News & Views

Fishing During the Drought

Larry Lynch — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 14:40:00 GMT

Our 15-year-old son, Lucas, accompanied me on several photo sessions in the spring. After we'd gotten our shots we'd fish the ponds and small lakes on farms and ranches we were listing; That was when Lucas discovered he loved "pond fishing", too. We caught some beautiful fish and had a lot of fun. Summer has been tough, though, and some of these same small lakes are now several feet lower and fishing has gotten much tougher as water quality has diminished.

Jerry Miller, who writes guest columns for the Jacksonville Daily Progress, has written another good article about fishing in the low-water conditions on Lake Palestine. If you're a fisherman, here's some information you can use:

Click here to read Jerry's article

Is "Sleek Sophistication" The Right Look for Your Home?

Larry Lynch — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 14:13:00 GMT

We're a long way from the Upper East Side of Manhattan. And many of the East Texas homes we sell are somewhat casual, as you might expect in an area where outdoor activities like golf, tennis and fishing are popular and often just a short walk from home. But there are more formal homes, too, and for those who admire this look, you'll appreciate this article from Carolyn Runyon.

Click here to read Carolyn's

Northern New Mexico: Spa & Restaurant Suggestions

Larry Lynch — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 12:03:00 GMT

We have a friend, the wonderful photographer Aaron Jones, who moved from San Francisco to Santa Fe years ago and after our first visit we understood why. The light in that part of the country can be spectacular. I've also fished the San Juan River several times and had an opportunity to enjoy the natural world in that part of the country...it is, indeed, magical. And even more so when you're catching fat trout!

Robyn Cannon has written a nice piece complete with spa and restaurant suggestions. If you're thinking of a trip this fall, you might want to consider a trip to this unique part of our country.

This is a link to Robyn's article.

Launching on Lake Palestine: Two Suggestions

Larry Lynch — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 22:10:00 GMT

It's getting trickier to find a spot to launch on any of the lakes. I drove over Kickapoo Cove, south of Chandler, last week and the ramp I normally use to get to the cove is now on dry land. Down on the south end of the lake, though, Lake Palestine Resort has been busy extending their ramp. This is the campground and RV park just off S Hwy 155 (Frankston Highway) in Coffee City.

Another ramp that comes highly recommended is at The Villages Marina,located on the east side of the lake off FM 2661.

Sadly, the report isn't as good at Lake Jacksonville, where the concession stand ramp is becoming very difficult to use. For more details, click here.

Making Your Home A Gallery

Larry Lynch — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 00:04:00 GMT

In our South Tyler home I like to display my nature photography, since it's a way of "bringng the outside in" for me. The beautiful lakes, rolling hills and forests of East Texas are the subject of many of the prints that adorn our walls, and we love changing photos, moving them from home to office and back again.

Maria Gabriela Brito has taken that concept further by using ALL the elements of her decor...from the Monterey White on the walls to the various woods in the furniture...to create a home designed to show off her collection of paintings. I enjoyed reading about her and hope you will, as well.

"I believe curating interiors is art," says Maria Gabriela Brito, a lifestyle designer who found a way to incorporate her varied artistic passions into a profession. Originally from Venezuela, the Harvard graduate veered from her original structured career path for the education and application of the finer things in life.

Lot / Land For Sale in Rural

Betty Holt — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 00:20:00 GMT

• lot / land - MLS® $46,500

Rural, Arp - Over 9 acres within easy drive of medical, shopping. Heavily wooded over most of acreage. Good place to build or play

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Single Story For Sale in Noonday

Betty Holt — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 16:49:00 GMT

• 2,121 sq. ft., 2 bath, 3 bdrm single story - MLS® $289,000

Noonday, Smith County - Striking Home with 30'x40' Shop & Pool. 2006 built custom brick home with stone and cedar accents is located in a beautiful area near Lake Palestine. The estate sized acre lot is fenced and landscaped, with 2 gated driveways. Handsome hardwood floors accent the open living room with stone fireplace and private study with French Doors. The kitchen has custom stained cabinets, smooth surface range, pantry and breakfast bar. The breakfast area overlooks the pool and rolling countryside. Master bedroom is split for privacy, with adjoining bath with separate vanities, spa tub, shower & large walk-in closet. Enjoy outdoor living from the concrete & flagstone covered patio with stone fireplace & hearth. Room for all the toys in the insulated 30'x40' shop with 2 overhead doors! Security system and sprinklers for maintaining beautifully landscaped yard. Tyler ISD. Minutes to fun on the lake or shopping in Tyler, best of both worlds!

