Houston Real Estate Blog

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Homes Sales

Maybe We Should WAIT…until After the Holidays

December 2, 2010

With the holidays around the corner prospective sellers ask us “Should we wait?”

As the holiday season gets into swing, the real estate market buzzes. Perhaps it’s the end of the year, or just dragging the decorations out that spur people into action. Keep in mind that many buyers want to close before the end of the year and make their move between school semesters and to be able to file for homestead exemption. So if you wait, you may miss out on motivated and serious buyers.

Buyers have a tendency to stay longer in homes that are decorated for the season. And the longer they stay, the more likely they are to make an offer. Seeing a beautifully decorated mantel, fresh garland around the front door or the little snowman at the entry can help the buyer to feel connected to the property. Perhaps it makes them feel like home, or it gives them comfort to picture their family next season celebrating around the dining room table. Nevertheless, it is a very powerful time to sell.

The holidays have been some of our busiest months at John Daugherty, Realtors. So don’t wait. If you are thinking of selling, deck the halls and give us a call!

Please send in photos of how you have made holiday cheer in your home!

John Daugherty, Realtors Goes the Extra Mile – To London

October 27, 2010

Firm Joins Global Real Estate Market with Offices in City’s West End

John A. Daugherty, Jr., Annette Reeve, Cheri Fama, Nick Churton

Houston, TX – John Daugherty, Realtors, is pleased to announce the opening of a marketing office in London, England in partnership with Mayfair International Realty. Located in the heart of London’s prestigious West End, the office will serve as a gateway for Europe’s real estate needs in Houston.

“We are the first residential brokers in Houston to do this,” said John A. Daugherty, Jr. “Over the past few years we have seen more buyers than ever from Europe and from the UK in particular. “We consider opening an office in London as an essential move to guarantee that our clients’ homes reach the widest possible market.

Mayfair International Realty, headed by Nick Churton and Annette Reeve, will market John Daugherty, Realtors’ Houston properties in the UK and the continental European media.

“We are working in a global real estate community with buyers not only crossing state boundaries, but International ones also,” said Daugherty.

John Daugherty, Realtors’ clients will find that the marketing of their homes receive a clear benefit from exposure to the widest market. And, London based buyers will also be able to visit the office and discuss buying a home in Texas. Churton said the move is paying off. “It is a positive move that has already brought significant success. The firm’s clients love the added coverage their homes receive and buyers love the easy access they have to the Houston market,” he said.

“More and more Europeans are being drawn to the Houston area for the very reasons the area has become so popular with those from within the US,” added Churton. He said as well as being a major business hub, the Internationally recognized Texas Medical Center, the largest medical center in the world, and home for so many international corporate companies, the reliable climate, superb facilities and high standard of real estate make the Houston area a key target destination for home and investment buyers.

“I like to think that my company goes the extra mile for its clients. I am delighted to say that now we are going an extra 4,845 miles to London and opening the doorway to Europe and beyond,” added Daugherty.

Of particular importance is the internet site that offers properties exposure to the global market and uploads to other premier UK based websites. The highly prominent website www.mayfairinternationalrealty.com provides a worldwide portal for luxury properties. John Daugherty, Realtors enjoys the unique benefit of being the only Houston residential broker whose properties are uploaded to the property search site of the Telegraph newspaper at www.telegraph.co.uk, whose website attracts 32.5 million users and 276 million page views per month. Properties are also uploaded to the website of Country Life, www.countrylife.co.uk. Country Life is regarded as the leading UK magazine for luxury real estate. Over the past one hundred years Country Life has been the finest place to advertise the very best estates, country houses and important town houses in the UK and Europe and, over the past few years, throughout the globe.

About John Daugherty, Realtors

John A. Daugherty, Jr., a fourth-generation Houstonian, founded John Daugherty, Realtors on March 8, 1967 and has served as its president and CEO ever since. In 2009, the firm reached $9.75 billion in total property sales since the millennium (2000). John Daugherty, Realtors is the largest seller of upscale residential for the Houston real estate area, currently employing 170 real-estate agents and 84 support-staff members.

Why Now is the Best Time Ever to Buy a Loft in River Oaks!

October 11, 2010

By Ron Brown
Sales Associate

Ever wonder where to go after the kids have left the house and you no longer need the big house in the Suburbs? Feel like having the freedom to travel and not having to worry about the house? Hate yard work? Always wanted to live in town with all the action? Tired of the daily commute?

A River Oaks area loft could be your answer for many reasons.

1. Location, location, location. The lofts in the Gotham, Renoir and Metropolis are all located within a 2 mile radius of one another. They are minutes from Downtown, Galleria and Memorial Park. All of these buildings are walking distance to great restaurants, the River Oaks Shopping Center, the River Oaks Movie Theater. Many of the units have excellent views of the Downtown Houston skyline or the treetops of River Oaks, which is almost like overlooking Central Park in New York City.

1005 S Shepherd Dr #810

2. Price. The prices on these spacious units are now at a major low. Most of the buildings have added restrictions that they maintain a 70 % owner occupancy level which seems to be weeding out the investors. This is very helpful for those who plan on taking out a loan to purchase as the mortgage companies require a 70 % or better owner occupancy rate to be approved for a loan. Speaking of which, mortgage rates are a serious bargain. The last one I just sold, the buyer got a rate of 3.75 % on a 15 year fixed. Let’s see, low prices and low rates…how much better can it get?

: 1914 W Gray St #202

3. Extremely low maintenance fees. These buildings are no frills keeping that monthly maintenance fee to a minimum. An owner can expect to spend 2 or 3 times more per month for the similar square footage on a full service building with valet parking and 24 hour concierge services. Those extra salaries do add up and we know they rarely ever go down. The restricted access is very appealing to those who travel and are just looking to lock-and-leave.

1914 W Gray St 202

4. Flexibility of floor plans. Most of the units have walls on the interior of the unit that can be added or removed for increased versatility of rooms and their uses. For example, closet space can be easily added. Turn a room into a bedroom by adding a door and a wall. Change it to a studio by leaving it open. How about an exercise room, study or media room? Plant an herb garden on your balcony or add a barbecue grill. The possibilities are endless.

Whether you are downsizing, looking for a great location or always wanted a cool space with a great view, now is a great time to purchase that loft in the prestigious River Oaks area. Relax and enjoy the good life these great properties have to offer.

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