< Previous50 | Living Galveston County | 2022 M ulti-million-dollar, top-producing sales agent and fifth-gen- eration Galvestonian – B.O.I. (Born on the Island) — Sta- cey Weber-Rubio knows and loves her island home. Of- fering an expert understand- ing of Galveston’s unique real estate market, Stacey will strategize with you to help reach your goals. With so much to enjoy from shopping and dining to world-class entertainment and amusement parks, when you’re on Galveston Island, you’re right at home, a world away. It’s no wonder so many visitors fall in love with Galveston and decide to make the leap to island homeownership. Whether your Galveston Island home will be an investment property, a vaca- tion spot, a getaway, a retire- ment property or a full-time residence, hiring a profes- sional Realtor is vital to the success of your transaction. A full-time professional Realtor will help you handle all the paperwork involved in your transaction, give you advice for getting your property ready to sell, help to set the correct price for your property and attract qualified buyers. Full-time professional Realtors have time to devote to the ins and outs of handling the real estate transaction so you can focus on your next steps. Whether you’re looking for your piece of paradise or selling your piece of para- dise, Stacey can help. Stacey’s professional associations include Hous- ton Association of Realtors, Galveston Association of Real- tors, National Association of Realtors and Texas Associa- tion of Realtors. In addition to being a professional Realtor, Stacey has earned the desig- nations of Accredited Buyers Representative, Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist, Resort and Second Home Property Specialist and Sellers Representative Specialist. Stacey is a member of the Institute for Certified Luxury Home Marketing and of The Guild of Certified Lux- ury Home Marketers. Stacey is currently serving as the Vice Chair of the Galveston Association of Realtors MLS Committee for 2022. Stacey Weber-Rubio: Trust a professional to help you buy or sell your piece of paradise on Galveston Island PAID ADVERTISEMENTCoverage for wherever you call home 16296079 Subject to terms, conditions, and availability. Allstate Vehicle and Property Ins. Co., Allstate Property and Casualty Ins. Co. & affiliates: 2775 Sanders Rd Northbrook IL 60062. © 2019 Allstate Insurance Co. Whether you own or rent, I can help you get the best protection for the place you call home. I understand our community’s common claims and can provide you with coverage options suited to your needs. Call or drop me a line anytime. Keith Neubauer 409-925-1980 12102 Highway 6 Santa Fe kneubauer@allstate.com Count on me for your home insurance needs! 2022 | Living Galveston County | 51 A t Keith and Shari Neubauer’s Allstate Insurance office, cus- tomers are treated like family. The staff wants to build a personal relationship with clients. They promise to con- tact you at each renewal and offer annual customer pro- tection reviews. They make sure they are providing the correct amounts and types of coverage that customers need at the most affordable price the business can offer. Allstate agents Keith and Shari Neubauer have lived in Galveston for five years, although their love for Galveston began when they were dating. Keith joined the Allstate family through his wife, Shari who has worked for Allstate since 1998. In 2006, after dealing with the tragic loss of her first husband and her 21-year- old son within 9 months of each other, Shari decided to work part-time as an assis- tant to Michael Goldreyer, an Allstate life and financial specialist in Santa Fe, TX. She worked there until she went to the Allstate agent training program, prior to the purchase of their first agency in 2008. During their engagement, they decided to become Allstate business owners and began their own Allstate agency in Stafford, TX. After their marriage in 2009, they then purchased their second agency in 2011 and their third in 2020. They have had much success, earning Honor Ring and Chairman’s Conference awards. They are currently renting a loft in the downtown area and are planning on buying a home next year. The couple has four children and five grand- children. The Neubauers are in- volved in the Santa Fe com- munity and are excited about expanding their involvement to the Galveston Island com- munity even more. Keith is a talented musi- cian with his key instruments being drums and keyboard. He plays frequently at 3 Doors Down Bar, Alibi, Huli Huli Hut and