The Century Tree Reader http://thecenturytreereader.com Real Estate & Community Blog in Bryan, College Station, Caldwell, Navasota & More in TEXAS Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:43:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 thecenturytreereader/vNRohttp://feedburner.google.com Is Your Home Really Ready For Fall?? http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thecenturytreereader/vNRo/~3/h4j7BwP_R10/ http://raylenelewis.thecenturytreereader.com/2009/11/04/is-your-home-really-ready-for-fall/#comments Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:42:00 +0000 Raylene Lewis http://raylenelewis.thecenturytreereader.com/2009/11/04/is-your-home-really-ready-for-fall/ Is Your Home Ready for the Holidays?
 
November 2009 is finally here, and that means it’s a count down until the guests arrive.  Thanksgiving, the biggest shopping day of the year, and the infamous game between Texas A&M University and TU are just around the corner.  So much to do, so little time!  Dealing with the pressure of knowing that people are coming for dinner in a matter of days is similar to the feeling you get when you are just about ready to put your home on the market for sale. Where do you start? It is time to clean, finish the minor house repairs and stage for the holidays!
 
I’ll never forget my clients that wanted to list their home on Thanksgiving weekend.  As I walked up to the front door the husband greeted me on the porch. “Thanks for coming to talk to us about selling our home,” he said. “Please don’t step on the yellow mat. It is covering up a hole in the floor and we don’t want you to fall through!”
 
The first question, when it comes to home cleaning, is deciding if the best use of your time includes grabbing the mop and bucket or simply picking up the phone and calling someone else to do it for you. There are many great and highly reputable cleaning companies in town, and if you need a Ritz Carlton clean at a Wal-Mart price, another option is for you to call your Realtor. No, we don’t clean houses, but with all the sales we do, with clients moving out and not having anytime to make the home ready for the new buyer, we always have a good house cleaner that is on call in a pinch, knows how to clean from top to bottom and is extremely reasonably priced.  The key to a good clean for the best price is to make sure you have supplies ready and that the home is picked up and free of toys, counter top clutter, and pets that can prevent access to the entire home.
 
I got a call once from a service provider that told me “Raylene, the rest of the home is fine, but we couldn’t go into to the master bedroom closet, because there is a large live boa constrictor hanging from the ceiling.”
 
 When getting the home ready for visitors, be sure to remember to clean where it will be most noticeable to guests: ceiling fans and return air vents are the areas most commonly overlooked. And when cleaning that return air vent, might as well change the air filter while you are at it. If you are one of those folks who dust and dust yet seem to be getting no where, an item to add to the Honey Do list before the guests arrive is to buy a tube of clear caulk, climb in the attic, and seal your return air vent on both sides. Often, little bits of insulation dust can be brought into the home from the attic. Sealing the return air vent on both sides with eliminate the problem and result in more free time between house hold dusting. Just remember to wait for the caulk to dry before placing the air filter back in place.  And of course, when you are in the attic, watch your step!
 
“Yes, Raylene…um this is the Heating and A/C Company. We completed the repair you requested on the furnace for the closing this afternoon and the return air duct is all sealed up. Unfortunately, our guy fell through the ceiling on his way out.”
 
When the home is ready, it’s time for the fun part! Shopping and staging for the holidays.  Guests love walking into a home and getting the nice, warm fuzzy feeling of Holiday Spirit.  A good starting place is to find a holiday scent you like and sticking with it throughout the home. Evergreen and Peppermint are popular ones, as long as they are not overwhelming. My mother always told me “the way to a man’s heart is though his stomach,” and I don’t think you can go wrong with a scent of pumpkin spice, sugar cookie or ginger bread. The key is to not mix scents and to try and stay away from smells that are fruity or overpowering.  Scents that smell like fresh sweet cooking also complement the holiday, and guests might even think the great smells came from your kitchen!
 
