Luxe Living Properties | Royal Oaks Country Club Lifestyle

Keller Williams Energy Corridor 11757 Katy Freeway, Suite 950 • Houston, TX 77079

Featured Cover Property

11602 Versailles Lakes 5 / 5 / 4

INCREDIBLE custom golf course estate!

Situated on a high point overlooking two fairways, a lake & island green.

Quiet cul-de-sac, updated contemporary style and panoramic views from almost every room in the home. Master retreat and secondary bedroom down, library, game & billiard room at first floor, guest suites with balcony access and bath in-suite, gourmet kitchen, butlers pantry, 600 s/f seasonal storage closet with dressing area, incredible pool, spa, summer kitchen, extensive landscape, four car garage, home automation, and much more!

3210 Bonnebridge Way 3 / 3-1 / 4 Wonderful courtyard entry and panoramic resort views

11910 Portofino 3-4 / 4-1 / 3 Sparkling pool and spa with great outdoor entertaining area

3814 Antibes 4 / 3-1 / 2 Sparkling oasis with beautiful golf course views

11815 Legend Manor 4 / 3-1 / 3 Sparkling pool and spa with water feature and summer kitchen

2731Stuart Manor 4 / 3-1 / 2 Sprawling master suite complete with fireplace

3323 Bridgeberry 5 / 6-5-1 / 4 Appealing open plan with sprawling living areas and resort views

SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2016

ROYA

713.470.2153 ext. 2258

Lifestyle ROYAL OAKS COUN TRY C L U B

Hallowed History & FUN FALL FACTS

Metro Market Housing Report

BRANDEY HECKEROTH

Brandey@agent-email.com

AMANDA WALSH

Amanda@agent-email.com

The Beverly

Flatbread & Manhattans If your home is currently listed, this is not a solicitation for that listing.

Produced by DLP Marketing • (877)660-0996 • DLPmarketing.com

Royal Oaks Country Club Cover Home

Featured Exclusively By Luxe Living Properties

EVENTFUL

Metro Market Report

Day. The night before became known as All-hallows Eve and before long was simply called Halloween. But how did scaring the dead away and honoring the dead turn into a night focused on kids and candy? Trick or treating actually has these same ancient origins. In order to keep ghosts away from their home, the ancient Celts would place bowls of food on their doorstep hoping this would appease the spirits. Later on in England, AllSouls’ Day parades began when poor children would go door to door promising to pray for people’s deceased loved ones in return for pastries, which were known as “soul cakes.” This is the origin of the sweet treats your little ones go in search of every year on Halloween.

SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2016 Houston Antiques + Art + Design Show: Fall Edition

Houston Symphony Opening Night Jones Hall | September 17 HoustonSymphony.org Andrés conducts an unforgettable performance of Prokofiev’s enduring classic, Peter and the Wolf. Also on the program are Rossini’s effervescent Overture to The Thieving Magpie and Strauss’ timeless Suite from Der Rosenkavalier.

Bayou City Art Festival Downtown 901 Bagby Street | October 8 - 9 ArtColonyAssociations.org Hundreds of Artists, 19 Disciplines, 18 Non-Profits, Music, Food, Beverages, Creative Zones - and Downtown Houston! Bayou City Art Festival Downtown is presented each fall by Art Colony Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to producing high quality art festivals and events.

Your Wedding Experience Presented by David Tutera George R Brown Convention Center | October 9 YourWeddingExperience.com | (651) 757-4222 Your Wedding Experience presented by David Tutera is a fun, live event tailored for engaged couples offering endless wedding inspiration and insights. This event allows you to connect with David Tutera preferred vendors who will have the professional advice and services you are seeking, while showcasing a collection of original ideas for planning your big day! Delight in the trendsetting Fashion Show runway designs. See gorgeous Sweetheart Table wedding themes; build your own bridal bouquet and so much more!

The Elixer of Love Houston Grand Opera | October 21 – November 4 HoustonGrandOpera.org Never underestimate the power of a potion. In one of Donizetti’s most beloved comic operas, a lovestruck peasant is determined to win the affections of the village beauty. Knowing she favors the attention of a boastful Sergeant, there’s only one thing to do – employ the help of a scheming traveling doctor and his cure-all “magic” potion. Set in the Italian Riviera in the 1950’s, this light-hearted comedy overflows with beautiful melodies and charming arias, as the elixir creates just as many problems as it solves.

