July | August 2011
WHAT IS YOUR AGENT’S “CLIENT EXPERIENCE RATING”? Did you know you can search HAR.com and see how your Agent rates? Browse through my ratings at
http://www.har.com/BrandeyHeckeroth
Your Royal Oaks Neighbor and Realtor....
If you are considering buying or selling a home there is NO substitute for experience and proven performance! • Over 200 properties sold in the Royal Oaks Community • Royal Oaks Country Club Resident for 11+ years • Ranked and Recognized in the Top 1% of Realtors for Sales in 2010 per HAR
Royal Oaks Country Club Featured P roperties
Providing you and our community with the highest level service, experience and results for over 11 years.
ROYAL OAKS COUNTRY CLUB MARKET REPORT The 100 degree heat is here and the real estate market is sizzling! Our community has closed 26 homes year to date, there are currently 10 homes under contract and buyer interest remains steady. Royal Oaks currently has 66 homes active in inventory as of mid-June. The community inventory is a bit low and sales are stable. Included in the current inventory: · 60 resale homes and 6 new construction homes · 31 homes ON the golf course · 35 Homes OFF the golf course (Per HAR 6/15/11)
11722 Bistro Golf Course Estate • 6/7-2/4 • wine room, quarters
3618 St. Tropez Golf Course Estate • 4/4-1/3 • media room, pool/spa
3607 St. Tropez Estate Home • 4/4-2/3 • interior lot, pool/spa
3906 Antibes Pristine Home • 5/3-1/3 • pool/spa, great golf views
2919 Rosemary Park Stunning Villa • 4/4-1/2 • courtyard entry, casita
2819 Stuart Manor Beautiful Villa • 3/3-1/2 • gourmet kitchen, spacious yard
Save Today & Reap Benefits Later
A Wise Home Improvement Idea www.HAR.com/BrandeyHeckeroth www.HeritageTexas.com
11930 Rosebrier Park Contemporary Villa • 4/4-1/2 • game room, outdoor living
2822 Stuart Manor Private Villa • 3/3-1/2 • game room, small yard, hot tub
McCormick & Schmick’s Crab Salad
BRANDEY HECKEROTH
Broker Associate 11689 Westheimer, Suite C • Houston, TX 77077
Phone: 281.679.0101 Direct: 713.254.3551 Brandey@HeritageTexas.com If your home is currently listed, this is not a solicitation for that listing.
Simply Scrumptious
Royal Oaks County Club’s 11903 Royal Rose Villa On Corner Lot • 3/3-1/2 • spacious yard, hot tub
2618 Stuart Manor Beautiful Villa • 3/3-1/2 • travertine, small yard, open plan
Produced by UpscaleRealEstateMarketing.com • 877.660.0996
Real Estate Report
• No more crawling at 15 m.p.h. through school • Homemade peach cobbler zones – at least for a couple of months! • Floating down the river with Jimmy Buffet tunes cranked way up! • The way the hot sun envelops your body in warmth and sometimes makes your • The sheer bliss on your pooch’s face as he stomach flip-flop in pleasure leaps joyously into the pool
Featuring McCormick & Schmick’s 713.840.7900 | McCormickAndSchmicks.com
• Fudgesicles • Collecting ladybugs • Chubby toddler hands crafting a sand castle
CRAB, MANGO & AVOCADO SALAD INGREDIENTS 3/4 cup diced mango 3/4 cup diced avocado 10 oz. Dungeness crab meat 4 Tbs. pomegranate reduction or light syrup 4 Tbs. citrus-flavored vinaigrette 4 Tbs. chive oil (see recipe below) 1/2 cup micro greens or spicy sprouts tossed in a small amount of the citrus vinaigrette, for garnish To create the “tower,” place a 2-inch ring mold on a serving plate. Spoon 2 heaping tablespoons of diced mango into the mold. Layer 2 heaping tablespoons of avocado on top of the mango into the mold. Finish with 1½ ounces of Dungeness crab meat to fill the mold. Press down lightly to set the ingredients. Keeping your fingers or a spoon on top of the mold, apply pressure, and gently slide the ring mold up and off of the salad. Rinse and dry the mold before moving on to the remaining plates. Garnish the top of each salad with the micro greens. Drizzle pomegranate reduction, citrus vinaigrette, and chive oil on the plate and around the tower. Chive Oil 2 bunches fresh chives 1/2 cup vegetable oil Blend the chives and oil in a blender for 5 minutes. Place the finished oil into a squirt bottle and set aside. The oil may be made a day ahead of time. Yields 4 servings.
