When moving to a new area, there are a huge amount of things to consider besides which school district is the best for your child, so it’s easy to overlook which school is right. However, it’s not a very good idea to leave it to fate, as some schools sadly do not perform as well as others; on the other hand, it can be difficult to determine which is which.

    There are a number of ways to decide; for instance you could look at standardized test scores. It may seem arbitrary, but a student may not graduate without passing the TAKS tests. Fortunately, College Station schools have performed very well. According to the district website about 90% of all students from all schools passed, making them eligible to graduate. Some may think it’s not quite 100%, but rest assured, relative to other districts, 90% is very good.

    Statistics can be a valuable, but they don’t tell you everything. Sometimes schools teach test-taking techniques, rather than actually teaching content. A district’s curriculum is really important; with the curriculum, the district dictates what each teacher ought to be teaching their students over what amount of time– giving the district leadership a heap of responsibility. The state only loosely determines what knowledge and skills students need to graduate with.

    Luckily for CSISD, its district leadership has been recognized by the state as distinguished. Last January, the College Station ISD trustees were awarded the Good Governance award by the Texas Association of School Boards. Essentially, the award is given to districts with effective leadership and a record of achievement, and only 10 districts in the the entire state of Texas were given the Good Governance award. The process for achieving this recognition is arduous, it can take over a year of auditing and assessment. Most importantly the award reveals that the people in charge of determining the school’s curriculum are responsible.

    If you’re in the process of moving, or considering to move, it’s a really good idea to do your own research. It’s important that children receive a healthy education, for a countless number of reasons, and the quality of a school is vital for gauging the quality of the education. But keep in mind that a school is given marching orders from district leaders, and that curriculum set has a direct impact on what teachers are telling your children.

Susan Hilton – Realtor & Sales Trainer for Century 21 Beal, Inc.

#1 in Real Estate in Bryan and College Station Home Sales

Real Estate for Bryan College Station!

Call 979-764-2121 and hear information on ANY property for sale in the Brazos Valley.

College of Veterinary Medical & Biomedical Sciences

Animal Science Equine Science Section & the Brazos Extension Horse Committee invite you to attend An Equine Evening at the Expo

Brazos County Exposition Complex

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

“Horse Cloning – State of the Art”

Katrin Hinrichs, DVM, PhD, Professor

Patsy Link Chair in Mare Reproduction Studies

Texas A&M University

Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology & Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences Joint Appointment

“Piroplasmosis and Your Horse – What You Need to Know”

Tracy Norman, VMD, Clinical Assistant Professor

Texas A&M University

Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences

“Hoof Trimming Fundamentals”

Jason Maki, CJF, RJF, Farrier

Texas A&M University

Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital

Schedule

Registration and Meal:  6:00-6:30 pm

Dinner hosted by The Brazos Extension Horse Committee.

Program begins: 6:30 pm

To register for this event, please call The Brazos County Extension Office at 979-823-0129, or email Eric Zimmerman at e-zimmerman@tamu.edu, before Friday, March 19, at 4:00 pm.

Make sure you pencil in the “Cooking Parties with the Chef” on March 18^th and 21^st.  Cooking parties are offered for both beginners and experts, and everyone leaves with new tips, good memories, and a finely satisfied appetite.

If you prefer to focus more on the wine itself, then mark your calendar for this month’s wine appreciation class, taught on March 28^th and is entitled “The Wines of Burgundy.” Join the family at 3:00 p.m. to learn about the five regions of Burgundy and two reviled grapes, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.  Of course, no class would be complete without plenty of samples to taste.

One of the best deals in town is the five dollar wine tour, on which you can enjoy late afternoon weather while exploring Bryan’s very own vineyard.  Knowledgeable and fun staff lead tours through the various buildings and grounds while explaining the entire wine making process, from the grape picking to the label printing.  The best part: the tour ends in the wine tasting room where the tour leader shares his or her knowledge on Messina Hof’s many wonderful wine offerings while you sip away.

Take advantage of this perfect weather with a friend and enjoy the highly acclaimed local wine at Messina Hof today!