T

he national real estate market is doing well. In second quarter 2016, the US housing market was a perfect real life example of the principle of supply and demand. Demand for housing exceeded the supply of resale and new construction homes on the market creating a seller’s market.

As expected, high demand with limited supply led to rapidly rising housing prices in most areas of the country.

The median price of an existing (not newly constructed) home across the nation reached $239,700 in May, according to a recent report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR). That’s up 3.8% from April and 4.7% from May of 2015. The previous peak was June, 2015 at $236,300.

“The price increases are a natural result of the very strong demand for homes against very limited homes for sale,” says Realtor.com’s chief economist, Jonathan Smoke. “It is pent-up demand… coupled with the lowest mortgage rates we’ve had in three years.”

The cost of becoming a homeowner was highest in the West with the median home price reaching $346,900 in May. While the limited supply of homes is bad news for buyers, sellers are cashing in as houses continue to move quickly. This May, the number of sales nationwide hit 526,000, an 11.9% jump from April and a 6.3% increase from May of last year.

“More homeowners are realizing the equity they’ve accumulated in recent years and finally deciding to trade-up or downsize,” according to NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun. “Repeat buyers are using the proceeds from the sale of their previous home as their down payment.”

With the pace of new home construction lagging well behind the surging demand for these residences, it looks like the housing shortage is only going to get worse.

Just 81,100 new homes were completed in May—down 3.3% from 83,900 in May last year, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s monthly new residential construction report.

The most new homes are continuing to go up in the South. About 43,800 new residences were completed in that region in May, followed by 19,000 new residences completed in the West.

Mirroring what is happening across the nation, housing prices in the Houston market continue to rise. The single-family home median price in the Houston area rose 2.5 percent to a record high of $230,538 in June according to the latest monthly report prepared by the Houston Association of Realtors (HAR).

F

Scaring Up The Past

all is in the air. Before long, pumpkins will be transformed into jack-o-lanterns and costume-clad children will be roaming the streets in search of sweets. But how did Halloween come to be and what is the root of all the spooky and fun traditions?

According to the History Channel, the holiday’s origins lie with the Celts, the ancient Irish clan who lived 2,000 years ago, who marked the day as the end of the harvest season and the start of the long, cold winter. As crops and food became scarce, this bridge between seasons became synonymous with a bridge to the world of the dead. The Celts celebrated the day with a festival known as “Samhain” (translation “summer’s end”) during which they lit bonfires and donned costumes in hopes of keeping ghosts away.

The costumes were usually made from animal heads and skins.

Although a far cry from the Minion and Spiderman costumes of today, this is the root of why we wear Halloween costumes today.

The actual word “Halloween” didn’t become associated with this time of year until about the 8th century when the Christian church declared November 1st All Soul’s Day, a time to honor not fear the dead. This was also known as “All-hallows” or “All-hallowmas,” from the Middle English Alholowmesse, which meant All Saints’

IN GOOD TASTE

George R. Brown Convention Center September 16 - 18 Spring.HoustonAntiquesArtDesign.com The Houston Antiques + Art + Design Show will feature 80 premier exhibitors from across the U.S., Canada and Europe in beautiful room-settings offering fine antique furniture, decorative and fine arts representing all design movements from ancient to 20th-century modern.

Happy Halloween!

Chocolate Godiva Cake INGREDIENTS ½ lb 5 1 tsp 6 oz 3 oz

Dark Godiva chocolate Eggs Vanilla extract Sugar Butter

DIRECTIONS Melt chocolate and butter in a sauce pan. Whisk eggs and sugar then add vanilla extract. Then slowly add eggs to chocolate. Divide batter into 4 lightly buttered and floured 8 oz baking dishes. Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 18 minutes. Turn-out into a soup bowl, serve with your favorite vanilla ice cream. Serves 4.

REAL ESTATE

corner

Halloween did not really come to America until about the 1850s when Irish and English immigrants brought with them these ancient customs. The traditions grew and evolved into our own American version of Halloween. So this year, as you hang a scary witch or silly ghost in your yard, remember that you’ll not only be spooking the neighborhood children but you may be warding off bad spirits from your home as well. And who couldn’t use a little good fortune these days?

