Ron's Lake Conroe Real Estate Blog

Lake Conroe waterfront rental

Ron Wickes (Keller Williams) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:30:01 -0500

Beautiful waterfront townhome rental available for immediate occupancy. (3/2.5/2) Open floorplan is perfect for lake front living!! Boatslip included with rental. This townhome is in an exclusive gated well maintained small complex. The setting is beautiful and serene. Screened in porch and the second floor screened balcony allow you to enjoy a beautiful waterfront panorama. Owner will add boatlift upon lease signing! Call today for a showing!! www.har.com MLS#84059546

Opportunity and faith or FEAR?

Ron Wickes (Keller Williams) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:13:38 -0500

The United States of America has, for a long time, been known as the land of opportunity. Our country has, since its' founding, provided opportunity for both immigrants and citizens alike. Yet without faith opportunity in most cases goes unfulfilled. Without faith opportunity goes wasted. Without opportunity and faith the dream dies. Withour faith fear wins. That I believe is one of the problems facing home buyers in today's market. The opportunity is there but the faith is not. Fear has replaced faith.

Home prices today are at lows we will probably never see again in our lifetime. The $8,000 first time home buyer's tax credit is there and may not be renewed. Yes the economy is not what it should be. Yes a little economic doubt still remains. And yes sometimes cautiousness is a plus. However faith and opportunity are bigger pluses.

I talk with potential buyers everyday and the most frequent thing I hear as to why they aren't buying now is "fear". Fear of losing their job, fear about what catastrophe will strike next. I almost never hear about opportunity or faith. Why is that?

Have we become the land of fear rather than the land of opportunity? Have we already accepted defeat rather than chancing the dream? Have we lost our faith in our own abilities? Have we lost our faith in our future?

Many of you maybe thinking that it is easy for me to sit here and preach and say do as I say and not as I do. Well I will tell you what. I seized the opportunity today. I took a leap of faith when everyone and I mean everyone says I am nuts to do this thing. That what I am doing will not payoff the way I hope it will. However I am going to seize the opportunity, take the chance and keep the faith. Is it easy? Heck no. I'm thinking right now "what have I done?". However, I will not let fear rule. I will keep the faith. I will believe that this is the land of opportunity. I will take the risk. I will take the chance no matter the outcome. I will never regret. I will succeed with what others say is impossible.

If you are a potential home buyer or seller why not do the same thing. Keep the faith and shed the fear. Remember this is the land of opportunity in all things.

Lake Conroe Real Estate Market Data

Ron Wickes (Keller Williams) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 09:44:02 -0500

We all love living around Lake Conroe. We love playing on the lake. We love playing in the lake. We all love living around the lake. However not even our love for the lake and all of the good things it entails can prevent a real estate price decrease. Yes even the homes prices around the lake we love have succumb to the decline in the real estate market. Both the average price and the median price for MLS area 39 around Lake Conroe have taken a big hit in 2009.

How much are prices down? They are down in excess of 7% in 2009 versus 2008. 7% seems like a big number to me. In terms of dollars that 7% represents over $18,000 in the average price of a home and over $14,000 in the median price. Those are pretty big numbers. Those are numbers that we cannot ignore both as agents and as sellers. Those are big numbers that as buyers and buyers agents that we cannot ignore either.

When you combine this price decrease with the $8,000 first time home buyers tax credit you have significant opportunity. This is opportunity that should not be lost. It is opportunity that may not appear for many years to come.

There is even opportunity for sellers in these numbers. As a seller you may have to take a little less for your current home than you hoped however you will also pay less for the new home you buy. Remember for every action there is an opposite and equal reaction.

The numbers shown below tell the whole story. The numbers shown are for January through July for 2007, 2008 and 2009. Yes most of the numbers are not good. However, when I look at all of the numbers available to me and graph and analyze them I do see hope. I firmly believe that the bottom in our real estate market has been hit. I see upticks in several areas around our beloved lake and in our county. That is good news.

So for those of you who have been waiting for the bottom of the market to buy, sorry but I believe you have missed it. I believe we are on the way up. I believe now is the time to buy and sell. I believe our greatest opportunity is NOW!

	MLS Area 39 Lake Conroe and the close surrounding area
	YTD SFR	Average	Median	Active		Months
	Unit Sls	Price	Price	Listings	DOM	Inv
MLS 39 '07	915	$227,827	$169,500	1017	98	7.7
MLS 39 '08	705	$254,024	$191,300	997	105	8.7
MLS 39 '09	664	$235,197	$176,500	903	108	10.2
07v09YTD+/-	(251)	$7,370	$7,000	(114)	10	3
07v09YTD+/-%	-27.43%	3.23%	4.13%	-11.21%	10.20%	32.47%
08vs09YTD+/-	(41)	(18,827)	(14,800)	(94)	3	2
08v09YTD+/-%	-5.82%	-7.41%	-7.74%	-9.43%	2.86%	17.24%

If you have any questions please drop me an email. If you want to buy or sell some real estate please give me a call.

