Post-Harvey: 9 Questions for Leash Yu

October 27, 2017October 31, 2017Teresa Byrne-Dodge

Since Hurricane Harvey, Houstonians have had hundreds of questions about flood claims, building codes and buying up water-damaged properties as future investments. Li-Hsi “Leash” Yu, president of Agency Yu, Inc.* in West University, recently came to the Greenwood King office on Kirby Drive to talk about flooding (and its aftermath) from...

All Tied Up

October 20, 2017October 20, 2017Cameron Ansari

My mother died early this summer. And I found myself not wearing a tie for a dozen weeks. Granted, it was a grueling summer, and who wants a swatch of silk tied tightly around the neck in this climate? But I had worn a tie for the previous 17 summers while...

See You at the Polo Club

October 17, 2017October 20, 2017Teresa Byrne-Dodge

Back in the 1980s, while on a travel-writing assignment for Ultra magazine, I attended an elephant polo match near Tiger Tops in Nepal. The so-called “biggest sport in the world” has two men on each lumbering beast – the mahout (or elephant driver) and the player, who leans wa-a-ay out to...

Ask the Agents #3: Surveys, Spec Homes, Exclusions & More

October 17, 2017August 14, 2018Cameron Ansari & Teresa Byrne-Dodge

Question: We are looking at an older home in The Heights. The owner has a survey, but it’s more than 20 years old. Do we need to spend money on a new survey before closing? Answer: Yes. In Texas, buyers should always pay to have a new survey of their own...

How to Build a Fish Pond

October 4, 2017October 20, 2017Teresa Byrne-Dodge

Every great garden has a water feature. It’s the finishing touch that charms the ears even as it soothes the eyes. Installing a pond is not difficult and does not have to be expensive. Look around the internet and you’ll find many pond-and-fountain kits just right for the patio. Just add...

Ask the Agents #2: Post-Harvey, Powder Rooms, Up-and-Coming Neighborhoods & More

September 18, 2017August 14, 2018Cameron Ansari & Teresa Byrne-Dodge

Question: I was lucky during Hurricane Harvey, and I didn’t take any water into my house. Does this mean my property value will go up? Answer: This question and those many questions related to it – e.g. My house flooded. Is it worth rebuilding? – are on everyone’s mind right now....

After the Storm

September 18, 2017October 20, 2017Cameron Ansari

Clients are asking us, “What will be the effects of Hurricane Harvey flooding on real estate?” Our first reaction is to say that it is too soon to tell what dynamics will affect residential real estate in Houston. These typically play out in unpredictable ways. There are so many unknown factors:...

Now Showing: The Trip to Spain

September 5, 2017October 20, 2017Teresa Byrne-Dodge

Two days before Hurricane Harvey landed in Houston, we were invited to a media preview for the new film, The Trip to Spain. As with The Trip to Italy (2014) and, just, The Trip (2011), the latest installment of this film franchise from director Michael Winterbottom pairs Steve Coogan (you’ll also...

Introducing: Ask The Agents #1

August 25, 2017August 14, 2018Cameron Ansari & Teresa Byrne-Dodge

Editor’s note: Do we get questions! Whether one is listing a home for sale or looking to buy a new home, everybody seems to have questions about the real estate process. Well, we’re here to answer your questions, assuage your worries and point you in the right direction. Introducing our new...

On the Eve of a Storm: An Update on Sims Bayou

August 24, 2017October 20, 2017Taylor Byrne Dodge

Houstonians have all heard of Sims Bayou, but have you ever wondered where its name comes from and why it’s a significant part of our urban landscape? Sims Bayou flows east to northeast for 28 miles from the Fort Bend County line at Beltway 8 in Missouri City past Hobby Airport...