< Previous40 | Parade of Homes | 2021 ogy helps people see what is happening at home at all times from their phone or tablet. “People like the peace of mind it gives them and, this being Texas, we know that some people have firearms stored in their homes,” he said. “We can extend the security system to protect their firearms, give them notifications if a firearm is moved and even disable the firearm through trigger locks.” Anchor Technology Group has a platform that allows peo- ple to control home automation and security from one app, he said. “We can set what we call scenes,” Scott said. “For example, the Good Night scene would lock all the doors, set the house alarms and dim some lights in the corridor so people could still get up and use the bathroom or walk around if they needed to — all with the touch of one button.” Home theater systems have waned in popularity in recent years, but the pandemic has created a resurgence as people are spending more time at home. With his wife and two high school sons, Scott said he has been enjoying a bi-weekly family movie night. “You can control the temperature of your pool and even preheat a stove with the same technology.” PAUL SCOTT LEFT: A custom-made TV that doubles as a picture when the TV is turned off. RIGHT: Home interface for automation and security control. 2021 | Parade of Homes | 41 “Being an AV guy, I have a pretty nice set up at home, and it’s great to be able to enjoy such good sound,” he said. New technology means the days of a separate media room are over, as homeowners can set up “whole house audio.” This means speakers throughout the home and even outdoors can be connected to a single amplifier controlled by an app that pumps music throughout the home. “It would be great for a Super Bowl party or Christmas party so that you could hear the game in every room or play festive music in every room for a great atmosphere,” he said. Geofencing is another technology that is being utilized to make life easier for homeowners. With this technology, a physical area is geofenced on a phone or tablet and some commands are set up as part of the geofencing. “If you live in Houston and own a holiday home in Galves- ton, when you are driving to Galveston, once your device gets into the geofenced area, it will set the air-conditioning unit to the temperature you like and put on the porch light,” he said. Scott is sure that technological advances will continue, and indications see facial recognition technology as one area that will move into home automation. This would mean your alarm system would recognize your face, and keypads would no longer be necessary. Whatever comes next, Anchor Technology Group will be there to help homeowners prepare. “One piece of advice I always give homeowners, and, espe- cially those doing a new build, is to invest in network cabling for their home,” Scott said. “All this technology markets itself as being ‘wireless’ but it all needs to connect to a good Wi-Fi network, and you need good cables for that.” ◊ ABOVE: The www.Alarm.com user interface is available on smartphones via app and can be accessed from anywhere in the world. LEFT: An audio system for the whole house that you can control from your smartphone.10% Off All Patio Additions sales@outsideoasis.com www.outsideoasis.com Outdoor Living Patios, Outdoor Kitchens, Hardscape, Pool Decks, Fire Pits, Coping & More! OUTDOOR KITCHENS! Expires 12-31-21 FREE ESTIMATES CALL TODAY! 832-317-9509 WE ARE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD EXPERIENCE MATTERS! www.SouthLandTitle.net 409.744.0727 - 6710 Stewart Rd., Ste 200, Galveston, TX 77551 2021 | Parade of Homes | 43Waiving inspections can be risky business Story by Kathryn Eastburn BUYERS BEWARE 44 | Parade of Homes | 2021 I n the competition to get a contract on a house in today’s hot seller’s market, some buyers are waiving inspections to gain traction in the bidding wars. Local Realtors think that’s a bad idea, except in a few rare circumstances. “I would never recommend that a buyer forgo an inspection when buying a home unless he or she was a real estate inspec- tor or possibly a general contractor,” said broker Mary Ellen Smith of ME Realty Inc. on the Bolivar Peninsula. Even if a buyer really wants to make an offer without opting for inspection, waiving the contingency to pull out of the contract if irregularities show up, Smith said she’d still recommend an inspection to protect against problems that might cost thousands of dollars to fix. In that instance, buyers could lose less by termi-2021 | Parade of Homes | 45 nating the contract and forfeiting earnest money, she said. In the Galveston County market, where much of the housing stock is antiquated, buyers should opt for inspections that could reveal safety hazards, like old knob-and-tube wiring, cast-iron plumbing running up the outside of the house and lead- based paint, said Lynn Winget, president of the Galveston Association of Realtors and an agent with Better Homes and Gardens Gary Greene Real Estate. Greg Fountain, a Realtor with Swede’s Real Estate of Crystal Beach, found out the importance of a new inspection with every home purchase the hard