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Where did you grow up? I am originally from South

Texas but have been in Lubbock since I was 9. I consider Lubbock to be my hometown because I spent most of my life here.

Why do you live in the Lub-bock area? What do you like most about it?

My family moved here when I was 9 years old. I have lived here since. I graduated from Texas Tech University. Lubbock is my hometown and I am a proud citi-zen of this city. I love the college atmosphere that keeps this city so youthful

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

My sons are both very active in sports and school. We are consistently busy with that. My husband and I are also season ticket holders for Texas Tech football so we are very busy with that as well.

How long have you worked in real estate?

I have been in real estate since 2007. Before that, I was a teacher with Lubbock ISD. I thought 1st grade at Bayless Elementary.

What is your specialty? I have carried my background

in teaching into real estate. I tend to work with a lot of first time homebuyers because I offer free homebuyer seminar/sessions to educate buyers of the buying process and mortgage process so that they will be in position to make educated decisions in the process. First time homebuyers tend to gravitate to me for that reason.

What designations do you have?

I am presently going through Texas Realtors Leadership Pro-gram and am set to graduate in December. I am also chairperson for the Education Committee with the Lubbock Association of Realtors.

What is the most gratifying aspect of what you do?

The most gratifying aspect of what I do is when buyers get the keys to their home, especially when it is someone that has had to work with their credit and/or had issues that they had to work through to achieve the goal of homeownership.

What is the most unique

property you’ve listed or sold?

The most unique property I have sold and listed was a prop-

erty in Buffalo Springs Lake. That community is a small city in itself and it was quite a learn-ing experience. I look forward

for my next Buffalo Springs property.

What tips do you have for someone looking to buy or sell a home?

For anyone wanting to buy or sell a home, now is a great time to act. Interest rates are great and do not compare to anything we have seen previously. Find a Realtor that will walk you through the process and educate you so that you know all your options.

What do you see in the future for real estate sales?

I am lucky to be a Realtor in Lubbock, Texas. I got into real es-tate in a time that has not been very stable in many areas of the country. Lubbock has been good to me and my business.

Why should someone choose you as their real estate agent?

I like to educate in the process. I want my buyers and sellers to be able to make educated decisions and so I provide the most information I can so that they can do that. I feel that an educated buyer/seller is a more satisfied buyer/seller because they feel confident in the deci-sions that they make.

What is the most interesting place you have ever been?

To date, the most interesting place I have been too is Veracruz. It is very beautiful.

Real estate Produced ByAdvertising Editorial Staff

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

Inside Real Estate: Housing Trends - Page 4Homes.lubbockonline.com - Page 4 On The Web: Check us out on Facebook & Twitter

View Full MLS Listings & Open House List

Cynthia Arriaga EXIT REalTy of lubbock 806-790-0609Cynthia@CynthiaSellsLubbock.comwww.CynthiaSellsLubbock.com

Realtor Revealed

Cynthia Arriaga, EXIT Realty of Lubbock

OCTOBER 22, 2011SaTuRDay

WTHBA Featured Floorplan - Page 5Local Real Estate News - Page 7

Photo by Amanda Anderson

To Advertise

Your Listing

or Home Call

Katie McKinney806-766-8646

Jason Whittle806-766-2196

Josh Horsey806-766-8653

2 LUBBOCK AVALANCHE-JOURNAL OCTOBER 22, 2011 homes.lubbockonline.com

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2011 LUBBOCK AVALANCHE-JOURNAL A3lubbockonline.com

REAl ESTATE4 LUBBOCK AVALANCHE-JOURNAL OCTOBER 22, 2011 homes.lubbockonline.com

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New on the MarketThis week’s featured picks from

homes.lubbockonline.com are new homes on the market in the Lub-bock area. These homes vary in price, style, and location.