Thanks and have a great day.

Ron

Credit disputes affecting mortgages?

Ron Wickes (Keller Williams) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:33:12 -0500

Fannie Mae, which as most of you know operates in the secondary mortgage market, apparently has recently instituted some new guidelines concerning disputed items on a person's credit report. Fannie Mae will no longer issue a preapproval for mortgage applications when the applicant's credit report shows a disputed item. In order to receive a preapproval the credit report must be free of any disputed items plus meet all of the other normal Fannie Mae criteria. The disputed items must be removed from dispute or totally removed before Fannie Mae will even consider the application for preapproval. It is not known if this new guideline will affect Freddie Mac preapprovals or is just a temporary guideline on the part of Fannie Mac. This is a major detriment to an already beleaguered mortgage market.

If you are in the market for a new home please make sure that there are no items on your credit report that are under dispute. Also please remember to NEVER dispute an item on your credit report via the internet. When you dispute an item on-line under the law you relinquish some very basic credit rights.

Please remember that today your credit report has an impact on almost an unbelievable part of your life. Review it often. Also please remember that the credit score numbers the credit bureaus show you are not the same ones a mortgage banker or auto dealer sees. They can all be different.

If you have any questions please send me an email.

Thanks and have a great day.

Ron

Saturday 8/29

Ron Wickes (Keller Williams) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 21:07:54 -0500

Please don't forget that Saturday, 8/29 from 9:00 until noon the Conroe Family YMCA will be offering free SCUBA diving introductions. This marks the start of the official Conroe Family YMCA SCUBA program. This is your chance to try something you not normally do.

The first Open Water Diver Certification class starts on Septmber 4th.

Come by the Y Saturday and try it!! You just might like it!!

Have a great day!!

Ron

Conroe Family YMCA SCUBA

Ron Wickes (Keller Williams) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 11:00:52 -0500

On Saturday, August 29th from 9:00AM until 12:00PM the Conroe Family YMCA will be offering a free Introduction to SCUBA diving. All you need to bring is your swimsuit and a towel. Go to the YMCA swimming pool anytime during those three hours and you will receive a safety and equipment briefing. After the briefing an experienced SCUBA instructor from WW Diving in Humble will help you to experience the thrill of SCUBA diving. Ages 12 and up only please.

The first Open Water SCUBA Certification class to be offered by the Conroe Family YMCA will start on Friday, September 4th. Please email me for more information on this exciting new program being offered by your local YMCA.

Dive safe and dive often!!

Ron

SCHOOL!!!

Ron Wickes (Keller Williams) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:19:41 -0500

It is that time again. It is time again for the start of school. It is time again for the kids to rise from their bed at a "to early hour". It is time again to promise not to talk on our cell phones or text message or do any of those distracting things we do while driving through a school zone or in our neighborhoods. It is time again for us parents and in my case grandparents to start brushing up on our homework skills.

It is time again to remind you of some helpful websites you may need for this coming school year. Here is a few that may come in handy.

http://www.willisisd.org/

http://www.conroeisd.net/

http://www.misd.org/

http://www.infoplease.com/homework/

http://school.discoveryeducation.com/homeworkhelp/homework_help_home.html

http://www.slco.lib.ut.us/kidhelp.htm

http://www.tea.state.tx.us/

Please remember you can "google" almost anything.

I hope you have a great day!!

Ron

Market Data - Conroe MLS area 19

Ron Wickes (Keller Williams) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 09:59:56 -0500

Here is the market data for the first six months of 2009 for MLS area 19 in Montgomery County. MLS area 19 includes the City of Conroe and its' immediate area. As with MLS area 15 I have compared the numbers for 2007, 2008 and 2009. The numbers are not pretty. In fact some of you may even call them down right ugly. I will not say that I disagree.

What do the numbers show? The numbers show that it is time to buy, buy, buy and buy some more. With prices down and listings down I do not believe that you will find a better time to buy. If you add in to this equation the $8,000 first time buyers tax credit and the recession ending ( according to many top notch economists) I do not believe that you will find a better market in which to purchase a home. Here are the numbers:

	MLS Area 19 City of Conroe and the immediate area.
	YTD SFR	Average	Median	Active		Months
	Unit Sales	Price	Price	Listings	DOM	Inv
MLS 19 '07	610	$138,235	$115,000	596	72	5.8
MLS 19 '08	475	$132,019	$111,870	581	91	6.7
MLS 19 '09	335	$133,632	$107,250	456	95	6.5
07v09YTD+/-	(275)	($4,603)	($7,750)	(140)	23	0.7
07v09YTD+/-%	-45.08%	-3.33%	-6.74%	-23.49%	31.94%	12.07%
08vs09YTD+/-	(140)	$1,613	($4,620)	(125)	4	(0.20)

08v09YTD+/-%	-29.47%	1.22%	-4.13%	-21.51%	4.40%	-2.99%

Please do not hesitate to buy. Call your realtor today and take advantage of this soon to be over down market.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to shot me an email.

