Archives for July 2012

Corpus Christi Real Estate Market Rebounds Since 2007 Slump!

July 23, 2012 By

CORPUS CHRISTI REAL ESTATE PRICES

Gains in existing home sales and median prices during the past three months have lifted the Coastal Bend’s housing market to its highest levels since the local housing slump began in 2007.
Sales closed between April and June numbered 1,172 units, or about a 19 percent increase compared to the same time in 2011, according to figures from the Corpus Christi Association of Realtors.

The median sales price also has risen by more than 8 percent compared with 2011 to $145,367, figures show.

Housing inventory — measured as the amount of time it would take to sell all available existing homes — has dropped almost by half to 5.6 months in June compared with 10 months in June 2011.

There was a monthly average of about 2,200 homes for resale on the area’s housing market during the period, figures show.

The increased buying activity spans all price ranges, said Char Atnip, a residential Realtor and chairman of the realtors association board.

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“There’s a lot more people who are looking simply because interest rates are so low and prices have not skyrocketed, and it’s a great time to buy a home,” Atnip said.

New home construction activity has also increased compared to 2011.

In Corpus Christi, data from the city’s Development Services department shows there have been 449 permits issued this year for new residential construction through June, up 61 percent from the first six months of 2011.

The permits have an associated project cost of more than $82 million, figures show.

All but one of those permits is for single-family homes, with one being issued for an eight-unit building.

In all of 2011, the city logged 660 new construction permits for projects totaling more than $118 million

The local figures are similar to momentum building in many areas of the country, with builders beginning to respond to growing buyer interest.

U.S. builders broke ground on the most homes in nearly four years in June, The Associated Press reported this week.

MARKET OUTLOOK

The housing inventory of less than six months is approaching the five-month mark, which is what the area experienced during the housing boom between 2004 and 2006, said Jim Lee, economics professor at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.

A normal inventory for the Corpus Christi market is about seven months.

Low inventories typically trigger increased prices as supply dips and demand increases.

Home building can also increase, which is good for local economies, because it generates activity that isn’t exported to other areas, Lee said.

During the area’s most recent housing boom period, construction outpaced the area’s growth rate, which contributed to the slump, Lee said.

Source: Corpus Christi Association of Realtors via Caller Times. Read the original at housing market or housing or home sales, – Google News.

Filed Under: Corpus Christ Real Estate Data, New Homes Padre Island, North Padre Island, Real Time MLS Tagged With: , , , ,

IMPORTANT NEWS FROM PADRE ISLES POA

July 20, 2012 By

UPCOMING ROAD CLOSURES ON WHITECAP

Improvements are being made to equipment at a waste water lift station.  Existing equipment was installed in 1974 and is approaching its useful service life, resulting in multiple repairs in the past year.  The improvements will restore the structural integrity of the line, which should last approximately 50 years.

Phase 1 – Monday, July 23 for approximately 1 week

Eastbound Whitecap traffic will be reduced to one lane as the left lane between

Gypsy and Cruiser will be closed for pipe welding and site preparation.

Phase 2 – Monday, July 30 for approximately 1 week

Eastbound traffic on Whitecap will be shifted onto the westbound lanes between

Cruiser and Barataria.  Traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction.

WINDSTORM INSURANCE

You may have read the various articles regarding proposed legislation from the Texas Department of Insurance to divide the fourteen coastal counties based on proximity to the Gulf.   A surcharge to all insurance rates (Windstorm, homeowner policies, automobile policies, boats and RV policies) would cost Island property owners the most, and increase in lesser increments the farther inland you go.

Right now the 14 coastal counties are treated differently than the other 240 counties in Texas.  In the other counties, wind and hail are included in their homeowner’s policy.  It is only in the 14 coastal counties that we have separate windstorm and hail insurance in addition to a homeowner policy which specifically excludes wind and hail.

The other counties have their share of wild fires as well as wind and hail damage. Hurricanes are not the only potential disaster for Texas. We are all Texans and should all be treated equally. The Texas Department of Insurance should develop an equitable and reasonable statewide funding formula that does not target and discriminate against the fourteen coastal counties.

A task force has been created and our local Legislators, Representatives Todd Hunter and Senator Hinojosa are on top of this.  It is time to fix the windstorm insurance problem in Texas.

If you would like to write letters to State officials to ask for this fair and equitable funding formula, please contact our office for addresses or a sample letter.

