The Parc at Escondido, Converse, Texas

Be-Homes Builder

I just sold a great new home to be built in The Parc at Escondido in Converse, Texas.  The Builder is Be-Homes.  The neighborhood (even though new) has a great sense of community.  Be Homes already has put in some the amenities:  94ft swimming pool, pool house, 4500 sq ft covered pavilion for gatherings, playground for the kids, catch and release pond, basketball, volleyball and tennis courts, tons of green space AND great picnic areas that are scattered around.  Guess I forgot to mention the neighborhood sits on 28 acres and has great green space all throughout giving it an open and breezy feeling which is important in today’s neighborhoods.  One last thing, soccer field and baseball fields in the back!  It has everything that an outdoor enthusiast could ask for….all in your backyard!

The floor plans range in pricing as well as style but what I noticed the most about it was the trees that were saved, the entrance was beautiful but most importantly THE STAG.  Yes, there is a GIANT stag in the center of the neighborhood so you can’t miss driving by and it catching your eye.  Conveniently located off of IH 10/90 like you’re going to Houston and 1516.  School district is East Central Schools.

Be Homes obviously believes in the motto:  “Build it and they will come”.  

Oak Run Subdivision in New Braunfels, Texas

New Braunfels is a quaint little town north of San Antonio.  It is here that my husband and I built within this great community.  Specifically the Oak Run subdivision or as Perry Homes’ calls it the Heights at Oak Run.  There is a new section opening up at the back and the terrain is beautiful.  There are a few specs that have already been built and they are at great prices.  There are many that you could choose the lot, your favorite floor plan, colors, and special features.  I would love to introduce you to this special new spot in New Braunfels, Texas.

Garden Ridge, Texas

Seems that there is a great deal of inventory in beautiful Garden Ridge.  Most of the homes sit on luxurious lots in a “little forest” atmosphere so close to San Antonio, Cibolo, Schertz and New Braunfels.

The different neighborhoods are serene, quiet and there are tons of deer that will sit in your backyard.  I just did a quick search in the area and figured up that the available homes on the market have had an average day on market of 124 with an average price of $488,753.00.  There are also a good number of homes under contract or “pending” that is of an average of 107 days on the market with an average price of $418,246.00.  So, it you’re looking for a beautiful home with at least ½ an acre or more, this is the place for you!

Some Recent Statistics From the San Antonio MLS

Have an inquiring mind about the market around town lately?  Here’s an update as of June 3, 2008:

So far this year, in San Antonio and areas included on our MLS

Single residential properties listed:                    17,389

Number of those sold:                                                     7,292

Percentage sold:                                                41.93%

Average list price on those sold:                     $191,020

Average sale price on those sold:                    $183,607

Average days on market for sold:                              87

MLS % of sale price to list price:                       95.47%

Moran team % of sale price to list price:      98.68%

We take pride in giving you the very best straightforward advice about what it takes to sell your property in any market, and our numbers prove it.  Ready to sell your home?  Call us.  We’ll get you moving.  210-325-6962.  www.SheilaMoranTeam.com

The “Man Cave”: A Real Estate Trend

If you grew up with brothers, male cousins or lots of boys in the neighborhood, you knew from long ago that there is always a boys’ club.  From tree-houses to tool sheds, the male gender has always managed to find a place to retreat, where they can read comic books, steal a smoke or a swig of something rot-gut, and celebrate bodily functions at will.

Today, the grown-up versions of the “no girls allowed” set are turning their fondness for such hideaways into a real estate trend, in that “man caves” are finding their way into floor plans for new homes with some architects.  These big-boy versions of forts and clubhouses like those from childhood are meant to encourage “buddy bonding” and give the partakers a place to let it all hang out.

For example, one of my friends constructed a separate “man cave” in his backyard.  It is a two story home, with a full bar, big screen, arcade and pool table downstairs, and what amounts to an efficiency apartment upstairs.  It sometimes functions as guest quarters, but there’s no mistaking that its purpose is to entertain his buddies on a regular basis, away from the main house and the distractions of a large, busy family. 

While such ultimate shrines for celebrating being a guy are conceivable for some, it is not necessary to take out a second mortgage to create a man cave.  A basement, attic, garage, or even a spare bedroom can be a great place to start.  Check out some of the accessories that can turn almost any space into a man cave for him and his boys:

·        Wet bar

·        Mini brewery

·        Refrigerator (stocked with frosted mugs)

·        TV – any kind, but the bigger the better

·        Sports stuff – posters, bats, autographed basketballs, that ball he caught as a kid at the Cubs’ game…any sports stuff will do

·        Foosball

·        Arcade games

·        Pool tables

·        Dart boards

·        Poker table

·        Computer games

There is no limit to the ideas for creating a man cave.  All you need is a space and your imagination.  Need help?  Check out DIY Network’s regular Wednesday night broadcast, dedicated to man caves.  Here’s to being a guy!  Want your next home to include a space that lends itself to designing a man cave?  Call me, I’d love to help 210-325-6962, or www.SheilaMoranTeam.com

Sex and the City

I had a client appreciation party on this past Saturday.  I invited some of my very favorite and cherished past clients as well as the ones’ that refer me regularly.  We had a great time.  It was fun to see them “after the sale” as well as in a relaxed atmosphere.  We had each lady take a quick quiz to see what “character” she was.  After that was determined we sipped on mimosas and “morning martinis”.  The bus pulled up and after a “wild” ride to the theatre…. (Let’s just say our Driver was lost and bold in his turns!) we arrived safe and sound.  We laughed, we cried but we all left with smiles on our faces…remembering the friendships and relationships that we have all had throughout the years the one’s cherished and happily forgotten.