• Little faces coated with dirt and sweat as they tirelessly toil from sun up to sun down building the coolest fort in the neighborhood!
• The first night back in your own bed after returning from your summer vacation
• Digging your toes in warm sand while sipping a frozen, umbrella-embellished margarita
patio misters
• Watching Fourth of July fireworks from the roof of your car, and trying to guess if it’s the Grand Finale´ yet
• No homework, no book reports, no detailed • Saturday morning Farmer’s Markets • Mouthwatering strawberries the size of displays on the habitat of the Bald Eagle your fist • Dining al fresco under the cool curtain of • Tanned legs and strappy sandals • Family reunions • Watching dandelion seed heads blow away like hundreds of tiny parachutes
Whether it’s that quintessential aroma of summer: sunscreen, or the cheerful sounds of splishing and splashing in the pool; summer has always held a special place in our hearts. Here, we celebrate the season with all of the joys that are uniquely summer, along with little inspirations on relishing your own simple pleasures this time of year.
• Red-checked tablecloths and heaping bowls of juicy watermelon • The nostalgic smell of charcoal briquettes • Family bike rides • Icy six-pack? Check. Bag of peanuts? Got it. Big-screen TV? You bet. Settling in with Dad for a baseball double-header • Teaching your kids to perfect a wicked Frisbee throw • The crash and flash of summer thunderstorms • Cuddling up on the hammock and marveling at the night sky to the serenade of crickets and cicadas
ADDING VALUE BY GOING
Whether it’s buying a hybrid vehicle, or organic cleaning products, there are a myriad of ways to switch to a more eco-friendly lifestyle. For many people though, the added expense that often comes with that desire can stop us in our good-intentioned tracks. With today’s anemic economy, we’re all looking for ways to save money, rather than paying a premium for green goods and services. Yet environmental consciousness is here to stay – and for good reason. Going green is vital to our planet and its limited resources. And when you can go green and save money at the same time, good intentions and your wallet can finally live in harmony! Your home can be a goldmine in energy savings when you take the steps to outfit it with energy-saving systems and devices. There are even companies that will perform a complete home energy audit for you, make all the improvements and installations for you and save you money from day one. It’s an absolute win-win for the homeowner and is quickly becoming one of the most popular home improvements being made. Further, a home with documented energy savings is not only more desirable to potential buyers when it’s time for resale, but can generally demand a premium among its competition. While some homeowners make improvements to the kitchen or landscaping to add value before selling, going green will add value while saving money every month in the interim. Green is in…and it’s here to stay! Green Monster, an energy efficiency company with offices in Arizona, California, Texas and Utah is using the newest technology to help homeowners reduce their energy consumption. Babe Kilgore, president of Green Monster (www.GreenMonsterUSA.com), explains, “The industry has made leaps and bounds in the last two years. People will never suddenly choose to be ‘energy inefficient’…the standard has changed and the bar has been raised.” Whether it’s solar water heaters, radiant and thermal barriers, window tinting or air duct sealing, the scores of products and solutions available are custom-designed for each individual home. “We start with a thorough assessment of the home as well as a questionnaire for the homeowner on their energy consumption and behavior patterns,” says Kilgore. “We are then able to provide a comprehensive report on our findings and our recommended solutions. We bring in an independent third-party auditor that performs a complete energy audit on the home. Once we’ve performed the services and made the improvements for the homeowner, the independent auditor comes back to test efficiencies and document the differences.”
