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Friendswood, TX Real Estate News

By Rose King, Friendswood / Pearland / Houston Bay Area
(David Tracy Real Estate)
It’s clean-up time in Friendswood, Texas! The annual city-wide Spring Sparkle Clean-up and Garage Sale will be held April 14 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Centennial Park, 2200 S. Friendswood Drive.   Friendswood residents can bring an assortment of unwanted items to the clean-up for free disposal, including tree limbs, grass clippings, old appliances, old furniture, unwanted wood, metal, plastic, large and small. However, hazardous waste will not be accepted. Hazardous waste would include tires, paint, batteries, oil, or other household hazardous waste.   FREE SHREDDING There will also be FREE SHREDDING at the event! So, clean out those file cabinets and bring your old documents to be shredded for free!   COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE The community garage sale will be hosted by Keep Friendswood Bea...
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By Rose King, Friendswood / Pearland / Houston Bay Area
(David Tracy Real Estate)
There’s a new home décor and gift boutique in Friendswood, and you’re going to love it! The new store, called Ampersand, is open for business, but the official grand opening will be April 19. The owners are Friendswood residents, Marlyse Henderson and Taylor Urban.   Marlyse and Taylor have put together a wonderful assortment of unique gifts, candles, baby items, accessories, and home décor. And, they are just getting started! More unique items have been ordered and are on the way. I can’t wait to see what other goodies they have in store for us!   Some of my favorite items that I saw in the store today included these cute alphabet flags that you can string up for a baby’s room, a dorm room, or anywhere you want. Cute, cute, cute!   And, I really loved these little booster seats for chi...
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By Rose King, Friendswood / Pearland / Houston Bay Area
(David Tracy Real Estate)
Thankful Thursday - I am thankful that spring is coming early to Friendswood, Texas! We have had enough rain to stir up the wildflowers, and there are many open spaces in Friendswood that are covered with the pretty yellow blooms. Here is another photo I snapped of the yellow wildflowers growing in a field between Friendswood and Alvin. I made a quick stop to take the picture, and I was wearing heels…otherwise I would have gotten closer to the longhorns for a better shot!     Happy Spring from Friendswood, Texas!    
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By Rose King, Friendswood / Pearland / Houston Bay Area
(David Tracy Real Estate)
You can tell spring has arrived in Friendswood, Texas! I was showing houses in a neighborhood between Friendswood and Alvin today, and as I drove past this small ranch on FM 518, I noticed the beautiful wildflowers covering the open fields on both sides of the private farm road. I stopped to take this picture through the gated entrance to the property.     Happy Spring!    
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By Sussie Sutton, David Tracy Real Estate for Buyers & Sellers
(David Tracy Real Estate)
My long time “I can’t find a house I like” clients finally found one to their liking. I was so happy for them.   I got the contract together, all addendums and other notices they needed to sign. I explained each document and asked if there were any questions they had concerning each document prior to them signing.  Sometimes there was a question or two but for the most part there were none.   Then we get to the sheet that says I want a home inspection. The scariest thing happened….they did not want a home inspection! I was dumbfounded. I reminded them that this was not a new home and I strongly encouraged a home inspection. And I even added new homes get home inspections too.     They were steadfast on their decision. There was nothing I could do except have them sign documentation indi...
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By Rose King, Friendswood / Pearland / Houston Bay Area
(David Tracy Real Estate)
Here in Texas, the real estate sales contract allows the buyer to pay a small negotiated fee (usually $100) for the right to terminate the sales contract for any reason, for an agreed-upon amount of time. This period of time is known as the Option Period. Many buyers are not familiar with the Option Period, and have a lot of questions about how it works.   The Option Period begins on the day after the contract is executed, and usually lasts for 7-10 days on a residential sale. During this time, there are several things the buyer needs to take care of, including the following:   Have a licensed inspector inspect the home for any deficiencies. This needs to be scheduled as soon as possible once the Option Period begins. Have a termite inspection done on the home. Sometimes the home inspec...
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By Rose King, Friendswood / Pearland / Houston Bay Area
(David Tracy Real Estate)
Want to learn to dance, or paint a beautiful picture? How about learning to play the guitar, or to plant a vegetable garden?   You can sign up for these adult enrichment and recreation classes, as well as many others, through the Friendswood Community Education program. These classes are offered at various times, and for various durations this spring. Most are held at Friendswood High School, and the cost is very reasonable.   For example, you can take a class on using rainwater in your landscaping on April 10 from 7-9 p.m., and the cost is just $14. Or, you can sign up for an eight­-week adult karate class that meets on Thursday nights from April 12 to May 31, and the cost is only $30.   There are classes in computer skills, composting, knitting, journaling, yoga, watercolor, and much ...
