We expect over 700 guests to enjoy this year's event, which will begin with a Home and Style Show from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m., with the main event to follow. This should be a wonderful party with delicious food provided by four popular, local food vendors, dj and live music, door prizes, a silent and live auction, along with raffle tickets available for three fabulous vacation getaways geared toward raising money for this great cause.

We have the privilege of having Bruce Hall, the founder and CEO of Gallery of Dreams from Pomona, CA bringing memorabilia for our event. Just a few items in the live auction will be a signed Yao Ming jersey, a George HW & George W. Bush autographed baseball, a JK Rowlings signed Harry Potter book, 2005 NCAA National Football Champs Team Autographed Helmet, Houston Astros Legends Home Plate signed by Craig Biggio, Roger Clemens, Jeff Bagwell, Andy Pettit and Lance Berkman, Miley Cyrus & The Jonas Brothers signed guitar, 13 Country Legends Acoustic Guitar signed by Reba McEntire, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, George Strait, Toby Keith, Garth Brooks, Kix Brooks, Ronnie Dunn, Alan Jackson, Kris Kristofferson, Hank Williams Jr. Willie Nelson, and Merle Haggard, an Autographed George Strait Cowboy Hat and more!

We are offing a great raffle as well for a chance to win one of the following (need not be present to win):

• A Colorado Condo escape package for 6 nights including airfare for 2.
• A four night Carnival cruise to Mexico from Galveston.
• A Golf and Spa week-end getaway for two to the Fairmont Scottsdale in Arizona.

If you would like to make a donation to this "invitation only" event or would like an invitation, please contact me via email or my cell. This will be the event that everyone will talk about and is sure to be a terrific time had by all.

This was also posted previously for Katy, Tx (Harris County)

We expect over 700 guests to enjoy this year's event, which will begin with a Home and Style Show from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m., with the main event to follow. This should be a wonderful party with delicious food provided by four popular, local food vendors, dj and live music, door prizes, a silent and live auction, along with raffle tickets available for three fabulous vacation getaways geared toward raising money for this great cause.

We have the privilege of having Bruce Hall, the founder and CEO of Gallery of Dreams from Pomona, CA bringing memorabilia for our event. Just a few items in the live auction will be a signed Yao Ming jersey, a George HW & George W. Bush autographed baseball, a JK Rowlings signed Harry Potter book, 2005 NCAA National Football Champs Team Autographed Helmet, Houston Astros Legends Home Plate signed by Craig Biggio, Roger Clemens, Jeff Bagwell, Andy Pettit and Lance Berkman, Miley Cyrus & The Jonas Brothers signed guitar, 13 Country Legends Acoustic Guitar signed by Reba McEntire, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, George Strait, Toby Keith, Garth Brooks, Kix Brooks, Ronnie Dunn, Alan Jackson, Kris Kristofferson, Hank Williams Jr. Willie Nelson, and Merle Haggard, an Autographed George Strait Cowboy Hat and more!

We are offing a great raffle as well for a chance to win one of the following (need not be present to win):

• A Colorado Condo escape package for 6 nights including airfare for 2.
• A four night Carnival cruise to Mexico from Galveston.
• A Golf and Spa week-end getaway for two to the Fairmont Scottsdale in Arizona.

If you would like to make a donation to this "invitation only" event or would like an invitation, please contact me via email or my cell. This will be the event that everyone will talk about and is sure to be a terrific time had by all.

Our Houston market, and Katy in particular, is very strong and looks to be great for 2008. While we do have certain areas that have a higher than normal foreclosure rate, you will usually see a direct connection between the rate of foreclosures and the problem of overbuilding in the same area.

I feel that inexperienced developers and builders are very much a party to the foreclosure mess as they have continued to over-build in certain areas and allowed (encouraged, I should say) unqualified buyers to purchase homes using loan vehicles (ARM's, Balloon Notes, etc.) that the buyers could not afford then or now. This is exactly what has happened in the North Katy area, (North of Interstate 10) and has had a negative impact on appreciation and days on market for both new and resale homes.

Now, to see the effect of controlled growth, take a look at the South Katy Market (South of Interstate 10 and North of 1093), which remains very strong and has consistently been the hottest market in Houston. Why is that? Our well-known developers have built master planned communities with respected builders as opposed to throwing up a fence, building 100 identical boxes and calling it a "neighborhood". Drive the neighborhoods along Fry Road or Mason Road, both north and south of I-10 to see what I am talking about.

In the North Katy market (Area 25 and KISD schools only), today there are currently 75 Foreclosure properties listed on the HAR MLS, 13 of which are under contract, leaving 62 properties to compete against non-foreclosure resale homes. Compare that to the South Katy area with 30 Foreclosures listed, 5 under contract - leaving 25 foreclosure properties to compete in this market.

When I work with buyers in our area, I tell them that the neighborhood is as important, if not more important, than the property itself. I need to repeat that: The neighborhood is as important, if not more important, than the property itself.

This is why it is crucial to work with an experienced local Realtor when purchasing a home, one who knows the areas as well as the inventory. Otherwise, you may end up owning a lovely lemon.

www.ChristiBorden.com

Our Prudential Gary Greene office in Katy, Texas is holding our 2nd Annual Katy Sunshine Festival on Thursday, March 27th, 2008.

Last year, we had over 500 guests and raised over $ 10,000 for The Sunshine Kids Foundation. Please visit http://www.sunshinekids.org/for more information about this wonderful charity that benefits our local kids with cancer.

This year, we are offering a great Home and Style Show beginning at 4:00 p.m. The main event begins at 5:00 p.m. and runs through 8:30 p.m. During the main event, we will have a four great restaurants providing delicious food, a lively DJ as well as live entertainment, a professional live auction, a slient auction and fun door prizes as well as great adult beverages - all of which are happening under a HUGE 5,000 sq. ft. BIG TOP right in Katy, TX.

This terrific evening has been sponsored by Prudential Gary Greene, Realtors along with a great group of local businesses and is expected to be the event of the year in Katy. If you would like to sponsor this event or donate auction items or door prizes, please contact me. If you would like an invitation to this fun event, please email me at christ@christiborden.com or call me at 281-492-5984 and I will be glad to add you to our invitation list. You can also visit my web site http://www.christiborden.com/ to learn more about our Katy area and local events that might be of interest to you. I hope to see you there because if you miss it... well, you've missed it!!!

http://www.christiborden.com/