The immediate Conroe area did not fare well in 20011 single family residence unit sales versus 2010. Let take a quick look at this MLS area and see what the 2011 number showed.

MLS area 19: The City of Conroe and the immediate surrounding area.

Single family residence unit sales in this MLS area took a little beating in 2011 versus 2010. Unit sales dropped 9.84% from 2010. The average price and median price pretty much held steady increasing less than 1%. I will hazard a guess that the unit sales drop was due to two factors. The first factor was a drop in foreclosures and the second factor a drop in new home starts and sales in this MLS area. Active listings dropped 7.7% while average days on the market increased from 89 to 95. End of the year inventory stood at 6.4 months. This last number indicates a good neutral market with no particular seller or buyer advantage.

Have a great day!!

Ron                                                                                          

www.ronwickes.com

www.lakeconroegroup.com

How did The Woodlands and its' MLS area fare in single family residence unit sales in 2011 versus 2010? Not bad considering all of the economic factors at play this past year. Plus let's not forget all of those politicians playing please let me be your presidential nominee. Who knows what impact that had on anything. Here is your quick look.

MLS area 15: Woodlands, Oak Ridge, Shenandoah, The and west to the county line.

This MLS area enjoyed a pretty good year in 2011. Unit sales for 2011 vs 2010 were up 6.84%. The average sale price increased 2.1%. That is about what I expect the average sales price increase to be over the next couple of years barring an unexpected turn of events. The median sales price dropped 1.9% indicating that cheaper homes were selling better than more expensive ones. The number of active listings dropped about 8.3% which probably helped lift the average sales price with fewer homes being available. Days on the market dropped which was also helped by fewer homes being actively listed. At the end of December there was 6 months inventory available. The average inventory for the year was 6.1 months. This indicates a neutral market for both buyers and sellers. Overall 2011 was a pretty good year for this area.

If you would like more information about this report or if I can help you buy or sell a home in this area please let me know.

Thanks and have a great day.                                            

Ron

www.ronwickes.com

www.lakeconroegroup.com

Here is the latest lake report from the San Jacinto River Authority. We are expecting more rain this weekend also. 

Lake Conroe’s Level Rebounds
By: Blake Kellum
Lake Conroe Division Manager
January 10, 2012
After Mondays 2 to 4 inches of rainfall, on an already sodden watershed, Lake Conroe’s level has risen approximately ¾ of a foot to elevation 193.79 msl. These winter storms are crucial to recharging the lake, as much as possible, before we dry out again during the spring and summer months.
For those of you with boats beached on the reservoir, now is the time to be diligent in tending to your vessels so that they do not float away because of the rising waters. Adjustments should be made to mooring ropes on any vessels tied up in slips; as too much slack can allow them to bang around and ultimately cause damage to the watercraft and slip. Montgomery County Pct. 1 Lake Patrol Officers have responded to several calls regarding missing and damaged watercraft after this welcomed rainfall event.
More rain is in the forecast for the coming weekend and if we are lucky it will fall in Lake Conroe’s watershed in amounts significant enough to continue the upward trend. The SJRA will be monitoring these events in hopes of seeing the lake come back to full by summer.

Have a great day!

Ron

www.ronwickes.com

www.lakeconroegroup.com

It is that time of the year again when homeowners are starting to think about remodeling projects. In many cases it is because they are thinking about selling their home in the near future. With this in mind HouseLogic.com recently rated the seven best home improvement projects along with the respective Return on Investment (ROI). Here are the HouseLogic rankings from lowest to highest ROI. With the exception of the vinyl siding most of these projects should be great for the Lake Conroe area.

#7 – Vinyl Siding (foam backed) ROI 69.6%

#6 – Rear deck ROI 70.1%

#5 – New garage door(s) ROI 71.9%

#4 – Kitchen updating ROI 72.1%

#3 – Converting attic space to bedroom space ROI 72.5%

#2 – New steel front entry door ROI 73%

#1- Fiber-cement siding ROI 78%

One other piece of advice from HouseLogic, PLAN, PLAN, PLAN!                  

Have a great day!

Ron

www.ronwickes.com

www.lakeconroegroup.com

The lake level for Lake Conroe this morning (1/9/12) was 193.6ft. We are currently down 7.6' from our normal pool level of 201'. With the rain we are getting today and that is forecast for tomorrow our poor lake is slowly healing. Please keep the rain coming!

As our lake level rises to its' normal level expect those waterfront homes for sale to return to a normal pricing pattern. The deals now available won't be there for long.

Here are the current conditions from the San Jacinto River Authority.

Current Conditions

Lake Level 193.6 FT (Normal Pool=201ft) Lake Release 0 CFS Cubic feet per second Air Temperature 59.35 DEG. F Wind Direction 56 DEG. Wind Speed 12.78 MPH Barometric Pressure 29.93 in River Level @ I-45 0.74 ft

Have a great day!

