

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 22:57:00 +0000

A friend stopped by the Home Girl's office yesterday. She was terribly upset because a client that she had worked with for over a decade was terminating their agency agreement.

It's painful to be fired. Ask any number of the currently unemployed who have been terminated or laid off due to downsizing and the lousy economy. Sometimes the termination is justifiable because of the employee's actions or non-actions, and sometimes not so much.

But no matter the cause, the sick feeling in the pit of the stomach is right there, a tight, nauseating knot that lasts for days. Even when the the termination makes sense, it hurts.

In the private sector, employees are paid for their services. In fact, if an employee is not paid for work performed, then a complaint can be filed for theft of services. Governor Perry signed SB 1024 eliminating a loophole that previously existed for a criminal theft of service charge. Under prior law, a party obtaining services from another under a promise to pay could avoid a criminal charge of theft of service so long as the party was making minimal payments. Read more here: http://bit.ly/qYuWSJ

My colleague did not have such recourse. The buyer felt that she had "found" her home without assistance.

She failed to take into consideration the hours that were spent setting up searches using specific criteria requested by the buyer.
She did not take into consideration the number of homes that had already been shown to her.
There was no accounting for time spent researching property values in communities in which she had expressed an interest.
No mention was made for reimbursement of travel or gas expenses.

This is just a partial list. This buyer just didn't understand or care what her friend and agent was doing on her behalf, spending considerable time (and time is money) and concentrated effort.

This agent is sharp. Had the buyer mentioned that she was not finding her desired home, that her needs had changed, then the search would have been tweaked and more homes may have been available. There was a signed buyer agency agreement and an established relationship of many years.

Instead of communicating her wishes to her agent, the buyer called ANOTHER agent to show her a property. Kind of like a first date with somebody when you are married to somebody else. I guess the showing agent didn't ask the right questions (are you working with an agent?), had no ethics, or the buyer answered, "not really".

When I receive a sign call and ask "are you working with an agent" and the potential buyer answers "not really" , I usually cringe and then proceed to lose the lead by saying something intelligent like,
" Seriously?, What does that mean? Not really. Do you or do you not have an agent?".

These questions are not an effort to be lazy, to not show my own listings, but are used as an effort to be ethical, to respect the efforts that another agent has invested into his or her client, and to avoid the confusion caused by an existing buyer's agency agreement versus the procuring cause argument that will probably be offered by the agent that showed the one property that my friends client "found".

As Realtors, we have an obligation to be ethical. Customers are under no obligation to share in that responsibility, but clients have signed an agreement to be loyal. It just seems to me that you got to dance with who brung ya, and if you don't want that, then break up before the dance begins.

Post script. I was able to visit with my colleague today to see how things were going. It turns out that she did have a conversation with the "new" buyers' agent. The agent did ask the questions, but the answer was the usual - not really, not a signed agreement. ( I guess the buyer forgot - hmmm) The new agent has offered to pay a referral to my colleague. I don't really think this is a win-win. I am happy that my friend is getting a little compensation. My opinion of her former client is not so great, slightly better of the other agent, but now I am the one with a sick feeling in my stomach and I don't feel like dancing with anybody.

Home Preparation Tips Inspired by HGTV's House Hunters

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 23:14:00 +0000

The home girl loves HGTV's House Hunter! I don't really consider it to be entertainment. At least for me, the show is more like "home" work. I try to guess which home the buyer is going to select, using the keen skills that I have developed over the years, watching their reactions, their body language, what they say and more importantly, what they don't say about each property.

JUST KIDDING.

This show is so staged that it's fairly predictable, and let's face it, most buyers are not professionally trained actors.

This episode that I watched this morning was focused on a soon to be married couple buying in the Richmond, Va. area in the $200,000 ish price range. The real estate agent did a great job of finding suitable properties close to the price range for this couple, although I don't think the editors/producers/writers of the show encouraged or allowed her to offer very much advice to the buyers.

What I loved about this particular show was the predictability of the choice the buyers were going to make. The buyers' final choice was to exceed their budget and buy a newly constructed home. Seller's should watch this to see what they are up against when trying to sell a home in a buyer's market.

One buyer remarked in both resale homes that the carpet was nasty, and that she couldn't stand nasty carpet. My TV is HD and it really didn't look THAT bad, but I must admit you could see a few dirty spots, so it probably wasn't in pristine condition. It's just hard to compete with new.