Many of the stores in Bryan-College Station are great with providing holiday accent pieces for home decor.  Always check the paper for the latest deals of the day.  If you are like me, and want your home staged and looking it’s best for guests, confusion erupts when walking into a store and deciding what to buy. (Personally, I want it all!) A great option to eliminate the buying confusion is to hire a holiday stager. This is very different from having an interior decorator or designer come in, and is just a fraction of the price. For roughly $200.00 – $400.00 depending on what you want done, you can have a stager go with you to pick out floral, art, and accent decor. These folks are also great at finding the best deals in town and are highly creative at getting you the look you want in-budget. You can also hire your stager to dress up the home with items you provide and / or rearrange furniture to make the home look its best. For more information on Staging, you can go to www.stagingbcs.com
 
As always, don’t forget the point of the November holiday season is to be thankful and enjoy time you have with your close friends and family. This can easily be accomplished, no matter what state your home is in.
 
“Mrs. Smith, I am so glad you are thankful to your husband for surprising you with this Master Garden Jacuzzi tub as an early Christmas present! I know you are going to enjoy it. Now, if you don’t mind, can you please get out of the tub so we can finish the final walkthrough of the home? I’m afraid we may be late to the closing.”
 
 
 
 
Raylene Lewis, Realtor
Century21 Beal, Inc.
979-218-2235 Cell
979-764-2100 Office
979-764-0421 Fax
]]> http://raylenelewis.thecenturytreereader.com/2009/11/04/is-your-home-really-ready-for-fall/feed/ 0 http://raylenelewis.thecenturytreereader.com/2009/11/04/is-your-home-really-ready-for-fall/ Century 21 Beal AGAIN hosted a Successful Food Drive for the Brazos Church Food Pantry! http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thecenturytreereader/vNRo/~3/zNwxihksajk/ http://susanhilton.com/2009/10/26/century-21-beal-again-hosted-a-successful-food-drive-for-the-brazos-church-food-pantry/#comments Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:42:11 +0000 Susan Hilton College Station Real Estate http://susanhilton.com/2009/10/26/century-21-beal-again-hosted-a-successful-food-drive-for-the-brazos-church-food-pantry/

Century 21 Beal AGAIN hosted a successful food drive for the Brazos Church Food Pantry!

The agents raised over $800 and over 1,447 items.

GREAT JOB!

Susan Hilton
CENTURY 21 Beal, Inc.
979-764-2100

]]> http://susanhilton.com/2009/10/26/century-21-beal-again-hosted-a-successful-food-drive-for-the-brazos-church-food-pantry/feed/ 0 http://susanhilton.com/2009/10/26/century-21-beal-again-hosted-a-successful-food-drive-for-the-brazos-church-food-pantry/ Are you Ready for Halloween? Is Your College Station HOME Ready? http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thecenturytreereader/vNRo/~3/5PvKf4mwZAY/ http://susanhilton.com/2009/10/25/are-you-ready-for-halloween-is-your-college-station-home-ready/#comments Sun, 25 Oct 2009 19:34:29 +0000 Susan Hilton College Station Real Estate http://susanhilton.com/2009/10/25/are-you-ready-for-halloween-is-your-college-station-home-ready/ This year Halloween is on a Saturday – the BEST day for Trick or Treaters, Halloween decorations and LOTS of parties!

halloween

 
Before you host that party and before the little ones hunting for candy start running through your yard and around your decorations, take just a few minutes and think about ways to keep our little goblins safe -
 
  1. Watch your candles!  Never leave candles unattended – inside or out.
  2. Keep candles away from combustibles – curtains, decorations… and never leave a candle unattended.
  3. Watch your extension cord loads. Are you one that plugs one thing into another into another into another and then into an extension cord? NO!!!  Make sure you don’t overload your extension cords or electrical outlets. Just because there is an open plug it does not mean that you can add just one more thing.
  4. Indoor lights outside – NO!  Make sure you are using the lights as they were designed and tested. Indoor lights cannot withstand the elements outdoors.
  5. Candle on the sidewalk?  Careful – Careful!  Make sure the little one’s costumes won’t fly too close and the candles won’t be knocked over.  Fire and Trick or Treaters do NOT go together.
  6. Decorations in the yard? Make sure there are no wires to trip over or get caught up in.
  7. Costume Aware?
    1. Can your child see past the mask? They must have good visibility to watch for cars and items they might trip over.
    2. Dark or light? Always choose light if your child is out Trick or Treating.  Safety first!
    3. Flame Resistant costumes are a MUST.
    4. Flashlights, glow sticks, reflective items…. YES!
  8. Are you going Trick or Treating too?
    1. Children should be accompanied at all times.
    2. Never cross in the middle of the street.
    3. Can we eat our candy along the way – sorry but no. All items should be inspected before anyone eats anything.
 
