New Year's is the most universally observed holiday in the world.  It's the time of year for setting goals and making a fresh start.  As Yogi Berra said, "If you don't know where you're going, you'll end up someplace else."  Business and lifestyle coaches all agree that if you WRITE your goals down and share those goals with someone who will hold you accountable, there is a dramatically greater likelihood that you will achieve them.  And let's not forget to eat black-eyed peas on January 1 to bring luck throughout the year!

In France, for good health and good fortune, you would eat a stack of pancakes on New Year's Day, and in Italy,  you would eat lasagna but avoid noodles/macaroni.  In Spain, you would eat one grape with each stroke of the clock at Midnight on New Year's Eve....and in Peru, you would do the same thing PLUS eat a 13th grape once the New Year begins to assure good luck.  And in Norway, you would prepare rice pudding and hide a whole almond in the bowl.  The family member who gets the almond is assured major wealth!

Another little tidbit about almonds that may help with your New Year's Plans:  According to folklore, American Indians claim that eating six raw almonds before imbibing helps prevent intoxication.  (For more hangover prevention tips, click here.)

On the subject of customs, one well-known tradition is the ball dropping in New York City's Times Square to ring in the new year at the stroke of midnight.  But there are some fascinating items that are dropped at midnight throughout the country that you may not have heard about:

800-pound peach in Atlanta, GA

25-pound fiberglass replica of Peep marshmallow candy in Bethlehem, PA

7.5 foot edible bologna in Lebanon, PA

Giant Conch Shell in Key West, FL (Sloppy Joe's Bar)

6-ft tall shoe & "Drag Queen Sushi" in Key West, FL (Bourbon Street Pub)

600-pound fiberglass walleye fish in Port Clinton, OH

18-foot sausage in Elmore, OH

3-foot-high glowing pickle in Mount Olive, NC

1250-pound copper acorn in Raleigh, NC

Giant Gumbo Pot in New Orleans, LA

Giant Crab in Easton, MD

Giant Hunk of Cheese in Plymouth, WI

WISHING YOU A HAPPY, HEALTHY & PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!!!

In today's Houston Chronicle, a press release from Associated Press indicated that the United States will enter 2009 with 305,529,237 residents, based on Census Bureau estimates.

That represents an increase of 2,743,429 residents this year!

Component settings for January 2009:

One birth every...........................................    8 seconds 

One death every.........................................  12 seconds

One international migrant (net) every ........  36 seconds

NET GAIN of one person every .................. 14 seconds

And all I need is just ONE of those people to buy a house!!!

Recognizing the need for help among Houston's many distressed homeowners, Don Puryear and his team have pursued specialized training in handling short sales and foreclosures, obtaining the designation of Certified Distressed Property Experts from the Distressed Property Institute.  We are here to help homeowners avoid foreclosure. 

What a great honor - I'm grateful to have been selected Realtor of the Week by the Houston Chronicle.  Thank you to those of you who emailed or called after reading the article; it really means a lot to me!  (For those who missed the article but would like to read it, click here.)

The article discusses my personal and business background leading up to this point in my real estate career.  Most importantly to me, the article provides information about my involvement in short sales and foreclosures, an area of practice where today's sellers need help from qualified, experienced Realtors.  My staff and I have obtained the Certified Distressed Property Expert designation and are well-positioned to help sellers who are in financial distress and need help getting out from under their mortgage. 

We also pursued this distressed property training specifically to help us better-represent buyers who are interested in purchasing these types of properties.  "Short sales" have been called "the shiniest penny in the drawer."  In truth, they are often very competitive with normal home sales in terms of location, condition and amenities, and because the negotiation involves a bank factoring in the cost of potential foreclosure, these properties often sell well below market value. 

Season's Greetings! 

Let me take this opportunity to underscore some important considerations for you pet owners during the holidays.  Certain holiday plants -- mistletoe & holly -- are known to be toxic to animals, and others like poinsettia can cause severe nausea & diarrhea or worse.  Be mindful to keep your holiday plants out of your dog's reach.