1. In a great location at 5507 93rd St., this three-bedroom, two-bath, and two-car garage home is approx-imately 1587 square feet. The home is complete with an isolated master, a large backyard, and two covered patios. Unlike most, this home’s second bedroom is huge. There is a great fireplace, and the yard is well landscaped and has a sprinkler system. This home is on the market for $129,000. MLS# 9983496

2. Only one individual has owned this four-bedroom home on a double cul-de-sac in Frenship ISD. It is priced to sell quickly at $144,900. Located at 6807 36th St., the home has an open concept with a large living area and big bedrooms. Some of the amenities of this house

include stainless steel Whirlpool appliances, sprinkler and security systems, isolated master with his and hers closets, neutral paint throughout, stained concrete in kitchen and bathrooms, and 10-foot ceilings in living and 8-foot ceilings in the bedrooms. This is a 1,899 square foot home. MLS# 9983512

3. This four-bedroom, three-bath, and two-car garage home comes complete with a game room or mother-in-law suite. It is within walking distance to Cooper North Elementary. The sale is contingent upon lender’s approval of short sale, and the property will be sold as is. The asking price for this 2,499 square foot home is $155,000. MLS# 9981992

4. If you want a garden home with beautiful details inside and outside, extra storage and your very own street lamp, then this is the home for you. Special ceilings, arches,

skylights, granite in the kitchen and neutral colors lend an air of elegance to this home. Outside is a great patio, a small yard and a storage building. In front is a gated porch for added security. Located at 5811 110th St., the home is 1,926 square feet priced at $179,900. MLS# 9983391

5. A custom built home with three bedrooms, two and a half baths, a two car garage, basement and two patios awaits a new owner at 5813 93rd St. The basement could be used as a media room, exercise room, office or a fourth bedroom. It includes a large closet, a half bath and a wet bar. The kitchen boasts a breakfast bar, abundant cabi-nets, a pantry, and double ovens. Large walk-in closets occupy all the bedrooms in the house. Custom cabinets and built-ins are in the master. The patio and living room are wired for surround sound. Two covered patios with sculptured

concrete, a sprinkler system and beautiful landscaping make up the back yard. For $234,00, this 2,578 square foot home can be yours. MLS# 9983493

6. This is a luxurious new gar-den home in Lakeridge Estates by Clearview Custom Homes! This upscale home has it all: elegant travertine flooring, three isolated bedrooms with special ceiling treat-ments and private baths, unique European country french architec-ture, custom handmade cabinetry, beautiful granite countertops, and stainless steel and hidden cabinet faced high-end appliances. It also has a one-, two- and 10-year limited warranty. This 2,578 square foot home at 4502 99th St. is yours for only $338,800. MLS# 9983511

For information and pictures of these and other homes, please visit homes.lubbockonline.com and enter in the MLS# provided.

Go online & view hundreds of listings

in the Lubbock area, read home

improvement articles, real estate

tips, and local news.

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homes.lubbockonline.com“Your best source for housing

in the Lubbock area”

Homes.LubbockonLine.com’s Picks of tHe Week

Nationwide housing starts rose 15 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 658,000 units in September, marking the strongest pace of residen-tial construction since April of 2010, according to figures released by the U.S. Commerce Department today. The gain was largely attributed to a sharp increase on the multifam-ily side, which has been trending upward due to increased demand for rental apartments.

“Today’s numbers are very welcome evidence that builders are putting some crews back to work on single-family homes in select markets where economic conditions are improving, and on multifamily homes in places where demand for rentals is on the rise,” said Bob Nielsen, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Reno, Nev. “That said, extremely tight lending conditions for both building and buying new homes, along with stubbornly high foreclosures that are putting downward pressure on home prices, continue to weigh down new construction and cor-responding job growth.” He noted that for every one new single-family home

built in this country, three new full-time jobs are created.

“The big gain in multifamily housing production for September was in the wake of a below-trend number in Au-gust and in keeping with characteristic volatility in that sector,” said NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. “How-ever, there’s no doubt that demand for apartments is rising as restrictive mortgage lending policies and con-cerns about future employment push consumers to pursue rental options.” Meanwhile, Crowe said, “Single-family starts showed a slight uptick for the month, which was right in line with our forecast for the third quarter and in keeping with what builders have

been telling us in recent surveys regarding the emergence of improv-ing conditions in select local housing markets.”

Single-family housing starts rose 1.7 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 425,000 units in September, re-gaining much of the ground they lost in August. Meanwhile, multifamily starts, which often display substantial swings from month to month, rose 51.3 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 233,000 units, their highest level since October of 2008.

Regionally, starts rose across the board in September, with a 12.7 percent gain in the Northeast, a 9.3 percent gain in the Midwest, a 15.7

percent gain in the South and an 18.1 percent gain in the West.

Building permits, which can be an indicator of future building activity, fell 5.0 percent to a seasonally adjusted an-nual rate of 594,000 units in Septem-ber following a big gain in the previous month. Single-family permits held virtually unchanged at 417,000 units while multifamily permits declined 14.5 percent to 177,000 units.

