Sam White's College Station Real Estate Blog

Welcome to Texas A&M Parents’ Weekend

Today is Aggie Ring Day, and marks the beginning of Texas A&M University’s Parents Weekend here in College Station, Texas. Several thousand soon to be Former Students receive rings today. Congratulations!

Normally, it would have to be a football weekend to have so many parents in town. Tents are set up in parking lots selling Aggie T-Shirts, caps and all types of Texas A&M Football “stuff.”

I have some links to the 2012 TAMU Parents Weekend schedule of events, but first I want to share a recent video by Texas A&M, entitled “We Serve.”

Nice.

College Station weather for 2012 Parents Weekend looks to be good, with partly cloudy skies and highs nearing 90F.

The TAMU Parents’ Weekend Committed has it’s own website with links to a downloadable Parents’ Weekend Schedule and PARKING INFORMATION. I stress the PARKING INFORMATION because, as our students know parking can be difficult here and ticketers will show no mercy. In case you missed that hyperlink, the website address is http://parentsweekend.tamu.edu/.

Texas A&M Student Housing

Parents, while you’re in town consider how investing in housing for your student may be a wise choice. Our market remains relatively stable, with signs of improvement compared to the rest of the country. Also, as long as kids are attending Texas A&M University, there will be a demand for housing, as well as income in our area.

Condominiums are popular, affordable and without the yard and exterior hassles of a house. Many of our student complexes have pools and cookout areas. One of my favorite complexes is Fox Run Condos (http://foxruncondo.com). Located in a semi-rural setting but still within a couple of miles of Kyle Field, this gated complex is quiet and has a nice pool area.

Another complex in the Southwood Valley area is Woodsman Condos (http://woodsmancondo.com). These affordable units have a unique wood flavor. The units in the photos have sold, but there are several others on the market.

We have a staff of several buyer’s agents who are student housing experts, waiting for your call or text or email. They’re prepared to show properties this weekend, while you’re in town. Give us a call at 979-353-0907. If you fall to voicemail, it’s because our agents are on the phone. Please leave a message as it will be transcribed immediately and our agent can see it on his/her screen. We’ll call you back quickly.

Of course you can always search our Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and set up custom search notifications at Search.SamWhiteRealty.com. No need to talk to an agent!

Have a great weekend wherever you are. Drive safely and enjoy the company of family and friends.

Blue skies,

Sam White
Keller Williams Realty - Bryan College Station
BrazosValleyPremierHomes.com
979-353-0907

Hi everyone,

I hope spring is treating you well. Here in Texas, just northwest of Houston, we've experienced the same mild winter as much of the country. Our good new is the extreme drought, which was killing our trees, fish and fowl, has broken and as of today, most of our tanks and ponds are full. We'll hope that carries into the summer.

Our local housing market seems more upbeat than anytime since 2008. The numbers aren't bad, and it seems that many folks waiting for something to "happen" can't wait longer. Either way, it will be good for everyone - buyers, sellers and the economy.

Our websites are going through some revisions this week and weekend. It's an interesting process because you always want to adhere to the "first, do no wrong" rule. We've carefully checked the pages that the google likes, and we're making sure they suffer the least trauma with the moves. When we're finished in a couple of months, our web presence will be worthy of 2013.

Have a great afternoon.

Blue skies,

Sam

Hi everyone,

Our company needed to pick up another Android phone this Christmas. I really wanted to wait until the spring to purchase a phone and activate another two-year agreement, hoping on developments with the iPhone 5 or a price reduction in the new Nexus, but we couldn't.

I spoke to many Andriod owners over the last month, and combined with our recent experience, I'd like to offer the following suggestions:

Processor Speed: at least 1 gigahertz (1.2gh dual-core preferable)
RAM: At least 512 megabytes  (1 gigabyte preferable)
Storage: at least 16g (32g preferable)
Rear Camera: at least 5mp
Front Camera: at least 1mp
LED Flash: rear
Video: at least 720p (1080p preferable)
Audio Out: 3.5mm standard jack
Screen: at least 4"
Battery: at least 1500 mAh (1800 mAh preferable)
Network: at least 4g (4g LTE preferable)
OS: at least 2.3.5 gingerbread (4.0 ice cream sandwich preferable)

Of this list, I give priority to processor speed and RAM. Your life can be miserable without enough of either.

This is a pretty strong suite and well above the standard fare offered as a "free" phone from the primary carriers, but if you are going to be happy in three months, let alone two years, you need to buy "up."

We run our phones hard, heavy on social networking and location services. I can't stand phones that slow down, or are unreliable. Unfortunately, technology is progressing much faster than the typical two-year contract.

