How to Win Your Bids on Foreclosed PropertiesTim Sojka - Katy Realtor / Broker - 713-822-2152Most of my postings are short - this one is not because it overviews a complicated process.  I am just a simple Katy Texas Realtor.  I mostly sell Katy Texas Real Estate.  I am mostly a listing agent who sells pretty property to people who want to buy or sell beautiful Katy Homes.  I mostly work with people relocating to Katy or being relocated from Katy to another city. However, because of the training I received from one of the best foreclosure agents in Texas (here is a big thank you to Katy Realtor Stacey Sutter) I am also very proficient at winning bids on foreclosed properties.  My real estate investing clients win well over 2/3 of the bids they make on foreclosed properties. Now this may ... 03/16/2008

I was doing a little spring cleaning around my office this week and ran across this speech by Nelson Mandela.  I'm pretty much a neat freak at home and at my office, so this was in it's place but like some things that are there awhile you tend to not "see them".  Its kind of like "You can't see the forest for the trees" thing.  I have always believed that you must keep your environment clean and neat, so piles of things sitting around drive me nuts. I'm always amazed when I see most agents office how they can possibly get anything done, I mean how can they find it for the stacks of files and papers everywhere? At my office my desk is always clear before I leave for the day, and I'm the same way at home.  A cluttered office, or home is distracting, not to mention not very pretty or inspi... 03/16/2008

Those Houston Rockets have been finding a way to WIN and Win and Win...(so on and so forth all the way to 21 in a row!)  The big test comes tomorrow versus the Los Angeles Lakers.It's been an odd thing about this streak that the Rockets have been on.  They have been catching EVERYONE at just the right time.  Injuries are part of the game so you take them in stride ( I mean Yao going out for the season was a HUGE blow), but the Rockets have played a lot of teams that were not at full strength due to injury or suspension.Tomorrow against the Lakers may be no exception.  The Lakers big pickup near the trade deadline that made the Lakers look invinceable, is out for the next three games.  That means the Lakers will not have Gasol for their matchup.  Just like Dallas didn't have Dirk. Just l... 03/15/2008

I went into my office tonight at about 9pm for a quick fax and I could not believe it...all the lights in the entire office had been left on...all the A/C units had been left on 69 degrees (we had a record high of 89 degrees today)...and not a single fax, computer, or copier had been turned off. After taking care of business I spent the next ten minutes turning off all the electric guzzlers. This is obviously a colossal waste of energy and I can not think of a single reason all this stuff should have been left on. So I got to thinking: What if we could get in touch with all the Activerainers out in blogland and get them to turn off the energy HOW MUCH ENERGY COULD WE SAVE? HOW MUCH POLUTION COULD WE AVOID? We could make a difference if we all just turn off the electric, gas, etc... THIN... 03/15/2008

Ok, ok,  well, maybe they didn't burst.  Let's get that out of the way right now!But with the arrival of the warm, sunny weather, you can tell that the ducks at Mary Peckham Park are NOT hurting for food right now.  About 7pm, my wife and I decided to take our two daughters to Mary Peckham Park, presumably to "feed the ducks".  My step-daughter is 12 and my other daughter is 20 months.  They had a BLAST!  However, those ducks, just were not interested in our loaf of fresh bread that we took out there (fresh as in freshly purchased from the local grocery store!)We tried to get them interested in eating the bread but to no avail! Those darn ducks had just had their fill of probably a lot more than bread today as Katy went to the park en masse!My family had a lot of fun out there and it ap... 03/15/2008

The Katy Texas Luxury home market is on about the same pace as it was a year ago this time.  For units sold over $500,000, there have been 19 homes sold since January 1st, 2008.  The same time frame in 2007 (1/1-3/15) saw 16 home sold in that price range.This same time frame for 2006, one of the best years on record for Katy real estate and Houston real estate, showed only 11 such properties sold.2006 showed a price range from $512,000 to $935,000 for the 11 homes sold.2007 showed a price range from $524,000 to $955,000 for the 16 homes sold.2008 showed a price range from $509,000 to $875,000.  Average days on market for homes over $500,000 in Katy Texas (same time frame as above)was 196 with a low 49 days to a high of 399 days.  There were 3 of the 11 properties on the market for more ... 03/15/2008

by Tim Sojka Realtor Broker - 713-822-2152    According to the Katy Area Economic Development Council several new jobs have recently arrived in the Katy area or will soon. The following companies will be addings jobs: Rooms to Go   300 Jobs Foster Wheeler  1500 Jobs Petro Skills  20 Jobs Mustang Engineering  750 Jobs Murphy Oil  300 Jobs Technip 300 Jobs Opal Energy 40 Jobs Katy continues to be one of the best places in Texas to live.  For more information about real estate in Katy contact realtor Tim Sojka at 713-822-2152. To shop for a home online go to www.Search-Katy-Homes.com .  All information posted is the intellectual property of Timothy Sojka and cannot be republished or used without his written consent. 03/15/2008

