• Mike Blalock joins us via phone to talk about relocating to Houston. He is the publisher of Houston Newcomer Guides. He has guides for areas all over Houston. You can order a free guide at his website.
• Kacey Procheska calls in from Auburn Lakes. Auburn Lakes is a master-planned community just south of the Woodlands. See a map of where auburn lakes is HERE. They have some great promotions next week on Memorial Day Weekend. Swing by and check them out if you are in the market for a home.

We have an amazing show planned for next week. It’s Memorial Day Weekend and we have some real estate topics for veterans. One of our call-in questions next week will win a beautiful coffee table book called “Warriors Remembered.” This book is written by a West Point graduate and combat veteran, Al Nahas, and covers Vietnam Veteran Memorials around the country.

Here is the video of the segment with Mike Blalock, publisher of Houston Newcomer Guides:

Here is the video of the segment with Kacey Procheska, new home consultant with Lennar Homes at Auburn Lakes:

"5-20-12 Houston Real Estate Radio" was brought to you by the outstanding agents at Register Real Estate Advisors.

Those air fresheners smell nice, but some contain formaldehyde and other toxic substances. Don’t breath the air when you spray an air freshener. Also, don’t keep plug in air fresheners down low where animals or children could reach them. If you would prefer not to use air fresheners after hearing this…use the old baking soda box to natually absorb those bad odors. You can also boil some nice herbs in water on the stove to make the house smell nice or light a few scented candles.

When carpet is installed it emits more than just a smell. There are chemicals that can cause headaches and throat irritations and more. If carpet or rugs get wet, they can start growing mold which can cause allergic reactions. Many consumers are now requesting hardwood floors in both new and resale homes.

Granite has been known to emit low levels of radon, which is a colorless and odorless gas. You wouldn’t know it’s being emitted into the air. Most homes have radon anyway because it comes from the soil. You can buy at home testing kits if radon is a concern for your family. High levels have been known to cause lung cancer.

To learn more about things that could be toxic in your home, visit the environmental protection agency online. They can provide additional information.

"Toxic or Safe for Your Home?" was brought to you by the outstanding agents at Register Real Estate Advisors.

1.  REFRIGERATE fresh meat promptly.

- USE a cooler or chill bag to keep meat cold on the way home from the store or outside by the grill, especially on warm
days.

- SET your refrigerator at home to 40° F.

- THAW or marinate beef, pork and poultry in the refrigerator, not on the kitchen
counter.

- KEEP cold food and perishables on ice at picnics and cookouts.

- PLACE leftover cooked foods in a refrigerator or cooler with ice within two hours.

2. CLEAN hands & surfaces often.

- WASH hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds before and after handling food.

- WASH cutting boards, dishes and utensils with hot soapy water after preparing each food item.

- USE paper towels and soap to clean kitchen surfaces often.  Or clean cloth towels frequently in your washing machine’s hot
cycle to kill bacteria.

3. DON’T cross contaminate.

- SEPARATE fresh meat from other food in your grocery cart, shopping bags, in the refrigerator and by the grill.

- KEEP cutting boards and utensils separate to prevent spreading germs.

- PLACE cooked food on a clean plate – never on a plate that held raw meat.

4.  COOK to a safe temperature.

- USE a food thermometer every time you cook fresh beef, pork and poultry to reach its
proper internal temperature and kill harmful bacteria.

- COOK ground beef and pork to 160° F, and cook ground turkey and chicken to 165°
F.

- CHECK this cooking temperature guide to safely grill other cuts of fresh beef, pork and poultry.

- REMEMBER:  You can never tell if meat is cooked properly by looking at it.

Safe Cooking Temperatures

Internal temperature as measured with a food thermometer.

Ground Meat

Beef, Pork, Veal, Lamb                       160° F

Turkey, Chicken                                  165° F

Fresh Beef, Veal,
Lamb

Medium Rare                                      145° F

Medium                                              160° F

Well Done                                           170° F

Poultry

Chicken, Turkey, whole                       165° F

Poultry parts                                       165° F

Duck & Goose                                     165° F

Stuffing (cooked alone or in bird)       165° F

Fresh Pork

All Pork                                                160° F

Ham

Fresh (raw)                                          160° F

Pre-cooked (to reheat)                       140° F

"Tips for Safe Summer Grilling" was brought to you by the outstanding agents at Register Real Estate Advisors.

