10-11 ARTS & EVENTS CALENDAR
26-27 DECORATE IN HARMONY
12-13 THE ARTS: WORLDFEST HOUSTON
28-29 FINANCIAL FOCUS: WEATHERING A FINANCIAL WINDFALL
14-15 THE ITALIAN INVASION 16-21 REAL ESTATE FEATURE 22-23 MARTHA TURNER GRANDE DAME OF REAL ESTATE 24-25 THE GAME: A.J. HINCH
30-31 THE BUZZ
Paula Hagerman ABR, CDPE, WCR, Realtor, member GHLHC and member ILHM Remax Vintage (713) 306-3557 www.paulah.remaxtexas.com
Val Arbona REALTOR, CLHMS, CRS RE/MAX Vintage (713) 562-4903 valarbona.com
Tiffany Palacios CNE RE/MAX Realty Center (281) 746-3243 www.BuyAndListWithTiff.realtor
James Brodnax CLHMS ABR GRI CPA Realty One Group (713) 822-3423 www.westandloop.com
Wendy Cline CLHMS, SRES, ABR, CPRES Wendy Cline Properties Keller Williams Memorial (281) 858-3451 www.WendyClineProperties.com
Weldon Rigby CRS, ABR Founding Member KW Luxury Keller Williams Realty Metropolitan (713) 621-2555 www.weldonrigby.com
Marilyn Arendt Broker - Owner Marilyn Arendt Properties (281) 433-9113 mma@castle2sell.com
David Michael Young BROKER, CNE, CLHMS, GREEN Young Realty Group (713) 320-6453 www.youngrealtyhouston.com
Mariana Saldana Broker, CIPS Uptown Real Estate Group, Inc. (713) 629-7771 www.uptownhouston.com
Phillippa Chevalier CLHMS CNHS RCC GMI SMP Luxury Home Marketing Specialist BHHS-Anderson Properties (281) 235-8245 www.philhomeskaty.com
Members and affiliates of the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing
W W W. G R E AT E R HOU STON LU X U RY. C OM
Vi sit O ur Website
Real Estate Professionals Serving the Greater Houston Luxury Home Community
Genevieve Rowland REALTOR, MCNE, CLHMS Keller Williams Memorial (281) 904-7014 www.rowland-properties.com
Beverly Smith CLHMS, Lake Conroe Specialist Coldwell Banker United, Realtors (713) 569-2113 www.har.com/bevsmith
76 West Shore Lane | Bentwater List Price $1,695,000 | MLS# 69540000 is exquisite custom waterfront home located in the gated communiy has stunning open water views along with a 2 story study/library, 2 master suites & 2 other guest rooms. A domed grand entryway, high ceilings, exercise room, & glassed sun porch overlooking Lake Conroe. Lush landscaping, numerous waterfalls, pool, & boat dock.
Beverly Smith | Coldwell Banker United Realtors Phone: 713-569-2113
Ken Jacobson CMPS NMLS# 215044 Vice President/Sr. Mortgage Planner Hometrust Mortgage Company (713) 369-4040 www.kenjacobson.com
Betty Bezemer KW Luxury Consultant, CLHMS, CRS Keller Williams Memorial (713) 461-9393 www.bettybezemer.com
NMLS# 149932
1700-D Sunset Blvd. | Boulevard Oaks List Price $1,190,000 | MLS# 76810174 A LOVETT CUSTOM HOME IN BEAUTIFUL BOULEVARD OAKS,Tree lined street, 2 blks from park, 7 blks from Rice Village!! Gorgeous Gated 4 story unit with amazing floor plan, hardwood floors thru out, Elevator all 4 stories, 3rd floor master suite with huge master bath and closets, 4 balconies, treetop views, 4th floor den w bedroom/ study, kitchenette with fridge and wine cooler, roof deck, Designer kitchen with stainless Miele appliances, lots of light.
Mariana Saldana | Uptown Real Estate Group, Inc. Phone: 713-629-7771
Marlene Foad ABR, CRS, ePRO®, CLHMS 360 Property Agency (281) 686-4444 www.HoustonLuxuryEstates.com
Julie Pistone Krampitz Owner TK Images Photography (713) 545-9177 www.tkimages.com
Members and affiliates of the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing
W W W. G R E AT E R HOU STON LU X U RY. C OM
Vi sit O ur Website
PUBLISHER’S LETTER The greatest time of the year is here. Cooing doves become our morning wake up call. We long for an extended spring, knowing full well it is likely to be cut short by an early summer. Having grown up in a colder climate in southeastern Idaho, not far from Yellowstone Park, March came in like a lion and went out like a bear, with snow falling as late as July 4. You won’t hear me complaining about the heat until at least August. Sylvester Turner campaigned that he was going to fix the roads and get our city’s finances in order. If early indicators are a precursor of things to come, we can expect big things from the career politician who longed to run our city. When we did our mayoral forum dissecting the candidates last fall, it was Turner who shined by making the extra effort to tell his story thoroughly and thoughtfully. He is finally getting his chance and seems to be making the most of it as road crews seem to be everywhere working to fix long neglected potholes. Now if he can just fix our gridlocked traffic. Turner will need help from our elected Washington cohorts if any progress is to be made. Our Houston Astros, fresh off their victory over the mighty New York Yankees in last year’s baseball playoffs, enter the season with high hopes due to the star power duo of AL Rookie of The Year, Carlos Correa and reigning Cy Young winner Dallas Keuchel. Correa is one of only three major league players under 21 years of age to bat third on a playoff team. The other two are Joe Dimaggio and Mickey Mantle. It appears that the data driven recruiting philosophy adopted by Astros management is working. The rivalry between our northern foes in Dallas has never materialized in football, but not the case in baseball as the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros finished one and two in the same division last season. Despite many troubling layoffs from the rapid and extended decline in the price of Houston’s main economic engine -oil, construction activity points to a sign of economic determination or the reality of a more diverse Houston. In our annual report on Intown real estate, prices and volumes have decreased slightly over last year, but a far cry from the tumultuous drop many national economists predicted. Houston and America was built on a can do spirit and new businesses flourish as a result. Ask Martha Turner, who we feature this issue and recently sold her real estate empire to Sotheby’s. With hard work and determination many things are possible, despite the doom and gloom you hear from many politicians today. America and Houston are still great in my book.
