Welcome to the hub for our 2010 EXIT Realty Convention "debrief"!  In case you arrived at this blog from another location, here is a link to our website which contains ALL links to our material, and we recommend that you go here to get started: http://www.exitrealtyneh.com/2010exitconvention.html In the links below, you will find videos & pictures of speakers and other experiences, a detailed summary of what we learned & experienced at the 2010 EXIT Realty Convention, and YOUR feedback & contributions to this "debrief" on our Active Rain blog.   It is our intention that creating this "debrief" will: Help Exit Realtors, including ourselves, that attended the convention to remember what they learned & experienced. Help Exit Realtors that could not attend convention to experience & learn ... 11/02/2010

Fall Creek, home of Redstone Golf Club and the PGA's Shell Houston Open has a lot to offer residents.  Golf course living, a quick commute to Bush Intercontinental Airport & easy access to Sam Houston Parkway or Highway 59.  Add to that two recreation centers, swimming pools, tennis courts & miles of hike and bike trails.  This market report will give you an idea of what is current in the home market of Fall Creek.   There are 134 current listings.  Of those listings, 2 are foreclosures & 6 are short sales.  The average listing price per square foot is $92.88.  The average days on market is 108. There are 8 pending sales currently.  The average days on market is 78.  When these homes change status to sold, we'll be able to incorporate solid comparison numbers. There were 7 homes sold in... 11/02/2010

Summerwood, in the Humble area, is a 1500-acre community with easy access to Beltway 8.  Miles of greenbelt trails, more than 200 acres of recreation & nature reserves - there is something to offer every resident of Summerwood.  This market report will give you an idea of what is current in the home market in Summerwood. There are 127 current listings.  Of those listings, 8 are foreclosures and 6 are short sales.  The average listing price per square foot is $81.90.  The average days on market is 119. There are 14 pending sales currently.  The average days on market is 71.  When these homes change status to sold, we'll be able to incorporate solid comparison numbers. There were 11 homes sold in September 2010.  Of those sales 1 was a foreclosure & there were no short sales. The average ... 11/02/2010

Lakeshore, in the Humble area, is a 440-acre community located on the west shore Lake Houston.  Views, nature trails, the lake & a host of amenities await residents of Lakeshore.  This market report will give you an idea of what is current in the home market in Lakeshore.   There are 59 current listings.  Of those listings, 1 is a foreclosure & 3 are short sales.  The average listing price per square foot is $80.42.  The average days on market is 83. There are 14 pending sales currently.  The average days on market is 57.  When these homes change status to sold, we'll be able to incorporate solid comparison numbers. There were 20 homes sold in September 2010.  Of these sales, there were no foreclosures or short sales.  The average sales price per square foot was $77.51.  The average day... 11/02/2010

Humble Noon Lions Club9th Annual Chilifest andCar ShowSaturday, October 2, 201011 AM - 4 PMHumble Rodeo Pavilion Chilifest is a chili cook-off.  ALL YOU CAN SAMPLE CHILI - then vote for your favorite.  There will be awards for the Best Chili & Best Showmanship.  Admission $5 donation with children 6 and under free.  (If you'd like to enter the contest, the cook team entry fee is $100)The Car Show has 40 classes of vehicles - with a 1st & 2nd place in each class being awarded.  If you'd like to enter your car in the show, it is only $20.  The gates open for the automobiles at 7 AM, with registration from 11 AM to 12:30 PM - winners will be announced at 3 PM.  There will be food & drinks, door prizes and a 50/50 pot.  And if you'd like to shop, I know of one vendor, Amy with Inspiranza De... 09/29/2010

New Rules for the Rough Economic Road Ahead with Short Sales and Real Estate If recent history has taught us anything, it's that good guys don't always finish first. In fact, more than a few of them are barely making ends meet. After a lifetime of saving, setting aside 10% to "pay yourself first" and otherwise playing by the rules, it is disheartening to see a shrinking portfolio, upside down mortgage and mountains of bills piling up. Fortunately, in every cloud there is a silver lining...or to put it another way, in every promised change there remains opportunity. Find out how short sales and real estate can put your back in the driver seat with these new rules for the rough economic road ahead: 1. Prioritize your portfolio. It takes commitment in order to become wealthy. There are a l... 09/02/2010

Best Real Estate Resources You Never Knew Existed By now everyone has heard of Zillow but when it comes to serious real estate related research, here how to find the best of the best...the type of data the experts use to create those ground-breaking reports and hard hitting case studies. Whether you are working on your next commercial enterprise or simply want to stay abreast of the latest and greatest real estate related information, tap into sure-fire resources to access the best data available. 1. Put a PhD to work. Search thousands of doctoral dissertations to see who is working on relevant housing and commercial development related projects.  Sponsored by the Office of University Partnership and the US Dept of Housing and Urban Development, this is a goldmine of research: http://ww... 09/02/2010

