Riverstone

A Fort Bend area master-planned community where luxurious homes, water features and resort-style amenities define the landscape, Riverstone is one of Fort Bend County’s most desirable addresses. Riverstone residents enjoy an enviable lifestyle with a superb selection of new homes with Sugar Land and Missouri City addresses. Plus, with varied highway access and an array […]

Sienna

Sienna is a comprehensive 7,000-acre master-planned community. Sienna is more than houses inside one of the top Fort Bend County subdivisions. Neatly tucked between the acclaimed cities of Missouri City and the City of Sugar Land, it is a community in the truest sense of the word. Every effort is made to maintain a sense […]

Bridgeland

Imagine a place with vast open spaces and spectacular sunsets. An 11,400 acre master-planned community in northwest Houston where flocks of waterfowl glide across natural lakes. A refuge from the chaos of your workday. A place where you can find true balance. The new home community of Bridgeland is such a place. Bridgeland attracts and […]

Towne Lake – Master Planned Community, Cypress

Towne Lake reflects its Texas-sized appeal in a 300-acre lake, with beautiful views. Lake coves allow neighbors easy access to the water and to the many amenities and destinations throughout, bonding the community together. Towne Lake Charm is all these things and more, reflected in a community steeped in Texas pride. Caldwell Companies has perfected […]

Cypress Creek Lakes

Cypress Creek Lakes is a beautiful master-planned new home community nestled in the charming Northwest Houston suburb of Cypress, Texas. Mischer Development has carefully designed the 1,600-acre community to respect the natural beauty of the land while developing approximately 2,000 new home sites. Its convenient location on Fry Rd. just off of Highway 290 also […]

Fort Bend County – Shining Star in Texas with Strongest Growth…

Posted by houstonvijai on March 21st, 2014

Fort Bend county is one among few counties in nation which is lot of grownth in many areas during the past few years. It has almost 25% of the master planned communities in our nation. Last year was certainly a big year for Fort Bend County in terms of the companies that relocated or expanded operations, bringing many new jobs into the area. In a recent meeting, Jeff Wiley, president and CEO of the Greater Fort Bend Economic Development Council report on Fort Bend Counties accomplishments for 2013. Here are some snapshots of his report so read on…

“We anticipate another strong year of growth in Fort Bend County. A Dec. 18 report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics named Fort Bend County No. 1 for percentage increase in employment from June 2012 to June 2013. In the report, Fort Bend was also named No. 8 in the nation for percentage increase in wages during the same timeframe. These rankings represent a combination of the expansion of our existing labor force through the growth of some of our major employers like Fluor Corp. and Schlumberger, coupled with growth among new companies.”

Wiley commented about several relocations and expansions already planned for 2014, including Nalco Champion, which is currently in negotiations and expected to build its new headquarters in Sugar Land with 1,000 highly skilled employees.

Texas Instruments also is expected to move into its new 180,000-square-foot facility in Sugar Land this year.

In the health care sector, Wiley said that Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital and Memorial Hermann Fort Bend announced major expansions that will include additional towers for each facility, expanding the bed capacities and adding a significant number of highly paid medical jobs.

Additionally, Wiley said that ALDI plans to build a regional distribution center in Rosenberg and employ approximately 150 people. Rich Products Corp. will open and employ nearly 400 people. Meanwhile, Allied Companies will continue its expansion in Missouri City, which will add another 150 jobs, and Imperial Linen will open the second phase of its facility to employ more than 200.

There are several factors that continue to draw companies and individuals into Fort Bend County, including its proximity and connectivity to Houston, its highly skilled and educated workforce, amenity-rich master-planned communities, and strong economic considerations.

Wiley also pointed to the impending increased mobility between Fort Bend County and greater Houston, as TxDOT more than doubles the bandwidth of U.S. 59/I-69 in the Richmond/Rosenberg area from four lanes (two lanes each way) to 10-12 lanes west of Grand Parkway.

“Another key differentiator Fort Bend County benefits from,” Wiley said, “is the pro-business outlook and partnership that local government entities provide to businesses. County leaders understand the importance of business in keeping tax rates low, providing employment opportunities and allowing people to work close to their home. Fort Bend County and its municipalities continue to be aggressive in their recruitment efforts and have locations well positioned from both a lease or build-to-suit perspective.”

Additionally, Wiley said the schools in Fort Bend County continue to be the primary attraction for many families moving into the area.

