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Realtor Revealed Pat Ham
How long have you worked in real estate? I’ve worked in real estate for 33 years. What did you do before that? Before becoming a REALTOR, I enjoyed my life in the field of hair design and color technology. What is your specialty? My specialty is luxury and all residential homes. What is the most gratifying aspect of what you do? The most gratifying aspect of my job is watching the buyers’ reaction when you walk into the right home for them and handing them the keys to their future
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Pat Ham Realtors 806-535-8001 pham@patham.com Why do you live in the Lubbock area? What do you like most about it? I grew up in Lubbock and love the flavor of the community and people who live here. You just know someone wherever you go! Lubbock also has some of the most beautiful sunsets. It’s also fun to be in a community that is so diversified in businesses with many locally-owned businesses, as well as franchises, oil and gas, agriculture, ranching, vineyards, our medical facilities, and our universities.
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never been better for those that are considering buying a home today! Why should someone choose you as their REALTOR? I feel that I have a great background and knowledge of the real estate market in Lubbock. I have continuing education courses and strive to stay current with all of the market changes that are available. Mainly, I am a good listener when you are my client in order to make your real estate transaction easier and less complex. My goal is to continue that service and relationship after the sale.
home. If you have been successful in that transaction and relationship then you will once again be gratified when they call you to list and sell that home. Now they are sellers and you had the opportunity to build a relationship and friendship that is ongoing. What is the most unique property you’ve listed or sold? I have been most fortunate to have many unique homes, each home has made its own statement from the architecture design, zero lots to many acres, new or established. I think my properties are great! What tips do you have for someone looking to buy or sell a home? My advice would be for a buyer or seller to share with their agent their ultimate goal. And to make sure their agent is very active in the market place. You are making an investment in your future and need to be guided in the right direction. What do you see in the future for real estate sales? Lubbock has never been on a roller coaster ride with the rest of America. We may have never seen the highs but have never
What local organizations and charities are you involved in? I’m a member of Lubbock Multiple Listing Service, National Association of Realtors, Lubbock Association of Realtors, Texas Association of Realtors, Lubbock Symphony Guild, Women’s Club, Texas Tech Chancellor, Texas Tech Scholarship Donor, Rawls Business College, Texas Tech Friends of Music, and the National Kidney Foundation.
Pat Ham, Pat Ham Realtors seen the lows. Our growth in Lubbock has been steady and still growing with the diversity in Lubbock that continues to
Photo by Misty Setzler
stimulate our economy. I feel that sales and prices will have stability and growth in Lubbock. The low interest rates have
What is the most interesting place you have every been? I love the islands, my favorite being Hawaii! I have revisited it more than any of the other island, but always different part of it. There have been many different excursions that my family and I have explored and they have all been beautiful.
Josh Horsey 806-766-8653
Jason Whittle 806-766-2196
Katie McKinne 806-766-8646y
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Featured Floorplan – Madewell Homes in Vintage Township
‘The Providence’ – Vintage Township Established in 2005, Vintage Township was created with a vision to build a neighborhood unlike anything in Lubbock – a community where distinctive home architecture, tree-lined streets, wider sidewalks, a walkable neighborhood and socializing were the norm and would be fostered. Vintage Township is now Lubbock’s fastest growing neighborhood, with more than 200 families and individuals making the neighborhood their home. This week’s Featured Home plan. “The Providence.” was designed by Madewell Homes in Vintage Township, and is presented by the West Texas Home Builders Association with cooperation of the Lubbock Avalanche Journal. This 4 bedroom/3 bath floor plan features an impressive two story exterior with a large front porch and spacious backyard retreat. As you enter the front door, a welcoming grand foyer draws you in as it opens off to either side with flexible-use rooms perfect for a study or formal dining area. Further in, a spacious family room is comfortably designed to create years of memories and features a fireplace, as well as great built-in storage options. Large windows offer a magnificent view of the back yard and covered terrace and continue along the wall of the family room leading around the corner to the breakfast nook, spilling sunlight throughout the space. The adjoining kitchen is a masterful creation that any gourmet cook would fall in love with. A kitchen island with breakfast bar, wrap-around cabinets, the latest in kitchen appliances and