Sheila Moran ~Broker Bits~: September 2008

Last week, I listed a very nice home on .96 acres.  It's located in the busy, busy (this is a joke!) town of St. Hedwig.  Notice the photo below shows the population count at 1875.  I would image that the cow ratio to people is much higher!  See the post here:  1640 Pittman Road

I went out to show it again yesterday and took some extra photos of the area.  Seems every time that I am there the wind is blowing, it's peaceful (you only hear an occasional cow) and the front of the house has a wonderful view.  Here are some extra photos of my journey:        This is as your driving, wide open spaces and beautiful sky!

  Some more, dirt roads, farming, ranching and most of the scenes.

 This is the ever popular Lubianski Feed Store.

 This is the gas station in the area, it reminds me of an old timer's general store.

 As you can see bailing hay is where it's at for this land owner.

I pulled some stats for the area, they are as follows:

Population in July 2007: 2,073. Population change since 2000: +9.7%
 

Males: 1,065	(51.4%)
Females: 1,008	(48.6%)

Median resident age:	38.0 years
Texas median age:	32.3 years

Zip codes: 78152.

Estimated median household income in 2006: $62,000 (it was $55,481 in 2000)

St. Hedwig	$62,000
Texas:	$44,922

Estimated median house/condo value in 2006: $120,700 (it was $89,200 in 2000)

St. Hedwig	$120,700
Texas:	$114,000

2008 cost of living index in St. Hedwig: 85.5 (less than average, U.S. average is 100)

Ancestries: German (34.2%), Polish (29.0%), Irish (11.5%), English (4.7%), United States (4.6%), Czech (2.3%).

Land area: 30.1 square miles.

If you need to catch up with this story, go to  Ike rolls in ~ my husband rolls out

Well, as most of you know I haven't seen much of my husband lately...he's working like 84 hours a week, no days off and spends another 10.5 in commute time.  So, that leaves him 2.5 hours a day to eat dinner or breakfast, take a shower, wash his uniform and 8 hours of sleep.  That's been his life for oh, maybe 2.57 weeks now! (not that I'm counting or anything!)  So, let's just say there is little conversation (well, he's not home to have the conversation!)...I guess he got a break last night while working at the shelter.   I logged on this morning and found this comment on the above post: (the first part is the mushy part, but I had to leave that in)  

Wow, after reading the comments related to Hurricane Ike posted by my wife and then by all of her blogger friends, I had to reply. First and most importantly, to my absolutely amazing and loving wife. Thank you for being strong and tireless during this trying time for our family. You truly never cease to amaze me with your unending devotion and your spirit.  I look forward to taking my "shelter" in your arms after a long night here in the Evacuee shelter. 

 To all of the bloggers,(not sure what to call ya'll), thanks for the words of appreciation. It really means alot to me to hear your words of encouragement.  I can tell you that the dedicated men and women of the San Antonio Fire Department that I have the honor of serving with, do not consider ourselves heroes. It is the everyday Americans that volunteer their time and their own resources to help total strangers that are in need- those are the true heroes.

I can tell you that I briefly talked to him today and he was just flabbergasted at the comments that ALL OF YOU had made to him and the public servants like him....He couldn't believe it!  

He was very touched...just so you know.  This man needed a little "pick me up today"...thanks for helping me give it to him.  

To keep you posted on that the last I heard they had about 1700 people or so still in the San Antonio shelter and were trying to see where they could put these people closer to their homes...no luck as of yet.  

My office Manager (Lisa) and I had lunch with some of our resource providers the other day.  We met with David Salinas with World Wide Pest Control and James Gonzalez with Farmers Insurance. 

We met at Canyon Cafe which is in the Alamo Quarry...we are talking SHOPPING galore!  Whatever you need is in this quaint shopping center...er, sorry getting off the subject here...back to the food.  

Yes, we all sat down and the place is well lit, bright, tall ceilings and the atmosphere was popping!  It was a Thursday afternoon and it seemed everyone was there!  

The menu is very extensive.  They have a lot of southwestern style food but also have a chicken fried steak...so, everyone can get what they want.  They serve chips and salsa (with the red Chile peppers from New Mexico) delicious!    I had the crab cakes which was served with a dipping sauce and a great salad.  Yum, yum!