Susan Hilton – Realtor & Sales Trainer for Century 21 Beal, Inc.

#1 in Real Estate in Bryan and College Station Home Sales

Real Estate for Bryan College Station!

Call 979-764-2121 and hear information on ANY property for sale in the Brazos Valley.

Tickets can be bought now. Prices for residents range from $19, situated in the back corners of the auditorium, to $67, which puts you right in the front. The show is at 7:30 on Monday and Tuesday, March 22 and 23 in the Rudder Auditorium, right in the middle of campus. Tickets can be bought either by going online at http://boxoffice.tamu.edu/events.html, calling (979) 845-1234, or by going to the Rudder Tower, located across the street from Kyle Field on campus.

If Broadway isn’t your thing, be sure to check out what other future shows are coming to MSC OPAS. After receiving recognition from the New York Times, MSC OPAS has been able to bring bigger and better shows, and will be sure to please. If you’re already a fan, season tickets can be purchased, with all revenues from the shows and membership dues going back to the organization. So why travel all the way to New York when Broadway is coming right to your College Station backyard?

Susan Hilton – Realtor & Sales Trainer for Century 21 Beal, Inc.

#1 in Real Estate in Bryan and College Station Home Sales

Real Estate for Bryan College Station!

Call 979-764-2121 and hear information on ANY property for sale in the Brazos Valley.

Join us this Saturday, March 6th from 11am to 4pm for the annual Pebble Creek Elementary Spring Carnival. Everyone is welcome – not just for Pebble Creek students! This year’s carnival is a space theme!

We’ll have plenty to do for the parents and the kids!

• Games, including bounce houses and inflatables
• Cast room, children’s raffle, cake walk & more!
• Silent auction – over $20,000 in merchandise
• Class basket auction & class plate auction
• Race car from Texas World Speedway
• Food from great vendors like Outback, Dickey’s, Ninfas, Spoons Yogurt & Buck’s pizza

Tickets are on sale at the door day of the Pebble Creek carnival or in advance outside the school from 2:45 to 3:45 Thursday and Friday.

Come out and get LOST IN SPACE!

Susan Hilton – Realtor & Sales Trainer for Century 21 Beal, Inc.

#1 in Real Estate in Bryan and College Station Home Sales

Real Estate for Bryan College Station!

Call 979-764-2121 and hear information on ANY property for sale in the Brazos Valley.

The people of Bryan/College Station are scarcely one-dimensional, and the town reflects its people; as the city grows, more and more art galleries have been emerging and revealing themselves. What’s more remarkable is the amount of artists there are to be found in the Bryan College/Station area. As art galleries keep surfacing, works from local artists have been appearing to fill the walls of the galleries.

Most recently, the relatively new Village Café and Art 979 have been proudly displaying art from a huge milieu of individuals– from Bryan, Texas to Buffalo, New York. The Village Café started out as a quaint coffee shop/art gallery, but since the café has had so much community support, it is growing gracefully.

The way The Village Café operates is on the first Friday of every month, a new artist’s works are placed all around the café and they stay there for the month. They’ve had works from well known Brazos Valley artists like Gretta Watkins , Lee McGraw, and Fidelis Photography; the next artist displayed could easily be you, were you so inclined.

Even before the Village Café, College Station had been displaying art from resident artists. Perhaps the most famous College Station artist is Benjamin Knox. His paintings are famous for depicting collegiate traditions and memories of Texas A&M. In fact, in 2001 he opened the Benjamin Knox Gallery, which is a replica of the original College Station train depot from 1900. At his gallery he houses his own art, as well as works from artists in the surrounding area.

These previously mentioned art galleries are certainly geared toward adults, but the Brazos Valley knows that art can be hugely beneficial for early childhood development. Art can be an amazing vessel for childhood creativity and The Children’s Museum of the Brazos Valley attempts to harbor that creative energy. It’s a really fun place to take the kids when you don’t want their intelligence wasted away on video games.

