January | February 2012
www.HeritageTexas.com 281.679.0101
11689 Westheimer, Suite C • Houston, TX 77077
Featured P roperty 11723 BISTRO Stunning Palm Beach Architecture adds to the allure of this golf course estate. 5/4-2/3, formal library, game & media room with private pub, elevator, 50+ ft. pool & green space, loggia with fireplace, summer kitchen, quarters and sprawling cul-de-sac lot.
3327 Louvre Lane Golf Course Home • 4/3-1/2 Sparkling pool, breathtaking views, island kitchen
11806 Montmarte Blvd Golf Course Home • 4-5/3-1/2 Lake & golf views, sensational pool, quality finishes
Proper Lighting Design Takes Your Interiors To The Next Level
11427 Noblewood Crest Lane Beautiful Golf Course Home • 6/5-1/3 Two Master Suites, huge island kitchen, media room
Considering Selling?
Learn Your Options For Listing And Showing Your Home 3203 Bridgeberry Golf Course Home • 4/4-1/2 Elevated golf course lot, with lake view, overlooks mature tees
11931 Royal Rose Beautiful Villa • 4/3-1/2 Game room, interior lot & plenty of parking
BRANDEY HECKEROTH
JOANNE ESKRIDGE
AMANDA WALSH
Brandey@HeritageTexas.com
JoAnne@HeritageTexas.com
Amanda@HeritageTexas.com
713.254.3551
281.250.1864
Eddie V’s Tuna Tartare
281.451.8107
CHARLIE ESKRIDGE
281.827.9912
Charlie@HeritageTexas.com If your home is currently listed, this is not a solicitation for that listing.
Simple Yet Sophisticated
Produced by UpscaleRealEstateMarketing.com • 877.660.0996
Image: PURE Design Environments
11711 Bistro Golf Course Home • 5/5-3 Estate home overlooks infinity edge pool and golf course
Royal Oaks Country Club Real Estate Report
In Good Taste
Event Calendar JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2012
Image: PURE Design Environments
Featuring Eddie V’s Edgewater Grille CityCentre 832.200.2380 West Ave 713.874.1800 EddieV.com
Tartare of Tuna
& PUNCH UP YOUR HOME’S APPEAL
INGREDIENTS 4 oz. tuna, uniform 1/4” dice 1 tsp. curry oil
ave you ever walked into a space, whether it’s a home or perhaps your favorite restaurant, spa or boutique and been immediately taken in by the overall feeling you get? More likely than not, that “special something” you can’t necessarily put your finger on is accomplished though professional lighting design. Lighting done properly can be the finishing touch on your interior design, your space’s “sparkling jewelry,” if you will. While most consumers either rely on an architect or an interior designer to assist them with this job, an alternative is a professional lighting designer, trained in the aesthetics, technology and conservation of lighting. Jaque Bethke, principal of PURE Design Environments (www.JaqueBethke.net), a firm working with clients all over the country, explains why no one should go this alone. “A lighting designer studies the spaces, considers its function and comes up with a plan that addresses everything from the fixtures and specific bulbs, to the lightings’ overall effect. When a room is lit for a party, for instance, the light should tell the people where to mingle, and where to find the buffet.” Good lighting, when used properly, also helps you see better and perform tasks more easily. Additionally, it provides safety, security and a sense
1 tsp. sesame oil 1 tsp. Sambal chile sauce sea salt to taste METHOD Mix all ingredients together. TO PLATE 6 toasted baguettes 3 sliced avocado & orange filets 1. Portion tartare with a 2” diameter by 2” high ring. Place tartare in ring in center of plate.
2. Garnish with baguettes, cilantro, and drizzle with more curry and sesame oils.
3. Garnish with avocado-citrus salad.
of comfort. Lighting and lighting controls also provide you with the flexibility to adjust and adapt the mood and ambience of your home. Bethke adds, “The more layers of light you have in a space the greater the effect from each light source, such as recessed light, LED, table lamps, wall sconces, and so forth.” Properly used lighting should complement your lifestyle and meet your family’s needs. When planning your home’s lighting, designers keep these strategies in mind: • Identify the activities that occur in each room such as reading, food preparation, hobby work, grooming, laundry, homework, etc. • Identify the mood or ambience that you want to create in each space. • Identify any accents that you wish to emphasize such as wall and ceiling details, artwork, or wall textures. • Identify the colors and finishes. Dark areas absorb more light than those with lighter finishes, so lamping and supplemental alternative light sources may need to be considered. After assessing the space and concluding what category of light is necessary (general, task or accent), a lighting plan can be developed.