M. A. Haines
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APRIL IS CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH AREA RESTAURANTS ON BOARD OFFERING A BLUE PLATE SPECIAL During the month of April many of Houston’s finest restaurants will be participating in the Thread Alliance annual “Blue Plate Special.” The citywide child abuse prevention awareness campaign encourages Houstonians to weave the thread of love and end the cycle of child abuse. Each participating restaurant will donate a percentage of their “Blue Plate Special” to The Thread Alliance. Sheila Aron is the founder of the organization and declares “that all children deserve unconditional love and a childhood free of abuse.” It’s The Thread Alliance’s mission to provide resources to prevent the cycle of child abuse. The Thread Alliance, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization, is dedicated to ending the cycle of child abuse. The non-profit’s mission is to bring child abuse awareness to the forefront and provide a central registry of local, state, and national resources for those seeking child abuse prevention, intervention, or treatment information and services. By increasing awareness and volunteerism through individual and community participation, The Thread Alliance strives to protect every child from cruelty and neglect and make child abuse a thing of the past. Sheila Aron is also the author of “I’m Glad I’m Me, Weaving the Thread of Love From Generation to Generation”. The book is written with the conviction that how messages of love are communicated between parents and children can positively shape a child’s personality, self-esteem, and – in later years – their approach to their own children. To participate or for more information visit www.thethreadalliance.org and help stop the cycle. Below is the list of restaurants and their “blue plate specials”. The “blue plate specials” will be served the entire month of April. intown 9
ARTS + EVENTS
Miller Outdoor eatre at Hermann Park
East Meets West XIV April 30
High Society: The Portraits of Franz X. Winterhalter Opens April 17 through August 14, 2016
Contemporary Arts Museum Houston Jennie C. Jones: Compilation Ongoing through March 27, 2016 The Interview: Red, Red Future Ongoing through June 5, 2016 Root Shift: Photographs of Stasis and Change Selected by CAMH Teen Council Opens March 4 through May 22, 2016
Root Shift: Photographs of Stasis and Change Selected by CAMH Teen Council Opens March 4 through May 29, 2016 Life is Once Forever: Henri Cartier-Bresson Photographs Opens March 11 through July 24, 2016
Houston Museum of Natural Science Out of The Amazon: Life on the River Ongoing La Virgen de Guadalupe: Empress of the Americas Ongoing through September 5, 2016 The Chronophage Clock Ongoing through September 5, 2016
Azalea Trail
Museum Of Fine Arts Houston
Mark Flood: Greatest Hits Opens April 30 through August 7, 2016
River Oaks Garden Club March 11-13, 2016
Vera Lutter: Inverted Worlds Ongoing through March 20, 2016
Holocaust Museum Houston
Wide Angle: The World Through My Eyes Ongoing
Museums
Statements: African American Art from the Museum’s Collection Ongoing through April 24, 2016
“Sojourn in the Shadowlands” Ongoing through March 13, 2016
Block Party Ongoing through August 7
“Taking Flight: The Butterfly Project” Ongoing through July 31, 2016
Music & Dance
Menil Collection
Ars Lyrica
The Precarious Ongoing through May 1, 2016
An Easter Messiah April 2 Hobby Center For e Performing Arts
Asia Society Texas Center Yeesookyung: Contemporary Korean Sculpture rough March 27, 2016 We Chat: A Dialogue in Contemporary Chinese Art Opens March 26 through July, 2016 Yuriko Yamaguchi Opens April 23 through August 21, 2016
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Eye on Houston: High School Documentary Photography Ongoing through May 1, 2016 Deco Nights: Evenings in Jazz Age Ongoing through June 5, 2016 Sculpted in Steel: Art Deco Automobiles and Motorcycles, 1929-1940 Ongoing through May 30, 2016
The Secret of the Hanging Egg: Salvador Dali Ongoing through June 19, 2016 William N. Copley: The World According to CPLY Ongoing through July 24, 2016
Da Camera A Little Day Music featuring the Apollo Chamber Players March 2 Wortham Center
Stop, Look and Listen! Celebrating Beethoven featuring the Da Camera Young Artists March 12 & April 9 e Menil Collection A Little Day Music featuring the Da Camera Young Artists April 6 Wortham Center
Houston Ballet The Sleeping Beauty Ongoing through March 6
April 2-4 NCAA Final Four 8-10 International Gem & Jewelry Show 8-10 Ultimate Women’s Expo 9-10 Disney on Ice “100 Years of Magic” 16 Boy Scout Fair
Live Thoroughbred Horse Racing Ongoing through March 8 Sam Houston Race Park
West Side Story Suite | DYAD 1929 | Wings of Wax March 10-20, 2016
Theater
River Oaks Chamber Orchestra
The Snow Queen Ongoing through March 12 The Apostle March 23 through April 17
Brass Quintet March 4 MATCH Brass Quintet March 6 e Woodlands United Methodist Church
A.D. Players
Concerts Toyota Center
Broadway at the Hobby Center
April 9 Justin Bieber 19 Carrie Underwood
Sports Shell Houston Open Golf Club of Houston March 30 - April 3
Houston Rockets Toyota Center March 2 New Orleans 16 LA Clippers 23 Utah 31 Chicago April 3 Oklahoma City 10 LA Lakers
14 Memphis 18 Minnesota 25 Toronto 7 Phoenix 13 Sacramento
Houston Astros Minute Maid Park
We Specialize In Managing & Leasing Single Family & Multi Family Residential Properties And We Are also a Full Service Real Estate Company
Cabaret March 22 through March 27 Beauty and the Beast April 27 through May 1
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Miller Outdoor Theatre in Hermann Park Crazy For You Ongoing through April 9 12 The Emperor’s New Clothes 13 Swing Jive & Pop 14-15 The Snow Queen 16 Kenny Endo Contemporary Ensemble 19 Hot Peas ‘Butter 22 “Thala” Dances of Sri Lanka by Channa Upuli Performing Arts Foundation
22 Music That should be Danced 24 Bollywood 30 East Meets West XlV
The Ensemble Theatre
April 11-14 Kansas City 15-17 Detroit 22-24 Boston
Detroit ‘67 March 24 through April 17
Stages Repertory Theatre
Houston Dynamo BBVA Compass Stadium March 6 New England April 10 Seattle
THEN C CALL ALL 360 REA REALTY LTY AND PPROPERTY ROPERTYY MAN MANAGEMENT AGEMENT
Alley Theater Around the World in 80 Days March 4 through April 3 Grounded March 25 through April 17 Remote Houston April 12 through May 13
“Sliding Into Home” Victor Yampolsky Conductor April 9 St. John the Divine
NEED SOMEONE TO LEASE YOUR PROPERTY AND MANAGE YOUR TENANT TOO?