Thanks and have a great day!!

Ron

PS Hopefully the chart fits correctly this time.

The Woodlands Market Data - MLS Area 15

Ron Wickes (Keller Williams) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 14:56:29 -0500

Do you remember the sight your eyes beheld when you walked out of your front door after Hurricane Ike had torn its' way through our county? It was not a pretty picture. Trees down, roofs torn off, no electricity or gas, flooded areas and who wants to remember what else looked bad. However if you take a look around now you will see that things have returned to normal. We have recovered and our property has recovered. All things are back to normal. Please remember that as you read on. Things are back to normal now.

You will find below the important single family residence sales numbers for the first six months of 2007, 2008 and 2009. These numbers are for MLS area 15, The Woodlands and west to the county line. You will also find a comparison for 2007 vs 2009 and for 2008 vs 2009. These numbers are not pretty. They remind me of the aftermath of Hurricane Ike. However as I stated before, things do return to normal. Please remember that as you look at these numbers.

Is there good news? Yes there is." Buy now" is the new motto. With lower prices and the $8,000 tax credit you cannot afford to pass up this "perfect storm BUY NOW opportunity". Remember we are flourishing after Hurricane Ike and we will weather this real estate storm and flourish again.

Here are the numbers for January through June 2007, 2008 and 2009:

	MLS Area 15 The Woodlands west to the county line.
	YTD SFR	Average	Median	Active		Months
	Unit Sales	Price	Price	Listings	DOM	Inventory
MLS Area 15 2007	2,211	$271,415	$204,000	1,641	70	4.3
MLS Area 15 2008	1,858	$286,137	$210,000	1,733	75	5.0
MLS Area 15 2009	1,447	$272,853	$212,000	1,669	83	6.3
2007vs2009YTD +/-	(764)	$1,438	$8,000	28	13	2.0
2007vs2009YTD +/- %	-34.55%	0.53%	3.92%	1.71%	18.57%	46.51%
2008vs2009YTD +/-	(411)	($13,284)	$2,000	(64)	8	1.3
2008vs2009YTD +/- %	-22.12%	-4.64%	0.95%	-3.69%	10.67%	26.00%

If you have any comments or questions on these numbers please send me an email. I will cover the other three county MLS areas and the county as a whole in the next few days.

Thanks and have a GREAT day and

Ron

June sales numbers are out!!

Ron Wickes (Keller Williams) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:56:34 -0500

The June home sales numbers have just hit the street. I will have the full report in a couple of days. The first thing I looked at was the average sales price for all four MLS ares encompassing Montgomery County. The average sales price for June was down from May in three of the four MLS areas in our county. That basically means the buyers are out there but they are buying the properly priced homes and not those that are overpriced.

Please remember that your home is only worth what the market says and not what you think. Pricing your home to high in the beginning with the attitude that "there is a sucker born every minute" and someone will overpay for it is a poor move. I believe the June numbers will show us that.

Have a great day and more later on the June sales numbers!!

Ron

Conroe YMCA goes SCUBA!!!

Ron Wickes (Keller Williams) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 15:28:21 -0500

The Conroe Family YMCA in conjunction with WW Diving Co. of Humble is pleased to announce a full scuba diving program!! This program will offer classes in Open Water SCUBA certification, Snorkeling and SCUBA Skills Update. The SCUBA skills update class is for those who already have their SCUBA certification card but have not been diving in over six months. YMCA membership is not a requirement for class attendance. It is hoped that in the future the program will expand to include classes in EAN-Nitrox, Stress & Rescue and other advanced SCUBA courses. All classes are held at the Conroe Family YMCA.

This is a great step forward for the community and the YMCA. With our proximity to the Gulf of Mexico and the world famous Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary this is a prime opportunity for anyone interested in learning to scuba dive. Scuba diving is a sport for a lifetime.

If you have any questions please give me a call!

Have a great day! Dive safe and dive often!

Please remember the Conroe Family YMCA has a wide variety of activities for young and old alike!!

Montgomery County YTD Market Report

Ron Wickes (Keller Williams) — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 16:19:15 -0500

Montgomery County's single family residence (SFR) year-to-date sales numbers for the first two months of 2009 are not pretty. In fact you might just say they are ugly. In fact you can probably say they are down right ugly. Okay I said it they are down right ugly. So let's all gag now get over it and get on with a new and refreshed attitude. It is getting better!!! Here are the numbers.

	YTD SFR	Average	Median	Active	DOM	Months
MLS	Unit Sales +/-	Price +/-	Price +/-	Listings +/-	+/-	Inv. +/-
15	(170)	($6,863)	($10,000)	(25)	13	1.2
19	(9)	$12,605	$8,520	(110)	5	(0.3)
39	(17)	($58,343)	($41,700)	(58)	(2)	2.0
40	(32)	$1,506	($8,750)	(48)	10	0.6
County	(228)			(241)
	MLS Area YTD SFR % +/-			County YTD SFR % +/-
	MLS 15	-34.48%		-27.47%
	MLS 19	-7.63%
	MLS 39	-11.41%
	MLS 40	-45.71%

Please remember that when you are looking for Lake Conroe Real Estate.........call me.

