Real Estate UpdateReturn to Normalcy

The Tasting Room’sScrumptious Caesar Salad

MA

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Blissful SurroundingsOh-so Elegant!

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All information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. The properties on this list have been listed/sold by various members of the MLS.

If your home is currently listed, this is not a solicitation for that listing. Produced by UpscaleRealEstateMarketing.com • 877.660.0996

Million Dollar Guild, CLHMS

832.247.7618YHalfon@MarthaTurner.com

ADDRESS BED BATH SQFT LIST PRICE

ACTIVE61 Pipers Wal 5 5/0 3,302 $595,00089 Greensward Ln 5 4/1 4,029 $659,0004103 Thistle Hill Ct 4 3/1 4,208 $869,88023 Du Pont Cir 6 5/1 5,925 $1,098,80021 Orkney Isle Ct 5 5/1 6,770 $1,145,00017 Whitworth Way 5 3/1 5,870 $1,175,00018 Cheshire Bend Dr 4 4/2 6,753 $1,185,0003 Legend Park Dr 4 3/2 5,471 $1,299,8004011 Thistle Hill Ct 4 4/1 6,189 $1,349,90026 Muirfield Way 5 5/2 6,449 $1,350,00018 Legend Park Dr 5 4/2 6,020 $1,375,00030 Du Pont Cir 5 6/1 6,580 $1,399,88047 Du Pont Cir 6 5/2 6,249 $1,595,00022 Farrell Ridge Dr 5 5/1 6,002 $1,698,80023 Glen Eagles Dr 5 5/3 7,892 $1,998,80031 Beacon Hill 6 7/1 12,585 $3,999,9993540 Marantha Dr 5 6/1 9,268 $4,688,0005324 Palm Royale Blvd 9 10/4 19,180 $12,800,000

PENDING6 Cypress Ridge Ln 5 5/2 7,260 $1,575,000

SOLD6 Legend Park Dr 5 5/3 6,242 $1,485,00014 Cypress Ridge Ln 5 4/2 7,779 $2,888,000

Activity In Sweetwater and Maranatha Farms

WHETHER YOU’RE A FIRST-TIME BUYER, RELOCATING TO HOUSTON,

OR LISTING AN ESTATE, LET YAMILIA PUT HER EXPERTISE TO WORK FOR YOU.

A long time Houstonian, Yamilia Halfon has in-depth knowledge of Houston’s finest neighborhoods and evolving marketplace. Yamilia specializes in luxury residential sales in Houston’s most distinctive neighborhoods including Tanglewood, the Memorial Villages, River Oaks, West University, Bellaire, and Sweetwater.

A dedicated professional who is totally committed to her clients, Yamilia’s reputation for market knowledge, quality service and professionalism precedes her. Her dedication, attention to detail, and light hearted attitude combined with her drive and enthusiasm to surpass her client’s expectations have ensured her excellent reputation in the real estate industry. With a service-oriented philosophy, Yamilia always puts the interest of her clients as her first priority. Her integrity is unquestionable and she brings professionalism and commitment to every transaction.

Completely bilingual in English and Spanish, Yamilia is adept at working with foreign nationals who make Houston their new home. She enjoys showing them the city and all that Houston has to offer and, in the process, building life-long relationships with members of Houston’s international community.

Clients who work with Yamilia have access to Sotheby’s concierge services, auctions, and relocation services. Affiliation with Sotheby’s International Realty offers enhanced market exposure and distinctive benefits, including access to a global network of buyers and auction house clients along with a website which allows for property searches by both location and lifestyle.

Sweetwater Real Estate

ReportPresented By

Yamilia Halfon

L I F E S T Y L E

www.HAR.com/YamiliaHalfon

Yamilia Halfon

Yamilia Halfon

April 24Live Music in the Plaza with PF & The Flyers April 25Rhythm & Brews with Jupiter Pizza and WafflesBring your chairs and enjoy live music from Picture Book in the Plaza! Jupiter Pizza & Waffles will be serving beer and wine for $5 each. Picture Book celebrates the music of the classic rock groups of the 60’s and early 70’s.