When considering the general lighting of a room, the goal is to provide the space with an illumination level evenly distributed throughout the room. In many cases task lighting is overlooked, but is the most critical category of lighting. This requires a lot of calculation to provide adequate light for such things as kitchen counters, bathroom lighting and utilitarian tasks. This type of lighting must be a much more concentrated level than general lighting and is necessary to provide light directly where you are working. “Accent lighting is what makes the home come alive. This is a broad category but it includes such things as the home’s architectural lines, ceiling details, wall textures, sculptures and mood of the room. The most care should be spent on this category because it is the soul of your home,” advises Bethke. Employing the help of a lighting designer or engineer will help you understand how to use all these sources of lighting. Lighting – like life – is about balance. If you want to make a marked difference in your environment, do it with lighting. When lighting is done well it can be a form of sculpture and you can never have too much of it. It not only transforms a space, but can transform even your world and how you perceive it.
Many sellers are concerned about the lack of privacy that accompanies putting their home up for sale. There are many options that a real estate agent has at their disposal that can help lessen this issue for sellers. As a seller, you need to consider the balance between giving up some of your privacy and making your home more accessible for other agents to show. The easiest way to provide access so that many real estate agents can show your home is to have your home listed in our local Multiple Listing Service (MLS), with a sign in your front yard and a lockbox on your front door. However, for many reasons you may not want to go with those options. Perhaps you’d rather not have a For Sale sign at your home. You can ask your agent to indicate within their advertising that there is no sign so other agents are aware of this. Many restricted covenant neighborhoods do not allow For Sale signs at the property anyway. Secondly, you can choose to limit access by not having a lockbox on the door and having your listing agent personally show the home to prospective buyers and their agent. That way someone you know (your real estate agent) is present at every showing. This also allows your agent to personally point out the special features of the home which the buyers’ agent may not be familiar with. However, many buyers’ agents find it cumbersome to show homes this way. They may be running late and have to call the listing agent to reschedule, or their client may pull up to the home and not want to see it after all.
Arranging an appointment around the schedule of four different parties (the homeowner, the listing agent, the potential buyer and their agent) is simply more difficult and may lessen the number of serious showings you could have. As an alternative, sellers can choose to set out the lockbox only for showing appointments. Or, your agent can program the lockbox so that it can only be accessed during specified days and times. That way, they control access to the home during hours that you can be disturbed or are away from the home anyway. The buyers’ agent has a little more flexibility in scheduling when they can utilize the lockbox for access. A high-profile seller may not want their name in the Multiple Listing Service. Although it’s a required field within the MLS advertising, the seller can request to withhold their name from being part of the listing. Your agent can simply state “Client of…” rather than the property owners’ name. Additionally, the property address and property photos can also be withheld from internet marketing. Keep in mind though, that not including property photos can greatly diminish interest and inquiries. Perhaps a solution would be to include plenty of beautiful photography, but nothing that specifically identifies
the property, such as the front elevation or view from the street. Finally, many real estate agents have “pocket” listings. This means that they have the listing “in their pocket,” private and not available to other agents via the MLS. The agent uses their superior networking skills to share the opportunity with agents that they know would have a serious buyer who may like the home. Again, many high-profile clients prefer to use this inter-agent networking system rather than the more public MLS to list their home. A pocket listing ensures the greatest of privacy as the selling agent only reveals information about the property to specific interested parties and their agents. Generally pocket listings are shown by appointment only and the selling agent may require that the buyers be pre-qualified before showing them. When it comes to making choices on maintaining your privacy, it’s critical to discuss your options with your Realtor. With a clear understanding that the more private you make your property’s sale, the less access and exposure you will have to buyers; you can find suggestions and solutions that will work for your situation. Ask your real estate agent about different listing options that will help you feel more comfortable with the selling process.