I hope this is helpful for post-Christmas shopping.

You can follow the New Technoloy Working Group on twitter or our facebook page for more tech tips!

Blue skies,

Sam
www.SamWhiteRealty.com
979-589-4487 

Dear readers,

This morning I'm writing to introduce you to a new technology and social media training group that recently opened to the public after providing private consulting services for several years. The New Technology Working Group (NTWG), or NewTechWorkGroup.com, was formed in early 2010 to advance social media and technology training in Bryan and College Station, Texas, home of Texas A&M University. 

The group is comprised of several professionals from different generations and trades, to include Web designers, writers and editors, marketing consultants and social media nerds. The company's goal is to promote individuals, businesses and non-profit organizations on the Web with custom programs to leverage new or already existing reputations and outbound marketing.

With over 15 years of experience in advanced technology training for large corporations such as Continental Airlines and Texas state agencies, as well as small business and non-profit organizations, NTWG's trainers and consultants are used to working with businesses of all sizes. 

Real estate training and consulting by the New Technology Working Group in the Bryan College Station area is currently exclusively limited to agents of Keller Williams Realty Bryan College Station. Real estate agents from other, noncompetitive areas of the country are welcome to contact NTWG for consultations.

NTWG has a presence on facebook and twitter, where they post best practices and keep clients and potential clients up to date on the latest trends in technology and social media.

If your interested in how social media, new technology and inbound marketing can improve your business, I urge you to give them a shout on facebook or twitter, email them at info@newtechworkgroup.com or finally give them a call at 512-931-4487.

Feeling left behind? NTWG's motto is "We'll help you catch-up fast!"

As always, if you have any questions regarding real estate in Bryan, College Station or Texas A&M, don't hesitate to call or text me at 979-589-4487 or contact me through my websites, BrazosValleyPremierHomes.com or BryanCollegeStationHomes.info.

Blue skies,

Sam White

I grew up on a nice lawn. It made the running games of tag or hide and seek up and down the neighborhood pleasant. And since we lived in town, I guess my Mom and Dad really didn't think about the water it took to keep our lawns green in Hereford, Texas. Hereford isn't exactly tropical.

We came to Hereford from a "semi-arid" climate at 4,700 feet in New Mexico. It was a ranch where green lawns were small, you worked to keep the trees alive in the summer, and leaving the water or a toilet running through, could cause there to be no water for several hours. It wasn't really a pain, you just had to pay attention. It was part of life.

Even during a normal year, meaning one without extreme drought, it is expensive to maintain a classic green American lawn. We live in a nice neighborhood, built in the early 80's. Our neighbors are older and traditional, and I've watched many struggle to keep their grass alive, knowing not only what it cost but also how scarce water is this year.

Another neighborhood trait is that no one does their own lawn, so several times per week, large pickups pulling flatbed utility trailers with several riding lawn implements appear, and the neighborhood fills with the sound and smoke created by several small, inefficient engines. Grass is cut (which of course releases the little moisture that was in the ground), the smoky, noisy caravan moves to another part of town. I humbly apologize to my friends in the lawn care business...and I have some, but it just doesn't make sense.

I'm not suggesting that we go "Las Cruces, NM," where most lawns are rock or gravel, but in our part of Texas native landscaping natural and acceptable...when you think about it.

Deep down, I believe that humans are smart and that we'll get it. Drilling fewer wells, for those of us lucky enough to have wells, saves water and money. For those relying on dry lakes and rivers, you already know what a water emergency is like.

Hoping for rain in the fall,

Sam

Surviving another birthday has again reinforced my appreciation of facebook and it's ability to bring people together.

I don't watch my friend count from day to day. I know it's somewhere in the upper 500's. I do, however, take my friends list seriously. I go through it a couple of time per year and I've discovered that I have a relationship with almost every person on it. I admit, I have a very few friends that I can't quite place. Maybe I pushed the wrong button or it's a case of mistaken identity. I've looked at these folks and kept them because they contribute to the conversation or live someplace different or exciting.

Before facebook, I was in touch with probably 10 friends from my adolecent years at New Mexico Military Institute. Now I'm in touch with over 100, who are spread out all over the world doing things for their country, family and self. I would have never guessed who would go into the soft-serve ice cream business (in Arizona) or who remains in Afghanistan, away from his family, doing our nation's dirty work. Some of my friends are going to be general officers soon. I'm proud of them.

Then there are the kids. I've friended more than one kid thinking it was his father. My friends that are kids at Texas A&M keep me young, and my friends who are current cadets at NMMI keep me in touch with the quality of the school. Now my friends kids, who are also friends, are coming to College Station for college.

