Real estateSATURDAY

B

lack

Yel

low

Mag

enta

Cya

n S

ATU

RDAY

, FEB

RUA

RY 4

, 201

2 A

1

Produced ByAdvertising Editorial Staff

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

Inside Real Estate: Spruce Up Gardens - Page 3Local Real Estate News - Page 5 On The Web: Follow us on Facebook & Twitter

View Full MLS Listings & Open House ListChoosing Native Plants - Page 5WTHBA Featured Floorplan - Page 7

Where did you grow up? Born and raised in Mule-

shoe.

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

I came to Lubbock Chris-tian University to play basketball, graduated with my Business-Finance degree and decided to stick around. I really enjoy the small town feel that Lubbock has. Grow-ing up in Muleshoe, you get to know everyone. I like that Lubbock gives you the abil-ity to get to know everyone and see them around town.

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

I love spending time with my family. My wife, Lydia, and I have a 9-month-old baby girl. She has been the most amazing blessing and game changer in my life. You begin to realize how important family is when you become a family of more than two. I also enjoy play-ing golf at Lubbock Country Club and traveling.

How long have you worked in real estate?

I started in real estate 6 years ago and have been an active Realtor and investor ever since.

What did you do before that?

I started in sales at the age of 13 at our family-owned retail business in Muleshoe. I’ve been selling shoes and clothes for a long time! I have been a buyer for the store for many years and do that on occasion when the family needs help. I then went on to attend LCU and graduated in 2005.

Why should someone choose you as their real estate agent?

I treat every client and their situation as if I were in their shoes. I have been through the buying and sell-ing process myself for almost any type of property. Knowl-edge and experience is the key to being able to advise my clients on how to proceed in a real estate transaction.

What is your specialty? I would say my specialty

is being an advisor to my clients. Whether that is a first-time home buyer or an investor buying several properties a year. I think it is important for the Realtor to have gone through the experience numerous times in order for them to be able to adequately advise their clients on the process.

What designations do you have and what does that mean for the people you work with?

I am a Certified Negotia-tion Specialist and recog-nized numerous times in the top 2% of Realtors in the city of Lubbock. My experience

allows me to predict problem areas ahead of time and en-sure as smooth a transaction as possible for my clients.

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

It is an amazing experi-

ence to hand keys over to someone buying their first home or their dream home. However, I probably enjoy more the thought of helping a client and friend to make a wise investment. The other side of the job is the time commitment. Most people don’t see what is done behind the scenes to make a trans-action go smoothly, but it is extremely time-consuming and takes a lot of time away from family. It is definitely not just going out to look at houses.

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

My most unique experi-ence was filming an episode of HGTV House Hunters here in Lubbock with some of my clients and good friends. They were buying their first home and I was able to help in the process. It is amazing to see how an episode is created from start to finish and help a friend find a wonderful home.

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

I feel like prices will hold strong here in Lubbock and we will continue to see moderate appreciation. The answer to this question will vary from one city to the next, but Texas as a whole has been an exceptional place to live during this recession.

Dan Williams WeSTmARk ReAlToRS806-777-1310dwilliams@westmarkrealtors.com

Realtor Revealed

Dan Williams, Westmark Realtors

CNS–Certified Negotiation Specialist

Photo by Therese Barrett Photography

homes.lubbockonline.com

Search 1000s of MLS and classified listings in the Lubbock area

View open houses complete with a map every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday

Search for farms,

ranches, and foreclosures throughout

the US

Read local news articles,

featured, Realtor Revealed articles, floor plans, home

improvement articles,

and much more

Jaime Engler 806-766-2194

Josh Horsey 806-766-8653

Kendall Krohn 806-766-8646

To Advertise Call...