12 Dallas 15 LA Galaxy
Events & Shows NRG Park March 1-20 Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo
Straight White Men Ongoing through March 6 End of the Rainbow March 2 through April 10 Miss Teen April 6 through May 1 I and You April 27 through May 22
The Music Box Theater Broadway in Concert March 4 through 26 Travesty March 9 through March 30 intown 11
[the Arts]
By Carole Keeney Harrrington
Over 2000 films entered from 67 nations e world of film from China is expanding at WorldFest-Houston International Film & Video Festival. Houston’s largest and most enduring cinema celebration, WorldFest-Houston, in its 49th year, runs from April 8 to 17, 2016. From only five official selections from China last year, the festival accepted 20 films for 2016, in its goal to strengthen artistic ties between the two nations, specifically, Houston and the Chinese film community.
Wea H. Lee
More than 100 Chinese filmmakers will attend the festival and a similar number sent their best efforts to compete in a special section called Panorama China. Each hopes to take home a Remi, WorldFest’s top award in 10 major categories, ranging from features and shorts to screenplays and news media. Billed as the third oldest competitive international film festival in North America aer New York and San Francisco, WorldFest was founded over 50 years ago, August 1961, as Cinema Arts, an International Film Society. In 1968, it became the oldest independent film and video festival in the world. 12 intown
At a press conference on Feb. 19, 2016, at the Doubletree Hotel Greenway, multiple speakers emphasized that the exchange of art, especially film, transcends language, cultural, and political differences. Hunter Todd, Chairman and Founding Director, noted that currently the Beijing Film School has more than 4,500 students flooding the world market with artistic visions. Last year, Houston’s festival was flooded by torrential rains for eight out of the 10 days’ run. “We have spoken to the weather Gods, and are expecting good weather,” Todd said. “And almost every (Chinese) film will come with its director to introduce it.” AMC eaters at Dunvale, the festival’s main venue, is adding a theater for the festival run to accommodate additional Chinese films; all of which will be world premieres. Altogether, the festival will show 80 feature films, including the 20 from China. Repeating again will be the section, Panorama Italia; the festival also selected five features from India. Filmmakers from 67 nations entered more than 500 features and 1,500 shorts into WorldFest-Houston 2016, and final selections came from 33 nations. Todd and WorldFest Artistic Director Kathleen Haney, with the assistance of Song Yang, Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Houston, visited China last year in order to reach out to the film community. Speaking at the press conference, Yang said, “I’m so encouraged on this occasion, especially for the special event of Panorama China. is
Charles Foster, Li Cunxin, and wife Elizabeth Mackey at the U.S. Consulate in 1981
Song Yan
event also has attracted attention from the media and filmmakers in China. Film is the best way for a cultural exchange and understanding of fundamental beliefs. We hope we will make WorldFest-Houston the biggest platform in the United States for Chinese films.” e Houston Committee of Panorama China includes the American Chinese Arts Association and Dream River Studio. Supporters from the Houston Chinese community attending the press conference included Wea H. Lee, CEO/owner of the Southern News Group, which includes newspapers, tele-vision stations, and various other businesses in the Chinese community.
Carole Keeney Harrington is a Houston writer/filmmaker. Her recent documentary, “Pussy Riot the Movement” premiered at the River Oaks eater in Houston and in Los Angeles, NYC, San Francisco and Philadelphia. It is available on major streaming and cable TV platforms. For more information and a list of platforms, go to: www.pussyriotthemovement.com.
“I came to Houston 40 years ago, and this event is unbelievable,” Lee said. “We are going to be fully supportive, and Channel 15 will create a movie channel. is is a wonderful event for Houston, which has become an international city.”
Left to right, WorldFest Artistic Director Kathleen Haney, Founding Director/CEO Hunter Todd and TieMei Chen, Southern News Group work together promoting Houston's oldest and largest film festival.