The Bryan Museum. He has worked previously as a worship leader at two churches and currently volunteers his time playing music for the residents and the programs at Hope Village, a home for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabili- ties in Friendswood. For more information, give them a call at (409) 925-1980 or come by the office, locat- ed at 12102 Hwy 6, Santa Fe, TX 77510. Keith Neubauer — Allstate Insurance: They’re in the business of caring about your family PAID ADVERTISEMENTFamily Owned and Operated Since 1982 AUTO • HOME LIFE • COMMERCIAL mspurgeon@farmersagent.com Products & Service to meet all your insurance needs Additional Discounts For: Teachers • Firefighters • Doctors • Engineers Policeman • Nurses • Military LEAGUE CITY 281-332-9200 TEXAS CITY 409-945-5148 Nobody offers more discounts than Farmers. 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However, homeowners looking to sell their homes can consider these favored features to increase their properties’ appeal to modern buyers. SEPARATE LAUNDRY ROOM A separate room dedicated to laundry was the most desired feature among prospective home buyers, according to the National Association of Home Builders’ 2021 What Home Buyers Really Want report. Though it might not inspire the awe of an outdoor living room or floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a wooded backyard, a laundry room fills a direct and universal need. Perhaps that’s why 87 percent of buyers want a room dedicated to laundry in a home. EXTERIOR LIGHTING Drive through a modern subur- ban neighborhood at night and it won’t take long before you realize the popularity of exterior lighting. And that’s no coincidence, as homeowners everywhere appear to embrace exterior lighting. The NAHB report indicates that exterior lighting is the most sought-after outdoor feature. The good news for prospective sellers is that exterior lighting is an inexpensive and instant way to transform a property at night. Some solar-powered lighting along walkways and outside the front door can make a home feel more safe, while some uplighting of large trees in the backyard can produce a sight to behold once the sun goes down. ENERGY-EFFICIENT UPGRADES Inflation has driven up the cost of just about everything over the last year-plus, and energy is no exception. So it should come as no surprise that 83 percent of prospective home buyers are look- ing for energy-efficient windows and appliances in a home. These features save money and benefit the planet, making them a win-win among buyers. PATIO Patio spaces have long been pop- ular, but that popularity reached new heights during the pandemic. When forced to stay at home for long periods of time, millions of people longed for ways to spend more time outdoors without breaking lockdown rules. Patios provide outdoor living spaces, and 82 percent of buyers indicated they wanted a patio with their next property. SIDE-BY-SIDE SINK A double or side-by-side sink is among the more affordable features buyers are looking for. At less than $1,000 on average, a side-by-sink is an affordable way to make a home more appealing to modern buyers. Modern buyers want a lot out of their homes, and sellers can do their best to meet those desires while getting the most money for their properties. — Metro Creative Connection© 2022 DOUGLAS ELLIMAN REAL ESTATE. EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY. 2001 KIRBY, SUITE 600, HOUSTON, TEXAS 77019. 281.652.5588 Galveston locals who serve Galveston County and Houston’s Inner-Loop. Put this real estate team to work for you! Eric Gage Broker Associate M 281.703.9096 eric.gage@elliman.com GageRealty.com Allison Wittenberg Sales Associate M 409.739.1120 allison.gagewittenberg@elliman.com Locals Serving Locals elliman.com RELAX. We’ll handle everything. 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HOUSTON Lic# TACLB28269C Douglas Farence, Owner Office 409-763-0111 • alfordair@gmail.com 2415 Ave. K, Galveston, Texas 77550 An Independent Dealer Victor “Chico” Juarez, Owner Office: 409-621-5030 Ruben’s Cell: 409-789-5415 chicotile46@aol.com Showroom 4613 Broadway Galveston, TX 77551 www.chicotiletx.com Professional installation and Remodeling Flooring, Kitchens & Bathrooms Personalized Mortgage Solutions • Purchase or Refinance • Conventional/FHA/VA/USDA Financing • Bank Statement Loan • Jumbo Loan Options • New Construction • Cash Out Refinance • Home Renovation Call today for your free consultation! We have the options and expertise to put home ownership safely within your