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Produced ByAdvertising Editorial Staff

lubbockonline.com homes.lubbockonline.com LUBBOCK AVALANCHE-JOURNAL

Inside Real Estate: Local Real Estate News - Page 3Improving Housing Markets - Page 3 On The Web: Follow us on Facebook & Twitter

View Full MLS Listings & Open House ListEdible Landscapes – Page 5WTHBA Featured Floorplan - Page 7

Where did you grow up? I grew up in Southern Cali-

fornia just minutes from the beach and Disneyland.

Why do you live in the Lubbock area? What do you like most about it?

Lubbock represents what many want – security, won-derful people, conservative family life. Lubbock also has a wonderful home-school com-munity.

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?

I am very active in my church, Sunset Church of Christ. I also love playing with my three munchkins: Jeremy (13), Natalie (9) and Nathan (3). My wife and I are busy with them in soccer, cooking out, and Hungry Hungry Hippos.

How long have you worked in real estate?

I have been in real estate since April 2005. Before real estate, I worked in furniture sales.

Why should someone choose you as their real estate agent?

I am a full service Realtor equipped with the knowl-edge of the market. Besides traditional real estate I also

do Broker Priced Opinions for several banks. This allows me to better understand Lubbock’s market. I have listed and sold many different types of properties from raw vacant land up to houses with acreage.

What is your specialty? I would highlight two

areas. First of all I love working with first-time home buyers because you know there are about to be millions of memories created within the home. This is where a young couple is starting their life or a family has expanded theirs. Secondly, I work with investors. Over the last two years I have sold nearly 60 investment properties either through short sales or arms length listings. This is the right time to invest in real estate here in West Texas.

What are the most gratify-ing and most challenging aspects of what you do?

I love working with people. I am big on service and rela-tionships. I have a really close friend that I do an account-ability/Bible study with who is moving into a bigger home. Several of us got together and cleaned this house for him and his family as a surprise before they moved in. Just to

know the little things that we do make someone’s day, it is all worth it.

What is the most unique property you’ve listed or sold?

I once sold three single-wide mobile homes on 1.3

acres. Getting one single-wide mobile home financed alone is very challenging let alone three on one property. The property went under contract in just one day on the market; however, it was a challeng-ing experience to close on the home.

What tip do you have for someone looking to buy or sell a home? Invest, invest, invest. Invest in a new home for you and your family. Take ownership where you live and build eq-uity. Or invest in a property so you can have some cash flow and build up a portfolio.

What do you see in the fu-ture for real estate sales?

West Texas never felt the roller coaster ride that Southern California, Nevada, Michigan, Florida and most of the states felt. Rates are still really low. Prices are rebounding even here in Lubbock. The Lubbock As-sociation of Realtors tracks different statistics such as Days on the Market, Average Sales Price, Median Sales Price, etc. The stats show that prices are rising.

What local organizations and charities are you involved in?I am a member of the Down Town Toastmasters orga-nization where I have held several positions, including the Area Governor and the Division Governor. I have coached the Lubbock Titans home-school soccer team for several seasons. Through our church I have been involved in the Ronald McDonald House, taught Bible classes, and I head up the You Can Share Food Drive for Sunset Church of Christ.

Andy Gerron EXIT REAlTY 806-241-2093 fourgerrons@aol.com

Realtor Revealed

Andy Gerron, EXIT Realty Photo by Misty Setzler

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AUGUST 11, 2012

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The South Plain’s #1 Real Estate Source ● Visit our mobile site @ m.homes.lubbockonline.com

2 SATURDAY, AUGUST 11, 2012 LUBBOCK AVALANCHE-JOURNAL homes.lubbockonline.com

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ReAl eSTATe SATURDAY, AUGUST 11, 2012 LUBBOCK AVALANCHE-JOURNAL 3homes.lubbockonline.com

Whether you’re selling your fifth home or your first, there are many ways to be a smarter seller. While your Lub-bock Real-tor is a tremendous asset in the home-selling process, be-ing prepared and taking an active role can help you reduce stress and lessen your property’s time on the market.

Remember that you’re the one who can provide the most

accurate information about the condition of your home. Be honest and accurate about your property and its condition. Buy-ers want to make informed deci-sions, so your Lubbock Realtor will also want to know details about your home such as its age, the condition of the roof and the hot-water heater, property taxes and more. If you’ve added energy-efficient or eco-friendly features, gather receipts, tags or other evidence of these green upgrades so Realtor can present them to potential buyers.

Don’t Forget About Disclosure

Under the law, you must dis-close all known defects as well, not just the amenities. Most post-sale disputes and lawsuits center around defects and disclo-

sure, and many of these disputes can be avoided if proper disclo-sures are made. That’s why most states, including Texas, require some type of formal seller’s disclosure. There are fill-in-the-blank notices available to assist you in fulfilling your legal re-quirements. You have to provide such disclosures to potential buyers on or before the effective date of a sales contract.

