BILL CHERRY'S GREATEST DALLAS PARK CITIES REAL ESTATE BLOG: BILL CHERRY (BILL CHERRY, REALTORS - DALLAS)

 <<==W.W. Cherry

FOR THOSE WHO GREW UP during the Great Depression, buying a Cadillac or Lincoln was something you did only if you were past 50.

Although my daddy, W.W. Cherry, preferred the look, style and comfort of a Cadillac, loving to take on the city's best negotiator required that he buy Lincolns. Kyle Gillespie owned the Lincoln dealership. Trying to outfox him, my daddy thought, was the ultimate challenge.

"Kyle, here's my check for $9,000," Daddy said to Mr. Kyle. "Saturday's August 1^st, and you've got a payroll to meet. Bet this'll cover it nicely."

"Bill Cherry, shame on you. You and I go to church together, and here you are trying to steal a car from me. But to keep you from being a 61-year old crook, I'll let the blue one with the gin-you-wine cloth upholstery go for $9,500."

Daddy took out his wallet. It was full of brand new $100 bills. He pealed off five of them and set them on top of the $9,000 check. "I'll have it ready for you in the morning," Mr. Kyle said, continuing to chew his ever-present piece of gum, but sensing the deal wasn't finished

"I'm going to really like that 1970 gold Lincoln with the 8-track stereo system, the gin-you-wine leather upholstery and the moon roof," Daddy said like it was just to recap.

"Where'd you get the idea that you were getting the hottest car on my lot, the one with the gin-you-wine leather upholstery, the 8-track stereo system and the moon roof for $9,500? That car'll cost you another thousand."

Even though the negotiating continued for days, the deal was finally made. Nevertheless, having to have the last word, Daddy said, "You're going to have to throw in a free tank of gas."

"I didn't say anything about a free tank of gas. Buy it yourself. You've already taken every cent of profit I was going to make. Now you want me to go in the hole. OK, tell you what, if you promise me you'll stay out of my sight for the rest of your life, I'll give you the gas."

That was the summer the American National Insurance Co. board of directors brought in a younger man named Glendon Johnson to be the new president.

Since Daddy was one of the company's directors and senior officers, it was decided that the sales managers from all across the U.S. would be brought to the Shamrock Hotel in Houston where Daddy would introduce Mr. Glendon to them with a rousing introduction.

Daddy's associate, Arnold Frankovich, would arrange for big red, white and blue banners to be draped across the front entrance to the Shamrock, and there'd be the most elaborate buffet in the Emerald Room.

At a prescribed time, the sales managers would gather around the front door, under the red, white and blue banners. Daddy would bring Mr. Glendon from the airport in the new Lincoln. As they would start up the long driveway, a Dixieland band would start playing and the sales managers would blow whistles, play kazoos and wave flags. Then Daddy would pull up in front, the doorman would open the car's right door, and Mr. Glendon would jump out, joyous and smiling and shaking hands with this one and that.

Daddy wasn't able to pick up the new 1970 gold Lincoln Towncar, the one with the gin-you-wine leather upholstery, the 8-track stereo, the moon roof,  and with the full tank of gas, from Mr. Kyle until moments before he was to leave for the Houston airport.

As he approached the airport, he realized the gas gage was on empty. Had Mr. Kyle forgotten to put in the free tank of gas or was the gage not working? He had no time to stop at a service station to see. Mr Glendon's plane would be landing in moments.

Daddy parked the new Lincoln at the door, slipping the skycap a ten spot to watch the car, and went inside the airport to meet Mr. Glendon. When they came out and got in the car, it wouldn't start. No amount of praying was going to put gas in an empty tank.

Just then a big linen truck drove up and parked behind the Lincoln. Daddy got out, went back to the driver and said, "Hi, I'm Bill Cherry." He stuck out his hand.

"The name's Calvin," the driver said with a skeptical look as he shook Daddy's hand.

"I want you to know that the people who run one of our companies, the National Hotels, really think a lot of your linen service. Probably your biggest account."

Daddy went on, "Calvin, I've got a problem. My new Lincoln won't start, and I've got to get Mr. Johnson to a meeting at the Shamrock. He's our company's new president, and I'd guess he's going to have a lot of influence on whether the National Hotels keeps doing business with you. So you can see why I need for you to loan me your laundry truck to drive him there."

Calvin said he couldn't let Daddy and Mr. Glendon use his truck, but he would drive them to the Shamrock so he could save the day for his good customer. However, Daddy and Mr. Glendon would have to ride on the bags of dirty laundry in the back since there was only one front seat.

Fine. Daddy and Mr. Glendon jumped in the back, and Calvin left for the Shamrock.

When he started up the Shamrock's long driveway, Mr. Glendon and Daddy could see the big red, white and blue banners, the several hundred sales managers gathered around with their whistles and kazoos and the Dixieland band waiting to play.

The doorman saw the truck coming up the guest entrance driveway rather than going around back to the service entrance. He went nuts, blowing his taxi-calling whistle and waving his hands wildly.

Calvin kept on coming. When he got to the front door, he jumped out, opened the back doors to the truck, and out flew Mr. Glendon and Daddy. The bewildered sales managers started blowing their whistles, playing their kazoos and waving the flags. The Dixieland band cranked up "When the Saints Go Marching In" Daddy palmed a crisp C-note from his wallet and passed it on to Calvin.