Thanks and have a great day!

Ron

February Quick Snapshot

Ron Wickes (Keller Williams) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:46:35 -0500

Happy St. Patrick;s Day!!

The February numbers just came out today. What does a quick snapshot show for Montgomery County?

Hotness ratio stays level.

Monthly Single Family Residence Unit sales tick upward.

Average and Median prices tick upward.

The number of Active Listings rise.

Days on the market drop.

Months Inventory rise slightly.

These are all county wide numbers. I will add that it appears that MLS area 15 (The Woodlands and west to the county line) did take a beating. A big beating unfortunately.

I will have more information after I digest the full fifty page report.

I may also have some comments after I check my crystal ball.

Thanks and have a great day!! And please do not forget if you

are looking for Lake Conroe real estate please call me!!

Ron

$8,000 just in case you forgot

Ron Wickes (Keller Williams) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 13:47:27 -0500

Do not forget about the First-time Home Buyer Tax Credit

Take advantage of it today!!!

Who:

•• First-time home buyers or anyone who has not owned a principal residence in 3 years previous to purchase

Amount:

•• $8,000 Tax Credit

•• Can be claimed on buyer's 2008 federal tax return using Form 5405

Purpose:

•• To encourage first-time home buyers to purchase; to reduce larger-than-normal inventories of homes for sale

Provisions:

•• Must be a primary residence

•• Does not have to repay unless home is sold within three years of purchase

•• To earn full tax credit, income (adjusted gross) cannot exceed $75,000 single or $150,000 joint

•• Eligible Homes:

•• All single family residences/condos/co-ops/townhomes

Effective Date:

•• Jan. 1, 2009 - Dec. 1, 2009

Use it today. Please send me an email if you have any questions about the program. And please do not forget to call me if you are interested in Lake Conroe real estate.

Have a great day!!

Ron

PS The sun is back!!!!

Pros and Cons of Condos

Ron Wickes (Keller Williams) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 15:38:16 -0500

We have a fair number of condos in my market area. Consequently I think about them often. If you are thinking about buy on here are some things put together by the National Association of Realtors that you should keep in mind.

Storage. Some condos have storage lockers, but usually there are no attics or basements to store belongings.
Outdoor space. Yards and outdoor areas are usually smaller in condos, so if you like to garden or entertain outdoors, this may not be a good fit. However, if you hate yard work, this may be the perfect option for you.
Amenities. Many condo properties have swimming pools, fitness centers, and other facilities that would be very expensive in a single-family home.
Maintenance. Many condos have on-site maintenance personnel to care for common areas, do repairs in your unit, and let in workers when you're not home.
Security. Many condos have keyed entries and or even door attendants. Plus, you'll be closer to other people in case of an emergency.
Reserve funds and association fees. Although fees generally help pay for amenities and provide savings for future repairs, you will have to pay the fees agreed to by the condo board, whether or not you're interested in the amenity or not.
Resale. The ease of selling your unit is more dependent on what else is for sale in your building, since units are usually fairly similar. Single-family homes usually are more individual.
Freedom. Although you have a vote, the rules of the condo association can affect your ability to use your property. For example, some condos prohibit home-based businesses. Others prohibit pets. Read the covenants, restrictions, and bylaws of the condo carefully before you make an offer.
Proximity. You're much closer to your neighbors in a condo or townhouse. If possible, try to meet your closest prospective neighbors before making a decision.

I am not saying these items should or should not influence your decision about buying a condo versus a single family residence but rather are just things to keep in mind.

Please remember if you are thinking about Lake Conroe real estate please give me a call!

Have a great day!

Ron

Time to go to work!

Ron Wickes (Keller Williams) — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 14:25:10 -0600

Spring is here! The weather is fantastic! Taken together those two things mean it is time for spring cleanup work. What are some things that you can do cheaply that will enhance the value and look of your home? Consider these ten easy and worthwhile ideas.

1- Look at your front door. Does it need painting or possibly replacing? This one simple thing can make a huge difference in the look of your home.

2- Have you looked at your garage lately? Why not paint the walls, organize the clutter or paint the floor. Remember it is not a big storage room room but rather an addition to your home designed to garage your valuable vehicles.

3- Plant some seed or grass sprigs and add some color by planting some cheap annual flowers. This combined with a refurbished front door will make your home seem brand new.

4- Put some inexpensive wood trin around your interior windows. This simple work will add some elegance to those otherwise plain metal or vinyl windows.

5- Replace a couple of bathroom or kitchen fixtures. If you take a few minutes to check out the selection of faucets at our favorite home repair store you might be amazed at how cheap they are. Depending on your skills you might want to consider calling a plumber.

6- Pick one room in your house and paint the whole room. Just one room. You will be amazed at how you feel and how the room looks.