ADDITIONAL ITEMS:

NO BOARD MEETING FOR JULY – NEXT ONE WILL BE AUGUST 28

LITTER CRITTER WILL BE IN THE POA PARKING LOT ON SATURDAY – JULY 28

Filed Under: North Padre Island, Padre Isles POA

Padre Island Project Updates

July 19, 2012 By

Packery Channel

Dredging of Packery Channel from the SH 361 Bridge through the jetties was cut short due to the beginning of the turtle season and stopped about 500 feet short of the mouth leaving a 24,000 cubic foot sand plug which has left the opening with a depth of about 6 (6-10 ft depending on where you are across channel) feet. The natural sand movement around the channel’s opening has changed since Hurricane Ike passed through in 2008 and the result is less scour (deeper region) at the mouth and the formation of a bypass bar just offshore of the mouth of the channel which may be either beneficial, by transferring sand around the channel mouth seasonally from side to side, or a problem depending on what happens this summer season.

Deidre Williams at the Conrad Blucher Institute at A&M Corpus Christi who monitors the channel for the city told the Island Strategic Action Committee Tuesday night the remaining shoal near the mouth (the shoal is inside the Entrance Channel NOT outside the channel) could be of benefit by blocking the entry of sand into the channel mouth directly from the Gulf.  The opportunity for sand to enter the mouth of the channel would be new for Packery. In the past the channel mouth was very shallow due to shoaling and the region around the mouth in the Gulf was very deep- the uphill climb clearly limiting sand entry from the Gulf. Should the plug of sand be removed, the channel mouth and nearshore would be nearly the same depth, possibly allowing for sand to enter  directly from the Gulf. However, she said if the sand begins to be impounded along the west side of the Entrance Channel shoal it could lead to the growth of the shoal and would need to be removed in the future. A survey will be conducted during July to determine if the Entrance Shoal is expanding enough to require removal or if it serves the channel better to leave the shoal for now as a protective measure.  Current plans call for a wait and see approach through the summer season.

She told the ISAC that since the premature opening of the channel by Hurricane Emily in 2005 the width of the channel at (-5 ft depth) inside the SH 361 Bridge has doubled in some sections due to water flow. Between 2006 and 2008 the channel widened at a rate of up to 34 ft/yr and since 2008 the width has increased by about 1.5 ft/yr. Most of the expansion has been on the east side of the channel in the tidal flats but some rest on the west side, where residences are located, have lost as much as 1-10 ft (Note for your information-20ft was only in the water- the navigable channel bank- —).

Williams said the beach on each side of the channel jetties has pushed seaward since the channel  pened increasing the width of the beach to about 500 feet nearest the jetties. The beach is afforded protection by the jetties an alongshore distance of 2,000 ft to the north, just past Turtle Cove development and 4,000 ft to the south, up to about the Holiday Inn. The sand from the recent dredging of the channel was placed from just south of the Holiday Inn to the south end of the seawall, the first major dredging since its opening in 2006. The beach has increased in width by 80-100 feet at the south end. She said the prevailing southeasterly wind is already moving some of that sand north where it will serve to increases the width of the beach from there to the South Packery Jetty.

Inside the channel a small portion of the Basin Shoal was left after dredging and is located near the entrance to Lake Padre which Williams said does not impede boat passage through the channel but if it persists may need to be marked with a buoy.  “The channel is healthy and hasn’t required a lot of maintenance,” Williams said. “That is not by happenstance but by design.” During planning, dredging was predicted at 1 to 3 year intervals but was not needed until 6 years after the channel opened, indicating a successfully designed inlet.

Park Road 22 Bridge

Permitting for the Park Road 22 Water Exchange Bridge is ongoing. Currently the city engineering  department is waiting on a decision form the Army Corp of Engineers about what the exact nature of the impact from the bridge will be. That determination will impact the bridge’s design which has been done but is contingent on the Corp’s decision. Once that decision has been made the city will push forward with the permitting process. A tentative start date for the bridge has been set for the end of 2012.

Gypsy Bridge repairs

Repairs to the underside of the bridge on Gypsy are complete and work is set to begin soon on the road surface which still has a metal plate to cover a pothole. The guardrail which was recently destroyed by a car has been replaced.  Street lights on the new Aquarius Extension The city engineering department has put in a request with AEP to install the lights. The  normal turnaround time for such projects is 4-12 months.  Improvements to Whitecap Water Treatment Plant We recently reported that the Whitewater Treatment Plant has exceeded state limits on bacteria in its outflow more than twenty times since 2009, in some cases as much as 27,000% over the allowable limits. The cure for the problem is a Ultraviolet Light treatment process that is expected to cost between $3-$5 million and will not be installed until at least 2014. In the meantime the city is looking for other ways to stop the problem in the interim which may be cheaper than the UV system to install but will be more expensive to operate.

Restrooms along Packery Channel

The city has placed a portable restroom at the parking lot north of the Packery where street lights are soon to be installed. Plans to build a permanent restroom there are on hold until new FEMA maps are released later this year which may change the designation of the area’s vulnerability to flooding and ease restrictions on the design requirements for the structure and reduce the cost. The original estimated cost of the restrooms was placed at $1.4 million but ISAC members declined to approve payment at that amount from the Island Tax Increment Finance fund. A similar restroom facility on Corpus Christi Beach was put out to bids and the price came back at over $600,000 due to the Americans with Disabilities Act which requires a ramp to reach the facility which must be at least nine feet above ground level. If the area around Packery Channel is rezoned in the new FEMA maps that requirement may not be necessary.

