Why Your Garage Door Should Be Prepared

Lone Star weather patterns are intense, and place repeated mechanical stress on garage door systems. Prolonged heat weakens springs and dries out seals. Sudden cold fronts affect metal contraction and balance. High winds and storm activity test structural stability. Without proper preparation, minor wear can escalate into complete system failure at the worst possible time. 

Proactive preparation strengthens performance and reduces risk. Reinforced hardware, calibrated spring tension, high-quality insulation and weather-resistant sealing all contribute to long-term durability. Taking preventive action protects your garage and belongings, and preserves energy efficiency and ensures your system operates safely and reliably year-round. 

5 Affordable Garage Door Repair Options in Texas

Texas homeowners need repair solutions that are dependable, responsive and built to handle extreme weather conditions. The following companies offer cost-conscious services without compromising structural integrity or long-term performance. 

Viking Overhead – Best in Dallas-Fort Worth

When it comes to durability and performance, Viking Overhead has over 30 years of experience and stands out as an option for affordable garage door repairs in Dallas-Fort Worth. It understands firsthand what scorching summers, surprise freezes and hailstorms can do to garage door systems. The team specializes in assessing weather-related wear and recommending practical, long-term solutions instead of quick fixes that won’t hold up through the next season. 

Structural integrity and insulation set the company apart. In Texas heat, metal components expand, and in cold snaps, they contract. Over time, that movement strains springs, tracks and panels, Viking Overhead addresses these stress points with reinforced materials, high-quality weather sealing and proper alignment, which are all critical for maintaining energy efficiency and security. If you’re searching for reliability without overspending, it’s a strong starting point. 

Key Features:

• Heavy-duty spring systems built for temperature fluctuations
• Reinforced steel and insulated door options
• High R-value insulation for energy efficiency 
• Free estimates without a call-out fee 
• Storm-ready weather stripping and bottom seals

Core Garage Door Repair – Best in Dallas

Core Garage Door focuses heavily on responsive service and structural reliability. Texas weather can accelerate wear on springs, cables and brackets. The technicians prioritize strengthening high-stress components and replacing vulnerable hardware before failure occurs. 

It also emphasizes weather sealing and insulation upgrades for homeowners looking to improve energy efficiency. A properly sealed garage reduces interior temperature swings and protects against moisture intrusion during heavy rainstorms. 

Key Features:

• High-cycle spring replacement
• Track realignment and reinforcement
• Weather seal upgrades
• Insulated panel replacement options
• Same-day repair availability 

Garage Door Repair Lab – Best in Arlington

Garage Door Repair Lab takes a diagnostic-first approach, evaluating the entire system rather than isolating a single malfunction. In Texas climates, failures often stem from cumulative stress rather than one isolated component. Its inspections assess opener strain, panel integrity, hardware corrosion and overall balance. 

It frequently recommends corrosion-resistant hardware and reinforced roller systems for homeowners in high-humidity or storm-prone areas. These u[grades can significantly extend the lifespan of a garage door operating under constant weather exposure. The team also emphasizes calibration. A properly balanced door reduces strain on the opener and improves long-term mechanical performance, especially during extreme temperature shifts. 

Key Features:

• Full-system safety inspections
• Corrosion-resistant hardware options
• Reinforced roller systems
• Weather-resistant deal installation
• Flexible service scheduling 

Easy Garage Door Repair – Best in Houston

Easy Garage Door Repair provides professional garage door services tailored to Houston’s demanding climate. With high humidity, heavy rainfall, hurricane-season winds and prolonged summer heat, garage door systems in this region experience accelerated wear. Technicians perform comprehensive evaluations that assess spring fatigue, cable corrosion, roller wear, panel stability and opener performance to ensure the system can withstand coastal weather conditions. 

In Houston, moisture control is critical. Easy Garage Door Repair emphasizes corrosion-resistant hardware, reinforced brackets and upgraded weather seals designed to reduce water intrusion and humidity-related damage. It also offers insulated door options that help minimize heat transfer during extended summer temperatures, improving energy efficiency and protecting stored belongings. Its service approach prioritizes long-term reliability rather than short-term fixes. 

Key Features:

• Corrosion-resistant springs and hardware
• Hurricane-season reinforcement assessments
• Insulated door installation options
• Advanced weather sealing systems
• Opener diagnostics and motor upgrades 

Supreme Garage Door Repair – Best in Irving

Supreme Garage Door Repair emphasizes durability, energy efficiency and structural reinforcement. Extended UV exposure can weaken panel finishes and dry out seals over time, while seasonal storms introduce impact risks. Its technicians assess cosmetic and structural fatigue to ensure long-term resilience.

It offers insulated replacement systems designed to reduce heat penetration and improve overall garage stability. It’s an affordable option for garage door repair in Irving, where enhanced insulation can significantly reduce interior temperature spikes, helping protect stored belongings and adjacent living spaces. Supreme Garage Door Repair also reinforces springs and cable systems, understanding that these components experience the most strain during daily operation and temperature fluctuation. Strengthening these areas improves safety and reliability. 

Key Features:

• UV-resistant door panel options
• Insulated replacement systems
• Spring and cable reinforcement
• Weatherproof bottom seal upgrades
• Emergency storm repair services

What to Consider When Selecting a Garage Door Repair Company

Choosing an affordable garage door repair company is a decision that affects safety, performance and long-term costs. Not all providers deliver the same level of expertise, responsiveness or structural reliability, especially in a state with demanding weather conditions like Texas. 

