Trey's Blog: November 2008

I think laughter is like a lot of things in life ...breathing, water, food. You will eventually expire without any. I also think it is like resting. After you are satiated you feel refreshed. I work much better if I have had my share. Be sure and get your daily dose.

 Last night we had a small group of friends over for a pot luck dinner, kind of  like a pre -Thanksgiving get -together to help get stomachs in shape for the "real deal on Thursday. ..... A practice session if you will.

This was a great little gathering with standard didiscussions about work, pets, family and everything else in life.  We eventually ended up at the dining room table and after the last bite was taken we must have sat there forever, telling stories and jokes and laughing.

One gentleman had a very outstanding and unforgettable laugh. The reason I know this.... is because  my African parrot immediately picked up on i this special laugh and repeated it. Now,  I will be hearing that laugh indefinitely , perhaps even for the rest of my parrot's life anyway. He is 6 years old and could make 60 to 80. But that's ok...... He already repeats my mother-n-law, my wife and other important memories and fun things in our lives.  He is an "organic recording devise". And I think he even has his own distinct little laugh.  ;o)

Today the Bryan College Station Habitat for Humanity dedicated the completion of another fine home in the wonderful Angels Gate Community,  . This home was unique in that it was sponsored by  the  Circle of Women group  and was constructed by all women .   The soon to be  new owner,The Searcy Family was very happy today as you can tell by all the smiles. It is always inspiring and emotional to attnd these dedications.

One of the great traditions is for all those who attend the ceremony and those who worked on the home, to all sign the back side of the disappearing stairway door for the attic.

The circle of women are to be congratulated for all they did to make this dream a reality and blessing for the Searcy Family!

Potential Real Estate Closings in America right now are kind of like leaves on a tree in winter. There just aren't a whole lot of them left on the tree right now.

But you know not all trees lose all their leaves at once. if you can look closely enough through the fog of our national economy, you might just  find some of those "evergreen trees"  just waiting for you .  The leaves on those trees aren't really leaves. They are needles.   And FSBOS aren't your ordinary homes either. I believe they are calling you and they are calling you right now....

    Can you hear them calling?                     "I am a salable home.  My owner is trying to sell me. He  has taken good care of me and he's kept up payments on me all this time.. He gave my yard a haircut each week. He painted me and fixed me when  I sprouted a small water leak. He is a really good guy!  But you know.....when my sewer stopped up he called the plumber.  When he remodeled my kitchen he called a builder. When he refinanced he called his lender.  What I don't get however,  is.... why now that  he is trying to sell me... he won't call a professional.  So I guess the phone works two ways and I am hopeful one of those professional Realtors ® will call him soon.

  It has been almost a year now and I am getting worried that potential buyers will get the wrong impression and start  offering very low prices for me. How degrading! I am better than that ! After all  I'm not just any old cheap run of the mill home.  I know that the professionals know real class when they see it. Do you? Will you please call my owner?"

www.treythurmond.com

Well it is finally that time of year! Basketball season has begun at Aggieland. Last night we attended the Aggie - S.F. A.  game at Reed arena.  The Aggies won and they really had to earn it, but the season is young and we have enough good and eager players that I feel it will be a good season. 

I love this photo as it says a lot about Aggie spirit.  The yell leaders, the 12th man sweatshirt , and if you look closely the little Aggie with the pacifier in his mouth leaning on his dad's shoulder. Lots of Aggie moms and dads start bringing the kids to the game early in their lives....they kids and babies love it!

I don't know where all our blue birds go every winter but we really miss having them around They have great personality and rule the roost in the neighborhood.They do a great job of keeping the grasshoppers under control in the summertime. I suppose they head down a little further south to stay warmer.  Evey now and then we'll  see one this time of year .  Maybe they just hide out during  the winter time. Not too many hoppers to dine on right now .

Now is actually a great time to build and put out nesting boxes for bluebird so during spring they are ready to be occupied by a new family. Place the box in the open on a fence near a meadow or your gardens.  These birds are great for controlling insects. 

www.treythurmond.com

Looks like we are fixing to get our first real cold front in here in central Texas.  Lots of folks including yours truly have potted plants all over the porches and in the yard. Luckily we have a small green house room in our barn so I will get out the dolly and wheel barrow this afternoon to wheel everything to the green room. By the way be sure and water everything in your pots and in the ground before it gets too coldthis week.  Plants get stressed by the cold ...but combined with dry soil they can really be hurt!

www.treythurmond.com

Four Years Ago my wife and I built our dream home. Three months after we moved in....I was told it was time to quit smoking. It was real tough after 30 years of the nasty habit. But I did it cold turkey with no drugs,patches, pills, or nicotine gum. Plain old cold turkey. It wasn't easy but instead was really, really difficult but the good news was,  it worked.

Once I was over the urge.... I made a great discovery.....Life is good without a bad habit monkey riding on my shoulder full time!   I also quit coughing, I breathe better and sleep through the night. For some reason my blood sugar level needed lowering and it lowered after I quit smoking.  But then as time went on I made another great discovery...I had cash, lots of cash left over each month! In fact I had enough cash to make the equivalent of one monthly mortgage payment a year!   You know...If you smoke a pack and a half each and every day of your life, it really ads up FAST!

Now here is even more amazing thing. Add it up if both a husband and a wife quit smoking, if they smoke 1 1/2 packs each a day. .  That is 3 packs total every day....

3 packs X $4.00/pack =$12.000 a day x 30 days = $360/ month or $4,300/ year!   :-)

  That could be 2 or more house payments a year

www.treythurmond.com

The statistics for our MLS  in the Bryan-College Station Market don't look too bad for the area, as of the end of October...particularly the category of "days on the market".  Apparently the Average days on the market for October is one of the lowest in the last 3 years for the area at 102 days. Home sellers and agents  in the area will be pleased to hear this data . Days on the market is one of the key indicators of the local market.

www.treythurmond.com

I always enjoy meeting with and interviewing agents who are interested in joining our firm. The unique thing I suppose is that in reality we are both interviewing each other.  They are sizing up the company, the facilities, the culture, etc.   And we are sizing up the agent's experience, personality, sincerity.  The process can vary in length an d I have seen it go as long as 2 hours and as short as 20 minutes.

Through the years we have probably turned down as many agents as we have taken on board. For some reason many prospective agents assume that they will be accepted.  I for one never assume an agent will want to work for me. That would be presumptuous to say the least. Agents are for the most part independent contractors.  They are free to decide and the firm is free to decide. So about 50% of the time there is a match, at least for us. I am not sure what the national statistics are on this. Does anyone know? 

My new and very first Grand child, Hoyt,   just celebrated his first Halloween! He is such a joy for our entire family and is a very happy baby most of the time.  My wife and I can usually only stand a couple of days without paying Hoyt a visit to get our share of "sugar" and giggles. Hoyt seems to be an  exceptionally alert and bright baby and I suspect will be a leader one day.  ( Do I sound like a braggart grandpa?)  :)