GREEN!
• Pig racing, demolition derbies, pie-eating contests. Nothing says summer like a country fair! • Watching fluffy clouds drift by while contentedly sprawled out on sweet-smelling grass • Wiping the melted butter dribbling down your chin while diving into a delicious corn on the cob • Sneaking romance paperbacks into your beach bag and never admitting they’re yours • Making sun tea out on the porch • Spending all day Saturday, and Sunday, fishing • Ear-to-ear smears of BBQ sauce to match ear-to-ear grins at a picnic
On average, homeowners see a savings of 40% per month on their utility costs. Some homes as high as 55%. Green Monster performs the energy audits for free. The improvements are completed with no out-of-pocket expense if the homeowner chooses to finance the costs. And savings are generally instant as the reduction in energy bills is typically more than the cost of the financed principal and interest every month. When you add in the current state and federal tax credits available and rebates offered by many utility companies, it further reduces your costs. Kilgore says Green Monster’s clients have approximately 50-60% of their costs covered by these incentives. New home builders are taking note of consumers’ desire for an energy-efficient home and are beginning to focus on building homes that offer sustainable materials and solar-power technologies. “Net-zero” building – a home that’s designed to produce as much energy as it uses annually – has become common in Canada and is now making its way through the US. Outfitting your property with similar green elements offers that little something extra that can actually make a tremendous difference when it’s time to sell.
JULY | AUGUST 2011 The Lord of the Rings Jones Hall, July 22nd – 23rd 713.224.7575 | HoustonSymphony.org Can you imagine watching one of the most visually stunning films ever produced, while over 250 musicians and singers perform the movie soundtrack live? The symphony brings this fantastic performance to audiences under the direction of conductor Ludwig Wicki. You’ll watch the full-length film and undergo a journey into Middle Earth unlike anything you’ve experienced. Katy Perry Toyota Center, July 29th 866.446.8849 | HoustonToyotaCenter.com Perry’s album Teenage Dream keeps delivering hits, making her the first female artist in 11 years to score three Billboard #1 singles from the same album. Throughout the California Dreams tour, fans will be able to submit their own photos of the show via Twitter which will be incorporated into the live show. 21st Annual Houston International Jazz Festival Various Venues, August 5th – 7th 713.839.7000 | JazzEducation.org The sweet and sexy sounds of jazz will fill the air in downtown Houston as the 21st annual festival kicks off August Jazz Month. The event will be held at Discovery Green Park on Saturday and Sunday, with a kick-off party Friday evening at House of Blues and a fundraising event on Sunday at Wortham Theater. The Festival is the primary fundraiser for Jazz Education Inc., which is a non-profit organization committed to the mission of providing worthwhile education activities for school-aged youth. Houston Astros vs. Milwaukee Brewers Minute Maid Park, August 5th – 7th 713.259.8000 | Houston.Astros.MLB.com Three cheers for our home team as they battle it out against the Brewers at this three-game weekend home stand. Of course, what baseball game would be complete without peanuts and Cracker Jacks? Make sure to arrive early on the 6th as the first 10,000 fans receive a free Astros Replica Jersey! Titian Museum of Fine Arts Houston, through August 14th 713.639.7771 | MFAH.org Visit this landmark exhibition while you can and view 25 masterpieces from the Venetian Renaissance including Titian’s Diana and Actaeon and Diana and Callist, two of the most famous pieces of the Italian Renaissance. This collection from the National Galleries of Scotland has never been seen in the US before. Lake Houston 10K/5K & Wellness Fest Kings Harbor, Kingwood | August 27th This active event presented by Memorial Hermann Northeast offers both a 10K and a 5K-run/walk with a Wellness Fest following into the afternoon. The race will be on a certified course, with prizes awarded for the top three runners in each age group. Come enjoy local restaurants, music, entertainment and local vendors at the fest. American Idol contestant Sundance Head is also scheduled to perform.