Lily Foster, formerly a major Chinese movie star billed as Lily Chen, has made 18 movies in China and the United States. She came to Houston in the mid-1980s to pursue a master’s degree in drama at the University of Houston and married immigration attorney, Charles Foster. She is a senior representative for his firm, facilitating liaisons with China, and is also active in the non-profit community. One of her main commitments is to the Asia Society Texas Center’s 2015-2016 Advisory Board, where Charles was chair for many years. e couple was honored at the Asia Society’s Tiger Ball in 2015 for their work on behalf of the organization. Both serve on multiple boards in Houston. In 1981, Charles Foster was the key negotiator with China that allowed Li Cunxin, the Houston Ballet dancer, to stay in the United States when he chose to defect. e events were dramatized in the movie, “Mao’s Last Dancer,” which featured Foster’s role in the deliberations. e movie had its Houston premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2009, and later played at the River Oaks eater in Houston. (is writer was fortunate to have seen the movie there. It is available on Amazon.com.) Lily remembers the early years of WorldFest when one of China’s most successful, directors, premiered his work, along with now top directors Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, and the Coen brothers. Now recognized worldwide for his movies, Lily recalled, “I was here for Ang Lee’s first movie at the Warwick Hotel (now Hotel Zaza). Over the years, I see our movies getting better and better,” she said. “In the movies, sometimes you don’t need language to understand. I’m proud of that. e movies are in my blood.” A full list of films and their scheduled showings will be posted April 1, 2016, on www.worldfest.org and on chat site; www.scoop.com. For additional information, call WorldFest at 713-965-9955 or toll free at 866-965-9955 (USA only). intown 13
by Marene Gustin
[Food]
(left) Donna and Tony Vallone (right) Johnny Carrabba
The Italian Invasion
Pasta, pasta and pizza, oh my! Houston is a city where, some might say, you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting a Tex-Mex, Cal-Mex or Mexican restaurant and now you might say the same thing about Italian spots. And, the cuisine’s diversity is just as varied as Mexican. Tuscan, Sardinian, Veneto, Sicilian and Neapolitan pizzas just to mention a few, as well as mom and pop American-Italian joints with red and white checked tablecloths serving spaghetti and meatballs and chicken parmesan. You can’t begin a conversation about Italian food in Houston without starting with restaurateur Tony Vallone whose eponymous restaurant turned 50 last year. In the beginning, it was just a casual place on the site of what is now the Galleria. “In those days no one really knew much about Italian food,” Vallone once said. “I was the first to do seafood pasta. We had to buy our calamari from bait shops.” at’s a far cry from the modern, art filled eatery that Tony’s is today. Nestled in the Upper Kirby area the menu includes divine pastas with shaved Alba 14 intown
truffles — during the season — as well as continental cuisine and a world famous wine cellar. But it was his early authentic Italian dishes that drove the Houston craze for pasta. Thirty years ago this December, the original Carrabba’s opened on Kirby Drive. The Carrabbas and Mandolas — an extended family — went on to create other eateries, all of which serve pasta, even the seafood ones like Ragin Cajun and Tony Mandola’s. And Vincent Mandola spawned Nino’s, Vincent’s and the fast casual chain Pronto Cucinino.
Houstonians love affair with the cuisine of the country still hasn't peaked
“It's the most popular food in America” Bill Floyd
Over the years more and Italian food was turning up on plates across town: Antica Osteria, Arcodoro, D’Amico’s, Divino, Dolce Vita, North Italia, Paulie’s, Piada and Prego, just to mention a few. Vallone opened Ciao Bello to great acclaim and chef Lynette Hawkins — whose fine dining La Mora Cucina Toscana closed years ago — came back to the game with the more casual Giacomo’s cibo e vino a few years back. And now there’s been a whole new spate of Italian plates. Chef Luigi Ferre, who cooked in Mandola’s Damian’s Cucina Italiana 30 years ago, moved his
eponymous Luigi’s Cucina Italiana from Galveston Island to the River Oaks area two years ago. “I love the cozy atmosphere, the first rate service and the Marsala,” says actress Francie Mendenhall of the quaint little eatery. Less than a year ago restaurateur Ray Salti turned his Sorrel on W. Alabama St. into Bollo’s Wood Fired Pizza, importing a oven, “00” flour and tomatoes paste from Italy. Bollo’s makes an excellent pizza as well as some addictive garlic Parmesan bread dipped in Marinara sauce. Most of these restaurants are within a ten-mile radius in Upper Kirby, River Oaks and Midtown and they are all busy. Further down W. Alabama St., just a stone’s throw from Luigi’s and Giacomo, you’ll find the brand new Borgo Food Station — a tiny spot in a former convenience store location — offering grab and go fresh meals, an espresso bar and imported goods. Living right across the street, public relations maven Julie Lambert was right there when the doors opened last month. “I had the tomatoes Caprese salad and risotto balls for lunch,” she says. “I can't wait to try the other dishes. Lots of paninni, fresh olives, wonderful looking lasagnas and prepared dishes!” Houstonians love affair with the cuisine of the country still hasn’t peaked. PF & B Management is opening not one but two Italian restaurants by Minute Maid Park this summer. (PF & B is the company behind REEF, El Real Tex-Mex, Little Bigs and Jackson Street Barbeque.) Why two?
Long time Galveston proprieter Luigi Ferre is a realitive newcomer to River Oaks
“It’s the most popular ethnic food in America,” says partner Bill Floyd. “One will be high-end, because we don’t have a lot of that. e other will be more casual.” So mangia bene (eat well)! Pull up to a plate of pasta, fire up a pizza, tuck into a lemony pollo picatta. Oh, and raise a glass or two of vino to Houston’s second favorite cuisine.
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BELLAIRE HIGHLAND VILLAGE MEMORIAL VILLAGES RIVER OAKS UPPER KIRBY
FOCUS
INTOWN
REAL ESTATE
GREATER HEIGHTS AFTON OAKS WEST MEMORIAL TANGLEWOOD WEST UNIVERSITY
Bellaire Founded in the early 1900’s on what was originally William Marsh Rice’s (Rice University founder) ranch, Bellaire was originally an agricultural trading center. It soon became a residential area and was connected downtown to Main Street by a trolley. This city within the city just south of the Galleria and west of the Medical Center, has its own zip code (77401), four parks and is made up of many neighborhoods,
including Braeburn Country Club Estates, Bellaire Place and Bellaire Oaks, Teas Garden Pin Oak Estates, Mulberry Manor
and Westmoreland Farms. Bellaire’s government is made up of a mayor and six city council members. There are three private schools and the public schools are in the Houston Independent School District, including the highly acclaimed Bellaire High School. The average home is 43 years old, but with all of the new construction being built that number is rapidly decreasing. 246 homes sold in 2015 lowest sales price was$295,000 highest sales price was$3,100,000 average of $1,015,000 ($273/SF ft.) – 5% higher than 2014 by David Michael Young of Young Realty Group www.youngrealtyhouston.com
16 intown
Greater Heights This area very popular with millennials is located between TC Jester, I-45, I-10 and 610. The Greater Houston Heights, with some one of the richest history in Houston, was established during the late 1880’s and was master planned to accommodate both work and living. The rich culture, eclectic local businesses, historic homes and many one-of-a-kind shops have contributed to its popularity and its steady increase in home values. It’s revered for its sense of individuality, quirkiness and open-armed acceptance for the culinary creative.