“Education and our outstanding school districts are the basis for a growing workforce available to businesses. Quality schools helped generate interest in our community 30 years ago, and they reinforce interest in our community today,” he said.

You can read more about it at chronicle.com

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Sugar land – Let’s Venture out – City Series – I

Posted by houstonvijai on March 7th, 2014

It’s going to be almost a year since we moved down to Sugar land from Northwest part of Houston. We moved out of our old place looking for a better Nest best suited to grow our family. We searched out for a place around Houston where our kids can feel safe, we can find good neighbors and friends, good schools, easy access to shops and other amenities. After few months of search, we finally ended up with Sugar land which was actually last in our list of place to move. Anyway, we are here now and feel like we made the right decision after living here for a year now. I been wanting to post this blog for long time but just found time to finish and post it.

sugarland
About the City
With just 84000 people, Sugar land has been named best places to live in America many time and got many more awards in the past decade bringing pride to Texas. To name few, Safest city in America, Cleanest City and Top Water Quality Award etc., You can check out the rest at the city website. It seems to be very organized city compared to some which I know where workers always working to keep the neighborhood clean, safe and friendly.

With Median household income around $97,000, median home price around $260,000, 97% high school graduates, 53% bachelor degree holder, it is considered to be one of affluent community in Texas. One of the fastest-growing cities in Texas. It is the third-largest city in population and second-largest in economic activities of the Houston area, and is the largest city and economic center of Fort Bend County.

The city has the most master-planned communities in Fort Bend County, which is home to the largest number of master-planned communities in the nation. I feel happy to live in a city which has so many good things to say about it.

People
One year might not be a long time but it’s not a short time to know about people in the small city. I feel it’s very diversified community but stats show 50% Asian (Chinese, Southeast Asia) makes up the demographics. When I was researching, I was told that Sugar land has lot of older neighborhoods with older people living in the community. I do see many old age people around the city but with new master planned communities like Telfair, Riverstone bringing middle aged and younger families to the town which is healthier for the city. People are mostly friendly and good to mingle. It is very business oriented community which encourages local businesses.

Schools
As I mentioned earlier, this city has 97% high school graduated population which shows the families believe in school system. Also due to the fact, 50%+ Asian communities who strongly believe in the education system for betterment of the future. As part of the Fort Bend School District, Sugar land schools perform very well in all levels. Many schools has name for their own like Commonwealth(Elementary), Fort Settlement(Middle), Clements(High). Many families just buy properties to get into the schools zones where these schools are zoned. That totally drives the property values in some the areas and at times noticed price war between buyers.

Fort Bend ISD also has GT Academy which will engage students in evidence-based curriculum and rich instructional strategies to differentiate for the academically gifted. There are some schools like Quail Valley Middle School which area identified to nurture this GT students. You can learn more about it at fortbendisd.com website.

We will see more about Public Parks, Eating out places, entertainment activites etc., in our next post…

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Buyer Remorse – Why some Buyers are not able to make the final decision?

Posted by houstonvijai on February 21st, 2014

I have few clients who been looking at houses for a long period and never able to really make a decision on it. They give some or other excuses even if they find a house exactly what they are looking. I think about them and thought should give up on them but I never and continue to show them houses. Because I hope one day they will get over their fear and remorse effect and make a decision and I want to be there with them to show they can also do it. Meanwhile I work with them periodically to make them think about what they are going through and it’s not unusual. If you are one of those buyers, do read on below.

5 Buyer’s Fears

Fear of change. This is one of the most serious issues that a buyers will ever deal with, and it can have a crippling effect for some people. This explains why so many people don’t move forward at all, rather than deal with their discomfort.

Fear of commitment. There is no such thing as an independent financial decision. Every financial decision we make affects every other financial decision we make, and buyers know this at some intrinsic level. Once the decision is made, it rules out all other choices — and remorse is an immediate sign that the comfort level is not as strong as it needs to be.

Fear of a bad choice. There are so many decisions out there. Buy or rent? Cash or mortgage? New or existing? Neighborhood A or neighborhood B (or C or Y or Z)? Three bedrooms or four? Or five? I could go on. The sheer volume of choices makes for a difficult night’s sleep, with plenty of time in the dark to reconsider each decision.

Fear of being taken advantage of. No one wants to look the fool. No one wants to find out later that the smooth-talking salesperson who coaxed a buyer into a compromise was actually a shyster. They trust you now, but will you still be there for them down the road?