Sometimes we read lists like this and think – “Why would anyone write this? It is just common sense!”
So true except it only takes one time to not think things through and decorate with a candle or leave something in the yard that a child could trip over or let your child go out in a dark costume and disaster happens. We all see it every year on the news – accidents happen. Let’s not let it happen again this year. Pass this on to everyone you know. If we would all just stop and use a little more common sense maybe next year we won’t need a list like this.

Susan Hilton

Century 21 Beal, Inc.

979-764-2100

susan@century21bcs.com

]]> http://susanhilton.com/2009/10/25/are-you-ready-for-halloween-is-your-college-station-home-ready/feed/ 0 http://susanhilton.com/2009/10/25/are-you-ready-for-halloween-is-your-college-station-home-ready/ First Friday in Downtown Bryan October 2009 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thecenturytreereader/vNRo/~3/G6bnZ0yII6E/ http://susanhilton.com/2009/10/19/first-friday-in-downtown-bryan-october-2009/#comments Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:56:22 +0000 Susan Hilton College Station Real Estate http://susanhilton.com/2009/10/19/first-friday-in-downtown-bryan-october-2009/ First Friday in Downtown Bryan was lots of fun. We have so many talented people in our community!  Do you know who these musicians are? Let me know and you may win a movie ticket or two…

Click here to view the embedded video.

 

Hope you join us next time we go to downtown Bryan! We have LOTS of fun!

Susan Hilton

CENTURY 21 Beal, Inc.

979-764-2100

]]> http://susanhilton.com/2009/10/19/first-friday-in-downtown-bryan-october-2009/feed/ 0 http://susanhilton.com/2009/10/19/first-friday-in-downtown-bryan-october-2009/ Do Haunted Houses Really Exist In Bryan/College Station?? http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thecenturytreereader/vNRo/~3/LBL3yWpJV7M/ http://raylenelewis.thecenturytreereader.com/2009/10/12/do-haunted-houses-really-exist-in-bryancollege-station/#comments Mon, 12 Oct 2009 10:53:58 +0000 Raylene Lewis http://raylenelewis.thecenturytreereader.com/2009/10/12/do-haunted-houses-really-exist-in-bryancollege-station/ In my career as a Realtor, I have sold over 500 homes in the Bryan and College Station area. A few of these properties were homes that had a history; that is homes where previous owners had died on the property.  

According to the law in Texas, if the house is considered a “Notorious House,” meaning the home is well known by the general public for what has happened on or in the premises, be it due to a death or a home repeatedly said to have ghosts, it has to be disclosed to all potential buyers. However, an exception to this rule is if a death occurs on the property and it was the result of natural causes, suicide, or an accident unrelated to the condition of the property. Under these circumstances, the death that occurred does not have to be disclosed to a potential home buyer.

Back in my first year of selling real estate, many years ago, I was showing a young couple a home that had just come on the market for sale, when the neighbor walked out and waved us over. “Are you thinking about buying Mrs. Murphy’s home?” she asked. “Yes, my clients answered. It has a great floor plan!”  “Well, it’d be mighty fine to have you as neighbors,” she responded…” then almost as an after thought she added “Ya know, she be dead 4 or 5 days in that house before they found her.” Needless to say, we did not write an offer on that home.

