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Nottingham Country Newsletter June 2008 …
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NOTTINGHAM HAPPENINGS Our MUD, Mason Creek Utility District, sponsored a heavy trash pickup day this past March and it was extremely successful. In fact some homeowners had to wait in line to dispose of their heavy trash. Due to this success we are working with MCUD to sponsor another heavy trash pick up perhaps in September or October. Please watch the newsletter and website for future information. A number of homeowners have asked about the disposal of paint, chemicals, motor oil and other items considered environmentally hazardous. One can call the Harris County Hazardous Household Waste Department at 713-290-3000 and request a voucher for these items over the phone. They will provide it and then the homeowner must physically take the items to the Harris County disposal site at 11500 S. Post Oak, Houston, TX. This is in the south part of Houston near the Astrodome area. I was also told that this department has an annual pickup day, normally in the fall, in the Barker Cypress Road area. They advertise and post the date in the Houston Chronicle and one can also go to their website, www.cleanwaterways.org and information as to the annual pick up date for our area will be posted. Sorry folks, this stuff is not easy to get rid of but hopefully this information will be of some assistance! Sgt. Deborah Potter of the Precinct 5 Constable’s office informed the NCCIA Board at the April meeting that law enforcement authorities apprehended three juveniles in the act of automobile burglary. These juveniles have apparently been responsible for a significant number of recent auto burglaries in Nottingham Country and neighboring subdivisions. Unfortunately two of the juveniles reside in Nottingham Country. Hopefully the legal system will handle this matter effectively and we will see this type of crime come to an end. Once again, homeowners are highly encouraged to park their vehicles in the garage or in their driveways. Unfortunately a vehicle left parked on the street becomes a target for those with unsavory character. As of April 18th, there are still approximately 125 homeowners who have not yet paid their 2008 annual maintenance fee that was due 12/31/07. Late fees and a $30 certified letter fee have already been added to those delinquent accounts and we will be filing liens against those properties in the next 30 days. The cost of the lien and the release is $100. It’s past time to pay up and avoid all these costly and needless fees. At $200 per year our annual maintenance fee is one of the lowest in Harris County and it just should not be that difficult to budget $200 per year yet we see basically the same homeowners who are delinquent year after year. At present the NCCIA has filed lawsuits against ten homeowners who are seriously past due for the annual assessments. The minimum cost to a homeowner for said legal action is about $2000. Please make your payments on time and avoid the horrendous legal fees. For those homeowners who may have moved to Nottingham Country in the past year, your mortgage company does not pay homeowner’s association fees. Those fees are your responsibility to pay. We have observed quite a number of homeowners who are in the process of replacing old fences that are in poor condition, renovating flower beds at the front of homes, replacing rotted siding and embarking on paint projects. To those homeowners, thank you. The personal rewards of living in a beautiful home are incalculable. Don Mach NCCIA President and Legal Liaison NOTTINGHAM HOME VALUES
Interested in doing some updates in your home? If you are investing money in your bathroom or kitchen, you will almost always see your return. When kitchen counters, tubs, bathroom counters and sinks are being replaced, don’t forget to replace the fixtures throughout the home too. Wood flooring, some laminate wood, and tile usually help increase the “look” of your home but you may not recover all the costs involved. Fresh paint inside and out always increases value and protects your home from deterioration. Remember, when remodeling or redecorating, always remain neutral in colors if you are going to be selling your home. Allow as much natural light as possible into the home, this always attracts buyers. While working outside, if you have not already replaced the fiberboard siding, go ahead and invest in the “cement-board” of your choice. Replaced siding insures higher value, less maintenance, and deters possibilities of wood destroying insects later. Don’t forget about the flower beds, they also need updates regularly. Pruning back large trees out front allows the public to see the beauty of your home. Color near the front door draws the eyes into your home. And the front door, well, don’t forget to polish and shine. Old doors sometime need a kick plate to cover scratched or worn areas. The best advice I can think of is to do as much updating and investing in your home year around, not just if you are going to sell it. Often a Realtor is told by a seller, “Well, now I’ve finally got this place the way I always wanted it, it is worth so much more than it was.” Most likely this statement is not true, as far as the value, so you should invest in your home’s future for your own enjoyment now. I have included a few statistics for Nottingham Country from January, 2008 through March 30, 2008: STATISTICS
Average 3064 sq feet at average list price of $73.44 per sq foot – 41 properties available for sale in MLS Average 2575 sq feet at average sale price of $68.83 per sq foot – 15 properties sold and closed from January to March, 2008 Kim Svetlik, Realtor/GRI NCCIA Board of Directors COOPERATION: Security is a community effort. The Constable’s contract assures that sufficient numbers of officers are available for a rapid enforcement response and to spend time patrolling Nottingham Country. But primary responsibility for security comes from daily cooperation among the residents. 1. Be vigilant and report unusual persons and vehicles to 281-463-6666, the Constable’s Officers will respond promptly to investigate. 2. Stay informed, current investigations will soon be posted on the website. If you can contribute information, contact the Constable’s office at the number above. A recent string of automobile burglaries committed by NC residents was closed with the assistance of residents. 3. Respect the rules. The Park has rules and the few recalcitrant individuals who choose not to respect the rules will be ticketed by the officers and summoned to County Court. With over 2400 homes in NC, the Constable’s officers will provide better safety and security if all of us do our part to assist them. Ken Gentile NCCIA Security Director NCCIA Web Site Report - May, 2008
Thanks to all of you who visited http://www.nottinghamcounty.org/ in the past month. As always . . . if you would like to offer your comments or suggestions, please email the webmaster directly by sending an email to: WebMaster@NottinghamCountry.org. We appreciate any and all ideas from our neighbors as to how we can improve our Internet presence and make our web site a useful tool for our neighborhood. The latest happenings in Nottingham Country are posted on the Website first. Items like Heavy Trash Pickup dates, Election Results, Lost Pets and Safety/Security Incidents in our neighborhood are posted on the site. We also have applications and forms posted on the website Tired of seeing all the unsightly, "Lost Pet" signs posted around the neighborhood? Send an email to: WebMaster@NottinghamCountry.org and we will post your lost (or found) pet on our website. We will also notify our email subscribers or your loss. That will go a long way in keeping our neighborhood neat and clean while assuring the loss of your pet gets even more coverage. As a reminder, the Deed Restrictions for All NC sections, as well as, the By-Laws, are posted on the web site. We do have a link to Sex Offenders on our site called Predator Check. Please check it out if you haven’t already. It’s good information especially for all parents and grandparents. Sam Cresap NCCIA Webmaster |