I keep watching this race for President go back and forth between Clinton and Obama. Today the news is all about how Obama is having issues because of tapes from his preacher. Last week it was all about Clinton and the really stupid things being said by her husband and a former VP candidate....next week...who knows. If you asked me right now who I think will win I could not give you an answer...I guess that means the winner is probably John McCain. He sits back, raises money, and lets the other two self destruct. I really did not believe until recently that a Republican could win. This seemed as sure fire a Dem victory as could be predicted in 40 years. I am no longer sure...seems all three candidates are very flawed and it is any candidates race to lose! I wonder which of the three wil... 03/14/2008

I just looked at our points and stats and noticed we are at 199 posts. As I write this post I realize we are talking for the 200th time....WOW! We often write about subjects like our many and varied subdivisions and Master Planned communities in Katy Texas. We might write about advice on how to follow up using Outlook, or how you might attract more clients to your website...or the best and most effective ways to advertise without spending money! Our posts have delved into what is right and wrong with our chosen profession...and sometimes we have talked about our favorite sport...Baseball! We have made many great friends along the way...they give us good advice and are always giving us great feedback on the issues of the day! We are going to keep reading all the wonderful info that keeps... 03/14/2008

There were 302 homes sold in Katy Texas in February 2008.  In this case, sold is defined not as going under contract but rather actually CLOSED.  Area 25, which is in general terms, Katy Texas north of Interstate 10 had 117 homes that sold.  Area 36, roughly defined as Katy Texas South of Interstate 10 had 184 homes sold in February 2008.Some facts about February 2008In Area 25, the average list price was 135,291 and the actual SOLD price was $131,876 or approximately 97% of list value.In Area 25 , the average days on market was 104 days.  This does not take into consideration that some properties may have expired and been relisted or possibly changed listing agents and had their days on market appear to be shortened.In Area 25, the average $/square foot was $63.13.In Are 36, the averag... 03/14/2008

The most expensive home sold in Katy Texas in February 2008 was priced at $929,000 and was actually closed for $868,000. This home was a 4997 square foot home with 5 bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms.This home was built in 2006 but had never been lived in/purchased until February 2008.Avalon At Seven Meadows is a gated community located just West of Grand Parkway, Highway 99  at the Fry Road exit.This home is located in what is known as region area 36 in the Houston MLS.Interesting about this home is that it was on the market since 1/2006 as a BUILDER home. Some more facts about this luxury home:The home has formal living and dining roomsThe home has a game room that is 22X16All of the bedrooms are very spacious, ranging from 14X13 to the master suite at 21X15A large study/library If you are t... 03/14/2008

Wiesner Homes Builds in FirethorneLong time Katy Residents and respected custom builder, Ed Wiesner, is excited about building in Firethrone.  In an article appearing in Absolutely Katy Magazine, Ed Wiesner said, "I love the Katy area, I grew up here, and it is now one of the premier communities in the country.  Firethorne is perfectly positioned to take advantage of everything Katy has to offer."Wiesner's reputation for quality, craftsmanship and friendly service is well known in the Katy area.  He has built in the high-end country community of Fullbrook and he has built custom homes for many of Katy and West Houston's movers and shakers.Every Wiesner Home is truly a custom home.  There is now list of light fixtures or hardware.  The buyers literally can go to the Internet or a hardwar... 03/14/2008

Firethorne is a Hot Katy Community - Lacrosse Fields and Nature TrailsFirethrone is one of Katy hottest master planned communities.  Like most masters planned communities it features natures trails, a high-end resort style pool and clubhouse, stunning lakes and much more.However, one of the most unusual things about Firethorne is that it features Lacrosse fields instead of golf courses.  The developers of Fiethorne saw that Lacrosse was truly a growing sport in the area and decided to be a partner with the local area teams.The Lacrosse fields are teaming with activity on the weekend.  Firethrone is a master planned community positioned for the future.  Homes in Firethrone are priced from the high 100's to over 800.  So any Lacrosse fan, nature lover or future homeowner would be lucky to... 03/14/2008