Wildfish Seafood Grille | WildfishSeafoodGrille.com

EVENTFUL

Metro Market Report

Day. The night before became known as All-hallows Eve and before long was simply called Halloween. But how did scaring the dead away and honoring the dead turn into a night focused on kids and candy? Trick or treating actually has these same ancient origins. In order to keep ghosts away from their home, the ancient Celts would place bowls of food on their doorstep hoping this would appease the spirits. Later on in England, AllSouls’ Day parades began when poor children would go door to door promising to pray for people’s deceased loved ones in return for pastries, which were known as “soul cakes.” This is the origin of the sweet treats your little ones go in search of every year on Halloween.

SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2016 Houston Antiques + Art + Design Show: Fall Edition

Houston Symphony Opening Night Jones Hall | September 17 HoustonSymphony.org Andrés conducts an unforgettable performance of Prokofiev’s enduring classic, Peter and the Wolf. Also on the program are Rossini’s effervescent Overture to The Thieving Magpie and Strauss’ timeless Suite from Der Rosenkavalier.

Bayou City Art Festival Downtown 901 Bagby Street | October 8 - 9 ArtColonyAssociations.org Hundreds of Artists, 19 Disciplines, 18 Non-Profits, Music, Food, Beverages, Creative Zones - and Downtown Houston! Bayou City Art Festival Downtown is presented each fall by Art Colony Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to producing high quality art festivals and events.

Your Wedding Experience Presented by David Tutera George R Brown Convention Center | October 9 YourWeddingExperience.com | (651) 757-4222 Your Wedding Experience presented by David Tutera is a fun, live event tailored for engaged couples offering endless wedding inspiration and insights. This event allows you to connect with David Tutera preferred vendors who will have the professional advice and services you are seeking, while showcasing a collection of original ideas for planning your big day! Delight in the trendsetting Fashion Show runway designs. See gorgeous Sweetheart Table wedding themes; build your own bridal bouquet and so much more!

The Elixer of Love Houston Grand Opera | October 21 – November 4 HoustonGrandOpera.org Never underestimate the power of a potion. In one of Donizetti’s most beloved comic operas, a lovestruck peasant is determined to win the affections of the village beauty. Knowing she favors the attention of a boastful Sergeant, there’s only one thing to do – employ the help of a scheming traveling doctor and his cure-all “magic” potion. Set in the Italian Riviera in the 1950’s, this light-hearted comedy overflows with beautiful melodies and charming arias, as the elixir creates just as many problems as it solves.

T

he national real estate market is doing well. In second quarter 2016, the US housing market was a perfect real life example of the principle of supply and demand. Demand for housing exceeded the supply of resale and new construction homes on the market creating a seller’s market.

As expected, high demand with limited supply led to rapidly rising housing prices in most areas of the country.

The median price of an existing (not newly constructed) home across the nation reached $239,700 in May, according to a recent report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR). That’s up 3.8% from April and 4.7% from May of 2015. The previous peak was June, 2015 at $236,300.

“The price increases are a natural result of the very strong demand for homes against very limited homes for sale,” says Realtor.com’s chief economist, Jonathan Smoke. “It is pent-up demand… coupled with the lowest mortgage rates we’ve had in three years.”

The cost of becoming a homeowner was highest in the West with the median home price reaching $346,900 in May. While the limited supply of homes is bad news for buyers, sellers are cashing in as houses continue to move quickly. This May, the number of sales nationwide hit 526,000, an 11.9% jump from April and a 6.3% increase from May of last year.

“More homeowners are realizing the equity they’ve accumulated in recent years and finally deciding to trade-up or downsize,” according to NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun. “Repeat buyers are using the proceeds from the sale of their previous home as their down payment.”

With the pace of new home construction lagging well behind the surging demand for these residences, it looks like the housing shortage is only going to get worse.

Just 81,100 new homes were completed in May—down 3.3% from 83,900 in May last year, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s monthly new residential construction report.

The most new homes are continuing to go up in the South. About 43,800 new residences were completed in that region in May, followed by 19,000 new residences completed in the West.

Mirroring what is happening across the nation, housing prices in the Houston market continue to rise. The single-family home median price in the Houston area rose 2.5 percent to a record high of $230,538 in June according to the latest monthly report prepared by the Houston Association of Realtors (HAR).

