Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1094653
87 Getting to Know You REALTORS HOLLEY MADDEN, COMPASS Holley Madden PAPERCITY PROMOTION Number of years in real estate business: 20. Area of expertise. Making sure every one of my clients gets the best chance of closing a deal successfully and happily. Whether they are buyers or sellers, I make sure they walk away happy and feel that they have found the right home for their family at a good market value A favorite listing. My favorite listing that I have ever sold is 9 Gage Court in Houston. Hottest up-and-coming neighborhood in Houston. I think it's still the Heights. Best location for purchasing a second home or vacation home. Austin Hill Country on the water, or in the Colorado mountains near or in a resort area. There are great rental markets in both of those areas, and they both provide a great way of life. Best advice for buying a home. Location, location, location. Best advice for selling a home. Clean out your home, freshen it up, and stage it. A real-estate trend you're currently excited about. I'm excited to see how so many of the old neighborhoods have rebuilt after the devastation of Hurricane Harvey. A lot of beautiful neighborhoods have been forced to renovate — and even though a lot of hardship has been entailed through these things, it has produced many beautiful rebirths. Predictions for where the market is headed. The market is headed for a steady, consistent year. Houston is a great place to invest in real estate. Buyers coming from other areas of our world feel we have great values here — and I believe this is one of the things that will keep our market ticking throughout 2019. The number-one thing all homebuyers should know. Use a real estate agent that has the experience and knowledge needed for a successful transaction. Find an agent that has a history of success in our market and has a great referral basis. This will assure you a less stressful transaction. I am a fi rm believer that all things in real estate happen for a reason. You will end up in the home you are meant to live in. How to make a house a home. By choosing to decorate it with things that have memories and provide comfort. Your dream house, if cost is no object. My dream home is in Crested Butte, Colorado. It's a small town with so much charm, a little out of the way of other ski resorts. Community involvement/philanthropic affi liations. My involvement has a lot to do with the schools my fi ve children attend. They all attend private schools that we have chosen for important reasons. My husband and I love to help these schools to grow and develop. These schools take and deserve a lot of our time, talent, and treasure. Your home away from home. Lake Travis. Houston restaurant you couldn't live without. Mandola's Deli. My husband's uncle has run this family-owned restaurant in the East End for over 40 years. The walls are lined with family pictures and memorabilia. It really has the best food in town. Secret skill. Getting people to live life to the fullest. My husband tells me that I have that effect on people, so I guess that might be it. Guilty pleasure. Going to the spa with my close friends in the middle of the week. Holley Madden, 832.419.1626, holley.madden@compass.com 311 Pinehaven Drive 3 Crestwood Estates H O U S T O N I S A PA R T O F M E . family pictures and memorabilia. It really has the best food in town. Getting people to live life to the fullest. My husband tells me that I have that effect on people, so I H O U S T O N I S A PA R T M Y G U I LT Y P L E A S U R E I S G O I N G T O T H E S PA . . .