A few blogs ago, we discussed what a Buyer's Market is.  Basically this means that buyers have an advantage over sellers because of a down market resulting in fewer buyers.  Right now this means "qualified" buyers. If you are in the market to buy right now or in the future, there are some strategies that you can do to set yourself apart from other buyers.  Of course you want the best deal out there and so does everyone else.  Therefore, you need to be proactive as a buyer. One of the first things that you can do is to insure that you are a qualified buyer.  Check your credit scores and make sure you have the highest scores possible.  There are many things that you can do to improve your credit scores.  Check out the Internet for some great companies that assist you in watching your cred... 12/05/2008

Remodeling is the buzz word right now for homeowners.  Just flip on the TV and you can watch show after show on remodeling tips.  So, what is a homeowner to do?  Does investing in remodeling really help your overall home value? Before you take that sledge hammer to your home, consider these facts as reported by the National Association of REALTORS®: Consider the area of your home that you would like to remodel.  Not all areas are as valuable to the appreciation value of your home. Typically the areas of the home that bring the highest return are the kitchen, siding replacement, deck replacement or addition and higher end windows. Areas that have shown a low return for remodeling have been adding studies, converting extra bedrooms into master baths or large closets.  For one client this ... 12/03/2008

How was your Thanksgiving??  Mine was great but not home made.  This year I decided to make it easy on myself and try a not-so-homemade Thanksgiving.  It worked out so well I think I have started a new tradition.  The "Let's Take It Easy Thanksgiving". First I ordered a smoked turkey, which was a 2 person helper.  Little Hanna's dance school made money by selling the turkeys and I had a ready made main dish.  Well, what's turkey without dressing (stuffing)?  To the rescue came Stove Top, yes you heard it right, Stove Top Stuffing.  I added some fresh onion, mushroom and some extra seasoning and no-one had any idea it wasn't homemade.  Move on to the side dishes; frozen and placed in my own baking dishes. I'm telling you I am on a roll.  Oh yes, speaking of rolls, mine were frozen and pl... 12/02/2008

There is not a day that goes by that someone does not stop and ask me, "Is real estate still a good investment?"  I love that question because it allows me to share the really good news about real estate.  For those of you who study the economic history of our country, there are common ups and downs in the economy.  The market changes and everyone must make a shift. Historically however, owning land, homes and businesses in the United States has been an overall better investment than many have fared in the stock market.  With real estate, especially in our area, this tangible asset has held its own.  Of course we have seen prices take a dip but that is a simple market correction.  What goes up will go down and also what goes down will come back up. Real estate ownership has and always w... 12/02/2008

Everyone is talking about the market being a "Buyer's Market".  So, what does that really mean? A true Buyer's Market indicates that there are more Seller's than Buyer's which results in Buyer's having an advantage when choosing to buy a new home.  With more inventory out there, Buyer's typically have a better choice of homes to choose from.  Even though it is a Buyer's Market, it is still good to be an informed buyer.  You need to know the market to truly know if a home is a good buy or not.  Also, you need to be a strong buyer.  A strong buyer is one with good credit scores, pre-approved by a lender, being able to offer a good closing date and have the ability to present solid earnest money. Working with a licensed Real Estate Buyer's Agent is always advised.  Buyer's Agents work on b... 12/01/2008

It's all about Energy and Egos Folks     The year was 1992 and a group of ultra liberal Senators and Congressman Lead by the pompous Barney Frank decided everyone deserved a home.  So that very year they mandated that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac begin to loan money for housing to less qualified borrowers with higher debt to income ratios than ever before. Add to this both Fannie and Freddie agreed to take lower down payments from these less qualified borrowers. Lawrence B. Lindsey who was a member of the board of governors of the Federal Reserve stated in 1992 that "The regulatory issues in the 1990s will not be limited to safety and soundness, but will increasingly emphasize fairness: whether or not banks are fulfilling the needs of their communities."  Sounded like a quota system to th... 12/01/2008

The Crighton Players Present: Scrooge!(Christmas Musical) Dec 5th, 6th, 12th, 13th 2008 at 8 PM with Matinees Nov 30th, Dec 7th, Dec 14th @ 2pm in the new Owen Theater on 225 Metcalf Street, Conroe, Texas 77301 The Crighton Players are a non-profit Local Theater Group.  They put on wonderful shows and are a treasure of Conroe. For More information and online Tickets Visit The Crighton Players Web site here. Merry Christmas! 11/30/2008

