Conroe, TX New Homes

Downtown Houston, Tx is rich in office space.

An ambitious new revitalization plan looks to create a major shopping district there as well.

The recently released Houston Downtown Management District study calls for a shopping district along four blocks of Main Street and seven blocks of Dallas Street.

The shopping district would connect Main Street with the George R. Brown Convention Center/Discovery Green area as a pedestrian-friendly retail and restaurant environment.

Macy’s would remain the core tenant, being renovated as a mixed-use building.

Currently a parking garage, the Sakowitz building would convert to retail on the ground floor, while the other floors remain parking spaces.

Many projects in the study are already underway, according to Angie Bertinot, director of marketing and retail development for the Downtown District.

On Dallas from Caroline to the Hilton Americas-Houston, the Downtown District is widening the sidewalks and making lighting improvements, she added.

She stated, funding for projects underway is coming from the Downtown District and property owners.

Connecting various pockets of downtown pedestrian activity that are currently isolated from each other is one purpose of the plan , she added.

Already, there are six downtown hotels along Dallas, Bertinot stated.

Source: chron.com

The following is a list of restaurants and retailers that recently opened or signed new leases in the Houston, Tx area:

CENTRAL
– Settlement Goods, located at 3939 Montrose
- Crystal Children & Teacher Supply, located at Plaza in the Park

NORTH
– Frost Cupcakes & More, located at 25 Waterway Avenue in The Woodlands
– Learning Express Toys, located at 8000 Research Forest Drive in The Woodlands
– Honey Baked Ham, located at Westlake Plaza, 7576 FM 1960, Humble
- Big Lots, located at 7323 FM 1960 Road

SOUTH
- Marci’s home furnishings store, located at 18049 Upper Bay Blvd., Nassau Bay Village Shopping Center

SOUTHWEST
– TX Third Coast MMA, located at 14021 Southwest Freeway
– Sunshine Foot Relax store, located at Lee Ho Plaza at 9440 Bellaire
- Smoothie Factory, located at First Colony Marketplace Shopping Center at 4610 Highway 6 South

NORTHWEST
– Say Ahhh! Pediatric Dentistry, located at Copper Grove Shopping Center at Texas 6 and Huffmeister
- Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, located at Hollister Pointe Shopping Center at 13167 Northwest Freeway

WEST
– Quick Weight Loss Centers, located at Westgate Market Shopping Center on Interstate 10 at Fry Road
– Menchi’s Yogurt, located at Town Square Shopping Center on Highway 6 at West Road
– Xtreme Nutrition, located at Town Square Shopping Center
- China Inn Café #6, located at Town Square Shopping Center

EAST
- Golden Corral Buffet & Grill, located at 14010 Interstate 10 East

Source: chron.com

Houston, Tx men who may want to treat themselves with a luxurious shave have some new options.

Two spa-like barber shops have selected The Woodlands, Tx as the site of their first Houston-area locations.

The Art of Shaving Spa recently opened its first full-service Barber Spa in Texas in The Woodlands Mall.

The concept, which combines traditional barber services with aromatherapy skin services, was introduced New York City in 1996.

Shaving specialists are on hand to offer assistance on grooming and product selection.

The Boardroom Salon for Men has opened in Market Street – The Woodlands.

The space combines a 1920s country club and a spa salon experience offering haircuts, hot lather shaves, massages, facials, hand and foot grooming, coloring and body waxing.

Customers may play chess in the dark-paneled lounge before or after an appointment.

In 2004, the salon started in Dallas.

The Art of Shaving products are used at The Boardroom Salon.

Source: chron.com

This white office building that towers over busy Shepherd Drive in Houston, Tx has a new owner.

New York-based DRA Advisors LLC acquired the tower from Younan Properties Inc. for an undisclosed amount.

The 14-story tower located at 2323 S. Shepherd Dr. caters to the River Oaks crowd with one exception.

