10 Surprises When Moving to College Station or Bryan, Texas

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The Bryan and College Station area is friendly, fun and quintessentially Texas. The two cities blend together into one cohesive place that the locals just call BCS. Although it is undeniably a great place to live, work and raise a family, some people moving in from other parts of the country might experience a bit of culture shock.

10 Surprises When Moving to College Station or Bryan, TX:

1 – It's hot and humid, but sometimes not.

Because these Texas cities are farther south and west, they do experience plenty of heat and humidity. People moving from the north or east who expect everywhere in Texas to be a sauna 365 days of the year will be surprised to need winter coats and rain boots.

2 – People are incredibly friendly.

Don't be shocked to get a "Howdy" from perfect strangers on the street. Good manners and an open smile are the way of life around there.

3 – Texas is really, really big.

There is still a lot of open land in Texas and the cities and towns may be more spread out than in other, smaller states. Driving across the whole state is a road trip in itself.

4 – Most people are conservative.

With Texas A&M topping the "Most Conservative Schools" list from Princeton University, it's no wonder the surrounding area would be the same. Many people conservative politically, socially and religiously. Patriotism and Christianity are omnipresent.

5 – Texas pride is a powerful force.

People who live here are proud to be Texans and display this pride with flags, home decoration and on their clothes and vehicles as well.

6 – High school and college sports are popular.

People in this region feel a strong sense of pride for their high school and college sports. Football is huge around here and the crowds can grow to legendary proportions. During a home game at Kyle Field, every part of town will know when the home team scores from the roar of the crowd.

7 – Things center on Texas A&M University.

In autumn, winter and spring, the shops, restaurants and bars are filled with the students from the University and other nearby colleges. Traffic is nearly impossible on game days or during a special event on or off campus. Things quiet down some in the summertime.

8 – Quintessential "cowboy stuff" exists.

Cowboy boots, cowboy hats, lucky horseshoes and cattle horns on the front of big pickup trucks. These things are more than just movie props or costumes for some people in this Texas region.

9 – Barbecue, Tex-Mex and beer are food groups

Texans are serious about the barbecue, especially lots of steaks and other meat, genuine Tex-Mex food and beer. There are plenty of unique craft beers being produced in the region. Local wines are another favorite taste sensation.

10 – The spirit of Aggieland is all about tradition.

Texans are proud to be from Texas, the United States in general and be a part of the Aggieland tradition. Texas A&M University leads much of the tradition around College Station and Bryan with the Silver Taps and Muster calls daily.

Featured Home for Rent in College Station, TX

Sarah Miller, your RE/MAX realtor Bryan-College Station can help you discover a lot of great tips for making a profitable and fast sell on your house. She is one of the RE/MAX Bryan-College Station Realtor that has a long list of the finest homes in College Station, Call her today at 979-255-1904

Ideas for Summer Vacation in Texas

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There are endless thing you can do in Texas during the summer. The state is full of wonder and adventure or rest and relaxation. Now that you are all moved and settled into your new home in CentralTexas, you deserve to take some time off. What better time than summer to get to know your state and all it has to offer. Below are a few of the more popular destinations and some ideas of what to do when you get there.

Location #1 – San Marcos

The San Marcos area offers a lot of family-friendly activities, as well as adult fun. Visitors of all ages flock here for one main attraction – tubing. You can hop on an inner tube and enjoy the day floating down the Guadalupe, Blanco, and San Marcos Rivers. There is also the Aquarena Center and stunning cave tours at the Wonder World Park.

Location #2 – New Braunfels

Just a short drive away from San Marcus, is New Braunfels. Here you will find great places to go camping, ride your days away on the rapids, and play in the cool waters at Schlitterbahn Waterpark. If camping is not your style, then you can book a comfy resort room that will have you as comfortable as your bedroom in your Brazos Valley home.

3 – South Padre Island

South Padre Island is more geared towards adults during summer. Crowds of people flock to the hot beaches to party the day and night away. You will be able to rent jet skis, people watch, and enjoy the hopping nightlife. The city is also home to several great resorts.

4 – Galveston

If you are looking for a more family-friendly beach locale, than Galveston is your answer. There are miles of beaches, a ferry, an island, and tons of beach houses for rent. There are many beach front hotels and resorts as well. You will enjoy strolling along the Sea Wall, Walking out on the piers, and shopping in the many little shops. In addition, there is the Moody Gardens that will surely enchant you and your family with its beauty.

5 – San Antonio

Not far from Bryan-College Station is San Antonio. This lovely city is home to an important piece of Texas history – The Alamo. Here you will also find the famous River Walk and all the delicious restaurants, resorts, and shops it has to offer. Also, you can take a river tour on a tour boat for a small fee (completely worth it). Close by is the Ripley's Believe it Or Not Wax Museum that is a riot. Plus, there is the Natural Bridge Caverns, which will leave you amazed.