On a regional basis, permit activity was mixed in September, with gains of 4.9 percent and 0.9 percent recorded in the Northeast and Midwest, respec-tively, and declines of 7.0 percent and 9.0 percent registered in the South and West, respectively.

Housing starts rise 15 percent nationally in September

PARSIPPANY, N.J. – A new survey from Cold-well Banker Real Estate finds that 87 percent of 1,300 agents and brokers polled agree that the economy is delaying baby boomers’ plans to sell their homes. That said, the desire to purchase and own a home, or more than one home, remains strong in this demographic cohort, especially so in the investment market segment. Another 87 per-cent of respondents said they have baby boomer clients who already own or are looking to own an investment property, including 22 percent of agents who report that at least half (50 percent) of their boomer clients either own or are looking to own such properties.

“The baby boomer generation has driven the U.S.

economy for years, and like many Americans, they may be anxious about their next real estate deci-sion,” said Jim Gillespie, CEO of Coldwell Bank-er Real Estate. “I know baby boomers are a very diverse group and cannot be described in gener-alities, but our survey clearly indicates that those boomers who are financially secure are actively seeking to buy their retirement home, or a second home, and they are taking advantage of the oppor-tunities and value available in today’s market.”

The survey also underscored that by dividing boomers, which account for 79 million Americans, into two age categories, a more dynamic picture of the real estate market emerges. Here are the ad-ditional findings:

Coldwell Banker Real Estate survey reveals home buying differences in baby boomers

Younger Baby Boomers(Ages 47-55)

Older Baby Boomers(Ages 56-64)

Second Homes: More than one-third (34 percent) of agents say younger baby boom-ers (ages 47-55) are interested in purchasing a second home.

22 percent say older baby boomers (ages 56-64) are interested in purchasing a second home.

Looking for Larger:

31 percent of respondents say that younger baby boomer clients are selling their current home and looking for a larger home.

Compared to 6 percent of older boomers.

Downsizing: 80 percent of agents say that older baby boomers are more likely to want to downsize than younger baby boomers (52 percent). Although the economy has impacted boomers, the reason for downsizing is not only about the desire to save money. According to the survey, 49 percent of agents say the primary reason boomers want to downsize is because they desire a simpler lifestyle, while only 28 percent said the leading reason boomers are downsizing is to save money.

Single Family Home or Other Options:

Younger baby boomers are much more likely to prefer a single fam-ily home than older baby boomers (82 vs. 47 percent of agents agree).

For the older baby boomers, agents say about half are (47 percent) are looking for a town home or condo.27 percent of agents say their older boomer clients prefer an active adult community.

NiELSEN

(NAPS) – Most people have heard of their carbon footprint but have you heard of your water footprint?

On one hand, the United States has an abundance of water, al most 8 percent of the world’s freshwater resources, but only 4.5 percent of the world’s population. On the other hand, the average American’s water footprint, the total amount of water directly and indirectly used, is nearly twice the world’s average.

Calculate your water footprint at www.waterfootprint.org.

Water Conservation Tips• Take a short shower instead

of a bath. A 5- to 10-minute shower uses less water than a full bathtub.

• Install a hot water circulator in the bathroom under the sink and it can save an average family of four more than 12,000 gallons of water a year by eliminating the need to wait for the water to get hot.

• Shower during the warmer part of the day and use cooler wa-ter. Showering during the heat of the day is a great way to reduce your hot water consumption.

• Install a more efficient shower fixture: efficient fixtures maintain high pressure while lowering the amount of water used.

• Turn off the water while brushing your teeth.• Use a drip irrigation system instead of a hose

or sprinkler to water your garden.• Direct the water drain line from your air condi-

tioner to a flower bed, tree base or onto your lawn.

• Set up a rain barrel under a rain gutter outside your house. You can catch hundreds of gallons to use for watering the lawn, washing the car, etc.