way, from personal experience. When he and his wife bought their first home 25 years ago, they waived their inspection, relying on a recent inspection the seller had on file. A year later, when he discovered the house “So, not only do you need an inspection, but you also need an agent to help you understand the inspection.” GREG FOUNTAINGay Fundling 409-761-0585 Joel Johnson 409-256-5659 Mary Ellis 409-939-8623 Becky Dundee 409-939-5995 Julie Jones 512-344-9626 Sylvia Barrett 404-944-6698 Terry Custer 409-539-9769 Valerie McKenzie 409-599-2717 DJ Snow 936-537-0121 Woody Green 409-789-2279 Gregory Rodriguez 409-457-7380 16602 San Luis Pass Rd., Galveston • 409-737-2020 galvestonislandre.com Ivan Guillen 832-452-8523 Proud 2021 Participant 46 | Parade of Homes | 20212021 | Parade of Homes | 47 needed a new roof, Fountain consulted the inspec- tion report, only to find that the inspector said: “From ground level the roof looked good.” Fountain hadn’t read the report closely enough to discern that the roof had not been viewed up close. “He had not even climbed onto the roof, and, of course, drones were not available back then,” Fountain said. “So, not only do you need an inspection, but you also need an agent to help you understand the inspec- tion.” Local agents agreed that they’ve had a few clients wanting to waive inspection, but the trend has not reached a high proportion of transactions in the Gal- veston market as it has in ultra-competitive markets like Washington D.C. or Austin, where the practice is becoming common. When that happens, sellers will begin cutting corners and buyers are left holding the tab, said Michael Cor- dray of Save 1900, a Galveston real estate company. Relying on previous inspections is risky because when a problem arises, buyers who’ve opted out of an inspection can’t go after the inspector, said David Bow- ers of Better Homes and Gardens – Gary Greene Real Estate Intown. “You forfeit that right,” he said. “You’re buying Pando- ra’s box. I find it incredibly risky to forgo inspection.” ◊822 6th Street North, Texas City, TX 77590 • 409-948-0990 Sheri Williams 409.771.1200 Duane Cole 409.599.4184 Donna Newding 409.939.8095 Sherry Boyd 409.789.6226 3318 AVENUE L • GALVESTON 4 BEDS | 2 FULL BATHS | $462,500 Gorgeous craftsman home circa 1923. You’ll want to stop and sit awhile on the inviting front porch but come on in and enjoy the light and bright interiors of this comfortable home. The rooms are spacious with gleaming wood floors. 9104 DELESANDRI DRIVE • HITCHCOCK 5 BEDS | 3 AND 1/2 BATHS « $809,900 Stunning, custom home on 7.6 plush acres with quiet, end of the road privacy. Enter through a private, automatic gate, down a wide, oak tree-lined driveway to a sizable parking area and 3 car garage. 3 CHIMNEY CORNERS DRIVE • LA MARQUE 3 BEDS | 3 FULL & 1 HALF BATH | $269,900 Lovely 1 1/2 story home with mature trees on a cul-de-sac in the middle of La Marque. The home has 2 large bedroom suites upstairs and one large bedroom downstairs. All bedrooms have full baths and dressing areas. 622 LAUGHING GULL LANE • TEXAS CITY 4 BEDS | 3 FULL BATHS | $399,000 Beautiful One-story Perry home in the desirable Pelican Harbour Subdivision with 3,327sqft, 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. Features a grand entry that allows you to see through to the other side of the house. ROOFING & REPAIRS Protect and beautify your home with the best in the business. Hurricane Season is here! Call the people you can trust. Licensed and Bonded Locally Owned for Over 30 Years 409-762-8068 | office@morganroofingtexas.com morganroofingtexas.com Morgan Roofing, LLC Galveston’s #1 Roofing Company 48 | Parade of Homes | 2021Get Your Property Inspected and Windstorm Certified by EDP Engineers & Inspectors Gerald Reece, P.E. owner and president of EDP Engineers and Inspectors. EDP is a windstorm engineering and building inspection firm, established in 2004. Windstorm Design Windstorm Inspections Residential Inspections Commercial Inspections Foundation / Structural Inspections 203K Consulting Our Services Experience Dependability Professionalism 281-416-9660 • Edpinspections.com Carrie Blachford, Realtor For more information on these and other Harborwalk listings Contact Carrie Blachford at 281-682-5333 or email Carrie@HarborWalk.com 1 LITTLE TORCH • HITCHCOCK BAYFRONT luxury perfectly situated among nature and encompassed by wetlands & unobstructed views of the Bay. In the gated community of Harborwalk, a well built resort style oasis that is comfortable and technology driven. 22 BIG TORCH • HITCHCOCK Welcome to “The Ibis Retreat” An EXTREME Dan Wallrath custom home situated on THREE homesites & a private lagoon in the premier gated waterfront community of Harborwalk! 2006 Builder of the year exclusive featured home and voted one of West Bay’s top running’s. 43 WATER KEY • HITCHCOCK Embrace the ultimate BAYFRONT Harborwalk lifestyle in this timeless coastal inspiration! With integration of meticulous design where comfort & luxury unite. Witness glorious morning sunrises through the wall of windows with unparalleled, unobstructed views of West Galveston Bay. 2021 | Parade of Homes | 49Next >