Venetian Estates News - October 2016

Real Estate and More

Around the Neighborhood

Everyone knows one of the greatest things about Venetian Estates is the neighbors and our soon-to-be neighbors at 902 Piedmont are no exception!

Asit and Khushboo Vashisht have broken ground on their new home and are looking forward to becoming a part of the Venetian Estates community in 2017! Asit grew up in beautiful Colorado and attended the University of Colorado in Boulder. He has an MBA from the University of Denver. Khushboo obtained her undergraduate in India and has a masters degree from the University at Buffalo in New York. Khushboo moved to Houston from New York in 2014 when she and Asit married.

Asit is the owner of an oil and gas company and his offices are located in the BancorpSouth Building. (Kelly Ferguson  with FBRE worked with Asit in securing the lease.) Khushboo is a Financial Analyst for Credit Suisse. We hope you will have a chance to meet them at a neighborhood function even before they move in.

By the way, the next neighborhood 'get-together'  will be the annual holiday party.  This year the party will be on Sunday, December 4th from 6 to 8 pm at the beautiful home of Jan and Paul Hinson (915 Gondola). You will not want to miss!

Back to the BancorpSouth Building...Your neighbor, BancorpSouth (NYSE: BXS), located in Suite 100 of 8410 Highway 90A, is staffed by a group of local, veteran lenders and support staff providing a wide range of commercial and consumer banking services, including commercial real estate, construction, and residential lending.  The Sugar Land office is a loan production office offering various loan products and services.

Please stop by  or call the office at 281-243-8050 to discuss their services.

We Go Everywhere

Anyone interested in the Belknap Brookside area give us a call! We recently sold lovely properties in the neighborhood and have another charming one coming on the market soon.  Contact us for a “pre-market” showing if you know someone interested in this neighborhood, a Sugar Land gem!

Brookshire/South Katy, anyone? We have a great new listing of a recent-construction home in Willow Creek Farms. The owners have already moved and it is priced extremely well.

How about Needville?  Five unrestricted acres, a farm house, greenhouse, barn and small office?  It’s not yet on the market, but we are ready to share more information!

VE New Construction
We have been working with our neighbor Chris Trlicek of Kingston Custom Builders in contract negotiations for the new home he will build on the vacant lot on Savoy. We sold the future home before it hit the market.

If you or your friends have considered building in VE, please call us. We are in the early stages of marketing another “future” home by Chris Trlicek, and there is time to customize the floor plan. It’s quite possible that we sell this one before it officially hits the market, as well! 

Chris has a portfolio of beautiful, quality-construction homes. As a VE resident, he understands the importance of customizing design for particular VE lots. Call us to schedule a meeting to discuss how to build your dream home in Venetian Estates!

FBRE News

There is a rare opportunity to have an office in the heart of charming “Old Sugar Land.” The historic (home of the first mayor of Sugar Land!) property at 210 Brooks Street allows for business owners to live and office near the Imperial Market, which will soon be the destination for upscale retail, office, etc. in Sugar Land. There truly is nothing like the "business" side of Brooks Street anywhere else in Sugar Land. 210 Brooks is especially valuable because of its relatively large lot size and thus room for expansion. For information on this commercial property contact Kelly Ferguson in our office at 281-242-2200 or kelly@fbre.net.

I have an “empty-nester” prospect who would like to purchase a home in Venetian Estates. Please let Kelly or me know if you are considering selling. The prospect is interested in both remodeled homes and ones that require updating. Yours just might be the perfect house!

Venetian Estates News - September 2016

Real Estate and More

FBRE History

The first Venetian Estates News, written and published by Fort Bend Real Estate Corporation, was mailed in May of 1989. Wow, I was not even 40 years old! Our neighborhood has changed a great deal since that time but certainly one thing has remained the same: we, as residents, love our neighborhood and our neighbors.  Very few neighborhoods maintain the 'community' aspect that we Venetian Estates residents are so blessed to enjoy! 

The Reality of Online Real Estate Valuations

Someday, when the machines take over, if you contact us about selling your house we will dispatch a fleet of drones packed with sensors and cameras to your property. The drones will scan the house (noting its condition and features), plug the data into an algorithm, and give you a remarkably accurate estimate of the selling price for your home. That day has not come! 

Although automated valuation models (AVMs) are widely used--they power online price estimators at sites like Zillow--their accuracy and reliability vary considerably (Texas Realtor Magazine July 2016). Did you know that the Houston area is the only market in the county where Zillow is not the #1 real estate website? HAR.com far surpasses Zillow’s accuracy when searching homes for sale, comparing values, etc. in the Houston area. Realtor associations from other states, and even countries, regularly visit Houston to study our website--HAR.com is simply the best!