• Licensing and insurance: Verify the company is properly licensed and insured to protect your property and reduce liability risk.
• Experience with Texas weather: Select a provider familiar with heat expansion, storm damage, humidity exposure and high-cycle usage. 
• Comprehensive inspections: Look for companies that evaluate the full system, including springs, cables, tracks, panels and openers, rather than only addressing the visible issue. 
• Quality of replacement parts: Ensure it uses high-cycle springs, corrosion-resistant hardware and durable insulated panels when necessary.
• Transparent pricing: Clear estimates with no hidden fees indicate professionalism and integrity. 

Strengthen Your Garage Door Before the Next Storm 

Texas weather will continue to test every exterior component of your home. Your garage door should be built and maintained to withstand that pressure without compromise. Proactive inspections, reinforced components and proper insulation can significantly reduce the risk of sudden system failure during extreme conditions. Addressing minor wear now prevents major disruptions later. A well-constructed, professionally maintained garage door protects your home, preserves energy efficiency and ensures dependable performance year-round, regardless of what Lone Star weather delivers next.

The post Is Your Garage Door Ready for Lone Star Weather Extremes? appeared first on Best of Heights.

Jake Asman: We waste no time as we introduce our next guest, former Texans Pro Bowl quarterback, Matt Schaub. Matt, it’s Jake, BK, and Cody, appreciate you making some time for us here on a Friday and hope all is well on your end.

Matt Schaub: Hey, thanks for having me, guys. Glad to be here.

Cody Stoots:  David Kelley after a recent game was talking about the game and maybe they kept sort of the training wheels on, for lack of a better term, on Davis Mills a little bit longer than they should have as a quarterback. How frustrating it is at the QB spot, sometimes you’re  like, let me go out there and sling this thing a little bit.

Matt Schaub: Yeah, it’s definitely tough, I mean, you know, it’s also hard as a coach when you have to manage a situation where you have a guy who hasn’t played, and is fresh out of college. But at the same time, you’re a football player that’s played a lot of football so you’re not a stranger to throwing the football and going through progressions.  OK, here’s my play: what are my coverage indicators and where the football can go? Take the snap. Okay, confirm those things and then make a decision. Is that number one or number two and get the ball out your hand on time.  And all the while not keeping things within ten yards on a scrimmage, You’ve got to give them an opportunity just to loosen those things up and show you’re going to go and attack them.

Brad Kellner: Matt,  If I’m not mistaken, you had a total of two starts in your first three years in the league and you ended up having a really good career. Obviously, you look at a guy like Tom Brady who didn’t start right away. Hall of Fame career. Patrick Mahomes, maybe the best quarterback in football right now, didn’t start right away. In a perfect world, would you like your quarterback to rest, maybe sit and learn a little bit from the sideline before being thrust into the action?

Matt Schaub: You know, that’s it, every situation is different, every player, every, you know, staff, everyone has their own philosophies and everyone needs to be treated somewhat differently.  Are you coming into a team that has a top 10 defense, a top rushing offense view  How is your team built? What’s around you? You know, how is your play caller, you know, taking care of you, but all at the same time, understanding you as a player. what your strengths are playing to those strengths,  Peyton Manning wasn’t so lucky and fortunate in his first year in the league. Look, what happens now? Sometimes it’s good to have those storms and you’re hardened and callous to those tough situations and that adversity. But not everyone can weather that storm who who has that mental capacity and mental toughness to do that

Jake Asman: Matt, what do you remember about your first start? Because, of course, Davis Mills had to be thinking a lot of different things on three days’ notice that he was starting his first game.

Matt Schaub: Yeah, it’s tough when things kind of happen that quickly.  So having to get ready with minimal full speed reps for a young quarterback,  It’s hard to translate over to game planning throughout the course of a week.  You know what you’re working on, the game management side of it and situational football. And so to just get thrown in there. That can be a lot for a rookie quarterback. And you know, for me, my first start, I got one at the end of my rookie year with the Falcons. We had secured our playoff seeding and so they rested Mike Vick and I was able to get a start against the New Orleans Saints that year. It didn’t go well. We lost the game, but it was something I learned from and I was able to grow from it. So I think that the important thing is to keep going and keep things in perspective and stay within yourself.

Jake Asman:  Matt, looking back to your career with the Texans, you were here seven years. You were a part of some really good Texans teams. What’s the thing that stands out the most?

Matt Schaub: You know, I think all encompassing turning the Texans into a winner, you know? You know, winning the division championship for the first time back to back years in 11 and 12, you know, turning that organization from one that had been struggling into one that was to be reckoned with and was a force in the AFC South. And you know, that was something that was a goal when I got there, you know, to turn into a playoff team, and win the division. We were able to do that. And, you know, that was something that you know, I always take pride in.

Brad Kellner: Matt, you brought up Andre Johnson  who was a big part of the 2011 team, the 2012 team and a lot of your career down here in Houston. Do you think he is a  first ballot Hall of Famer?

Jake Asman: Oh, yeah, absolutely. I don’t get a vote, unfortunately, but Dre definitely deserves it. And you know how those things work, sometimes with how long some guys wait. You know he’s going to get in, but he should be a sure fire first ballot. But you know, we’ll see how the voters, you know, vote. But one way or another, he’s going to get in. No question about it.

Jake Asman: Do  you have a favorite story from playing for Gary Kubiak?