Ron

www.lakeconroeconsulting.com

www.lakeconroegroup.com

I am not a University of Texas fan nor am I a University of Oklahoma fan. And no I am not an Aggie fan either. However I did sort of enjoy the UT slam on this license plate. The wife was driving the car.

Have a great day and GO TEXANS!

Ron Wickes

www.lakeconroegroup.com

www.ronwickes.com

Nonsense thoughts on a slow Friday afternoon at the office:

-Now that all three of my high tech devices  (Android cell phone, Samsung Galaxy 10.1 tablet and laptop computer) are all synched it sounds like a calliope when one email arrives. And if someone sends an email to all of my four email addresses at the same time it sounds like the London symphony Orchestra when they arrive.

-Foxnews is reporting on Iran's nuclear secrets. Are they still secrets if a major television station is reporting on them?

-I know the unemployment rate is high because there are so many republican presidential candidates seeking one job.

-I ate too much at the office lunch and now could really use a nap.

-Our wonderful Lake Conroe is down 6' from its' normal level. This isn't nonsense however I am ready to cry over it.

-My SCUBA students have no idea how quickly the water will get cold once our first cold front arrives. And by cold front I mean a high of only 85 degrees.

-The Houston Astros really are the worst team in baseball ----- again. I also hope that MLB doesn't sell to this Crane guy. Anyone who war profiteers does not deserve to own a baseball team.

-Why do so many women on match.com have dogs in their pictures?

-I'm bored and it is time to go home.

-I hope you have a GREAT weekend!

Ron

www.ronwickes.com

www.lakeconroegroup.com

The last SCUBA class of the year is starting tomorrow (9/8/11). There is still time to sign up and become a certified open water SCUBA diver. Give me a shout today!

Ages 10 and up. This is the sport of a lifetime!

Have a great day!

Ron

www.ronwickes.com

www.lakeconroegroup.com

Dive here: I did. It's great! Think you know where it is at? Give me a shout.

The next Open Water Diver SCUBA class at the Conroe YMCA will start the first week of June. If you or someone you know is interested in learning to SCUBA dive please get in touch with me. The course is open to anyone 10 years old and up who is in good medical condition and can pass a basic swimming skills test.

For those who haven't been diving in a while a SCUBA skills update class is also available. A NITROX class (enriched air NITROX) also can be scheduled for those who may be interrested.

Don't miss this chance to learn to SCUBA dive, refresh your SCUBA skills or braoden your SCUBA knoowledge.

If you or someone you know is interested in any of these SCUBA activities please drop me an email.

Thanks and have a great day!            

Ron Wickes

www.ronwickes.com

www.lakeconroeconsulting.com

www.lakeconroegroup.com

2011 1^st QUARTER MONTGOMERY COUNTY REAL ESTATE UPDATE

SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE SALES 

MLS Area 15 (The Woodlands and West to the county line, SW Montgomery County)

Single family unit sales were very close to the same in 2011 as for 2010. There were 612 homes sold in 2011 this period versus 614 in 2010. The average price did rise 9.5% and the median price rose 2.3%.  The number of active listings in 2011 increased 5.7% versus 2010 while sold homes spent 10% longer on the market. The hotness ratio at the end of March indicated that sales in April would probably stay about the same as the previous month. There was almost 7 months of inventory available at the end of March.

MLS Area 19 (Conroe and its' environs, NE Montgomery County)

Single family unit sales dropped 15.8% as compared to the same period 2010. There were 143 homes sold in 2011 this period versus 170 in 2010. The average price increased a minute 1.2% while the median price dropped 5%.  The number of active listings in 2011 decreased 4% versus 2010 while sold homes spent 7% longer on the market in 2011 versus 2010. The hotness ratio at the end of March indicated that sales might start increasing in April. There was 6.7 months of inventory homes available.

MLS Area 39 (Lake Conroe, NW Montgomery County)

Single family unit sales increased a whopping 18% as compared to the same period 2010. There were 236 homes sold in 2011 this period versus 200 in 2010. The average price increased 15.2% while the median price increased 4.2%.  The number of active listings in 2011 increased 8.7% versus 2010 while sold homes spent 4 days less on the market in 2011 versus 2010. The average "days on the market" is still at 100. The hotness ratio at the end of March was a low 6.5. There was 10 months worth of inventory available.

MLS Area 40 (E & SE Montgomery County)

Single family unit sales decreased 1.6% as compared to the same period 2010. There were 122 homes sold in 2011 this period versus 124 in 2010. The average price increased 1% while the median price increased 3.5%.  The number of active listings in 2011 increased 19% versus 2010. The "average days of the market" increased from 81 to 96. The hotness ratio at the end of March was a medium 10.8. There was 8 months worth of inventory available.

If you would like more information about your particular area or subdivision, or if you would like to discuss selling your home or buying another home please contact me.

Have a great weekend!               

Ron

www.ronwickes.com

www.lakeconroegroup.com