MODERATE GAINS IN AVERAGE HOME PRICES EQUAL BIG VALUE FOR HOUSTON AREA HOMEOWNERS
PRICES INCH UP MORE THAN 5 PERCENT WHILE MAINTAINING AFFORDABILITY

HOUSTON - (January 24, 2007) - The Houston real estate market continues to differentiate itself from the nation in seemingly cornering the market on affordability, according to statistics released by the Houston Association of Realtors®. Sales and prices ended 2006 with further strength, capping another record-breaking year for the greater Houston area.

Total property sales for the month registered 7,136, which was a 1.1 percent increase over December 2005. Properties sold during the month reached a total of more than $1.4 billion, an 11.5 percent increase compared to last year’s nearly $1.3 billion in December sales. Year-end sales totaled 87,435 properties with dollar volume exceeding $16.6 billion, compared to 79,012 properties worth $14.2 billion for all of 2005. Additionally, the median home price for a single-family home reached a monthly record for December of $150,000, and the average single-family home price came in at $206,228, increases from last year of 1.4 and 5.3 percent, respectively. The full-year median sales price was $149,610, or an increase of 5.4 percent compared to 2005. The full-year average sales price was $198,503, or an increase of 5.5 percent compared to last year. (more…)

Project to be presented to City Council

By KIMBERLY PIÑA
Chronicle Correspondent

Katy’s Planning and Zoning Commission preliminarily approved a special use permit for a new nursing home.

The Katy Skilled Nursing Facility is proposed to be constructed on approximately six acres of land on George Bush Drive, across from the Katy Heritage Museum.

Developers Danny and Karen Gotcher of Fredericksburg returned to Katy Tuesday night to provide commissioners with an architectural rendering of their proposed 43,000-square-foot nursing home. …more…

New home sales in west Houston’s Cinco Ranch increased 29 percent to 942 sales in 2006, from 727 sales in 2005.

Developed by Newland Communities, the master-planned community offers new homes priced from the $170,000s to more than $1 million.

In 2006, the community opened several new neighborhoods and debuted 20 new model homes.

By Nick Georgandis R Managing Editor KATY TIMES
Monday, January 15, 2007 12:26 PM CST

Business is booming in Katy according to published reports, and the real estate market in Cinco Ranch is following suit.

At the Tuesday morning meeting of the Katy Economic Development Committee, KAEDC president Lance LeCour announced that according to new demographics, Katy had an economy of $10.5 billion in sales for 2006.

“There are 6,542 establishments that employ 85,631 people in the KISDarea, “LeCour said.

Of those, retail accounts for 20,000 jobs and some $2.6 billion in sales. Wholesale trade accounts for 11,600 jobs and $2.1 bilion in sales with engineering, accounting and research third at 6,300 employees and $788 million in sales.

In accordance with the booming business, house sales in the Cinco Ranch community vaulted 29 percent last year, with 942 home sales in the 2006 calendar year, up more than 200 from the 727 in 2005.

At 7,400 acres, Cinco Ranch is now the largest of the six Houston-area communities developed by Newland Communities and is the company’s largest gainer in sales in the area.

“Headlines talk about a national housing slump, but we are seeing a contrary story here in Texas, and in Houston in particular,” Ted Nelson, Texas Division President for Newland Communities, said in a press release.

“Texas grew more than any other state in 2006, adding 580,000 to its population, and this is expected to be a long-term trend. Houston added 75,000 new jobs in 2006, helping to create conditions that are very conducive to new-home sales.”

Nelson said that a major broadening of new-home offerings in Cinco Ranch also had a very positive impact on the community’s 2006 sales results.

Cinco Ranch offers new homes priced from the $170,000s to more than $1 million.

In 2006, the community opened many new neighborhoods, debuting 20 new model homes throughout the year. Cinco Ranch also increased its lineup of homebuilders in 2006, adding new builders including Beazer Homes, Chesmar Homes, Highland Homes, Ryland Homes and Trendmaker Homes to its lineup.

Producers, entertainers and exhibitors are expecting a good time

By KIM THAI
Chronicle Correspondent
A Katy home and garden show set for Jan. 27-28 will draw 250 exhibitors, the organizer said.

Robyn Cade, the show manager and president of Permission Marketing LTD, sees the local market as ripe for the show.

“Traffic keeps on getting worse and worse, and driving into (town) is kind of a pain,” Cade said. “It’d be good for local businesses to be able to exhibit and to increase their revenues. It’d be good for the people that live out here to not have to drive into Houston (and) have an opportunity to shop.

“I think there are new homeowners who need décor advice, and there are homes out here that need updating, and people are interested in improving their homes,” she said.

The two-day event, which will be held at the Merrell Center and adjacent Robinson Pavilion, will include how-to seminars, interior design showcases, expert consultations, product demonstrations and some special prices from the exhibitors — 90 percent of which are from the Katy and West Houston area, Cade said.

The show hours will be 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Jan. 27 and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Jan. 28. Tickets will be $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and children 12 and under are free. Tickets will be available at the door.

Among the experts will be Randy Lemon from radio show Garden Line, High-Tech Texan Michael Garfield and Trading Spaces carpenter Carter Oosterhouse and Frank Bielec, a personal designer from the show and a Katy resident. ...more…

Drop-off points scattered around west Houston area

By KIMBERLY PIÑA
Chronicle Correspondent

Katy-area residents looking to extend the life of their Christmas trees after the holidays can donate them to be recycled.

The city of Katy and Harris County offer tree recycling programs that allow residents to drop off bare Christmas trees to be recycled into mulch rather than throwing them away.

For residents living within Katy’s city limits, the public works department collects Christmas trees starting the first week of January, public works clerk Jan Davidson said. The city’s boundaries extend east to Katy Mills Mall and to the west side Katy-Fort Bend Road.

Tree pick-up will begin on the east side of the city, Davidson said, and will take a few days to reach the west side. The removal service, which is free, will begin again Jan. 15 for anyone who missed the first pick-up.

All lights, stands, ornaments, decorations and nails need to be removed from trees, she said. Residents can leave trees on their curbs for pick-up.

Since garbage pick-up will also dispose of Christmas trees left on curbs, residents should keep trees separated from other garbage and can indicate that the tree is for recycling.

Homeowners who have cut down tree limbs and branches can also leave them with their Christmas trees to be picked up, Davidson said. All foliage is put into a chipper and turned into mulch that is used at city parks or can be given to Katy residents, she said. Anyone interested in receiving mulch or who has questions can call 281-391-4820.

Other Katy-area residents can drop off Christmas trees at Bear Creek Pioneers Park, 3535 War Memorial Drive, or George Bush Park, 16756 Westheimer Parkway, said Ray Miller, special projects coordinator for Harris County Precinct 3.

Residents can bring their trees to either park during normal hours of 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. through Jan. 7, Miller said. Visible signs at the parks will identify the tree drop-off sites, he said.

The free service has been offered for several years, Miller said, adding that trees are shredded and turned into mulch for the county’s parks.

“It’s recycling in the strictest sense,” he said. For information about the county’s program, call 281-497-5523.