Matt Schaub: We saw the game through such a similar lens that we just, you know, we related really well to one another. As you know one thing with Kube is his playbook from week to week was so large after having played for some other teams, you know, our game plans are probably twice as big with Gary But for me, just being a guy that was programmed to memorize the game plan, so Kube would come in and he would have a list of 20 questions that he wanted to know about from the quarterback. And he would go through every short yardage on third down and Red Zone Pass play. And you’d have to memorize the formation, give them the formation, give them your read, give them your coverage tips.  You stressed but when that meeting was over it was  such a relief like I could take a breath of fresh air and, OK, now we can just go play the damn game. So that was the hardest part of the week.

Jake Asman:Certainly, you’re well appreciated by Texans fans and thanks again for coming on.

Matt Schaub: Thanks for having me on, guys. Appreciate it.

The post The Game: Interview with Matt Schaub appeared first on Best of Heights.

On December 26, 1985, weird creatures carried Whitley Strieber naked and paralyzed from his upstate New York cabin. He perceived flying above trees, then didn’t know where he was. They “manhandled” him, shoved an object up his butt. It felt like a rape. “What can we do to help you stop screaming?” one entity asked. The following day his “abduction” faded from memory, yet rectal soreness and vivid impressions of a needle being jammed into his head persisted. Strieber was so freaked-out he nearly jumped from his Manhattan window, but fortunately found abduction researcher Budd Hopkins who assured him others shared his experience. Hopkins encouraged Strieber to explore suppressed memories. With hypnosis, he recalled a lifetime of traumatic events.

What really happened? Research indicated the phenomenon was vastly more complex than abduction by space-traveling aliens. It manifests in many ways, including fairies and ancient gods. It’s existed throughout human history, and appears differently to different cultures. Whatever its ultimate reality, science hasn’t yet discovered it.

Strieber published his book “Communion” in 1987. Rice University’s Professor of Philosophy and Religious Thought, Dr. Jeffrey

Kripal, called Communion the “finest and most widely read autobiographical abduction account of the twentieth century.” Letters arrived, over 10,000 a month, from around the world. Strieber stopped counting at 200,000, but believes by the late-90s he’d received nearly 500,000. The phenomenon’s scope was immense. Others had similar encounters. One woman wrote her two year old son recognized the creature on Communion’s cover. It swiped his toys. Some levitated in the presence of the phenomenon. Strieber did that. Strieber’s wife Anne analyzed many of the letters, no easy task. She observed that encounters often accompany perceptions of dead people. Strieber donated the Communion Letters to Rice University’s Archives of the Impossible.

From 1972 to 1995 the U.S. government ran a secret ESP spying program. Project Stargate’s military and civilian psychics performed psychic espionage or “remote viewing” to detect enemy weapon systems. Nuclear physicist Dr. Edwin C. May joined Stargate in 1976, then served as its director from 1985 to 1995. After Stargate was declassified in 1989, May published books and articles about the program’s telepathic spying missions, and his own parapsychological research. Psychic spying uncovered a Russian radar defense system, an Iranian airbase, and a Chinese nuclear air-drop test. Soon, May was downing vodka with former KGB dudes and Russian psychics who told tales of the KGB basing Yeltsin’s travel plans on psychic information. Like Strieber, May deposited his research into Rice’s Archives of the Impossible.

Dr. Jacques Vallée helped Strieber direct his search beyond propulsion and lights in the sky. “Wasteful” speculation. Vallée opened Strieber’s mind to parallel realities. For Vallée, the UFO phenomenon is a hidden part of the natural world. He meticulously traced its many guises back to antiquity and noted affinities with the world’s mythologies and religions. He envisions a form of non-human consciousness beyond time and space that projects symbols. Vallée called the phenomenon “a window toward undiscovered dimensions of our own environment.” Framed against multidimensional reality, the UFO, or apparition of the virgin for that matter, approximates a portal. You probably recall Vallée consulted on Spielberg’s 1977 film “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.” Spielberg based the French scientist who greeted the extraterrestrials on Vallée. Vallée disliked the plot. The meet and greet between humans and ETs he “argued” was a dumbed-down handling of the phenomenon. Spielberg pandered to Hollywood’s expectations regardless.

Vallée kick-started Rice’s Archives of the Impossible. He needed a venue for his valuable collection of research, manuscripts, photos, videos and recordings. It should be available to all who understand the historical, cultural, religious, and scientific implications of the on-going UFO mystery. Jeff Kripal finagled the collection entering Rice’s Woodson Research Center and Department of Religion, then lassoed Strieber’s Communion Letters and May’s Stargate documents. “The intellectual gravity of Vallée, Strieber, and May’s gifts created a kind of black hole effect,” Kripal said. More donors got sucked in. Rice now hosts an enormous document collection related to the study of paranormal experiences, which includes thousands of firsthand abduction accounts.

Dr. Diana Pasulka is sneaky. She’ll use phrases like “post three-dimensional.” Initially you assume intellectual blabber, then realize it’s a killer word for the paradigmatic shift away from a materialist worldview. Scientists are combining empirical investigations with esoteric practices. Pasulka wrote about some. Like the renowned Stanford geneticist and UFO experiencer who analyzes alleged UFO debris, and found isotope ratios unknown in nature. And the space shuttle engineer with biomedical patents who “downloads” technical messages from entities, and studies spirit and consciousness as new frontiers in space travel. I’m reminded here of Dr. John Mack advising MIT physicists who search for intelligent life to underpin their radio wave detection with states of consciousness. “Consciousness may not be limited by the constraints of space/time that plague the search for extraterrestrial intelligence,” Mack wrote.