May 9Movie Under the Moon

May 15Dancing Under the StarsBreak out your dancing shoes and join us in the Plaza for a night of Dancing Under The Stars with Fred Astaire Dance Studio instructors.

May 16th Annual Sugar Land Bash May 18 and 21Sugar Land Superstar AuditionsSugar Land’s American Idol-like competition is kicking off another summer showcasing local talent with open Superstar auditions in the Plaza and is brought to you by David Taylor Cadillac. The 2015 Sugar Land Superstar will win a prize package featuring items from Town Square retailers and the opportunity to perform live at future events.

May 30Taste of Louisiana Festival

Sugar Land Town Square

Events

SugarLandTownSquare.com

YAM

I

The 2015 real estate market is being characterized by experts as a “return to normalcy.” In recent years the market has been dominated by investors (lured by appreciating prices and foreclosures) who were willing to pay cash thus making it more difficult for traditional home buyers to compete.

New and existing home sales are expected to increase by as much as 20% in 2015 due to continued gains in the job market. Households will finally enjoy “real” wage gains. 2015 could be the end of bidding wars and all-cash offers. Home buyers with regular jobs and 20% down now have an opportunity to get into the market – either as returning buyers or first-time home buyers.

Many millennials have postponed home ownership in favor of renting. With more of that generation now starting families, experts predict that by the end of 2015, millennial buyers will be the largest group of home buyers. The first-time buyer market will return to more normal levels due to this increased demand from the millennial buyer. Also, with fewer homes underwater, baby boomers may finally start to

downsize and move closer to the grandkids.

Stan Humphries, chief economist for Zillow.com, “It’s been a tough market for buyers,” he says. “I think it’s going to get easier in 2015. Negotiating power will move back to buyers and away from sellers. It will be a much more balanced market.”

At the same time, foreign investors may still find the luxury US real estate market appealing because of economic instability in their home countries. The high end real estate market may still be dominated by cash transactions from foreign investors.

“We are witnessing the start of exactly what economists predicted would create a more ‘normalized’ Houston real estate market: declining sales volume, increasing prices, and improvement in housing inventory levels,” said Houston Association of Realtors (HAR) Chair Nancy Furst.

The Houston housing market so far in 2015 has been influenced by falling oil prices which led to job layoffs. The job layoffs combined with limited housing inventory and rising home prices, resulted in the

first decline in home sales in the Houston market in six months. Sales of single-family homes dropped 5.8% year-over-year in February 2015. This was driven mainly by faltering activity among homes priced above $500,000, which, up until now, had been one of the Houston market’s strongest and steadiest segments.

Elegance. How do you define it? When it comes to your home, it’s anything that makes you feel special, graceful, and sophisticated. Being in elegant surroundings—think of a posh hotel, a chic urban eatery, or even a grand museum—has an impact on how we feel. We feel uplifted and stylish, and in turn, we feel happy, like anything can happen on any given day. Here’s how to create an elegant room filled with the right elements so you’ll feel inspired to live a beautiful life.

If you want elegance, the size and grandeur of a room definitely helps set the stage. A living room with high ceilings, an open floor plan, and tall windows is a perfect place to start. Silk drapes can give a room a sweeping feeling of elegance with soft natural light streaming in from behind. Even if you don’t have those elements, simple tips can trick the eye. Hang your drapes as high as possible, just grazing the floor to give the room a feeling of height. To keep it airy and open feeling, select light paint hues or maybe an ethereal white. Light colors will keep the space soothing and inviting … you want a room of enlightenment. (Leave the darker colors for the den!)