"WBM #61 – What Happens When You Price Your Home Too High" was brought to you by the outstanding agents at Register Real Estate Advisors.

When visiting The Woodlands make sure you take both a trolly ride and a water taxi.  These tours offer newcomers a great perspective of the area.  The Woodlands Mall and Market Street offer lots of shopping, dining choices, and entertainment.  The Woodlands houses the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion is one of the most popular outdoor amphitheaters in the world.  At night, Waterway Square is a great tourest attraction.  The large water wall with dancing columns of water and fountains are choreographed to music with colored lights.

The Woodlands has so much to offer.  If you work downtown, you can get to Houston by taking I-45 South or the Hardy Toll Road.  However, there are many employment opportunites in The Woodlands.

Below is a video of The Woodllands.  If you need a Realtor to help guide you through the forest, give us a call at RREA 281.288.3500.  You will be glad you did!

"Relocating to The Woodlands, Texas?" was brought to you by the outstanding agents at Register Real Estate Advisors.

Here are links to some of the topics covered on today’s show.

• LaVonda Fletcher is the owner of LaVonda Fletcher Insurance Agency. She was in the studio to talk about mortgage insurance.
• Our in-house lender, Jeff Wagner, with OnQ Financial, called in to talk about the lending environment and the state of the mortgage market.
• Home Path Program – No mortgage insurance, no appraisals for purchasing foreclosures. Find foreclosure listings at http://homepath.com (Fannie Mae homes) or http://homesteps.com (Freddie Mac homes.)

We have an amazing show planned for next week. It’s Memorial Day Weekend and we have some real estate topics for veterans. One of our call-in questions next week will win a beautiful coffee table book called “Warriors Remembered.” This book is written by a West Point graduate and combat veteran, Al Nahas, and covers Vietnam Veteran Memorials around the country.

Here is the video for the segment with LaVonda Fletcher on insurance.

Here is the first segment with Jeff Wagner on mortgages.

Here is the second Jeff Wagner segment.

"5-13-12 Houston Real Estate Radio" was brought to you by the outstanding agents at Register Real Estate Advisors.

You can find details about the show at RREA.com/RADIO.

"Announcing “Houston Real Estate Radio”" was brought to you by the outstanding agents at Register Real Estate Advisors.

505 Bastrop St, Houston, TX 77003 (MLS # 13816700)

D-town luxury living at its finest! Perfect 2-st Penthouse, 2 bdrm finished loft w/enclosed beams/pipes, gamerm up has granite bar w/sink,wine cooler,wine glass rack & ice mker. Kit w/isl. raisd bar w/granite, slate backsplash, stainless appl. & kegerator. Tiled downstairs w/slate bathrms, carpet bdrms, Oak hardwood stairs & upstairs. 2 prime prkg spaces, add l storage closet/deep freezer, lg closets, wrap around balcony facing Minute Maid. Fully furnished, goes w/the sale. Amazing skyline view!

Property Type(s): Mid/Hi-Rise Condo

Schools

Additional Details

Features

Location

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

Listed with Register Real Estate Advisors

(view all details for MLS #13816700)

"505 Bastrop #510 – Houston TX 77003" was brought to you by the outstanding agents at Register Real Estate Advisors.

As the summer moving season gears up, state and moving industry officials cautioned Texans to do their homework before hiring a moving company and encouraged the law enforcement community to take note of a new state law that imposes fines and jail time against unlicensed movers.

More than 60 percent of the moving complaints received at the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) deal with unlicensed movers. To operate legally, a moving company must display a valid TxDMV (TxDMV licenses moving companies) or United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) license number on the truck.

Perhaps the best advice is the most basic: always know who you are dealing with before starting a move.

“[Consumers] need to stop for a minute and ask themselves ‘Who am I about to let into my home?’ because it might just be some guy living in a basement or with a criminal record who is going to show up with a rented moving truck to cart off everything you own,” said Linda Bauer Darr, president and CEO of Virginia-based American Moving & Storage Association.

And where should you never go to hire a mover? Free internet advertising sites, said John Trevino of the Houston Police Department’s Special Investigation Command.

Before hiring a moving company, Texans can find out whether the company is licensed by going to Moving Companies on the TxDMV website.

"This Moving Season, Don’t Get Taken For A Ride" was brought to you by the outstanding agents at Register Real Estate Advisors.

"“Price of Business” with Jim Holcomb from the Falls at Imperial Oaks" was brought to you by the outstanding agents at Register Real Estate Advisors.