MARCH 17, 2012

B

lack

Yel

low

Mag

enta

Cya

n

2 SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012 LUBBOCK AVALANCHE-JOURNAL homes.lubbockonline.com

B

lack

Yel

low

Mag

enta

Cya

n S

ATU

RDAY

, MA

RCH

17, 2

012

A2

B

lack

Yel

low

Mag

enta

Cya

n

B

lack

Yel

low

Mag

enta

Cya

n S

ATU

RDAY

, MA

RCH

17, 2

012

A3

ReAl eSTATe SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012 LUBBOCK AVALANCHE-JOURNAL 3homes.lubbockonline.com

(ARA) – Sprucing up outdoor spaces doesn’t have to cost a lot to create a big impact. Rather than buying new, consider refreshing or upgrading furnishings, equipment and features you already have. You will save some green and give new life to items that might otherwise wind up in the trash – and ultimately in the landfill. Here are some summer spruce-up ideas:

Reviving Patio FuRnituRe

Time, use and weather can leave outdoor furnishings looking withered and faded. Whether your patio set is wooden, painted aluminum, cast iron or even wicker, you can make it look new again with a fresh coat of paint. Gentle sanding and the right type of paint will have your set looking

new in no time. Add in new cush-ions in bright colors and you’ve created a whole new look at a fraction of the cost of buying new.

Winning WateR FeatuRes

Water features can add a splash of beauty and relaxation to an outdoor environment. Consider repurposing a flower pot or large colorful vase into a fountain by waterproofing it and adding a pump. Or if you bought a fountain a few seasons ago and it’s sitting there unused because the original pump has burned out, it’s actually simple and cost-effective to get it going again with a replacement fountain pump found at your local home improvement store.

As the weather heats up and evaporation causes water levels to drop in fountains, traditional

pumps can burn out from too-low water levels. Smartpond’s Foun-tain Pump with Low-Water Shut-off, found at Lowe’s, automatically turns off the pump when water levels dip low in your fountain, and automatically turns back on when you add water. The energy-efficient pumps are ideal for small- to medium-sized fountains and come with or without a light for evening enjoyment.

Fences and decks

Large surface areas such as fences and decks are the first to get noticed. Improve the aesthet-ics of worn, neglected surfaces with a new coat of waterproofer and stain. First, inspect for dam-aged boards and replace with appropriate materials when necessary. Check to be sure deck

fasteners are secure and tighten them if they’ve come loose over the winter. If a fastener can’t be tightened, you may need to replace it. Next, power wash and waterproof (either in clear or stain finishes) decks and fences.

You can also spruce up decks by making small changes, such as adding decorative rails or post caps. Lighting, decor and acces-sories can also freshen the look of an existing deck.

keePing YouR gRill gReat

New gas grills can cost from a few hundred to several thousand dollars. You can refurbish your old grill for a fraction of the cost. Start by cleaning all parts and surfaces by following the manu-facturer’s instructions. If you no longer have the manual that came

with your grill, check the manu-facturer’s website to see if you can download one. It’s possible to repaint rusted, faded or scratched parts as long as you use a paint rated for high temperatures. For stainless steel surfaces, use an appropriate polish to freshen the shine.

Worn-out igniters are also a common problem with gas grills, so check yours to see if it still works. If it doesn’t, you can likely buy a replacement either through a home center or from the manu-facturer.

With a few cost-effective upgrades, it’s possible to spruce up the outdoor equipment you have, so you can enjoy it – and the savings you’ll reap – for another season.

Green ways to freshen outdoor spaces

Give your patio or yard new life without breaking the bank

WITH A LITTLe ImAGINATION and a few inexpensive parts, you can freshen up your out-door spaces by repurposing items you already have. Colorful pots, even if they are broken, can add color garden area (above), while larger pots can become stylish fountains with the addition of a water pump (left).

B

lack

Yel

low

Mag

enta

Cya

n

4 SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012 LUBBOCK AVALANCHE-JOURNAL homes.lubbockonline.com

B

lack

Yel

low

Mag

enta

Cya

n S

ATU

RDAY

, MA

RCH

17, 2

012

A4

B

lack

Yel

low

Mag

enta

Cya

n

B

lack

Yel

low

Mag

enta

Cya

n S

ATU

RDAY

, MA

RCH

17, 2

012

A5

ReAl eSTATe SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012 LUBBOCK AVALANCHE-JOURNAL 5homes.lubbockonline.com

Many people think about own-ing rental property. Some plan to buy a house and lease it, while others want a property they could live in with leasing potential such as a duplex or a house with a garage apartment. But being a landlord isn’t for everyone. Here are some things to consider before you put out a “For Rent” sign.

