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How much will the seller take?  Depends… How strong is your offer?

If you are interested in buying a home in the remarkable Pebble Creek subdivision of College Station, you are likely to be considering one of the largest factors in a real estate deal: the price.  If the listed price of your dream home is not quite in your range, there is always the possibility that the seller will take another offer. 

How much should I offer?  No idea until recent sales in Pebble Creek are considered.

Will the seller pay my closing? You can always ask.

Will the seller wait for me to sell my home? No idea, but we can ask for a contingency.

Will the seller leave the $7,500 ride on mower? You can forget about it.

When a buyer asks these questions, they assume I have the answers.  Of course, it is hard to know how low the seller will go.  Even a listing agent who has been advised by the seller that he (the seller) will not take a penny less than $xxx,xxx does not know.  The only way we can reach an agreement is by presenting the seller with a full written offer complete with:

• Amount of the offer
• Type of financing
• Financing status
• Terms for settlement
• Contingencies

Study the property first. As the buyer’s agent, I recommend studying the property and the neighborhood.  One of the first important steps is to examine the recent sales in Pebble Creek subdivision to ensure that the asking price is reasonable.  (In this article, I have researched all Pebble Creek subdivision home sales since April 1, 2010.) 

Additionally, I never assume that the seller’s price is set in stone.  Negotiation is a key aspect of the real estate deal, and one which I take very seriously.  Until an agent has read the offer through, they do not know whether the seller will bite.  They should not be making decisions for the seller.

Making low offers is not negotiating. Experienced buying agents study the recent sales, condition, how long the property has been on the market, price trends in the area, and the seller’s need to relocate.

As described below, the homes that sold in the Pebble Creek subdivision since 4/1/2010:

The sold prices reflected above do not include any incentives, buyer closing costs, or miscellaneous extras.  But as evidenced by the distinction between list price and sold price, the buyer can afford to name their price at a slight discount.  Other variables such as move in date, conveyances, etc. may also make a difference in how much the seller will take.

 If you are interested in purchasing a home in Pebble Creek, would like to discuss your negotiation price on a particular home, or if you have any general questions, please feel free to contact me at (979) 255-1839.

Clay Lee – Realtor 

Century 21 Beal, Inc.

(979) 255-1839

clay@century21bcs.com

Timeless Service, Quality, and Experience Guaranteed

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Pebble Creek Elementary School Carnival this Saturday. You don’t want to miss it!

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.

Upcoming Events July 2009 Pebble Creek

GARAGE SALE

The annual Pebble Creek Garage Sale is being held Saturday, August 8th, and we would love to have you participate! There is a $15.00 participation fee that covers the rental of the parking lot at Pebble Creek Elementary School, the garage sale maps, and the ad that will be ran for one week in the Eagle newspaper. You can hold your sale at your home, or you can reserve a space in the parking lot at the school. If you would like to participate in the garage sale, please contact me at 690-0992 ext. 109, or email me at Erica_R@pebblecreek.org on or before Wednesday, July 29th.  

 
NATIONAL NIGHT OUT

National Night out is being held on Tuesday, October 6th. National Night Out is a crime prevention event designed to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness, while generating support for local anti-crime programs and strengthening neighborhood spirit. Many blocks in the Pebble Creek community hold cook-outs, or similar gatherings, for National Night Out, and we encourage all blocks to hold their own NNO party. College Station Police are available to come to your block party to discuss safety tips with you, and to answer any questions you have about crime prevention in our area.

4TH AT THE CREEK T-SHIRTS ON SALE

The HOA office has 4th at the Creek t-shirts available for the reduced price of $5.00 per shirt. These shirts are a great way to commemorate the 4th of July, and support your HOA! All sizes are available (Youth Small-Extra Large and Adult Small-Extra Large), but some sizes are about to sell out, so be sure to get your shirt today! The shirts are still available on the PCOA website, www.pcoa.info, on the Activities Committee page, or here in the office. For more information, please contact me at 690-0992 ext. 109 or at Erica_R@pebblecreek.org.
 