Also, just a note to point out that dogs have been known to eat glass Christmas ornaments and chew through extension cords for Christmas tree lights.  It's not common, but it's certainly something to be aware of and hopefully to avoid.

And finally, this is the time of year where treats are abundant.  Many of the foods and treats we enjoy are toxic or harmful to dogs and cats.  The truth of the matter is that the safest step is to only give our pets treats and food that have been specifically created for them.  Toxic items include chocolates, macadamia nuts, grapes/raisins, avocados and sugar-free mints/gum with xylitol.  During the holidays, be aware that your dogs would love to get into your yeast dough and turkey, both of which can have serious effects.  Regarding that Christmas turkey, know that turkey skin or fat-laden table scraps can cause pancreatitis or other life-threatening conditions.  It's not worth the risk.  (No GRAVY!)  It goes without saying....but I'll say it anyway:  Never let your pet consume alcohol.

Please be careful and make this a safe, enjoyable holiday for yourself, your family AND your pets!  Happy Holidays!

Special thanks to Vet Info for providing a comprehensive list of pet dangers & toxins.

Anytime I come across an amazing dog video, I like to share it.  (There are some in previous blog postings, so scroll down if you haven't seen them before.)

Here are a couple that are absolutely worth checking out:  The AMAZING PETE! & Dog Baby Sitter.  I'd love to hear what you think about these clips, so please send me an email after watching.

And whenever you find one you enjoy, please share it with me so I can spread the word.

PS If you enjoyed these.....don't stop here!  Be sure to check out my November 27th blog entry for two of the most incredible dog video clips you'll ever see.

Well, we've done it....My staff and I now have Smart cars with a promotional wrap featuring the RE/MAX balloon and our contact information.  The idea has been well received, and I genuinely appreciate the nice comments we've received from everyone who has seen the cars.  Special thanks to Robert Boudwin who recommended putting businesscard holders on the car.  Guess what?  I've already had to refill mine TWICE.

When you see us on the road, please HONK! 

Those of you who subscribe to the Houston Chronicle were met with an eye-opening front page article about the Houston real estate market, "Home Sales, Prices Drop Sharply Here:  Realtors say national uncertainty starting to weigh heavier on area."  The article proceeds to elaborate on the 31.7% drop in same-year sales for November. 

A bright light in all of this is the historically low interest rates available.  Well's Fargo was recently promoting a 30-year fixed rate of 4.875% on loans up to $625,000.

Another development is that we are seeing foreclosures and short sales in all of Houston's neighborhoods and at all levels, including luxury homes.   

The news for sellers is that homes are taking a little longer to sell, but Houston is still outperforming other cities nationally, and the low interest rates should help keep our market in balance.  The news for buyers and investors is that there are some incredible opportunities in terms of financing and value-priced properties available. 

Winter has arrived in Houston - It's been nearly four years since Houston has had snow, so last night was a real treat!

A few exciting things have happened this week....First, I passed the broker's licensing exam!  I'm thrilled to have met the educational & experience requirements to achieve this milestone in my real estate career.  THANK YOU to all of you who have sent encouraging & congratulatory notes - It really means a great deal to me!

Second, I have gone full throttle with my Facebook profile, and I welcome any of you other Facebook members to add me as a friend.  Those of you who haven't discovered the world of Facebook, PLEASE take an hour or so to check it out.  You'll need to register first, but I promise it is worth the effort.  Through Facebook, I have been able to reconnect with folks I haven't seen in years, and an even bigger bonus was finding my cousins online - I rarely see them since they live so far away, and Facebook has been a great way to be in regular communication with them.

And FINALLY.... I bought a Smart Car!  Actually, I bought one for myself and Cindy to drive around town and a second one for Jeanna to drive around Deer Park & Pasadena!  We will be having them "wrapped" with our RE/MAX Metro logos as part of our marketing campaign:  "Smart Car, Smart Realtor....Buy Smart!"  Honk when you see us!!!