Windsor Estates in Friendswood is a wonderful neighborhood in which to purchase a home… if you can find one there! Most of the residents in Windsor Estates love their homes and their neighborhood, and they stay put!   This year there have been only five homes sold in Windsor Estates, with an average “days on market” of just 87 days – less than three months! Homes sell quickly in this neighborhood because they are reasonably priced and the neighborhood has many extras. Sales prices there ranged from $257,000 to $293,499 this year. The average price per square foot was $75.91 – a real bargain for such beautiful homes in such a great area.   The homes in Windsor Estates are relatively new; most were built between 1997 and 2002. Most of the homes are over 3,000 square feet. The average squa... 10/15/2011

Why did the chewing gum cross the road?       Because it was stuck to the duck’s foot!   Today I took the back road between Pearland and Friendswood because it’s a little faster than going out to the highway, and much more scenic. My short cut didn’t save any time, though, because these cute ducks were meandering down the road, making their way from one side to the other. I couldn’t resist taking their picture!   10/12/2011

Halloween decorations can be a double-edged sword in real estate. Most people don’t mind seeing pumpkins, candy corn, or scarecrows decorating a yard or flower bed, but sometimes Halloween décor can go too far.   Today I was showing houses to a first-time buyer in an older Friendswood neighborhood where the homes are priced from the 90’s to the 120’s. We drove up to one of the homes that we had an appointment to see, and my client said… “Uh, let’s skip this one.”   Scattered all around the front yard were tacky plastic tombstones, a skeleton half-buried in the yard, a disgusting bloody-looking plastic baby doll, and numerous ghosts, mummies and witches. My client was totally turned off by the graveyard scene in the front of that house. There was nothing I could say to convince her to ta... 10/10/2011

“Raindrops keep falling on my head….” That song was on my mind today as I showed nine houses in the pouring rain! But I didn’t mind the downpour at all! We have been so hot and dry here in the Houston area … the rain was a blessing! Here in Friendswood, we got about four inches this afternoon!   Besides, sometimes showing homes in the rain can be the best thing for the buyer.   They get to see if the street floods in sudden downpours. There are areas all around where the drainage system just can’t handle a lot of rain that falls in a short amount of time. In that case, the drains back up and the streets collect water. When looking at a house during heavy rain, the buyer can see how much water accumulates in the street.   The buyer also gets to see if there are low spots in the yard that... 10/09/2011

West Ranch is Friendswood’s newest master-planned community. Home construction in West Ranch began in 2007, but there are still lots of home sites left to build on. The first section of this beautiful neighborhood is pretty much complete, but a new section on the west side of FM 518 is now open.   At this time, new homes in West Ranch are being constructed by Village Builders, Highland Homes, Coventry Homes, Toll Brothers, and Trendmaker Homes. There are currently 18 new-construction inventory homes for sale in West Ranch, which are listed on the MLS with prices ranging from $299,000 to $799,900.   There are also 14 resales currently listed for sale in West Ranch, with prices ranging from $294,000 to $745,000.   While the resales might seem to have slightly lower prices than the builder... 10/08/2011

The Friendswood United Methodist Church is hosting a Ballroom Dance Social in October.  The Friendswood Methodist Church is a large, beautiful church and you will enjoy meeting new friends.  Dancing is a wonderful way to get a little exercise, physical and mental, and you will have a great time listening to the music!  The Dance Socials are held in a safe, smoke/alcohol free environment with a comfortable dance floor.  This Dance will be held on Saturday, October 22nd, from 7pm-10pm in the Family Life Center and admission is $7.00. Peter Hoth will be the DJ for the event and will play some fantastic ballroom dance music.  Free Dance Lessons from 6:15 pm-7:00pm.  Come early for the lessons and then join in for the Ballroom Dance Social. COME ON --JOIN IN YOU'LL SOON BE READY FOR "DANCING... 10/07/2011