Anyway, thanks for all the birthday greetings. And to my almost 600 friends, keep living and keep posting. Don't be scared. I think facebook makes me a better, more aware person and also makes this a better world.

Blue skies,

Sam

Everyone needs a break, and I just took mine from blogging. I was absent several months. It was well worth it.

I've spent my time setting up the social media program for Growing Green Communities, a conference series we're holding in Texas on sustainable rural economic development. More simply put, we are teaching rural governments, organizations and businesses how they can Save Money, Make Money and Create Jobs.

Our next major conference is the statewide conference in Austin, November 14-16. In the meantime you can catch our "Green Track" at the Texas Rural Challenge, which is in San Marcos June 16-17.

That's all for now. Have a great week.

Blue skies,

Sam White

Dear readers,

Many times the act of doing something is worth more than the end product. I think we see this in many areas.

Yesterday I wrote a short post from the National Diving Championships being held here at Texas A&M University. In fact, I received a little flak because the blog didn't directly speak about a property for sale.

While sitting in the crowd with my Netbook on my lap, tapping away, another spectator asked what I was doing. I quickly explained I was writing a quick blog about the event and explained what Active Rain was. I also gave him a card.

If you haven't been to a diving competition, they are kind of like a golf tournament. You are expected to be very quiet and still before each dive, which doesn't lead to conversation. He took my card, nodded and we didn't speak again...until this morning.

I just received a call from the gentleman, and he'd like me to help his family find a home. The combination of supporting our school and community through attending the diving event and taking the time to write about it really impressed him. That, combined with my knowledge of the local market and Internet savvy, influenced him to trust me with his business. He never read the blog, but just the act of writing it gained me a nevw client.

Blogging may be one of the most healthy things we do for our minds and business. Once again it's not just the destination, but the act of getting there that makes the journey worth it.

Blue skies,

Sam White
979-589-4487
Search.SamWhiteRealty.com

Hi everyone,

I'm blogging live today from the National Diving Championships being held at the Texas A&M Natitorium in College Station, Texas. We have a great facility here, including:

Dive Pool
* 25 meters long 58 feet wide (eight 7-foot wide lanes)
* Two 1-meter and two 3-meter springboards and 1, 3, 5, 7.5 and 10 meter platforms with rough-tex surfaces
* One inch ceramic tile throughout (blue field with white markers)
* One underwater viewing window
* Sparger bubbler system under all platforms and three meter springboards
* Bubble and spray surface agitation systems
* Trampoline room and separate Port-A-Pit area
* Hydrolic self-operated handicap lift
* Adjacent eight person in-ground hot tub
* 16-17 feet deep 24 x 80 tri-color full matrix scoreboard/message center

The contest has been running all week and ends tomorrow (Sunday) after lunch.

Today's competition includes:

• Women's 3-Meter Finals
• Men's 10-Meter Finals
• Women's 3-Meter Synchro Finals
• Men's 10-Meter Synchro Finals

If you are here in the Brazos Valley, this will make a great Saturday or Sunda activity.

For more information see:

http://www.usadiving.org/05redesign/events/2010_AT&T_nats.htm

Our thanks to USA Diving and Texas A&M for bringing this great event to our area.

Blue skies,

Sam White
9790589-4487
Search.SamWhiteRealty.com

Happy Saturday!

Bryan & College Station, Texas is preparing for the fall 2010 semester at Texas A&M University and Blinn College. Summer school is over and kids are taking a quick break before school starts.

All Texas A&M residence halls will open for check-in on Sunday, August 22, 2010, from 8:00am - 7:00pm. For more infomation on Texas A&M Residence Halls see http://reslife.tamu.edu. Blinn College does not offer on-campus housing and refers students to TAMU's Office of the Dean of Student Life at http://studentlife.tamu.edu/.

For those living off campus, Bryan & College Station have a vast assortment of rentals and apartments. Unfortunately, there isn't one central database for area rentals as there is with sales.

Although Sam White Realty handles rentals for select buyer clients, our primary business is residential sales. We do, however, have one rental on the market. It's a nice 3 bedroom 2 bath home near the Southwood Athletic Park. View the properties Website at 1100Buttercup.com.

For those who have already secured living accomadations but need to get the utilities lined-up, this link takes you to our Utility Information Website. There you will be able to link to local providers.

I have one word of advice for anyone connecting utilities this time of year. Try to do everything you can over the Internet or telephone. Connection lines are already long, and the influx of almost 50,000 students makes things much worse. Also, some connection times can take several days, especially cable and Internet. Don't wait!