Loop) has emerged as a premier shopping destination featuring a broad array of national retailers, local boutiques, and a Central Market, as well as restaurants ranging from casual to fine dining. Newly opened River oaks District features a high end movie theatre and fitness center and international luxury brands Canali, Cartier, Dior and Dolce & Gabbana among others. It is adjacent to established, affluent neighborhoods such as River Oaks which improves its appeal. While residents living in these surrounding neighborhoods enjoy treeline streets and expansive yards, they also benefit from the easy access to all of the amenities this area has to offer. With surface
streets like Westheimer, West Alabama, Weslayan and Richmond, and easy freeway access to the 610 Loop and US 59, those living near Highland Village and Afton Oaks have direct access to major employment and entertainment centers throughout Houston. Kelly Gurevich is a top producer with Ross Dunn Realty Inc. and is a long time Heights resident. In collaboration with Laurie Null of Personette Group - a real estate firm
Residents are regularly seen running or walking along the tree-lined Heights Boulevard which features a 60 foot wide esplanade. Architecturally, the Heights boasts classic craftsman style homes with more contemporary new construction sprinkled throughout. A good percentage of new construction pays homage to the craftsman style and helps maintain and enhance the unique flavor that is the Houston Heights. There is large percentage of new construction however most of homes were built in the early 1900’s Neighboring areas of Garden Oaks and Oak Forest are on the north side of 610 between Hwy. 290, North Main and Pinemont. This area features a large number of quaint cottages, ranch style homes, charming bungalows, as well as new construction and is slightly less expensive than neighboring Houston Heights. Currently for sale 993 homes Average price is $583,760 Average square footage 2,298 Average rent is $2,342 Sales data provided by HAR.com
Highland Village/ Afton Oaks Houstonians know the value of living “inside the loop” given its central location within Houston’s sprawling metropolis. And while The Galleria is Houston’s most iconic shopping center, Highland Village (just inside the West intown 17
Memorial Villages Out of 73 homes for sale (as of Feb 17, 2016) in the exclusive Memorial Villages of Bunker Hill, Hedwig Village, Hunters Creek and Piney Point 16 are new construction on lots as small as 9300 square feet and as large as an acre plus. New construction starts at $1,625,000 to as high as $5,250,000 for a home on an acre. Most of the homes are priced between two and five million and on
a half acre. Nine homes are over 7,000 square feet. Prices per square feet vary depend on the lot size, location and shape of the property. Lots start at $1,200,000 for 15000 lot size to $2,300,000 for over an acre on the Buffalo Bayou. As of mid February, 14 homes were pending. Entry level properties that will go to the same schools as these Village properties can be found in patio homes surrounded by the villages. Last year 13 new homes were sold with an average of 7800 square feet on an half acre. Most of the new homes sold between 400500 per sq foot. The largest sale last year was
$5,752,000 for a new construction home on ½ acre. Three solds this year are all resales . Last year at the same time period seven resales sold with the average price under $2.5 million and price per square foot under $400. Sharon Brier with Greenwood King Properties has lived in the Memorial Villages since 1978 and has sold homes since 1980.
West Memorial Only minutes from the bustling thoroughfares of I-10, Loop 610 and the Sam Houston Tollway is the wooded enclave known as the Memorial area. Residents enjoy winding roads flanked by majestic trees filled with songbirds and expansive, manicured lawns. The roads that transverse the area lead you past sidewalks filled with joggers, parks, schools, neighborhood café and boutiques. CityCentre continues to expand with luxury multifamily projects that bring living, working and entertainment together in a sophisticated package for the home buyer. The plan revolves around a central open space/plaza that is surrounded by hotel, office, restaurant, and retail uses. The design features several internal streets and a pedestrian-friendly environment. The Memorial City area next door is experiencing the same exponential growth as developer MetroNational builds on the combination of retail, medical, business and housing. The major lure to home owners are the two public high schools – Memorial and Stratford – both ranked in the top schools nationally. Since the beginning of June, 242 homes have sold in the area with an average sales price of $836,692 and a high sales price of $4,100,000. Homes were on the market for average of 72 days total. The average size of a home in the area that sold was 3,223 square feet while the largest home was 7,773 sq ft. Lot sizes on sold homes range from your typical subdivision lot up to nearly one acre. Currently there are 166 properties active on the market in the area ranging from $385,000 to $3,499,000. Nicole Christensen Rembach grew up near the Town & Country area and is an agent with Wendy Cline Properties
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West Memorial Sold Summary Analysis Sq Ft
Bdr
List Price
Price per Sq Ft (list)
Sold
Sold per Sq Ft (sold)
Days on Market
Cumulative Days on Market
HIGH
7,773
7
$4,550,000
$585.36
$4,100,000
$527.50
266
544
LOW
1,065
2
$330,000
$198.71
$310,000
$176.79
1
1
AVERAGE
3,222
4
$869,831
$252.40
$835,831
$243.30
44
71
MEDIAN
2,961
4
$729,000
$251.80
$705,000
$246.00
24