Pebble Creek Lawns and Landscaping

The heat of the Texas summer is upon us, and as many of us have noticed, some yards are suffering. I know we have all been effected by the increase in College Station water rates, and I am sure the new water rates have had an impact on the lawns and landscaping within Pebble Creek. I have attached the 2009 watering schedule for the City of College Station, along with some watering tips for Texas homeowners, and I hope these guidelines will help Pebble Creek homeowners to decrease the amount of water that is misused due to run-off and evaporation, while helping to improve the health of lawns by using the proper amount of water.

Erica Roberts

Pebble Creek Homeowners Association

979-690-0992 ext. 109

Last night I attended an open house hosted by Clay Lee (agent at Century 21 Beal) in Pebble Creek. This open house was to showcase a home designed by Benjamin Knox, built by Crowley Construction and marketed for sale by Clay Lee. The event was elegant, relaxing and well worth attending!

Clay is often using his contacts and real estate business to help others – especially the Brazos Food Bank.

If you are looking for a spacious home with a pool that is NOTHING like what you normally see available in Bryan/College Station – this is one to consider.

Pebble Creek August Update

Pebble Creek Annual Garage Saleis scheduled for Saturday, August 16, 2008. Ready to get rid of unwanted items? The sale will be held at the Pebble Creek Elementary School parking lot (or your home) and the fee is $15 which covers the ad cost in The Eagle the week before the sale and the maps to other participating homes. Deadline to be included is August 4th. Wendy_S@pebblecreek.org 979-690-0992 x109

National Night Out is Scheduled for October 7, 2008. Get together with your neighbors! Have a cook out or flashlight walk or just have everyone over and say hello.

Water issues from the City of College Station – We aren’t in an emergency situation yet but we are getting close. Checkout the awareness information sheet and watering schedule from the city.

Ready to join the 39th Citizen’s Police Academy? This is a program put on by the College Station Police Department for anyone 18 years or older. It is 11 weeks long on every Tuesday night from 6:30 – 9:30. Checkout the enrollment form and return it to the College Station Police Department by September 2, 2008 with class starting on the 9th.

Tree Preservation Ordinance - The Planning & Development Services Department is working on a tree preservation ordinance to protect trees during development and “protect the ecological, environment and aesthetic values of the city>” Want to participate? Meeting will be Tuesday, August 12, 2008 at 5:30 pm at the City of College Station Council Chambers at 1101 Texas Avenue in College Station. More information? Call Matt Robinson at 979-764-3570 or email him at mrobinson@cstx.gov .

Susan Hilton – Realtor & Sales Trainer for Century 21 Beal

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

30 Deed Restrictions Every Home Owner Should Know

This list is compiled from several documents that govern the Pebble Creek Owner’s Association (PCOA). It is not intended to be a complete list and some restrictions pertain only to certain phases. It is intended to improve self-compliance by providing an easier to read document that will improve our understanding of the restrictions. Each homeowner should have a copy of the deed restrictions that apply to their phase. Please refer to that document for detailed information.
1. Property must be maintained; grass mowed, edged, and weeds under control.
2. No structure of any kind (flagpoles, play-sets, playhouses, basketball goals, trampolines, outbuildings, fences, etc.) may be built or erected without the approval of the Architectural Control Committee.
3. No motor vehicle, boat, trailer, etc. may be parked on the street or driveway more than 10 hours.
4. You must notify the Association if the unit is to be rented or leased and get approval from the Board of Directors.
5. Garbage and trash must be stored in an enclosed structure or in an area appropriately screened from view. Container may be placed at the curb after 6 pm the day preceding pick-up and must be returned to an enclosure or screened area no later than 12:01 pm the day following pick-up.
6. No swimming pools without approval of the Architectural Control Committee.
7. No temporary structures, (e.g. portable buildings).
8. No signs other than real estate signs without prior approval of the Architectural Control Committee – including political signs. No garage sale signs.
9. No overnight parking on any street.
10 No drying of clothes in public view.
11. Garage doors visible from street must be closed when garage is not being used.
12. No noxious or offensive activities.
13. No annoying sounds or odors.
14. No hazardous activities (e.g. firing guns).
15. No unsightliness.
16. No radio, TV antenna or satellite dishes unless approved by the Architectural Control Committee.
17. Garages must have the capacity for a minimum of two cars and a maximum of four
cars and must be available for parking of automobiles.
18. No lot may be used for business, educational, religious, or professional purposes
19. No commercial or manufacturing activities.
20. No carports.
21. No window or wall air-conditioning units.
22. No vehicle repair unless concealed in a garage.
23. No flammable liquids in excess of 5 gallons.
24. Passenger vehicles that are licensed, inspected, operating, and in daily use are exempt from the 10 hour restriction if parked in the driveway.
25. No vehicles may be parked in a yard.
26. No more than 4 animals as household pets.
27. Pets cannot leave lot unless leashed.
28. No solar collectors without approval of the Architectural Control Committee.
29. No activity shall be conducted which is not related to residential purposes
30. Boats and swimming prohibited in lakes.