Waterfront Community Parklake Village Featured in Absolutely MagazineBy Tim Sojka, See TIM Sell, Realtor / Broker - 713-822-2152Parklake Village, the fantastic waterfront community in Katy Texas has just been featured in Absolutely Katy Magazine.  The community was featured because of it's proximity to George Bush Park, sparkling lakes and the fantastic schools to which it is zoned.The beautiful custom built Mediterranean homes only add to the charm of this hidden jewel.  Many of the homes are located on the water and there are only 1.6 homes per acre in the community so everyone has plenty of room to spread out.For more information about west Houston, the beautiful city of Katy Texas and the waterfront homes (our specialty), estate homes, leisure ranches, golf course homes and master p... 03/13/2008

Seven Meadows Named One of the Top 10 Master Planned Communities in the USBy Tim Sojka, See TIM Sell, Realtor / Broker - 713-822-2152Robert Charles Lesser and Company, a nationally respected independent real estate advisor just named Seven Meadows as one of the Top Ten Master Planned Communities in the United States.Katy was the only city with two communities finishing in the Top 10 (Cinco Ranch also faired well in the report).  The Houston Area had two more master planned communities as well (the Woodlands and Sienna Plantation).Make no mistake about it Katy is one of the hottest places in the country to live; great schools, great communities, low cost of living, and three major hospitals locating here in the next three years.For more information about west Houston, the beautiful city ... 03/13/2008

Cinco Ranch Named one of the Top 10 Master Planned Communities in the USBy Tim Sojka, See TIM Sell, Realtor / Broker - 713-822-2152Robert Charles Lesser and Company, a nationally respected independent real estate advisor just named Cinco Ranch as one of the Top Ten Master Planned Communities in the United States.Katy was the only city with two communities finishing in the Top 10 (Seven Meadows also faired well in the report).  The Houston Area had two more master planned communities as well (the Woodlands and Sienna Plantation).Make no mistake about it Katy is one of the hottest places in the country to live; great schools, great communities, low cost of living, and three major hospitals locating here in the next three years.For more information about west Houston, the beautiful city of... 03/13/2008

I am always looking for things to send to you that are important or interesting, my cousin sent this to me and I thought it was worth sharing, hope you enjoy, Liz Never Again In Your Lifetime.........                       Easter this year is:  Sunday March 23, 2008 As you may know, Easter is always the 1st Sunday after the 1st full moon after the Spring Equinox (which is March 20th). This dating of Easter is based on the lunar calendar that Hebrew people used to identify Passover, which is why is moves around on our Roman calendar. Found out a couple of things you might be interested in! Based on the above, Easter can actually be one day earlier (March 22nd), but that is pretty rare. This year is the earliest Easter any of us will ever see the rest of our lives!  And only the most elde... 03/13/2008

Katy Texas Market Conditions have been posted by HAR (the Houston Association of Realtor) for the month of February. The Katy area south of I-10 (known as area 36 by the HAR) has again ranked as number one within the 80+ areas that are monitored by HAR. The Houston market for real estate has shown signs of slowing down in the last three months, but the Katy area...especially the area of Katy south of I-10 has remained quite strong. The area shows a 3.7 total month supply of homes available for sale. NAR (the National Association of Realtors) considers a six month supply of homes as a level market. Any more than six months is considered a buyers market....any less than six months is a sellers market. Katy is firmly within the sellers market rating. Prices in the area continue to rise at ... 03/13/2008

Buying and Flipping Proerty in Houston (edit/delete) Buying and Flipping Property in Houston (edit/delete) Buying and Flipping Property in HoustonTim Sojka. Realtor / Broker 713-822-2152I work with a lot of investors.  Some buy and hold property and several buy and flip property.  Many people believe you cannot flip homes in Houston because of the relatively flat market.Although flipping homes in Houston is not easy and does take a lot of skill it is not impossible.  First and foremost, it is easier to buy properties that you can flip above $250,000 (not everyone can afford these homes - so there is less competition - and more room for error).  Second look for a community where improved homes sell for much more than homes in disrepair (a $100,000+ difference - or at least $30 per square... 03/11/2008

Breath Taking Homes in Chesterfield Chesterfield is a one of a kind subdivision with a variety of unique homes.  Chesterfield is a Subdivision with 109 beautiful homes. The median home in chesterfield has 4 bedrooms, median homes built in 1984, and the median sq. ft. is 3390.  Chesterfield is a very quiet and peaceful neighborhood where families enjoy evening walks around the block.  Beautiful homes with great curb appeal and mature trees make this subdivision a desirable area to live in.  If you are looking for a Home with great architecture and personality, then Chesterfield is the right place for you.                                                                                                                                                                  Swim And Tennis Club is ... 03/11/2008