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Galveston, TX Real Estate News

By BILL CHERRY, Broker & Wealth Coach
(Bill Cherry, Realtor)
                                                                              By Bill Cherry                                                                       Dallas Broker-RealtorNana Davenport Newton was an Auntie Mame sort of a woman who was born in Galveston in 1889, and then in her 40s moved to San Antonio and then to Houston. But that's not to say that she didn't like the island or that she didn't make frequent trips back here for months at a time, usually staying at the Galvez or Jean Lafitte hotels.In the 1950s, Nana Newton would come to our neighborhood in an old but polished-up touring car, chauffeur in front, and she in the convertible-topped back seat with her enormous hat, slightly over-painted face, and her frilly parasol by her side.She'd visit a lady friend or two, p...
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By BILL CHERRY, Broker & Wealth Coach
(Bill Cherry, Realtor)
                         The Big House aka The Open Gates                                                  No One Who Truly Knows the Mansion Would Ever Call It The Open Gates                                                         By Bill Cherry, Dallas Broker-RealtorWhen I was growing up on Galveston Island, there were so many mansions that the thought of their value and opulence to us were sidebars, really. They were nothing more than where our friends' parents had grown up, and now were where old people lived. People who told us the stories of Galveston's past. Many of the stories I learned to love and I've been writing them for more than twenty years.The exception was what family and friends called The Big House. The world knows it as The Open Gates, and since 1889, it has probably...
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By BILL CHERRY, Broker & Wealth Coach
(Bill Cherry, Realtor)
                                             By Bill Cherry, Dallas Broker-Realtor                                                    My 43rd Year Selling Texas                                                      www.billcherrybroker.comGalveston, Texas, one of the oldest citiies in Texas, had barely been settled by businessmen and their families when they decided that slaves should have the benefit of churches of their own. That was quite a revolutionary idea back then.But rather than build churches for them, "masters" instead helped their slaves earn the money to buy the property and then to build the church buildings themselves.And let me tell you, Galvestonians, both black and white, have always been proud of that unusual bit of history.The oldest of those churches is the Reedy Cha...
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By BILL CHERRY, Broker & Wealth Coach
(Bill Cherry, Realtor)
                                                            By Bill Cherry, Dallas Broker-Realtor                                                                       www.billcherrybroker.com                                                                                   972 380-7347<---Sam TramonteMr. Sam, like his brothers, cousins and uncles, worked for the patriarch of the family, Jasper Tramonte. Mr. Jasper had a meat-packing business.  It was called the High Grade Packing Co."We useah so muchah cereal in our Boohkanear weenies, the Pope eatsah them on Fridays," was Mr. Jasper's favorite self-deprecating joke. And, even though we had heard him say it a thousand times, we'd still break up in almost uncontrollable laughter every time.Mr. Jasper had left Sicily without much of an e...
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By BILL CHERRY, Broker & Wealth Coach
(Bill Cherry, Realtor)
           Hotel Manager: When Two or More Are Gathered Together Thou Will Grant Thy Request                                                                                     By Bill Cherry                                                                             Dallas Broker-Realtor Emmett Bieger always comes to my mind whenever I wait at particular traffic light at a corner in my hometown, Galveston.He was one of the finest hotel managers in the country. W.L. Moody, Jr., the hotel's owner, proselyted him from the famous Statler Hotel in St. Louis. Mr. Emmett always reminded me of the big band leader, Glenn Miller - lots of black hair, rimless glasses and all. Mr. Emmett was a very kind and quiet spoken man who was a true gentleman.Mr. Emmett arrived in the spring of 1938 to manag...
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By BILL CHERRY, Broker & Wealth Coach
(Bill Cherry, Realtor)
                                                                  This Year's Fireworks Display from Galveston's Famous Flagship Hotel (Courtesy Kevin M. Cox - Awesome Photographer, Galveston County Daily News)  Galveston Island is made up of 60,000 eccentric residents, apparently all with corroded brain cells from the salt air and water.  I was one of them until, like an illegal alien, I exported myself to Dallas to infect it.For years, the Galveston's major 4th of July fireworks display was always done at the end of the over-the-gulf pier that holds the famous Flagship Hotel.  It's the perfect place.  Everyone -- tourists and residents alike -- can line the Seawall for miles and have an unobstructed view of the Roman candles and such lighting the fabulous Gulf of Mexico.  It is awesom...