7- Lighting will make a huge difference in your home. Consider putting dimmers on strategic switches in your home. This simple procedure can make a wonderful difference in the ambiance of your home. Please turn off the power to that circuit before starting this job!!

8- Think about professionally cleaning the carpet or hardwood floors in your home. This is probably not as expensive as you think.

9- Rearrange two rooms in your home. Try moving the furniture, pictures, mirrors, and other items in these rooms. A look for these rooms may just give you a new attitude.

10- Forget all of the above and go play golf, go shopping or go fishing. Your spouse may not like you but you will feel better.......at least until you get home.

Please remember that if you are thinking about Lake Conroe real estate give me a call.

Have a great weekend.

Ron

Open House 2505 Amy Lee

Ron Wickes (Keller Williams) — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 12:17:43 -0600

This Sunday, March 8th, I will be hosting an open house at 2505 Amy Lee Dr. in Conroe. This wonderful home is located in the Canyon Creek subdivision located off Longmire Rd. between North Loop 336 and FM 3083.

MLS number 39913947 at www.har.com

This home features unrivaled versatility with the retreat area and floor plan this home offers. With high ceilings, an open floorplan, tile, carpet, metal accented travertine backsplash this home offers elegance in a family friendly home. The island kitchen will serve as the center piece for this entertainment friendly abode. The retreat area would serve a couple working from home couple great. This truly is the perfect home for all!

So please when your are out and about this Sunday stop buy and say "HI".

Have a great day!!

Ron

Market Report 2007 - 2008 The Woodlands - MLS area 15

Ron Wickes (Keller Williams) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 09:48:11 -0600

For these next four blogs I am going to show you data for each of the four MLS areas that make up Montgomery County. The data will cover 2007 and 2008. It will let you see the progression of the market over the last to years. I think you will find it interesting.

Please note that the hotness ratio is pending sales as a percentage of active listings at the end of the month. It may be viewed as a perdicter of sales to come. SFR is single family residence.

If you have any questions please send me an email.

The numbers below are for MLS area 15 from the Houston Association of Realtors MLS system. It basically covers The Woodlands and its' environs west to the county line. A map of this MLS area may be viewed at www.har.com. Here's the data.

2007 Data	Hotness	Month SFR	Average	Median	Active		Months
MLS-15	Ratio	Unit Sales	Price	Price	Listings	DOM	Inventory
Jan	14.4	250	$253,026	$179,950	1,418	76	3.7
Feb	15.1	286	$275,248	$197,450	1,504	85	3.9
March	17.2	368	$257,699	$197,400	1,612	74	4.3
April	17.3	353	$255,026	$195,000	1,698	61	4.5
May	18.2	462	$286,302	$220,460	1,746	66	4.6
June	15.2	496	$288,296	$213,310	1,865	66	4.9
July	18.6	437	$295,065	$230,000	1,786	60	4.8
August	15.6	496	$298,972	$217,950	1,768	66	4.7
Sept	17.1	294	$296,152	$226,150	1,740	71	4.7
Oct	12.8	311	$269,443	$200,000	1,757	71	4.8
Nov	11.7	291	$256,251	$199,560	1,654	76	4.5
Dec	11.9	312	$288,020	$197,200	1,522	84	4.2

2008 Data	Hotness	Month SFR	Average	Median	Active		Months
MLS-15	Ratio	Unit Sales	Price	Price	Listings	DOM	Inventory
Jan	13.2	222	$264,022	$188,000	1,576	82	4.4
Feb	12.6	275	$259,157	$192,700	1,602	75	4.5
March	11.9	312	$289,462	$214,800	1,714	84	4.8
April	14.9	293	$291,026	$204,950	1,796	74	5.2
May	13.6	363	$296,889	$220,450	1,810	67	5.3
June	12.3	417	$304,065	$230,000	1,898	72	5.7
July	13.2	375	$320,544	$225,190	1,854	69	5.7
August	12.7	384	$282,771	$211,000	1,781	68	5.6
Sept	6.8	229	$316,102	$223,000	1,650	83	5.3
Oct	9.2	231	$255,649	$191,830	1,630	83	5.3
Nov	9.3	174	$248,163	$192,600	1,582	76	5.3
Dec	9.6	217	$259,101	$189,900	1,451	89	5.0

Have a great day and if you have any questions please send me an email!

Ron

$799,000,000.00

Ron Wickes (Keller Williams) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 14:31:21 -0600

Normally I try and keep my blog posts restricted to real estate and credit related subjects. However today I just cannot do that. I believe we as a society have some of our leisure time priorities wrong. I am talking about sports. Now do not get me wrong I like sports. I have coached soccer, basketball and baseball. Golf and scuba diving are my two favorite sports and leisure time activities. Watching football and baseball are at times enjoying to me. However this year I think I am going to stop watching professional sports and attending some games. Why you ask. Well let me recite some numbers.

400+ million

100 million

200 million

45 million

54 million

And the list goes on and on and on..... What are these numbers?

