Aaron Layman's Katy Texas Real Estate Forum

Firethorne Sees Strong Growth in 2009 Sales, Adds new Builder

The master-planned community of Firethorne achieved a record for home sales in 2009, closing 238 new homes, topping the previous record in 2007.  That marked an increase of over 16% for 2008 totals.  At over 900 homes sold so far, it also puts the community on track to soon eclipse the mark of over 1000 home sales.

Firethorne also announced the addition of Parkwood Builders to the lineup of home builders working in the community.  Parkwood will be constructing plans from 3000 square feet up to 6000 square feet, priced from the $350s.

You can read more information about the master-planned community of Firethone at Firethorne.info.  You can also search here for available homes.

Seven Meadows Evening With Santa Friday, December 12

Seven Meadows' Evening With Santa will be held from 5 to 8 pm at the Seven Meadows Clubhouse this Friday, December 12th.  Activities include an elf balloon artist, one horse open sleigh, pictures with Santa, pony carousel rides, petting zoo with reindeer, face painting, and visit from Frosty the Snow Man.

Refreshments will also be available.  It promises to be a fun night out for the entire family.

Cinco Ranch Model Home Village Sees Higher Summer Traffic, Sales In 2009

Buyers were flocking to the Cinco Ranch model home park this summer.  New home sales increased by some 13% according to MLS statistics, and average price per square foot climbed by nearly 3% compared to the summer of 2008.  With a wide range of prices available and some 28 model homes to look at, home buyers were eager to take the plunge.  Record low mortgage rates and the soon-expiring home buyer tax credit no doubt contributed to those strong numbers.

That begs the question of what will happen once the tax credit expires?  Don't get me wrong; I am excited that Cinco Ranch has fared so well this year, but I would expect the numbers to trend slightly lower as we head in to the last quarter of the year.  I have seen some recently closed sales that simply do not make sense in our current economic environment, and the artificial stimulus (tax credit) is a likely cause.

This recent CNN Money article points to a Housing Recovery Mirage and more volatility once the tax credits run out.  An article in today's Houston Chronicle points out that Houston is not immune to the economic fallout, as the city faces some tough choices about how to cover a rather large budget shortfall in 2009. Katy has continued to buck national trends, and will likely continue to do so for the foreseeable future; however, new home buyers would be wise to look at what they are actually paying for if they hope to keep their equity in their pocket.

Seven Meadows Sales Figures Show Little Change For July 2009

I happened across an interesting post this week, published by another local agent, speaking to the strength of the sales in Seven Meadows this July.  When I saw the numbers posted, they struck me as a bit inflated so I decided to do some checking.  After all, I live in the neighborhood so I'm pretty familiar with what's going on.  After doing a little fact-checking, it would appear the claims of such strong sales are indeed a bit overdone.  There was a sale of over $700,000 just a block from my house, and that sale was an anomaly in which the listing agent was also the selling agent.  (conflict of interest anyone?)  How do I know the sale was an anomaly?  There is a home across the street from me by the same builder on the same size lot, and virtually the same square footage.  That house is currently listed at $469K and has been on the market for some 4 months.  Sales of other larger homes in the neighborhood have been rather soft this year.

When you take that one anomaly out of the figures, there were 12 sales each in July 08 and July 09, with virtually no change in average price per square foot.  Sales figures in Seven Meadows have been healthy this summer, but I wouldn't call them strong.  Sometimes it pays to get all the facts and look beyond the sales hype.

For honest, objective information about Seven Meadows home sales, provided by a resident expert, just give me a call at  281-994-5190.

Chesmar Homes Building 6 Floor Plans In Woodcreek Reserve Retreat

Chesmar Homes has joined the list of builders in Woodcreek Reserve, offering six floor plans ranging from 2692 square feet up to 3400 square feet.  Chesmar is offering Energy Star Certified homes on 19 over-sized lots in the Retreat section.  Prices will start from the $250,000's.  For more information you can visit http://www.chesmar.com/woodcreek%20reserve/woodcreekreserve.php

For honest, objective advice concerning the purchase of your new Katy home just give me call.