For more information on water conservation and energy-saving products and tips, go to:

• www.itth2opros.com• www.epa.gov/watersense • www.bellgossett.com• www.ittwatermark.com

Know your water footprint

REAl ESTATE OCTOBER 22, 2011 LUBBOCK AVALANCHE-JOURNAL 5homes.lubbockonline.com

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The “American Dream” for most people is that one day they would own their own brand-new home. Well, that day is today with S.C.O.R.E. Builders. S.C.O.R.E. Builders,

established in 2006 and a member of the West Texas Homes Build-ers Association, is in the business of building homes for people who think they cannot afford a brand-new home of their own. They are a business that makes dreams a reality. S.C.O.R.E. Builders’ name is an acrostic for a Second Chance Opportunity, A Rebuilding Experi-ence, which is exactly what many people are doing when trying to achieve their “American Dream.”

The company is founded on the principles of helping those who are willing to help themselves. S.C.O.R.E. Builders’ mission is to walk in God’s Kingdom and to be physical proof of God’s Grace and Mercy as they manifest this mind set for those who cannot afford a traditional mortgage. As they demonstrate the Love of God to their home-buyers, they are helping to build a brighter future for the next generation.

S.C.O.R.E. Builders provides the best value in a home and at the most affordable price. They believe that after paying all their vendors and suppliers, plus the overhead, that every penny of profit is best served by putting it back into the cost of the home and thus lowering the cost to the buyer. They believe their job, in developing the best home suited for each buyer, is to have you looking forward to going home every day.

Their Cypress Grove Featured Homes are located in the 900 block of Wheelock and come in 1,250 square feet, three-bedroom floorplans with beautiful tiled kitchen, dining and bathrooms. Each home has a covered porch, as well as a patio. The eye-catching exterior features rustic red brick with garden areas for your own creative landscaping.

As you walk into the warm surroundings of the family room, which is carpeted in a soft light brown with walls painted in light taupe, you’ll find an inviting setting for any mode of decor chosen to embrace your style. The tiled areas in the kitchen and dining areas add to the home’s casually elegant appeal, which includes the open concept family room with a coffered ceiling. The functional kitchen includes all the amenities needed for an active family and is compli-mented by the faux-granite look Formica countertops.

The plush carpeting in the bedrooms, each with a walk-in closet, creates a cozy feel. You’ll love the relaxing appeal of a bedroom to come home to after a busy day! The baths provide privacy and conve-nience for everyone in the home. These homes start in the mid-$90s.

The South Brook Featured Homes offer the opportunity of a lifetime – new homes starting the mid-$70s in an amazing area of Lubbock! This new community is located in Southeast Lubbock, just off 82nd and University, in the 8900 blocks of Avenue T, Temple, and Terrell. These are 2- and 3-bedroom floorplans. Each home is more than 1,020 square feet with an attached garage and wooden fence. There are a very limited number of South Brook lots remaining, so give S.C.O.R.E. Builders a call.

S.C.O.R.E. Builders offers multiple avenues for financing, includ-ing rent-to-own, self-financing, and conventional bank mortgages. With an understanding that each buyer is different, they custom-fit financing plans with each buyer’s needs.

To view homes and visit with a S.C.O.R.E. Builders representa-tive, call (806) 776-1000, or come by their office at 5438 40th Street, Lubbock. Online, visit www.scorebuilders.org. S.C.O.R.E. Builders – “Building a Brighter Future for the Next Generation.”

These S.C.O.R.E. Builders homes are sponsored by the West Texas Home Builders Association in cooperation with the Lubbock Ava-lanche-Journal.

featured fLoorPLans – s.c.o.r.e. buiLders

910 Wheelock – Cypress Grove

8908 Avenue T – South Brook

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2011 LUBBOCK AVALANCHE-JOURNAL A6lubbockonline.com

Gayle Ninemire, sales manager for Better Homes & Gardens® Real Estate Anderson Properties, is pleased to announce the addition of Melanie Reyes to their Lubbock sales team.

Melanie moved to Lubbock, Texas 20 years ago to marry her husband, Ruben. They have two children. Their son, Ross, attends Baylor Univer-sity and their daughter, Han-nah, attends Frenship High School. Melanie loves Lubbock and says it has been an awe-some place for her and Ruben to raise their family.

Melanie was a stay-at-home mom until their children became school age, at which time she began working as a reading tutor in elementary education. About her new career in

real estate, Melanie says, “My experience as a wife, mother and educator has taught me the impor-tance and value of a house truly being a home. A home should be a place of rest and happiness. I love the saying, ‘Home is where the heart is.’ A home is where memories are made as you spend time with loved ones. As a sales person with Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate, I commit myself to helping families find that special place they will call home.”