Even if you’ve resolved a problem, there are times when you should disclose its existence on your notice. Intentionally withholding information about a property when you sell can have serious legal ramifications. Talk to your Lubbock Realtor and make sure you understand your responsibilities. You don’t want to inadvertently leave some-

thing out and have to deal with expense, hassles and possible legal consequences later. Also, if you’ve had previous inspections done, providing that information to your Realtor can be a big help.

unDerstAnD WhAt Your texAs reAltor® cAn Do For You

A good marketing strategy is important so that interested buyers know about your prop-erty. Your Lubbock Realtor will be able to determine the best marketing methods for your market and your home. Here are some examples of what he or she might suggest:

• ‘For Sale’ sign on property• Photographs for fliers and

the Internet• Lockbox on the front door

so other Lubbock Realtors can

freely show your house to their buyer clients

• Multiple Listing Service (MLS) information to the Lub-bock Association of Realtors

• Ads in the newspaper• Email fliers about your home

to potential buyers• Postings on various websites• Appointments for showings

(which requires you to be flex-ible)

• Open housesSelling a home doesn’t have to

be complicated. Staying involved in the home-selling process and working closely with your Real-tor can make your experience stress-free.

For more advice about buying and selling real estate, visit Lub-bockRealtors.com and TexasRe-alEstate.com.

Tips you can follow as a smarter seller

LOPEZ

LOcaL REaL EstatE NEws – LubbOck assOciatiON Of REaLtORs

BY Debora Perez Ruiz, PresidentLubbock Association of REALTORS®

A total of 80 metro-politan statistical areas across 32 states and the District of Columbia were listed as improving hous-ing markets on the Na-tional Association of Home Builders/First American Improving Markets Index (IMI) for August, released today. This included 75 markets that retained their places on the list along with five new ones, while nine areas fell from the list due primarily to slight movements in house prices.

The index identifies met-ropolitan areas that have shown improvement from their respective troughs in housing permits, employ-ment and house prices for at least six consecutive months. The five metros that were added to the list this month include Miami and Palm Bay, Fla.; Hines-ville, Ga.; Terre Haute, Ind.; and Lubbock, Texas.

“The list of improv-ing housing markets in August includes metros across every region of the country, all of which have distinctly different characteristics in terms of their economic and em-ployment bases as well as

other factors,” noted Barry Rutenberg, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Gainesville, Fla. “One thing that most markets have in common, however, is the tight lending envi-ronment for both builders and buyers that continues to drag on their positive momentum.”

“The fact that we continue to see a strong core of metros showing up on the improving list each month adds to the growing evidence that the emerging housing recovery has a solid foundation on which to build as housing returns to its traditional role of driving economic growth,” observed NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe.

“With nearly one quarter of all U.S. metros currently designated as improving housing markets, there is growing recognition among consumers that now is an opportune time to consider a home purchase,” added Kurt Pfo-tenhauer, vice chairman at First American Title Insurance Company.

The IMI is designed to

track housing markets throughout the country that are showing signs of improving economic health. The index mea-sures three sets of inde-pendent monthly data to get a mark on the top improving Metropolitan Statistical Areas. The three indicators that are analyzed are employment growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, house price appreciation from Freddie Mac and single-family housing permit growth from the U.S. Census Bureau. NAHB uses the latest avail-able data from these sources to generate a list of improving markets. A metropolitan area must see improvement in all three measures for at least six months following those measures’ respec-tive troughs before being included on the improving markets list.

A complete list of all 80 metropolitan areas currently on the IMI, and separate breakouts of metros newly added to or dropped from the list in August, is available at www.nahb.org/imi.

Editor’s Note: The

NAHB/First American Improving Markets Index (IMI) is released on the fourth business day of

each month at 10:00 a.m., ET, unless that day falls on a Friday – in which case, the index is released

on the following Monday. A full calendar of future release dates can be found at www.nahb.org/imi.

Index spotlights 80 improving housing markets in August

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ReAl eSTATe SATURDAY, AUGUST 11, 2012 LUBBOCK AVALANCHE-JOURNAL 5homes.lubbockonline.com

As Americans become more health conscious, farmers’ markets, produce co-ops and community gardening spaces are gaining popularity. Many fami-lies want to grow their own food, but may be challenged by a lack of space for a full-sized garden in their yard. But did you know that with the concept of edible landscaping, you can have an attractive-looking yard or patio that also provides fruits and vegetables your fam-ily can eat?

According to the Ohio State University Extension Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, ed-ible landscaping is the use of food-producing plants in the con-structed landscape, principally the resi-dential landscape.

Edible landscapes combine fruit and nut trees, berry bushes, vegetables, herbs, edible flowers and ornamental plants into aesthetically pleasing designs. The designs can incorporate any garden style and can include just a few, or be com-pletely comprised of edible species.