As a professor of religious studies, Pasulka explores how human perceptions of supernatural events morph into religions. She traipses over UFO debris sites and translates Vatican accounts of levitating mystics. Others in her field chase luminous orbs. Some grapple with string theory. Pasulka donated to the archive. And lectured at Rice’s Conference of the Impossible, a 4-day scholarly shindig held in March.

Vallée was high priest of the conference. He slammed the government for renaming UFOs UAPs, and scornfully reminded he possesses “material fragments recovered from crash sites.” The phenomenon leaves physical traces. Its objective truth though surely rests in multidimensionality and extended consciousness. Vallée applauded Kripal and Rice’s Humanities department for its visionary grasp of “what the continuing UFO mystery means to our models of reality.”

Nobody flinched when Strieber told the audience Anne communicated less than two hours after she died (2015). Existence after death is a consistent theme. I re-read four of his books, it’s stupid to fear death. Then Strieber dissected a Communion Letter. An entire family witnessed preposterous things. All blatantly symbolic. The weirdo that bounced gravity-free across their yard symbolized our cosmic nature. Once we ditch fear. If manifestations are absurd, it’s to annihilate comfy notions about mind, how the universe operates, and our place in the cosmos.

On absurdity, the enigma’s heavy sexual component is totally absurd. Philosophers use the words ontological shock for something so bat-shit crazy it shatters one’s worldview.

In May, a Congressional hearing was held on UFOs. Defense Department bigwigs admitted they were clueless about objects with no discernible means of propulsion maneuvering in ways that defy the laws of physics spooking Navy pilots in protected airspace. Leslie Kean helped instigate the Congressional inquiry. In 2017 she coauthored a game changing “New York Times” series that disclosed the government secretly studied UFOs, videos included. It blew the lid off. A rush of experiencers spoke up. Congress funded a UFO detection agency. Kean’s conference lecture however wasn’t on UFOs. She lectured instead on life after death. Kean’s considerable investigative skills uncovered physical evidence of post-death survival. She’s not blowing smoke, real proof.

https://impossiblearchives.rice.edu/

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Orthopedics – Hip Replacement/Knee Replacement 

Dr. Catherine Cahill

• What options are there for hip and knee replacement procedures to be done in an ASC setting? 
• Kelsey-Seybold Clinic is currently building a large multispecialty clinic in Memorial, near I-10 and Campbell, named Memorial Villages. This new location will include an Ambulatory Surgery Center where patients will be able to have procedures such as hip and knee replacements. Because the Memorial Villages Ambulatory Surgery Center will have 23-hour observation, patients may have surgery and stay for observation for longer than a few hours but less than 24 hours. Memorial Villages is scheduled to open late summer 2022.
• What are the recommended age limits (min/max) for hip replacement/knee replacement surgery? 
• Some doctors have age limits, but there is no true age limit.  We base surgery decisions on the overall health and activity level of the patient.
• What can patients expect when they have hip replacement surgery? 
• Arthritis pain goes away with surgery; recovery is usually quite fast, and patients are able to walk the same day. Patients are usually released to normal activity by six weeks, but recovery begins right away.
• What can patients expect when they have knee replacement surgery? 
• Patients walk the same day and begin an exercise program three times a day.  Some patients do outpatient physical therapy to help in their recovery, while others choose to do the exercises on their own. Recovery may take a few months, but most patients are released to normal activity six weeks after surgery.
• What can patients do in advance of surgery to improve outcomes? 
• When it comes to joint replacement surgery, adhering to an exercise program and weight management are key to help improve post-op outcomes.
• What are things patients can do after the procedure to improve outcomes? 
• Patients undergoing joint replacement surgery, including hip or knee, should work to maintain a healthy diet and weight, continue to exercise as instructed after surgery, and walk as much as you can. Post-operative success is also dependent on controlling chronic conditions, including diabetes.

https://www.kelsey-seybold.com/Find-a-Houston-Doctor/catherine-cahill-orthopedic-doctor

Plastic Surgery – Face & Neck 

Dr. Shayan Izaddoos

• What are the kinds of procedures that can be done in the office to improve the look of aging in a person’s face and neck (think 50+ for the target age)?     
• Plastic surgeons can perform small procedures in their office to help different areas of your face look more youthful. These procedures are usually performed under local anesthesia without going under general anesthesia for surgery. Some of these procedures include Botox, fillers, upper eyelid surgery, lower eyelid surgery, and even a brow lift. Sometimes, we can also perform fat transfer to the face under local anesthesia.
• What are the kinds of procedures that can be done in the ASC to improve the look of aging in a person’s face and neck (think 50+ for the target age)?
• The ambulatory surgical center (ASC) is the optimal facility to have a variety of surgical procedures that can freshen up your look under “twilight” sedation or general anesthesia. In an ASC, we can perform more involved aesthetic procedures such as a complete facelift or a neck lift that require more time and are more invasive. In addition, we can combine smaller facial procedures such as brow lifts or eye lifts with neck lifts or a facelift and fat transfer in the ASC. We tailor these procedures to the goals of our patients to deliver a rejuvenated, younger look.
• How safe are neck and eye surgeries for those 50+? Do these procedures really improve the look of aging?
• The Ambulatory Surgery Center is a safe place for outpatient surgical procedures and affords privacy, cleanliness, and efficiency. The use of local anesthetics allows your surgeon to complete many anesthetic procedures of the face without the use of general anesthesia. Eye lifts or brow lifts can be performed comfortably and safely with minimal sedation and local anesthesia while our patients are awake. Other procedures, like neck lifts or face lifts, may require more of a “twilight” anesthesia along with the use of local anesthetics.
• What are some other benefits of having these procedures done?
• Simple procedures like an eye or brow lift removes wrinkles, extra skin, and years from your upper face helping take weight off of your eyes and make you look your best. Eye lifts can even improve vision. A face lift and neck lift can help erase the damage that the sun and gravity have caused over years and help our patients put their best faces forward when meeting their family, friends, or coworkers. All our procedures help to restore our patients’ confidence.