• No more crawling at 15 m.p.h. through school • Homemade peach cobbler zones – at least for a couple of months! • Floating down the river with Jimmy Buffet tunes cranked way up! • The way the hot sun envelops your body in warmth and sometimes makes your • The sheer bliss on your pooch’s face as he stomach flip-flop in pleasure leaps joyously into the pool
Featuring McCormick & Schmick’s 713.840.7900 | McCormickAndSchmicks.com
• Fudgesicles • Collecting ladybugs • Chubby toddler hands crafting a sand castle
CRAB, MANGO & AVOCADO SALAD INGREDIENTS 3/4 cup diced mango 3/4 cup diced avocado 10 oz. Dungeness crab meat 4 Tbs. pomegranate reduction or light syrup 4 Tbs. citrus-flavored vinaigrette 4 Tbs. chive oil (see recipe below) 1/2 cup micro greens or spicy sprouts tossed in a small amount of the citrus vinaigrette, for garnish To create the “tower,” place a 2-inch ring mold on a serving plate. Spoon 2 heaping tablespoons of diced mango into the mold. Layer 2 heaping tablespoons of avocado on top of the mango into the mold. Finish with 1½ ounces of Dungeness crab meat to fill the mold. Press down lightly to set the ingredients. Keeping your fingers or a spoon on top of the mold, apply pressure, and gently slide the ring mold up and off of the salad. Rinse and dry the mold before moving on to the remaining plates. Garnish the top of each salad with the micro greens. Drizzle pomegranate reduction, citrus vinaigrette, and chive oil on the plate and around the tower. Chive Oil 2 bunches fresh chives 1/2 cup vegetable oil Blend the chives and oil in a blender for 5 minutes. Place the finished oil into a squirt bottle and set aside. The oil may be made a day ahead of time. Yields 4 servings.
• Little faces coated with dirt and sweat as they tirelessly toil from sun up to sun down building the coolest fort in the neighborhood!
• The first night back in your own bed after returning from your summer vacation
• Digging your toes in warm sand while sipping a frozen, umbrella-embellished margarita
patio misters
• Watching Fourth of July fireworks from the roof of your car, and trying to guess if it’s the Grand Finale´ yet
• No homework, no book reports, no detailed • Saturday morning Farmer’s Markets • Mouthwatering strawberries the size of displays on the habitat of the Bald Eagle your fist • Dining al fresco under the cool curtain of • Tanned legs and strappy sandals • Family reunions • Watching dandelion seed heads blow away like hundreds of tiny parachutes
Whether it’s that quintessential aroma of summer: sunscreen, or the cheerful sounds of splishing and splashing in the pool; summer has always held a special place in our hearts. Here, we celebrate the season with all of the joys that are uniquely summer, along with little inspirations on relishing your own simple pleasures this time of year.