Schlitterbahn Waterpark and Resort

Developer Paul Schexnailder told ISAC members in their Tuesday meeting that the park’s developers now have a term sheet in hand from lenders, meaning that negotiations on financing for the park are nearing completion.  “We’re moving forward,” he said. “We will be doing work on the site in August but not turning dirt. There is still much work to be done on permitting before we start digging.” He said the previously stated schedule for the $524 million dollar park and development that calls for it to be open by next summer is still in place, “at this moment.”

Article by Dale Rankin – Padre Island Moon

Filed Under: North Padre Island, North Padre Island Beaches, Packery Channel, Park Road 22 Proposed Bridge, Schlitterbahn Corpus Christi

OFFICIAL COUNT OF NEW PROPERTIES UNDER CONSTRUCTION

July 18, 2012 By

New Home UPDATE as of 7/19/2012:  As of this week there are a good number of new homes under construction going up here on North Padre Island!  New Developments relating to Schlitterbahn and the Proposed New Park Rd 22 Bridge are creating such an exciting atmosphere to be in. It’s been nearly 5 years since we have seen new construction like this!!

New Construction count is as following:

WATERFRONT HOMES – 8

WATERACCESS HOMES – 55

MULTI-FAMILY PROPERTIES – 2

Dry lots are selling selling on the Island. 18 have closed since June 1, 2012: Selling between $18,500 – $28,900

Padre Island’s real estate market is recovering and now bringing a new wave of buyers.

Now’s the time. Don’t Wait to Buy, Buy and Wait!!

Let Coastline Properties show you the BEST the Island has to offer – put our expertise and experience to work for you!!

Check us out!   Cheri Sperling, Coastline Properties

Filed Under: New Homes Padre Island, North Padre Island, Uncategorized Tagged With: , ,

Schlitterbahn Corpus Christi – Update 7/10/2012

July 10, 2012 By

Update 7/10/2012 – Island Advisory Meeting

Investors Paul Schexnailder, Willard Hammonds and the Henry family that owns the Schlitterbahn Texas water park chain have been developing the master plan layed out last May. The waterpark resort on Padre Island is about 30 days away from finalizing the capital needed to begin moving forward with construction.

The estimated $41 million resort planned along the west side of Park Road 22 is expected to include a 65-acre water park with lodging, golf and restaurants. This project will be built along side the current Padre Isles Golf Course. We are excited to hear the project is on track with tentative plans to break ground as early as September according to developer Paul Schexnailder.

Schlitterbahn part-owner Jeff Henry previously said the water park would be open by Memorial Day weekend of next year.
There are many pieces of the project — including financing, structural design and proper permitting — that need to fall into place before construction begins, Mr. Schexnailder said.

The city also plans to build a $6.8 million bridge along Park Road 22, which would connect Lake Padre to the residential canal system. This money has been allocated with the leftover 2008 bond money. Even though Schlitterbaun is not dependent on it, Developers have said it is a critical part of the project’s design because it would create a pedestrian waterfront connection along the canal system.

The City continues to obtain environmental permits required to build the bridge, and will maintain continued public input as part of the process this year. The water connection between the canal and lake is expected to improve water quality in the canal system and throught Laguna Madre.

As more information comes out we will be glad to keep you posted, You can assure Coastline Properties will be there when the first shovel hits the sand!!!
 
UPDATE from 6/12/2012 Padre Island Moon, Dale Rankin

Developer Paul Schexnailder briefed the ISAC on the Schlitterbahn project during their June meeting. He said the park’s design group spent three days last week on the site looking at elevations in preparation for the anticipated beginning of construction in August.

An environmental assessment of the area where a new canal would be dug has been made and contains a maximum of three acres of wetlands which must be mitigated. A meeting is set with the Army Corps of Engineers to access what changes in the existing permits are needed for construction on the east side of Park Road 22 (SPID) in the area around Lake Padre.

He said that once the city is finished with the design for the Park Road 22 Water Exchange Bridge the permitting should be ready to begin digging the canals on the west side of SPID to connect it to the existing Island canal system. The area where the new canal would be dug is on the current site of Padre Isles Country Club and is considered uplands – not wetlands – which makes permitting there quicker.

He also told the ISAC that he expects term sheets from lenders on the project to be in hand within two weeks. Construction on the project has been broken into two projects. The first phase will make the park fully operational and should be complete by summer 2013. Phase II will then begin and will add more features to the park. In Phase I a 5000-foot long Lazy River will be built and in Phase II will be extended to 7000 feet.