Often, when a Realtor sells a home, we have no idea if a death has occurred on the property or not.  (We do find out quickly via the neighbors however, if the home has a reputation of being haunted.) I will never forget one listing appointment I went on, where the Seller told me, “The neighbors will tell you this home is haunted, but really it is not. The ghost-lady is only seen peeling potatoes here in the kitchen occasionally.”

If you are a Buyer and concerned about the possibility that someone might have died in a property you are considering buying, the best way I have found to determine if the house has a past is to Google the property address on the World Wide Web.  Typically, if something noteworthy has happened to the home, it’s likely there is a police report posted on the web that can tell you all the details.  I discovered this when a previous client called me asking why I had not told him there was a ghost in his house before he bought it. I assured the client the home did not have any uninvited inhabitants, as it was less than 5 years old and only had one previous owner—whom we had met at the closing table, just a week or so ago.  I asked the client what made him think there may be a ghost in his home.  His answer was for me to come over as it was currently standing in the room with him.  (Truly, I had no idea how to respond to that statement.)  After a bit of research on public records and police reports, I typed in the property’s address on the world wide web.  To my surprise, the web pulled up the home right away and, as it turned out, the Seller’s spouse had committed suicide in the master bedroom of what was now my client’s home.  We had the home blessed by my client’s church and thankfully, they report no further encounters.

During my career, I have only sold one officially Notorious Home. This was a home where a family of 4 had been murdered back in the early 1970’s and, almost everyone in town knew the home for the events that had occurred there so long ago.  I can tell you, property value can definitely be affected by a home’s grizzly past. This property went for approximately $25,000.00 less than what a home in the area would normally sell for—and was under contract 3 separate times— before finding a buyer who was ok with the property’s history.

  While I am certainly no psychic, and am not sure if I personally believe in ghosts and deceased spirits roaming the earth, I have shown a few vacant homes where both myself and my clients got a bit of an uneasy feeling walking through the home. I can definitely recall one particular home in Bryan that I can confidently say—“if there is such a thing as a haunted house, this house 100% fits the bill.” Every time I would try to take interior photos of the home, they would come out fuzzy and yellow. The lights inside the property were constantly flickering whenever I went from room to room and, I would switch off a light, leave the property, get in my car, and notice the light was back on! I offered the Realtors in my office a free lunch if any could provide me with interior photos that were not blurry or out of color, and although several Realtors tried, their cameras would die in the home or their pictures would come out like mine.  I never had to pay out on my offer with a free meal.  Needless to say I was “Oh, So Happy!” when that house sold.

If you are feeling especially brave, and want to stay at a Haunted House, right down the road just about 40 minutes from Bryan-College Station in Calvert, Texas there is a little Bed & Breakfast known as The Hammond House. The TFC Paranormal Research Team, a real ghost-hunting team based out of Bryan-College Station, recorded Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP) and other readings at the Hammond House. According to Casey Linda Unger, who headed the team, the property definitely has a few ghostly inhabitants.

To learn more about the Paranormal Research team right here in BCS, you can go to their web site http://www.freakuency.org/about.htm and for information on the Hammond House, or to schedule a little get away just go to http://www.thehammondhouse.com/index.php but, if the place is haunted, don’t expect a good night’s sleep!

If you have questions or are thinking about buying or selling your home,–notorious or not– feel free to give me a call at 979-218-2235 or visit my website: www.buyincollegestation.com

 

Haunted by Malcolm Brown

]]> http://raylenelewis.thecenturytreereader.com/2009/10/12/do-haunted-houses-really-exist-in-bryancollege-station/feed/ 0 http://raylenelewis.thecenturytreereader.com/2009/10/12/do-haunted-houses-really-exist-in-bryancollege-station/ Fun in Bryan College Station in October 2009! http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thecenturytreereader/vNRo/~3/-_LCplqfkMk/ http://susanhilton.com/2009/10/06/fun-in-bryan-college-station-in-october-2009/#comments Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:30:10 +0000 Susan Hilton College Station Real Estate http://susanhilton.com/2009/10/06/fun-in-bryan-college-station-in-october-2009/ OCTOBER EVENTS

 October 1-2 and 8-10 at 7:30 pm

October Texas A&M Ice Hockey – Lots of dates this month!