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By BILL CHERRY, Broker & Wealth Coach
(Bill Cherry, Realtor)
  It's been some years ago now, in fact probably like thirty or so, when we stopped by to see my mom and dad one Sunday afternoon.  My wife and I were moving back to Galveston after our few years in Houston where I had been the vice president in charge of building and selling single family homes for Columbia Communities, Inc.  William Wallace Cherry, Our Family's Self-proclaimed ElishaWe rang the doorbell at my folks home, Daddy answered, and after the hugs and hellos told me that he and his cat Elijah wanted to have a private talk with me.  So I followed them out to the patio, we sat down and he and Elijah said to me in unison, "Bill, I've heard that you are planning to go into bidnez for yourself.""Yes, sir," I said."Well, I think that's going to be an exciting adventure.  I want you ...
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By BILL CHERRY, Broker & Wealth Coach
(Bill Cherry, Realtor)
The Strand: A Lingering Shadow of Riches Untold, Whispering Night Bay Breezes by Bill Cherry Dallas Realtor-Broker My 43rd Year Selling Texas! Reprint of my current column in "Texas Escapes Magazine" www.texasescapes.com Now that the battle that made Texas a republic in 1836 had ended, the founders of Galveston were finally able to get down to the business of building the new city. While French sailors were settling in at the Gem saloon ("Your First and Last Chance" was lettered on the door) for an afternoon of drinking that would extend through the night, members of the Galveston Company began selling lots to the town they had envisioned and designed. And in the same building, known as No. 6 Strand, near the corner of 17th Street, the first city council met to plot the course that the...
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By BILL CHERRY, Broker & Wealth Coach
(Bill Cherry, Realtor)
                                                           KATHRYN TAUBERT UPDATE:  Two songs from Kathryn's new CD, SOMEWHERE IN TIME, broke the magic 100 mark on the IAC (Independent Artist Charts), with "When October Goes" up to Number 17 and "The Boy From Ipanema" has riesn to the 70's  so far! Dick Robinson's "American Standards by the Sea" syndicated radio/tv program has also been featuring a tune from "Somewhere in Time" in his broadcasts.               The dedication on the front of the CD I received in the mail reads, "Dear Bill, You were there from the beginning...always encouraging...thank you, Love, Kathryn."           Many years ago when I came off of the road from playing hotel restaurants throughout the United States, I discovered the sister of one of my school friends wa...
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By Raynelle Pipes
(Deem Realty)
Hope all are having a good Memorial Day Weekend.  I am working the up desk at the main office and finial got confirmation that the closing I have been working on for 2 months is going to happen by the 31th and a live buyer came in and I have set up showing appoints for this week coming up.  I Hope this meaning business is picking up.I have a question for anyone who wishes to answer, How do you get the buyer,s agent to push to get their clients to close.  The agent won't communicate the reason for the hold ups and my clients want to know why it is taking so long.   
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By Cindy Bryant, "Houston Home Staging Pros"
(Redesign Etc. Home Staging)
A few of the activities that will be going on are:The Strand- The Galveston Hot Rod & Roll Car show in the heart of the historical district.East Beach-Will be having live music and the famous AIA Sand CastleCompetition with over 2500 of Houston's most talented architects and designers.Stewart Beach- Volley Ball Tournaments.Seawolf Park-Remembrance Ceremonies.Galveston Island State Park-Sea Life Hikesand many many more activities that go through summer.  For more information visit this link.http://www.galveston.com/news142/ 
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By Raynelle Pipes
(Deem Realty)
The season for selling has started here on the island. The weather is hot, the water is calling and this is the last weekend of the historical homes tour.  Buyer and lookers are all over the island and I showed 3 condo's yesterday, all 3 on the seawall, all 3 to people from Houston who want a second home over looking the gulf and all over 300K.  The middle class is dieing on the island. I just sold an unlivable fixer-upper for 90K.I have only been a Realtor for about 18 months and I can tell you it has been a roller coaster trip from the very beginning. As this is my second job, I work 37.5 hours week as an health claims examiner and there is not enough time in the day to get it all done, but I love houses and helping others find their perfect space.   
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By Margie Kaplan, Broker, CRS, CIPS, CLHMS, CNHS, TRC
(MK Luxury Homes & Condos, Houston Luxury Homes)
The Crown Jewel of Galveston has finally arrived. Located in Galveston this luxurious high rise condos boasts 15 floors with remarkable surroundings. Randall Davis is the developer. Davis introduced his loft concept of, "elegant living spaces for the affluent" in Houston starting in 1991. Since that time, Randall Davis has developed the Dakota Lofts, Tribeca Lofts, Strand Lofts, Hogg Palace, and St. Germain. His nationally acclaimed renovation of the historic Rice Hotel is generally regarded as the catalyst for the "rebirth" of Downtown Houston. He was the first Developer in twelve years to offer new high rise condominiums, with the Metropolis, followed by the Gotham, both sold-out before completion. The completion of the Renoir and the Manhattan across from the Houston Galleria followe...
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