Well first of all they are all dollars; U.S. dollars. They are not the Thai baht that is worth less than three U.S. cents. These are real U.S. dollars currently being written about in our sports pages. You probably thought I was talking about the recently passed stimulus bill.

The NY Yankees committed over $400,000,000.00 (that is a lot of zeros) to three, yes only three, free agent players this past winter. The Washington Redskins just agreed to pay one man, yes only one, $100,000,000.00 (still more zeros). The National Basketball Association just borrowed $200,000,000.00 to give to teams that needed some extra cash. $45,000,000.00 is what Big Manny wants from the LA Dodgers for two years. $54,000,000.00 is what the Washington Redskins will shell out to one man.

Now I am not a socialist and I do not begrudge anyone all of the money they can earn. Well maybe right now I begrudge even one penny to those Wall Street Warren Buffet wannabes who want to lose hundreds of billions of dollars and still get huge bonuses. But normally I am a get-all-you-can type guy. I had better add to that get-all-you-can as long as it is legal and doesn't hurt anyone except maybe the opposing quarterback.

I'm sorry but something is wrong when we use these numbers to talk sports and not education or other worthwhile pursuits. And guess what? That is your money. Yep, your money and my money that these leagues and people get from you via television, game attendance, shirt purchases, sneaker purchases etc etc etc. We are the ones paying those salaries and making those loans.

Maybe it is time to stop and rethink our priorities. Maybe it is time to explain to our kids or in my case grandson, why we will not be going to a major league baseball game this summer. Maybe it is time to spend that $200 we would spend at the ballpark on can goods for the local food pantry that is currently hurting for food. Maybe I will spend more time with my grandson fishing and talking about doing for others. Maybe it is time to change my own priorities. Maybe it is time for this nation to change its' priorities.

Have a great day!! I promise back to real estate on Monday..

620 or bust

Ron Wickes (Keller Williams) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 15:52:51 -0600

"Go west young man"

"Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country"

"Walk softly but carry a big stick"

These phrases have all been famous at some point in our country's history. Now we have a new famous catch phrase that may with us for a while. What is the new phrase you ask.

620 or BUST!

That is correect. 620 or bust. 620 is now the lowest credit score that will be accepted for FHA loans. That is what we have been told. No more 580 and up. Those days are apparently gone. The new threshold is now 620. And remember if you want the best interest rate you had better be at 721 or above.

Is it now worth it to spend between $995 and $1,495 in order to get your credit cleaned up and get the lowest interest rate and if you qualify as a first time home buyer get an $8,000 tax credit? Only you can decide that but it doesn't sound like much of a decision to me.

If you have questions about repairing your credit, the tax credit or real estate please send me an email.

Have a great day and remember go west young person but go only with a 620 or better!

Ron

Will you qualify if the credit markets loosen?

Ron Wickes (Keller Williams) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 11:17:36 -0600

Did you see the article in the business section of the Houston Chronicle on Wednesday entitled More Credit, but not for all? The author of the article was interviewing Nariman Behravesh, the chief economist of IHS Global Insight. IHS is a Lexington, Ma. based research firm.

When asked if the current tight credit conditions would be easing Mr. Behravesh said yes he thought they would. However Mr. Behravesh was quick to point while that he felt mortgages, auto loans and other loans would become easier to get it would only be for those whose credit score is good. If your credit score is not good he was quick to say that credit will probably still not be available.

What is a good credit score? I wish I could get a definitive answer to that question. We know that to get the best conventional mortgage interest rates you need to be above 720. I have no idea what it takes to get an auto loan. What I do know though is that in order to get good mortgage rates, credit card rates, etc. your score needs to be high, as high as you can get it. Think about all of the money of the money you are wasting because of your mediocre to low credit scores. Think about not qualifying for your dream home mortgage. Think that money and those dreams going down the drain and then think about getting your credit score restored and your dreams restored. Fix your credit yourself or get it fixed for you. That in my opinion is today's reality.

Have a great day!!

Ron

Commit to the Vision!

Ron Wickes (Keller Williams) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 14:06:43 -0600

Reading self-improvement books is a daily habit of mine. These books help fuel my dreams and keep me focused on my daily, monthly and long term goals. As I was rereading one of my favorite books today a particular passage caught my eye. The passage made me think of tentative home buyers and sellers. This particular passage read "A committed heart does not wait for conditions to be exactly right. Why? Because conditions are never exactly right. ...... He has put the vision in you - proceed." Please notice the words vision and proceed. These are big words; they say a lot and most likely if you are reading this they apply to you.

You have the vision, the dream. You have the vision of a new, bigger, smaller, fancier, closer to work, in the country, in the city, second, third, investment, on-the-lake, oceanfront or whatever home. A home you do not have now but a home you have the vision of owning. The vision is clear. The vision is in your minds eye. It is there and it will not go away. The vision is committed in your subconscious, but have you consciously committed to the vision?

