On the ordinary - 04/29/10 11:26 PM
Sometimes living in the same place for too long creates a numbness to the extraordinary aspects of it. In view of that, I have decided to create a multi-purpose list to tell you about the great attractions of College Station as well as to poke at the numbness that myself and some other Bryan/College Stationites have acquired. 
1. George Bush Library. This place is actually pretty cool. Not to mention the stunning gardens behind!
2. First Friday in Downtown Bryan. The arts meet College Station! [finally]. This is a great, family friendly event with artistic vendors from all over town, yummy … (0 comments)

distressed furniture from outdated wood - 04/28/10 11:10 PM
Wood style/color/stain goes out of style as quick as a flash. Not to mention with stains, nicks, etc, some great furniture pieces are left by the curb. Re-staining is great and works sometimes. However, another great solution is to distress the furniture and make it look like a whole different piece of furniture. We recently painted a coffee table black, sanded off the edges, and distressed it with a chain. It has such a great look, and we only had to buy a can of paint! Black sounds like a bold choice, but with the edges sanded, it is a fabulous … (4 comments)

blogging for the soul... - 04/27/10 09:59 PM
Blogging seems to have all of the sudden become the new thing to do! We know it's fun (to some, obviously, me), but why blog? Really? To tell people about myself? My experiences/thoughts? Well according to recent research, blogging appears to have many health benefits! It has ben proven to be stress relieving, but there are also other physical benefits. According to http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=the-healthy-type, "Research shows that it improves memory and sleep, boosts immune cell activity and reduces viral load in AIDS patients, and even speeds healing after surgery. A study in the February issue of the Oncologist reports thatcancer patients who engaged in expressive … (2 comments)

furry friends or furry foes? - 04/26/10 07:57 PM
So dogs are man's best friend, right? Maybe not a home's, though. Dogs, among their many pleasantries, bring fur...fur that tends to show up everywhere. Along with that comes smells, stains, etc. I'm sure I'm not the only one that has walked into a home and nearly gagged from the pet smell. No one wants to buy a home that smells more like another species. I have a few quick tips from my experience with puppies that help make furry friends true friends and not foes in selling and living in homes. First, stain removal. Whether it's mud tracked in, regurgitated-strange … (2 comments)

releasing your creativity - 04/22/10 02:26 PM
How many times have you heard someone say [maybe yourself?], "Oh, I'm just not a creative person"? I hate that people think they aren't creative! Everyone is created with creativity. It may not be a conventional sort of creativity...and it may not fit within the bounds of what is considered to be a certain kind of beauty. But you, yes YOU, have it! One of my favorite ways to practice this is painting. Painting can be an expensive hobby to start, but it doesn't have to be! Here is a quick tip: Michael's & Hobby Lobby generally always have canvases on … (0 comments)

10 ways to get connected to a community after a move - 04/21/10 05:02 PM
1. Join a small group at a church and attend regularly [You have to get past the initial awkwardness- no easy task!]
2. Meet your neighbors! Bring them cookies, wine, or just introduce yourself. 
3. Pursue a hobby & meet other people who like to do what you like to do!
4. Meet local business owners at the places you frequent. 
5. Take your pup for a walk. Dogs are good conversation starters!
6. Hold a barbeque in your backyard with new acquaintances! 
7. Invite people over for dinner & hire a baby sitter to watch the kids so you can … (4 comments)

what's in a wall? - 04/20/10 11:22 PM
What's in a wall? Especially an old, broken down wall....Well, i say a lot of character! My favorite spots to take clients to on photography jobs are great old walls with peeling paint and all. This wall for example:
 
 

 
Someone probably thinks this wall is trash...I guess the phrase "one man's trash is another man's treasure" holds true in this instance!
 
Anyhow, I love cool walls, and I think they "make" places. Exposed brick? Yes please. Probably a style preference, but to me, it's character...you can't recreate this stuff. That's what I love about it. Here's another … (5 comments)

pollen rain - 04/19/10 11:22 PM
I don't know about you people, but the pollen situation in College Station this year is a little out of control. I only thought there was a recent epidemic of green cars...then I realized they are all covered with pollen! The weather guys are saying that it is at a record setting amount of 3 1/2 times the normal amount! I wonder what effect this is having on spring time buyers. Perhaps they are scared away as their allergies flare up here worse than ever. The fact is, this is probably the worst place to live if you have allergies. But … (3 comments)

classic white, always right. - 04/17/10 10:25 AM
Amidst the changing styles and colors of wood from light to dark to medium, it becomes difficult to determine which one is best for the long haul. Dark wood is in for now, but ten years from now....who knows. An entire cabinetry renovation is a lot to do to keep up with the fads. There is a solution, though! The one color that reigns supreme as the most versatile and lasting trend...white. Classic, clean, crisp white. This one color can be part of a modern, contemporary, country, or traditional space. You really can't go wrong with white cabinetry! As the fashions … (0 comments)

staged for success - 04/15/10 11:23 PM
HGTV looms with shows that utilize staging a main technique for home sales. Is all this money that people pour into setting up a pretend home really worth it? Yes! Staged homes generally sell 32% faster than non staged homes (http://staging101.com/), and for 3-10% more! Worth it? I'd say so. Buyers need to see how a space functions to visualize living in it. It is all about selling a way of life or lifestyle in the way a home is set up. Things like baskets, candles, and baking cookies make a huge difference in the overall atmosphere or feel of a … (2 comments)

thoughts on color - 04/15/10 12:33 AM
Though most see painting as a stressful task that is not worth the time and money involved, it has the power to transform a room like few things do! Even just adding a splash of gray, which isn't even viewed as a color by some, can add a ton of life and personality to a room. All white can be overpowering, and a can of paint is just the trick, in my opinion. If you are renting, paint can sometimes become an issue because the renter is required to paint a room back to a certain color upon moving out. They … (3 comments)

An outbreak of photographers or "pho"tographers? - 04/13/10 05:01 PM
As the prices of SLR cameras continue to become more and more feasible for the average person to afford, there has been out break of self proclaimed photographers. Or should we call the "pho"tographers. These cameras are made to be dummy proof. Any person with a brain can point and shoot on auto-focus. What is happening to the art in this? People are hiring out any old person with a camera to shoot their weddings, families or homes. It's almost the new trend to be a photographer. In my opinion, we lose sight of a lot of talent because of this … (1 comments)

Her first room: Enough with the pink. - 04/12/10 09:46 PM
Baby rooms for little girls have been a hot topic in my life as of late. People seem to be either one of two extremes: -baby to the max with lace and frills that seem to choke me with a mere glance into the room, or -completely utilitarian, with no objects of interest to anyone that is 40 or 4 months.
Dear parents. It doesn't have to be that way! Baby rooms can be visually appealing and not pink! In fact, babies are drawn to beauty- not pink. I recently saw a baby girl's room that had tons of great design … (2 comments)

 
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James Murr, www.cortiersrealestate.com

College Station, TX

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Cortiers Real Estate

Address: 3600 Hwy 6 South , Ste 100, College Station, TX, 77845

Office Phone: (979) 985-5610

Cell Phone: (979) 739-7237

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About Bryan College Station real estate, the local market, buying and selling homes, etc. College Station Homes for sale and other College Station Real Estate. We are an advanced web marketing firm and work with a lot of buyers and sellers across Texas.


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