According to Ken Page, managing director of Transwestern, which represented Younan in the sale, the GSA leases a couple floors in the building.

The building, known as Shepherd Place, is more than 90 percent occupied.

At 120,000 square feet, the building was developed by a group of investors, including former governor John Connally.

Source: chron.com

When people look for homes in Glenbrook Valley and the older neighborhoods in Houston, Tx, several of them leave with what real estate agent Robert Searcy calls "house voodoo."

They fall in love with the oversized yards and mid-century modern architecture but drive away beleving the transitional area by Hobby Airport isn’t for them.

Searcy, who lives in Glenbrook Valley and is a vocal proponent of preserving the area’s history, stated "Six months later they’re unpacking boxes in a big old swank house with terrazzo floors and walls of glass."

Recently, the community west of the Gulf Freeway and east of Telephone Road, with Sims Bayou at the north end, has become popular with architects, professors and other professionals who want the character the homes provide without the Inner Loop prices.

As more people discover Glenbrook Valley, other nearby neighborhoods just outside the Loop are getting noticed, increasing the profile of this somewhat forgotten area.

Sean Evans, who is purchasing a home in Meadowbrook Freeway, near Monroe and Interstate 45, stated "I never realized how big the houses were."

Evans is scheduled to move into the house with his girlfriend, Dalia Oliva.

He stated, "When she sees a home, her mind goes on overdrive on what we can do, how can we remodel, how it can look normal on the outside but have that ‘wow factor’ inside."

The wow factor is the wall of windows overlooking the palm trees and pool in the backyard.

"I think that’s pretty cool," Evans added.

Source: chron.com

The following is a list of restaurants and retailers that recently opened or signed new leases in the Houston, Tx area:

SOUTHWEST
- H-E-B Sugar Land Market, located at 530 Highway 6 (opening Sept. 14)

CENTRAL
- Neiman Marcus “Studio”, located at Post Oak Shopping Center (opening late 2012)

NORTHWEST
– Qdoba Mexican Grill, located at Willowbrook Mall, Texas 249 at FM 1960
– Best Care Animal Hospital, located at Vintage Park at 10850 Louetta, suite 1200
– Shell station, located at T.C. Jester at Spring Cypress (land purchased)
– Tru Tri Sports, located at Barker’s Crossing, 24324 Northwest Freeway (opening 4th quarter)
– Original NY & Chicago Pizza Co., located at Barker’s Crossing, 24324 Northwest Freeway (opening 4th quarter)
- Family First Pediatric, located at Gleannloch Farms Shopping Center, 8714 Spring Cypress Road

EAST
– Woodforest Square Shopping Center, located at 150 Uvalde Road (shopping center sold)
– Rising Sun Sushi & Fusion Restaurant, located at Fall Creek Plaza at Beltway 8 and Wilson Road (November opening)

SOUTH/SOUTHEAST
– Marshalls, located at Almeda Crossing Shopping Center at Interstate 45 South and Almeda Genoa Road (opening Sept. 29)

Source: chron.com

Mortgage Marvel Rate Trends, a daily survey of over 950 lenders, displays 30-year, fixed rates growing to 4.31% from the 6-month lows experienced in recent weeks.

Current rates have drifted 0.14% above the low of 4.17% set on August 18th and three-quarters of a point lower than the 6-month high of 5.08% reached on April 9, 2011.