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River Oaks There are many neighborhoods considered to be within the River Oaks area (Royden Oaks, Oak Estates, Avalon Place, Glendower Court, The Huntingdon, Upper Kirby), but there is only one true River Oaks – undisputedly Houston’s premier subdivision. With a buy-in price of $1 million and previous non-MLS sales in excess of $30 million, this genteel neighborhood is home to many of Houston’s wealthiest families. Established in the 1920s by Houston’s famous Hogg family and anchored by the exclusive River Oaks Country Club, the neighborhood was primarily built out in the 1920s and 1930s. Most of these homes were designed and built by renowned architects and builders, and have been preserved over the years by consecutive owners. With about 1,300 home, the subdivision is roughly bound by Willowick, Buffalo Bayou, Westheimer and Shepherd. The magnificent four acre Rienzi on Kirby Dr, which is part of the Museum of Fine Arts, is an annual stop on the popular Azalea Trail sponsored every March by the River Oaks Garden Club. There are no commercial properties in this deed restricted subdivision, but the area is served well by the high end retail shops and fine restaurants in Upper Kirby and in the River Oaks Shopping Center along West Gray. Many of the highest priced homes are not listed in MLS, but according to HAR MLS, there were 54 sales of single family homes in 2015, with a low of $1,200,000, a high of $7,140,000 and an average of $2,938,000 ($545/SF – 5.4% higher than 2014). by David Michael Young of Young Realty Group www.youngrealtyhouston.com intown 19
Tanglewood Unlike many neighborhoods in Houston, Tanglewood’s active homeowners association along with its deed restrictions have contributed to the overall look and appeal of the neighborhood. In the 1940’s the William G. Farrington Company chose 750 acres of farmland in Houston to develop a new residential area. By 1949 the original Tanglewood area had 32 lots and seven onestory ranch style homes. Today there are over 1,200 single family homes with lot sizes ranging from approximately 8,000 square
feet up to 2+ acres. Tanglewood is located next to the Galleria and features a mixture of the original ranch style homes and the new homes of estate stature. There are gated homes and luxurious hi rises with stunning views of downtown and the Galleria. The Tanglewood area is conveniently located to some of Houston’s biggest and best shopping including the famed Galleria, Highland Village and the new River Oaks District. Also home to some of the city’s finest restaurants, as well as the facilities of the Houston Country Club, The Houstonian, and Memorial Park.
2015 Sales Report 24 sales of single family homes Low $770,000 High $4,990,000 Average $2,661,000 ($426/SF) by Mariana Saldana, proprietor of Uptown Real Estate Group with office in The Woodlands and The Galleria Financial Center
Upper Kirby As an Upper Kirby resident for 15 years, I have seen the area transform from a deteriorated central area that wasn’t sure if it was part of Montrose or River Oaks, to one of the hottest zip codes in Houston (77098). Marked by Olde English style red telephone booths the area now boasts some of Houston’s finest restaurants and bars, as well as mixed use centers like West Ave, and the upcoming Kirby Collection scheduled to provide high end retail, class A offices and luxury apartments at the same location, with many more new projects also underway. The Upper Kirby District is providing continual upgrades, with a focus now on the taming of Westheimer and Shepherd to bring those roads up to the standard set by Kirby Drive. Power and phone lines have been buried under ground, larger storm drainage pipes have been installed, modern durable pavement is being laid and truly walkable sidewalks with lighting will be completed by 3Q 2016. Learn more about the area and ongoing projects at www.upperkirbydistrict.org. Residential real estate in Upper Kirby includes a combination of homes from the 1920s and 1930s, townhomes and patio homes from the 1980s onward, and condo towers with Houston’s prime addresses. sales summaries for 2015:
Single Family 81 sold in 2014 (46 built within last 20 years) low - $362,000 | high - $1,875,000 average - $807,000 ($291/SF – up 6% from 2014) Townhomes 33 sold in 2015 (14 built within 20 years) low - $225,000 | high - $735,000 average - $427,000 ($207/SF – up 4.5% from 2014). Hi-rise Condos 34 sold in 2015 (18 built within 20 years) low - $200,000 | high - $2,420,000 average - $618,000 ($349/SF – down 22% from 2014, due to more sales of older condos) by David Michael Young of Young Realty Group www.youngrealtyhouston.com 20 intown
West University Place Located adjacent to the famed Texas Medical Center, this neighborhood is popular with physicians, professors and executives. West University Place is named for its proximity to Rice University and is a city within a city. Almost all street names in West University Place are allusions to universities, colleges, and poets throughout the United States and the world. Established in the early 1900’s, West University is bordered by B e l l a i re / Hol c o m b e , Bissonnet/Law, Kirby Drive and Community. Incorporated since 1924, West U as it is called, has its own Mayor and City Council Southside Place is called the “door” to the City along with its own fire police of West University and the area north is called and the chimney for obvious reasons departments. It also boasts one of the best rec centers in the city available to only West U residents. Paired with one of the top elementary schools in the area and ample green space, West U. maintains its position as one of the most sought after communities in the city. Real estate in West University continues to sell fairly quickly with homes ranging from lot value teardowns to multi-million dollar new construction. 2015 222 sales of single family homes Low $540,000 High $2,950,000 Carol Rowley is a Top producer with Greenwood King. She raised her children in West University and has lived inside the loop for 30 plus years.