• Red-checked tablecloths and heaping bowls of juicy watermelon • The nostalgic smell of charcoal briquettes • Family bike rides • Icy six-pack? Check. Bag of peanuts? Got it. Big-screen TV? You bet. Settling in with Dad for a baseball double-header • Teaching your kids to perfect a wicked Frisbee throw • The crash and flash of summer thunderstorms • Cuddling up on the hammock and marveling at the night sky to the serenade of crickets and cicadas
ADDING VALUE BY GOING
Whether it’s buying a hybrid vehicle, or organic cleaning products, there are a myriad of ways to switch to a more eco-friendly lifestyle. For many people though, the added expense that often comes with that desire can stop us in our good-intentioned tracks. With today’s anemic economy, we’re all looking for ways to save money, rather than paying a premium for green goods and services. Yet environmental consciousness is here to stay – and for good reason. Going green is vital to our planet and its limited resources. And when you can go green and save money at the same time, good intentions and your wallet can finally live in harmony! Your home can be a goldmine in energy savings when you take the steps to outfit it with energy-saving systems and devices. There are even companies that will perform a complete home energy audit for you, make all the improvements and installations for you and save you money from day one. It’s an absolute win-win for the homeowner and is quickly becoming one of the most popular home improvements being made. Further, a home with documented energy savings is not only more desirable to potential buyers when it’s time for resale, but can generally demand a premium among its competition. While some homeowners make improvements to the kitchen or landscaping to add value before selling, going green will add value while saving money every month in the interim. Green is in…and it’s here to stay! Green Monster, an energy efficiency company with offices in Arizona, California, Texas and Utah is using the newest technology to help homeowners reduce their energy consumption. Babe Kilgore, president of Green Monster (www.GreenMonsterUSA.com), explains, “The industry has made leaps and bounds in the last two years. People will never suddenly choose to be ‘energy inefficient’…the standard has changed and the bar has been raised.” Whether it’s solar water heaters, radiant and thermal barriers, window tinting or air duct sealing, the scores of products and solutions available are custom-designed for each individual home. “We start with a thorough assessment of the home as well as a questionnaire for the homeowner on their energy consumption and behavior patterns,” says Kilgore. “We are then able to provide a comprehensive report on our findings and our recommended solutions. We bring in an independent third-party auditor that performs a complete energy audit on the home. Once we’ve performed the services and made the improvements for the homeowner, the independent auditor comes back to test efficiencies and document the differences.”
GREEN!
• Pig racing, demolition derbies, pie-eating contests. Nothing says summer like a country fair! • Watching fluffy clouds drift by while contentedly sprawled out on sweet-smelling grass • Wiping the melted butter dribbling down your chin while diving into a delicious corn on the cob • Sneaking romance paperbacks into your beach bag and never admitting they’re yours • Making sun tea out on the porch • Spending all day Saturday, and Sunday, fishing • Ear-to-ear smears of BBQ sauce to match ear-to-ear grins at a picnic
On average, homeowners see a savings of 40% per month on their utility costs. Some homes as high as 55%. Green Monster performs the energy audits for free. The improvements are completed with no out-of-pocket expense if the homeowner chooses to finance the costs. And savings are generally instant as the reduction in energy bills is typically more than the cost of the financed principal and interest every month. When you add in the current state and federal tax credits available and rebates offered by many utility companies, it further reduces your costs. Kilgore says Green Monster’s clients have approximately 50-60% of their costs covered by these incentives. New home builders are taking note of consumers’ desire for an energy-efficient home and are beginning to focus on building homes that offer sustainable materials and solar-power technologies. “Net-zero” building – a home that’s designed to produce as much energy as it uses annually – has become common in Canada and is now making its way through the US. Outfitting your property with similar green elements offers that little something extra that can actually make a tremendous difference when it’s time to sell.