ample counter space add the finishing touches to your personal culinary paradise. Opening off of the family room, the luxurious master bedroom offers high ceilings, an optional corner fireplace for cozy evenings in and a private entry to the backyard and covered terrace. The master bath is thoughtfully designed with a large soaker style tub perfect for relaxing away your day, as well as an elegant walk-in shower and double vanity. As you continue through the master bath into the walk-in closet, you’ll find the perfect space for your wardrobe, complete with shelves and clever storage details. Down the hall from the breakfast nook and kitchen area, another ground floor bedroom offers its own full bath with private entry as well as windows overlooking the lush backyard landscaping. As you follow the stairs up to the second floor you’ll be welcomed by a cozy upstairs retreat with built-in storage perfect for a second family area or quiet reading corner. Two more upstairs bedrooms as well another full bath follow in the open floor plan that completes this spectacular “Providence” home designed by Madewell Homes at Vintage Township. One of the greatest advantages of this already impressive home is your ability to add a variety of custom features that will truly make this home a perfect fit for you. Starting at $400,000, the Providence Home Plan is just one of many innovative and beautiful ready-to-build plans offered by Madewell Homes in Vintage Township. Find out for yourself why Vintage Township has become Lubbock’s fastest growing neighborhood. With a diverse selection of housing sizes and prices starting at just $130,000, Madewell Homes and Vintage Township can make building your dream home a reality. Call (806) 771-1117 today or visit online at www.vintagetownship.com to find out more.
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Simple ways to modernize home decor your choice before painting the entire room, ensuring a look you’ll love.
(ARA) – If you’re like many people, your home interior could likely use some updating. But you don’t need to hire a professional designer to modernize your home decor. No matter how much of a decorating novice you may be, a few simple updates can give new life to your living space and bring your home to the forefront of interior design. Modern colors Color is a key aspect of interior decorating, and paint is one of the easiest, most costefficient ways to update your home interior. To give any room a clean and contemporary look this season, take some hints from the professionals. Pratt & Lambert Paints recently announced its 2012 Color Trends, which are divided into five palettes: Enough, Expressive, Instinctive, Essence and Echo. Pratt & Lambert’s Color &#43 Design team identified these colors as their top picks for the modern home, and Color &#43 Design Manager Donna Schroeder says the Instinctive palette offers a number of great options for fall. From Cafe Cubano to Dusty Mink to Garnet, Schroeder predicts nature-inspired shades will pop up on ceilings, trim and walls everywhere. And with Pratt & Lambert’s QuartSize Color Sampler option, you can test out
Ground level Just because the floor is under your feet, it shouldn’t be last on your list of interior updates. You know that old carpet is ugly, but it will also overshadow more modern elements in the room. Natural materials like granite and hardwood floors are popular, but their high cost may limit how many rooms you can update. Fortunately, stylish options are available that won’t break the bank. For instance, luxury vinyl tile (LVT) is available in hundreds of styles that mimic authentic wood and stone to give your home a modern, lavish look for less. With a wide range of brands, price points and installation options available, LVT is a great choice for anyone in need of a flooring update. Plus, LVT is more durable than some other flooring options, so you can enjoy new-looking floors for longer. Time to reflect Mirrors are an easy and inexpensive way to inject personality into a room. Hang a large square mirror to open up a small space, or arrange a number of smaller mirrors in a fun pattern to create an artistic statement.
With endless framing options available, you’re sure to find a match to complement any room’s style. A thin, simple rectangular frame will create a contemporary look, while an ornate metal frame gives an oval glass a traditional, old world feel. Or, for a completely clean and modern effect, frameless mirrors come in a wide variety of shapes and edge designs. Brighten up lighting New lighting can change the entire feel of your home’s interior, and there are seemingly endless options to help you brighten up a room. Recessed lights create a clean look that can open up smaller rooms or highlight an area such as a photo or piece of artwork. Table and floor lamps can act as artful vessels of light, adding colors and patterns to a bland room. And hanging lighting, such as a unique chandelier, will bring interest and personality into a room while serving its functional purpose. To give your new lighting a sustainable side, energy-efficient light bulbs will save you electricity costs and last longer than standard bulbs. Don’t let your hesitancy to redecorate leave your home in the past. With these four easy updates, you can renew your living space and give your home a new, modern feel.