Cinco Ranch Continues To Top State and National New Home Sales Figures For Master-Planned Communities

According to RCLCO's recent press release (Download RCLCO Press Release) Cinco Ranch was the top selling master-planned community for both Houston and the state of Texas in 2008.  With 775 new home sales, Cinco Ranch was also 2nd in the nation.

A Newland representative also reported that sales for the first quarter of 2009 were actually higher compared to last year.  The brisk sales pace for 2009 builds on Cinco's long track record as the prominent destination for Katy area home buyers, offering a wide variety of homes and price ranges.

For more information about the commmunity visit www.cincoranch.com.  For professional, objective advice concerning your new Cinco Ranch home, just give me a call.

Cinco Ranch Custom Home Showcase Opens In Reserve At Spring Lake

The Cinco Ranch custom home showcase opens this weekend with opportunities to explore designs from various luxury home builders, including Tommy Bailey Homes, Ronny Carroll Custom Homes, Frankel Building Group and Partners in Building.  Cinco's newest custom homes are located in the Reserve at Spring Lake located off Cinco Ranch Blvd. just west of Spring Green.

The showcase runs through May 3rd.  While exploring the numerous designs, visitors will also be able to register for a $1000 La Centerra shopping spree.  There is also a $5 optional admission with proceeds benefiting the Brookwood Community.

For more information you can visit www.cincoranch.com/showcase.

For professional, objective real estate advice concerning your new custom home just give me a call.

Grand Lakes Presbyterian Church Seeks Proxy Vote For HOA Dues Reform

Attention Grand Lakes residents!  Your neighborhood church needs your help.  Due to unresolved issues concerning the formula for assessing homeowners dues on the church property, Grand Lakes Presbyterian Church (GLPC)needs your support in balancing the dues structure to a more equitable system.  Once approved, the new formula for assessment would put the church's HOA fees in line with other surrounding non-profits.

Background:  Trendmaker Development designated the parcel at Peek and Fry for use by a church When Grand Lakes first broke ground.  The Presbytery purchased the parcel back in 2001, unaware that the HOA dues for the property would be assessed at a rate nearly four times what other surrounding churches pay.  The church's land is currently being assessed for 44 lots.  This translated to $46,640 dollars in HOA fees assessed to the church in 2008.

The Grand Lakes congregation is now working on a more equitable solution for the formula governing HOA fees for the property.  The church is seeking to have the property assessed similar to other surrounding churches.  This would mean that the church would be assessed on the square footage of the improvement on the property, rather than the land itself.  This would mean a more reasonable HOA fee of approximately $7500.  As the church grows, the assessment to the church would also increase.

What It Means For Grand Lakes Homeowners:  Based on current estimates, the new HOA fee structure would translate into an assessment increase of approximately $13.54 per homeowner.  The increase would balance the total budget for the association, assuming the new formula is put into place.  It should also be noted that this nominal fee increase can be mitigated once Grand Lakes residents elect new board members and take full control of the association's budget.

Many Grand Lakes residents may not be aware that they now have the right to elect new board members.  Trendmaker made little mention of the fact that control of the association changed hands over a year ago.  Trendmaker and PCMI have been dictating the Grand Lakes budget thus far.  Evidence of this can be seen from the supposedly "neutral" letter mailed to residents April 1st.  The letter from the board of directors starts with a blatantly false claim.  The first supposedly "relevant" issue reads..."The Declaration initially has no segregation of the basis for assessment of fees and only established a basis that was equitable and identical to all parties, i.e. based on the square footage of land owned, whether improved or not, so vacant lots or vacant commercial tracts paid the same fees per square foot as improved lots or land."  If this were true, owners of patio homes on Balsam Brook and Shallow Glen would not be paying the same $1090 yearly HOA fee as owners of half acre lots on Blacksburg Ct. or Terrace Gate.