October 2 from 7pm to 8pm

  • The women of First United Methodist Church Bryan will be holding a prayer for peace vigil for the women in our community in their courtyard. The goal is to gather women to pray for peace for our families, homes and community. There will be childcare available. For more information, call Donna Jones at 779-1324

October 2-4, 9-11 and 16-18 at 7pm on Friday and Saturday nights and 2pm on Saturday and Sunday afternoons

  • The Theatre Company presents Guys and Dolls. Tickets are available online at www.theatrecompany.com, at the Arts Council, 2275 Dartmouth St., College Station, or at the Box Office. For more information, call the Arts Council at 696-2787.

October 2 from 5:30pm to 9:30 pm

  • The Frame Gallery hosts Art Step. Follow the footsteps all around downtown Bryan to find original work by artist and artisans, live music from jazz to country to classical, artist demonstrations, and arts organizations. Explore historic downtown, dine, shop and ride in the horse drawn carriage. Call Greta Watkins at 822-0496 or visit www.downtownbryan.com for more information.

October 3 at 8am

  • The Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History will present their first annual Buffalo Stampede 5K Race/3K Walk. This USTF certified event will be held rain or shine. Race day registration is $20. All participants will receive a t-shirt. For more information call 776-2195 or visit www.brazosvalleymuseum.org.

October 3 from 10am to 4pm

  • Join the Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History for Boonville Days Heritage Fair 2009. Activities will be inside the Museum on the Brazos Center grounds. Visit the characters in period costume, observe demonstrations of frontier skills and trades, see an authentic stagecoach, and more. For more information contact the Museum at 776-2195

October 10-11 from 10am to 6pm

  • The town of Chappell Hill will host their 33rd Annual Scarecrow Festival. Enjoy more than 300 booths featuring, jewelry, home accents, food, clothing, and holiday items. Admission is free and live entertainment is provided. For more information call 836-6033 or visit www.chappelhillmuseum.org.

October 12 at 11am

  • Register for the Catholic Charities of the Brazos Valley Angels of Hope Golf Tournament at Briarcrest Country Club. The Fight Poverty Luncheon will be held at 12 noon and the 4-person scramble golf tournament begins at 1pm. Contact the Catholic Charities office at 204-7169 to register your team or become a sponsor.

October 13 from 1pm to 4pm

  • Brazos Valley Stitchers will host their monthly Saturday Stitch-in at the Larry J. Ringer Library, 1818 Harvey Mitchell Pkwy. S. College Station. Open stitching, guest are welcome. For more information, contact Terri Berka at 218-8951 or visit www.brazosvalleystitchers.org.

 October 15-18 and 22-25 at 7:30pm and Sunday at 2pm

October 17 at 3pm

  • The International Festival – Institute at Round Top presents Ishay Shaer, concert pianist, a new star from Israel, with works by Debussy, Chopin, Beethoven and Ravel. For more information call 249-3129 or visit www.festivalhill.org.

October 17 at 2pm

  • Enjoy a garden tea on the grounds of the historic Gibson Hensarling home at the 9th Annual Victorian Tea & Gala in Calvert. Victorian dress is encouraged but not required. At 7pm, the Victorian Gala at the Foundry on Main St. will begin. Costis $35 for the tea and $65 for the gala ($90 for both) and reservations are due by October 2. Call 364-2386 or e-mail: jody_lpowers@sbcglobal.net for more information.

October 17 at 6:30pm

  • The Burton Cotton Gin will host their 6th Annual Barn Dance and Dinner Gala. Join them for silent and live auctions, dinner and dancing; $75/person or $150/couple. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.cottonginmuseum.org.

October 20 at 11:15 am

  • The B/CS Christian Women’s Connection will host their annual Fall Fair with Flair fundraising bazaar at Pebble Creek Country Club. Shopping begins at 11:15am and the luncheon starts at 11:45am. Reservations must be made by October 15. For more information and to reserve tickets, contact Licia at 676-2227 or email bcschristianwomensconnection@suddenlink.net.