And don't forget that you have to wash it down with their 2 limit top shelf margaritas!  A must after a long week at the office.   
 

So, the next time your in San Antonio you have to stop by!

It's been many days that I have been trying to collect my thoughts about this post.   

My husband is a Captain in the San Antonio Fire Department.  He was called up to start up the shelters at PORT SA here on the south side of San Antonio about 9/4/08.  The first 10 days he worked (7 days a week) a 24 hr shift and had 12 hrs off (in which to eat and sleep) which was REALLY hard on my boys and myself (now I was trying to play all roles around here).  So, the boys and I were able to see him (bleary eyed, horizontal in bed) for just a little bit of time every day.  The storm by this time had come and went. 

He talked about standing in his steel toed boots for 24 hours (no sleeping like at the fire house), the command phone ringing a minimum of 200 calls a shift, EVERYONE in his midst needing something different.  For days he was on a search for baby formula, diapers, baby bottles and a microwave (which he stole out of the fire fighters break room) to have for the Mom's in the shelter to warm up the babies formula.  See everything just wasn't there, it had to be ORDERED.  So, they (evacuee's) would go for days without while the order was ON IT'S WAY. I guess it was his job to explain to these people (that had been in the same clothes for days) why the orders were not here yet.  As you can image, exhausting.  

About a week ago they changed his shift to be 12 hours on and 12 hours off, 7 days a week.  So, at least there was some reprieve.  But still 12 hrs to sleep, eat, and do his uniform washing routine (not an ounce of anything else).  I have been amazed at his resilient nature and to still be in control of his emotions and duties of what needs to get done in order to help these people.  The tasks are daunting. 

He has had to help locate lost Grandmas, a lost 5 year old boy, lost siblings.  These people walk in (some with no shoes on) with plastic bags of whatever was their life in it.  Can you image if one of these precious trash bags was lost?   

Then there was the day that some kids came up to him and mentioned that they had been looking for their Dad all day long, so the search went on.  Only to find that he had died in a port a potty.  Last night a 17 year old boy left the shelter to walk to Wal Mart (down the street from shelter) and while he was gone his family packed up and LEFT the shelter to check into a hotel AND NEVER CAME BACK FOR HIM! (not sure how this story ended, the last bit was the kid was hysterical and crying).  So, the emotional turmoil of the lives that have been temporarily (?) broken from the storm goes on.  

Today is his 14th day of working at the shelters.  Now by this point I am exhausted (remember I'm NOT the one working the shelters)...but keeping the home-front in order (well, at least trying to).  There has been dinner to cook, boys to get to school (on time), lunches made, homework done, grass to cut, cookies to bake (for the Fire Fighters working), special school projects (we are talking post board stuff) and algebra to do!  There is a new schedule around this house also...leave right after my car pool duties straight to work (I drive with the windows down to dry my hair..hey, it saves time), be home by 4p.m. so I can get the boys, wake up my husband, fix dinner, send him out the door to the shelter. 

Oh, did I mention that I need to work in between all of these duties and try to sell a house or two?  I guess I'm am realizing just how much my husband HELPS ME with all of these details.  So, life as I knew it before Ike has changed also...so much that I found myself crying on the front porch late last night (not out of pity, just pressure).  

Everything on the media here in SA is about the bad that is going on with the shelter.  Of course they only interview the evacuee's that feel that they have lost their rights while being in the shelters, that were told they could pick up their FEMA checks here (which is so not true), the people that are so pissed off that got arrested while being in the shelters for conduct or disruption.  But, I do know for a fact that there have been many, many people that are gracious and thankful and appreciative of what has been allowed for them at the shelters.  Of course you haven't seen one of these stories on the news, huh?   

The night time in a strange place sometimes brings people together.  There have been little old ladies that have hugged and thanked my husband.  The confused elderly that he has helped them find their cots in the dark.  The little lady that talked at length with my husband about what she has lost, how she has no family, no house and thanked him for "saving her".  The little girl that knows that a man in uniform will hold her hand tightly and make her feel safe for a moment.  

