The 2008 Houston Real Estate Investing Trends report analyzed more than 10,000 home sales in the Central Houston TX area since 2002 to draw conclusions about the residential market.

Noteworthy items from the report includes:

- The HAR (Houston Association of Realtors) stated that 2007 was Houston’s 2nd best residential real estate year in history.

- Local real estate is closely tied to the region’s economy and job growth. Houston’s economy has posted continued expansion:

- #1 Lowest Cost of Living among 24 MSAs with population greater than 2M (source ACCRA Cost of Living Index 2006)

- #1 Job Growth (source US Bureau of Labor Statistics March 2007)

- Within Houston’s Memorial area and Inner 610 Loop region, subdivisions with the highest appreciation include:

- From 2002 to 2007

- Collegeview / College Court (72% appreciation)

- Braeswood (68% appreciation)

- Rice Military (63% appreciation)

- Tanglewood (59% appreciation)

- The average single family home price in the seventeen areas that were reviewed expanded by 43%.

- From 2004 to 2007

- Tanglewood (53% appreciation)

- Braeswood (46% appreciation)

- Collegeview/ College Court (41% appreciation)

- The average single family home price in the seventeen analyzed areas expanded 28%.

What are some of the best things we can do to improve the value of our homes?

- Top renovation projects (and the expected “cost recouped” at sale) for Houston and the southwest region include:

- Fiber-cement siding replacement (93%)

- Bathroom remodeling (91%)

- Minor kitchen remodeling (88%)

- For people looking to sell their home, quality Home Staging can shorten the average time to sell a home and often provide an opportunity for an increase in the sales price.

The Houston, Texas Real Estate market has also been experiencing gains, while much of the rest of the US has been suffering. This is thanks, in part, to the balance between supply and demand, as well as the near absence of the speculative excess in real estate prices that were seen on both coasts of the US over the past 10 years.

This study reviewed single family home data throughout much of Houston’s Inner Loop, as well as neighborhoods inside Beltway 8, such as Tanglewood, Memorial & the Memorial Villages.

The analysis applied data from the HAR MLS system for single family homes sold from 2002-2007 based on median sales price per square foot from seventeen Houston market areas (based on zip codes).

As an example, companies that ‘kiln dry’ their logs have a different story to tell than those that air-dry logs and each method has advantages you will want to consider. Discussing these sales points and conflicting viewpoints will help you draw your own conclusions as to what is best for your particular situation. Spend a day or two at an expo and you can learn more than you could through any other type of research.

Spring and fall of every year are the busy seasons for the log home industry shows. During these months you can find a show or exposition happening at various cities across the USA and Canada. Companies of every size attend these shows so you will have an excellent opportunity to compare log home floor plans & home designs, gather brochures, pricing estimates, financing information and speak one on one to qualified industry experts about all the question you have.

Possibly one of the best benefits is getting to see so many styles of log and timber frame homes close-up. Most exhibitors will have tons of pictures demonstrating their proficiency in creating the log home of your dreams and some will even have partial homes erected on the convention room floor.

Discussing your plans with local builders that are familiar with your weather and other regional conditions can save you weeks of phone calls and meetings. As you can imagine, building a log home in Arizona offers challenges not found in Vermont and may require different construction materials, methods or wood treatments and finishes.

There are a number of techniques used to build log home corners and believe it or not, they are not created equal. Some joints may look attractive but may not be the best choice if exposed to the elements – as opposed to being sheltered under a roof or porch overhang. Some joints may offer a place for water to pool, which is disastrous for virtually any type of wood. Corner joints must provide air tightness and stability and not allow the logs to move or separate.

At a log home show you can see what a Saddlenotch, Swedish Saddlenotch, Butt and Pass and a Dovetail corner actually looks like and learn the pros and cons of each. You will learn new words and building terms that may sound strange at first, but you will soon be using these phrases in your discussions with builders and manufacturers.

One of the best parts of owning a log home is decorating it. Log home living is different from “conventional” home styles and furnishings. One doesn’t often see an antler chandelier in a seaside Cape Cod cottage. At these shows you will find much more than just log crafters. Many log and rustic furniture makers sell and take custom orders for everything from furnishings to custom carved fireplace mantles.

At a recent show I attended in Salt Lake City, vendors were showcasing everything from rustic copper sinks for the bath to custom wall air vent grilles. Other products ranged from maintenance and restoration products to wireless wall switches, which require no batteries. Truly, the best part about attending such shows is learning about products that will make your log home more enjoyable. From lighting and plumbing wares to design and maintenance products, you’ll discover solutions to make your life easier.

Many people begin their search looking for log home manufacturers and somewhere along the way they realize that what they really want is a timber frame home. Discovering the nuances of log homes and heavy timber construction is a learning process and log home shows provide the perfect setting for learning everything you need to know to choose the right product for your needs.

Some manufacturers will actually build a small home on the convention hall floor to show their products close-up. Few things are as impressive as looking at the fine joinery of a timberframe roofline or a well-crafted log corner. The next time a show is scheduled in your area, drop what you are doing, put on a comfortable pair of shoes and go for a visit!

To see when a log home show is scheduled in your area, visit the Log Home Directory at www.logcabindirectory.com