La Traviata Brown Theater, Jan. 27th – Feb. 12th 713.228.6737 | HoustonGrandOpera.org Don’t miss the story of Violetta Valery – a Parisian courtesan who makes the fatal mistake of falling in love – which has defined romantic tragedy. Sung in Italian with projected translations, Verdi’s gorgeous opera paints a picture of a glittering Second Empire Paris, the serenity of Violetta’s country estate and the heroine’s fate on a cold, pre-Lenten morning. Cells: The Universe Inside Us The Health Museum, Jan. 28th – Aug. 26th 713.521.1515 | TheHealthMuseum.org This interactive exhibit explores the complexity of the human body at the cellular level. Enjoy twenty hands-on and computerized interactions, amazing photomicrography and even innovative dance interpretations of cell functions. Wines of Italy French Country Wines, Feb. 1st, 8th, 15th 713.882.8773 | TheTexasWineSchool.com In this three-session clinic, you’ll learn about Italy’s distinctive regions, their styles of wine and the meaning of regional labeling terms. Plus, you’ll identify the key grape varieties and learn to order these wines with confidence. From Sicily’s Marsala, to Sardinia’s Cannonou, your immersion is almost as good as traveling there! ConocoPhillips Rodeo Run Downtown Houston, Feb. 25th ConocoPhillipsRodeoRun.com Whether you’re running the 10K race or the 5K fun run/walk, you’ll head through downtown and finish at Minute Maid Park. Expect plenty of festivities and large crowds of cheering spectators as participants lead the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo parade. The Reader Cup Golf Tournament BlackHorse Golf Club, Feb. 27th 713.266.8777 | LiteracyAdvance.org Help support Literacy Advance of Houston, working to transform lives and communities through the doorway of literacy, at the Larry Dierker Celebrity Golf Tournament. The Reader Cup includes breakfast, lunch, beverages, raffle, contest prizes, live auction and of course an exciting round of golf with celebrities on the award-winning BlackHorse Golf Club’s South course.
In Good Taste
Event Calendar JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2012
Image: PURE Design Environments
Featuring Eddie V’s Edgewater Grille CityCentre 832.200.2380 West Ave 713.874.1800 EddieV.com
Tartare of Tuna
& PUNCH UP YOUR HOME’S APPEAL
INGREDIENTS 4 oz. tuna, uniform 1/4” dice 1 tsp. curry oil
ave you ever walked into a space, whether it’s a home or perhaps your favorite restaurant, spa or boutique and been immediately taken in by the overall feeling you get? More likely than not, that “special something” you can’t necessarily put your finger on is accomplished though professional lighting design. Lighting done properly can be the finishing touch on your interior design, your space’s “sparkling jewelry,” if you will. While most consumers either rely on an architect or an interior designer to assist them with this job, an alternative is a professional lighting designer, trained in the aesthetics, technology and conservation of lighting. Jaque Bethke, principal of PURE Design Environments (www.JaqueBethke.net), a firm working with clients all over the country, explains why no one should go this alone. “A lighting designer studies the spaces, considers its function and comes up with a plan that addresses everything from the fixtures and specific bulbs, to the lightings’ overall effect. When a room is lit for a party, for instance, the light should tell the people where to mingle, and where to find the buffet.” Good lighting, when used properly, also helps you see better and perform tasks more easily. Additionally, it provides safety, security and a sense
1 tsp. sesame oil 1 tsp. Sambal chile sauce sea salt to taste METHOD Mix all ingredients together. TO PLATE 6 toasted baguettes 3 sliced avocado & orange filets 1. Portion tartare with a 2” diameter by 2” high ring. Place tartare in ring in center of plate.