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[Profile]
Martha Turner HOUSTON’S GRANDE DAME OF REAL ESTATE TALKS ABOUT SLOWING DOWN by Minnie Payne
When Houston’s prize real estate lady, Martha Turner, was a little girl working in her father’s small family store, Fuller’s Dry Goods and Hardware, in Hemphill, Texas, then population 972, and county seat for Sabine County, she dreamed of being in the business world, wearing beautiful suits, high heels, and perfect makeup. And indeed she does just that. “When growing up, I didn’t realize how poor we were,” she says. “We lived in a two-bedroom house in somewhat of a family compound, in that our house was in the front yard of my grandmother’s and grandfather’s house, an aunt and uncle lived down the street, and a little further down, another aunt and uncle lived. “We had cows, with a nearby pasture. I milked cows, and I churned butter.” Turner, 75, graduated from the University of North Texas in 1962, with a major in music and education. While going to school, she met her first husband on a blind date; they married and moved to Austin where he was
studying law at UT/Austin. She taught elementary school and also worked at Montgomery Ward selling lingerie, selling more underwear working part time than her cohorts sold working full time. Then, she and a fellow teacher borrowed $1,000 from her hometown banker and started a successful wig store. Her husband graduated from law school, and they moved to Houston in 1966, where he became a land developer and built houses. After a 15-year teaching career in Houston, Turner retired in 1978. While teaching, she remodeled, built, and sold a number of houses, which sparked a passion and love for real estate. She attended the University of Houston, earned her real estate license in 1979, and joined a local real estate firm, immediately becoming a top producer. In 1981, real estate was at a low ebb, but in spite of that, Turner and a friend, Nancy Owens, decided to buck the odds and opened Turner-Owens Real Estate.
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Turner adopted a principled and personal attention to each transaction. Hiring superior agents, the stressed magic word is “excellence,” which is contained in the company’s mission statement – “The mission statement of Martha Turner Sotheby’s International Realty is to provide real estate excellence to our clients, customers, and all other real estate professionals.” “I don’t tell my people what to do. I live by example,” she remarks. “We have A-1 personalities, and I have set the tone of a company culture where people feel free to share information. That is what has made this company great by helping to build comradery and also helping in sales. “You will never grow if anyone can’t forgive or say ‘I’m sorry. I have made a mistake.’” When Turner started the company in 1981, she borrowed $150,000 from Oak Forest Bank, her personal bank, to advertise in Houston Home & Garden, paying it back in six months. She says that her granddaddy taught her not to buy something if you can’t
go toward building campuses in the Fifth Ward and in the southeast part of Houston. “Besides trying to move out of my office to a smaller office, I like to read good biographies, inspirational stories, and history stories,” she shares. “We have a bay house, and my husband and I like to watch the birds. I also like to spend time with my grandson and travel.” Turner is slowing down, but she still has a lot of steam left in her pipe. She leaves these words of wisdom for the world: “To be successful, you have to love what you do, love the people around you, make everyone feel special, and realize that you are the only person in charge of your life.”
pay for it, and throughout her career she had very little debt. “I put money into our company to grow, and at the time I sold, I had no debt,” she relates. “You cannot operate a company that has so much debt it pulls you down. In 2014, when Sotheby’s came calling, sales topped the $2 billion mark.” She explains that when she decided to sell the company, she prayed that the right person would buy. The sales price was estimated to be between 20 and 25 million. In January 2014, the company was sold to Sotheby’s International Realty, who had approached Turner about two years prior about selling. The sale insured that the company will continue and all agents and employees will have a large corporation to provide many options for international advertising. Turner is Chairman Emeritus. Turner’s first husband died in 1986, and she remarried in 1988 to Glenn Bauguss. She has a daughter and one teenage grandson. Bauguss has three children and eight grandchildren. When asked about slowing down, Turner admits that since she started in real estate, it has been her advocation and vocation, but in the last six months, she has been relieved a lot. She still comes to the office almost every day, mentors agents, goes on listing appointments (in her words “is a rainmaker by bringing in business”), and is a spokesperson for the company. Presently, she is helping work on a $15 million fund project for 501c3 Legacy Community Health Services that provides free medical services for anyone who cannot afford medical care. The $15 million campaign will intown 23
[The Game]
A.J. Hinch Interview The Houston Astros return 20 players from their playoff run in 2015. Second year manager A.J. Hinch spoke with Dylan Qwinn and Barry Warner right before heading to spring training. Dylan: He is the manager of the team voted most likely to bring us a championship before any sports franchise in this town, A.J. Hinch. How are you, manager? A.J.: I’m doing well. I would like it to be a reality, that we bring a championship to this city, we got a little bit of work to do and some things to build on, but it is a pretty good time to be an Astros fan, and certainly there is excitement heading into camp.
Barry: A.J. What is the carry over and the difference as you go to your second training camp? A.J.: Well familiarity is going to be a lot better, I think there’s great strength in being back with almost a coach staff in its entirety. There’s great strength in being back 22 or 23 guys that were on our team last year at the end of the year, that will have roles for us this year, I think that brings familiarity, that brings back some of the culture we were trying to create last year and the guys had team chemistry in the clubhouse and the expectation of winning which is good, I think the most important thing to note, is that we don’t have to change a lot when it comes to how we prepare, it doesn’t mean we aren’t going to grow, mature and do things better than we did last year, but our standards were pretty high last year. so now that the people are looking at us now. We have to be really present in the moment on a day to day basis, for us to get to where we need to get to.
Dylan: How rough was it for you last year that you had the Kansas City Royals right there, dead to right and they got away from you. and went on to win the world series. How rough was that for you, personally?
Barry: No one in the majors or minors had greater expectation to succeed than Carlos Correa. What did you learn about the kid that wasn’t in the scouting report.
A.J.: Naw, It is. I think baseball will teach you to be a little more balanced because of the way the schedule works out, but when you get into playoff baseball it was pretty excruciating watching the Royals come through and beat us in game 4 and 5 and go on and beat the Blue Jays and end up in the World Series. It gives me a fresh taste of us having been 5 wins away from the World Series and ultimately 9 wins away from a World Series Championship. When you put it in that perspective, you can reflect back and see it was a pretty good season, but close doesn’t really matter. I read an article the other day, where John Elway was quoted as saying that no one cares who finishes second, certainly no one who loses in the division series, and I make sure our team knows that.