Before the Lazy River feature can be built AEP must do site work to prepare for the installation of water pumps, including several 2000 gallon per minute pumps, two 35,000 gpm pumps, and several 20,000 gpm pumps.

He said items still to be determined are where exactly to locate a 70,000 square foot section of the park which will have a retractable roof and will remained open year round, where to locate parking lots, and when/if to shut down holes on the golf course during construction, and how the construction process will effect membership packages at the club.

He said the final design of the park could not be completed until the financial incentive package with the city was in place and that package was finalized only two weeks ago. The plan included no property tax incentive and was made up entirely of sales tax breaks primarily though the Hotel Occupancy Tax, which means plans for Phase I of the project will now include hotels, which would not have been the case if property tax incentives had been used. ~Dale Rankin, Padre Island Moon

 

 

Filed Under: North Padre Island, Schlitterbahn Corpus Christi

Texas Windstorm Rates on the Rise ??

July 5, 2012 By

corpus christi real estate windstorm insurance ratesThe Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) has agreed to move forward with several proposals to fund the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA), the provider of last resort for windstorm insurance on the Texas Coast.

TWIA has just recently adopted a 5% increase on all residential and commercial windstorm insurance policies issued by TWIA to policyholders in the 14 counties comprising the Texas Coast. This is the third rate increase in the last three years for coastal county residents.

The Commissioner of the Texas Department of Insurance has also proposed rules that will establish the funding and financing mechanism to place funds in the catastrophic reserve trust fund to provide coverage for windstorm events along the Texas Coast. This plan provides methodology for the Commissioner to have the Texas Public Finance Authority sell several classes of bonds to fund TWIA losses and expenses in excess of premium and other revenues. The Class 1 Bonds in the amount of $1billion are to be paid for solely by TWIA policyholders in the 14 counties along the Texas Coast. The Class 2 Bonds in the amount of $1 billion are to be paid for 70% by all insurance policyholders, excepting workman’s compensation and health lines, in 14 counties along the Texas Coast and 30% by insurance companies offering policies in the 14 counties along the Texas Coast. TWIA is also proposing a surcharge on all other property and casualty policies held by the owners of TWIA policies in 14 counties along the Texas Coast. The proposed surcharge on the auto insurance policies of residents in the 14 coastal counties could result in uninsured drivers on our streets. The consequences of all of these rate increases could result in an economic catastrophe for the hard working families that live in the Coastal Bend and on the entire Texas coast. The financial hardship will be far-reaching on consumers, lenders, builders, and small businesses and would bring severe economic penalties to the Texas Gulf Coast area.

I encourage all residents, and business owners to please write a letter to Commissioner Eleanor Kitzman, Texas Department of Insurance and stress your opposition to these rate increases. In your letter, please emphasize that the Texas Department of Insurance needs to develop an equitable and reasonable statewide funding formula that does not target and discriminate against the 14 coastal counties.

BREAKING NEWS: Today, the Texas Department of Insurance announced that both hearings would be postponed, thus ending public comment for now.

Join local organizations, businesses, leaders and citizens at a “Rally Against Rates,” Friday, July 13, 2012, 9:45AM on the steps of City Hall. We encourage our friends to bring friends, family, coworkers, and others to let your voice be heard!

I urge you to keep submit your letters prior to the public hearings that the Texas Department of Insurance will be holding in the future. These public hearings are open to the public and everyone is welcomed to attend. When we here the next date of the meeting it will be held at City Council Chambers, City Hall, 1201 Leopard St.

Commissioner Eleanor Kitzman
Texas Department of Insurance
P.O. Box 149104
Austin, Texas 78714-9104

Filed Under: Corpus Christ Real Estate Data

Padre Island Real Estate Facts – Did You Know??

July 1, 2012 By

corpus christi real estate facts 2012We have had many people ask for this information over the past 90 days, so we thought it would be very helpful for all to see how Padre Island is growing by leaps and bounds.  The Island is getting set for another major expansion, are you ready to take advantage of all of the great investment opportunities out there?
 
 
 

Padre Island Facts as of 6/28/2012:

197 vacant single family waterfront lots remaining – – 1,805 have homes on them

1065 vacant single family water access/dry lots remaining – – 1,399 have homes on them

99 vacant multifamily waterfront lots remaining – – 145 have been built on

151 vacant multifamily water access/dry lots remaining – – 75 have been built on

18 vacant duplex waterfront lots remaining – – 78 have been built on

39 vacant duplex water access/dry lots remaining – 65 have been built on

Give Us a Call Today, so we can talk with you about the incredible Real Estate Opportunities Available on Padre Island, TX.

Filed Under: Corpus Christ Real Estate Data, New Homes Padre Island, North Padre Island Tagged With: , ,