John Daugherty, Realtors Blog

Are you considering the purchase of real estate?

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:08:58 -0500 GMT

Real estate doesn't fluctuate by the minute/by the hour/by the day like stocks do. Real Estate is a much more sound, long term investment. Interest rates are low (remember 18% in the mid-1980's?) and the Houston real estate market remains stable. Now is the perfect time to buy!

Houston's Walk Score

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 16:15:44 -0500 GMT

I was surprised to find that Houston was ranked as the #26 city for "walkability." Downtown, Montrose, River Oaks and Midtown scored best for our neighborhoods. Click on this website to read more about our walk score and how we can improve it: http://walkscore.com/rankings/Houston.

Houston real estate's balancing act.

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 13:48:13 -0500 GMT

Neighborhoods Inside The Loop—too many to name—seem to be walking a fine line between growth and conservation. With the lack of zoning in Houston, a million dollar house can back up to a hardware store or have their afternoon sun eclipsed by a high rise.
The excitement of the multi use complexes cause us to lose trees that were planted 20 years ago. Houston is a very green city merely because of our climate but interest groups every day battle to preserve the past. There is a lot of buzz about Costco being built but the traffic and congestion is also a topic of discussion.
Residents love being able to run over to Central Market or Whole Foods. I walk to Starbucks every morning. My friends think that is so cool--kind of a New York City style existence with a yard.

I am a native Houstonian—lived here most of my life. When I tell stories about the past I have to reference new stores and services but all my grocery stores and restaurants are long gone—or changed location.

I am not sad about it but we have to achieve a balance.
Just a thought,
Estelle M. Lozmack

Welcome back, Dianne Kilday.

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:52:40 -0500 GMT

I'm so glad to have Dianne Kilday back with us. She was a great agent and team player for many years. Lin Neese

Houston is healthy!

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 11:30:58 -0500 GMT

Houston remains a bright spot in the dim U.S. economy. The real estate market in Houston is stable, from the luxury market to the lower end of the market. Unemployment is low and the diversification of Houston from being so dependent on the energy business to being a leader in the health care field with the Texas Medical Center, on the education front with the expansion of both Rice University and University of Houston and the busy Port of Houston (ranked first in the United States in foreign waterborne tonnage and second in the U.S. in total tonnage).

Click here to see a variety of articles on healthy Houston: http://www.johndaugherty.com/press.

Houston Real Estate Holds It's Own

Thu, 29 May 2008 15:25:46 -0500 GMT

April was our best month ever! Despite the growing concern over the real estate market the Houston market has really held it's own.

The Following are excerpts from a May 20 article that ran in the Houston Chronicle:

"John Daugherty, Realtors sold $137 million worth of residential real estate in April. It was the firm's best month in its 41-year history."

"Though sales were down for the eighth straight month, growth in the energy and medical sectors have bolstered the real estate market and will help lead to a faster recovery, experts said.

Moderate prices have helped, too.

The overall local market has avoided a price bubble, although some parts of town have experienced double-digit appreciation in recent years.

The median price of a home in April was $150,000, unchanged from the year earlier.

The median is the midpoint where half the homes sold for more and half for less.

"Houston has really held its own," said Stephanie Weiss, an agent with John Daugherty."

View the Entire Article Here: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/5793525.html

Going Green

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:33:01 -0500 GMT

With energy and fuel costs on the rise, some Houston residents are finding cost-efficient and environmentally responsible options close to home.

Through the use of green design and natural gardening, homeowners can work to create healthier indoor and outdoor environments and at the same time reduce energy costs.

John Daugherty, Realtors is proud to showcase one of Houston’s premiere ‘green’ properties from green designer Kathleen Carrier.

Located among Bellaire’s premier custom properties, this unique Austin Hill County home has been catching the attention of Bellaire residents for the past five years.

A focus on energy efficiency and solar power drove the design of the house and allowed for the incorporation of unique features such as the Texas dog trot entry with handmade custom cypress trusses, and remote controlled skylights.

With a home like this, the beauty lies in thought and attention to custom detailing.

Dual offices joined by a library and file room are separated from the living area by the entry allowing home and work to function side-by-side.

The living space is bright and inviting, flowing from the great room into the warm kitchen and breakfast room. The formal dining area affords space for entertaining as well as intimate gatherings.

The design is complimented with cypress custom doors and trim, designer lighting and Walker Zanger tile. Fluorescent lighting is mixed with halogen and incandescent for dramatic design effect and light quality.

Children will delight in the some of the home’s whimsical touches such as the hand made turtle sink in the powder room and the lofts above their bedrooms.