She made a comment in one home about a cheap plastic door. It appeared to be a type of sliding door between a hall and living area, probably set up for temporary privacy for an office or other purpose. It could have been easily replaced. It's just hard for weird and temporary appearing to compete with new.

You can follow the show here: Richmond Mom

The outcome of the buyers' decision could have been so different if the sellers in either of the previously owned homes had taken the initiative to properly prepare their homes for sale. There were missing or burned out light bulbs, missing chandeliers, dirty and stained carpet, outdated countertops in addition to non-curable problems such as dangerous dogs next door and a three story drop from the deck.

The non curables can be cured with the difference in price, but the real objection coming from the buyer seemed to be the dirty carpet, the cheap door and the missing tub in the master suite. All of the previously mentioned items, even a remodel for the tub and the cost of a new refrigerator would probably be less expensive after negotiations than the cost of new construction.

In a buyers market, or really in any market, sellers should stage their homes to compete with new consruction, price to deal with non curables and prep their homes to show at their absolute best.

There are plenty of ideas on how to stage your home to sell. I can't find any that are as detailed as I would like for them to be, so I am writing a detailed check list on how to prep your home for sale. You can get all the information by following this blog. Just watch for it!

FIRST TIME BUYERS

Don't miss out on an opportunity to be on HGTV. They are coming to San Antonio! Learn more by reading Randy's blog: http://sanantoniorealestate.blogspot.com/ We are giving an additional bonus if they select one of our buyers. Check it out! Hurry!

Our experienced Realty Solutions Team is always ready to help you with your home buying or selling needs. Visit me at please call me at or (210) 867-8743, Visit me at http://sanantoniohomequest.com or follow my blog at TexasHomeGirl.blogspot.com

San Antonio Parade of Homes 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 21:17:00 +0000

The Home Girl went to the Parade of Homes this morning!

Every year the Greater San Antonio Builders Association puts on a show featuring the biggest, brightest and best homes, decorating, landscaping, pools, outdoor kitchens, outstanding craftsmanship, awe inspiring designs and ooh la la that they have to offer.

And OOH LA LA, it was! They sparkled and shimmered with contemporary features. Silver metallic, or textured faux paint finishes added drama and elegance. Beaded chandeliers were in abundance. In most any home, the lighting fixtures were refreshingly different from those we have seen in Parades past. There were sparkling glass accessories and lighted onyx sinks .There were crystal knobs on cabinet doors. Glass tiles, marble flooring, marble, granite, Silestone, or under lit honey onyx counters could be found almost anywhere you looked. It is truly amazing what a million or so will do!

There were outdoor living spaces so grand that you would never want to go inside. One home even had disappearing glass walls that actually opened to the outdoor living areas, literally bringing the outside in. Or the inside out, I'm not really sure, but it was quite nice and one of my favorites.

All of the houses but one had pools. Two had fire and water features which kind of made me think of the fifth element. High on the hill, we had wind, some of the most expensive earth in San Antonio, fire, the negative edged pool had a gas line just beneath the negative edge so you saw a line of fire just above the edge. It took my breath away! The other pool had a water fall flowing over an outdoor fireplace. I guess the fifth element would be a buyer for any of these homes. I would be happy to assist and can be reached at http://SanAntonioHomeQuest.com :-)

With most of the homes in the million dollar and up range, that I nor most of my clients would be able to afford the extreme luxury that was shown at the parade of homes. What it does for us is open us up to new ideas, style changes and the opportunity to pick the minds of some of the best builders in the business.

The Parade of Homes will be running through Sunday, September 11, 2011
For More Information: Schedule, Ticket Information and Map

I am Stephanie Kelley, Realtor® at Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio, Texas. If you have questions about San Antonio real estate or just want to chat a bit about our wonderful Alamo City, please call me at or (210) 867-8743, or E-mail me at swkrealtor@aol.com Our experienced Realty Solutions Team is always ready to help you with your home buying or selling needs. Visit me at http://sanantoniohomequest.com .

Hot Time, Not Cooking and Screaming at Goliath

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 21:13:00 +0000

It's hot. This is a major understatement this year in south Texas. It's really hot. I am ceasing to count the days over 100 degrees and instead counting the meager number of days that have blessedly slipped to under 3 digits.