October 20 from 7pm to 9pm

  • The Brazos Valley Stitchers will host their monthly meeting at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 1200 Foxfire, College Station. The featured project will be Velveteen Smocking with beads/pillow. Check website for the supply list. Short Talk: Machine Embroidery. For more information contact Terri Berka at 218-8951 or visit www.brazosvalleystitchers.org.

October 21 10am to 3pm

October 22 at 7:30pm

  • Friends of Chamber Music presents the Cavatina Duo. Music from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic and contemporary periods as well as music also inspired by the folk traditions of their native lands of Spain and the Balkans will be performed. For more information visit www.communitychamberconcerts.org.

October 24 from 6:30pm to 9pm

  • Violins for the Valley will be featured at Miramount Country Club. The painted Violins and other works of art will be auctioned for the benefit of the Brazos Valley Symphony Society. Tickets are $50; the student violins will be raffled. Raffle tickets are $10 each or 3 for $25. For additional information call 696-6100.

October 27 at 7pm

  • The Brazos County Coalition Against Domestic Violence (BCCADV) will host its 15th Annual Candlelight Vigil at the Brazos Cotton Exchange, 200 South Main St., 3rd Floor, Bryan. The theme of this year’s vigil is Family Secrets: Exploring the Link Between Domestic Violence, Child Abuse and Animal Abuse. For more information, email Lou Bruggman or Ashley McCollum at vigil@bccadv.org or call 774-1241.

October 27 from 7pm to 9pm

  • The Brazos Valley Stitchers will host their monthly stitch-in at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 1200 Foxfire, College Station. Open stitching. For more information, contact Terri Berka at 218-8951. Guests are welcome. www.brazosvalleystitchers.org

October 28 from 9am to 1pm and November 1 from 1:30pm to 3:30pm

  • The Bryan/College Station Public Library System will host their annual Fall Book Sale at the Bryan Library on the 2nd floor, 201 E.26th Street, Saturday the cost will be $20 per bag and Sunday will be $10 for two bags. For more information, contact Jeanne Mitchell at 846-2673.

October 28-29 at 7:30pm

  • In Rudder Auditorium, MSC OPAS presents Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles. Tickets may be purchased at www.mscopas.org or by calling 845-1661 for more information.

October 30 at 6:30pm

  • The Theatre Company will hold their Annual Monster Bash. The Theatre Company’s annual gala fundraiser moves to the Miramont Country Club with live music and dancing, food, silent auction, karaoke, comedy and piano bar and costume contest. Tickets are A$50 each and may be purchased online at www.theatrecomopany.com or at the Arts Council.

 PLAN AHEAD

November 7 at 9:30am

  • The 12th Annual Brazos Valley Memory Walk and 3K Fun Run will be held in memory of Virginia Thompson at Wolf Pen Amphitheatre, 1013 Colgate St, College Station. Registration begins at 8:30am in addition there will be a performance by Expressions Dance Studio, dog walk, silent auction, free raffle and activities for children. To register yourself or a team visit www.alztex.org/walk. For more information contact Amie Brauer at 764-4090 or brazosmemorywalk@gmail.com.

 CONTINUING EVENTS

The entire month of October

  • The Bryan Lions Club will be hosting a household and clothing drive to benefit the Hospice of Brazos Valley. To donate please contact Mary Ellis at 775-7949 or e-mail nellis@tamu.edu for pick-up.

 Through November 2

  • The Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History presents Lone Star Lizards, featuring live specimens of native Texas herpetofauna, emphasizing the regional lizard population and the Texas horned lizard. For more information, call 776-2195 or visit www.brazosvalleymuseum.org.

 Through August 2010

Have more ideas or things to do this fall? Let me know and we’ll help promote it too!