https://www.kelsey-seybold.com/find-a-houston-doctor/shayan-izaddoost-plastic-surgery

Cardiology – Advancements in Cardiovascular Treatments 

Dr. George Adesina

• What are some of the most common cardiovascular treatments that our cardiologists perform on an outpatient basis? 
• We routinely perform electrocardiograms (EKG) to evaluate for acute or previous heart damage and arrhythmias. Echocardiograms (ECHO) (ultrasound of the heart) can be obtained in the office to look at the heart’s valves and pumping function. We also do a stress test and even can ablate varicose veins all while in the office. 
• What are some of the most important changes people can make today to improve their cardiac outcomes? 
• Lifestyle modification and prevention are key. A healthy diet, regular exercise, avoiding tobacco use, and seeing your doctor regularly can drastically decrease the chances of developing heart disease.
• What are some things we know today about heart health that we didn’t know 20 years ago and have made a significant positive impact on outcomes? 
• We as cardiologists are equipped with so many more tools for accurate diagnosis and treatment than ever before. This allows us to detect disease more efficiently and effectively, which leads to better clinical outcomes. In addition to incorporating personalized medicine, this has truly been a game-changer.

https://www.kelsey-seybold.com/Find-a-Houston-Doctor/george-adesina-cardiologist

Kelsey-Seybold Clinic Ambulatory Surgery Center – Chief of ASC 

Dr. Jose Nolla

• What are some of the procedures that were delayed during the pandemic that are now getting done? 
• During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a delay of preventative procedures such as colonoscopies and cataract removals. Other procedures that were delayed included reconstructive knee surgery and nerve reconstructions, which are conditions that we know will worsen if they are neglected for prolonged periods of time.
• What are some of the new procedures/surgery capabilities that Main Campus ASC offers to patients? 
• During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a large push to stay out of the hospital to avoid unnecessary exposure. As a result, Kelsey-Seybold Clinic transitioned a large portion of gall bladder removals from the hospital to the ASC. Through improved anesthesia techniques, we have also been able to transition many of the larger plastic surgery reconstructions, and we are currently in the process of transitioning some major joint replacements, including hip and knee, to our ASC.
• If a patient is healthy enough to have surgery at an ASC, what are the reasons why would you advise them to choose that setting over a hospital setting?
• The main reason why people used to stay at the hospital after surgery was for the management of pain. The latest anesthesia techniques, which we employ at the Kelsey-Seybold Clinic Ambulatory Surgery Center, allow patients to have minimal pain during their early recovery, making an overnight hospital stay unnecessary.

https://www.kelsey-seybold.com/Find-a-Houston-Doctor/jose-nolla-orthopedic-doctor

Neurology – Alzheimer’s Disease 

Dr. Desiree Thomas

• What is dementia? 
• Dementia is a cognitive disorder that affects your attention, learning, language, memory, and decision-making. As we age, we may be forgetful, such as not remembering where you put your phone or having difficulty remembering a celebrity’s name. Dementia is when it progresses to the point that if affects daily living activities, like driving, performing your job, or handling your medications and finances.
• What is Alzheimer’s disease, and how is it related to dementia? 
• Alzheimer’s is the most common type of dementia. It happens due to deterioration in the part of the brain that controls memory. Other types of dementia include vascular due to strokes, drug/alcohol induced, and damage caused due to head trauma.
• Traditionally, what are some of the treatment options patients with Alzheimer’s disease can use?
• Medications such as Aricept/donepezil or Namenda/memantine, which alter brain chemicals involved in memory, can help with symptoms. Some people try various nonprescription supplements, but there isn’t as much data to know how much they help. Medications to help with the mood and sleep disturbance that occurs are also important.
• How does the new weekly patch that has been FDA approved for use in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease help patients?
• The patch called Aldarity has donepezil, which currently comes in pill form. It is placed on weekly and may have fewer GI side effects like nausea/diarrhea than the pills and may help when patients won’t or can’t remember to take their pills. There is already a once-daily patch of another medication in the same family. It may be difficult to obtain insurance approval, as the brand patch will be much more expensive that the generic pills.
• Are there ways to prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s disease? 
• Eating a healthy diet, frequent exercise, social stimulation, and brain games can help decrease the risk of developing dementia.

https://www.kelsey-seybold.com/Find-a-Houston-Doctor/desiree-thomas-neurologist

The post Ask the Doctors: appeared first on Best of Heights.

Low interest rates inspired Houston consumers to snap up high-end homes in April at a pace never before seen, sending prices to new highs while keeping home inventory at historic lows. It must be noted that, as in March, some figures contained in this latest housing report are distorted because they compare to the same month last year when real estate was just beginning its recovery from coronavirus-related lockdown orders that halted most of the business.