As you can see, there is no shortage to the things you can do in the summer here in Texas. These are only four possibilities out of hundreds. So, start planning and get to moving your tail for fun in the sun or relaxing in a resort or sunning yourself on a beach. You will be thankful you did. 

Featured Home for Sale in College Station, TX

Sarah Miller, your RE/MAX realtor Bryan-College Station can help you discover a lot of great tips for making a profitable and fast sell on your house. She is one of the RE/MAX Bryan-College Station Realtor that has a long list of the finest homes in College Station, Call her today at 979-255-1904

The Best DIY Spring Cleaners

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Spring has always been the best time to do a top-to-bottom cleaning of your home - better known as Spring Cleaning. There are many cleaners you can buy at the store, but this can get a bit costly, as well as the harmful chemicals. Therefore, if you want to go a safer and more budget-friendly route, below are several Spring Cleaning essentials that will last through the year.

Laundry Soap
With a little elbow grease, you can make a super-sized container of laundry soap that will last for months. Most of the online recipes you will find use three main ingredients. They are graded bar soap, Borax, and washing soda. However, some add oxy boosters and even essential oils. The great thing about this DIY laundry soap is that it takes very little and stores quite well.

Window Cleaner
This usually takes 3-4 ingredients as well, such as vinegar, essential oils, rubbing alcohol, and water. The ingredients alone are inexpensive allowing you to make up a large batch to last a long time. Many of the recipes work on glass and mirrors as well.

Orange De-Greaser
This usually calls for either orange oil or to soak orange peels for an allotted amount of time. You will also use dish washing liquid and water. There are many recipes floating around online.

Heavy-Duty Rust Remover Scrub
If you have been battling rust stains on your enameled tub or porcelain sink, all you need are two ingredients. They are a lemon and Borax. You would simple dip a cut lemon in the laundry booster then rub on the rust. Then ta-da!, no more rust.

Water Ring Remover
If you have wooden side tables or nightstands, you are well aware the notorious white ring. There is a very simple solution. All you need is toothpaste (not the gel type), baking soda, and a little light buffing. Polish and your ring is gone forever.

As you can see, there are many DIY solutions to your Spring Cleaning needs. You will have plenty of left over cleaners to last for months afterwards. Also, you will cut the number of chemicals floating around in your home. These DIY cleaners are a win-win.

Featured Home for Rent in College Station, TX

Sarah Miller, your RE/MAX realtor bryan-college station can help you discover a lot of great tips for making a profitable and fast sell on your house. She is one of the RE/MAX Bryan-College Station Realtor that has a long list of the finest homes in College Station, Call her today at 979-255-1904

Making the Most of your Offer

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Finding and falling in love with your dream home is the easy part. Making an offer and waiting can be a bit stressful though. Take some time to talk to your Realtor when considering your offer, they are an excellent source for information you need. Here is a quick checklist of actions you might want to take to ensure that your offer is fair.

•  Research the neighborhood online. (Skip this step if you already live in the area, since your will know this info.) 

• Check the crime reports and rate.

• Seek out local amenities. If public pools, parks and tennis/golf courts are important to you, you’ll want to know how far these facilities are going to be from you.

• Test your commute. Unless you are extremely close to your job, you’ll want to check to see what your commute will be like to see if you’ll need to adjust your routines.

• Schedule an inspection. Your offer should include a home inspection. You will want to know upfront if there are any necessary repairs and how much they are going to cost as you’ll want these taken care of right away.

• Ask about taxes, homeowner association fees, homeowners insurance and general utility costs. Most of this information can be found with quick online research or by asking your realtor.

• Talk to the sellers. They have lived in the home and know its quirks as well as the neighbors and community. Never discount this wealth of information.

Spend a little time, do a bit of research and take the stress out of making the offer that will turn your dream home into your reality.

Featured Home for Rent in College Station, TX

Sarah Miller, your RE/MAX realtor bryan-college station can help you discover a lot of great tips for making a profitable and fast sell on your house. She is one of the RE/MAX Bryan-College Station Realtor that has a long list of the finest homes in College Station, Call her today at 979-255-1904

Tips and Tricks for Beautiful Lawns

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It’s never too early to plan out how to keep your lawn lush and beautiful. Keeping in mind the following three essentials will help you keep your lawn the envy of the neighborhood:

1. Watering. Many lawns suffer from over-watering. Most times the weather provides plenty of moisture for your grass. Keep in mind that lawns generally only need to be watered in extremely dry conditions. Also when you need to water just remember that sandy soils need watering twice a week while clay or loamy soils only need to drink about once a week.