Susan Hilton – Realtor & Sales Trainer for Century 21 Beal

Search the ENTIRE Bryan/College Station MLS? CLICK HERE!!!

View Susan Hilton’s profile

The Pebble Creek neighborhood is one of College Station’s premier neighborhoods. Pebble Creek is one of the few golf course communities in the Bryan & College Station area. The neighborhood enjoys a great neighborhood school, an active homeowner association, regular events, a beautiful golf course and an inviting country club.

In June there were 12 properties that sold. These properties sold between $242,900 and $929,900. The sizes of these 12 properties were between 2.423 – 4,209 sq ft.

Between January 2008 and June 2008 there were 50 properties that sold. These properties sold between $2o9,900 – $929,000 and were between 2,126 and 5,379 sq ft.

As of July 18th there are 8 properties under contract in Pebble Creek. The list prices of these properties when they went under contract were between $219,900 and $828,900 and between 1,876 and 4,116 square feet.

There are currently 22 properties on the market on the market ranging from $239,900 to $1,300,000 with between 2,187 and 4.527 sq ft.

Does Pebble Creek look like an area you’d like to consider? I’m sold on it… yes, I live here too!

Checkout the Pebble Creek Elementary Taks Scores and the School Size.

Susan Hilton – Realtor & Sales Trainer for Century 21 Beal

May 2008 information from Great Schools

See school size information for Pebble Creek Elementary School You can see how many students attend Pebble Creek Elementary School by clicking on this link and looking on the left hand side of the page under “Quick Facts.”The national average for elementary schools is 445 students.The national average for middle schools is 603 students.The national average for high schools is 887 students.

Find out about student achievement at Pebble Creek Elementary School

Source: School size data provided by the state Department of Education. If no data is displayed on your school profile, it most likely means that the data was not reported by the state Department of Education. National data is provided by the National Center for Education Statistics 2006 report, which is the most recent national data available. Tell Us About Your School

If your child attends Pebble Creek Elementary School, we want to know what you think of it. Give us your feedback by providing a Parent Review. Would you like to review another school? Find a schoolTalk About the Pros and Cons of Small Schools With Other ParentsWhich is better? A small or a large school? Join the discussion in our Parent CommunityLearn More About What to Consider When Choosing a School

School Choice Tips

Choosing a School: Considering Your Child’s Needs

Choosing a School: Considering Family Needs and Values

Imagining Your Ideal School: Set Your Priorities

How Important is Class Size?

Pebble Creek Homeowners,

Just a reminder of some upcoming events and great parties being planned. Take a look!

Shareholder’s Meeting: The next Shareholder meeting is scheduled for Monday, May 19 at 7:00 pm at the Pebble Creek Country Club.

Summer Pool Party: Mark your calendars for Saturday, June 7, at Adamson Lagoon pool from 10 am – 12 pm. and get ready for some summer fun at the annual PCOA summer pool party. This year our theme is a pirate party and we will have plenty of loot for the kiddos, as well as food and drinks. Hope to see you there!