Fear of the unknown. This might be the most disturbing and distressing concern of all. The issue is not whether the buyers have all the right answers. The real concern is that they don’t even know the right questions. So much of the purchase decision is a great mystery. Within this understandable ignorance lies a great deal of apprehension and, left unattended, these fears can lead to a cancellation.

What can you do about it?
If you feel this fears when you are trying to buy or looking for a house, don’t feel bad. It is common and normal to many individual. We are human and humans are emotional creatures making emotional decisions, we must also understand that emotions can be fleeting. As soon as the transaction takes place the emotions start to wane and we are left with our fears. But don’t worry, work with a trusted Realtor who can help you explain every thing and every step of the way of the transaction to get rid of the fear factor.

The decision to purchase a home is one of the most important choices you will make in your lifetime — of course there will be second-guessing. Evaluate your decision by taking input from Realtor. The evaluation time allows you the opportunity to further cement into the logical side of our brains the conviction that you have made a good choice. You have always have option period on home transactions if anything bad found in the house and you can safely withdraw out of the contract. Unnecessary Risk can be avoided and you don’t have to be worried about buying a home which you don’t feel like perfect fit.

In conclusion, it’s ok to feel uncomfortable and remorse while buying a home because it’s a big decision and lot of your hard money involved. It is expected otherwise you are not human. Because of that, don’t back out. Work with trusted Realtor who can help you make a smart educated decision to make you feel you are making the right decision and not taken for a ride.

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Men vs Women – Home Crush – Fun Infographics

Posted by houstonvijai on February 13th, 2014

I love infographics whether it talks about some serious stuff or a fun thing. You always learn something from the drawing compared to reading a big article. Here is a fun one for this time of the year when valentines days is just one day away.

Homecrush_Infographic0204-21

Check out the full article at realtor.com

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Houston Housing Market Report – 2013 was a Record year…

Posted by houstonvijai on February 7th, 2014

HAR(Houston Association of Realtors) released their 2013 annual report few weeks ago and the sales numbers were really astonishing all pumped by the extraordinary job growth in and around Houston area.

Here is a snapshot of the report:

The Houston real estate market ended 2013 as it began: in the fast lane. Surging home sales throughout Greater Houston were largely driven by the addition of more than 86,000 jobs that drew buyers and renters from all around the country and world. December marked the 31st straight month of positive home sales and was a month in which prices again rose and housing inventory shrunk to new record lows.

According to the latest monthly data prepared by the Houston Association of REALTORS® (HAR), December single-family home sales increased 14.3 percent versus December 2012. Contracts closed on 5,813 homes, driving inventory down to 2.6 months supply, the lowest level of all time. All housing segments saw gains in December except for the low end of the market—those homes priced at $80,000 and below. Homes priced from $250,000 and above registered the highest sales volume and accounted for another hike in prices.

“The Houston housing market had its best year on record in 2013, and those of us who work in real estate have never been busier,” said HAR Chair Chaille Ralph with Heritage Texas Properties. “Stewart Title Chief Economist and former HAR Chairman Dr. Ted C. Jones forecasts positive sales to continue in the new year, but at a slower pace. He anticipates about a 5 percent increase in home sales and a 6 percent gain in pricing. However, all that hinges on having homes to sell, and the local inventory is running extremely low.”
The single-family home average price rose 10.3 percent year-over-year to $265,017 while the median price—the figure at which half of the homes sold for more and half sold for less—rose 10.9 percent to $188,500. Both figures represent historic highs for a December in Houston.

Sales of foreclosure properties continued their year-long decline, falling 48.8 percent compared to December 2012, according to the HAR Multiple Listing Service (MLS). Foreclosures currently make up 6.5 percent of all property sales reported through the MLS, one-third of the share they comprised at the beginning of 2013.

Go to Har to read the full report.

Many of you know 2013 year was one of the good year to go in the history books for Real Estate industry. It was the year when many buyers purchased the property in record low interest rate, sales prices gone up so frequently in rocket speed, market has turned to sellers market from buyer market in many years and it was the year many new homes owners purchased the property due to the expected price increase in 2014.

Now we are already in Feb of 2014, market is starting to pick up and houses are slowly popping in the market and hope to increase the inventory to keep the industry running… Let’s hope for a good spring and summer 2014.

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