Source: marketwire.com

The following list of restaurants and retailers recently opened or signed new leases in the Houston, Tx area:

CENTRAL
– Fundamentally Toys, relocating to Rice Village at 2401 Rice Blvd. in mid September from River Oaks Shopping Center
– Serente Spa, located at Uptown Park
- Meyerland Family Dentistry, located at Chimney Rock and South Braeswood

NORTH
– International Market, 150 vendors relocating from U.S. 59 and Little York to former Finger Furniture at 239 Greens Road
– Caposhi, women’s clothing boutique at The Plaza at Research Forest at Research Forest Boulevard and Research Park Drive, The Woodlands
– Marshalls, located at Ravenwood Village Shopping Center at Interstate 45 and Smither Road, Huntsville
– Davita Dialysis, located at Teas Crossing at Interstate 45 and FM 3083 in Conroe
- The Woodlands Art Gallery, located at Market Street, The Woodlands

NORTHWEST
– Big Lots, located at Northwest Crossing Centre, 5770 Hollister Road
– The Great Kahn Mongolian Grill, located at Coles Crossing Shopping Center, 12312 Barker Cypress Road
– Harris County Hospital District, located at Windcliff Professional Building at Jones and Cypress North Houston
– Glo Sun Spa, located at Stables Town Center at Spring Cypress and Champions Forest
- Mooyah Burgers and Tutti Fruiti Frozen Yogurt, located at Imperial Oaks Shopping Center, Rayford Road and Imperial Oaks

NORTHEAST
– Texas Children’s Pediatric Associates, located at Park Lakes Professional Building at Beltway 8 and Wilson Road
– HCA, located at Park Lakes Landing at Beltway 8 and Wilson Road
– Kumon Learning Centers, located at Atascocita Plaza Shopping Center at 6900 FM. 1960 East
- Forever 21, larger-format store in the former Mervyn’s space at Deerbrook Mall

WEST
– Energy Corridor Catering, located at Park Row 6 shopping center at 14838 Park Row
– Gevil Health Care Services, located at Palm Spring Square Center, 12000 Bellaire.
– Snap Kitchen, located at 5710 Memorial
- Five Guys Burger and Fries, located at 9600 Woodlake Square

SOUTHWEST
– Olive Garden, located at Brazos Town Center located at U.S. 59 and FM 762 in Rosenberg

SOUTH/SOUTHEAST
– Angleton Pharmacy, located at Angleton Plaza Shopping Center
– 3M Wireless, located at Angleton Plaza Shopping Center
– Goodwill Industries of Houston, located at Pasadena Town Center at Pasadena and Southmore

Source: chron.com

The average rate on a 15-year fixed mortgage has dropped to its lowest level in several years.

According to Freddie Mac, the rate for the popular refinancing option slipped to 3.54 percent late last week from 3.66 percent the week before.

That’s the lowest result since the mortgage buyer started tracking it in 1991.

The average rate on the 30-year fixed loan decreased to a yearly low of 4.39 percent from 4.55 percent the previous week.

Mortgage rates have a tendancy to track the yield on the 10-year Treasury note.

A weakening U.S. economy has led several investors to shift money from stocks to bonds, which are seen as safer bets.

That has pushed Treasury yields to their lowest level this year.

Bond yields fall as demand grows.

Low mortgage rates and depressed home prices have done little to revive the moribund housing market.

In order to calculate average mortgage rates, Freddie Mac collects rates from lenders across the country on Monday through Wednesday of each week.

The average rate on a five-year adjustable rate mortgage dropped to 3.18 percent, which is its lowest level on records going back to early 2005.

Source: detnews.com

In the U.S., mortgage rates were little changed, keeping borrowing costs close to the lowest level for the year as talks dragged on for an agreement to extend the federal debt limit.

The average rate for a 30-year fixed loan jumped to 4.52 percent in the week ended from 4.51 percent, according to Freddie Mac.

The average 15-year rate grew to 3.66 percent from 3.65 percent a week ago, the McLean, Virginia-based company stated.

Mortgage applications increased in the week ended July 15 for the first time in a month, influenced by homeowners seeking to reduce their monthly payments.

The Mortgage Bankers Association’s refinancing index grew 23 percent, while the buying gauge hardly changed, the Washington-based group added.

For a 30-year fixed loan, the rate is below where it was last year at this time, when it averaged 4.56 percent, according to Freddie Mac.

It dropped to a record 4.17 percent in November.

Source: bloomberg.com