I am hot, too. Not in the popular conversational movie star icon sense, nor in the more appropriate menopausal grandmother Hot flashy sense, but in the raging, screaming, "Falling Down", or even networky, "I'm mad as Hell and I'm not going to take it any more" , hot around the collar kind of sense.

Last January, I updated my kitchen, a few light fixtures, and the flooring in my house. The decorator that I hired was competent and chosen mainly because I didn't want to deal with the inevitable hassles and problems that can occur during remodeling. Even though she is doing her best to help with what should be a minor issue, I can't help but feeling a little like David battling Goliath. I need a bigger rock, a stronger slingshot or at least a better strategy.

My minor issue is the oven. I cook good! I mean really good. Well is probably better gramatically, but I still mean good. Randy's eyes would roll around and he made yummy faces when I prepared something from our old oven. This NEW Jenn Air oven does not cook good. In fact, it does not cook a frozen pizza without burning the bottom. I spent forty bucks on cheese cake ingredients for the bake sale for the children's shelter and tried to make my famous blackberry cheese cake.  (I got the recipe from Texas Monthly - click link). I could not bring myself to sell that cracked up mess at the bake sale. It would have been far too embarrassing.

I knew there was something wrong with the NEW oven fairly early on, but thought that I just needed to get used to it. After about a month of trying to adapt, a call went out to Jenn Air. The response was that it needed calibration, and we had to do that ourselves before the service people would come out.

We calibrated it ourselves. It was 40 degrees off. The other problem was that it was not consistently 40 degrees off. Randy is accustomed to field expedience, ( military experience) and I just tend to make do with whatever is handy, so we wrangled up the thermometer that we use for cooking the turkey at Christmas, and have been using that to judge temperature on our NEW hi tech, computerized, state of the art Jenn Air oven.

OK, I know that you can get a lemon with anything, and that most anything can be repaired, and with all the surveys and customer service and good will going on, this excellent product, backed by a very excellent company is sure to be repaired, lickety split. Right?

Wrong. Sometime, probably in late April or May, Jenn Air sent out technicians from General Services. They were nice young men, very polite, usually not extremely punctual, but always called to let me know if they had a flat tire, death in the family , or excuse du jour for why I was the appointment that had to be moved to 7:30 or 8:00 on Friday evening, or better yet why my Friday appointment had to be moved to Saturday. Poor things. I think they were over booked. They couldn't seem to get the right replacement parts, plus they broke my cooking stones when they turned the oven over. We even thought at one time they had discontinued a part for a brand new model oven, but found out later that was just a boo boo. Whew!ALTHOUGH IT REALLY DOESN 'T MATTER BECAUSE IT STILL DOESN'T WORK!
Jenn Air was obviously beginning to have doubts about General Service, because they scheduled another service company, South Texas to check out my oven and confirm if it was really irreparable. The gentleman from South Tex said "No Problemo" and expedited the order for 3 parts to hopefully be here before I left for vacation on the 13th of July.

Needless to say, the parts never materialized and while I was sunning by the pool on July 25th, I got a call from Jenn Air in Cleveland, Tennessee (so thankful they were calling from the USA) who in their infinite wisdom scheduled the nice, but ineffectual folks from General Services and the relative newcomers from South Texas Appliance to show up at the same time. What Fun! At least in my mind. I envisioned something like a repair showdown, sort of between the "Showdown at the OK corral meets Hell's Kitchen".

I am still waiting for a replacement for my cooking stone. The nice folks from General Services came for their scheduled appointment - a 4th or 5th visit to my house on Friday, July 29. For the second time, they deem the NEW oven to be irreparable. The representative from South Texas called and gets kind of whacked out because the competing company is here and will not come. I am so disappointed. No showdown. THE NEW OVEN STILL DOESN'T WORK.

It is now August 3, we have been through vacation, have waited for a set appointment because South Texas has 1 of 3 parts in. They know that this part (which has already been replaced once - it's a mother board. Is this second one a step mother board?) will repair my oven that General Service has already deemed irreparable. Yesterday, I literrally screamed at the supervisor when they didn't show up for a scheduled appointment and their excuse was that I did not call them back to confirm within 5 minutes. I banged my head on the wall. I acted like a real baby. I shook. Randy took my blood pressure. I did not want these people and their step mother board in my house. All I wanted to do was pelt them with the pieces of the cooking  stone that the other service company had broken.