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Gardens After Dark: The Twilight Effect

Larry Lynch — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 00:09:00 GMT

If you’re like many people who work inside all day and struggle to catch up on chores or other obligations over the weekend, you know that finding a bit of time to enjoy what you’ve created in your garden during the sunlight hours—without feeling guilty about not tending the weeds or watering the annuals—can be difficult.

Garden writer Lia Leendertz’s delightful new book, The Twilight Garden (Ball Publishing, 2011) helps us imagine all the possibilities for creating a garden that comes alive when the sun goes down. She offers suggestions for enjoying your garden in the evening hours: “Garden chores can become a part of that enjoyment—puttering, exploring, and smelling,” she says. “Many scents become stronger at dusk, and the sound of trickling or splashing water travels further in the still of the night.”

If you like to entertain, moving your party out into a garden that glows after dark makes it a special event, Leendertz suggests. “Besides,” she explains, “you put on your rose-tinted spectacles when you remember outdoor events—you’ll recall a night [in the garden] far more fondly than any other night spent comfortably snuggled into your friend’s new sofa—no matter how beautiful her living room is!”

Here are some of this author’s tips for designing and planting a twilight garden: Read more...

Be Careful Launching Your Boat!

Larry Lynch — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 17:04:00 GMT

I was showing waterfront on Lake Palestine recently and watched a fisherman try to launch his big Ranger at the Lake Tyler Campgrounds. He got the boat in the water, but his trailer wheels dropped off the end of the ramp and he had a tough time getting it unhung. I got my weekly fishing report this morning and the Athens paper has some good information on area ramps.

Click here to see the Jacksonville Daily Progress Ramp Report

Yes, We're In A Drought

Larry Lynch — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 15:40:00 GMT

Texas is getting a lot of national press right now, but it isn't the kind we hope for. The talking heads are aghast at the heat wave we're experiencing and the drought we've been going through for the past couple of years. We have a lot of folks retiring and moving to our area and of course they are concerned about what they're hearing. I had a long conversation with a Californian recently who has been on our website for a while looking at homes, but now is having misgivings about making the move to East Texas. He told me that droughts run in ten-year cycles.I told him I needed to do some research. What I found over the past ten years would indicate that the cycles aren't that predictable. To give you some background, our annual average rainfall in Tyler is 45 inches. Here are the averages for the past ten years: 2001 = 48.9 inches, 2002 = 39.4 inches, 2003 = 37.2 inches, 2004 = 43 inches, 2005 = 24.9 inches, 2006 = 32.6 inches, 2007 = 57.5 inches, 2008 = 52.4 inches, 2009 = 47.2 inches, 2010 = 31.17 inches, 2011 = 12.9 inches to date. As you can see, trends in rainfall are very hard to predict in Tyler. As we like to say in Texas, if you don't like the weather today, just wait until tomorrow!

Into the Blue

Larry Lynch — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 00:21:00 GMT

Phoebe Howard's mantra when it comes to using coloris simple: incorporate bold color in a monochromatic way. Which is exactly the design philosophy the Jacksonville-based designer applied to a clients' five-bedroom home in Ponte Vedra, Florida.
At the time, Howard had her hands full with her upscale, two-in-one home store, Mrs. Howard and Max & Company. But the more word spread about her popular home accessories and interiors showroom, which boasts fully furnished rooms that are so well designed you’re apt to want to buy the entire look, the more she was asked to design shoppers’ homes. "We had so many clients and we were turning people away," says Howard. "But I said to myself one day, ‘The next client who walks through that door I’m going to take.’"
Read more...

Eating Healthy On the Run

Larry Lynch — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 16:34:00 GMT

With last-minute summer vacations and sunny daytime activities filling your calendar, chances are you’ll often find yourself outside the house when hunger strikes this season. And if you aren’t someone who remembers to pack a healthy lunch or who stashes nutritious snacks in your beach bag, you might find yourself turning to unhealthy options (think venti Frappuccinos and mammoth coffee shop pastries) to sate your appetite when you’re out and about.

But with a bit of forethought, you can learn to eat well on the go and keep your waistline in check. Whether you’re forced to grab breakfast on the run or need to snag a snack at the airport between flights, here are the strategies you need to make healthy eating and a busy lifestyle jive. Read more...

New England Clam Bake in Texas

Larry Lynch — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 13:02:00 GMT

Even if you don’t live near the shoreline, creating the mood of the salty New England coast in your own backyard is easier than you might think. The New England Clam Bake is a traditional method of cooking fresh local seafood and vegetables on the beach, in a fire pit dug in the sand and covered with seaweed. I’ve provided two preparation methods here: one for those on the shoreline, and one for those of us who don’t have access to the beach.