4th at the Creek: This is a 4th of July parade that was a huge success last year and we hope everyone will plan on attending. The Activities Committee is gearing up for this again and is in need of volunteers. Please see the list below of areas that are in need of volunteers and contact the Association office if you can help. We are also in need of a Parade Marshall. If you know of an outstanding Pebble Creek neighbor you would like to nominate for this, please submit their name with a short explanation of why this person would make the perfect Parade Marshall to me no later than June 15. You may email it or drop it off at the Association office.

Volunteers are needed for the following:

Face painting

Tattoo station

Cotton Candy station

Sign In Station

Judges (3 are needed)

Greeter at the main entrance

Parking lot director (2 needed)

Line Leaders (1 or 2 are needed)

Hand out candy to children at the halfway point on Royal Adelade during the parade

We are excited to have wonderful guests who have agreed to participate, such as the CS Fire Dept and the CS Police Dept, KaBOOB (the mascot for the Bombers), and FROSTBITE (the mascot for the Arctic Wolf Ice Center). The parade will start at 9:00 am, but we ask everyone to meet in the Country Club parking lot at 8:30 am. We encourage everyone to come out an meet your neighbors in their best patriotic red, white and blue! Prizes will be given to the most patriotic golf cart, non-motorized item (such as bike, stroller, etc.) adult, child (boy and girl) and even pet! For those who do not wish to walk in the parade, bring your chairs out to the Parkway and watch from the side walk! The parade route will consist of the small circle on the Parkway from the Country Club entrance to Royal Adelade and back to the Country Club. After the parade, the Country Club will host a party that all are welcome to attend. More information will be sent about this later.

T-shirts are available and can be purchased by contacting Jamie Kraus at jamie@krausphotography.com. Place your order before May 15th and the cost is only $12.00/shirt! After that, they are $15.00/shirt. You can drop off your payment and order form at the Association office or at the drop box located at 904 Royal Adelade. Please make checks payable to Jamie Kraus.

Additionally, any Pebble Creek homeowners that have family or friends either currently serving or have served in the military service and you would like to have them recognized, please submit their names to me as soon as possible. These names will be read aloud before the pledge of Allegiance and the start of the parade.

Pebble Creek Weather; www.pebblecreekweather.com. This website was down for a period of time but is now back up and running. Dr. Johnston, who is a Pebble Creek homeowner, has provided this site out of a labor of love and continues to add new features to it. He is currently working to design the system to present real-time lightning data. Once that is up and running, he intends to start providing links to radar stations and other weather related information. Although Dr. Johnston is not a website developer, he does have the site domain name for the next 10 years and plans on operating it personally for the duration. If there is anyone in the neighborhood that has experience in crafting websites and would like to donate their time in this project, please let me know.

Till next time,

Wendy Shaffer

HOA Manager

Pebble Creek Owners Association

979-690-0992 x109

Wendy_S@pebblecreek.org

Pebble Creek Elementary School continues to shine. This elementary school with extensive parent involvement makes it a much desired location keeping Pebble Creek (golf course and housing subdivision) a prime location. I’ve had 2 children attend and LOVED having a local elementary school where we could watch the children play and learn.Below are the school ratings from the Texas Education Agency. What have your experiences been with Pebble Creek Elementary?

In 2006-2007 this school was acknowledged by the Texas Education Agency for the following indicator(s):

• Commended Performance: Reading/English Language Arts
• Commended Performance: Mathematics
• Commended Performance: Writing
• Comparable Improvement: Math

In 2006-2007 this school was rated “Exemplary” by the Texas Education Agency. In 2005-2006, this school was rated “Exemplary”.

TAKS Results – Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

Grade 3

Reading
100% (2007)
99% (2006)
100% (2005)
99% (2004)
The state average for Reading was 89% in 2007.

Math
96% (2007)
95% (2006)
89% (2005)
97% (2004)
The state average for Math was 82% in 2007.

Grade 4

Reading
98% (2007)
91% (2006)
92% (2005)
96% (2004)
The state average for Reading was 84% in 2007.

Writing
98% (2007)
97% (2006)
95% (2005)
96% (2004)
The state average for Writing was 91% in 2007.

Math
97% (2007)
92% (2006)
95% (2005)
87% (2004)
The state average for Math was 86% in 2007.

Source: TX Education Agency, 2006-2007

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