According to the latest Houston Association of Realtors (HAR) Market Update, single-family home sales were up 47.4 percent compared to last April with 9,105 units sold versus 6,175 a year earlier. That represents the biggest one-month year-over-year sales volume increase of all time and is the market’s eleventh consecutive positive month of sales. On a year-to-date basis, home sales are 24.4 percent ahead of 2020’s record pace.

Homes priced from $750,000 and above led the charge in sales volume in April with a staggering 164.3 percent year-over-year surge. That was followed by the $500,000 to $750,000 segment, which soared 132.2 percent. With high-end homebuying overshadowing the marketplace, pricing climbed to new record levels. The single-family home average price rose 20.0 percent to $371,854 and the median price increased 17.6 percent to $295,000.

Sales of all property types totaled 11,348. That is up 58.3 percent from April 2020. Total dollar volume for the month rocketed 85.9 percent to just under $4 billion.

“In my 20 years in real estate, I have never seen such dramatic forces sweeping across the Houston housing market as we have experienced since the coronavirus pandemic began,” said HAR Chairman Richard Miranda with Keller Williams Platinum. “The market is humming along at a record pace, fueled by low mortgage rates despite dwindling inventory and rising prices. However, without a healthy boost in new listings in the weeks and months ahead, the current pace of sales cannot be sustained.”

Lease Property Update
Lease properties staged a mixed performance in April. Single-family lease homes fell 3.4 percent year-over-year while leases of townhomes and condominiums increased 15.1 percent. The average rent for single-family homes jumped 11.0 percent to $1,960 while the average rent for townhomes and condominiums rose 8.0 percent to $1,688.

April Monthly Market Comparison
With frenzied buying taking place at the high end of the market and inventory holding at its lowest level of all time, the Houston housing market achieved the eleventh straight month of positive sales in April. HAR again notes that some of the data in this report are distorted because the sales activity is being compared to April of 2020 when the real estate business was just ramping back up following COVID-related lockdowns.

April sales trends were largely positive. Single-family home sales, total property sales and total dollar volume all rose compared to April 2020. Pending sales shot up 72.4 percent. However, total active listings – or the total number of available properties – fell 42.9 percent with new listings dramatically outpaced by sales.

Despite a 26.8 percent year-over-year increase in new listings in April, strong buyer demand and surging sales dropped single-family homes inventory to a 1.4-months supply versus 3.4 months a year earlier. That is unchanged from last month’s level, which remains the lowest inventory of all time. Housing inventory nationally stands at a 2.1-months supply, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR).

Single-Family Homes Update
Single-family home sales surged 47.4 percent in April with 9,105 units sold across the greater Houston area compared to 6,175 a year earlier. Heavy sales volume among homes at the high end of the market boosted pricing to record highs. The single-family home average price climbed 20.0 percent to $371,854 while the median price rose 17.6 percent to $295,000.

The time it took to sell a home fell by more than two weeks versus April 2020. Days on Market (DOM) went from 58 to 40. Due to strong buyer demand and surging home sales, inventory registered a record low 1.4-months supply compared to 3.4 months a year earlier. That figure is unchanged from March 2021 and is below the current national inventory level of 2.1 months recently reported by NAR.

1. $1 – $99,999: decreased 27.6 percent
2. $100,000 – $149,999: decreased 23.7 percent
3. $150,000 – $249,999: increased 5.1 percent
4. $250,000 – $499,999: increased 80.6 percent
5. $500,000 – $749,999: increased 132.2 percent
6. $750,000 and above: increased 164.3 percent

HAR also breaks out sales figures for existing single-family homes. Existing home sales totaled 7,340 in April, up 54.0 percent compared to the same month last year. The average sales price jumped 24.5 percent to $372,884 while the median sales price climbed 23.6 percent to $293,000.

For HAR’s Monthly Activity Snapshot (MAS) of the April 2021 trends, please click HERE to access a downloadable PDF file.

Townhouse/Condominium Update
Sales of townhouses and condominiums increased for the eighth consecutive month in April, rocketing 112.7 percent with 787 closed sales versus 370 a year earlier. Pricing reached record highs with the average price increasing 8.8 percent to $246,940 and the median price climbing 11.0 percent to $200,000. Inventory fell from a 4.4-months supply to 2.8 months.

The post Houston Real Estate on a Record Pace appeared first on Best of Heights.

Bellaire – (Neil Silverman)

The City of Bellaire, referred to as “City of Homes” due to its residential character, was established in 1908 and incorporated in 1918. An Enclave Community surrounded by the city of Houston, Bellaire enjoys all that Houston has to offer with the comfort of knowing we can depend on our first-class municipal services and public safety departments, truly setting Bellaire apart. Bellaire population is 18,425 with just over 6600 homes and has a landmass of 3.6 square miles. There are almost 20 parks that offer an assortment of amenities and vary in size, 1 Public Library, 4 Tennis Courts, Aquatics Center, Evergreen Pool, Recreation Center with basketball and fitness room, and multiple baseball and softball fields. In 2019, Bellaire saw the completion of the Municipal Facilities project, including the construction of a new City Hall and Civic Center and a new Police and Municipal Court building.

Neil Silverman, a local neighbor for over 25 years, with Bernstein Realty who list and sells homes in Bellaire, welcomes the opportunity to be of service, please contact him for all your Real Estate needs at 713.725-9750.