Clam bakes are usually held on festive occasions along the coast of New England. Clams, of course, are a must. While live Maine lobster is a traditional component, my in-the-kitchen recipe uses easier-to-locate shrimp and crab legs instead. You can choose whatever you can find fresh, be it snow or king crab legs and littleneck, cherrystone, or steamer clams. Feel free to add or substitute anything that’s seasonally fresh in your region (or just sounds good), such as spicy sausages, live Maine lobsters, and mussels.

Five Questions to Ask Your Mortgage Professional

Larry Lynch — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 12:49:00 GMT

By Tara-Nicholle Nelson | Broker in San Francisco, CA

Everyone knows you’re supposed to be proactive and assertive when you take out a mortgage, carefully collecting and evaluating all sorts of information before you make the biggest deal of your life. But when the mortgage broker starts shooting sheaves of papers (OK, PDF documents) at you, it’s easy for your eyes to glaze over at the sight of so many zeroes, and tempting just to start signing whatever it takes to get that house!

Here are 5 questions every smart buyer (or refi-er) should add to the list of issues to cover with your mortgage professional:

Are you a bank, a broker, or both? Generally speaking, mortgage lenders that are banks or have their own banking divisions (which many reputable brokerages do) have more control over the appraisal process, including the ability to submit your file to a pool of appraisers they know have some knowledge of your local neighborhood. Given the fact that non-local appraisers and the inability to communicate with appraisers under relatively new guidelines for brokerages are responsible for killing loads and loads of deals, working with a company that is or has a bank could be a deal-saving move, especially if the property is in an area that hasn’t had many recent sales or is otherwise challenging to appraise.

Also, some broker/banks that originate loans and sell them straight to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac under the FHA loan programs offer the same benefits of an FHA loan - low down payment and moderate qualification guidelines - without the “overlays” imposed by some larger banks, which actually place a more restrictive set of guidelines on FHA loan programs. For example, FHA guidelines do not impose a minimum credit score, but many banks overlay their own 640 minimum FICO requirement. Broker/banks that sell straight to Fannie and Freddie often mirror the FHA minimum guidelines precisely.

Finally, brokerages with their own in-house bank and a large roster of lenders and programs provide the advantage of offering a wider range of fallback options than plain old banks or plain old brokerages - Plans A, B, C and D, if you will - which many borrowers need these days, in the (increasingly common) case your first choice bank or loan program doesn’t work out.

Will you explain my Good Faith Estimate to me? May I also have a fee sheet or estimate of funds to close? The current, national standard Good Faith Estimate (GFE) is pretty clear, clarifying all sorts of deal points, from the broker’s commissions to the costs associated with the loan, but as a point of customer service, you should ask your mortgage pro to explain it to you (if they don’t do so under their own initiative).

The one shortfall of the the latest edition of the GFE is that, while it clearly shows the costs associated with a particular loan scenario, it does not always show so clearly the actual amount of funds you’ll need to close the transaction (which might be more or less than those costs)! So, ask your mortgage representative to prepare a fee sheet or an estimate of funds to close as early in the transaction as possible.

How long will it take to close my loan? How much time will I need for loan and appraisal contingencies? The time frames for closing your mortgage - which often drive the time frames for closing your home purchase - often vary widely depending on the type of loan and even the type of lender you work with.(Large bank loans originated by the bankers who sit inside the branch are notoriously slower to close, on average, than loans originated by brokers.) Similarly, the time it takes to get through the FHA loan appraisal and underwriting process might be much longer than it would take, all things being equal, to clear those hurdles and remove your loan and appraisal contingencies on a Conventional (i.e., non-FHA) mortgage.

When you first meet with your prospective mortgage pro, talk with them about these time frames, so they can help you set realistic expectations and insert realistic time frames into your offer when you make it, to minimize the drama of a contingency clock that ticks way faster than your mortgage process.

Are there any fees for the mortgage loan application/approval process? Some lenders charge for credit checks up front, and most require that you pay for your appraisal in advance (although the latter happens only after you find and get into contract on your property. One of the first questions you should ask, when you sit down with a new mortgage broker is how much cash you’ll have to come up with just for the privilege of having them run your application and take the first steps down the road to loan approval.

How long have you been originating loans? And how long have you been with your company? Mortgage pros who have been around for a long time have the knowledge of advance troubleshooting, workarounds and backup plans, and the current underwriting practices it takes to get a loan closed in this restrictive mortgage market. If you found them in some way other than a referral, you can even ask for references from a few clients. Most mortgage pros who have been in business for awhile will be able to give you names and numbers of clients they’ve worked with on multiple purchases and/or refis: that’s a very good sign. You’ll rest a lot easier if you know that your loan is in the hands of a seasoned pro who others like you trust with their largest asset - and largest financial obligation.