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By Sussie Sutton, David Tracy Real Estate for Buyers & Sellers
(David Tracy Real Estate)
The City of Friendswood has many established and new construction residential subdivisions to choose from, if you are moving here. One of the better established subdivisions, in my opinion, is Windsor Estates. The subdivision has a scenic walking trail and a lovely reflection pond.  West of this subdivision and within walking distance is Friendswood Sports Park, 27 acres for all you baseball and soccer enthusiasts. The golfer in the family can enjoy Championship Golf Center driving range, which is also located to the west and within walking distance of Windsor Estates. Windsor Estates has an active Home Owner Association to ensure continued property values. There are currently six beautifully landscaped homes for sale in Windsor Estates. The Prices range from $249,500 to $374,900. Home ...
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By Rose King, Friendswood / Pearland / Houston Bay Area
(David Tracy Real Estate)
Sun Meadow was one of Friendswood’s most popular neighborhoods for home sales in 2011, with 20 homes sold for the year. Sun Meadow ranked third, behind West Ranch and The Forest of Friendswood.   A good number of the homes sold in Sun Meadow in 2011 were foreclosures or short sales. Of the 20 homes sold last year, 12 were foreclosures or short sales.   Investors are finding Sun Meadow to be a real gold mine with a high demand for homes in this Friendswood area. The neighborhood was originally built on a golf course in the 1970’s. The golf course is no longer in operation, but the greens and open space add a lot of beauty to Sun Meadow homes.   The homes in Sun Meadow were built between 1976 and 1994. With affordable homes priced from the $60’s (for foreclosures) to the $230’s, the neigh...
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By Rose King, Friendswood / Pearland / Houston Bay Area
(David Tracy Real Estate)
The Forest of Friendswood remained one of Friendswood’s most popular neighborhoods for home sales in 2011, ranking second (behind West Ranch) with 31 home sales for the year.   The Forest of Friendswood homes were constructed between 1998 and 2003. The Forest is conveniently located off of FM 2351 and Melody Lane, just east of FM 518. Shopping centers, grocery stores, schools, churches and parks are all very close to The Forest of Friendswood.                              One of the biggest draws for people looking to purchase homes in The Forest is the school system. The neighborhood is located in the exemplary-rated Friendswood ISD, where all of the schools in the district received the highest “exemplary” rating from the Texas Education Agency.   Here are the sales statistics for 2011...
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By Rose King, Friendswood / Pearland / Houston Bay Area
(David Tracy Real Estate)
West Ranch was Friendswood’s most popular neighborhood for home sales in 2011, with 50 home sales for the year. Most of the homes sales for 2011 were new-construction home sales. There were 42 new-construction sales and 8 resales for the year.   The neighborhood is Friendswood’s newest master-planned community. It is located on FM 518, just south of FM 528. There are a number of grocery stores, shopping centers and recreational activities located within minutes of West Ranch. The community is bordered by Clear Creek and Chigger Creek and will eventually offer two man-made lakes. Within the community there will be a 20-acre Town Center commercial site, 100 acres of nature trails, parks and recreation areas, a resort-style swimming pool, and a fishing pier.   West Ranch was started by Fri...
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By Rose King, Friendswood / Pearland / Houston Bay Area
(David Tracy Real Estate)
It’s tree-planting time in Friendswood, and you can get one for FREE on Saturday, January 21!   The annual Tree Give-Away for Friendswood residents will be held this Saturday at Friendswood City Hall, located at 910 S. Friendswood Drive (FM 518). Doors open at 8 a.m. and will close at 10 a.m., or when the last trees are gone. Better come early for the best selection!   Over a hundred container trees will be given away to residents. There will be a Master Gardener present to answer questions about the trees, which were chosen based on their suitability for this area.   There’s no better way to “go green” than by planting a tree!   See you at the Tree Give-Away!   Happy Planting!      
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By Rose King, Friendswood / Pearland / Houston Bay Area
(David Tracy Real Estate)
Are you looking for an event where you can get a good workout and benefit a good cause at the same time? If you participate in Friendswood’s first-ever Cupid Shuffle, you will be giving yourself a Valentine’s gift of fitness, and giving people in need a gift of food items!   The Cupid Shuffle is a 5-mile (or 5-K) run/walk, a 5-K partner challenge, and a 1-K kids’ run which will benefit the Mary Queen Catholic Church food pantry.   The race event will be held Sunday, Feb. 12. The 5-mile run, 5-K run and 5-K partner’s challenge will start at 8 a.m. The kids’ 1-K starts at 9:30 a.m.   The race will start at Friendswood High School, run through the surrounding neighborhoods, and then finish back at the high school.   The Cupid Shuffle is sponsored by Pilates Powerhouse in Friendswood. Addit...
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By Rose King, Friendswood / Pearland / Houston Bay Area
(David Tracy Real Estate)
The agent you select to help you sell your home will have a toolbox full of marketing strategies and advertising ideas designed to bring qualified buyers in to see your home. Making sure your home gets maximum internet exposure, putting top-quality photos on the MLS, mailing out just­-listed cards, purchasing print media advertising, doing broker open houses, and sending email blasts are just a few of the tools you’ll find in most Realtor arsenals. But sometimes, the preliminary work your Realtor does to help you get ready to market your home is just as important as what happens once it is listed.   One of the things that I always do for my sellers prior to the listing going active is to provide a complimentary two-hour consultation with a home stager to help them determine what needs t...