How is tHe Rental MaRket?Just as you perform due

diligence on a property and its

condition, you should do your homework on the area’s rental market. Is there a steady stream of potential tenants? Of course, our local universities provide some potential, but will the stu-dents want to rent the property you have in mind? Will the market support the level of rental income you envision? At a minimum, you want to be able to charge enough rent to cover the property’s mort-gage, tax, insurance, and mainte-nance. If you’re unsure about any aspects of the market for a rental property or how much rent to charge, talk to a Lubbock Realtor, particularly someone skilled in property management.

PolisH YouR PeoPle skills

Successful landlords find good tenants and retain them so both parties are content. If you’d rather not take on tasks like addressing

complaints or maintenance issues, you’ll need to hire a property manager. Many Lubbock Realtors specialize in property manage-ment and can take care of related duties including handling leases, managing funds and screening applicants. Choose a Lubbock Realtor who is also knowledgeable about local and state laws and tenants’ rights to ensure you are in compliance.

a Hands-on aPPRoacH

As a landlord, you will be re-sponsible for the routine mainte-nance and emergency repairs on a rental property. Maybe you can handle annual touch-up work, but unless you’re well-versed in HVAC systems and the city plumbing and electric codes, you’ll need phone numbers for reliable repairmen. Your Lubbock Realtor may be able to recommend some

professionals who can help.

on call aRound tHe clock

One nice thing about renting out a garage apartment or half of your duplex is that you’re never far away if there’s an emergency with the property, such as a burst pipe or a fallen tree. However, if you don’t live nearby, it may be difficult to keep an eye on the property to ensure it’s kept in good condition. This is yet another reason why it’s a good idea to work with a local property man-ager who can help look after your property.

PRotect YouRself and YouR investMent

The insurance coverage you need as a landlord is different than what you have as a home-owner. Landlord insurance can protect you and your investment

property from loss of income in the event that the property becomes uninhabitable, like in the aftermath of a fire, or during a tenant-landlord dispute.

Get an exPeRt’s advice

Finding a property, whether it’s for you and tenants or just to rent out, presents challenges that differ from just buying a house for you and your family. I recommend that you use the services of a Lub-bock Realtor with a background in property management. She’ll help guide you through the process, from deciding if it’s appropriate for you to become a landlord to finding properties that best fit your search criteria.

For more tips about buying real estate, and to find local Realtors and affiliated companies, visit LubbockRealtors.com or Texas-RealEstate.com.

Are you ready to be a landlord? Things to consider

LOPEZ

LOcaL REaL EstatE NEws – LubbOck assOciatiON Of REaLtORs

BY Debora Lopez, PresidentLubbock Association of REALTORS®

One of the best ways to improve a home’s resale value is to address the landscape. Increasing a property’s curb appeal can be done in many ways, but a well-pruned lawn and garden gives buyers the impression that the sell-ers truly took the time to maintain the home and the surrounding property.

Unfortunately, many homeowners choose exotic plants when addressing their landscape. Though these plants can be appeal-ing and make a property stand out, if the plants are not native to the region, they could be doing more harm than good. Instead of upgrading your property with exotic plants from a far away land, consider the following benefits of choos-ing native plants before addressing your landscape.

• Native plants benefit local wildlife. The na-

tive plants and the native wildlife spent years and years evolving together, with each doing their part to ensure the other’s survival. But as urban de-velopment continued, local wildlife suffered because of lost food sources. The local wildlife needs local, native plants to survive, so choosing these plants instead of exotic plants can help ensure the survival of wildlife that helps keep the ecosystem in check.

• Native plants re-quire less work. Some prospective home buyers might find a yard filled with exotic plants to be visually stunning, but they might also see a good deal of work to maintain those plants. Many exotic plants require significant work on a homeowner’s part to survive, while native plants have already adapted to the local climate and will

require much less care. This is often attractive to current and future hom-eowners alike.

• Native plants might be a better investment. A native plant has evolved over the years to survive in its given area. Local insect populations and fungal infections might be able to destroy an exotic plant, but a native plant has grown resistant to such problems and likely has the ability to fight such infestations or infections on its own. An exotic plant might require costly pesticides and con-siderable attention from homeowners to survive such problems.