Reprinted from Trulia

Canadian Rocky Adventures

Larry Lynch — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 23:51:00 GMT

For more than 125 years, people have traveled from all over the world to witness the incomparable grandeur of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Back in 1885, when Banff became Canada’s first National Park, the only way to visit was aboard the Canadian Pacific Railway. Read more...

One-and-a-Half Story For Sale in Prestonwood

Andrea Lynch — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 21:38:00 GMT

Hilltop Home with Pool and Wooded Views

• 3,800 sq. ft., 4 bath, 5 bdrm single story - MLS® $335,000

Prestonwood, Tyler - Hilltop Home with Pool and Wooded Views. This 2005 inviting home has a great floor plan for extended families. Private Mother-In-Law suite is on the main floor with adjoining bath. The master bedroom overlooks the pool & is split from guest bedrooms for privacy. Formal dining and living rooms are open with handsome hardwood floors and chopped stone fireplace. The kitchen has pretty stained cabinets, slab granite and stainless appliances with gas cooktop. Breakfast bar affords extra seating off kitchen and breakfast room. Family room is open to breakfast & kitchen, with stained media cabinet & built-ins. 2 bedrooms share Jack and Jill style bath off family room area. Upstairs is game room with media cabinets, snack bar with granite counters and space for mini fridge & wine cooler. 5th bedroom has private bath upstairs. Sunroom leads to open patio and gunite salt water pool with fabulous wooded & private views.

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Malibu Magnificent

Larry Lynch — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 13:32:00 GMT

When architect Lewin Wertheimer began building the East Coast–inspired, shingle-style property in Malibu that he’d spent a couple of years designing for a client, he never anticipated what would happen next. “We went through the entire design phase and actually started construction on the property,” says Wertheimer, “and then the couple decided to stop construction and put the property and partially finished house up for sale.” Read more...

Fresh Perspective

Larry Lynch — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 13:43:00 GMT

It all began with a quest for more land. As Carolyn Duryea Smith, founder and partner of Hourglass Wine Company, in St. Helena, California, explains, “The wine we created from the original four-acre Hourglass Vineyard, which my husband’s family purchased in 1976, became very successful, but it limited us in how much wine we could make.” So, she and her husband, Jeff, searched for another vineyard where they could develop a second estate wine.

Their search led to a beautiful forty-one-acre piece of property now known as...read more

Fort Lauderdale Chic

Larry Lynch — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 22:48:00 GMT

Nestled on a canal off the Intracoastal Waterway in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, an exceptionally designed home exists that appreciates the proximity to endless water, sunshine, and sand. Geographically and stylistically caught between the relaxed fashion of the Florida Keys and the traditional presentation of the Old South, this home borrows from the best of both worlds for a remarkable waterfront retreat.

Lending her expertise to the project was Barbara Murtagh Nash, owner and lead designer of Blue Sky Environments Interior Decor. Based in Coral Springs, Florida, the firm specializes in Florida decor, positioning its designs to consider the landscape and indoor-outdoor lifestyle. “I love interiors that are relaxed even when they are formal,” says Nash. “This [style] is not unique to Florida, but, because our lifestyle is so outside-focused, it is important that the transition be smooth from outside to inside.”

Abandoning the Mediterranean style of her previous house, the homeowner acknowledged it was time for rebirth in all areas of her life. Newly single and with two older teenagers, she yearned for this new home to be comfortable for her family yet prioritize her style and long-term needs. “I needed a change and a fresh start and realized it wasn’t going to happen staying in the same home,” she explains. So, with Nash, architect Mark Budd, and builder Mrachek Bros. Inc., she completely remodeled, redesigned, and dressed the 2,400-square-foot, 1960s ranch home with an eclectic combination of styles to create a welcoming, lived-in Florida oasis. Read more...

Garden Music

Larry Lynch — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 22:16:00 GMT

“If there is magic on the planet, it is contained in the water,” American philosopher and natural science writer Loren Eiseley once observed. Certainly anyone who’s sat on a bench by a garden pond has experienced that magic firsthand. The moments we spend quietly watching the wind blowing tree limbs or waves rippling on a pond are precious few—and they provide us with a reflective time to relax and enjoy all a natural landscape has to offer.

