Each week, I’ll spotlight a neighborhood in the Bryan/College Station area. This week, I'm spotlighting Tiffany Park, a subdivision in Bryan.   Tiffany Park is located between Booneville Road and University Drive, providing easy access to Highway 6. The neighborhood has plenty of trails and sidewalks for running and walking. The neighborhood is nearby to Tiffany Park, a park equipped with sports courts, a baseball field, a pavillion, and a splash pad. The park and Bowen Elementary School are both within walking distance of the neighborhood.  

THE HIGHLIGHTS

Median home age: 17 years

Median list price: $268,000

Median home value: $246,000

Own to rent ratio: 50:50

Students who live in Tiffany Park are zoned for the…

1685 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Hi there! My name is Dana Branham, and I’m guest-blogging for Tara today. (You might notice that we have the same last name -- full disclosure: I’m her daughter and her summer intern.)

I started doing real estate photography in 2012, so I’ve been at this for a while, picking up new equipment and new techniques along the way. And though I still have a lot to learn, I wanted to share some advice on making sure that your home photographs well.

If your home is vacant, it’ll be pretty easy to shoot. I’ll go inside, turn on all the lights, open the blinds, and spend between half an hour and an hour shooting all the rooms from all the angles, and I’ll head out.

If your home isn’t vacant while it’s on the market, photos can be a little tougher but much…

1605 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post


Photo Source:  Texas A&M University

A recent ranking of the "Best Towns in Texas", our hometown of College Station proudly came in at #2.  The company that conducted the research and ranking, Niche Local, is a company that provides statistics of every U.S. town to help people find the best place to live, raise a family, and visit.  College Station has consistently been an area of impressive growth, expansion, and development.  It is no wonder why more and more Aggies remain in College Station upon graduation, in addition to moving back to College Station to raise a family.

Sweet home College Station was rated "A" or "A+" for Education, Health & Fitness, Community, and Easiest Commute grades; although it fell short to Sugarland for the top spot.…

1910 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Moving into your new home is a big job. The further you plan in advance, the smoother it will go. This list contains most of the big tasks you’ll need to do and suggested timeframes. Depending on your situation, you might be able to delete (or may need to add) some items.

8 WEEKS BEFORE

  • Call moving companies for estimates.

  • Remove and dispose of unnecessary possessions.

  • Start compiling an inventory of your possessions.

  • Get a floor plan (with room dimensions) of your new home to help you decide which furnishings you want to keep and which room they will go in.

  • Start a file of moving-related papers and receipts.

  • Locate schools, healthcare professionals and hospitals in your new location. o Arrange to…

1233 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Grub Burger Bar

 photo from grubburgerbar.com

Each Friday, I'll post a recommendation for one of my favorite local businesses in the Bryan-College Station area. I'm dedicating the second post in my series of recommendations to Grub Burger Bar, a burger joint that started in College Station and has since expanded to multiple locations around Texas and the rest of the country.

My family loves going out to Grub. My older daughter and I always order the Jive Turkey Burger, which is a juicy turkey patty with avocado, bacon, sprouts and melty swiss cheese. My husband usually gets the Ghost burger, which is topped with jalapeños and ghost chili sauce. He likes to get it "inferno style." I'm not sure what the difference is exactly, but it makes it even hotter, and is…

1254 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

  Each week, I’ll spotlight a neighborhood in the Bryan/College Station area. This week, I'm spotlighting Emerald Forest, a College Station neighborhood.   Emerald Forest is a central subdivision in College Station, home to around 2,300 people. Inside the neighborhood, there's a community swimming pool and plenty of parks. Outside, Emerald Forest has easy access to Highway 6, and it's closeby to Scott & White Hospital, Academy Sports and Outdoors  

THE HIGHLIGHTS

Median home age: 25 years

Median list price: $300,000

Median home value: $275,000

Own to rent ratio: 96:4

Students who live in Emerald Forest are zoned for the CSISD schools: South Knoll Elementary, Oakwood Intermediate School, A&M Consolidated Middle School and…

1718 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

 

 Have you ever driven up to a house and judged what it would look like on the inside according to it's outer appearances?

If you answered "yes" to this question you would not be in the minority. Most people form opinions about a property before they step inside based on it's curb appeal: the visual attractiveness of a house as seen from the street. Most buyers will drive past a property before asking their Realtor to schedule a showing...this means that your house needs to be in tip top shape inside and especially outside!

Tips to having a home with exceptional curb appeal:

  • Power wash or paint the exterior of your house - You may not notice it now, but you would be surprised how much dirt and grime is on the exterior of your home!…

1226 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

This week, I'm spotlighting a home on Joyce Road in Bryan. The listing now has brand new photos and a new virtual tour of its 4 bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms and 13 acres of land, including a pond and a huge front yard.

This home is situated in a quiet and serene gated community 20 minutes from the heart of Bryan/College Station. This home features an open floor plan, huge windows for natural light, granite countertops, a three car garage, and two master suites. 8675 Joyce Road could make an excellent home for horse-owners — one horse is allowed per each two acres of the property. Avid fishers can delight in the fabulous pond, stocked with catfish, bass, and perch.

Watch the virtual tour here: 

The highlights

Price: $590.000
Bedrooms: 4
…

1022 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Used with permission from Dana Branham Photography.photo used with permission from Dana Branham Photography

Last week, I gave you some tips on how to get your house clean for a showing fast. This week, I have some tips to make your home feel inviting and comfortable for potential home-buyers during showings. Some of these tips can even be repurposed for when you're just having company over!

Liz Marie of Liz Marie Blog has some great ideas on how to prepare for a showing. In addition to making sure your home is clean and decluttered, consider these ways of making your home even more show-friendly.

1. Make sure all the rooms are cleaned.

This one goes without saying -- a dirty or cluttered home simply won't show well. Check out this 31-day home decluttering plan and this pre-showing home…

1244 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Vanilla bean macarons

Each Friday, I'll post a recommendation for one of my favorite local businesses in the Bryan-College Station area. I'm kicking off the series with one of my favorite places to go for pastries in College Station: 1541 Pastries and Coffee. 

1541 Pastries and Coffee is owned by Anel and Sam Olmedo, who, together, have a passion for baking and customer service. The name 1541 is special to them because it represents the place where they were married — their favorite city in Mexico, Morelia, which was founded in 1541.

My favorite treats from 1541 are their macarons. They come in all flavors, and you can stay updated on which flavors are available through their Facebook page. Each macaron is like a little bite of France. Whether you're new to the B/CS…

2718 Views, 1 Comments

Read Full Post