Remodeling activity remains slow under current economic conditions The current state of the national economy continues to affect the remodeling industry, according to the latest National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) Remodeling Market Index (RMI). The index dropped to 41.7 in the third quarter from 43.9 in the second quarter, after having reached a four-year high of 46.5 in the first quarter. An RMI below 50 indicates that more remodelers report that market activity is declining than report that it is increasing. The overall RMI combines ratings of current remodeling activity with indicators of future activity, like calls for bids. In the third quarter, the RMI component measuring current market conditions fell to 43.0 from 44.8 in the previous quarter. The RMI component measuring future indicators of remodeling business declined as well, to 40.4 from 43.0 in the last quarter.
“Remodelers report that while many consumers show interest in having remodeling work done, they are slow to commit to projects,” said NAHB Remodelers Chairman Bob Peterson, CGR, CAPS, CGP, a remodeler from Ft. Collins, Colo. “Consumers are in a ‘wait and see’ mode with regard to current economic conditions.” All three components measuring current market conditions decreased in the third quarter: major additions to 45.2 (from 46.2 in the second quarter), minor additions to 45.7 (from 48.5) and maintenance and repair to 37.1 (from 38.4). Future market indicators decreased as well: calls for bids to 45.4 (from 49.8), amount of work committed for the next three months to 29.9 (from 32.3), backlog of remodeling jobs to 43.0 (from 45.7) and appointments for appraisals to 43.3 (from 44.2).
Regionally, current remodeling market conditions shrank in two areas: the Northeast to 43.9 (from 48.1 in the second quarter) and the West to 40.9 (from 48.2). Increases were seen in the Midwest at 46.8 (from 44.4) and the South at 47.1 (from 42.9). Future market indicators fell in all regions, except for the South, where it edged up to 42.2 from 41.6 in the second quarter. “The current economic instability continues to affect consumer confidence, therefore we have seen a drop off in remodeling activity for the last two quarters,” said NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. “In order for the remodeling market to pick up, home owners need to have access to less restrictive lending requirements and see their economic future stabilizing.” For more information about remodeling, visit www.nahb.org/remodel.
Homes.LubbockOnline.com’s Picks of the Week 1. 3. 5.
2. 4. 6.
Horse Stables and Corrals This week’s featured picks from homes.lubbockonline.com are homes in the Lubbock area which featured accommodations for horses. These homes vary in price, style, and location. 1. This is a rare find in the city since horses are allowed. The home at 2903 Saratoga Avenue has an above-ground pool with a nice deck and a 12’ x 60’ horse stable with three stalls. The seller is giving a carpet allowance up to $3,000 and you can choose the carpet color. The property also has a nice covered patio and storm cellar. The asking price is $135,000 for this 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 2-car garage home with 1,652 square feet of living space. MLS# 9982519 2. Enjoy the country and live in comfort while building your dream home! This is a comfortable 2 bedroom, 1 bath home with tile throughout and a fenced backyard with a large workshop. The seven
plus acres have two horse stalls, a small open shed, and a fenced area for the garden and fruit trees. In front is a covered porch where you can watch birds play in the pond and enjoy the sunrise. The 1,474 square foot home is located at 5512 CR 7940 and is $180,000. MLS# 9980259 3. The home at 17211 CR 1530 in Cimarron South is a five-acre beauty. It is a spacious three bedroom, two bath, and two car garage home with a basement. Steve Hill built this home in 2006. Some of the amenities include pipe fencing, a 25’ x 25’ shop, horse stalls, great landscaping, a family atmosphere, nice trees, two water wells and much more. Perfect for a country lover who wants to still be close to town. The asking price for this 2,650 square foot home is $309,950. MLS# 9981571 4. Here you will find a great horse property on 17 acres. This location