Though homeowners might find exotic plants help their home stand out, it’s important that homeowners recognize the environmental benefits of choosing local plants before making any decisions.

The case for choosing native plants for your landscape

Thirteen agents with Coldwell Banker Lubbock recently attended the Coldwell Banker Generation Blue Experience at the Ernest L. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. The Generation Blue Experience brought together thousands of international members of the Coldwell Banker system for an intensive professional development pro-gram and awards ceremony.

“It’s essential to embrace and understand the newest trends, technologies and best practices so that we can continue to serve as trusted real estate advisors and profes-sionals,” said Deron Tucker, Executive Vice President. “That’s why we appreciate be-ing a part of the expansive, international Coldwell Banker network. We were able to exchange ideas with our colleagues and in-dustry experts to stay on top of the latest information, which in turn helps us provide counsel to today’s buyers and sellers.”

The event was highlighted by the Cold-well Banker Housing Town Hall which featured Karl Rove and Robert Gibbs, Re-publican and Democratic party strategists,

respectively. Michael Zimbalist, vice presi-dent, research and development operations, The New York Times, Patrick Grandinetti, head of industry, real estate, YouTube and Lee Jones, head of media solutions, Google Inc., also presented.

Jim Gillespie, chief executive officer for Coldwell Banker Real Estate along with Budge Huskey, president and chief operat-ing officer also spoke, while Michael Fischer, chief marketing officer, unveiled the Coldwell Banker Real Estate marketing campaign.

Attendees were provided valuable insight and advice on timely industry trends, such as underscoring the true emotional value of home ownership, leveraging the power of video and social media to help buyers and sellers, and highlighting traditional best practices to ensure extraordinary customer service.

Coldwell Banker Rick Canup, Realtors, lo-cated at 4924 S. Loop 289, can be reached at 806-793-0677 or www.cblubbock.com. Cold-well Banker Rick Canup, Realtors has been serving the Lubbock market for 28 years.

13 agents of Coldwell Banker Rick Canup, Realtors attend 2012 Coldwell Banker Generation Blue Experience

LOcaL REaL EstatE NEws

Aging baby boomers and their echo boom-er children will significantly impact trends in the nation’s housing market over the next 20 years. In a new report released by the Bi-partisan Policy Center, “Demographic Chal-lenges and Opportunities for U.S. Housing Markets,” researchers at the National As-sociation of Realtors®, The Urban Institute, and the University of Southern California analyze key demographic trends and their likely influence on housing and homeowner-ship in the U.S.

Over the next two decades, the aging baby boomer generation will swell the nation’s senior population by 30 million. That demo-graphic shift will likely help increase the supply of housing, since people over age 65 typically release much more housing than they absorb.

“The Northeast and Midwest are most likely to see a large number of older hom-eowners selling their homes to younger ho-meowners as the baby boomers age,” said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. “This increased supply could mean additional buying opportunities for echo boomers. That generation will absorb 75-80 percent of the

available inventory of owner-occupied hous-ing by 2020.”

The echo boom generation includes nearly 65 million people born between 1981 and 1995. NAR’s analysis illustrates the poten-tial impact of economic and housing policy on this generation’s demand for housing as they come of age.

Said Yun. “A strong recovery with favorable housing market conditions would encourage substantial growth in echo boomer house-holds, which would help absorb the current vacant inventory and stabilize conditions for residential construction. Under a reasonable ‘middle’ recovery scenario, approximately 12 million new households will be formed over the next decade, requiring construction of up to 15 million new housing units.”

NAR President Moe Veissi noted that current market trends favor would-be hom-eowners of all ages. “As the supply of rental housing continues to fall, rents are increas-ing,” said Veissi. “At the same time, afford-ability for homeowners is at a record high. For buyers who qualify and are ready to as-sume the responsibilities of owning a home, opportunity is knocking.”