Décor is usually minimal in sophisticated spaces, for clutter is anything but elegant. Artwork lends a refined touch to interiors, and adds splashes of color to more monochromatic rooms. Neutral area rugs and symmetrically aligned furniture keep the mood intimate and understated. Sofas and armchairs are more tailored and trimmed than their softer, sink-into-them cousins that are more at home in the family room. Wood tones are also mostly light, while lamps, frames, and accessories are done in shiny silvers and golds for a polished look.

Appoint your room with glass and metal end tables and coffee tables to achieve a free-flowing space. This is a room for discussions, music, and entertaining.

The final details for an air of joyful elegance: fresh flowers in beautiful vases, books on favorite artists and authors, and perhaps sculpture or a piano to make the mood sublime. We’re not talking stuffy … just setting the room with beautiful items that make you smile when you see them, that evoke memories and make you feel blissful and ready for anything that may come your way. Living your life in a beautiful and elegant setting can truly impact your happiness. Find your bliss!

Caesar Salad

The Tasting Room713.993.9800 | TastingRoomWines.com

In Good Taste

2015 REAL ESTATE MARKET UPDATE

A Streetcar Named DesireWortham Theater Center | May 15SpaHouston.org/home | 713.227.4772The Scottish Ballet will be performing a vibrant new take on Tennessee Wiliams’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play, A Streetcar Named Desire. Set to a jazz-inspired score and with striking vintage styled costumes and sets, the ensemble of 30 dancers infuses drama and dance to brilliantly tell the iconic, haunting story of a fading Southern belle as she moves to New Orleans in an attempt to put her troubled past behind her.

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5K WalkDiscovery Green | May 16DiscoveryGreen.com | 713.400.7336A non-competitive 5K walk supporting the American Cancer Society’s lifesaving mission to end Breast Cancer. This event is free and it celebrates survivors while increasing awareness and raising money to help find a cure.

CinderellaTheater Under the Stars | May 26 - June 7Tuts.com | 713.558.2600Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella is the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical from the creators of Oklahoma! and The King and I. Cinderella is delighting audiences with its contemporary take on the classic fairytale. There are even some surprising new twists!

Wine and Food Week 2015: “It’s A Guy Thing”Houston | June 2WineAndFoodWeek.com | 713.557.5732Enjoy bold wines, Stout, IPA and Bock style craft beer. Delicious culinary treats are carefully selected to pair with your beverage to bring out all the flavor of your food and drink. Mix in a cigar and you’ve got the perfect “Guys Night Out” experience!

Interactive Mystery Dinner TheaterMurder by Chocolate | thru July 1MurderByChocolate.com | 281.992.1888First start the evening off with a delicious dinner followed by dessert. After you have had your fill you can join in solving the crime! Sit back, watch the events unfold and solve the crime from your seat or become an actor in the theater. You could even be the murderer!

MAY | JUNE 2015

Event CalendarBlissful SurroundingsCreamy Caesar Dressing

INGREDIENTS

3 egg yolks 5 garlic cloves2 oz anchovies 1/4 c sherry vinegar2 c olive oil 1 c ground parmesan cheese 1/4 c Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce

PREPARATION

In a food processor, add egg yolks, garlic and anchovies. Blend for about 30-45 seconds until all ingredients begin to form an emulsion. With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in all olive oil. The dressing should have a mayonnaise-like consistency. Add the remaining ingredients one at a time. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Caesar Salad

INGREDIENTS

2 c crisp romaine hearts ¼ c croutons1 tbsp fresh parmesan

PREPARATION

Toss ingredients into a large bowl, and mix well. If wanted, sprinkle desired amount of fresh parmesan on top.

Perfect Wine Pairing

Domaine Patrick Coulbois makes a lovely Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley’s Poilly-Fumé called Les Cocques. The grapes for this wine come from 50-year-old vines grown on silex soil. Les Cocques has gorgeous notes of fresh herbs and citrus which work well to complement the salad and its racy acidity allows it to stand up the intensity of dressing. Source: Kareasa Wilkins, Wine Consultant

REAL ESTATE

CORNER

The 2015 real estate market is being characterized by experts as a “return to normalcy.” In recent years the market has been dominated by investors (lured by appreciating prices and foreclosures) who were willing to pay cash thus making it more difficult for traditional home buyers to compete.

