Steve Castaneda's Blog: All Categories

What exactly is a patio home?  According to this article at About.com:

Patio homes in Arizona were traditionally 1-story homes that shared at least one side wall and had a back patio but not necessarily a backyard.

Patio homes are usually built with 2, 3 or 4 homes in each building instead of the continuous row of homes common with townhouses.The Houston real estate market has it's fair share of patio homes, and during the initial stages of our buyer consultations, we ask if this is a criteria for our client's next home.  More times than not, our client really isn't certain to the true definition of a patio home.

In the future, remember that any home built with a common wall and sharing a common area is most likely a patio home.  You may also be… Read Full Post

Rosenberg, Texas has been generating quite a buzz lately, and with the latest opening of Lennar at the Kingdom Heights location I can see that Houston builders definitely see potential in this hidden city Southwest of Houston.

What is Kingdom Heights?

Kingdom Heights is a real estate development by the Millis Group, who focuses on both residential and commercial developments, and three Houston builders: Ryland, Meritage Homes, and now Lennar. 

Their goals was to create a lakeside and parkside master planned community on 572 acres, positioned close to Sugarland to help continue the rapid development in Southwest Houston.

Pre-Construction Pricing

Lennar (for a limited time) is currently offering pre-construction pricing with their available floor…

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The new construction in Houston never ceases to amaze me, and the Mosaic at Hermann Park is one of those real estate developments that will knock your socks off.  The Mosaic at Hermann Park is a luxury condominium development in a prime location in Houston, with a view overlooking the Downtown Houston landscape that is simply amazing.



The price range at the Mosaic starts in the high $200's, depending on the unit type.  My clients have been seeing steady appreciation for these units over recent months.  In 5 months times many units are appreciating at a pace of nearly $50,000.  Taking advantage of pre-construction prices is definitely a target with investors snatching up these units.

Location

The Mosaic at Hermann park is located in central…

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In North Houston you will find a quiet subdivision with a young community filled with a mixture of cozy single garage homes along side of newly constructed 2 car garage homes with a very affordable price entry point.

The Westbourne subdivision in Cypress, Texas is surely a growing neighborhood perfect for families looking for their first home.

Westbourne Real Estate Sales History

We keep track of Westbourne real estate so you don't have to. As you can see, the Westbourne subdivision has been experiences an upward trend in average sales price and the homes sold per year increases by a small margin. The average days on market hovers right around 2 months for Westbourne, with a noticeable increase in average sales price occurring in 2006.

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North of Houston is a booming town that goes by the name of Tomball, TX. This once small town is now homes to many new home communities, shopping, and good old fashioned country living.

Tomball TX real estate is now beginning to really make an impact on the real estate sales in North Houston.  The major freeway that extends well past Tomball, known has Highway 249, is now being expanded and actually finished, thus encouraging even more visitors to this quiet community.

Tomball is home to its very own independent school district; appropriately named the Tomball Independent School District (Tomball ISD). With 12 campuses and a 16 student to teacher ratio, your children will get the attention and education they deserve.

Tomball has a wide variety of real…

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Back in December of 2006, Harris county released new flood plain maps.  Many properties in the Houston real estate market that weren't in a flood plain were now classified to be in a flood plain, therefor making it mandatory that the homeowners carry flood insurance. When the maps were released, new homeowners in the new flood plain boundaries were allowed 6 months to obtain flood insurance at non-flood plain rates. The current deadline is June 18, 2008.

Here were are in May, 2007, and this deadline is quickly approaching! If your home is located within the new flood plain boundaries, be sure to take advantage of the cheaper flood insurance offered by the National Flood Insurance Program.

Find Out If You Are In A Floodplain

To get the latest maps, be…

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Tucked away in the tall pines of Spring in Northwest Houston, you'll discover a lovely community known for it's unique look, active community, and attention to the preservation of nature's beauty. Gleannloch Farms is a masterplanned community in Spring that includes many amenities residents enjoy each year, including 41 acres of lakes, a 27-hole golf course, hiking and bike trails, and even canoes to enjoy along with catch and release fishing.

Gleannloch Farms even features an equestrian center complete with arenas and paddocks, white tall fences, and majestic trees to provide the reminiscent feel that Gleannloch Farms was known for back in the 1950's.

Did you know that Gleannloch Farms was known for it's Egyptian Arabian horses?

Gleannloch Farms is…

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Written by Steve Castaneda, Realtor - The MyHomeHouston Team

Houston is the 4th largest city in the United States. Since Houston is so large, I've comprised the following tips to make sure that your visit to Houston is comfortable and pleasant. If you are looking to visit Houston in the near future, you definitely owe it to yourself to plan carefully prior to scheduling your trip.

Major Airports of Houston

There are two main airports you will be glad to familiarize yourself with when planning your flight to Houston. The George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) is located 23 miles North of downtown and serves well over 40 million passengers a year. This major airport is located in the North part of Houston, so if your stay will involve…

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