Susan

]]> http://susanhilton.com/2009/10/06/fun-in-bryan-college-station-in-october-2009/feed/ 0 http://susanhilton.com/2009/10/06/fun-in-bryan-college-station-in-october-2009/ Texas A&M Hockey Home Games at Arctic Wolf Ice, College Station http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thecenturytreereader/vNRo/~3/6zPGUsnQYJM/ http://susanhilton.com/2009/10/05/texas-am-hockey-home-games-at-arctic-wolf-ice-college-station/#comments Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:02:58 +0000 Susan Hilton College Station Real Estate http://susanhilton.com/2009/10/05/texas-am-hockey-home-games-at-arctic-wolf-ice-college-station/ Texas A&M Hockey Home Games @ Arctic Wolf Ice, College StationAM_logo1

 Join in the fun and watch the Aggies Skate!

  • October 2 vs. Baylor University
  • October 16 & 17 vs. Texas Tech
  • October 24  vs. University of Texas
  • October 30 & 31 vs. University of Texas San Antonio
  • January 15 & 16 vs. University of Texas San Antonio
  • January 29 vs. University of Texas
  • February 5 & 6 vs. University of North Texas
  • February 19 & 20  vs. Southern Methodist University

All games held at the Arctic Wolf Ice Center at 5:45 pm in College Station, Texas!

See you there.

Susan

]]> http://susanhilton.com/2009/10/05/texas-am-hockey-home-games-at-arctic-wolf-ice-college-station/feed/ 0 http://susanhilton.com/2009/10/05/texas-am-hockey-home-games-at-arctic-wolf-ice-college-station/ First Impressions count when selling a house in Bryan/College Station! http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thecenturytreereader/vNRo/~3/6i5xL_Cv5ac/ http://joeycondon.thecenturytreereader.com/2009/09/29/first-impressions-count-when-selling-a-house-in-bryancollege-station/#comments Tue, 29 Sep 2009 07:47:51 +0000 Joey Condon http://joeycondon.thecenturytreereader.com/2009/09/29/first-impressions-count-when-selling-a-house-in-bryancollege-station/ Everyone knows that “first impressions count” when meeting new people, when interviewing for a job, really for doing just about anything!!  Selling your house also falls into that cliche.  The market has spawned a buyer that has the opportunity to be very picky and they are unforgiving!  To be able to stand out from all the rest, sellers are being forced to pay closer attention to detail and make sure their I’s are dotted and their T’s are crossed. 

What should sellers do to give that first impression that will hold buyer’s attention long enough for them to see the true value of their home?

  • Touch up paint on windows, trim and doors is a must do project
  • Clean the windows inside and out
  • Clean masonry & porches
  • Use landscape lights on side walks and driveways
  • Keep gutters and downspouts in good condition and cleaned out.  Ensure downspouts direct water away from the foundation
  • Use seasonal flags and plants for decoration
  • Keep grass mowed and edging trimmed
  • Cut overhanging branches away from the house, this helps with inspections also

When selling your home in Bryan/College Station, Tx. make sure you pay close attention to details.  Even the smallest oversight can turn that buyer around and lead them out the door to another house.  Hire a professional, like the agents at Century 21 Beal, Inc. to provide you with the advice to maximize your chances of selling your home.   The Bryan real estate market and the College Station real estate market has changed with most other markets, and sellers need to reevaluate their strategy for selling.  The first time home buyer is very frugal and wants a good deal when purchasing real estate. You can’t blame him – I am looking for a good deal too!

Joey Condon – Rock Solid Real Estate

]]> http://joeycondon.thecenturytreereader.com/2009/09/29/first-impressions-count-when-selling-a-house-in-bryancollege-station/feed/ 0 http://joeycondon.thecenturytreereader.com/2009/09/29/first-impressions-count-when-selling-a-house-in-bryancollege-station/ Rhonda Fry Provides Exceptional Real Estate Service in the Brazos Valley http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thecenturytreereader/vNRo/~3/0h34wySkRNU/ http://susanhilton.com/2009/09/24/rhonda-fry-provides-exceptional-real-estate-service-in-the-brazos-valley/#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:17:32 +0000 Susan Hilton College Station Real Estate http://susanhilton.com/2009/09/24/rhonda-fry-provides-exceptional-real-estate-service-in-the-brazos-valley/ 500x748_200x299_RhonaRhonda Fry’s clients said… 

“When we first considered making the move from our existing home to a new one, we were in need of a real estate agent.  One of the Realtors we called was Rhonda Fry.   

