Talking with Taylor

Volume 1, Issue 2 May 2011

It’s Warming Up in Houston!

Hot Trends in 2011 Homes Wondering what new homes are going to look like in Houston? Here are a few trends you may start seeing:

Dual Master Suites: Multi-family residences are on a rise Front and side porches are making a comeback Energy efficiency, everywhere - Not surprising! Prayer rooms: Builders are accommodating for Houston’s growing diversity One stories: As baby boomers age, one stories are more practical Now for the crazy one...Secondary Kitchens: What you have now is for show; The second kitchens will be a part of the garage so you can leave your mess when your guests arrive!

Houston’s Hot Market

The 2011 Fortune 500 list was released on May 5th, 2011 and guess who is ranked third! That’s right, Houston is - We have 23 companies on the list that are headquartered right here in our metropolitan area. We are behind New York with 74 and Chicago with 27, and ahead of LA with 21 and Dallas/FW with 20. How lucky are we? No matter what the media may say, these numbers show that good paying jobs are still available in our town, and of course real estate follows that. With job openings, houses are going to continue to sell. Whether it is from people upsizing or downsizing, or even relocating because their corporate office is here, Houston continues to hold a smaller month of inventory of houses than the national average! Source: http://www.garygreene.com/blog/

“Houston Hotness Index” by Area: Don’t know what area you live in? Call me! (http://media.garygreene.com/index.php?s=38&item=278)

Congratulations on your successful closing!

Melanie Krueger and

David Whitmarsh

May Newsletter

New Build Trends

Market Update

Refinancing?

Taylor’s Treats

Local Restaurant Spotlight:

[Locatelli’s Pizza] is my neighborhood pizzeria. Located at Louetta and Grant Road, it is family owned, high school

student staffed, and always busy! You cannot order wrong with ANY pizza. My personal favorite is to start with their fried ravioli - crispy and gooey, and a little spicy when you bite into them; Then order the HawaiiaTelli

with Heat pizza (Pepperoni, pineapple and jalapenos); and finish off with a

Stick in the Mud for dessert.

Considering Refinancing?

Naturally, if you’re paying 6% for your mortgage and you can refinance at 5%, you’re going do it. Consider these four other reasons to consider a mortgage refinance, for long-term savings and convenience.

1. Change your mortgage term: Changing from a 30 to a 15-year, means lower interest rates and shortening total interest costs. Monthly payments are higher but home equity is built faster and the loan is paid off sooner.

2. Move from an adjustable rate to a fixed rate: ARMs offer low introductory rates, but they also offer long periods of uncertainty that make it hard to budget. It makes sense to make this change dur-ing a low-interest rate environment - You’ll get emotional security and your rate won’t fluctuate with changing economic conditions.

3. Take out cash: With a cash-out mortgage refinance, you can turn an intangible asset, accumulated home equity, into a tangible one - cash. It makes sense for a project that will generate long-term benefits, like a home improvement or funding a child’s college education. However, don’t do it for frivolous reasons. Unless you’re extremely disciplined, you could find yourself in even deeper debt

4. Consolidate two mortgages: When interest rates are low, a mortgage refinance lets you consoli-date your main mortgage and an outstanding home equity loan to realize a lower overall monthly payment. Plus, you’ll have only one mortgage payment to make each month.

Tequila Sunrise Pops 1 orange, peeled and cut into slices

1/4 cup tequila Maraschino cherries (1 per pop)

3 cups fresh orange juice 1/4 cup cherry grenadine

Combine orange slices and tequila - Let sit for 10 minutes. In a pitcher,

combine the orange slices and the orange juice. Put a cherry in each

pop mold. Fill the molds three quarters full with orange juice mixture.

Put in freezer for 20 minutes, until slushy. Remove from the freezer,

divide grenadine among the molds. Insert the sticks. Freeze for at least

12 hours. Remove from the freezer; let stand for 5 minutes

before removing the pops from the molds.

Do you want to submit information for my newsletter/Advertise your

company (for free)/Submit FAQ for me to answer? Just let me know!

Taylor Skidmore Texas Realtor® 8817 Louetta Rd. Spring, TX 77379

Direct: 281-728-6806

Email: taylor@realestatewithtaylor.com

Web: www.realestatewithtaylor.com

Blog: blogs.har.com/TaylorSkidmore