That being said, here in VE even HAR.com isn’t a fully sufficient source for our market data. VE is unlike any other neighborhood in the Houston area. Property values are determined by a number of variables that aren’t considered in HAR.com’s valuation algorithms. Further, we have a high percentage of pre- or “off”-market sales. As a resident and Realtor  in VE for decades (!) my experience, perception and trove of market data are unrivaled. 

Please call me if you need an accurate market analysis on your home. I can also help you establish fair market value in any neighborhood to which you might be relocating. I can even refer you to one of the top 4% of Realtors nationwide if your target area is outside of Houston.

New Neighbor News

We have had, and continue to have, a considerable amount of demolition and new construction in Venetian Estates. However, there will also continue to be extensively remodeled homes in our neighborhood.  Below are two examples:

I have a pending sale--the location is still a secret, but is scheduled to close this year. These future new neighbors have no intention of demolishing the home. Rather, they will complete major renovations and raise their beautiful family in one of our original ranch style homes. 

One of our newest neighbors is Ann Warren. Ann has recently moved from the Sweetwater area in Sugar Land to the fabulous home at 810 Bel Mar. Ann is an 'empty nester' and looks forward to enjoying the serenity of her new Venetian Estates home along with Simon, her silver toy poodle. She also looks forward to meeting many of you, her new neighbors! Ann will be attending Merry Ministries this fall and I know she will be able to meet several of you there on Wednesday mornings. Ann's son, Daniel attends Texas State University (I happen to know he is on the Dean's list!).  Her brother lives in the First Colony area and she has two sisters in Austin. 

By the way, Merry Ministries is a women’s interdenominational group that meets weekly to worship God, study the Bible, pray and fellowship with each other. Mary Willis teaches on Tuesday evenings and Wednesday mornings at the First United Methodist Church on Eldridge. If you would like more information give me a call or visit www.merryministries.com. Several ladies from our neighborhood attend on each of those days . 

FBRE News 

We have a great new listing coming up in Sugar Creek! Beautifully remodeled and maintained, this home has a terrific floor plan, lovely landscaping and a gorgeous pool! Call me if you would like 'pre-market' details. It should be on the MLS by Oct. 1. 

Venetian Estates News - June 2016

Market News

New Construction, New Neighbors

The “coming soon” sign at 111 Savoy will soon be replaced with a “For Sale” sign and we will release the elevation and floor plan of the gorgeous new home to be built by Chris Trlicek! The custom design will take advantage of the long view down Lake Venice and capture the treasured southerly breeze. This home will have a wonderful floor plan and beautiful finishes--it will most surely be a quick sale. Kelly Ferguson has been pre-marketing the home and has interested buyers awaiting the final plans. Please call us if you know of anyone looking for a brand new home in VE! It is available for purchase now and there is still time for personal touches in the design phase. 

Construction is nearing completion just a few homes down, at 203 Savoy. This is the lovely home of our soon-to-be neighbors, Lori and Tom Shirley. Lori and Tom have been residents of Fort Bend County for over  25 years. When they married in 2007 they merged two beautiful families and have a total of six children ranging in age from 14 to 23.   Connor Corporron, 23, lives in Schulenburg and co-owns Pinnacle Whitetails.  Payton Shirley, 21, is a senior at Texas A&M Business School, majoring in Finance. McKenna Corporron, 19, is a sophomore at Blinn College pursing a nursing degree.  Pierson Shirley, 18, is a freshman at Texas A&M Business School majoring in Finance.  Berkley Shirley, 17, is a senior at George Ranch High School, and Calie Corporron, 14, is a freshman at FBCA. Tom is the Fort Bend Market President for NewFirst National Bank and has been with the bank for 14 years.  He has been in the banking industry since graduating from Texas Tech in 1987.  The Shirleys will be moving  from  Richmond into their new home which is scheduled for completion this month! 

The home at 122 Capri was demolished and the view from this lot, recently purchased by Karen and Paul Withrow, is spectacular. Karen and Paul have already replaced the bulkhead on the 300’ of water frontage. We all know how much fun that is! The Withrows have already met many neighbors and I know they will take an active part in our community, even before their new home is complete.

Every new neighbor that I have worked with in the search for a Venetian Estates "lot" has expressed a sincere appreciation for the original home and family memories associated with it. In many cases--especially in the case of the smaller homes on the larger lots, such as Mrs. Hamilton's on Capri--it is simply not feasible to remodel the existing home. Of course if we look around the neighborhood we see many original homes that are beautifully remodeled and, believe me, there are still more of these to come! Many of our homes still lend themselves to updating. I have clients looking for both lots and homes. 

FBRE News

In late March many of you attended our Open House in the beautiful Sitterle patio home in Imperial. It is now under contract with a couple moving to Sugar Land from California.  There are only three Sitterle homes still available and we have unpublished news regarding construction in Imperial.  We were involved in three of the first Imperial sales and we believe those clients got super deals!  