Of course, if we can help you find a home or student property to purchase, we'd love to help. You search all area properties and save those searches at Search.SamWhiteRealty.com.

Have a great weekend!

Sam White
979-589-4487
Search.SamWhiteRealty.com

Dear readers,

There is a unique opportunity this evening to get close to the fire as the Texas Engineering Extension Service hosts a public firefighting demonstration at the Brayton Fire Training Field Wednesday evening. The gates open at 7pm and a children’s fire-awareness class begins at 7:30 p.m. Following the awareness class, TEEX instructors will explain and demonstrate techniques used to extinguish fires on selected full-scale, live-fire training props. The event will end at approximately 9:30 p.m.

Here is a link to the TEEX press release, where there is a google maps link to the event. I'll also be blogging from the event at TEEXblog.

Blue skies,

Sam White
MarketReports.SamWhiteRealty.com
979-589-4487

Dear readers,

May 2010 residential real estate statistics for Bryan College Station look good overall.

Total monthly sales came in only slightly higher than 2009, at $45,529,835, compared with $53,031,332 in 2008.

Units sold were also slightly above 2009 numbers at 282, versus 266 in 2009 and 333 units in 2008. Total monthly sales and units sold usually move in tandem.

Following the same pattern, average single-family home price came in at $161,453, only slightly above 2009's $159,253 and well below 2008, when the average price was $171,079. This is one of those charts that is all over the place.

Average days on the market stayed tight at 111, compared with 113 in 2009 and 111 days in 2008. Finally, new listings taken in May were only 372, in stark contrast to 477 new listings gaken in April 2010. This is a graph to watch.

Although all the numbers come in better than 2009 (one would hope), they are still indications of a slightly soft market. That said, buyers are getting some good deals and the average ADOM for my listings this summer is very short, around 16 days.

All of these charts as well as national real estate news and mortgage rates are available at MarketReports.SamWhiteRealty.com. Scroll down the page and you'll also find the short video, This Month in Real Estate, from Keller Williams Realty.

Remember, you can get this market information daily on my twitter feed, @BCShomes. Going green? Follow @BCSgreenliving for sane tips on how to save money and the environment. Finally, if you're on facebook, you can catch local market information as well as news and local events at facebook.samwhiterealty.com.

Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or I can be of assistance.

Blue skies,

Sam White
979-589-4487 google voice & text
Search.SamWhiteRealty.com

Dear readers,

I'm taking a moment today to thank everyone involved in air conditioning. I appreciate everyone involved whether you invented it, modified it, install or service it. And, let's not forget everyone who keeps the power flowing to during the summer months.

I wish there was a way to stay cool without throwing KWh's at it, and soon we may find one. I have to say that having lived with and without "aircon" in tropical climates, there is nothing like the feel of conditioned air when it's 33C outside. The only thing that made lack of aircon tolerable was the ocean.

So, here's to those who are going to work long hours to keep me cool this summer!

Blue skies,

Sam White
Search.SamWhiteRealty.com
979-589-4487

Dear readers,

May 2010 residential real estate statistics for Bryan College Station look good overall.

Total monthly sales came in only slightly higher than 2009, at $45,529,835, compared with $53,031,332 in 2008.

Units sold were also slightly above 2009 numbers at 282, versus 266 in 2009 and 333 units in 2008. Total monthly sales and units sold usually move in tandem.

Following the same pattern, average single-family home price came in at $161,453, only slightly above 2009's $159,253 and well below 2008, when the average price was $171,079. This is one of those charts that is all over the place.

Average days on the market stayed tight at 111, compared with 113 in 2009 and 111 days in 2008.

Finally, new listings taken in May were only 372, in stark contrast to 477 new listings gaken in April 2010. This is a graph to watch. Although all the numbers come in better than 2009 (one would hope), they are still indications of a slightly soft market.That said, buyers are getting some good deals and the average ADOM for my listings this summer is very short, around 16 days.

All of these charts as well as national real estate news and mortgage rates are available at MarketReports.SamWhiteRealty.com. Scroll down the page and you'll also find the short video, This Month in Real Estate, from Keller Williams Realty.

Remember, you can get this market information daily on my twitter feed, @BCShomes. Going green? Follow @BCSgreenliving for sane tips on how to save money and the environment. Finally, if you're on facebook, you can catch local market information as well as news and local events at facebook.samwhiterealty.com.

Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or I can be of assistance.

Blue skies,

Search.SamWhiteRealty.com
979-589-4487

Dear readers,

On June 16, a major confrontation in our community will come to an end with the "opening" of our College Station Walmart, ending a battle that has raged for years.