2. Feeding. Healthy lawns need three essential minerals. These are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Nitrogen is responsible for healthy green growth, phosphorus promotes root health and potassium helps to strengthen the grass making it disease, drought and temperature resistant. Check your fertilizer or liquid feed to ensure that your lawn is getting all it needs to thrive.

3. Top Dressing. This is often the overlooked step to an envious lawn. Employing a top dressing will help even out your lawn, fill in holes and level out bumps and/or dips. You can pick up a ready-made mix or easily make your own with loam, sand and organic matter. Ideally lawns should receive topdressing once a year in the fall.

Featured Home for Rent in College Station, TX

Sarah Miller, your RE/MAX realtor bryan-college station can help you discover a lot of great tips for making a profitable and fast sell on your house. She is one of the RE/MAX Bryan-College Station Realtor that has a long list of the finest homes in College Station, Call her today at 979-255-1904

Moving in July

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So, you decided to move out of your house and you can’t find one friend or family member to answer their phone and help you. It’s not a coincidence; they know you’re moving in and that you chose to do it in the hot month of July in Central Texas. Therefore, the chances of them being available to help you load a rental truck any time before September, are slim.  Do not panic though; there are creative ways of getting this daunting task done on your own if needed.

Being ahead of the game and getting things in order before the big day can be a plus for you and for anyone you are planning to have help you. If you know you are moving July 10th, start packing around June 10th. Give yourself time to get all the little things packed and organized as much as possible before the move date. This strategy will make it easier to convince potential moving help that they are not walking into a disaster zone. In addition, if you hire a Brazos Valley moving company, you will have everything organized for them cutting down the man-hours.

Besides the unforgiving Bryan College Station heat you’ll find in July, you will also have to be mindful of chance the for rain and thunderstorms. Heat is one thing, but having all your things drenched because you were not aware of the rain coming, is something different all together. Stay informed on the weather in your area for your moving day. Being one-step ahead will keep the possibility of a surprise springing up on you.

Having to move is usually unpleasant for anyone, but you can make this periodic experience as painless as possible if you just apply some common sense to your move. Your preparedness and the willingness to get organized will allow you to focus less on the physical act of moving and more on the great adventure ahead of your in your new home. 

Featured Home for Rent in College Station, TX 

 

Sarah Miller, your RE/MAX realtor bryan-college station can help you discover a lot of great tips for making a profitable and fast sell on your house. She is one of the RE/MAX Bryan-College Station Realtor that has a long list of the finest homes for rent in Bryan/College Station, Call her today at 979-255-1904

Tips for Having a Safe 4th of July Celebration

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 It’s that time of year when the swimming pools are full,  the barbeque pit is hot, and most outside activities are  fair game. During this season, we also celebrate one  of the most important holidays for our country’s history,  our Independence Day. While paying your respects to  those that made our freedom and independence  possible, the last thing you want is for unsafe behavior  to turn the celebration into an unfortunate tragedy.  Therefore, here are some basic tips to ensure you and  those around you have a problem free time this 4th of  July.

 One thing to remember if your celebration is going to  involve children is, they do not have the ability to see  things like fireworks and an uncovered pool as  potential hazards. If setting fireworks off is legal in your  area, always remember the children must be  supervised if handling them and they must be old  enough to ignite them safely. When it comes to pools,  never leave the underage kids out back with an uncovered pool while the adults head inside. These two basic precautions, when overlooked are responsible for countless accidents and in many cases fatalities.

Another thing to keep in mind during you 4th of July celebration is that this holiday has been shown to have a large number of impaired drivers on the road. If you are planning to take the family to a fireworks display or anywhere for that matter, remember to observe the vehicles around you to ensure they are not driving erratically or showing signs of being driven by an intoxicated driver.

Sometimes we get so caught up in taking precautions for ourselves that we forget about our four legged family members that could be hurt in an unsafe 4th of July celebration. Just remember, if you pets are not familiar with the loud sounds of fireworks going off, they could get startled and do something out of character, like run from the loud noise toward the street. Also, remember not to let the animal help themselves to the food you might be having. Many foods we enjoy are poisons to dogs and cats. Remembering these few simple tips will keep your Independence Day celebration accident and disaster free.

Featured Home for Rent in College Station, TX 

 

Sarah Miller, your RE/MAX realtor bryan-college station can help you discover a lot of great tips for making a profitable and fast sell on your house. She is one of the RE/MAX Bryan-College Station Realtor that has a long list of the finest homes for rent in Bryan/College Station, Call her today at 979-255-1904