The private backyard features a citrus orchard, raised vegetable beds and a lap pool with pool house, with plenty of lawn left over to play a game of tag or badminton.

Green design incorporates sustainable environmental practices throughout the building and design process with attention to site-usage, materials, water conservation, energy efficiency and indoor air quality.

Energy-efficient Pella windows flood every room with natural light while minimizing the impact of the Texas sun. The metal roofing system and planned overhangs further protect and shade the home.

Three different Solar Systems—electric, hot water and pool heater—are mounted on the south facing roof. The Geothermal air conditioning system has a series of deep wells to use the ground temperature to heat and cool the house.

The advanced alternative energy systems paired with the home's energy efficient design help keeps this home’s electricity bill unusually low.

Featured in the Bellaire Discovery Nature Center Home Tour in 2006, and three National Solar Tours, the house has had many visitors excited to see its environmentally friendly features.

Decisions do not have to involve remodeling or new construction. “Every time you make a decision, if you’re remodeling your home or maintaining your home or building your home, check back, and how you can be making this decision a little differently,” said Carrier.

Carrier, formerly the owner of Evergreen Design Studio has now joined John Dazey at R&D Architecture.

She sees a growing consciousness and an increased interest in green options from Houston homeowners. The key she says making people aware of their options and the benefits.

“We’re so accustomed to the idea that bigger is better, and it’s just really hard to break away from that,” said Carrier. “In the short run it’s better, in the long run, when we’re thinking of energy and global warming…then we just have to really think about what are we doing.”

Visit www.greenhomeguide.com for more information on green homes. For more information on Kathleen Carrier’s work visit www.evergreendesignstudio.com.

JDR's new mobile website

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 17:04:53 -0500 GMT

JDR's new mobile website is http://jdrtx.mobi This tool will be an agents best friend from your cell you are able to Search Listing by property address or MLS number and get all active property info no more waiting to get back to the office and retrieve property info for your clients .View Open Houses or have you client view them complete with photos and property info anytime anywhere. Find another agents contact info in seconds without calling the front desk. Your PDA phone gives you the ability to access HAR data quickly. Impress your clients with your ability to give those prices and info of any property in seconds. It's very simple and easy to use give it a shot!

Homeowners can dispute values online with county

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 08:20:06 -0500 GMT

Lowering appraisals could be a click away
Homeowners can dispute values online with county

Getting your property appraisal lowered could be a little easier, and a lot faster, this year with an online dispute resolution program offered by the Harris County Appraisal District.Under the new iSettle program, owners can get property values reduced without having to attend hearings of the Appraisal Review Board or even leave their homes.HCAD experimented with online protests in 2006 with a pilot program called iFile, which allows residential and commercial property owners the option of filing protests online instead of by mail or in person. The next year, iFile was available for all property owners.Check link for more info http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5648870.html

At last, great news on the real estate front - because we're in Houston, Texas!

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 16:29:46 -0500 GMT

Our Relocation Director, Linda Rosen, attending a luncheon held by the Houston Relocation Professionals on February 14, 2008 and heard the following comments. We're so lucky to be in Houston, Texas!

Houston Statistics - Greater Houston Partnership

Per Deborah Mostert, Manager of the Economic Development Division

in her “State of Houston” speech on February 14, 2008:

The *100,000+ jobs created in Houston in 2007 was 8% of all jobs created in the country (*awaiting verification by the Federal Reserve Bank in approximately mid-March 2008)
Houston’s population is 5.54 million – ranked as the 6^th largest metropolitan area, passing both the Washington D.C. region and the Miami region
Houston ranks #1 in job growth in metropolitan areas
Houston ranks #1 in fastest growing companies in metropolitan areas
Houston ranks #2 in logistics for metropolitan areas
Houston ranks #3 in youngest median age of population for metropolitan areas
Houston ranks #3 in lowest tax burden for metropolitan areas
Three growth areas that are fueling Houston:
Upstream energy(energy exploration, production & field services)
Architectural & Engineering Services
Health Care
Per Mayor Bill White during his portion of the February 14^th presentation:
In the last 4 years, 250,000 jobs have been added in this region
Projected job creations in 2008 are the same as 2007
When combining per capita income and cost of living adjustment, Houston is #1 among large metro areas as the best value
When you compare top 10 cities by population, Houston ranks #2 in parks per capita
The three major goals that Mayor White wants to accomplish before leaving office are:

a. To increase police officers by 10%

b. Spend $1 billion in floor improvements and

c. Reduce Houston’s tax rate

The violent crime rate is down by 8% per 100,000 compared to 2003, the Mayor’s first year in office