Houston BBQ Festival is this Sunday!

The weather in Houston is beautiful right now and it's time to enjoy some delicious BBQ from some of the best Houston has to offer. Mark your calendar and buy your tickets for the 1st Annual (and, the best!) Houston BBQ festival. The Houston BBQ Festival is this Sunday, March 24, 2013 from 1-5pm and is located at the Bayou City Event Center - The Pavilion. Tickets must be purchased in advance--they WILL NOT be sold at the door (per website). This event will likely sell out, so you are well-advised to purchase asap. The participating BBQ vendors will provide samples of their fares. You can purchase all drinks at the festival.

A few of the participating vendors (and, some of my favorites): Gatlin's BBQ, Pizzitola's Bar-Be-Cue, Ray's BBQ Shack, and Fainmous BBQ.

If you love good BBQ, or just love being outside and enjoying this beautiful weather we've been having, then buy your tickets today!

Buy tickets

FAQ's

Venue information

Houston BBQ Festival
Sunday, March 24, 2013
1pm - 5pm
Bayou City Event Center
9401 Knight Road
Houston, TX 77045

Buying a house inside the loop - Houston Real Estate

From time to time, I like to write about Real Estate, although, this is not a Real Estate based blog. However, I feel compelled to write about the market right now. In a nutshell, it is crazy!

If you are a buyer looking for a home in Houston (specifically inner loop), right now, you probably know what I mean. If you are a seller, you are likely very, very, happy. Buyers cannot find houses and sellers cannot sell them fast enough. If you are a seller with an appropriately priced home (and a desirable location, floorplan, etc.), you can assume you will be under contract by the end of the first day the home hits HAR.com. Moreover, you will likely reap the benefits of a multiple offer scenario, or what some refer to as a "bidding war".

Why is this happening? There simply is not enough inventory available for the plethora of buyers that are looking. With a looming fear that interest rates will increase in 2014, consumers are trying to take advantage of historically low rates--sometimes as low as 3.25%.

When faced with so much competition, how does one take advantage of today's low interest rates and purchase a house?

Here are some ideas of things you can do that can put you at an advantage:

1.) Work with a Realtor who has connections with other Realtors specializing in the area. Typically the listing agent (with seller approval) will share with other agents (who they have relationships with) when they have a listing coming up. In many cases, houses are already under contract before they ever reach mls. Working with a Realtor who has information about unlisted properties could be beneficial.

2.) Have your Realtor set you up on an automatic search. This search will immediately email you when a home that fits your criteria hits the market. You will need to be prepared to visit the house within 2-3 hours and bring along a full-priced (or higher) offer in hand. That might seem presumptuous, but, if you are looking at it, there are probably at least 5 other people who are and who will also submit an offer.

3.) Make your offer desirable. Right now sellers have the luxury of being choosy. If you want to stand out from the rest, remove items from your offer that could be considered negative. Examples of this include long closings, seller contributions to closing costs, requests for appliances or other excluded items, long option periods, etc. In addition, if you have a contingency, you will not be at a competitive advantage. Your best option is to sell  your home and do a leaseback, if possible, or find a temporary residence while you search for your home.

4.) Always have the most recent lender approval letter to submit with your offer. Work with your lender to obtain full credit approval--not just pre-approval--for submission. This shows that you have submitted your documents to the lender and that you are  approved based on a more detailed check of your finances. It is a step further than pre-approval and would put you at an advantage over most buyers who submit with pre-approval only.

5.) Ask your agent to put a deadline in the contract for the seller to respond. I request that the seller respond within  5-6 hours with the caveat that the offer "will be considered void" if they do not respond within the requested time-frame. If you do not, the seller will likely hold onto it while collecting other offers. Inserting a deadline does not mean they have to accept your offer, but it does require the seller to respond in order to keep your offer on the table. This practice can put you in a good position if the offer is strong and the seller is afraid of losing it.

6.) Write a letter to the seller. I've written about this before. It might seem silly, and it does not always work, but it can be beneficial. If there are multiple offers on the table, and your offer is under consideration along with someone else's, then a nice introduction  letter to the seller could be the difference. Sellers have emotional connections to their homes--it is their first house, they raised their first child there, etc.--so appealing to the seller on a personal level could push you in front of someone else who is still only a number on a piece of paper.

These are just some suggestions, and in no way does it  guarantee your offer will come out ahead of the pack. The most important thing to remember is that something will come along, and not to get frustrated. It is a terrific time to buy or sell in Houston!

The Draft Festival is this Saturday!

Calling all craft beer lovers - The Draft Festival is this Saturday, November 17. If you have not already purchased your tickets to attend, you need to do so soon...

Besides the obvious (craft beer), there are other reasons one should attend the festivities. The proceeds from Houston Beer Week, including The Draft Fest, will go to Live It Big, Inc., which is a non-profit that supports charities such as Friday Harbour and Stepping Stones Elementary.

