Aaron Layman's Katy Texas Real Estate Forum

3 Bedroom 2 Bath Single Story Home With Pool For Sale In Cinco Ranch Greenway Village, Katy Texas

Absolutely adorable single story Village built home in the heart of Cinco Ranch.  Enjoy a private back yard with a sparkling pool.  Master bath has whirlpool tub and separate shower.  Master bedroom has its own door to back yard and pool.  Other bonuses include study with French doors, custom moldings, island kitchen, recent roof and full sprinkler system.  LifeTime Fitness and La Centerra are just a short walk away!

2427 Cinco Park     $224,900      MLS # 8466955     Status: Active

For more information about real estate and mortgage issues in Katy or West Houston contact Aaron Layman.  He is a licensed real estate broker and mortgage broker.  You can contact him directly at 281-994-5190.  You can also visit him on the web at www.AaronLayman.com.

Cinco Ranch And Seven Meadows Rank In Top 10 For Home Sales In Master Planned Communities Nationwide

In a survey of 400 master planned communities across the nation, Cinco Ranch ranked 6th and Seven Meadows ranked 9th for home sales in 2007.  The study was conducted by independent research firm RCLCO of Atlanta.  You can visit the press release at www.rclco.com  for the complete list.  The Woodlands and Sienna Plantation also made top 10.

Cinco Ranch and Seven Meadows are both Newland Communities developments.  The new model park for the 2400 acre section of Cinco Southwest will be opening soon.  Seven Meadows is nearing completion and could be sold out by the end of 2008.

Master planned communities like Cinco Ranch and Seven Meadows continue to be an attractive destination for home buyers.  They offer numerous amenities, a strong community atmosphere and steady growth in property values.

For more information about real estate and mortgage issues in Katy or West Houston contact Aaron Layman.  He is a licensed real estate broker and mortgage broker.  You can contact him directly at 281-994-5190.  You can also visit him on the web at www.AaronLayman.com.

Why Open Houses Don't Sell Homes In Katy, Houston Texas

Open houses are often touted by agents as a reason to get you to list your property with them.  The reality is that you probably are more likely to get struck by lightning than receive a legitimate offer during your open house here in the Katy or West Houston area.

Sellers sometimes request their agent hold an open house with the misconception that it will bring a buyer.  Sellers utilizing the for-sale-by-owner method often make the same mistake.  Open houses may bring a lot of lookers but few, if any, qualified buyers.  Without a qualified buyer you have no sale.

An open house in the Houston area is essentially an opportunity for your listing agent to parade your home to the public and advertise his/her new listing.  Open houses are often used by new agents as a way to gain experience on the job and/or pick up potential prospects.  Open houses are far more useful as a lead-generation tool for the agent than as a means to get your house sold.

If your agent is pushing you to hold an open house they are likely fishing for a price reduction.  An end-result of the open house process is that the sellers often find they are not competitive with the market.  A good Realtor will give you information to justify a price reduction along with honest, objective data to back it up rather than make you vacate your home for the day or the weekend.

Open houses can be informative and fun.  Sellers just need to realize that they have limited value when it comes to actually selling a home, particularly here in Houston with so many available properties.  You can go to www.openhouse.com to see hoards of temporarily displaced homeowners looking for that potential buyer.  I wish them the best of luck.  They'll probably need it.

For more information about real estate and mortgage issues in Katy or West Houston contact Aaron Layman.  He is a licensed real estate broker and mortgage broker.  You can contact him directly at 281-994-5190.  You can also visit him on the web at www.AaronLayman.com.

Big Fed Rate Cut Doesn't Translate Into Lower Mortgage Rates In Katy, Houston Texas

Home buyers looking to lock in a low mortgage rate my have bee surprised that the 3/4 point rate cut by the Fed had little impact on mortgage rates.  There are several reasons for this.  First and foremost is the fact that the market normally prices in any Fed actions well before the Fed actually pulls the trigger.  Financial markets adjust far more rapidly than any governmental agency.

A second factor is that mortgages are sensitive to inflation and/or perceived inflation risk.  The fact that the Fed is cutting rates increases the likelihood that the market will experience inflation later on.  When you make borrowing less expensive you increase the possibility of applying too much stimulus and thereby causing prices to spike.

A third factor in the current economic environment is the sub-prime fallout.  Banks are still adjusting to the new (old) reality of real market risk.  Many banks have been burned by risky loans which are now spilling out of their balance sheets.  The mess has now spilled over into the prime market for mortgages, meaning that borrowers with even stellar credit are having to pay a little extra for the bank's bad judgment.  Mortgage rates should be a full half point lower or more were it not for the added sub-prime risk premium being tacked on to all mortgages.

If you want to get a better handle on where mortgage rates are headed, take a look at the 10 year bond.  When bond prices rise, mortgage rates usually fall along with bond yields.  This normally coincides with a poor day for stocks.

For more information about real estate and mortgage issues in Katy or West Houston contact Aaron Layman.  He is a licensed real estate broker and mortgage broker.  You can contact him directly at 281-994-5190.  You can also visit him on the web at www.AaronLayman.com.

Timewise Market & Deli Opening At Cinco Ranch Blvd. And Gaston Road

Despite some controversy surrounding the project, Landmark Industries will open a new gas station/convenience store across from Kilpatrick Elementary.  Some area residents were worried about the increase in traffic congestion and potential for accidents with young children walking in the area.  Newland Communities and Landmark have tried to incorporate the project in the overall neighborhood by adding cosmetic upgrades such as a fuel canopy with a stucco fascia, brick columns and enhanced lighting.  The store will not sell alcohol and will not be a 24-hour facility according to Timewise.