Some reasons to include edible plants in your home’s landscaping include:

• Ability to pick and eat fresh, fully-ripe fruits and vegetables

• Control the amount of pesticides and herbicides used on your food

• Save money by not buying fruits and vegetables at the grocery store

• Grow unique types of foods that may not be available in the store

Many edible species are not only functional from a food-on-your-table perspective; they are also attractive. For example, some flowers, such as begonias, day lilies, carnations, pansies, peonies and roses can be eaten. They also make a colorful addition to salads or as a garnish on plates. Red and yellow tomato and pepper plants add a splash of color to

ornamental beds. To help you get better use of your yard,

raspberry or blackberry bushes make a great border, and fruit trees provide shade. Just make sure you consider where you are placing them, cleaning rotten fruit or berries that have dropped onto your patio can be a frustrating and messy chore.

More ideas for edible landscapes in-clude:

• Put pots of herbs on the patio • Include cherry tomatoes in a window

box or hanging basket • Build a grape arbor • Grow nasturtium, violas, borage, or

calendula and include flowers in salads • Grow Red-jewel cabbage • Plant colorful pepper varieties along-

side flowers • Tuck lettuce, radishes, or other short-

lived greens into a flower bed • Replace a barberry hedge with goose-

berries • Put basil together with coleus in a

planter • Try yellow or “rainbow” chard • Grow chives around the mailbox • Train raspberries up your fence The amount and location of consumable

plant varieties you choose to include in your landscaping is completely up to your tastes, both literally and figuratively. Make sure to do your research and know how much sunlight and water each plant requires, what type of soil will best sup-port that species, and how much mainte-nance you’ll have to do to get the fruits and vegetables you desire.

For more hints for home owners, go to www.nahb.org/forconsumers.

Combine function, fashion with edible landscaping

STRONG

LOcaL ReaL eSTaTe NewS – weST TexaS aSSOciaTiON Of HOme BuiLdeRS

BY Trey Strong, PresidentWest Texas Home Builders Association

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ReAl eSTATe SATURDAY, AUGUST 11, 2012 LUBBOCK AVALANCHE-JOURNAL 7homes.lubbockonline.com

Creative Homes would like to invite you to tour one of their most popular floor plans located in one of Lubbock’s favorite subdivisions, the highly desirable Lakewood Estates. Please visit this fully furnished and professionally decorated home at 5826 102nd Street.

The instant you step into the entry of this brick and rock combination home, you’ll experience several of the logo assets of a Creative Home. From top to bottom – the crown moldings and the opulent light fixtures and ceiling fans, to the workmanship evident in cabinetry, and down to the enriching wood floors, ceramic tiles, and frieze carpeting – this Creative Home showcases it all.

This open and airy plan suits the needs of a single owner who entertains often, as well as the needs of a busy family. A built-in corner entertainment center and massive fire-place provide the perfect gathering spot. The formal dining room is defined by a columned plant ledge which draws the eyes upward to a geometrically enhanced ceiling design.

The kitchen, too, will undoubtedly prove to be a well-loved center of activity. A fireplace to warm your breakfast time and a bay window to sit and dream from are as ir-resistible as the corner of windows above the kitchen sink which offer the perfect view of the neighborhood. Other kitchen amenities include Ash cabinetry, stainless Whirl-pool appliances, and tall, well-lit ceilings. The spacious utility houses freezer space with cabinets above and leads to an oversized rear entry garage.

A surprise awaits you on the opposite side of the living area. A study space replete with computer desk and abun-dant shelving provides an expansive entryway into the two front bedrooms and hall bath. Each bedroom features a dif-ferent heightened ceiling application and great closet space. The hall bath, like the rest of the home, sports three-inch shutters, as well as marbled vanity and linen storage.

Finally, your attention is demanded for the most allur-ing feature yet, the master retreat. This suite is privately isolated at the back of the house and is entered through an archway also offering access to the back patio and lushly landscaped fountain. The master bedroom grandly accom-modates a sitting area and plenty of space for an entertain-ment center, all drawn together by the step-up, artistically shaped ceiling. Two separate and spacious walk-in master closets should accommodate the wardrobes of even the most voracious shoppers.

A five-foot circular rug adorns the center of the elegant master bath, the most irresistible feature of this home. Two entire walls host the his-and-her vanities separated by a cornered dressing table. The immense marble shower is positioned adjacent to a big-enough-for-two whirlpool tub which begs for bubbles. All privacy issues are well ad-dressed by the separate commode room and the four foot glass block window above the tub.

This home is sponsored by the West Texas Home Builders Association in cooperation with the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. To view this home, please contact Bryan Aycock at 806-778-5956 or come by this weekend! Online, please explore Creative Homes at www.stopdreamingstartbuild-ing.com. We’re looking forward to your visit!

Featured Floorplan – Creative Homes

5826 102nd St. – Lakewood Estates

8 SATURDAY, AUGUST 11, 2012 LUBBOCK AVALANCHE-JOURNAL homes.lubbockonline.com

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