Everyone knows that you need great photos of a home to advertise it on the internet.  But, it’s not just the quality of the pictures you use on the MLS that is important…the sequence of the pictures, and what you say about them, makes a big difference as well!   I received a notice today of a new MLS listing in Friendswood. I had not seen this house before, so I clicked on the pictures to see what it looks like. Then I got totally confused!   The agent had not placed the pictures of the house in any specific order, but had skipped all around from kitchen to bathroom, to back porch, back inside to the master, and then outside to the front porch, then back inside to the den and the kitchen again, and so forth... And to top it off, there were no captions under the pictures. I couldn’t get ... 10/07/2011

October brings cooler weather and anticipation of fall holidays. In Friendswood, when October hits, residents start putting out their fall yard décor.   In Wilderness Trails, there are several homeowners who have already started putting out pumpkins, scarecrows, turkeys and other festive fall holiday decorations.   This house always has such a pretty display of holiday yard art for the residents and kids to enjoy. It’s one of my favorites!   Happy Fall, Y’all! 10/04/2011

The Forest of Friendswood is one of Friendswood’s most desirable communities. Located off of FM 2351 near Melody Lane, The Forest is convenient to the heart of Friendswood with easy access to I-45, and FM 518.   Builders who originally constructed most of the homes in The Forest were Emerald, Perry, Cervelle, and some higher-end custom homebuilders. Most of the homes in The Forest were constructed from 1998-2005. There is no longer any new construction in The Forest, although there are a few lots left in Northfield Estates, which is adjacent to The Forest, and participates in The Forest Homeowners' Association.   There are currently 17 homes for sale in The Forest of Friendswood, ranging in price from $264,900 to $895,000. The average asking price per square foot is $119.86, and the ave... 10/03/2011

In the area that we live the trees just don't have the vibrant colors that are seen in trees in other parts of the US. The tree below is about the only varity that does this that I have seen.  I have no idea what the name of this tree is called. Do you? Well, with the exception being the hated Tallow Tree. So we will enjoy the trees shown below. I hope you who are more fortunate will share some pictures this fall. 10/03/2011

It’s time to get outside, meet your neighbors, have a block party, and participate in National Night Out! Here in Texas, we celebrate National Night Out on October 4 – rather than in August like most other states.   Communities throughout the Friendswood area will be having block parties and events designed to get people out of the house to meet and get to know their neighbors on Tuesday night. Some neighborhoods have posted signs at the entrance to let the residents know about special events that are planned for the evening.   With the cooler weather here along the Gulf Coast, it should be a perfect time to get outside and socialize.   I’ll see you out and about in Friendswood tomorrow evening! 10/03/2011

Cupcakes are all the rage now, with upscale cupcake boutiques popping up all over the place. And now, Friendswood has its first “Fancy” cupcake shop. It’s called Rise Cupcakes!   Since my daughter is pregnant, and having all sorts of cravings, she wanted me to go with her today to get come cupcakes at the new shop. We stopped in and were delighted with the selection of cupcakes and edible gift items available.   My daughter tried the “Put a Ring on It” cupcake, which was carrot cake topped with buttercream icing, pecan pieces and a fondant topper. She said it was moist and delicious, and it satisfied her cupcake craving!   I tried the “Rise and Shine Vanilla”, which is a vanilla cupcake topped with buttercream icing and a fondant topper. It was really good!   There are 12 flavors availa... 10/02/2011

           IT'S PUMPKIN TIME AGAIN!     I can’t wait until everyone gathers to carve pumpkins again. It will be fun and the kids just love it. I just came back from the store and they did have pumpkins. I was worried because I had heard that with the shortage of rain here in Texas that we would have none.                                    The price was not outrageous so there may not be anything to worry about. I think this year we will give out prizes to the best pumpkin carved. We will see. Every one if you can please comment with your best pumpkin picture you can find or produce that would be awesome! 10/01/2011

These two new homes in Friendswood, Texas are under contract! The buyers both used Rose King as their Realtor!   Northfield Estates in Friendswood is located off of FM 2351 and Melody Lane. There are still a few homes under construction in this exclusive part of The Forest of Friendswood, but not many. Before long, it will be too late to get a new-construction home there.   Some people think that if they are looking at brand new homes, they don’t need a Realtor. Nothing could be farther from the truth! You should always have a buyer’s agent represent you on new construction purchases! (Click HERE to find out why.)   If you are interested in new homes in Friendswood, be sure to take Rose King with you as your buyer’s agent. She will make sure you are well-represented! 10/01/2011