reach. NMLS #70160 409.771.1316 • 713.355.9999 Fax SUSANA FINKEL Mortgage Loan Originator, MLO 628242 SECURE MORTGAGE COMPANY 2500 West Loop South, Suite 250 Houston, Texas 77027 56 | Living Galveston County | 2022 ◊ Take a photograph of your current furnishings to the paint store with you. Choose a standout color from existing furnishings, such as the dominant color from a patterned decorative pillow or piece of furniture, and then look for the same shade to paint the walls. ◊ Lighten colors as you go up. Pick a darker color values for the floor, medium color values for the walls and light values for the ceiling. This approach mimics the look of the great outdoors, where the ground tends to be darker than the trees, and the trees are darker than the blue sky. ◊ Utilize paint to create the vibe you want. Colors evoke an emotional response. Cool colors like blue and green give off a relaxing vibe, which makes them ideal for bedrooms and bath- rooms. Red is an intense color that can up the energy ante in any room, which can make it an option for homeowners who want to spark debate around their dinner tables. — Metro Creative Connection Are you repainting? Color can be a part of every homeowner’s design arsenal. Bold colors can be used to create a stunning accent wall, while homes with open concepts often utilize color to define rooms. Homeowners who want to revitalize their home interiors can do so with paint, and this approach doesn’t require home- owners to commit to a whole new design style.W eathering every climate in the business world is not some- thing to be taken lightly. Like catching lightning in a bottle, all the right players and factors have to be in place and then, with a little luck you may have something. Doing it for more than 125 years and being successful is remarkable. Stewart Title has managed to do just that. Now a member of the New York Stock Exchange, this multinational corporation started with humble beginnings. Stewart Title was founded in Galveston in 1893, when Maco Stewart Sr. purchased the Gulf City Abstract Company. The enthu- siastic businessman recruited brothers Minor and Clegg and brother-in-law W.C. Morris to help build the company. Unbeknownst to them, the foursome would be a driving force in creating the company we see today. They were that lightning in a bottle. The young men set about taking the world by storm and developing the small title company seemed like a great first step. In 1897, W.C. Morris official- ly joined the office. Together, the men created the first title insurance in the state of Texas and the company grew. Within a few years, there were offices in Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, San Anto- nio and Galveston. Staying true to their local roots, they kept the home office in Galveston. The company grew more suc- cessful and a new entity was opened in Houston under the moniker of Stewart Title Guaranty Company. During the 1950s and ’60s, the com- pany opened branches in several states bringing the number of locations to 180 by 1960. The business also looked to streamline service, first affiliating with a computerized title plant located in Califor- nia and then establishing one in Houston. By 1972, the company had taken the name Stewart Information Services Corpo- ration (SISCO) and was leading the charge in the digitalization of the title industry. By 1990, more than 2,000 offices were issuing policies and they had long surpassed the $100 million mark in rev- enue. The company collected accolades, including being named on Fortune magazine’s list of the 100 fastest-grow- ing companies, an award the company would receive again in 1999 and 2004. The early 2000s saw the company making the Forbes Platinum 400 list of America’s best-performing big compa- nies in 1999 and 2002-2004. Stewart Title has been restructured and operations today are much larger. Fred Eppinger is now CFO of Stewart In- formation Services Corporation (SISCO), and oversees all company operations, and David Norris is the senior vice presi- dent of the Houston division. The long-lasting company ensures that they have the best employees on their staff and many employees have been with the company for more than 20 years and have the knowledge to prove it. For example, Branch Operations Manager Harriet Dues has worked for Stewart Title for more than 30 years. She oversees operations at the downtown office and Pirates Beach office. Stewart Title serves more than just Gal- veston, it serves all of Galveston County. The company would like to recognize its experienced