Village Builders is the exclusive builder in this family neighborhood of Archwyck located in the Village of Sterling Ridge. There are 12 one- and two-story homes available for immediate move-in, priced from the $190’s to the $250’s. Available homes range in size from approximately 1,887 to 2,734 square feet and include up to four bedrooms, up to three-and-a-half baths and a two-car garage.

At 2,517 square feet, the Maplewood (model of Maplewood shown here), features three bedrooms, study or optional fourth bedroom, two baths, and a two-car attached garage, priced from $235,750. Two homes with this design are ready for move-in at 59 South Archwyck and 7 Red Adler Place.

For more information, contact site sponsor Michele Flory at 713-256-4998.

Those who have recently cruised the information superhighway in search of homes for sale in Hampton Roads, Va., might have run into a speed bump.

On June 28, the Real Estate Information Network, the official Multiple Listing Service in Hampton Roads that provides a database of residential properties for sale, began charging consumers for access to additional details.

If you search a Web site for available homes in the region, your search results will still yield basic information — the city each property is in, the price, how many bedrooms and bathrooms, and a picture, if it’s available.

But if you want more, such as a description of the home, square footage and how many stories it has, or whether it has amenities such as a pool, hardwood floors or a backyard, you’ll have to contact the real estate agent or sign up for an MLS E-Pass.
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In several hot housing markets across the country, homeowners are heading off constant inquiries from eager buyers and developers by posting “Not for Sale” signs in their yards.

Residents of the suburban Portland, Ore., neighborhood of Lake Grove started putting the signs up on their lawns after being bombarded by annoying inquiries from buyers, and after seeing nearly 20 1930s-era houses torn down and replaced by significantly bigger new homes over the past four years.

A similar “Not for Sale” campaign also is underway in Brooklyn’s Park Slope community, a popular residential area that has seen soaring home-price appreciation recently. Developers have been seeking to build there, where zoning regulations don’t limit the height of new buildings to the same degree as they are limited in nearby areas.

Home prices increased nearly 11 percent nationwide in 2004, the highest jump since 1979. In a recent study, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. found that a record 55 metro areas in the U.S. qualified as boom markets, where home prices had appreciated at least 30 percent in three years.

MITCHELL LIBRARY OPENS WITH CONTRIBUTION CHALLENGE - The George and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Library celebrated its grand opening on Wednesday, July 6 in The Woodlands’ Village of Sterling Ridge. The Woodlands Development Company (TWDC) presented a $5,000 contribution to the Friends of the Library foundation.

“The Woodlands Development Company donates this $5,000 in the form of a challenge grant to help purchase new books for the library. We challenge other companies and individuals to match this contribution or to make a donation to the new library,” said Joel Deretchin, vice president of public affairs for TWDC. “A ‘Fill the Shelves’ campaign, by the Friends of the Library organization, is currently underway for the new Mitchell library. The success of this campaign will be a direct result of the generosity of residents and businesses. With the support of the community, the library can further enrich lives while promoting education and reading.” You may drop by a donation at either library location in The Woodlands: 2101 Lake Robbins Drive in Town Center or the new Mitchell Library at 8125 Ashlane Way.