I tell you this story not because of what has happened to my little life recently, but what has happened to many.  For my husband and ALL of the volunteers that are trying to make a difference.  For my husband who has not complained once about his sore feet (I only found out because I watched him walk so funny from the pain), loss of sleep, loss of time with his family, personal time, nothing.  No complaints.  The only negative comment that he has said about this situation is "it's just so sad" and then he finished his sentence off with "we are so blessed".

Note from the Author:  I have seen many times on AR how some words can be taken differently based on our own personal perceptions...keep in mind this post was not written with a "poor me" attitude.  If you have perceived this in some way...you are mistaken.  I am only trying to give you my perception in a difficult time.

If I haven't said these words once, I have said them a THOUSAND times.  I do believe that I say these words instead of counting sheep trying to go to sleep, as I'm tucking the boys into their beds, mumbling to myself in the shower, car pooling the kids to school..you get the idea.

I first heard them in January at the CRS convention in Honolulu.  It's September and they still ring true here in San Antonio.  It was raining, it was the beginning of the year, I was in glorious Hawaii...who would of thought that they would be the most IMPORTANT words of 2008.           

THEY ARE STILL SO TRUE

.

Let's talk about this. 

A BEAUTY CONTEST.

Now the beauties just don't show up on the day of the pageant and look smashing in their gowns, swim suits and belt out a few songs, do they?  Nooooo.  They prepare, primp, exercise, eat healthy, practice walking, practice talking, practice their solo acts, right?  For months I would suspect.  Well, our houses need the same approach.                                       

If your home doesn't sparkle, shine, smell wonderful then it's going to be very hard to get some good showings on it.  That means painting the rooms that have little hand prints on the corners, ripping out wallpaper to texture and paint and doing some necessary "clean up" and "clean out" projects.  Yes, people will look into your closets.  It's important that your house be the best looking and the most "refined" beauties or you won't have a chance.

AND A PRICING WAR.

It's true, this market is changing DAILY.  So, last years appraisal won't work.  The other houses on the market are no longer your neighbors...they are your competition!  Let's start to think about that.  If we have 5 houses with relatively the same floor plan, and a few have upgrades, and look & smell great, what are you going to have to do to make your house STAND out from the crowd?  It's simple, price it right the first time.  Don't overprice and think that you can always "come down" or wait for an offer because that is what you will be doing...still waiting for that offer while everyone else sells.  In fact overpricing your house helps your competition sell faster.

With these 2 elements pricing and staging your house can be sold!

My Team and I are here to help you with your real estate needs, please call us for helpful hints, solid advice and result oriented actions to get your property SOLD.

Sheila Moran, RE/MAX Access, San Antonio, Texas ~  www.SistersThatSell.com

I just wrote about the "hold outs" in Galveston, Texas.  These people spent the night before Ike was going to hit, hanging out at the Poop Deck (stumbling distance from the seawall).  The report say no casulties so we can only assume that no one DID stumble over the seawall.   Whew..

and then I found these...so, anything that I thought was funny made me not laugh anymore. 

 However, I thought it was hopeful (see photo #2) that Lady Liberty was still standing....Bless America!

Well, I thought I had heard it all until my husband came home from working at the shelters and mentioned something about a hurricane party...What?  

I thought what is wrong with these people...maybe too much alcohol and not enough brains?  Why would they defy an evacuation.  Why would some people choose to stay in their homes and not leave even though when warned by Police?  I also had heard that anyone that defied the Police (who were by the way, trying to save their lives by going door to door) then asked them to write their social security numbers on their arms so the Police could identify them later.  ????  What gives.  

Some of these people actually were rescued later on and DID have their numbers on their arms!  Can you image turning away help and then realizing later that you might have made a deadly decision for your family?  Unfathomable to me.

      (This is the biggest I could make this picture...but her face says it all!  She is standing on the seawall in Galveston, Texas (not very far from the Poop Deck)

So, here is some interesting stuff about the people that are partying on the Poop Deck in Galveston, Texas the night BEFORE the hurricane strikes.  It's slow to start but there is a woman in this video that has a poem about America that is interesting. 

Would love your comments about the rest of this crowd!  

Hurricane Party on the Poop Deck
(from the KHOU-TV web site in Galveston)

To see an update of this blog, go to AFTER IKE