I’m kicking myself for not carrying my camera with me at all times over the past 11 years in real estate. I am going to try and right this disservice to you, so that I can actually prove, with real photos, the bizarre encounters I get to have on a daily basis while previewing a home or showing to a client.

Carpeted whirlpool tubs, golden toilets, doors to nowhere on the second floor, a former brothel house in the middle of a nice neighborhood, a bomb shelter, the shrine to Mickey Mouse house, a tv room for pets, duct tape for weatherstripping.. You think of it, I have probably seen it in Houston, Texas real estate.

And its always a surprise..

The listing agent never tells me before I go in, nor do they note it on the MLS listing, “hey, there’s a grow house in there, the entry is a bit dark as all the windows have been covered with black sheets. Oh, and by the way, don’t trip over the extension cords, fans, plastic pot containers, or high intensity lights”.

These always make my time spent with clients all the more memorable. Here’s to 11 more years, and hopefully, a heck of a lot more photos!

With March 2011 coming to an end, it’s a good time to reflect on what’s been good this month. 

There are so many beautiful happy things about everyday life … and right here is the perfect place to share those everyday moments and happy things! Below you can share the link to your list, a post or an article on your blog about your happy everyday things!  Here is my list of happy things in March:

1.    Freeing up space by taking items to Goodwill - stuff I haven’t used in the last 12 months.  Wow does that stuff add up!

2.    Hearing my 2 year old son yell out “I’m going on an adventure!”.

3.    My return to running after hiatus from a knee injury.

4.    Finding that long lost favorite pair of shoes under the bed.

5.    Having super real estate clients to work for, and having a few of those close.

6.    An unexpected dinner night out with the girls.

7.  Warm days and cool nights, in Houston, no less.

8.    Playing with my new Canon Rebel camera.

9.    Craigslist.

10. Watching my good friend Alison play with my son in total fits of laughter.

I am real estate. I am the basis of all wealth, the heritage of the wise, the thrifty and prudent. I am the poor man’s joy and comfort, the rich man’s prize, the right hand man of capital, the silent partner of many thousands of successful men. I am the solace of the widow, the comfort of old age, the cornerstone of security against misfortune and want. I am handed down to children through generations, as a thing of greatest worth. I am the choicest fruit of toil. Credit respects me. Yet I am humble, I stand before every man bidding him know me for what I am and possess me. I am growing in value through countless days. Though I seem dormant, my worth increases, never failing, never ceasing. Time is my aid and population heaps my gain. Fire and the elements I defy for they cannot destroy me. I am increasing in strength. The centuries find me younger. My possessors learn to believe in me; invariably they become envied. While all things wither and decay, I survive. I am trustworthy. I am sound. The thriftless speak ill of me. The charlatans of finance attack me. Unfailingly, I triumph and detractors are disproved. I am the producer of food, the basis for ships and factories; the foundation of banks. Mineral and oils come from me. I am so common that thousands, unthinking and unknowingly, pass me by. Anonymous

If you live in Houston real estate, buy Houston real estate, sell Houston real estate, invest in Houston real estate, dream about Houston real estate, or simply drive past Houston real estate, you’ve just found a great blog. Here you will find an insider’s perspective from a tried and true, dyed-in-the-wool, lives for the hustle, art of the deal loving, Houston Realtor, who tries to take stock of the things - both practical and absurd - that she sees, hears and reads on a daily basis. I read law of contracts for fun, dredge up Houston real estate history as a hobby, and eat, breathe and sleep real estate news and information about Houston homes and commercial property for sale, home design, home renovation, mortgages and financing, property insurance, architecture, landscape, and Houston neighborhoods. I suggest you check in often. If you’d prefer to read my blog without having to navigate to a website, you can have this blog delivered directly to your email, or add a feed from my blog to your RSS reader (yes, that orange square icon with white lines going through it). As a Real Estate Broker and Realtor, I often find the nuances encountered in my profession to be funny, strange, heartfelt and sometimes just plain ridiculous. As you will see throughout this blog, I will try to give you an insider perspective. Also I pledge to never talk you into buying or selling. But if you are ready to buy or sell, I’ll help and make sure you are protected (as much as possible) from stress, headaches and lost profits. This is where my fully disclosed shameless plug will end, welcome to the blog of Susan Brock, Houston Realtor and Broker/Owner of Brock and Foster Real Estate. You’ll also find me on the Web, Facebook and Twitter, so welcome and I look forward to hearing your comments and questions!

Howdy!