Are you doing something everyday to make the vision a reality? You may answer that question by saying something like "are you kidding me"." Buy a home in today's economy?" "You're nuts!" No, I am not nuts. I understand your tentativeness as regards the real estate market however I do not agree with it. In my little corner of the world it is a great time to buy or sell a home. Values have not come down in the last two years. In fat in one area by me they were up about 7% in 2008 over 2007. Yes it does take longer to sell a home and unit sales have fallen but values have not. It may not be the same in your little corner of the world I know that. But it will not always be that way. However you are the client, you make the decisions and I only consult and advise. So what am I advising? I am advising you "COMMIT TO THE VISION"! I do not care about the circumstances I am advising "COMMIT TO THE VISION"!

If you are buying, COMMIT TO THE VISION, by checking your credit score, getting credit restoration if necessary; get your credit score as high as possible, save an extra $1.00 dollar a day towards closing costs or save an extra $5.00 a day for that down payment. Talk with your realtor about areas, schools, subdivisions, the number of bedrooms and bats you require, HOA fees, transfer fees, termite inspections, home inspections and on and on. Talk with your mortgage banker about interest rates, origination fees versus a little higher interest rate, discount points, conventional versus FHA loans, VA loans, credit score requirements and on and on and on. Select and consult with your chosen professional now. Do something everyday to COMMIT TO THE VISION.

If you are selling, COMMIT TO THE VISION, by caulking every crack in your home, repainting the room that really needs it, trimming the trees, putting a border on that peeling mirror, choose your listing realtor now, have your realtor walk your house with you now and discuss needed repairs and staging, clean the gutters, clean the closets or save $5.00 a day for moving expenses. Discuss home warranties, proper pricing, showing requirements, good buyers, bad buyers and on and on and on. Select and consult with your chosen professional now. Do something everyday to COMMIT TO THE VISION.

As the passage I mentioned earlier said "He has put the vision in you - proceed." Proceed by committing to the vision. I know you will find great reward with that commitment.

Have a great day!!

Ron

Montgomery County, TX 2008 SFR Real Estate Review

Ron Wickes (Keller Williams) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 11:01:19 -0600

Today I just finished mailing to my database the Executive Summary to my 2008 Montgomery County Single Family Residence Review. The actual report is 42 pages in length and shows all of the important data for 2008 as compared to 2007. The report really is not a shocker by any means. Unit sales were down just over 20% for 2008 versus 2007. However the good news is that the average sales price and median sales price for the four MLS areas that comprise our county held steady and in some cases were up. We really saw no price deterioration in our county. That is great news as far as I am concerned.

In really looking at the numbers I think I even saw some positive trends developing towards the end of the year. I have no idea if those upward spirals will continue but do feel that we will know shortly. Let's all say a prayer that we see a unit sales increase this year. IF you would like a copy of the report send me an email. Here is the summary. Have a great day. Ron

Montgomery County Single Family Residence Real Estate Review - Executive Summary

This Executive Summary is part of a forty-two page report. The complete report may be obtained by contacting me at ronwickes@kw.com.

MLS Area 15 - The Woodlands area and west to the county line

Single Family Residence (SFR) unit sales were down 893 units or 20.53% in 2008 versus 2007. Yet even with this sales decline the average sales price increased $6,948 and the median price increased a minor $600. The average number of homes for sale on the active market stayed about the same and followed the same patterns as 2007. There was only a minor increase of twenty-two homes in this category. The average days on the market increased an average of six days per sale for 2008 versus 2007. The average home took 76 days to sell in 2008. Although values appeared to hold and it only took about a week longer to sell a home in this MLS area the sales decline did result in a higher average "months inventory" figure. This figure increased a little over half a month from 4.5 months average inventory for 2007 versus 5.2 months average inventory for 2008.

Overall MLS area 15 appeared to handle our decreased market in a fairly stable manner.

MLS Area 19 - Conroe and the eastern parts of Willis

Single Family Residence (SFR) unit sales were down 215 units or 19.06% in 2008 versus 2007. Yet even with this sales decline the average sales price decreased a hardly noticeable $35 and the median price decreased only $500. The average number of homes for sale on the active market stayed about the same and followed the same patterns as 2007. There was only a minor decrease of forty-five homes in this category. The average days on the market increased an average of thirteen days per sale for 2008 versus 2007. The average home took 91 days to sell in 2008. Although values appeared to hold and it only took about two weeks longer to sell a home in this MLS area the sales decline did result in a higher average "months inventory" figure. This figure increased a little over three quarters of a month from 5.9 months average inventory for 2007 versus 6.7 months average inventory for 2008. Overall MLS area 19 appeared to handle our decreased market in an okay manner.