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By Rose King, Friendswood / Pearland / Houston Bay Area
(David Tracy Real Estate)
 The 56th Annual Houston International Boat, Sport and Travel Show is going on through Jan. 15 at Reliant Center. This year’s show features more than 1,000 power boats, luxury cruisers, fishing boats and personal watercraft. The show also features a great selection of campers and travel trailers for the camping enthusiast.   There are lots of exhibits at the Houston Boat Show, including outfitters from as far away as Alaska and Costa Rica, fishing guides, gear, marine electronics, fashions, jewelry, hot tubs, artwork, food and much more!   Even the kids can find fun things to do at the Boat Show. There’s a Fish-o-Rama where kids of all ages can catch live fish, and something really cool called Bubble Runners. Bubble Runners are giant plastic bubbles that kids get inside and then they ro...
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By Rose King, Friendswood / Pearland / Houston Bay Area
(David Tracy Real Estate)
If you like fishing, hunting, camping, ATV’s, and outdoor adventure sports, then there’s a wonderful destination close to Friendswood and Pearland that you will really enjoy! Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World is close by – in Pearland at the intersection of State Highway 288 and Beltway 8.   Bass Pro Shops is an outdoor sportsman’s paradise! The store is HUGE, and there is so much to see, you can spend the whole day there. The store is part museum, part art gallery, part antique store, part aquarium, part education center, part conservation center, and part entertainment center. You can even enjoy lunch or dinner at their on-site restaurant, Islamorada Fish Company Restaurant. It’s always good!   The store is a tribute to the Texas landscape and its people. With more than 3,500 artifacts, an...
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By Rose King, Friendswood / Pearland / Houston Bay Area
(David Tracy Real Estate)
I have started a series of posts highlighting things to do around Friendswood that appeal to men (as well as women). At this time of year, men and women alike are setting weight-loss goals, and joining fitness centers to help shave off some inches and drop a few pounds.   Friendswood has several fitness and workout studios, but the biggest one is 24-Hour Fitness, located at 130 W. Parkwood Avenue (FM 528), right in the heart of town.   The Friendswood 24-Hour Fitness Center offers the following amenities: Cardio Equipment Free Weights Full-Sized Basketball Court Group Exercise Indoor Lap Pool Kid’s Club Personal Training Pro Shop Sauna Steam Room Whirlpool   There is always a flurry of activity at 24-Hour Fitness, with people coming and going at all hours of the day. For workout enthusi...
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By Pam Miller, Broker Associate - Water Crest on Lake Conroe
(Realty Associates)
Friendswood is a lovely community.  There are homes in a wide variety of sizes and prices.  Friendswood Sellers were very pleased with the time it took to sell their homes in 2011.  January         85 Days February       95 Days March          101 Days April              96 Days May              80 Days June             96 Days July              77 Days August          88 Days Sept.            81 Days October        90 Days Friendswood homes sold in 2011 in approximately 90 days!  I believe that it proves that Friendswood homes are in high demand and buyers are fast to move when one of these homes comes on the market.  If you watched any news on television, I'm sure you heard the doom and gloom of the talking heads.  Boy, did they get a wrong number for Friendswood, Texas homes for sale...
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By Rose King, Friendswood / Pearland / Houston Bay Area
(David Tracy Real Estate)
There are a lot of things around Friendswood that guys like to do, and one thing almost all of them like is playing golf! Friendswood had a very nice public golf course, Timber Creek Golf Club.   Timber Creek Golf Club is a 27-hole golf facility on 316 acres of heavy woods in Friendswood. The course is surrounded by Oak and Pine trees, and Clear Creek winds throughout the course.   Timber Creek has a beautiful 6500 square foot club house with a pro-shop, restaurant and bar that are open daily. The club house also has locker rooms and showers. There is also an open-air pavilion that is perfect for private parties or tournaments.   If you are a beginner, you can take golf lessons from a PGA golf professional at Timber Creek. The club offers private lessons, or they can put together group ...
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By Rose King, Friendswood / Pearland / Houston Bay Area
(David Tracy Real Estate)
I got a new camera for Christmas, and one of the first pictures I took was this one of our good kitty, Mitzi!   Mitzi has beautiful blue eyes and a fluffy fur coat. She is a pretty good model and very photogenic!   My new camera, a Canon EOS Rebel T3i, is a little complicated, so I have been taking all of my pictures so far on the “Auto” setting. The results are great. I can’t wait to learn more about the camera and try some more creative pictures.   One of the reasons I wanted this particular camera is because it has interchangeable lenses, and I need a wide-angle lens to take good pictures of my listings. The right lens makes all the difference in the world when taking pictures of small rooms. It is going to be a great camera for taking pictures of happenings around Friendswood and Pe...
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