Most people, even long time residents, are surprised by what can be found in the Brazos Valley. Some people come for the sports, others for food, but everyone is pleasantly surprised by the proud displays of artistic personality. If you’re considering moving here, or just in the area, it’s worth visiting these exhibits just to witness what amazing work some of your neighbors are capable of.

Susan Hilton – Realtor & Sales Trainer for Century 21 Beal, Inc.

#1 in Real Estate in Bryan and College Station Home Sales

Real Estate for Bryan College Station!

Call 979-764-2121 and hear information on ANY property for sale in the Brazos Valley.

Outside Art in Bryan College Station -

Where O Where Can I Be?

Modern Art in College Station

Where is this Christmas Light Display?

Rock Paper Scizzors

Brazos County Is Going To The Dogs

Duck Duck Girl

Bryan College Station Farmers Market Century 21 Beal

Bryan/College Station is a very unique place. The sister cities have most everything you’d find in a big city, but alternatively it’s got quite a bit you wouldn’t. What makes it so special is the amount of farms and food producers around. This area of Texas is one of the agricultural boons of the U.S., not to mention A&M University has some of the most premier agricultural researchers. We are surrounded by some of the freshest, healthiest meats and vegetables in Texas; that makes Bryan/College Station one of the best places to shop for food. Be it our farmers’ markets, local grocers, or A&M’s meat market, you can find some of the most delicious foods in our quaint little sister cities.

HEB and Kroger’s are great grocery stores as well, but if you’re looking for fresh produce, you really can’t beat the farmers’ market. For over 10 years, the Brazos Valley Farmers’ Market has been trying to connect local food farmers with local consumers; the food is amazing, and the prices are impossible to beat because they come straight from the producers Another thing that makes the farmers’ market a great place to have is that it ties the community together. The Brazos Valley Farmers’ Market doesn’t receive any funding; it’s all volunteer based and fruits and vegetables is not the only thing vendors come to sell.

There are a ton of different vendors that come to the market selling everything from jellies, specialized salsas, and honey to jewelry and perfume. It really is a wholesome, communal environment and a great place to go even if you don’t have any kind of grocery list.

But if you do have any kind of meats on the list, the A&M meat market is tough to compete with. They sell all types of meat products and they’re all pretty amazing. It comes from one of the best meat science & technology centers in the world, and it shows. They’re basically just selling the meat so they can afford to buy more livestock and keep studying it, and the community reaps all the benefits.

For another great food experience, Bryan/College Station also has the Farm Patch; it has all the great produce you’d find in the farmers’ market, but it’s as convenient as a grocery store. They get a lot of their inventory from local producers and they also sell flowers, trees, and seeds– in case you’d like to grow some food at home. The Farm Patch is a charming, friendly place; the whole experience is like a remnant from a quieter time.

This area has all the right qualities that make it one of the best places to find great food; it’s not too big and it’s not too small. Tons of local farmers from the rural areas gather here to sell their good, and the consumers get access to some of the best produce available– the communities of Bryan and College Station, Tx  is made all the better.

Susan Hilton – Realtor & Sales Trainer for Century 21 Beal, Inc.

#1 in Real Estate in Bryan and College Station Home Sales

Bryan College Station Real Estate & Community Blog

January 2010 compared to January 2009 is only up 2% in sales.  Being up 2% in sales is great, but remember we are comparing it to a year where we were down 24% from the previous year.  Thankfully, we have all learned to cut back on our expenses and have learned to live “within our means” and “within our market”. January 2010 was not a record month but we are also thankful we didn’t have another “Down” month. We started off the year POSITIVE! 

When 2009 started we had less inventory – properties available to sell. We started the year off 4.6% less than 2008. Starting 2010 we are way up. We have 17% more inventory this January than we did in 2009, but there were fewer new homes put on the market this January than in 2008 or 2009. So, there are more homes on the market available but fewer new ones on the market… so more homes are staying on the market longer. There are over 100 more houses available to choose from than in 2009 so if someone is looking – NOW IS THE TIME!