Also, this is the only beer festival that includes food with your cost of admission. Some of the food that will be provided are as follows: Ninfa's on Navigation, Antone's, lamb and goat tacos from El Hidalguense, and, lastly, Richard Flores will be roasting 300 lbs of pork meat for pulled pork sliders.

The Draft Festival will showcase a cigar program curated by cigar aficionado/fashion celebrity Teresa Merchant and will feature Stogies World Class Cigars.

There will be live music, a silent auction, and a few other surprises. Don't miss out on the fun, and your opportunity to help out a great cause.

Look forward to seeing you this Saturday at Guadalupe Plaza Park!

The Draft Festival
2311 Runnels St.
Houston, TX 77003
Saturday, November 17,2012
open 11am-5pm

Things I love, need or am obsessed with...

Below are some things that currently I am either in love with, desperately need, or think that you might need.

Emerald Dry Roasted Almonds
First,  whether you are an acquaintance, friend, or loved one, you know that I am ALWAYS on phase 1 of the South Beach diet. I cannot get past phase one because every time it I complete it, I pig out on a ton of cupcakes (gluten-free, of course) and then I have to restart phase one, again. I need something to satisfy my constant cravings during the two weeks of pure misery that I have to endure the phase of this less than exciting diet. The only thing that works for me are dry roasted almonds. Although there are a million different brands of dry roasted almonds, the Emerald brand is truly the best. Trust me on this, they are delicious.

Handcuff or "Bound" necklace
I have a thing for gold jewelry, at least at this moment. If you will remember from one of my previous posts - "Current Obsessions" - I received a gold initial necklace from my sister. I still adore that necklace, and I get a ton of compliments on it. My newest "must-have" is the 18K gold handcuff necklace from Le Dragon D'or. Search "The Collections" tab at the bottom of the site. The correct collection is the "Bound" collection. I think Krysten Ritter wears one on a tv show (silver or white-gold version), but I'm not sure if it is the same one. I believe that this will be my next splurge. I love the way it sits on the neck, and it would be a delightful conversation piece, needless to say. I'm not sure of the price, as it isn't listed on the Le Dragon D'or website. Ron Herman has a similar one, without the key clasp, on his site for $725. For $725, though, I might have to buy a knock-off. Although, I'm not a fan of fakes...

Here is the Le Dragon D'or:

And, the Ron Herman:

Goodreads
Reading is FUNdamental. I love books. I love the way they feel in my hands; I love the ritual of lying in bed (or a hot bath) with a book I never want to put down, and I love that I can escape my inner voice and immerse myself in someone else's thoughts/words. I cannot get enough of reading. For that reason, I am grateful for Goodreads. Goodreads lets me organize what I've read, as well as make recommendations based on previous books I've rated. You can follow friends and see what they have read that you might enjoy, as well. It is a fun site for anyone - from the casual to the voracious reader.

Frankel's Costume
Now I have a recommendation for the avid Halloween enthusiast. I'm not super excited about the whole Halloween thing - it freaks me out. I had to buy a costume recently, and I happened upon the biggest costume store I have ever seen in my life. It was crazy how many costumes, decorations, etc. this store had to offer. If I need a costume, ever again - and any time of the year - I guarantee I will go to Frankel's Costume to find it. Swing by the store sometime before Halloween to get the full experience. Definitely unparalleled.

Map of Frankel's Costume location:


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Uchi Houston

I recently visited Uchi after reading that Houston had 3 restaurants listed in Bon Appetit's top 50 best new restaurants in the Nation for 2012, Uchi Houston being one of them. I can see why. Without a doubt, this is one of the best dining experiences of my life. The staff, the food, ambiance are all outstanding.

My understanding is that there is an "everyday menu" that does not change, and a "today's menu" that changes frequently as the chef creates new dishes. If you try something on "today's menu" and love it, chances are it might not be there in the future. I ordered off of both menus, so that I could sample a little bit of everything. The servings are tasting, or tapas, size - just enough so that you leave feeling satisfied instead of miserable because you gorged on too much food.

If you do not order the brussel sprouts, you have no idea what you are missing. Unfortunately, the wagyu beef dish that I ordered (and loved), was on the "today's menu", so it is no longer available. However, the bond roll and peanut butter semifreddo are on the permanent ("everyday") menu, and in my opinion, combined with the brussel sprouts, these three dishes would make the perfect meal. I wish I had pictures to share, but my camera decided to die at the most unfortunate time - during this meal.

The wait staff and hostesses should not go unnoticed. The service was impeccable. This is a vital part of the dining experience, to me. If the service is lousy, I do not care how great the food is, I will not be back. So, kudos to the staff of Uchi Houston.