New and existing home sales are expected to increase by as much as 20% in 2015 due to continued gains in the job market. Households will finally enjoy “real” wage gains. 2015 could be the end of bidding wars and all-cash offers. Home buyers with regular jobs and 20% down now have an opportunity to get into the market – either as returning buyers or first-time home buyers.

Many millennials have postponed home ownership in favor of renting. With more of that generation now starting families, experts predict that by the end of 2015, millennial buyers will be the largest group of home buyers. The first-time buyer market will return to more normal levels due to this increased demand from the millennial buyer. Also, with fewer homes underwater, baby boomers may finally start to

downsize and move closer to the grandkids.

Stan Humphries, chief economist for Zillow.com, “It’s been a tough market for buyers,” he says. “I think it’s going to get easier in 2015. Negotiating power will move back to buyers and away from sellers. It will be a much more balanced market.”

At the same time, foreign investors may still find the luxury US real estate market appealing because of economic instability in their home countries. The high end real estate market may still be dominated by cash transactions from foreign investors.

“We are witnessing the start of exactly what economists predicted would create a more ‘normalized’ Houston real estate market: declining sales volume, increasing prices, and improvement in housing inventory levels,” said Houston Association of Realtors (HAR) Chair Nancy Furst.

The Houston housing market so far in 2015 has been influenced by falling oil prices which led to job layoffs. The job layoffs combined with limited housing inventory and rising home prices, resulted in the

first decline in home sales in the Houston market in six months. Sales of single-family homes dropped 5.8% year-over-year in February 2015. This was driven mainly by faltering activity among homes priced above $500,000, which, up until now, had been one of the Houston market’s strongest and steadiest segments.

Elegance. How do you define it? When it comes to your home, it’s anything that makes you feel special, graceful, and sophisticated. Being in elegant surroundings—think of a posh hotel, a chic urban eatery, or even a grand museum—has an impact on how we feel. We feel uplifted and stylish, and in turn, we feel happy, like anything can happen on any given day. Here’s how to create an elegant room filled with the right elements so you’ll feel inspired to live a beautiful life.

If you want elegance, the size and grandeur of a room definitely helps set the stage. A living room with high ceilings, an open floor plan, and tall windows is a perfect place to start. Silk drapes can give a room a sweeping feeling of elegance with soft natural light streaming in from behind. Even if you don’t have those elements, simple tips can trick the eye. Hang your drapes as high as possible, just grazing the floor to give the room a feeling of height. To keep it airy and open feeling, select light paint hues or maybe an ethereal white. Light colors will keep the space soothing and inviting … you want a room of enlightenment. (Leave the darker colors for the den!)

Décor is usually minimal in sophisticated spaces, for clutter is anything but elegant. Artwork lends a refined touch to interiors, and adds splashes of color to more monochromatic rooms. Neutral area rugs and symmetrically aligned furniture keep the mood intimate and understated. Sofas and armchairs are more tailored and trimmed than their softer, sink-into-them cousins that are more at home in the family room. Wood tones are also mostly light, while lamps, frames, and accessories are done in shiny silvers and golds for a polished look.

Appoint your room with glass and metal end tables and coffee tables to achieve a free-flowing space. This is a room for discussions, music, and entertaining.

The final details for an air of joyful elegance: fresh flowers in beautiful vases, books on favorite artists and authors, and perhaps sculpture or a piano to make the mood sublime. We’re not talking stuffy … just setting the room with beautiful items that make you smile when you see them, that evoke memories and make you feel blissful and ready for anything that may come your way. Living your life in a beautiful and elegant setting can truly impact your happiness. Find your bliss!