has three isolated bedrooms, three bathrooms, a three car garage, and a huge cinder block basement, plus a one bedroom, one bath, and one car garage home on a separate meter. Other outbuildings include a 24’ x 30’ barn with a tack room and a 24’ x 12’ concrete-slabbed, insulated, heated and cooled storage building. There are two water wells on the property and two and a half of the 17 acres are fenced. 7530 Woodrow Road is a great 2,601 square foot home for only $359,000. MLS# 9982425 5. This is a fabulous home with great updates including granite countertops, wood floors, tile, frieze carpet, fresh neutral paint, beautifully stained cabinets and much more. 7910 County Rd 7700 has a very high ceiling in the main living area, a great game room and mudroom on main floor, and a basement; each bedroom has its own bathroom. There is two acres of lawn, three acres of pipe fencing
and cable, and 15 acres pasture. This four bedroom, four bath, three-plus car garage home is 3,730 square foot and priced to sell at $469,000. MLS# 9978983 6. A custom home built by Robert Wood with all the amenities you need. The spacious gourmet kitchen has Wolf appliances, an island with a sink and granite countertops, and an office and basement. A large game room sits upstairs with a wet bar and a half bath. With 2.42 acres, this home offers a barn with three horse stalls, 14 pecan trees, and six live oaks, as well as cedar and elm trees for a total of 54 trees. Outside sits a gazebo with a fireplace and much more. For $729,900 this 5,359 square foot home at 5204 CR 1440 can be yours. MLS# 9979140 For more information and pictures about these and other homes, go to 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. homes.lubbockonline.com “Your best source for housing in the Lubbock area”
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Local Real Estate News – Lubbock Association of Realtors
Lubbock Realtors – working for you
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BY Joe L. Murfee, III, President Lubbock Association of REALTORS®
Did you ever ask yourself what the difference is between a real estate agent and a Realtor? Did you even know that there was a difference? Well, there is, and it’s a difference that matters. Let me explain. Is that agent a Texas Realtor? In Texas, there are a number of prerequisites to complete for a person to obtain a real estate license, including meeting minimum education standards and passing an exam. But that is where the similarities end. Once a person is issued a real estate license, that agent may choose to join the local Realtor association. In Texas, joining the local association gives the broker or salesperson membership in the largest professional-member association in the state, the Texas Association of Realtors, as well as the world’s largest professional-member association, the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Only after joining the association and committing to continuing edu-
cation, integrity and professionalism does a licensed agent become a Texas Realtor. And your Realtor’s membership in these prominent organizations gives you, the consumer, added perks. Unlike licensed real estate agents who do not join the Realtor association, members of these associations volunteer to adhere to a strict Code of Ethics. These standards of conduct exceed the state’s require- MURFEE ments, guaranteeing you consumer protections and accountability as well as an avenue for ethical complaints, should they arise. In addition, many Texas Realtors carry one or more professional designations. These accreditations indicate intensive or enriched training in the real estate industry. The designations are signaled by letters following the holder’s name, giving you the opportunity to choose a Texas Realtor who
perfectly complements your specific needs. Fighting for you An important but often overlooked perk to working with Texas Realtors is our commitment to consumers. We are involved in the political process at all levels, promoting policies and supporting candidates who advocate property rights and homeownership across the state. In this year’s legislative session, Texas Realtors lobbied elected officials and spoke with regulatory agencies on behalf of Texas homeowners. Additionally, we again opposed a real estate transfer tax that would have added to the cost of all home purchases and priced thousands of Texans out of the housing market. All efforts to pass a transfer tax failed. Get out and vote This year, Texas Realtors are asking Texans to vote for Props 1, 2, and 8. • Yes on Proposition 2 Prop. 2 may be the most important item on the ballot. It would give communities across the state a lower-cost
financing option to fund water- and wastewater-infrastructure projects. • Yes on Proposition 8 Prop. 8 serves as an incentive to protect the state’s water supply by extending a tax exemption to Texans who manage their land to conserve water and protect water quality. • Yes on Proposition 1 Prop. 1 would allow the surviving spouse of a 100 percent or totally disabled veteran to retain the disabled veteran’s property-tax exemption after the veteran is deceased.