Last Thursday, the entire Franke Team supported Marion at the Lone Star College Small Business Awards Dinner at the Waterway Marriott.  What an awesome event this was!  The Franke Team filled up three tables as we cheered on Marion!  We all had a lot of fun being "out of the office" for awhile.  Sometimes you just gotta play! Although Marion did not win the overall award, it was truly an honor being recognized for her efforts as a small business.  Marion told us that being in the finals for this award validated all of her hard work over the years as a woman and a Realtor.  We are very proud of her and we are proud to be a part of such an awesome team! Marion and her husband Bruce have always given back to the community in many, many ways.  From the Heart Association, Montgomery County ... 11/25/2008

We have a fox terrier by the name of Jasper. He came to us in the summer of 2001 from the fox terrier rescue program. For those of you, who are unfamiliar with this type of adoption, imagine taking in a 10 year old child about whom you know nothing and committing to doing your best to be a good parent. Like a child, the dog came with his own idiosyncrasies. He will only sleep on the bed, on top of the covers, nuzzled as close to my face as he can get without actually performing a French kiss on me. Lest you think this is a bad case of 'no discipline,' I should tell you that Perry and I tried every means to break him of this habit including locking him in a separate bedroom for several nights. The new door cost over $200. But I digress. Five weeks ago we began remodeling our house. Altho... 11/24/2008

The Phoenix rises from the ashes to be a majestic beauty of a creature. I have in the course of my life the opportunity to live through several natural disasters and have learned abundantly through them all. After hurricane Ike, I have witnessed some incredible acts of courage and spirit that our country is famous for. From the lone young man on a John Deere tractor cutting and pushing trees out of the road to the neighbor who had a block party and cooked everything in the freezer on the grill because it was going to spoil with no power available. Without exception every disaster brings out the best in the people of our great country. Sure there are negatives but they will always be dealt with in due time. So disregard those who would take advantage or be negative, they truly don't matt... 11/24/2008

Everyone has heard the expression "today is the first day of the rest of your life". We have all heard it time and time again and yet have any of us actually lived like it truly was the first day of the rest of our life. What are you doing today, right now; this second to ensure you will succeed the rest of your life? Ok you got me a little, I mean besides reading this. Are you helping with your son's or daughter's little league practice. Maybe you have a great book to read that will motivate you or even your favorite television show that will help you detach a little and relax. Anything that keeps your body, mind or spirit moving is good for you if it's positive. If it's positive it is usually constructive and rewarding. One thing I have learned and studied is that for a business or a ... 11/24/2008

My co-worker Teri Bonnel and I attended the Montgomery County Chamber luncheon yesterday.  The speaker was news anchor Art Rascon from Channel 13 news.  Art shared the highlights in his career and spoke of some very touching moments that he has had.  A story that really touched us all and is such a great reminder of how blessed we are is the story he shared about a boy he met in Nicaragua. While on location in Nicaragua, Art saw a group of boys playing in the city dump.  Most of the boys actually lived in the dump.  They were happily playing a game with a crude stick and a ball of twine.  Art asked the boys is they had ever played with a real baseball before.  They said that they had yet they played with the baseball until it simply fell apart.  They had not seen a baseball in years.  A... 11/19/2008

I had the great honor and pleasure of attending an out of town baby shower over the week-end.  Our own Marion Franke has TRIPLET grandchildren.  First let me say, WOW! I can't even imagine 3 brand new babies needing diapers, feeding, rocking, etc., etc., all at one time.  Let me give you a little back story on these babies.  First the Momma & Poppa thought they would not have babies of their own after going all possible routes, so they adopted a toddler from Russia.  This was quite a long and arduous affair.  But Christina arrived shortly after Christmas last year; a beautiful healthy 2 year girl.  Well, Momma & Poppa had some frozen whatevers left over from previous attempts, so they decided what the heck.  Low and behold they were pregnant with multiples.  As with all multiple pregna... 11/18/2008