Caesar Salad

The Tasting Room713.993.9800 | TastingRoomWines.com

In Good Taste

2015 REAL ESTATE MARKET UPDATE

A Streetcar Named DesireWortham Theater Center | May 15SpaHouston.org/home | 713.227.4772The Scottish Ballet will be performing a vibrant new take on Tennessee Wiliams’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play, A Streetcar Named Desire. Set to a jazz-inspired score and with striking vintage styled costumes and sets, the ensemble of 30 dancers infuses drama and dance to brilliantly tell the iconic, haunting story of a fading Southern belle as she moves to New Orleans in an attempt to put her troubled past behind her.

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5K WalkDiscovery Green | May 16DiscoveryGreen.com | 713.400.7336A non-competitive 5K walk supporting the American Cancer Society’s lifesaving mission to end Breast Cancer. This event is free and it celebrates survivors while increasing awareness and raising money to help find a cure.

CinderellaTheater Under the Stars | May 26 - June 7Tuts.com | 713.558.2600Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella is the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical from the creators of Oklahoma! and The King and I. Cinderella is delighting audiences with its contemporary take on the classic fairytale. There are even some surprising new twists!

Wine and Food Week 2015: “It’s A Guy Thing”Houston | June 2WineAndFoodWeek.com | 713.557.5732Enjoy bold wines, Stout, IPA and Bock style craft beer. Delicious culinary treats are carefully selected to pair with your beverage to bring out all the flavor of your food and drink. Mix in a cigar and you’ve got the perfect “Guys Night Out” experience!

Interactive Mystery Dinner TheaterMurder by Chocolate | thru July 1MurderByChocolate.com | 281.992.1888First start the evening off with a delicious dinner followed by dessert. After you have had your fill you can join in solving the crime! Sit back, watch the events unfold and solve the crime from your seat or become an actor in the theater. You could even be the murderer!

MAY | JUNE 2015

Event CalendarBlissful SurroundingsCreamy Caesar Dressing

INGREDIENTS

3 egg yolks 5 garlic cloves2 oz anchovies 1/4 c sherry vinegar2 c olive oil 1 c ground parmesan cheese 1/4 c Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce

PREPARATION

In a food processor, add egg yolks, garlic and anchovies. Blend for about 30-45 seconds until all ingredients begin to form an emulsion. With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in all olive oil. The dressing should have a mayonnaise-like consistency. Add the remaining ingredients one at a time. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Caesar Salad

INGREDIENTS

2 c crisp romaine hearts ¼ c croutons1 tbsp fresh parmesan

PREPARATION

Toss ingredients into a large bowl, and mix well. If wanted, sprinkle desired amount of fresh parmesan on top.

Perfect Wine Pairing

Domaine Patrick Coulbois makes a lovely Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley’s Poilly-Fumé called Les Cocques. The grapes for this wine come from 50-year-old vines grown on silex soil. Les Cocques has gorgeous notes of fresh herbs and citrus which work well to complement the salad and its racy acidity allows it to stand up the intensity of dressing. Source: Kareasa Wilkins, Wine Consultant

REAL ESTATE

CORNER

Real Estate UpdateReturn to Normalcy

The Tasting Room’sScrumptious Caesar Salad

MA

Y

|

JU

NE

2

01

5

Blissful SurroundingsOh-so Elegant!

Cove

r Pho

togr

aphy

| Can

delar

ia De

sign

All information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. The properties on this list have been listed/sold by various members of the MLS.

If your home is currently listed, this is not a solicitation for that listing. Produced by UpscaleRealEstateMarketing.com • 877.660.0996