It was a long afternoon and a longer night.  I was up at 2:30 a.m. watching Little Miss Sunshine and then Law and Order re runs because I was so bothered by my own behavior and because I had allowed a minor inconvenience, the 7 months long delay of the repair of a hi tech, computerized, lemon glazed oven and the absolutely horrible customer service.

I didn't pick either of these service companies. When the people finally show up, they are personable, polite and seem to be knowledgeable, even though the problem is still not corrected. The crux of MY problem is not only that my NEW oven doesn't work right, but the gatekeepers, appointment makers and schedulers who have been trained to "understand", don't really understand at all. They don't understand how frustrating it is for a cooker who loves to cook to do without for 7 months, to not be able to perform a community service, to not be able to enjoy cooking with grandchildren and family. I have missed cooking for: Easter, Numerous Birthday Cakes ( I do have a huge family) Red, White and Blue Cakes for 4th of July,Children's Shelter Bake Sale, Ham Biscuits to take on Vacation, I nearly blew the run Cake for Jason's grooms cake and I have really just been making do with my turkey thermometer. Thanksgiving is just around the corner. I think the appointment makers are reading off a script. I don't think they understand or care for that matter. An unhappy customer is just a kink in the works, a minor annoyance. I want to find a piece of my cooking stone and pelt them with it.
After my emotional explosion, Randy called, rescheduled the appointment. Of course now it was another day later before we could be worked into their busy, busy schedule. He was told that our appointment time was between 8 & 1. We MUST answer our phone to confirm that we are here for our scheduled appointement, because they will not come out if we do not answer and if for ANY reason we are on another line, we'd better call back in less than 5 minutes or they will have to reschedule.

South Texas showed up today. They called at 12:56. So at least they were punctual - they had 4 minutes to spare. They brought the step-mother board. They did not bring anything to make sure the oven is callibrated. I guess we have to do that ourselves. The frozen pizza from lunch nearly burned. The Jenn Air is label is peeling off the oven. I think it wants to escape. I am still not happy. I don't think I will be happy. I feel like David just got peed on by Goliath and I still can't find my stones with which to hit him.

July San Antonio Realty Market Report

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 23:26:00 +0000

The second week in July is typically San Antonio's realty market yearly high point. Many pending sales will close within the next 30 days. Uncommitted buyers with school age children must rush to find the right home in order to able to close on their purchase or at least be under a binding contract before school starts.

Many factors are converging to make this year’s San Antonio's realty market interesting.

The local economy is strong, population growth is high and, after being relatively flat for many months, home values in most neighborhoods are gradually rising. Home sellers have responded accordingly as evidenced by a gradual upward creep in the asking price for homes for sale.

Buyer response has been fair to good so far, especially for moderately to lower priced homes and for luxury grade housing.

It is difficult to reach conclusions as to the long term market trends, but, in the short term, it's clear San Antonio's current home sales market parallels last year’s relatively tepid market. Basically, it’s not unhealthy, but significantly less than vibrant.

For those who love stats, here are the key indicators for San Antonio's single family detached home listings as of 8 July 2011.

There are 12,094 active listings, compared to 12,891 one year ago. The inventory is slowly decreasing. That's a good sign for home sellers.

The average sales price for the most recent closings is $193,883, compared to last year's $190,763. The increase in average sales price, although small, is another good sign for sellers.

Average cumulative-days-on-the-market (CDOM) for the most recent sales is 133 compared to 122 last year. In 2010, CDOM dropped fast during the Federal Tax credit home buying frenzy, then rose quickly when that program expired. It remains to be seen if cumulative market time will improve, but a slight downward trend is possible in the short term. For the time being, CDOM da ta is positive for San Antonio home buyers.

Industry analysts see these data as reflecting a housing market drifting toward balanced conditions. That means the market neither favors buyers nor sellers.