Ninemire says, “We are so very excited to have an individual of Melanie’s caliber join our Better Homes & Gardens® Real Estate family. Her sincer-ity and caring nature are so very evident when you first meet her; that’s what is going to make her a great real estate agent. She is going to be a real as-set to our company.”

Melanie invites her friends and acquaintances to come by her office at 4621 S. Loop 289 Ste. A or call her there at (806) 687-7700.

REAl ESTATE OCTOBER 22, 2011 LUBBOCK AVALANCHE-JOURNAL 7homes.lubbockonline.com

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You’d be surprised how many people sign real estate docu-ments without ever reading them. Then again, maybe you wouldn’t. Perhaps you’ve put your signature at the bot-tom of a contract or form that you merely skimmed over. That approach to such important documents is a bad idea.

Words Have Meaning

From beginning to end, a real estate transaction will present you with more notices, disclo-sures, contracts and applica-tions than just about any other activity you’ll ever undertake. The numbers on these docu-ments matter, but it doesn’t stop there – the words matter, too. In fact, if any party disputes who was obligated to do what, how or when, the words on the page

carry more weight than any verbal discussions or agree-ments. The written words may even spell out how a dispute gets resolved – like mandatory

mediation, for example.

start off on tHe rigHt foot

Early in the process, sellers will likely be presented with a list-ing agreement, and buyers may be asked to sign a buyer’s repre-sentation agreement. These contracts outline the agency arrange-

ment between you and your real estate broker. They protect both parties by spelling out what services the broker will provide, as well as details about com-pensation and duration of the agreement.

If there’s anything you don’t understand about the listing or buyer’s representation agree-ment, ask your Lubbock Realtor to explain it to you. These agree-ments are not typically complex,

but they do cover many specifics and potential scenarios.

ask Questions

Whether you’re a buyer or seller, you will eventually deal with a contract offer. The Texas Real Estate Commission’s contract for the sale of a one- to four-family home is eight pages long. As you might imagine, it covers quite a bit more than just the purchase price.

Go over the contract and discuss it with your Lubbock Realtor before making or accept-ing an offer. That way, you can work out any confusion before you find yourself facing an im-portant decision with a deadline looming.

The contract is only one of many key documents that go into a transaction. Real estate forms can be overwhelming, so you should never be embar-rassed to ask for clarification about disclosure forms, loan applications and disclosures, appraisals, title commitments, surveys, contract addenda, and

other documents. If you can’t get a straight answer from a service provider, don’t be afraid to ask your Lubbock Realtor.

keep eyes open at tHe Close

If you’ve never participated in a real estate closing, bring your pen and be prepared to sign … and sign and sign and sign. Many people don’t look at clos-ing documents until they show up to the closing itself. They may glance at the title on a form and listen to a one-sentence explanation of the document’s purpose before signing it. Occa-sionally, a person will read every page right at the closing table, which will dramatically slow the process. A better approach is to request the closing documents prior to the day you close. You can then spend time reviewing

the materials to make sure that you understand everything and that all facets of the transaction are properly represented. You also should check for accuracy. It’s not unheard of for an error to pop up – either in the num-bers or some other important aspect of the deal.

When you thoroughly examine the paperwork involved in pur-chasing or selling a home and rely on your Lubbock Realtor to assist you along the way, you minimize the chance of future surprises. After all, the docu-ments you fill out and sign form the basis of a decision you will be living with for some time to come.

For more tips and information about buying and selling real estate, visit LubbockRealtors.com.

Do you know what you’re signing? Read forms, ask questions

murfee

reYes

LocaL reaL estate neWs – Lubbock association of reaLtors

BY Joe L. Murfee, III, PresidentLubbock Association of REALTORS®

Melanie Reyes joins Better Homes & Gardens® Real Estate

lubboCkrealtors.CoM

On the website of the Lub-bock Association of Realtors – LubbockRealtors.com – you’ll find valuable information to assist in your search for a new home. Feel confident that the information is up-to-date because properties searches are delivered in real-time; proper-ties are instantly placed on LubbockRealtors.com from the Lubbock MLS (Multiple Listing Service).

Other features include:• Open house listings and

calendar• Buying and selling tips• A list of Lubbock Realtors• Directory of local mort-

gage lenders, title companies, licensed home inspectors, and home maintenance companies.

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2011 LUBBOCK AVALANCHE-JOURNAL A8lubbockonline.com