Briargrove – (Melinda Gordon)

Briargrove is a beautiful neighborhood conveniently located 2 miles west of The Galleria in Houston as far south as Westheimer as far north as Woodway just west of Fountainview, the north section borders Tanglewood. There are many excellent local restaurants and shops within walking distance. Briargrove Elementary is a highly ranked HISD school. The community has just over 900 homes total with a solid HOA, which provides a 24 hr. Security Patrol. Briargrove has a neighborhood playground with a pool that offers a swim team in the summer months. You can always find neighbors out front hanging in their Adirondack chairs!

Melinda Gordon, a local neighbor, with Bernstein Realty who lists and sells homes in Briargrove, welcomes the opportunity to be of service, please contact her for all of your real estate needs at 713.256.9145.

The Heights

This diverse small-town community was developed in the 1890s by its founders Oscar Martin Carter and Daniel Denton Cooley. They were the principles of the Omaha and South Texas Land Company, and these midwestern investors were drawn to the higher elevation of the area and purchased 1,700 acres of land. With electrification, the developers could expand further from downtown Houston with the use of the city’s streetcar system. The Heights became the city’s first large, planned community and existed separate from Houston until annexed in 1918. Today the Heights has much to offer its residents, including one of Houston’s grandest boulevards, home of a 3-mile walking trail, majestic trees, and public art sculptures. The Heights architecture ranges from Texas Victorians, turn-of-the-century bungalows, and new development. Other amenities the Heights offers are exemplary schools, acres of parks, miles of trails, an exploding restaurant scene, live entertainment, antique stores, and offbeat boutiques. Recently, portions of the Heights have been designated as historic, which has preserved the original character of the neighborhood.

Single-family homes range from $325,000-2,100,000 with standard lot sizes ranging from 4,400 square feet up to 7,500 square feet. The amount of single-family sales for 2019 was close to 1,300 transactions, with an average price per square foot of $256. Townhomes mostly exist on the outer boundaries of the Heights and range from $300,000-$530,000. In 2019 there were 141 transactions with a price per square foot of $187. Lots in the Heights range from $210,000-$1,800,000, with an average price of around $57 a square foot. If you’re in the rental market, there is a wide variety to choose from, including garage apartments, which start around $775 a month to luxury homes up to $7,000 a month.

Amanda & Rich Anhorn | Greenwood King Properties |713.255.5123 | anhorn@grenwoodking.com

Top Producer 2004-2019

Independence Heights

Houston’s newest “hot spot” for new construction is called Independence Heights. Located North of the Houston Heights, just outside 610 Loop, “The Super Neighborhood,” was created by the City of Houston, which drew its borders as Tidwell to the North, Shepherd Drive to the West, 610 to the South and 45 to the East.

Similar to the Heights, this area is rich with history. It started to develop in 1908 by Wright Land Company and was incorporated Independence Heights. It became the first African American municipality in Texas. Then in 1929, the community was annexed by Houston.

In 2018, the Houston Chronicle said this area “has it all” and cited a study conducted by Redfin, who ranked neighborhoods based on what buyers wanted. Priorities were good schools, transit options, commute times, crime, and affordability. Independence Heights ended up ranking 13 out of 25 in their nation-wide study.

The recent development of a Whole Foods 365 at 610 & Yale has prompted other businesses to take a risk in this “up-and-coming” location. For 2017, the average sales price for a lot was $45,316. In 2019, that jumped to $62,954.

Let’s not forget the area’s popularity with Millennials, as well. As of two years ago, they represent the largest cohort of homebuyers in the country, and Houston is no different. The key to their heart is also affordability. New construction ranges from $300k-$365k in most cases.

Jessica McCreary is Broker /Owner of HTX Living, LLC. p. 713 408.3195

Currently, for Sale 183 Homes / 56 Listings are Lots

Currently for Lease 35 Homes

As of 1/1/2020:

6 Lots Sold / Avg. Lot Size is 6,281sf / Avg. Sales Price is $126,833

16 New Single-Family Homes Sold / Avg Lot Size is 2,456sf / Avg Interior Size 1,680sf / Avg Sales Price is $283,890

Memorial Villages

The Memorial Villages consists of six villages. Four are just south of I-10: Hunters Creek, Piney Point, Bunker Hill, and Hedwig, and two villages just north of I-10: Spring Valley and Hilshire. They all serve as a collection of upscale residential communities right outside the 610/I-10 interchange. The largest village, according to the 2010 consensus, is Hunters Creek at around 4,300+ residents, and the smallest is Hilshire, with just under 800 residents. All six of the villages are served by the Village Fire Department and have their own elected mayor and city council. The Memorial Villages Police Department serves Bunker Hill Village, Piney Point Village, Hedwig, and Hunters Creek Village, while Spring Valley and Hilshire Villages are serviced by The Spring Valley Police Department.

All six villages are zoned to the Spring Branch Independent School District (SBISD), which is a highly rated public school district with an overall ranking of an A-. In Harris County, SBISD is rated #5 best places to teach, #6 best school district and #7 best district for athletes and safety and #8 in diversity.

Being a resident of Spring Valley Village for over eight years, I love this community and watching my children grow up the way I did, playing outside in the front yard and running from one house to the next. From the neighbors to the police department, everyone watches out for each other, and I feel incredibly safe living here. It is not only a beautiful place to live and raise a family, but it’s also a great place to invest in real estate. Before 1981, city ordinances limited all single-family homes to one-story, but today, most have been renovated or torn down for new construction. Due to the tremendous population growth, Spring Valley’s Planning and Zoning Commission made it mandatory, unless grandfathered in, for lot sizes to have a minimum of 10,000 square feet.