Rhonda was willing to meet us after our work day and show us a home we were wanting to see.  After looking at that first home, we were eager to see more.  We continued to look at other homes and began discussions with Rhonda for listing our own home to sell.  Rhonda made the process simple and easy by meeting us at our house, again after our work day, and discussing options and the process.  In no time at all, our home was listed and our first open house was underway.  Rhonda continued to hold Realtor tours and open houses both during the week and on the weekends.  Anytime our home was shown, she would follow up with those appointments and provide us with feedback.  She would even help us with showings by providing food, drink, and even assisting with our dog.

We continued to look at homes for 2 months and eventually made a decision on a home to purchase.  Rhonda was always available to meet with us and show us homes at any time of the day.  She was always very flexible and never once told us she would not be available to show a home.  If we ever wanted any detailed information on the homes we were looking at, Rhonda made that available and answered our questions.

During contractual negotiations on both the home we sold and the home we are buying, Rhonda has always put our needs first.  She has represented us well and has not let anyone take advantage of us.

In summary, Rhonda is a very friendly person.  She is very flexible, loyal, and dependable.  Rhonda has a wonderful personality and is extremely easy to communicate with.  Rhonda will only improve with experience and for all of these reasons, we recommend her as your real estate agent.”

Sincerely,

Kyle and Sherie

To reach Rhonda call  979-764-2100 or 979-574-7671

rhondaf@century21bcs.com

]]> http://susanhilton.com/2009/09/24/rhonda-fry-provides-exceptional-real-estate-service-in-the-brazos-valley/feed/ 0 http://susanhilton.com/2009/09/24/rhonda-fry-provides-exceptional-real-estate-service-in-the-brazos-valley/ Bryan College Station Local Businesses – We Want Them to Survive! http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thecenturytreereader/vNRo/~3/EVOm9C3w2Hw/ http://susanhilton.com/2009/09/22/3054/#comments Tue, 22 Sep 2009 09:56:09 +0000 Susan Hilton College Station Real Estate http://susanhilton.com/2009/09/22/3054/ 350 project

The 3/50 Project is a nationwide program to focus on the survival of independent businesses within our community.  Imagine if our local independent businesses were no longer there…  Imagine your favorite 3… what if they were gone?

The 3/50 Project is for us all to choose 3 local businesses and spend at least $50 each month. The goal is $50 total – not $50 in each business but of course they would love to have the extra money!

For every $100 spent in locally owned, independent businesses, $68 returns to the community through taxes, payroll and other expenditures. If you buy from a national chain, only $43 dollars comes back to the community. And, if you spend it online – NOTHING comes back!

Century 21 Beal is a locally owned business. We aren’t a retail store with items to sell but we ARE a strong part of the Brazos Valley working to keep our money local.

Before I click to order something online I will stop and think - is there a place I can purchase in Bryan or College Station instead. I have joined the 3/50 Project and will do all I can to keep my money supporting the local businesses when possible.  How about you?

Susan Hilton

 Want to Search the Bryan/College Station Real Estate MLS? CLICK HERE!!!

979-764-2100

 Selling a home in Bryan or College Station, Texas or other location in the Brazos Valley is heavily dependant on pricing your home properly and picking an agent that will create an “online market presence” for your home. As a home seller, you need to be aware that the market in Bryan College Station and many other Texas communities has changed over the last three and a half years. We are no longer in a strong seller’s market.

When selling a home in Bryan College Station, Tx, it pays to have a pro in your corner representing you.  It pays to hire a well educated, top professional at Century 21 Beal.

** 85% of all buyers are finding their homes on the Internet. Is your Bryan College Station home being advertised on the web? If you are with CENTURY 21 Beal it sure is!

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