More in-depth reviews of this restaurant, from 2 food critics I respect, are below:

Alison Cook, 29-95.com:
http://www.29-95.com/restaurants/story/uchi-tastes-perfection

Katharine Schilcutt, Houston Press:
http://www.houstonpress.com/2012-09-06/restaurants/uchi-sushi-houston/ 

Uchi
904 Westheimer
Houston, TX 77006
713-522-4808
Sun-Thurs 5-10
Fri-Sat 5-11

Houston Real Estate - tips for buying a home in Houston's inner loop

It may seem strange that, in these tough economic times, I'm writing about how fantastic Houston Real Estate is right now, but, then again, when has Houston ever been a follower? I've always considered this fabulous town to be a leader. The latest write-up in Forbes magazine is proof of Houston's ability not only to weather the storm during tough times, but, come out ahead!

With that being said, I feel it is necessary to give a heads up on buying in Houston today - particularly if you choose to buy inside the loop. Here's the scoop - things move quickly. This is especially true if you are one of a large number of buyers who is searching for the same house: a 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 2 car garage on a full sized lot with a yard, priced around $350K. This is the standard request I get from almost every first time home buyer looking to purchase inside 610. The inventory for this home is extremely low, and the demand is remarkably high. What does that mean? When one of these comes on the market, you will need to be prepared for a multiple offer scenario. You will also need to be prepared to place an offer on it the same day it hits the market, and, likely start your bid at full list price. For example, the houses I list have, for the most part, all gone "option pending" (meaning a contract has been executed) the first day they've hit the mls. This includes listings outside the loop - in Pearland, Friendswood, etc. - which shows that the upswing in buyer interest is not exclusive to the inner loop.

If a buyer is willing to sacrifice on certain criteria such as lot size, garage, number of bedrooms or baths, then it will open up options, and, perhaps level the playing field. If the criteria simply cannot be changed, then it would be a good idea either preparing to pay over list price, or purchasing a home that could use some work. Homes that have an odd layout or are in need of some tlc are typically priced a bit lower. Keep in mind, purchasing a home with an odd layout will likely affect its future resale value, as layouts are difficult, if not entirely impossible, to change. In that case, depending on time and budget constraints, considering the purchase of a home that fits all the requested criteria but is in need of some "refreshing" could be beneficial. Depending on what a homeowner does to spruce up the home, updates can increase the resale value. Also, if you are one of several bidding on an already updated home, then you could end up paying at the top of market value, or, in some cases, over market value, which means you could end up with the home you want right now, but a potentially difficult future resale.

If you find yourself in a multi-offer scenario, consider these options to make your offer more appealing:

• Include a personal letter to the seller - you would be surprised by how often this can push a buyer ahead of the pack, especially if there are only a couple thousand dollars difference between offers.

• Remove any requests for seller's contributions - in any scenario this is a negative, but it will especially work against you if you are up against other potential buyers.

• Request a shorter closing date - in today's market, people will request 45-60 day closings. You can make your offer more appealing with a 30 day close.

• Increase earnest money - The higher your earnest money offer is, the higher your risk. This shows the seller you are serious about the house.

• Pay cash - this removes the lender required appraisal which is appealing to a seller, however, a cash purchase is not an option for most,

Most importantly, be prepared to move on if you lose the bid. Another house will always come along. Being emotionally tied to a home you are bidding on can put you in a particularly vulnerable position. Decide what is the absolute highest you are willing to pay for the property and stick to it.

Danelle Reed, ABS, GREEN
Martha Turner Properties

Houston's best Ann Taylor store

I have always appreciated it when I receive good service. If an establishment I frequent goes above and beyond to make my visit special, then I will absolutely be a loyal customer. I can tell you that Abby Coatsworth, an employee at the Ann Taylor store on West Grey, has made me a lifetime client of hers, as well as the store. She is friendly, always impeccably dressed, helpful and a smart sales-woman.

Here is Abby at the counter, isn't she adorable?

I visited the store on a few occasions trying to find the right outfit for a charity function. Abby went the extra mile to pick out a dress for me and then locate it at another store, in another state, and have it shipped to me in time for the function. She was spot-on in her choice of dress for the event. Since then, I've become a dedicated client. Abby will pull items she thinks I'll like because my size sells out quickly. She'll hold them for me and call me to come take a look and try them on. She remembers my clothes and tries to select items that compliment my wardrobe. She understands that my schedule is crazy and I don't have a lot of time to shop, which I appreciate. She doesn't pressure me in any way to buy the items, either. I feel very at ease with her. If I don't like it, it's no big deal. She has such a great eye for fashion and is so genuinely nice that I felt compelled to write about her.

Also, this particular Ann Taylor seems to have the widest selection of items in stock. If you like great service, stop by the Ann Taylor store on West Grey and ask for Abby Coatworth. You'll be happy you did!

Ann Taylor
1987 West Grey
Houston, TX 77019
(713)