The second point of in the April 1st letter is also false, as it claims that "Each owner benefits from the expenses borne by the Association as much as any other owner.  GLPC does not have use of the Grand Lakes amenities such as pools and tennis courts so it's hard to argue that the church has equal benefit of assessed fees.

The fact that the current board of directors would make these false claims speaks to an ulterior motive which is anything but neutral.  I would encourage all Grand Lakes residents  to attend this year's HOA meeting and get involved with the management of their association.  Residents now have the opportunity to run for the board and make significant changes in the way their association budget is managed.  Residents could also bring transparency to the management process by demanding a user-friendly website where homeowners can access important information like budgets, deed restrictions, and board member contacts.

More direct oversight of the Grand Lakes budget will likely offset any revenue loss from the change in the GLPC assessment.   When Grand Lakes residents have major cost items like landscaping and utilities bid out by more competitive providers, they could see cost savings in excess of $100,000 or more. 

It is also worth noting that the church facility and parking lot are often used for community and school events.  Grand Lakes benefits from having the church there since it adds value to the overall neighborhood.  Alternative uses for the land such as multi-family housing or a gas station would certainly have a negative effect on Grand Lakes property values.

What You Can Do To Help:  Support your local church by voting for the proxy to amend the Grand Lakes deed restrictions and modify the formula for the church's HOA assessment.  You can do this by downloading the attached proxy ballot.  You can deliver the signed proxy to the church or mail it in.  The address is 6035 S. Fry Road, Katy TX 77450.  GLPC members will also be walking the neighborhood Sunday, April 5th.  GLPC members will have proxy ballots available for you to sign and answer your questions.

Download GLPC Proxy  Printable PDF Version of GLPC Proxy

Grand Lakes residents should make a point to attend this year's homeowner meeting to take control of their association.  With a little effort and community involvement, Grand Lakes homeowners can help their local church while enjoying greater control and cost savings with their association.

Second Recreation Center For Residents Of Cinco Ranch Southwest

The second recreation center for residents of Cinco Ranch Southwest should be open by summer.  The facility will includea pool, playground and 3 new tennis courts.  The new complex will be located at the corner of Fry Road and Cinco Terrace Drive.  You can see the artist's rendering on the attached file.

Download Rec2 Graphic

Want to find the best values in Cinco Ranch?  I'm only a phone call away.

Aaron Layman

281-994-5190

Hypocrisy In Law Enforcement- Fort Bend Sheriff Uses Missing Stop Sign To Issue Citation

Most of us have had that uncomfortable feeling with the flashing lights behind us and the siren that accompanies it.  I had the unfortunate luck to experience it on the morning of August 6th of this year.  My wife and I had just moved into our new Seven Meadows residence a few days earlier, and I was heading into town on a previously untraveled section of Gaston that connects to the Westpark Tollway (1093).  As I traveled southbound on Gaston I passed through what appeared to be an unmarked, unstriped 3-way intersection.  Little did I know that a trap had been set.

Shortly after passing through the intersection I was surprised to see a Fort Bend County Sheriff's deputy with sirens sounding and lights flashing.  I pulled over just short of 1093, and asked the deputy why I was being pulled over.  She said that I was stopped for running a stop sign, to which I promptly replied, "What stop sign?".  She pointed to a sign on the left hand side of the road in the median.  I promptly pointed out that the sign should be on the right hand side of the road.  Apparently the sign which was supposed to be on the right side was indeed missing, as you can clearly see from this photo.

 

Being extremely perplexed with the situation, I politely pleaded my case but the officer was unwilling to listen.  She promptly issued me a ticket, and told me that I could discuss it with the judge.  Needless to say, I was pretty upset with the whole situation so I returned to my home to grab my camera.  When I came back to the supposed scene of the crime the officer had left, so I took a nice snapshot of the missing stop sign.(pole)  I also called the Fort Bend County Sheriff's department and spoke with the patrol sergeant on duty.  He also tried to justify the ticket as perfectly valid.  According to the deputy and the patrol sergeant I spoke with, the ticket was valid if there was striping at the intersection or there was at least one sign, regardless of its location (left or right).  At this point I was even more upset, so I vowed to get some answers.