2. Garnish with baguettes, cilantro, and drizzle with more curry and sesame oils.
3. Garnish with avocado-citrus salad.
of comfort. Lighting and lighting controls also provide you with the flexibility to adjust and adapt the mood and ambience of your home. Bethke adds, “The more layers of light you have in a space the greater the effect from each light source, such as recessed light, LED, table lamps, wall sconces, and so forth.” Properly used lighting should complement your lifestyle and meet your family’s needs. When planning your home’s lighting, designers keep these strategies in mind: • Identify the activities that occur in each room such as reading, food preparation, hobby work, grooming, laundry, homework, etc. • Identify the mood or ambience that you want to create in each space. • Identify any accents that you wish to emphasize such as wall and ceiling details, artwork, or wall textures. • Identify the colors and finishes. Dark areas absorb more light than those with lighter finishes, so lamping and supplemental alternative light sources may need to be considered. After assessing the space and concluding what category of light is necessary (general, task or accent), a lighting plan can be developed.
When considering the general lighting of a room, the goal is to provide the space with an illumination level evenly distributed throughout the room. In many cases task lighting is overlooked, but is the most critical category of lighting. This requires a lot of calculation to provide adequate light for such things as kitchen counters, bathroom lighting and utilitarian tasks. This type of lighting must be a much more concentrated level than general lighting and is necessary to provide light directly where you are working. “Accent lighting is what makes the home come alive. This is a broad category but it includes such things as the home’s architectural lines, ceiling details, wall textures, sculptures and mood of the room. The most care should be spent on this category because it is the soul of your home,” advises Bethke. Employing the help of a lighting designer or engineer will help you understand how to use all these sources of lighting. Lighting – like life – is about balance. If you want to make a marked difference in your environment, do it with lighting. When lighting is done well it can be a form of sculpture and you can never have too much of it. It not only transforms a space, but can transform even your world and how you perceive it.
Many sellers are concerned about the lack of privacy that accompanies putting their home up for sale. There are many options that a real estate agent has at their disposal that can help lessen this issue for sellers. As a seller, you need to consider the balance between giving up some of your privacy and making your home more accessible for other agents to show. The easiest way to provide access so that many real estate agents can show your home is to have your home listed in our local Multiple Listing Service (MLS), with a sign in your front yard and a lockbox on your front door. However, for many reasons you may not want to go with those options. Perhaps you’d rather not have a For Sale sign at your home. You can ask your agent to indicate within their advertising that there is no sign so other agents are aware of this. Many restricted covenant neighborhoods do not allow For Sale signs at the property anyway. Secondly, you can choose to limit access by not having a lockbox on the door and having your listing agent personally show the home to prospective buyers and their agent. That way someone you know (your real estate agent) is present at every showing. This also allows your agent to personally point out the special features of the home which the buyers’ agent may not be familiar with. However, many buyers’ agents find it cumbersome to show homes this way. They may be running late and have to call the listing agent to reschedule, or their client may pull up to the home and not want to see it after all.
Arranging an appointment around the schedule of four different parties (the homeowner, the listing agent, the potential buyer and their agent) is simply more difficult and may lessen the number of serious showings you could have. As an alternative, sellers can choose to set out the lockbox only for showing appointments. Or, your agent can program the lockbox so that it can only be accessed during specified days and times. That way, they control access to the home during hours that you can be disturbed or are away from the home anyway. The buyers’ agent has a little more flexibility in scheduling when they can utilize the lockbox for access. A high-profile seller may not want their name in the Multiple Listing Service. Although it’s a required field within the MLS advertising, the seller can request to withhold their name from being part of the listing. Your agent can simply state “Client of…” rather than the property owners’ name. Additionally, the property address and property photos can also be withheld from internet marketing. Keep in mind though, that not including property photos can greatly diminish interest and inquiries. Perhaps a solution would be to include plenty of beautiful photography, but nothing that specifically identifies
the property, such as the front elevation or view from the street. Finally, many real estate agents have “pocket” listings. This means that they have the listing “in their pocket,” private and not available to other agents via the MLS. The agent uses their superior networking skills to share the opportunity with agents that they know would have a serious buyer who may like the home. Again, many high-profile clients prefer to use this inter-agent networking system rather than the more public MLS to list their home. A pocket listing ensures the greatest of privacy as the selling agent only reveals information about the property to specific interested parties and their agents. Generally pocket listings are shown by appointment only and the selling agent may require that the buyers be pre-qualified before showing them. When it comes to making choices on maintaining your privacy, it’s critical to discuss your options with your Realtor. With a clear understanding that the more private you make your property’s sale, the less access and exposure you will have to buyers; you can find suggestions and solutions that will work for your situation. Ask your real estate agent about different listing options that will help you feel more comfortable with the selling process.