Bank of America To Roll Out Cooperative Short Sale Program An unnamed source at Bank of America has verified the buzz throughout the short sale community. He says it is true. Bank of America is rolling out a new program designed to approve short sales in two weeks. Some agents have tentatively named it Bank of America HPO short sales but my source called it Bank of America Cooperative Short Sales. It's developed to recognize and embrace the real estate professional. It's modeled, in part, after a Wachovia short sale. There is no hardship letter. To apply, the listing agent submits to Bank of America a purchase offer, the buyer's proof of funds and loan commitment letter, and a copy of the listing agreement. Bank of America orders a BPO. Within 2 weeks, the short sale is approved. This i... 09/02/2010

Summerwood, in the Humble area, is a 1500-acre community with easy access to Beltway 8.  Miles of greenbelt trails, more than 200 acres of recreation & nature reserves - there is something to offer every resident of Summerwood.  This market report will give you an idea of what is current in the home market in Summerwood. There are 139 current listings.  Of those listings, 7 are foreclosures and 5 are short sales.  The average listing price per square foot is $83.06.  The average days on market is 105. There are 19 pending sales currently.  The average days on market is 75.  When these homes change status to sold, we'll be able to incorporate solid comparison numbers. There were 17 homes sold in July 2010.  Of those sales 3 were foreclosures & there was 1 short sale. The average sales pr... 08/26/2010

Lakeshore, in the Humble area, is a 440-acre community located on the west shore Lake Houston.  Views, nature trails, the lake & a host of amenities await residents of Lakeshore.  This market report will give you an idea of what is current in the home market in Lakeshore.   There are 54 current listings.  Of those listings, 2 are foreclosures & 3 are short sales.  The average listing price per square foot is $80.92.  The average days on market is 73. There are 15 pending sales currently.  The average days on market is 43.  When these homes change status to sold, we'll be able to incorporate solid comparison numbers. There were 15 homes sold in July 2010.  Of these sales, 1 was a foreclosure, there were no short sales.  The average sales price per square foot was $75.00.  The average day... 08/26/2010

Fall Creek, home of Redstone Golf Club and the PGA's Shell Houston Open has a lot to offer residents.  Golf course living, a quick commute to Bush Intercontinental Airport & easy access to Sam Houston Parkway or Highway 59.  Add to that two recreation centers, swimming pools, tennis courts & miles of hike and bike trails.  This market report will give you an idea of what is current in the home market of Fall Creek.   There are 138 current listings.  Of those listings, 4 are foreclosures & 5 are short sales.  The average listing price per square foot is $93.87.  The average days on market is 97. There are 11 pending sales currently.  The average days on market is 93.  When these homes change status to sold, we'll be able to incorporate solid comparison numbers. There were 9 homes sold in... 08/26/2010

Texas Short Sales | 3 Most Aggravating Parts for a Listing Agent 1) A lender that does not care and shows it by not returning phone calls or emails, and lets a property to go into foreclosure due to their lack of responsiveness; 2) Uneducated real estate agents that perform BPO's for lenders.  The majority of these agents have no real experience in pricing distressed properties, yet the lenders are relying on the agent's valuation as if it was gospel.  To be a BPO agent, you do not need any formal training (other than a real estate license) and they are paid in the range of $40 to $65 to perform this extremely critical service); and 3) Buyer Agents that have no clue as to what they are doing when it comes to being involved in a short sale transaction.  Texas Short Sales Charles Gardner,... 08/25/2010

Beware of Texas Foreclosure Rescue Scams Beware of anyone who asks you to pay a fee in exchange for a counseling service or modification of a delinquent loan. Scam artists often target homeowners who are struggling to meet their mortgage commitment or anxious to sell their homes. Recognize and avoid common scams.      Assistance from a HUD-approved housing counselor is FREE. Beware of people who pressure you to sign papers immediately, or who try to convince you that they can "save" your home if you sign or transfer over the deed to your house. Do not sign over the deed to your property to any organization or individual unless you are working directly with your mortgage company to forgive your debt. Never make a mortgage payment to anyone other than your mortgage company without their a... 08/25/2010