JULY | AUGUST 2011 The Lord of the Rings Jones Hall, July 22nd – 23rd 713.224.7575 | HoustonSymphony.org Can you imagine watching one of the most visually stunning films ever produced, while over 250 musicians and singers perform the movie soundtrack live? The symphony brings this fantastic performance to audiences under the direction of conductor Ludwig Wicki. You’ll watch the full-length film and undergo a journey into Middle Earth unlike anything you’ve experienced. Katy Perry Toyota Center, July 29th 866.446.8849 | HoustonToyotaCenter.com Perry’s album Teenage Dream keeps delivering hits, making her the first female artist in 11 years to score three Billboard #1 singles from the same album. Throughout the California Dreams tour, fans will be able to submit their own photos of the show via Twitter which will be incorporated into the live show. 21st Annual Houston International Jazz Festival Various Venues, August 5th – 7th 713.839.7000 | JazzEducation.org The sweet and sexy sounds of jazz will fill the air in downtown Houston as the 21st annual festival kicks off August Jazz Month. The event will be held at Discovery Green Park on Saturday and Sunday, with a kick-off party Friday evening at House of Blues and a fundraising event on Sunday at Wortham Theater. The Festival is the primary fundraiser for Jazz Education Inc., which is a non-profit organization committed to the mission of providing worthwhile education activities for school-aged youth. Houston Astros vs. Milwaukee Brewers Minute Maid Park, August 5th – 7th 713.259.8000 | Houston.Astros.MLB.com Three cheers for our home team as they battle it out against the Brewers at this three-game weekend home stand. Of course, what baseball game would be complete without peanuts and Cracker Jacks? Make sure to arrive early on the 6th as the first 10,000 fans receive a free Astros Replica Jersey! Titian Museum of Fine Arts Houston, through August 14th 713.639.7771 | MFAH.org Visit this landmark exhibition while you can and view 25 masterpieces from the Venetian Renaissance including Titian’s Diana and Actaeon and Diana and Callist, two of the most famous pieces of the Italian Renaissance. This collection from the National Galleries of Scotland has never been seen in the US before. Lake Houston 10K/5K & Wellness Fest Kings Harbor, Kingwood | August 27th This active event presented by Memorial Hermann Northeast offers both a 10K and a 5K-run/walk with a Wellness Fest following into the afternoon. The race will be on a certified course, with prizes awarded for the top three runners in each age group. Come enjoy local restaurants, music, entertainment and local vendors at the fest. American Idol contestant Sundance Head is also scheduled to perform.
July | August 2011
WHAT IS YOUR AGENT’S “CLIENT EXPERIENCE RATING”? Did you know you can search HAR.com and see how your Agent rates? Browse through my ratings at
http://www.har.com/BrandeyHeckeroth
Your Royal Oaks Neighbor and Realtor....
If you are considering buying or selling a home there is NO substitute for experience and proven performance! • Over 200 properties sold in the Royal Oaks Community • Royal Oaks Country Club Resident for 11+ years • Ranked and Recognized in the Top 1% of Realtors for Sales in 2010 per HAR
Royal Oaks Country Club Featured P roperties
Providing you and our community with the highest level service, experience and results for over 11 years.
ROYAL OAKS COUNTRY CLUB MARKET REPORT The 100 degree heat is here and the real estate market is sizzling! Our community has closed 26 homes year to date, there are currently 10 homes under contract and buyer interest remains steady. Royal Oaks currently has 66 homes active in inventory as of mid-June. The community inventory is a bit low and sales are stable. Included in the current inventory: · 60 resale homes and 6 new construction homes · 31 homes ON the golf course · 35 Homes OFF the golf course (Per HAR 6/15/11)
11722 Bistro Golf Course Estate • 6/7-2/4 • wine room, quarters
3618 St. Tropez Golf Course Estate • 4/4-1/3 • media room, pool/spa
3607 St. Tropez Estate Home • 4/4-2/3 • interior lot, pool/spa
3906 Antibes Pristine Home • 5/3-1/3 • pool/spa, great golf views
2919 Rosemary Park Stunning Villa • 4/4-1/2 • courtyard entry, casita
2819 Stuart Manor Beautiful Villa • 3/3-1/2 • gourmet kitchen, spacious yard
Save Today & Reap Benefits Later
A Wise Home Improvement Idea www.HAR.com/BrandeyHeckeroth www.HeritageTexas.com
11930 Rosebrier Park Contemporary Villa • 4/4-1/2 • game room, outdoor living
2822 Stuart Manor Private Villa • 3/3-1/2 • game room, small yard, hot tub
McCormick & Schmick’s Crab Salad
BRANDEY HECKEROTH
Broker Associate 11689 Westheimer, Suite C • Houston, TX 77077
Phone: 281.679.0101 Direct: 713.254.3551 Brandey@HeritageTexas.com If your home is currently listed, this is not a solicitation for that listing.
Simply Scrumptious
Royal Oaks County Club’s 11903 Royal Rose Villa On Corner Lot • 3/3-1/2 • spacious yard, hot tub
2618 Stuart Manor Beautiful Villa • 3/3-1/2 • travertine, small yard, open plan
Produced by UpscaleRealEstateMarketing.com • 877.660.0996
Real Estate Report