MLS Area 39 - Lake Conroe, Montgomery and west Willis

Single Family Residence (SFR) unit sales were down 379 units or 25.44% in 2008 versus 2007. Yet even with this sales decline the average sales price increased a whopping $18,451 and the median price increased a huge $17,270. Although I can not say for sure I will hazard a guess that waterfront sales had an impact on these numbers. The average number of homes for sale on the active market stayed about the same and followed the same patterns as 2007. There was only a minor decrease of eighteen homes in this category. The average days on the market increased four days per sale for 2008 versus 2007. The average home took 101 days to sell in 2008. Although values appeared to hold and it only took about half a week longer to sell a home in this MLS area the sales decline did result in a higher average "months inventory" figure. This figure increased one and a half months from 7.7 months average inventory for 2007 to 9.2 months average inventory for 2008. Overall MLS area 39 took the most serious beating in 2008 yet average and median sales prices increased. Although I do not have the data to prove it I do believe that waterfront and prime water view properties had a heavy influence on these numbers.

MLS Area 40 - East Montgomery County

Single Family Residence (SFR) unit sales were down 116 units or 19.50% in 2008 versus 2007. Yet even with this sales decline the average sales price increased $1,004 and the median price increased $3,800. The average number of homes for sale on the active market stayed about the same and followed the same patterns as 2007. There was only a minor increase of four homes in this category. The average days on the market increased an average of twenty-four days per sale for 2008 versus 2007. The average home took 99 days to sell in 2008. Although values appeared to hold and it took about a month longer to sell a home in this MLS area the sales decline did result in a higher average "months inventory" figure. This figure increased a little over half a month from 6.5 months average inventory for 2007 versus 7.6 months average inventory for 2008. Overall MLS area 40 appeared to handle our decreased market in a fairly good manner.

Montgomery County Summary and Outlook

County wide SFR sales were down 21.20% in 2008 versus 2007 and down 24.4% from 2006. Yet if you look at some of the year end numbers in detail you may see some signs of a possible loosening in our market. It will probably take another month or two to see if these slight upward indicators hold true or not. County wide active listings are at their lowest level since before January, 2007. In the last four months of 2008, months of inventory dropped one month from a high of 7.8 to its' end of December, 2008 reading of 6.8.With this drop in inventory, historically low interest rates and pent up demand is it possible that we have seen the bottom and are now on the way up again? Only a couple of more months will answer that question. Please contact me for a copy of the full report, with any questions you may have and of course with referrals of people you know who are interested in buying or selling real estate. Have a GREAT DAY!

"You never know where the bottom of the market is until it has passed"

2008 Data
Current Month Data	Year-to-Date Data
Dec	YTD SFR	Average	Median	Active		Months
MLS	Unit Sales	Price	Price	Listings	DOM	Inv.
15	3,457	$285,628	$207,500	1,695	76	5.2
19	913	$134,601	$112,000	554	91	6.7
39	1,111	$245,052	$186,270	980	101	9.2
40	479	$149,521	$137,300	338	99	7.6
Cty	5,960			3,567

Lake Conroe Hydrilla

Ron Wickes (Keller Williams) — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 16:31:50 -0600

I ran into a friend of mine on Saturday who works for the San Jacinto River Authority. I ask him how the hydrilla situation was and what it might be like this coming summer. He said that with as many weed fish that are currently in the lake that we should not have a problem for five to ten years. Good news. Please realize that this is not an official statment from the SJRA but rather a disclosure from what might be called a "deep cover source". How's that for Washington DC speak?

Anyway I thought that was great news. He did mention that with that many weed eating fish in the lake that the lack of weeds does affect other water fowl. They are affected because of a lack or loss of suitable habitat. For every action there is an opposite and equal reaction.

Safe boating!!

Ron

Our Economic Crisis - The WHY!

Ron Wickes (Keller Williams) — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:40:08 -0600

Did you ever wonder how our economy got in the mess it is today? We all listen to CNN, Foxnews, the sage old male talking news anchor, the young pretty blonde up and coming news anchor, the fat bald loud politically active male and tall slender blonde political active female and they all blame a different person or group of people.

But are these the people we should be listening too? Are they the ones who really know what happened to our economy? What do the really smart people have to say about what caused this horrendous mess we find ourselves living with? Where are the really smart people so that we can hear or read about what they think? I think I may have found these smart people.

I was doing some reading today on this subject and started following some links. You know how it works, you start at A and think the link goes to B and you end up at R instead. But lo and behold I think I found the smart people who can tell us what really happened. Who are they? They are The Brookings Institution. I have heard of them before. They are the eggheads and the geeks. They are smart. Maybe they have the answer as to what happened to our economy. Today they just published a paper entitled The Origins of the Financial Crisis. I just read the three page summary and have printed the entire forty-five page report which I will review tonight. It may be boring but it should also be good. I wonder if President Obama or anyone else in Washington will read this paper from The Brookings Institution? Probably not as they will all be out with the lobbyist. I will put the link to the three page summary below just in case you would like to read it. At the top of the first page of the summary is the download logo which will give you the entire report.

Oh you want me to summarize the summary? Okay here goes it only takes two words. Stupidity and greed. Yep that's all, just those two words. Read the three page summary it really is interesting and tells us how much we can't trust Wall Street or our local banker.

Here is the link: http://www.brookings.edu/papers/2008/11_orgins_crisis_baily_litan.aspx

Have a great day!!

Ron