My first email account was created in 1995 to ‘communicate’ with my new friend, Bev. We met at a real estate training. She lived in Louisiana and I was in Texas. I had heard of ‘email’ but was barely able to operate my DOS system on my massive computer terminal with the dial-up internet connection and the AOL disc that allowed me a free 90-day email trial. Bev sent me my first email the day after the conference ended and fortunately, my computer guy was at the house clearing my first computer virus from the system when it arrived. I clearly remember not having a clue how to respond and was not at all sure sending a written message back to her would even work.

Sixty-one years is a long time to be in the home-building business. That kind of longevity is the result of KB Home’s approach to its customers. They keep the home-building process simple. They make it a personal experience for the buyer and, they keep the goal of customer satisfaction a top priority every step of the way.

You might have noticed by looking at the front, we’ve decided to return to our roots! The Real Estate NewsSource will be returning to our original branding as Real Estate Newsline.

Although it was created with just a team of four, during the major financial and real estate downturn in 2008, Movement Mortgage has since grown to become the seventh-largest retail mortgage lender in the United States, having funded approximately $13 billion in residential mortgages in 2017 alone. Today, Movement is licensed in most states, has expanded operations to include approximately 4,000 people and has more than 700 branches, one of which is here in San Antonio where there are 13 Loan officers (five of whom have joined the branch within the last 90 days) and two licensed assistant Loan Officers. The company goal is to make Movement the mortgage bank of choice for every REALTOR® in every market where they are located, with a vision toward serving one out of every ten homebuyers in the United States by the year 2025.

In 2005, Jay Southworth and Brian Pitman left their respective positions as presidents of major title companies in Austin to create what is known today as Independence Title Company (ITC). The founders had as their goal to establish a locally owned company that would provide personalized service, innovative resources and quick answers to their client's questions. Since its founding, ITC has experienced major growth and continues to expand its footprint throughout Texas to include more than 70 closing offices and direct licensing in more than 32 counties throughout the state. Locally there are six branches which include four offices within the city of San Antonio, and one each in Schertz and New Braunfels. Since most of the company's staff are true Texans, the network of personal relationships and the company's extremely competent and service-oriented personnel have been the key to their statewide success.

As all REALTORS® know, eye-catching garage doors greatly enhance the curb appeal of any property and they will often recommend to their sellers that older, worn out garage doors be replaced.

This year’s Housing Forecast is on Thursday, January 3, 2019, at La Cantera Resort and Spa located at 16641 La Cantera Pkwy. The 2018 housing market was one of the busiest we’ve had, and 2019 looks to be shaping up the same. Prepare for the coming year by attending the premier housing event in the San Antonio and surrounding areas. Expert speakers, exclusive information and exciting presentations are just some of the reasons to be there.

The approach to pondering New Year’s Resolutions is a mere 31 days ahead. As I debate the need to resolve useless commitments in the coming year, I decided to be decisive and commit to something I would be accountable to complete. Time has come to join the 21st Century and cease the endless harassment of my choice of telecommunication, and just like that, my landline is history. While this may not be such a big deal to most, I am still in mourning.

Owned by Bill Shaddock and headquartered in Plano Texas, Capital Title of Texas is the now largest independent title company in the United States. Shaddock began his career in the title business in 1987 as a fee attorney, essentially working from a single office as a one-man title closing operation. Over the following fifteen years, this network grew to 25 offices operating as American Title in Dallas, Commonwealth Title in Fort Worth and First American Title in Houston.