If you’ve bought or sold a house in Fort Bend County lately, you know the market is hot, hot, hot! And in a hot market, the option period-the agreed upon period of time during which the buyer can cancel the contract for any reason without penalty-is of extreme importance. Local Realtor Nell Osborn says, “I often see option periods of 7-10 days. And in this period, time is crucial! We need to get the house inspected and get the report back in a timely manner. I have several inspectors on a list I give out to Buyers for their consideration.”

Wow, May, 2015 is here! How is your 2015 home transformation coming along? For Grand Windows and Interiors’ clients the first half of the year has been bustling with gorgeous and exciting bath and kitchen remodels, robust color changes, and ingenious design for better use of space. April showers bring May flowers, but Grand Windows and Interiors’ new April showers are bringing May showers!

This past April, one local business took an innovative approach to fundraising and knocked it out of the park! Sugar Land Face & Body Plastic Surgery and Med Spa helped raise contributions toward the $10,000 needed for the First Colony Fire Select Baseball Team through a Botox marathon on Saturday, April 18th. Botox was offered at $10 per unit...and all proceeds benefitted the youth on our local team.

Michael and Patty Knobelock have been in the restaurant business for 23 years. “We bought a convenience store 23 years ago,” says Patty, “and after making that venture profitable, we purchased a Church’s Chicken franchise. I would work days and Mike worked nights managing the restaurant.” And all their hard work paid off. Today, 72 stores and concepts later, Mike and Patty share with our community what they love most...fabulous food!

Founded in 1997, for the last three years the Youth in Philanthropy Program has required students to agree to a serious time commitment with only a single absence and perform rigorous work...and it’s growing by leaps and bounds! Dee Koch, Director of Community Engagement for the George Foundation, says, “This year our 165 youth came from twenty-three different high schools and one home school. They were from different demographics, different backgrounds, and with different interests but all the youth came together to make a real difference for the non-profit organizations in our community!”

“Kids as young as six may start getting their adult teeth,” says Dr. Faisal Khan at Grand Parkway Pediatric Dental, “and those permanent teeth need to last a lifetime. You can’t find a tiny helmet for each tooth or wrap it in bubble wrap, but you can follow a few simple tips for smile-protection at home, school, and play.”

Sylvia Casares is local culinary royalty–she’s been dubbed the “queen of Tex-Mex” and “the enchilada queen.” For 20 years, folks have packed her now-famous Sylvia’s Enchilada Kitchen locations (the original on Westheimer and second Woodway spot) to feast on her Texas-sized menu of Tex-Mex favorites, south-of-the-border classics, and signature enchiladas. Now she’s unveiled her crowning achievement, Sylvia’s, her namesake shrine to all things Tex-Mex...and it’s heating up the Energy Corridor!

Founded in 1997, for the last three years the Youth in Philanthropy Program has required students to agree to a serious time commitment with only a single absence and perform rigorous work...and it’s growing by leaps and bounds! Dee Koch, Director of Community Engagement for the George Foundation, says, “This year our 165 youth came from twenty-three different high schools and one home school. They were from different demographics, different backgrounds, and with different interests but all the youth came together to make a real difference for the non-profit organizations in our community!”

Being truly ageless is not about vanity, it’s about feeling vibrant and alive at any age. No one understands that better than Katy businesswoman Danielle Steel. Prior to partnering with Dr. Elvis Torres in Katy’s Ageless Med Spa, Danielle grew two different businesses that were extremely successful. One business even made the Top 20 List for Fastest Growing Companies in Houston two years in a row!

2015 FBJSL Spring Fling: If You Weren't There, You Missed Out!