Aaron Layman's Katy Texas Real Estate Forum

Katy Texas & West Houston Real Estate Market - October 2009

Withstanding the possible expiration of the home buyer tax credit, home sales in the Katy are continued to post respectable numbers for the month of October. Sales volume was up slightly for both area 36 and area 25.  While North Katy saw a slight increase in price per square foot, South Katy sales were averaging about two percent less per square foot.  Communities like Cinco Ranch, Seven Meadows and Grand Lakes continued to outpace the general market.

Recent economic data point to continued strength of area real estate prices.  Although unemployment data still pose a concern going forward, it appears the Houston are housing market may have avoided much of the housing woes seen elsewhere.  Construction and manufacturing in the area have taken a hit, but exchange rates have softened the blow and made American goods more affordable overseas.  Energy prices have also held up rather well, although it will be some time before the natural gas market recovers.

The recent extension and expansion of the home buyer tax credit, should continue to stimulate sales on the lower end of the market.  Buyers who have been contemplating a possible purchase or move can now take advantage of the credit through June 2010.  Buyers should be aware that these record low mortgage rates won't last forever.  Once the Fed winds down purchases of mortgage-backed securities, we will likely see a gradual increase in mortgage rates, corresponding with the strength of the overall market.

Home Buyer Tax Credit Extended Through June 30 2010

If you are shopping for a home in Katy or West Houston, you now have until June 30th to take advantage of the home buyer tax credit.  President Obama signed the extension yesterday, making the credit available through June 30th of 2010.  Contracts must be signed by April 30th and close by June 30th to qualify.  First-time buyers can still take the $8000 tax credit, and existing home owners may now take a $6500 credit for a move-up purchase if they have owned and occupied a residence for 5 of the past 8 years.  Qualifying income limits were also raised to $125,000 for single filers and $225,000 for married couples.

Building Your Own Swimming Pool In Katy, Houston Texas - Equipment & Supplies

Proper equipment is essential to any pool/spa design, and we hope to enjoy our pool for years to come.  With that in mind, we tried to select equipment that is relatively easy to operate and maintain.  We also wanted an equipment package that would not bust our budget.  In our case the equipment cost was roughly 20% of our overall pool budget.

One thing I discovered about pool equipment is the varied opinions and advice people seem to have regarding specific brands.  It's no surprise that most pool builders prefer a specific brand of equipment and install that brand as a normal course of business.  Part of the reason for this lies in the various discounts and extended warranties which come with equipment packages.  As a general rule, if you purchase 3 or more primary components from a particular brand you can get an extended warranty of up to three years.

That doesn't mean you need to purchase just one brand of equipment.  Discussions with local pool repair technicians revealed some issues with certain name-brand equipment, and we wanted to avoid those problems.  In our case, we selected a Jandy controller and salt chlorinator.  The pumps, heater and cartridge filter are Pentair, and we opted for a Polaris 280 cleaner and booster pump.  We wanted to have solid equipment with a proven track record, so we avoided some of the newer features like variable speed pumps.  I would love to save energy and lower my pool maintenance/operating costs, but I was leary of buying a $1000 pump with a proprietary circuit board that might become a coaster.

Since we plan on maintaining the pool ourselves, we will need to purchase salt and acid on a regular basis.  Just like any other sanitizing option, a salt pool does require maintenance and proper PH.  A stabilizer (cyanuric acid) is also necessary to keep salt and chlorine from dissipating too quickly.  Not to worry.  We now get our swimming pool equipment and supplies at wholesale!  Being your own pool builder does have its benefits.