That's all for our July 2011 San Antonio realty market report. We encourage reader comments and recommendations about how to make our reports more informative and useful.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 14:13:00 +0000

SUNDAY, JULY 03, 2011

San Antonio Area Fourth Of July Events

SAN ANTONIO AREA FOURTH OF JULY EVENTS

Schertz 4th Of July Jubilee - July 1-4 @ Pickrell Park, Schertz

www.schertz.com/?page_id=2284

July 4th Arts & Crafts Show - July 1-4 on the Riverwalk www.thesanantonioriverwalk.com

Ringling Bros. & Barnum & Bailey Circus - July 1-4 in the Alamo Dome www.alamodome.com

Annual Freedom Fiesta - July 2 @ Central Park in Downtown Seguin www.freedomfiesta.com

4th of July Jazz Explosion - July 2 100 @ W. Houston, 21st Floor of Frost Bank Tower www.cooljazzforever.com

4th of July Celebration - July 2-4 in the Market Square www.marketsquaresa.com

Seaworld 4th of July Fireworks Picnic - July 2-4 @ Seaworld www.seaworld.com

Lights of Liberty - July 3-4 @ Six Flags Fiesta Texas www.sixflags.com/fiestatexas

Summerfest San Marcos Celebration - July 4 in San Marcos Plaza, 232 W. CM Allen Pkwy www.summerfestsanmarcos.com

4th of July Celebration at Woodlawn Park - July 4 Woodlawn Lake Park www.saparksfoundation.org/fourth_of_july.html

Looking to buy or sell a San Antonio area home? Visit us at http://sanantoniohomequest.com

Posted by Randy Kelley at 12:13 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Labels: It's happening in Bulverde this weekend, Randolph AFB And Fort Sam Houston Living, San Antonio Real Estate, What's Happening In San Antonio This Weekend
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7 June 2011 Grilling On The Lot For The San Antonio Children's Shelter

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 00:33:00 +0000

If you're in north San Antonio in the area of 1102 East Sonterra Blvd around noon on Tuesday, 7 June 2011, you're invited to a cool event on a hot day.

It's GRILLING ON THE LOT, a charitable event for San Antonio's Children Shelter.

For a reasonable price you'll enjoy the best brisket lunch under the sun and have the opportunity to buy a yummy homemade desert prepared by a member of Keller Williams Legacy's stellar realty services team. Proceeds go to the Children's Shelter.

Enjoy our YouTube Flyer for this year's event and video of last year's grilling great time.

This year promises to be even better. See you there!

SanAntonioHomeQuest.com
Realty Solutions Team
Randy & Stephanie Kelley
Realtors®
Keller Williams Legacy
(800) 201-9145
(210) 867-8743 (Stephanie)
(210) 863-2661 (Randy) Visit Our Blogs At:

http://www.trulia.com/blog/stephanie_kelley/

sanantoniorealestate.blogspot.com/

AirForcePCS.com

Texas Home Girl Report

The Value of a Greenbelt

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 06 May 2011 18:09:00 +0000

MacMillan online dictionary describes a greenbelt as an area of land around large cities where no buildings are allowed in order to protect the countryside.

Another definition that I like calls it an area of undeveloped land around a residential area created by covenant, deed restriction, or city zoning with the intention of preserving the open space and natural environment.

Here in San Antonio, for real estate purposes we have a lot description called "GREENBELT". I think that sometimes that description is rather loosely interpreted and what some folks consider greenbelt may not exactly fall into ANY of the categories listed above. What you can pretty much guarantee is that there is some undeveloped or unused land behind or adjacent to the home that is being offered for sale.

There are currently 36 properties listed as backing to greenbelt in the area where I live and specialize. Now this is a huge area and we do have some wonderful parks with walking and riding trails, some river authority owned property , some flood plains, some golf courses, and even some power lines. All of the above can fall into the greenbelt category, so it is a good idea to have a good look at the pictures of your real estate if you are looking online or even better idea to have your agent take a look for you. I just looked at the pictures of all 36 of these properties. I KNOW these houses and I KNOW these neighborhoods. Some greenbelts are absolutely fabulous! Some, not so much.

My house backs to property that I think belongs to the golf course. It may be owned by the River Authority because there is a part of the 500 year flood plain running through it, but it makes no difference to me. It is my own personal "BACK 40". It's a rough area of the golf course, far enough away from the fairways and greens to make it appealing, because we don't like golf balls hitting the back of the house. My next door neighbor has a path through to the course. Our greenbelt affords views of the wildlife, and we have a great place to walk the dogs. We can encroach with a sacrificial garden that feeds only the deer and rabbits. (The one thing they don't eat is parsley)

TAAD (Texas Association of Appraisal Districts) gives appraisers "wiggle room" when it comes to value for views, but I can't find anything that discusses a distinct value for greenbelts. My experience has been that a buyer will usually pay much more if the greenbelt is a nature preserve or golf course, a little more if it is a drainage easement, and less for an electrical easement if there are power lines involved. So, I guess the value can be compared to beauty and all considered in the eye of the beholder. Or you can ask those that own property adjacent to the greenbelt. Greenbelts afford privacy and spitting room that is hard to come by in urban areas. Go on, ask someone who lives near one. They will tell you . . . it's priceless.