77024 Villages Stats (Per MLS)

Jan 1 – Feb 28, 2019

11 Single Family Homes Sold

Average Sales Price: $1,898,245

Average SF: 5,445

Average Lot SF: 25,485

4 Lots Sold

Average Sales Price: $1,142,725

Average Lot SF: 27,168

Jan 1 – Today, 2020

13 Single Family Homes Sold

Average Sales Price: $2,378,427

Average SF: 6,298

Average Lot SF: 24,851

8 Lots Sold

Average Sales Price: $1,121,844

Average Lot SF: 19,842

**25% Price Increase in Single Family Home Sales!!**

77055 Villages Stats (Per MLS)

Jan 1 – Feb 28, 2019

10 Single Family Homes Sold

Average Sales Price: $882,012

Average SF: 3,288

Average Lot SF: 12,325

1 Lot Sold

Average Sales Price: $637,500

Average Lot SF: 9,527

Jan 1 – Today, 2020

6 Single Family Homes Sold

Average Sales Price: $1,232,437

Average SF: 3,831

Average Lot SF: 11,175

2 Lots Sold

Average Sales Price: $607,000

Average Lot SF: 13,512

**40% Price Increase in Single Family Home Sales

Alex Loyd is a Top Producer with Compass RE Texas p. 713-851-2521

Memorial West – (Amy Bernstein)

Memorial West encompasses a wide variety of neighborhoods, and all located North of I-10. Some of the most popular neighborhoods inside the Beltway are Frostwood, Memorial Forest, Memorial Bend, Tealwood, Sandalwood, and Fonn Villas. The area also extends outside the Beltway to Memorial Glen, Gaywood, Nottingham, Nottingham Forest, Wilchester, and beyond. It is convenient to City Centre, Town and Country, and Memorial City Mall and a short commute to the Energy Corridor. Memorial West is also home to one of Houston’s largest parks, Terry Hershey Park.

Amy Bernstein, a local neighbor, with Bernstein Realty, is a top producing real estate agent who has listed and sold homes in the Memorial West area for more than 30 years. Bernstein Realty welcomes the opportunity to be of service, contact us for all your real estate needs at 713.932.1032.

RIVER OAKS AREA – REAL ESTATE UPDATE – FEB 2019

River Oaks is undisputedly Houston’s premier subdivision. With a buy-in price of $1 million and previous non-MLS sales above $30 million, this genteel neighborhood is home to many of Houston’s wealthiest families.

Established in the 1920s by Houston’s famous Hogg family and anchored by the exclusive River Oaks Country Club, the River Oaks subdivision of roughly 1,300 homes built out in the 1920s and 1930s. Most homes have been designed by renowned architects and builders and preserved over the years.

The River Oaks Area would also include the subdivisions of Tall Timbers, Homewood, Royden Oaks, Oak Estates just west of that, Avalon Place, and Glendower Court. These deed-restricted subdivisions are served well by the high-end retail shops and excellent restaurants in Upper Kirby, the River Oaks Shopping Center, and Highland Village.

Many of the highest-priced homes do not appear in MLS, but according to HAR MLS, there were 107 sales of single-family homes in the River Oaks Area in 2018, ranging from $815,000 to $15,680,000 and averaging $2,716,808 ($496/SF) – 9% lower than 2018.

There are also eight luxury HiRISE condominium towers in a broader River Oaks Area, including The Huntingdon, 2727 Kirby, Regency House, The Willowick, Lamar Tower, Inwood Manor, Chateau Ten and the new The River Oaks. 48 condos sold in these buildings in 2019, ranging $170,250 to $6,300,000 and averaging $948,404 ($366/SF).

David Michael Young, Broker Associate

Douglas Elliman Real Estate

david@youngrealtyhouston.com / 713-320-6453

West U

by Alex Loyd

West University Place, well-known to many as “West U,” was developed in 1917 by then Governor of Tennessee, Ben Hooper, and sat on about 2 square miles of land. Many of the streets bear names after many colleges and universities because of the proximity to Rice University. However, in the 1920s, a Rice University English major, Lilly Nicholson, was asked to help name a few of the streets, so she took to her books and named them after some of her favorite literary authors, like William Shakespeare and John Dryden.

West U is often called “The Neighborhood City.” It boasts nine neighborhood parks and community pools, and you will always find the neighbors of West U spending time outdoors or at the infamous West U Little League Ballpark. West U is among the safest communities in Houston, thanks to its West U Police Department and has been named as the best city to live in America.

77005 Stats (Per MLS)

Jan 1 – Feb 28, 2019

16 Single Family Homes Sold

Average Sales Price: $1,384,500

Average SF: 3,540

Average Lot SF: 5702

3 Lots Sold

Average Sales Price: $846,367

Average Lot SF: 7,218

Jan 1 – Today, 2020

20 Single Family Homes Sold

Average Sales Price: $1,734,291

Average SF: 4,141

Average Lot SF: 7,946

1 Lots Sold

Average Sales Price: $675,000

Average Lot SF: 6,000

**25% Price Increase in Single Family Homes Sold.

Alex Loyd is a Top Producer with Compass RE Texas p. 713-851-2521

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