We all love Venetian Estates and know that there is no other place in Houston like it. However, we are excited to be a part of the growth of Imperial, which has proven to be its own “niche” neighborhood. It truly offers the best of both worlds: gorgeous, low-maintenance homes, walking trails and future upscale retail--all while maintaining that small-town feel of our beloved Sugar Land! Please tell your friends to call us regarding Imperial. We can keep them informed of development progress and other properties that could be super deals! 

Also please remember that FBRE is equipped to handle any of your real estate needs. We just listed nine commercial properties in Missouri City. We recently sold a 200+ acre ranch in Gonzalez County. (to VE neighbors, I might add). We have a commercial listing for sale on Brooks Street.  If you would like to own a charming, historic office in Old Sugar Land give Kelly a call regarding this one!  

We have had many 'past client' referrals this year. Jeff has recently worked with three residential referrals--one in Spring and two in Sugar Land. He is closing next week on another 'Sugar Mill' home!

Our office is prepared to serve you, whatever your particular real estate requirement.

Venetian Estates News - March 2016

Market News

Neighbor Updates

Our longtime neighbor, Yvonne Hamilton passed away in the fall of last year. She and her husband, Bill, were the original owners of the home at 122 Capri. The home was just purchased by Karen and Paul Withrow.

Karen and Paul have long-loved VE, and I have been pleased to work with them in searching for their “perfect” place in the neighborhood. They will be building a new home on this gorgeous cul-de-sac lot, and I am so excited to have them as neighbors!The Withrows have lived in First Colony for the past 23 years. Paul was CFO of a local company for 11 years until he formed his own company, Balanced Solutions, 5 years ago. Balanced Solutions provides accounting and financial management for small businesses. Karen and Paul have three children. Jessica is 22 years old and a senior at Mary Harden Baylor. Ben, 20, is a sophomore in mechanical engineering at Baylor. Will, 19, is a freshman at the University of Houston School of Business. Karen is the niece of Carolyn Tarver, a longtime neighbor on Bel Mar.  I want to give a sincere 'thank-you' to Carolyn for referring Karen and Paul to me. I have enjoyed working with them over the last 14 months - waiting for just the right property to become available!

Thinking of Selling?

As mentioned in previous newsletters, we have prospective buyers waiting patiently for homes or lots. I would like to tell you about one such prospect. This young family lives in Sienna in a beautiful waterfront home. They presently have their home on the market as their dream is to purchase a home in VE and remodel (not tear down) to suit their specific needs. They have three young children so they do need space!  Please let me know if you are considering selling (even if down the road) and if you think your home might work for this young family! 

We have other buyers waiting as well, each with different preferences. Please call if you are thinking of selling!

FBRE News

In January I mentioned that I had been notified by Johnson Development that I was one of the top selling Realtors in the new Imperial Development.  Well, I actually was THE top selling Realtor in Imperial last year! Johnson Development honored the top producing Realtors in Riverstone, Sienna and Imperial with a reception and award ceremony.  It was an incredible event and I was honored to be honored - especially for my work in a community as special as Imperial! 

Now, speaking of Imperial, please  SAVE THE DATE!  On Thursday, March 24th, (the afternoon/evening before Good Friday) FBRE (Kelly Ferguson and I) will be hosting an invitation-only open house at one of the beautiful patio homes in Imperial. We have been asked by Sitterle Homes to market this brand-new 3000-SF plus home with a lovely courtyard and casita, and designed for 'easy living.'  Come relax and enjoy hors' dorves and a glass of wine while visiting with YOUR VE NEIGHBORS and meet a few Imperial residents, as well.

VenetianEstatesNews.com

I  sometimes hear of neighbors not receiving the newsletter.  We usually write it bi-monthly and it can also be read on my BLOG at VenetianEstatesNews.com. And feel free to comment (as long as it is nice:)! 

Looking for a Small Boat?

I recently had an email from Paul Kirwin who has repaired several neighbors' boats. In fact, his claim to fame is the fact that he and his wife have worked on the famous Mermaid boat belonging to Kay and Jim Hudnall for years :) Paul has been building small custom wooden boats for over 30 years. He builds all types of boats and recently completed a 19-foot sailboat. If you would like to know more I will put you in touch with Paul.

More FBRE News

Jeff Johnston and I are working with a client wishing to purchase in Spring. He is the son of a past client and we are close to finding the perfect home for him. It is an honor to be referred by past clients and especially when the referral is a good friend or family member. That tells us that our clients know we are "looking out for them" in any transaction.  Jeff, although relatively new to residential real estate, is one of the most thorough researchers I have ever seen.  Jeff's clients can depend on him to leave 'no stone unturned' when representing them in a transaction.