Seniors and young adults will influence U.S. housing markets

B

lack

Yel

low

Mag

enta

Cya

n

6 SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012 LUBBOCK AVALANCHE-JOURNAL homes.lubbockonline.com

B

lack

Yel

low

Mag

enta

Cya

n S

ATU

RDAY

, MA

RCH

17, 2

012

A6

B

lack

Yel

low

Mag

enta

Cya

n

B

lack

Yel

low

Mag

enta

Cya

n S

ATU

RDAY

, MA

RCH

17, 2

012

A7

ReAl eSTATe SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012 LUBBOCK AVALANCHE-JOURNAL 7homes.lubbockonline.com

602 North 6th Street – Preston ParkFeatured Floorplan – larae Homes, Inc.

Larae Homes, Inc. is proud to showcase a new home as the

Featured Home this week, spon-sored by the West Texas Home Builders Association in coopera-tion with the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. This new home is located in Preston Park at 602 North 6th Street in Wolfforth, Texas.

Preston Park offers a growing and affordable community close to Frenship schools and the Marsha Shape Freeway, allowing quick access to many of Lubbock’s busi-nesses, schools, college campuses, and shopping.

This Featured Home is priced at $184,000 with 2,048 square feet, which includes four bedrooms, two baths, two-car garage, an open kitchen and living area, breakfast nook, gas stove/oven, a functional utility room, stained cabinets throughout, double crown mold-ing in entry and living area, gas bricked fireplace, extra storage, walk-in closets, plenty of windows offering great natural lighting, tile and carpet throughout, and com-plete landscaping, which includes an oak tree, shrubs, sod, sprinkler system and a six-foot fence with metal posts.

Larae Homes will have open houses, including this Featured Home, in the Preston Park addi-tion each Saturday and Sunday throughout March and April from 2 to 5 p.m. Additional viewing times can be scheduled by contact-ing home builder, Dallas Greer at (806) 786-9040. Go to Ne-wHomeBrokersonline.com to view additional photos and listings for Larae Homes, Inc.

Larae Homes, Inc. is proudly financed by Vista Bank and First Bank & Trust (also associated with PrimeWest Mortgage Corp.). Larae Homes, Inc. is a proud member of the West Texas Home Builders Association.

What are the advantages of owning your own home?

Here are a few reasons brought to you by Larae Homes, Inc.:

1. First-time home buyers can start generating substantial equity.

2. New homes appreciate faster than resale counterparts.

3. A new home is safer and more efficient than an older home which also adheres to today’s stricter building codes and standards.

4. A new home is an expression of your decisions on location, op-tions, style and landscaping.

5. New homes are much less expensive to maintain than older homes.

6. Buyers in newer communities make new friends and neighbors quickly.

7. Newer neighborhoods fre-quently have newer, more sought-after schools.

8. Indoor air quality is superior thanks to advances in heating and air conditioning systems offer-ing better ventilation and tighter construction.

9. More efficient equipment, bet-ter control of air infiltration, bet-ter insulation, improved windows and other components mean that new homes are significantly more energy efficient.

10. Newly constructed home are healthier, more comfortable, and more water and energy efficient.

It is a great time to buy a new home right now. There may never be another buyer’s market as good as today’s. Consumers who take advantage of this excellent buying climate to purchase a new home will find that it a great long-term investment. Entering the market now as a first-time buyer starts you on the road to home price ap-preciation. The profit from selling a starter home will enable buyers with growing families to afford a bigger home in the future.

Food for thought: Nationally, home appreciations has histori-cally risen 5-6 percent annually. Five percent may not sound like much at first, but if you purchase a home at $200,000 and put 10 percent down, you would have an investment of $20,000. At an appreciation rate of 5 percent annually, a $200,000 home would increase in value $10,000 during the first year. Meaning you earned $10,000 with an investment of $20,000. Your annual “return on

investment” would be 50 percent! Putting that same $10,000 in the stock market and registering a similar 5 percent gain would only yield a $500 return on investment. Think about that!

B

lack

Yel

low

Mag

enta

Cya

n

8 SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012 LUBBOCK AVALANCHE-JOURNAL homes.lubbockonline.com

B

lack

Yel

low

Mag

enta

Cya

n S

ATU

RDAY

, MA

RCH

17, 2

012

A8

B

lack

Yel

low

Mag

enta

Cya

n