 As in many communities, Walmart had big plans for a lot near the Greens Prairie/SH6 intersection. And, like many communities, the citizens of College Station said NO, to more traffic and congestion. The battle finally came down to rezoning, and after a town-hall meeting at the local high school, Walmart and their real estate developers lost.

College Station happens to be half of our twin cities, Bryan / College Station. Although we are our own Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), nothing is more than ten minutes from anything else here. There is a Walmart Super Center in Bryan, and College Station residents seemed perfectly happy driving to that store, rather than have one of their own.

So, what did Walmart do? They expanded the store they had, by almost 1/3. Battle over. Everyone wins.

Walmart has done much in the last year to bring their reputation around. Ending this battle can't hurt.

Blue skies,

Sam White
Search.SamWhiteRealty.com
979-589-4487

Dear readers,

We are only a couple of weeks away from some great wine and beef. Texas Reds is coming back to Downtown Bryan, Texas June 18-19, 2010. Over 25,000 people attended the event in 2009.

Described as just plain "fun," Texas Reds features the best in steak, wine from over 20 different vineyards, enterainment by Robert Earl Keen and a great play area for the kids. Other activities include a steak cook-off, grape stomp, many outside vendors and live music.

Free Park & Ride - Free Admission - Free Live Music

Detailed information can be found at these Websites:

http://www.bryantx.gov/texasredsfestival/

http://www.visitaggieland.com/

http://www.downtownbryan.com/

See you there!

Blue skies,

Sam White
Search.SamWhiteRealty.com
979-589-4487

Happy Wednesday,

The Real Estate Center at Texas A&M has released new Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) overviews for many Texas MSA's, including College Station - Bryan. The 38-page .pdf report is available on the center's Website. I really wasn't in to statistics in college, but find them both educational and entertaining today. This report has far too much material for one blog, but will make a fun series as I pick my way through the details.

The College Station - Bryan MSA consists of 2,133 square miles encompassing three Texas counties, Robertson, Burelson and Brazos. College Station - Bryan is withing 180 miles, or approximately three hours, of 80% of Texas' population. Our population density is 99.5 people per square mile.

College Station is home of Texas A&M University, which was founded as Texas' first public institution of higher learning, in 1876. A space, sea and land-grant university, it is home to the George Bush (41) Presidential Library and Museum. More on our university system in a later blog. Bryan was established by Stephen F. Austin's nephew in 1859. The railroad came in 1867, turning the town into an agricultural and commercial center.

Local population climbed from 182,327 in 1999 to 212,268 in 2009, giving us a current population density of 99.5 people per square mile. Of the three counties, Brazos grew almost 20% in the last decade while Robertson County lost 2.6% of its population.

City-wise, College Station leads Bryan in decade growth 2 to 1. Projected growth puts the MSA at 245,000 in 2020. Compared to Texas state growth, our are was in the middle of the pack with 16.4% over the last decade, compared with a high in Austin/Round Rock/San Marcos of 41.4% and a low of Beaumont/Port Aurthur losing about 2.6 of its population. Nationally, Texas continues to be an inbound migration state.

That's enough dry stuff for now. The next installment will be a bit more interesting as I look at education and employment at the home of Texas A& M University.

Blue skies,

Sam White
Search.SamWhiteRealty.com
979-589-4487 google voice & text

Good morning,

Besides working in real estate, I'm a technology consultant for several groups, including a large state agency. Yesterday I was asked whether it was worth it to go to the trouble of putting analytic code on landing and conversion pages.

This particular query concerned a foreign language facebook ad targeted at Spanish speaking firefighters all over the globe. So, I rattled off many of the things that google analytics tells us:

• Where they came from and where they went
• How long they were on each page
• Their operating system
• Their browser
• Their mobile status and geographic location
• Their screen resolution
• Their connection speed

Beause the target audience is foreign, I think the information is even more important. Those of us that live on the mainland United States have a pretty good idea what's happening with the Internet here in the USA. We know how most folks connect and what OS and browsers are most popular. But what do we know about Latin America and other Spanish speaking areas that would help us serve them better?

Do they have high-speed internet through cable or DSL, or are they stuck with dail-up and satellite? Are they using Internet Explorer or another browser? What percentage are connecting though mobile devices and what operating system and screen resolution are they using? How about a snapshot of your clientele and target demographic?

All of these are valid questions if you are worried about getting YOUR contect to dispaly correctly on their Internet source. Especially pay attention to the information about mobile devices!

Just some thoughts for technology Tuesday!

Blue skies,

Sam White
Search.SamWhiteRealty.com
979-589-4487