Are you thinking about looking at new homes in Friendswood, Texas? If so, be sure to take a Buyer's Agent REALTOR with you!   Even when looking at new construction homes, you need the representation of a REALTOR who is working JUST FOR YOU - not for the seller, the builder, or the developer. The sales agents in model homes and new home sales offices work for the builder and their goal is to sell the house for the highest price they can.  A Buyer's Agent REALTOR can help you avoid that trap.   When you work with a Buyer's Agent REALTOR, you can expect: Help in negotiating the lowest price possible Help in negotiating upgrades as part of the base sales price Help in obtaining financing Someone who understands real estate jargon and will explain complicated documents to you in everyday lan... 10/01/2011

Friendswood has a rich and interesting history, and citizens of the community are fortunate that the Friendswood Historical Society has been able to preserve some of the early buildings.   The oldest house remaining in Friendswood is the Perry House Museum. The house belonged to Nathan and Mary Perry, who with the help of her brothers, completed the house in 1902. Some of the wood used in the construction was from trees felled by the 1900 Galveston hurricane.   The Historical Society acquired the house when Perry descendants gave it to them. They house had fallen into disuse and extreme disrepair, but the society completely restored the building. The Perry family provided most of the family furnishings for the home.   The 1902 Perry House is located at 109 W. Spreading Oaks, and is open... 09/27/2011

The Friendswood Library presents the Legendary Norden Bombsight.  History buffs will enjoy this presentation by Mr. W.N. Crawford on the Norden Bombsight.  This tool was used by the US Army and the US Air Force during WWII to aid the crew of bomber aircraft in dropping bombs accurately.  Mr. Crawford will present a talk on his training as a WW II Bombardier/Navigator.  FRIENDSWOOD LIBRARY WEDNESDAY - October 5th at 7pm Our Libraries are such a treasure!  Find a book on a subject you love, join a reading club, use the computers or listen to a speaker like Mr. Crawford!  Teach your children that reading is fun!  09/26/2011

On Saturday, Oct. 1, Wilderness Trails in Friendswood will hold its semi-annual community garage sale. Homeowners in the neighborhood have been sorting through their closets and garages to gather up items for the community-wide sale. Looking for furniture, exercise equipment, bicycles, toys or gently used clothing? Chances are you'll find what you need at one of the many garage sales being held simultaneously in this great Friendswood subdivision. Wilderness Trails is located behind Friendswood High School. To get there, head east on either FM 2351 or FM 518 to Sunset. From 2351, turn left on Sunset, and from 518 turn right. At Castlewood, go east. Castlewood will take you directly into the Wilderness Trails subdivision. With the beautiful fall weather expected on Saturday, there are su... 09/26/2011

Every morning and every evening, joggers and walkers show up at Stevenson Park in the heart of Friendswood to make use of the nice walking trail that meanders around the park. The trail is a half-mile trek that attracts exercise enthusiasts of all ages.     The track gets a lot of use throughout each day, but the early mornings and evenings bring out the most people. The many beautiful trees throughout the park offer shade during the summer heat.   Stevenson Park is the site of many community events in Friendswood. On Friday nights during the summer, bands play at the Rotary Pavilion in the center of the park. Community picnics and special events are going on there almost every weekend.   The park features a large playground, large gazebo, covered pavilion with picnic tables, lighted te... 09/25/2011

Friendswood is known for its beautiful majestic trees that thrive along the many creeks winding throughout the town. One tree in Friendswood is well­­­-known to locals…although most people have no idea why the tree is so special.   The Liberty Tree is a very beautiful old tree that is located right in the middle of “old Friendswood”. There is a small sign alongside its trunk, identifying its name, but there is no information on the sign about the significance of the tree. There is a time capsule commemorating the bicentennial celebration of the United States right behind the tree…which is a clue as to how it became the Liberty Tree.   The Liberty Tree got its name in 1976, the bicentennial year, when the city was putting in some new road improvements. A new road was being put in, and th... 09/22/2011