For more information about real estate and mortgage issues in Katy or West Houston contact Aaron Layman.  He is a licensed real estate broker and mortgage broker.  You can contact him directly at 281-994-5190.  You can also visit him on the web at www.AaronLayman.com.

Aliana in Richmond, Houston Texas, Fort Bend County, Begins Homes Sales

Aliana, the master-planned community in Fort Bend County along Grand Parkway 99, is set to begin home sales this weekend.  A call to a local builder confirmed that home sales will start this weekend.  More lots should be available with other builders in the coming weeks.

The development has been somewhat delayed, and some of the original builders slated for the community dropped out prior to final negotiations.  Details are still being finalized regarding tax rates, HOA fees etc.  Revalen Development/Aliana Development is run by president Paul Cheng out of the Carrollton, Dallas area.

Aliana is promising an international caliber polo club at the heart of the community.  Aliana Polo LLC plans to build a facility of more than 50 acres in the community which will be one of the few polo fields in the world to allow night time play.  It is hoped that the facility will host various national and international polo events.

When completed, the Aliana community may include office space, restaurants, hotels, and even a power center.  The community should also house a new Fort Bend elementary school.  Amenities besides the polo club include a pool, clubhouse, hike and bike trails, and water views.

For more information about the community visit www.alianahouston.com

For more information about real estate and mortgage issues in Katy or West Houston contact Aaron Layman.  He is a licensed real estate broker and mortgage broker.  You can contact him directly at 281-994-5190.  You can also visit him on the web at www.AaronLayman.com.

Price Reduced on 4 Bedroom 3.5 Bath Home in Firethorne, Katy Texas

The price of 28022 Gadwall has been reduced to $295,000!  This spacious, 4 Bedroom 3.5 bath home is priced to sell.  If you are looking for a home in Firethorne, don't miss this one!

For more information about real estate and mortgage issues in Katy or West Houston contact Aaron Layman.  He is a licensed real estate broker and mortgage broker.  You can contact him directly at 281-994-5190.  You can also visit him on the web at www.AaronLayman.com.

Grand Parkway, 99 Loop Moving Slowly As Public Evaluates Tolls, Environmental Impact In Katy, Houston Texas

The Grand Parkway, 99 Loop continues to evolve as the second segment prepares to open for traffic in Baytown.  It was years ago that the first segment of the Grand Parkway opened in Katy connecting I-10 to 59 South in Sugar Land.  Since then TxDot altered the plan, opting instead to turn the Grand Parkway into another toll road.  Katy area residents and local officials were able to persuade TxDot to drop toll plans for the first section since taxpayer funds had already paid for most of the project at that time.

That didn't stop TxDot from turning future sections of the project into a toll roads. Segment E connecting I-10 to U.S. 290 has yet to break ground, and it appears that TxDot still has some explaining to do as to how the whole project is going to benefit taxpayers in the area.  The Trans Texas Corridor has sparked a renewed interest in just how these massive toll projects are being sold to taxpayers and what private interests are involved.  TxDot's plan to sell interest in the TTC to foreign investors has been a wake-up call for local officials and the Harris County Toll Road Authority.  Toll roads don't sit too well with most taxpayers when they are already shelling out $3 or more for a gallon of gasoline.  Foreign ownership of those roads is even less palatable.

Increased scrutiny has delayed the 99 loop for good reason.  The public deserves to know why TxDot can't seem to build roads with taxpayer funds anymore.  Just where is the money actually going?  Why can't TxDot provide a more creative plan to manage future transportation needs instead of shelling out billions of dollars for more concrete congestion?  Mass transit has long been an afterthought in the Houston transportation plan, and the consequences are more visible now than ever before.  Just look at the WestPark Tollway as an example.  Only a few years after opening the 1093 toll road connecting Katy to U.S. 59 is already clogged during morning and evening commutes.  The lack of a rail line or other mass transit alternative is an Achilles heel.  The situation will only get worse if/when the WestPark is extended beyond FM 1463.

If we want to end our dependence on foreign oil, we sure seem to have a strange way of going about it.  Houston area residents are long overdue for a viable mass transit plan to improve the city's image and reduce the environmental impact of additional passengers.

For more information about the Grand Parkway you can visit www.grandpky.com.

For more information about real estate and mortgage issues in Katy or West Houston contact Aaron Layman.  He is a licensed real estate broker and mortgage broker.  You can contact him directly at 281-994-5190.  You can also visit him on the web at www.AaronLayman.com.

Cinco Ranch, Seven Meadows, Grand Lakes Post Modest Price Gains in February 2008

Homes Sales in the master planned communities of Cinco Ranch, Seven Meadows and Grand Lakes were down about 11 percent in February from last year.  Prices rose a scant 1 and a half percent.  The modest price gains are reflective of the continued challenging conditions in the overall market.  Overall, South Katy continues to hold up very well compared to other parts of the Houston area.

For more information about real estate and mortgage issues in Katy or West Houston contact Aaron Layman.  He is a licensed real estate broker and mortgage broker.  You can contact him directly at 281-994-5190.  You can also visit him on the web at www.AaronLayman.com.

Homes in Active Adult Community Heritage Grand Cinco Ranch, Katy Texas Show Strong Sales

Homes in the active adult community of Heritage Grand in Cinco Ranch are posting solid sales numbers so far this year.  Unlike some parts of the Houston area market, this 55 and over community is still showing healthy demand.  Sales data points to another good year.  Year-to-date prices are up almost 4 percent compared to 2007 average sales figures.

For more information about real estate and mortgage issues in Katy or West Houston contact Aaron Layman.  He is a licensed real estate broker and mortgage broker.  You can contact him directly at 281-994-5190.  You can also visit him on the web at www.AaronLayman.com.