Note that the information above is the Bryan College Station total market – it is NOT what is happening at Century 21 Beal. Century 21 Beal has increased market share in both sales and new listings compared to 2009 and we are off to a GREAT year!  Want to see our Bryan College Station Real Estate Market Share numbers and what other companies around town are doing? Click on the link!

Susan

Susan Hilton – Realtor & Sales Trainer for Century 21 Beal

Want to Search the Bryan/College Station Real Estate MLS? CLICK HERE!!!

Of all the surfaces inside of the house, counter tops usually have to endure all the wear and tear. Anything you don’t want laying around on the floor usually ends up on counter tops, and accidents like to happen when given enough time. Even worse, scratches and gouges can be eye magnets, but even so, remodeling can be difficult to think about sometimes.

Home owners are sometimes daunted with the issue of remodeling: it can be painstaking to decide upon and it’s usually tough work. Beyond that, there is no formula to figuring out if the cost exceeds the benefit when part of the benefit is happiness

Research is very important, and there are a fair number of options with types of counter tops and manufacturers. After any amount of research, it’s clear that many consumer reports and magazines praise granite as a very cost-effective option for new counter tops.

Granite is dense and durable, most anything around the house is not strong enough to damage it. Granite is not a rare material but it’s one of the hardest rocks available, just weaker than gems and diamonds. You could actually destroy a knife before ever scratching the counter with it, although a piece of glass would be just hard enough scratch it.

While granite is an extremely durable stone, it’s not too difficult to find– making it pretty affordable. Enough new, 3 cm thick, counter tops to cover 70 sq. feet of space would cost about $3,000-$3-500. A bathroom counter would be significantly cheaper, and this type of counter top improvement would raise the value of your home significantly. This is great for several reasons, but most importantly it would end up in you receiving most of your money back if you were ever to sell or lease the house.

Not only is it cost-effective, it’s easy to manage. Granite is not very porous at all. Most if not all liquids laying on the surface of the counter will stay there; that means you can’t easily stain the counter top. Anything that would dry up wouldn’t stain it; you’d have to spill something like oil and leave it there.

Granite counter tops are also very attractive; they can contrast with almost any type of wood counter top perfectly. They also sit very well next to painted counter tops can look amazing; for example a light pastel orange or yellow color for the cabinets or walls would look great in the kitchen if it caught a lot of sun in the summer.

Besides its upfront cost, there is no real down side to a granite counter top. A simple laminate counter top would be about half the cost, but the difference can be so apparent when there are kool-aid stains and knife gouge farms around the cutting board and when you are ready to sell. All things considered it would be well worth your time to consider an improvement in your College Station home!

Susan

Susan Hilton

Century 21 Beal, Inc.

979-764-2100

Search College Station Homes and Real Estate!

Out of the current 267 units, from Waterwood and River Oaks townhomes, Starfish Development has only been able to retain 12, which have consistently leased out annually. Since their inception into the real estate market here in College Station, Starfish Development properties have seen an average price appreciation increase of just over 5%

ONLY 41 units will be available for move-in come August of 2010. So we are encouraging all potential buyers to strongly consider making a decision in the near future. We have already had much interest in Lakeridge and expect it to only increase. For investor clients, this property bodes well on the cash flow side, and if a move is made in the near future, I do not see an issue with leasing out that specific unit. As I alluded to above, there has been much interest expressed in Lakeridge up to this point.

The units at Lakeridge Townhomes will be 2, 3, and 4 BDRM units with large floor plans, own private bath, and your own spacious walk-in closet. I imagine that investors would express a particular interest in the 4 BDRM layouts. From an investor’s perspective, the 4 BDRM, frankly, cash flows better and is a more logical investment on paper.

Currently, there are early bird specials to the first 20 buyers. This includes a free 46″ LCD flat screen TV along with a free washer/dryer to the first ten buyers. Also, we have implemented a price incentive for pre-construction sales. The result of this is an $8000 sales price discount.

Please send me an email at sama@century21bcs.com or give me a call at 979-314-1399 to learn more or to take a tour of a model unit. Once again, much interest has been expressed in this development and time is of the essence.

I also have floor-plans and a price sheet available by request, Thank you.