Recommended Shade Trees for Houston

April 25, 2018April 26, 2018Katie Dubow

We Texans observe Texas State Arbor Day on the first Friday of November. With our wicked hot summers, it’s kinder and often smarter to plant young trees in the fall so they can become established before summer’s searing heat. However, National Arbor Day is always observed the last Friday of April....

River Oaks’ Lot Market & New Construction

March 20, 2018March 20, 2018Cameron Ansari

Pricing of lots in River Oaks The pricing of different lot types in River Oaks follows a distinct trend over time. We track all lot sales in River Oaks, in six categories, with a database going back to 1988. We observe that even the deviations from trend show consistent patterns. We...

Nosy Questions with Greg Schenck

January 26, 2018January 26, 2018Teresa Byrne-Dodge

Houston’s go-to floor company – for both exquisite new floors and the restoration of old floors – is Schenck & Company. Owner/namesake Greg Schenck (photo at right) bought the fledgling company from a buddy more than 35 years ago. He had no background installing floors or woodworking, but that did not...

Ask the Agents #5: Installing a Pool, Loans & More

January 12, 2018August 14, 2018Cameron Ansari & Teresa Byrne-Dodge

Question: We’re thinking of adding a swimming pool to our backyard. Will that add to or detract from its appeal when we sell the house? Answer: It depends on the market. If half or more of the homes in the neighborhood have a pool, then it’s a positive thing. And for...

Contemporary Houses Here and Now

November 14, 2017November 15, 2017Cameron Ansari

The appetite for contemporary architecture in the upscale markets we serve here in Houston has been growing. Ever more buyers are looking for homes that boast sustainable elements (e.g. bamboo floors, stone countertops), are designed with entertaining in mind and are full of natural daylight. They want a flow between indoor...

DIY Home-Renovation Projects: What Should You Tackle Yourself

November 10, 2017November 10, 2017Paul Denikin

Nearly every homeowner has a streak of DIY spirit in them. Indeed, one of the joys of home ownership is making changes so your house better suits you and your family. For some, that might be as simple as painting the powder room. But what about the bigger jobs? Sure, you...

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...

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...

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...