The Resta Fiesta

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 23:35:00 +0000

I can't believe it is almost over! We've had so much fun and there has been something for everybody! The San Antonio Home Girl took a little time off from showing houses and went to the Witte to see all the beautiful trains . . . the kind on the back of dresses, not the choo-choo kind. There were trains from before I was even born! Some looked like flappers from the roaring 20's and some were more like Miss America in the 1960's, and some even resembled stained glass windows in churches, but they were all gorgeous. There were mariachis and of course Mexican food to be eaten in a courtyard. The sun was shining and the weather was perfect.

Check out the video from "A Taste of New Orleans". The dancing was almost a flash mob! We do know how to have fun in San Antonio. This event has some of the best jazz around during Fiesta.

Today was the Battle of Flowers parade, and tomorrow you will find the home girl at my favorite event, the King William Fair and Parade. You can use the link to make sure you don't miss anything . . . just two more days.

IT'S FIESTA FINALE TIME

Saturday April 16 8am - 12pm

Fiesta Pooch Parade - Alamo Heights Swimming Pool, 250 Viesca

Saturday April 16 10am - 12pm

King William Fair and Parade - King William Historic District

Saturday April 16 7:45pm - 11pm

Fiesta Flambeau Parade - Downtown

Want to know more? Go to http://www.fiesta-sa.org/

Outside Schooling!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 21:47:00 +0000

Think back to elementary school, and to those early spring days when the sun was shining, the flowers were beginning to bloom and the trees were turning green. It was just NOT a good time to be in the classroom.

In the spring a young kid's mind turns to thoughts of . . . . FIELD TRIP!

This week San Antonio Home Girl got to join the kids at a local elementary (An exemplary school) on a field trip to Live Oak Park. I haven't had so much fun since I was in elementary school.

The kids and I got to meet June, the cow. The nice dairy farmer who transported her there explained that 1 farmer feeds about 100 people in the U.S. He taught the kids a little about nutrition, a little about technology( they got to see the milking machine in action), and gracefully handled the inevitable question about where the baby cows come out. Ah, spring!

Next the nice folks from SAWS (San Antonio Water System) provided a presentation in which the third grade class that I was accompanying "built" a water system. They had to learn to inspect the pipes, budget, and build a water system to carry water from a well (bucket) to the city ( another bucket) . It was an engineering marvel! Playing in water is always fun on a warm day, but it was also educational, the children loved it and they learned a valuable lesson in preparation and teamwork. I was truly impressed.

There were other activities and the kids settled under a shady tree for lunch before boarding the buses back to school.

This is just one of many excellent schools in the San Antonio area. I was so happy to be a part of this day and I know many parents and grand parents who would enjoy the same opportunity. If you want to learn more about the schools in and around San Antonio you can enter a street address at : Great Schools Report to get a report for nearby schools or you can click on the links provided below for several of the Independent School districts.

We’re Stephanie and Randy Kelley, Realtors® ,

sanantoniohomequest.com
at Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio, Texas.

or (210) 867-8763 for Stephanie,

or E-mail us at swkrealtor@aol.com, or kelleybus@aol.com,

Our broker is Steven Gragg at (210) 482-3200.

Check out our real estate blog @ sanantoniorealestate.blogspot.com

What's Cookin' at Legacy ??

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 17:50:00 +0000

I have something yummy in my car! I'm sitting at my desk thinking about it.

Most marketeers know that a way to a Realtors heart (and clients) is through their stomach. . . or something to that effect. So, they feed us. When we are not selling houses we get to go to coffees and lunches and dinners, to great buffets and grand openings and even networking events. All provide great food and munchies. They wine us and dine us. It's a marvelous life for an agent/foodie.