Ciera Rhoads joins Coldwell Banker Rick Canup, Realtors as a new sales associate. Rhoads’s past professional experience focused primarily in the areas of customer service. She has always taken pride in working hard, and making sure the Don’t settle job she is working Buying or selling a home is one of the on is done right. most important financial transactions Ciera was born you will make in your lifetime. Make in Lubbock, and sure you choose someone who will serve raised in Roswell your interests. Texas Realtors help conN.M. She graduatsumers buy and sell real estate, but we ed from Gateway RHOADS are also staunch defenders of privateChristian School property rights, supporting legislative and moved to Lubchanges that promote positive outcomes bock in 2001. In her spare time she enfor Texas property owners. joys being a devoted football fan and For more information on Texas Realspending time with friends and family. tors, I invite you to visit TexasReal“Her goal is to help her clients buy Estate.com and LubbockRealtors.com and sell with confidence and work for them personally, striving to go the extra distance,” says Deron Tucker, Executive Vice President for Coldwell Banker. “Ciera Rhoads will provide excellent customer service as a real estate professional. Whatever it takes she will get the job done! She is a tremendous addition to our team.” Rhoads sincerely believes in the resents 1.1 million members involved strength of teamwork and Coldwell in all aspects of the residential and Banker Rick Canup has the reputation commercial real estate industries. for results. “I chose to work for Coldwell Banker NAR’s Pending Home Sales Index Rick Canup, Realtors because I believe NAR’s Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI) is released during the first week it is the best real estate team in Lubbock,” she says. “With a positive office of each month. It is designed to be a environment, and with the support of leading indicator of housing activity. the most knowledgeable agents in the The index measures housing contract activity. It is based on signed real estate city, together we will serve you better!” contracts for existing single-family Coldwell Banker Rick Canup, Realhomes, condos and co-ops. A signed tors, located at 4924 S.Loop 289, can be contract is not counted as a sale until the transaction closes. Modeling for the reached by calling 806-793-0677. ColdPHSI looks at the monthly relationship well Banker Rick Canup, Realtors has been an affiliate of Coldwell Banker for between existing-home sale contracts over 27 years. For more information, and transaction closings over the last visit cbLubbock.com. four years.
National Realtor Assoc.: September pending home sales down, still higher than a year ago Pending home sales declined in September, although activity remains above a year ago, according to the National Association of Realtors®. The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings, fell 4.6 percent to 84.5 in September from 88.6 in August but is 6.4 percent higher than September 2010 when it stood at 79.4. The data reflects contracts but not closings. Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said the housing market is being YUN
excessively constrained. “A combination of weak consumer confidence and continuing tight lending criteria held back home buyers, even though the private sector added nearly 2 million net new jobs in the past 12 months,” he said. The PHSI in the Northeast declined 4.7 percent to 60.6 in September but is 4.0 percent above a year ago. In the Midwest the index dropped 6.2 percent to 71.5 in September but remains 12.3 percent higher than September 2010. Pending home sales in the South fell 5.5 percent in September to an index of 91.6 but are 5.0 percent above a year ago. In the West the index declined 2.1 percent to 105.8 in September but is 5.6 percent higher than September 2010. “America’s monetary policy is contra-
dictory and confusing, where some consumers with the best financial capacity and top-notch credit scores pay higher mortgage interest rates,” Yun said. “The Federal Reserve evidently has been attempting to lower mortgage rates, yet more consumers are faced with taking out jumbo loans that carry higher interest rates.” Yun emphasized the need to reinstate higher loan limits in 42 states. “Just leaving excessive cash to sit in banks and not work into the economy is a drag on the overall recovery,” he said. “We need a comprehensive approach to address housing issues – not additional impediments.” The National Association of Realtors®, “The Voice for Real Estate,” rep-
New agent joins Coldwell Banker Rick Canup, Realtors
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