Million Dollar Guild, CLHMS

832.247.7618YHalfon@MarthaTurner.com

ADDRESS BED BATH SQFT LIST PRICE

ACTIVE61 Pipers Wal 5 5/0 3,302 $595,00089 Greensward Ln 5 4/1 4,029 $659,0004103 Thistle Hill Ct 4 3/1 4,208 $869,88023 Du Pont Cir 6 5/1 5,925 $1,098,80021 Orkney Isle Ct 5 5/1 6,770 $1,145,00017 Whitworth Way 5 3/1 5,870 $1,175,00018 Cheshire Bend Dr 4 4/2 6,753 $1,185,0003 Legend Park Dr 4 3/2 5,471 $1,299,8004011 Thistle Hill Ct 4 4/1 6,189 $1,349,90026 Muirfield Way 5 5/2 6,449 $1,350,00018 Legend Park Dr 5 4/2 6,020 $1,375,00030 Du Pont Cir 5 6/1 6,580 $1,399,88047 Du Pont Cir 6 5/2 6,249 $1,595,00022 Farrell Ridge Dr 5 5/1 6,002 $1,698,80023 Glen Eagles Dr 5 5/3 7,892 $1,998,80031 Beacon Hill 6 7/1 12,585 $3,999,9993540 Marantha Dr 5 6/1 9,268 $4,688,0005324 Palm Royale Blvd 9 10/4 19,180 $12,800,000

PENDING6 Cypress Ridge Ln 5 5/2 7,260 $1,575,000

SOLD6 Legend Park Dr 5 5/3 6,242 $1,485,00014 Cypress Ridge Ln 5 4/2 7,779 $2,888,000

Activity In Sweetwater and Maranatha Farms

WHETHER YOU’RE A FIRST-TIME BUYER, RELOCATING TO HOUSTON,

OR LISTING AN ESTATE, LET YAMILIA PUT HER EXPERTISE TO WORK FOR YOU.

A long time Houstonian, Yamilia Halfon has in-depth knowledge of Houston’s finest neighborhoods and evolving marketplace. Yamilia specializes in luxury residential sales in Houston’s most distinctive neighborhoods including Tanglewood, the Memorial Villages, River Oaks, West University, Bellaire, and Sweetwater.

A dedicated professional who is totally committed to her clients, Yamilia’s reputation for market knowledge, quality service and professionalism precedes her. Her dedication, attention to detail, and light hearted attitude combined with her drive and enthusiasm to surpass her client’s expectations have ensured her excellent reputation in the real estate industry. With a service-oriented philosophy, Yamilia always puts the interest of her clients as her first priority. Her integrity is unquestionable and she brings professionalism and commitment to every transaction.

Completely bilingual in English and Spanish, Yamilia is adept at working with foreign nationals who make Houston their new home. She enjoys showing them the city and all that Houston has to offer and, in the process, building life-long relationships with members of Houston’s international community.

Clients who work with Yamilia have access to Sotheby’s concierge services, auctions, and relocation services. Affiliation with Sotheby’s International Realty offers enhanced market exposure and distinctive benefits, including access to a global network of buyers and auction house clients along with a website which allows for property searches by both location and lifestyle.

Sweetwater Real Estate

ReportPresented By

Yamilia Halfon

L I F E S T Y L E

www.HAR.com/YamiliaHalfon

Yamilia Halfon

Yamilia Halfon

April 24Live Music in the Plaza with PF & The Flyers April 25Rhythm & Brews with Jupiter Pizza and WafflesBring your chairs and enjoy live music from Picture Book in the Plaza! Jupiter Pizza & Waffles will be serving beer and wine for $5 each. Picture Book celebrates the music of the classic rock groups of the 60’s and early 70’s.

May 9Movie Under the Moon

May 15Dancing Under the StarsBreak out your dancing shoes and join us in the Plaza for a night of Dancing Under The Stars with Fred Astaire Dance Studio instructors.

May 16th Annual Sugar Land Bash May 18 and 21Sugar Land Superstar AuditionsSugar Land’s American Idol-like competition is kicking off another summer showcasing local talent with open Superstar auditions in the Plaza and is brought to you by David Taylor Cadillac. The 2015 Sugar Land Superstar will win a prize package featuring items from Town Square retailers and the opportunity to perform live at future events.

May 30Taste of Louisiana Festival

Sugar Land Town Square

Events

SugarLandTownSquare.com

YAM

I