A.J.: Well the first thing you learn about Carlos is that he can handle it. The spotlight is bright. The notoriety that these kids get when they come out of the draft is at an all time high, the people tugging at him and wanting his time or likeness or his signature have never been greater in our game. He learned quickly that winning the game is the most important part of his day and that is a compliment to him and how he was raised. With Carlos, one of the things I did early on with him was to make sure he didn’t feel that he had to carry us and that he had to just be himself. He embraced that and went on to exceed expectations which is really hard to do as a 20 year old. Before his 21st birthday he was hitting in the middle of the order on a playoff team He has a calm presence about him, that can’t be seen in the scouting report, and
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unless you are around him on a day to day basis. and whether he has success or whether he struggles he has a very consistant personality. I’m very proud of how he went about his busy and when he made the error in game 4, which wasn’t his fault why we lost, he stood up at his locker and addressed the media and addressed the situation with such class and integrity, you feel like a proud father where you see someone growing up in front of your eyes. He’s a great ambassador for our team, our sport, and at 21 years old he’s quickly being identified as growing face within the game.
Dylan: I read this article the other day and I’m trying not be coy, I literality can’t remember who wrote it, but they were talking about one of the concerns for the Astros being a deep playoff run kind of team, was a lack of veteran leadership, Is that a concern you share going into this season or is that what you see your role as being.
A.J.: To be blunt, that type of approach is very Monday morning quarterback. The veteran leadership part of our team within our clubhouse is fine. Maybe I carry a chip on my shoulder about this being a young manager. I totally get it, there no way to get experience until you do it and there’s no way for me to be a more seasoned manager until I manage more games.
So, I don’t take it as an negative or I don’t take it as a challenge, I just think it’s the reality of our sport. We all need to play in these situations to grow and mature and I don’t think you can just add someone and have it automatically be this secret sauce that helps. I would love to have as many playoffs tested players in the lineup as long as they are good. I don’t want a playoff tested player that is not going to contribute at the same level as maybe a young player who hasn’t experienced it. And it didn’t impact Carlos Correa, it didn’t impact Lance McCullers, it didn’t impact Altuve who hadn’t been there before. Sometimes the game just beats you and that what the Royals did. They beat us. It had nothing to do with age, or experience because by the time we got to game 170 or whatever it was, we were pretty playoff tested throughout the season and the chemistry behind the scenes was championship caliber regards of age.
Barry: Last year, I saw a leader, I saw a guy come out work with pitchers and while he’s not going to be the next Johnny Bench or Mike Piazza, boy he made a tremendous improvement in the way he played the game. Was that a special project of yours, A.J.?
Houston Astros ace and American League Cy Young winner Dallas Keuchel will start Opening Day in New York.
A.J.: It was because I have a ton of pride in the catching position and it’s a true leadership position. A lot of players, when they are designated the leader, people think they are the loudest guy in the room or the energy in the room, and Jason leads by presence and by consistency. On the offensive side, he has much more potential than what he supplied last year, but what he did was take a pitching staff and elevate their standards to the point of being one of the best bullpens in baseball and being one of the best starting rotations in baseball. I’ve never seen a championship caliber team win that doesn’t have a difference maker behind the plate and we think Castro can be that guy.
Dylan: Coach, we all look forward to watching you do it again, again, and again, and look forward to the upcoming season and guys get going in the next couple of weeks. Thanks so much. A.J.: You got it, we’ll do it again.
Last year's American League Rookie Of The Year - 21 year old Carlos Correa
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[Design]
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Carrie Davies Decorating Den Interiors Owner/Designer cdavies@decoratingden.com carriedavies.com
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[financial focus]
Weathering A Financial Windfall
It seems like the kind of dilemma we would all like to have: Deciding what to do with a significant sum of money that drops in our lap out of the blue. Whether it comes by way of an inheritance, the sale of a business, a legal settlement, a generous gift, or some other fortuitous event, most of us are quick to imagine that a big payday could solve all our problems and unlock the door to a life of happiness and dreams coming true.
Separate fantasy from reality by Evans Attwell Senior Vice President Frost Private Banking
Trouble is, reality isn’t nearly as good as fantasy, say financial advisors. Their experience helping clients who suddenly find themselves with new and potentially life-changing wealth tells a different story. Instead of the expected elation, the recipients of sudden wealth often feel overwhelmed. And depending on how they received the money, they may feel dazed, sad, scared—“I’m afraid I’ll do the wrong thing with this money”—or guilty—“I have this good fortune only because someone died.” New pressures and expectations can create more problems than they had before. In fact, the darker side of financial windfalls has triggered a new psychological term, “sudden wealth syndrome,” coined by therapists to describe wide-ranging issues, such as feelings of isolation and anger, broken relationships, and self-destructive behaviors.
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Take your time; make a plan Stories of the newly rich who spiral out of control and squander their wealth are cautionary tales. But if a financial windfall comes your way, good strategies exist to help you avoid their mistakes and manage the good fortune that has come your way. Instead of impulsively spending money for immediate gratification, take a deep breath, think ahead, spend time planning, and consider all the positives and joy that this money could give you in the future. •
Take a money break. Don’t rush into anything, don’t let yourself be pressured by anyone, no matter how well-intentioned they seem to be, and resist the urge to splurge. There is nothing wrong with letting your money sit in a bank account until you get your emotional bearings.
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Build a team of trusted financial professionals— including a banker, wealth advisor, CPA, and attorney, who have your best interests at heart—to advise you about tax obligations, help you figure out what you want to accomplish with your money, and work with you to create a plan for saving and investing that enables you to pursue your goals.
Would you like more information? Contact Evans at 713.388.1367 or evans.attwell@frostbank.com.
Investment and insurance products are not FDIC insured, are not bank guaranteed, and may lose value. Investment and insurance products are offered through Frost Brokerage Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. Frost Brokerage Services, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Frost Bank. Additionally, insurance products are offered through Frost Insurance. Deposit and loan products are offered through Frost Bank, Member FDIC. Frost does not provide legal or tax advice. Please seek legal or tax advice from legal and/or tax professionals.
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