Now if that were not enough, most agents also like to cook. I mean, if home is where the heart is and the heart of the home is the kitchen. . . . I think I mean that you will find lots of agents in the kitchen, cooking their little hearts out when they are not out working with a client.

With that thought in mind, the agents at my office (Keller Williams, Legacy) conceived a great opportunity to share our love for food with our clients, and give the proceeds to The Children's Shelter. We would create our own cookbook!

This morning, feeling very Paula Deen and inspired by Guy Fieri, I made my very first vlog/cooking show. First, I selected the 1 dish Easy Cobbler Recipe provided by JJ Arida . The recipe can be found in the KW, Legacy cookbook, and it's a piece of cake to make! Ha! Watch the video - it took less than 5 minutes to throw together and cooks in 45. It smells absolutely heavenly and I can't wait to try it.

If you come by the Keller Williams, Legacy office on Sonterra, you can have a bite. Oh, you can get a cookbook, too. They are $11.00 and the proceeds to go to The Children's Shelter. If you are not in San Antonio, let me know if you want a cookbook and we can make arrangements to get you one. I apolgize for not being able to get you a bite of the cobbler, but I'm sure that will all be gone this afternoon.

We’re Stephanie and Randy Kelley, Realtors® , sanantoniohomequest.com
at Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio, Texas.

or (210) 867-8763 for Stephanie,

or E-mail us at swkrealtor@aol.com, or kelleybus@aol.com,

Our broker is Steven Gragg at (210) 482-3200.

I don't think I'm dead, but you can have the money anyway

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 17:33:00 +0000

I am a Realtor. When not showing, selling and marketing houses, I am cleaning out the junk box on my email. Hundreds and thousands of emails seem to accumulate there and I guess I am not smart enough or just haven't figured out how to delete them in a more efficient manner. My husband/partner tells me to set up my inbound privacy settings better and I will - in my spare time. In the mean time, I pretty much just delete, delete, delete ( kind of to the tune of The William Tell Overture). Occasionally, just out of curiosity I will open a piece of SPAM from some very creative writers. I get about a dozen or so of these a week and I really haven't looked at any in a long, long time. Today, I opened this and I know that the people in the office next door must have KNOWN I had finally lost my mind because I was in here, all by myself rolling on the floor laughing. Feel free to respond to any of the emails they listed below - maybe you can be lucky enough to be on their mailing/reading list too.

Courtesy of Pastor David Garry of who knows where?

"ARE YOU ALIVE??

Attention,

I am Pastor David Garry, General manager of Eco Bank , this note was taken in my office where i was serving verification documents to the White men Mr Albert Evans and Mr Mark James who stormed my office with the black man,Sam udo claimed to be your representative and they said that you were dead and before your death, you appointed them as the next of kin to your contract fund presently under our custody these two white men and the black gentleman quickly applied that your Inherited fund should be presented to them at the spot.

Please be informed that any silent to this massage means that you were dead, therefore we highly need your urgent response for more confirmation that you are not the one that appointed them to come and claim the fund on your behalf, but we will not hesitate to continue the payment transmission to them if no response comes from you.

Contact Address as follows;

Name of Manager;Pastor David Garry.

Email: ( mr-davidgarry@hotmail.com <mailto:mr-davidgarry@hotmail.com> )

Awaiting for your response immediately and call me once you reply,but your silence will be a clear indication that you authorized them to effect the above claims.

Regards,

Pastor David Garry.

<mailto:mr-davidgarry@hotmail.com> "

We’re Stephanie and Randy Kelley and Missy McBee, Realtors® , sanantoniohomequest.com at Keller Williams Legacy, San Antonio, Texas.

or (210) 867-8763 for Stephanie,

or (210) 288-9810 (se habla español) for Missy,

or E-mail us at swkrealtor@aol.com, or kelleybus@aol.com, or missymcbee@kw.com (se habla español).

Our broker is Steven Gragg at (210) 482-3200.

Your SanAntonioHomeQuest.com Realty Solutions Team is always ready to help you with all your home buying or selling needs.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 15:31:00 +0000

Looks like we are headed toward being an "Auction" town. We tried it a few years ago, but the market was hot and it didn't go over so well. Now with buyers looking for a deal. . . or a steal of a deal, it just might work. Auctions on many homes taking place today.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 20:17:00 +0000

Don't think I am ready for it to get cold yet. I still want to wear flip flops and have people come to my open houses without coats.