What is a Deficiency Judgment? A deficiency judgment is a judgment lien against a debtor, defendant or borrower whose Texas foreclosure sale did not produce sufficient funds to pay the mortgage in full. This option may or may not be available to the lender, depending on whether they have made a recourse or non recourse loan. The fuller, statutory definition is: "the whole residue, or so much thereof as the court may determine to be just and equitable, of the debt remaining unsatisfied, after a sale of the mortgaged property and the application of the proceeds, pursuant to the directions contained in such judgment, the amount thereof to be determined by the court as herein provided. The plaintiff's attorney (in other words, the bank's lawyer) must make a motion to receive such a deficien... 08/25/2010

It's that time again!  Tasting the Town 2010 is here in Humble, Texas.  Thursday, September 23.  You don't want to miss this event!Last year, the food samples were delicious, the wine was flowing & the crowds made it apparent that a food tasting event for local restaurants was something everyone wanted to embrace.  And this year, Tasting the Town 2010 has raisied the bar for our local foodies.   More than 40 local restaurants to sample from Favorites from 2009 - Hectors, Tapioca Lounge & HEB Wine Walk added for just $5 to ticket price Wine Tasting & Dinner (only 150 tickets available) for only $65 Entertainment this year will be the American Idol Season 6 Finalist - Sundance Head!  Proceeds will benefit Including Kids, Inc., our local Autism Support Center in Atascocita.  And the Wine T... 08/09/2010

Farmer's Market in Humble If you are looking for a wonderful wayto puchase local, great food, try the Humble Farmer's Market. It is near Kingwood, Fall Creek, Atasocita, Humble, Porterand Aldine. It is also not far from the George Bush Intercontinental Airport. It is open every Wednesday from 3-7 pm, which is perfect to swing past on your way home from work. It is located on Main Street across from the Humble United Methodist Church, right before Main Street ends at 1st Street. Mapquest link here.   The market is run by the Lake Houston Chamber of Commerce. If you are interested in being a vendor for the market, they are welcoming some new vendors. Farmers interested in becoming a regular vendor at the Farmer's Market can contact Lois Bean at 281-454-6339.     This is Angela's Oven. Act... 08/01/2010

Luxury Homes: You Do Not Have to be a Millionaire The moment "luxury homes" is mentioned, the typical connotation is costly, high-end residences of the wealthy and well-known. Luxury real estate is a real property with an appraised value of over 1 million U.S. dollars but it is not the very same in all areas. Based on 1 of the articles I've read, you don't have to be a millionaire to live in a relaxed house with complete facilities and amenities. It is simply because property value is comparable to its location. The thought of luxury is always very subjective: for some it is a social status an incredible show of monetary success; while for others, it employed to show looks and elegance. Currently, the classification of luxury homes has altered and takes into account the surrounding home... 07/08/2010

What's Better - College or Short Sales?College certainly had a positive impact on my life, but I also realize there are many among us that don't necessary need to attend college.  Once upon a time, in an economy far- far away, a young person would study hard, go to college and earn a good living with excellent benefits and a big fat retirement account. Like most fairy tales, the reality doesn't quite live up to the modern day expectation. Research conducted by PayScale.com has turned the conventional wisdom of saving up for a college degree on its head. Not only is college time consuming, expensive and somewhat exhausting...it's also not the investment it used to be; in fact, the majority of colleges have a very low ROI or return on investment when compared to those that only obtained a... 07/07/2010

Summerwood, in the Humble area, is a 1500-acre community with easy access to Beltway 8.  Miles of greenbelt trails, more than 200 acres of recreation & nature reserves - there is something to offer every resident of Summerwood.  This market report will give you an idea of what is current in the home market in Summerwood. There are 122 current listings.  Of those listings, 6 are foreclosures and 6 are short sales.  The average listing price per square foot is $83.56.  The average days on market is 106. There are 22 pending sales currently.  The average days on market is 141.  When these homes change status to sold, we'll be able to incorporate solid comparison numbers. There were 20 homes sold in May 2010.  None of those sales were foreclosures or short sales.  The average sales price pe... 07/04/2010

Lakeshore, in the Humble area, is a 440-acre community located on the west shore Lake Houston.  Views, nature trails, the lake & a host of amenities await residents of Lakeshore.  This market report will give you an idea of what is current in the home market in Lakeshore.   There are 44 current listings.  Of those listings, none are foreclosures & 1 is a short sale.  The average listing price per square foot is $81.84.  The average days on market is 61. There are 11 pending sales currently.  The average days on market is 36.  When these homes change status to sold, we'll be able to incorporate solid comparison numbers. There were 12 homes sold in May 2010.  Of these sales none were foreclosures or short sales.  The average sales price per square foot was $82.02.  That is 94% of listing ... 06/27/2010