The Woodlands, Texas - On October 24, 2008, I attended a Continuing Education class on 1031 Exchanges at Perry's Steakhouse in The Woodlands. If you don't know what a 1031 Exchange is, you are not alone. 1031 Exchanges are a reference to the Internal Revenue Code Section 1031 which provides that neither gain nor loss is recognized if property held for investment or productive use in a trade or business is exchanged for property held for investment or productive use in a trade or business.   Essentially, you can have an investment property and when selling it defer your capital gain taxes and roll that deferment into your new property using the deferred gain to help leverage your new investment. Internal Revenue Code (IRC) 1031 proves that, to qualify for tax-deferred treatment, the reli... 11/18/2008

"A goal is just a dream with a deadline"                                            ~Terry Miller The best way to prepare for life is to begin to live.                                         Elbert Hubbard            Do you visualize your success? If not, why not? If you do visualize your success then how do you visualize it? I have a vision board in my office and I love it. If you don't have a vision board you can see every day I recommend you make one as soon as possible. It's actually very fun and quite entertaining once you get started. Some people like to keep their dreams private and hidden away, maybe for fear of them. Not me, it doesn't matter who sees my visions or dreams. The fact is if they don't appreciate the fact that I have a vision of what my future holds, they're proba... 11/17/2008

Over the weekend, our very own Director of Technology, Jacob Hebert, made his first ever Hole in One!  He is a fairly avid golfer and claims to have had several near misses, but has never gotten one to stay in the hole.  However, this weekend during an 18-hole skins game at April Sound Country Club in Montgomery, TX, he finally pulled it off!  The stats are as follows: Course:       April Sound Country Club Hole:          13 Par:            3 Yardage:     191 yards Club:           7 iron Date:          11/15/08 Witnesses:  Jennifer Moriarty, Richard Schanberger, Paul Allison Jacob was very excited about his hole in one, his only regret was not seeing it go in from the tee box, so he says he'll make sure to pay closer attention next time!  So please join us in congratulating Jacob on hi... 11/17/2008

How many times have you driven by a house that was on the market, only to say, "That really looks like the owner cannot afford it anymore.  I wonder how much less they will take for it?" Is your home on the market?  What would a potential buyer think if they were to drive by?  How about the inside? Here are a few tips to maximize first impressions: OUTSIDE: Remove unsightly tree limbs, dead leaves and clean out flowerbeds. Be sure the lawn is well manicured at all times. Curb appeal is very important, plant some colorful flowers to enhance the landscape.  Also, fresh mulch adds a nice touch. Power washing is necessary to remove dirt, spider webs, etc.  Paint if necessary. If you have a pool, be sure it is sparkling clean! Clean entrance.  Place a flowering plant by entrance.  Be sure th... 11/17/2008

Good morning. One thing a lot of business owners forget about is customer service. Today I would like to share with everyone something that happened to me several years ago when I lived in Fort Worth, Texas. Today I only carry Samsonite luggage and it all stems from the service I got from a young woman in the Denver service center. You see for years I carried a gray fold out type garment bag all over the world. I could literally pack everything I needed in that bag and a briefcase and take off. Well after 8 years or so it finally just came apart at the zippers and had to be replaced. Well I found a really great looking black one just like it with all the new upgrades. I was ready to hit the road again. On my second trip with the new bag it came apart at one of the zippers. I was disappo... 11/14/2008

By: Terry Miller   At "Now What" we know dealing with the public on a daily basis sets you up for some pretty severe negative situations and people. One thing I have stressed for years is a very simple and even a bit corny little saying. I simply tell myself I am SUPER! And Here Is what it means! Strength equals confidence.  Under pressure I thrive. Prepare don't panic.                 Energy, bring it all day everyday.                 Respect, earn it and demand it.   Pretty simple isn't it? Well, simple is easy to remember and put into practice. Keep your motivational keys short and simple. Complex things tend to take too much time and effort and will end up bringing you down further instead of a quick little boost you need. Some of my best friends came from the toughest Real Estate t... 11/14/2008

Today I will attend two different memorial services for two outstanding young men who graduated with my daughter from Montgomery High School Class of 2007.  There are just no words to effectively write to convey to these families who have suffered such devastating losses.  Our hearts, prayers and thoughts are with each of these family members and the many Montgomery classmates who will forever fondly remember these two fine young men. Montgomery is still a relatively small town.  My daughter grew up with these kids, sat in class next to them, participated in plays with them, rode horses together and skied and tubed on the lake.  I will always remember them as skinny little kids who all just hung out together and had fun.  As they grew up, it has been a privilege to see them excel and su... 11/12/2008