and loyal branch managers on the mainland, including Debbie Self in Texas City, Kathy Tavarez in Santa Fe, Dee Jiminez in League City, and D’Ann Andrus in Friendswood. Not only does the company appreciate all of their hard work, but the clients appreciate their time and service as well. The future holds exciting things for Stewart Title with more expansion coming in the form of both new loca- tions and services. One wonders if Maco Stewart Sr. had any idea of the empire he would create when he caught that lightning in a bottle. Stewart Title Company: Guiding Galveston residents through real estate transactions PAID ADVERTISEMENT 2022 | Living Galveston County | 57S ue Johnson has been in the real estate business for more than 50 years. Since 1998, she has been serving her client’s needs from Surfside to the Bolivar Peninsula and every town in between — focusing primarily on Galveston and Tiki Island. Sue is recognized as one of the top producing Realtors in Galveston and in the Greater Houston area. She works for Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate Gary Greene. Sue’s extensive knowledge derives from her successful broker ownership of her own real estate business in the Dallas Metroplex area for six years. Sue’s husband, Gary, was relocated to the eastern suburb of Dallas — Rockwall, Texas. After relocating, Sue spearheaded a relocation department at the largest firm in Rockwall where she perfected her practice for 16 years. When Gary decided to take early retirement from TU Electric, they decided to move to where their second home and favorite escape was located — Galveston Island. Sue’s passion for real estate led her to Pirates Sue Johnson: More than 24 years of real estate experience on coastal Galveston and Tiki Islands PAID ADVERTISEMENT “I can help you with every aspect of buying or selling your home because I am an experienced professional, and I care.” SUE JOHNSON Beach and Cove Realty on the west end of the island, which later became Sand `N Sea Properties. Sue’s love for the island blossomed, and her focus quickly became her beach home passion. She grew her business at Sand ‘N Sea for 15 years, and, after a great deal of soul-searching, she went to Heritage Texas Properties in 2013, where she inevitability became one of the top two agents on Galveston Island. In 2019, Heritage Texas Properties merged with Better Homes and Gardens Gary Greene. The brokerage remained the same top-notch company it has always been, and, by joining forces, they are now the largest real estate company in the greater Hous- ton/Galveston Metroplex. Sue prides herself on pro- viding all of her clients her utmost respect and full atten- tion throughout the search, negotiation and closing process. Her true core beliefs are helping everyone with their real estate needs, no matter the price of a proper- ty. Each client is treated like a multi-million-dollar client. Sue is on the cutting edge by employing Karen Gandy, broker/associate and work- ing partner, Theresa Horton, marketing administrator, and Elizabeth Lane, administrative assistant. Sue’s commitment to excellence shows in her honesty, professionalism and knowledge of the market area and devotion to her clients. Sue and Gary are perma- nent residents of Galves- ton Island. They have four children, 11 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Her hobbies include interior decorating, gardening and traveling. KAREN GANDY SUE JOHNSON THERESA HORTONELIZABETH LANE 58 | Living Galveston County | 2022©2021 Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC. Better Homes and Gardens ® is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation licensed to Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC. Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each Franchise is Independently Owned and Operated. From the Bay Area to Galveston Island , From all price ranges, condos, lots, houses, and multi-family, we have your coastal living needs covered. Sue Johnson 50 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE 2021 EMERALD ELITE TOP PRODUCER Broker Associate, GRI 409.682.9050 Sue.Johnson@garygreene.com Karen Gandy 17 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE 2021 PLATINUM TOP PRODUCER Broker Associate, GRI 832.752.2041 Karen.Gandy@garygreene.com 4008 Nueces Dr. | Isla Del Sol | $1799,000 4405 Antiqua | Acapulco Village | $799,000 12840 E. Madrid | Spanish Grant | $625,000 4119 Rum Bay | Pirates Beach | $1,550,000 11704 Sportsman Road Thimble & Lindsay | $550,000 14438 Spyglass | Pirates Beach | $945,000Next >