Just ask Mark Harp, a Western Washington landscape designer and owner of The Pond Store, located in Sumner, Washington. He’s spent the last fourteen years on a quest to eradicate high-maintenance residential lawns and has transformed literally hundreds of... More...

Fishing Report for Lake Palestine

Larry Lynch — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 11:39:00 GMT

PALESTINE — Water level is three feet below normal and clear down south, stained up north. Surface temp in the mid-80s.

Fishing guide Ricky Vandergriff says bass are good to nine pounds on points down south using Carolina rigs and shad pattern cranks in 2-14 feet of water. Night fishermen are faring especially well. Up north, anglers are using flatbottoms to access back water areas of Flat and Kickapoo creeks. Both creeks are kicking out numbers of solid fish.

Crappie are good at the Highway 155 crossing. Minnows and jigs suspended at 22-23 feet are the ticket. Brush piles in 19 feet of water also have been productive.

Catfish anglers are taking a few limits on night crawlers fished around rocks in 2-6 feet of water. White bass are schooling early and late over Henderson Point. Lots of small fish in the mix.

[Reprinted from the Athens Daily Review, for reports on other East Texas lakes, click here]

Realizing the Essence of Place

Larry Lynch — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 03:40:00 GMT

Forty years ago, when Geoffrey Cridland and his wife, Val, first rented one of a pair of run-down nineteenth-century workers’ cottages located in an English village near Petworth in West Sussex, he didn’t dream that the garden he would make there would change the direction of his life. As far as they both were concerned, this rural setting was no more than their weekend escape from the madding crowds of London, where they both had businesses, but it turned into much more.

The setting for the 1807 house was unparalleled, with sweeping views of the Sussex Downs. The property, however, had plenty of room for improvement: the house had no heat or electricity, and the poor excuse for a garden consisted of a boxwood hedge, a grapevine growing on the walls, and one vivid red rose. Undaunted, the couple set to work to make the rundown house into a home. A decorator and antiques dealer by profession, Val threw herself into furnishing and decorating. She filled the light, airy living room with a variety of chintz fabrics, family photographs, porcelain, vases, and objets d’art that together give the living space a typically English country, comfortably cluttered, cozy feel. Read more

Summer Standouts

Larry Lynch — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 12:11:00 GMT

In my recipe repertoire, I earmark a selection of staples specifically for summer. Unlike the comforting fruit desserts I adore in the fall or the hearty braises I make each winter, these special dishes are effortless and light and speak to a season that’s about simplicity, not excess.
Nothing could be simpler to make—or more appealing to eat on a hot July day—than a tangle of linguine dressed with lemon juice and olive oil and tossed with shrimp, green onions, parsley, and slivers of asparagus. Penne pasta coated in a nutty arugula-walnut pesto sauce is a perfect potluck pick. A versatile corn salad can serve as a vegetable side dish or a bright salsa for everything from grilled chicken to fish tacos throughout the season. And because no summer meal is complete without something sweet and fizzy to drink, I keep a pitcher of sparkling mint lemonade at the ready in the fridge.

Fruit-studded granola bars are my final summer standby. They provide ample energy for on-the-go fun and, like all my summer favorites, are as suited to enjoy at home as they are to pack up for an impromptu picnic in the park. Read more...

Single Story For Sale in Oakbrook Estates

Andrea Lynch — Thu, 12 May 2011 19:23:00 GMT

• 2,927 sq. ft., 3 bath, 3 bdrm single story - MLS® $249,900

Oakbrook Estates, Tyler - Custom Home on 2+Acres, Oakbrook Estates. This 1998 home has a lovely wooded 2.35 acre lot. The large formal dining has arched window & Williamsburg chandelier. The main living area has center fireplace, library shelves and view of rear patio & woods. Large kitchen has tiled island, lots of stained cabinets and storage. Split master bedroom has his/hers walk-in closets, sinks, shower & corner tub. 2 guest bedrooms share hall bath, the 3rd bedroom is unusually large at 18'x13'. Family room is off the kitchen with 3rd bath for infrequent guests. Garage has 3rd bay for workshop with over head door. This will be a short sale with Bank of America. All carpet will need replacing, some damage to door jambs repaired & new roof shingles were delivered but not installed.

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Waterfront Home In Fly-In Community on Trophy Bass Lake

Andrea Lynch — Thu, 05 May 2011 14:34:00 GMT

Echo Lake, Murchison - Announcing a price reduction on 7509 East Lake Drive, a 2,362 sq. ft., 3 bath, 3 bdrm single story on the deepwater end of Echo Lake, legendary trophy bass lake 1 1/2 hour southeast of Dallas. Now MLS® $329,900 - .

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