After running a few errands, I returned to the intersection in question about 2 hours later.  To my pleasant surprise the deputy was again parked on Cansfield waiting for another unsuspecting driver.  This time she was not as far back on Cansfield, but she was still hidden from view by the Seven Meadows marquee and nowhere near the missing stop sign.  I was fortunate to snap this shot of both the missing sign and the deputy hiding in wait.

 

After taking this second photo I walked over to talk to the deputy and again question her behavior.  It seemed pretty reasonable to me that she would have parked her car near the missing sign or attempted to alert or direct traffic if she were actually interested in protecting the public.  After further questioning, she again said the ticket was legitimate and instructed me to take it up with the judge.

I did exactly that, contacting the presiding judge for Precinct 3 and asking him to dismiss my ticket as a case of entrapment.  I received no reply to my letter, so I grudgingly made my designated appointment and plead not guilty.  I was told that my case could not be dismissed until I talked with the prosecutor, which happened today, some 4 months later.  I arrived at the courthouse before my designated 9:00 AM appointment.  After a 30 minute wait I was escorted to a nearby courtroom with a group of 20-25 other defendants.  I sat in the courtroom until 11:30 before I finally had a chance to speak with the prosecutor.  When my name was called we went to a back room and the prosecutor asked me a few short questions clarifying the location of the alleged infraction and promptly dismissed my ticket.  He also thanked me for the quality of the photos I sent which were printed on glossy photo stock.

While I am obviously pleased with the final outcome, it's hard to overlook the fact that I was inconvenienced with two days attending court for what was obviously a bogus citation.  Because of the principle involved and my inquisitive (my wife would use a different term) nature, I was more than willing to see this case through to its final outcome.  A lot of people would have simply paid the ticket, and I have no doubt that the deputy in question was counting on this.  Including preparation, drive time, and my time spent in the Precinct 3 court room, I probably racked up 12-15 hours which could have otherwise been used for business.

While I was researching my case, I did come across a nice piece of literature called the Texas Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, or MUTCD for short.  After doing a little reading I found section 2B.06 on page 2B-3.  The manual reads as follows:

"The STOP sign shall be installed on the right side of the approach to which it applies."

Having spent 20 years driving in Texas I intuitively knew this to be the norm, but it was certainly vindicating to find it spelled out in black and white.  You can click on the following link to view the entire manual:

ftp://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/library/pubs/gov/devices/2006part2b.pdf

I should clarify that this ordeal hasn't tarnished my opinion of patrol officers; I already had a healthy amount of skepticism!  While most law enforcement officers do a wonderful, often thankless job, there are still too many instances where the value of the traffic citation supersedes the duty to protect and serve the public.

It's no secret that traffic tickets can be a huge source of revenue for budget coffers, and court officials know that most people will pay the fine rather than fight the ticket.  Houston officials recently released a study on the effectiveness of their red light cameras but they failed to talk about the revenue generated by those cameras and rights of due process which are being thrown by the wayside.  Most traffic courts, and particularly Precinct 3 traffic court, seem to be designed to be inconvenient, time consuming and unpleasant, so that more fines are paid without contest.  Red light cameras are simply the next political evolution of the process.

Upon receiving my written request, it would have been fairly simple for the Pct. 3 judge to turn my file over to the prosecutor for dismissal.  This would have saved me two unnecessary trips and cleared another space on the court docket.  Instead, I was forced to make a trip to court not once, but twice, and wait for several hours to have a prosecutor tell me that my photos were nice and that there was indeed a sign missing where it should have been posted.

I can't speak for others, but my experience with the Fort Bend County Sheriff's department and the officials in Precinct 3 leaves a lot to be desired.  Save for the prosecutor who dismissed my ticket, I was treated like another spoke in the wheel with little regard for my time or the validity of my defense.  Email correspondence to the Sheriff and his Chief Deputy went unanswered.  I can only surmise that the folks running this organization haven't read their their own published mission statement.

Case Dismissed!