F

Scaring Up The Past

all is in the air. Before long, pumpkins will be transformed into jack-o-lanterns and costume-clad children will be roaming the streets in search of sweets. But how did Halloween come to be and what is the root of all the spooky and fun traditions?

According to the History Channel, the holiday’s origins lie with the Celts, the ancient Irish clan who lived 2,000 years ago, who marked the day as the end of the harvest season and the start of the long, cold winter. As crops and food became scarce, this bridge between seasons became synonymous with a bridge to the world of the dead. The Celts celebrated the day with a festival known as “Samhain” (translation “summer’s end”) during which they lit bonfires and donned costumes in hopes of keeping ghosts away.

The costumes were usually made from animal heads and skins.

Although a far cry from the Minion and Spiderman costumes of today, this is the root of why we wear Halloween costumes today.

The actual word “Halloween” didn’t become associated with this time of year until about the 8th century when the Christian church declared November 1st All Soul’s Day, a time to honor not fear the dead. This was also known as “All-hallows” or “All-hallowmas,” from the Middle English Alholowmesse, which meant All Saints’

IN GOOD TASTE

George R. Brown Convention Center September 16 - 18 Spring.HoustonAntiquesArtDesign.com The Houston Antiques + Art + Design Show will feature 80 premier exhibitors from across the U.S., Canada and Europe in beautiful room-settings offering fine antique furniture, decorative and fine arts representing all design movements from ancient to 20th-century modern.

Happy Halloween!

Chocolate Godiva Cake INGREDIENTS ½ lb 5 1 tsp 6 oz 3 oz

Dark Godiva chocolate Eggs Vanilla extract Sugar Butter

DIRECTIONS Melt chocolate and butter in a sauce pan. Whisk eggs and sugar then add vanilla extract. Then slowly add eggs to chocolate. Divide batter into 4 lightly buttered and floured 8 oz baking dishes. Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 18 minutes. Turn-out into a soup bowl, serve with your favorite vanilla ice cream. Serves 4.

REAL ESTATE

corner

Halloween did not really come to America until about the 1850s when Irish and English immigrants brought with them these ancient customs. The traditions grew and evolved into our own American version of Halloween. So this year, as you hang a scary witch or silly ghost in your yard, remember that you’ll not only be spooking the neighborhood children but you may be warding off bad spirits from your home as well. And who couldn’t use a little good fortune these days?

Wildfish Seafood Grille | WildfishSeafoodGrille.com

Keller Williams Energy Corridor 11757 Katy Freeway, Suite 950 • Houston, TX 77079

Featured Cover Property

11602 Versailles Lakes 5 / 5 / 4

INCREDIBLE custom golf course estate!

Situated on a high point overlooking two fairways, a lake & island green.

Quiet cul-de-sac, updated contemporary style and panoramic views from almost every room in the home. Master retreat and secondary bedroom down, library, game & billiard room at first floor, guest suites with balcony access and bath in-suite, gourmet kitchen, butlers pantry, 600 s/f seasonal storage closet with dressing area, incredible pool, spa, summer kitchen, extensive landscape, four car garage, home automation, and much more!

3210 Bonnebridge Way 3 / 3-1 / 4 Wonderful courtyard entry and panoramic resort views

11910 Portofino 3-4 / 4-1 / 3 Sparkling pool and spa with great outdoor entertaining area

3814 Antibes 4 / 3-1 / 2 Sparkling oasis with beautiful golf course views

11815 Legend Manor 4 / 3-1 / 3 Sparkling pool and spa with water feature and summer kitchen

2731Stuart Manor 4 / 3-1 / 2 Sprawling master suite complete with fireplace

3323 Bridgeberry 5 / 6-5-1 / 4 Appealing open plan with sprawling living areas and resort views

SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2016

ROYA

713.470.2153 ext. 2258

Lifestyle ROYAL OAKS COUN TRY C L U B

Hallowed History & FUN FALL FACTS

Metro Market Housing Report

BRANDEY HECKEROTH

Brandey@agent-email.com

AMANDA WALSH

Amanda@agent-email.com

The Beverly

Flatbread & Manhattans If your home is currently listed, this is not a solicitation for that listing.

Produced by DLP Marketing • (877)660-0996 • DLPmarketing.com

Royal Oaks Country Club Cover Home

Featured Exclusively By Luxe Living Properties