La Traviata Brown Theater, Jan. 27th – Feb. 12th 713.228.6737 | HoustonGrandOpera.org Don’t miss the story of Violetta Valery – a Parisian courtesan who makes the fatal mistake of falling in love – which has defined romantic tragedy. Sung in Italian with projected translations, Verdi’s gorgeous opera paints a picture of a glittering Second Empire Paris, the serenity of Violetta’s country estate and the heroine’s fate on a cold, pre-Lenten morning. Cells: The Universe Inside Us The Health Museum, Jan. 28th – Aug. 26th 713.521.1515 | TheHealthMuseum.org This interactive exhibit explores the complexity of the human body at the cellular level. Enjoy twenty hands-on and computerized interactions, amazing photomicrography and even innovative dance interpretations of cell functions. Wines of Italy French Country Wines, Feb. 1st, 8th, 15th 713.882.8773 | TheTexasWineSchool.com In this three-session clinic, you’ll learn about Italy’s distinctive regions, their styles of wine and the meaning of regional labeling terms. Plus, you’ll identify the key grape varieties and learn to order these wines with confidence. From Sicily’s Marsala, to Sardinia’s Cannonou, your immersion is almost as good as traveling there! ConocoPhillips Rodeo Run Downtown Houston, Feb. 25th ConocoPhillipsRodeoRun.com Whether you’re running the 10K race or the 5K fun run/walk, you’ll head through downtown and finish at Minute Maid Park. Expect plenty of festivities and large crowds of cheering spectators as participants lead the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo parade. The Reader Cup Golf Tournament BlackHorse Golf Club, Feb. 27th 713.266.8777 | LiteracyAdvance.org Help support Literacy Advance of Houston, working to transform lives and communities through the doorway of literacy, at the Larry Dierker Celebrity Golf Tournament. The Reader Cup includes breakfast, lunch, beverages, raffle, contest prizes, live auction and of course an exciting round of golf with celebrities on the award-winning BlackHorse Golf Club’s South course.
January | February 2012
www.HeritageTexas.com 281.679.0101
11689 Westheimer, Suite C • Houston, TX 77077
Featured P roperty 11723 BISTRO Stunning Palm Beach Architecture adds to the allure of this golf course estate. 5/4-2/3, formal library, game & media room with private pub, elevator, 50+ ft. pool & green space, loggia with fireplace, summer kitchen, quarters and sprawling cul-de-sac lot.
3327 Louvre Lane Golf Course Home • 4/3-1/2 Sparkling pool, breathtaking views, island kitchen
11806 Montmarte Blvd Golf Course Home • 4-5/3-1/2 Lake & golf views, sensational pool, quality finishes
Proper Lighting Design Takes Your Interiors To The Next Level
11427 Noblewood Crest Lane Beautiful Golf Course Home • 6/5-1/3 Two Master Suites, huge island kitchen, media room
Considering Selling?
Learn Your Options For Listing And Showing Your Home 3203 Bridgeberry Golf Course Home • 4/4-1/2 Elevated golf course lot, with lake view, overlooks mature tees
11931 Royal Rose Beautiful Villa • 4/3-1/2 Game room, interior lot & plenty of parking
BRANDEY HECKEROTH
JOANNE ESKRIDGE
AMANDA WALSH
Brandey@HeritageTexas.com
JoAnne@HeritageTexas.com
Amanda@HeritageTexas.com
713.254.3551
281.250.1864
Eddie V’s Tuna Tartare
281.451.8107
CHARLIE ESKRIDGE
281.827.9912
Charlie@HeritageTexas.com If your home is currently listed, this is not a solicitation for that listing.
Simple Yet Sophisticated
Produced by UpscaleRealEstateMarketing.com • 877.660.0996
Image: PURE Design Environments
11711 Bistro Golf Course Home • 5/5-3 Estate home overlooks infinity edge pool and golf course
Royal Oaks Country Club Real Estate Report