In the Emerald Room, Daddy took the podium and began his glowing introduction of Mr. Glendon, never mentioning the unusual arrival. Then Mr. Glendon took the mike, smiled as only he could and opened with, "Unaccustomed as I am to arriving this way...." Everyone howled.

Mr. Glendon left the American National seven years later. Daddy, retired by then, continued driving Lincolns. But I don't recall that Mr. Glendon ever bought one.

Mr. Kyle will be 88-years old at the end of this month. Daddy will have been with the Lord for 27 years on the 17^th, a loss I've never quite gotten over. For those reasons, it seemed to me to be a superb time to share this story about two dear friends.

Copyright 2004-2007 - William S. Cherry

            It's quite humbling when you move from a town or neighborhood where you have lots of friends to a new place where you know next to no one.

            And let me quickly tell you that when people tell me that today, I am far more sympathetic than I ever was before.

            You see, I was born and raised on the Texas gulf coast.  Went to public schools there.  Was on the radio as a teen and did on-camera television features as an adult.  And there was Rotary and Old Trinity Episcopal Church and my weekly newspaper columns.  And not to overlook my real estate business that had done great and innovative stuff in that old town for more than 35 years.

            I like people anyway, so with that combination, it worked great.

            And then we moved to Dallas two-years-and-change ago.  For me it has been almost like it must have been for the Clampetts when they moved to Beverly Hills.  And it's making me nuts.

            Well there's a Web site that I've just learned about.  It can chime in to help those of us in this predicament.  You'll find it at efamilyfriends.com.  It's free.  Kind of like eharmony.com but for those not looking for love in all the right places.

             It matches you and your family with up to ten others nearby who are similar to you.

            So here's what happens.  It's pretty simple.  If you like what you see, you begin by exchanging emails.  Your kids find kids, your wife finds a bridge game, you find golfing partners, and all of you get on the way to recovery.

            Over the past couple of years, the IRS has given a tax credit for beefing up attic insulation, installing properly rated energy-efficient windows and exterior doors, and in some instances, metal roofs.  But you've got to get this completed by December 31, 2007, unless Congress extends it.  And that's important.

            The reduction of radiant energy transfer is the most important trick of all, and one almost everyone with an older home should consider.   Here's what you need to do: 

• Add a continuous ridge vent on the roof and the correct area of soffit vents around your home's perimeter
• Have a product like Sherwin-Williams' E-Barrier sprayed to the underside of your roof decking - the side you see when you're in the attic and look up.

            Radiant energy is energy that comes in waves from the sun.  And those waves have great penetrating ability.  So in the summer, the sun's rays hit the roof and the roof absorbs heat, which increases temperatures in the attic.  Eventually, this heat is transferred throughout your home - resulting in increased air conditioning costs.  On cool days, when radiant energy comes from an inside source, it travels upward and escapes through the attic.  You don't want that to happen either.  In both situations your electricity and furnace fuel bills are costing you far more than they should.

            With the soffit vents and the continuous ridge vent, your attic cools by convection, and that's a big, big plus.  Add to that a coat of E-Barrier and you'll be amazed!

            Home architect, builder and well-known home improvement radio program host, Tom Tynan, says that <<Tom Tynan, "Home Improvement Hot Line"

the E-Barrier alone will reduces air conditioning bills by as much as 15% per year.  He's a reliable source since he's been involved in energy conservation inovations for years.

            Here's what Sherwin-Williams wrote about E-Barrier:  

            "Sherwin-Williams E-Barrier helps check this transfer of radiant energy with a formula that reflects the energy either away from the roof, or back into your home, depending upon the radiant energy source.  The latex-based coating can be quickly and easily applied by a knowledgeable painting contractor.  And, because E-Barrier Reflective Coating is a latex formula, it is low in odor during application and dries quickly.  Spray application speeds the job to completion, and since E-Barrier covers in one coat without dripping or running, there's little mess left behind."

            Get on top of these improvements now while Uncle Sam is willing to help you pay for them.

Making certain that one's home and possessions are covered no matter what, is a business land mind, and that's frequently because the insurance carrier's agent has done a poor job of making sure he's done a thorough interview of his client. 

I'm going to list some common areas where coverage ends up being insufficient or non-existent.  Print this out and call your general insurance agent tomorrow, and have him tell you where there are holes in your coverage.  Be sure you instruct him to solve them!

1. Sewer Backups are not covered in standard homeowner's policies.  Ask your agent to add a rider to your policy at least covering the damage to carpets and furniture that would occur from a line failure.
2. Home Offices are not covered within the terms of your homeowner's policy.  That goes for the business equipment in them as well as liability claims that occur as a result of someone being hurt in the office.  You can add what's called a "business pursuits" endorsement to your policy.  The additional cost is normally less than 8%.
3. Your College Kid's possessions are not covered the moment he moves them to an apartment.  Oddly, most policies do cover a 10% loss if he lives in a college dorm.  The solution to this is renter's insurance.  The stuff is next to free, and worth every dime.
4. Guys Working on Your Property, Even the Maid and the Butler, are normally not covered by your liability coverage if they are hurt while working there.  That can present a real problem if one of them is and files suit against you.  It is important to either have an endorsement to your liability coverage for that purpose, or to make certain that those worker's companies have Workmen's Compensation Insurance covering their employees.  Ask for a copy.

And finally, having only the liability coverage that comes with your homeowner's policy is becoming a real gamble.  For a very small additional premium you can get what's known as an umbrella policy.  One with a maximum loss of $5 million is usually less than $300 a year.

By Bill Cherry

Dallas Broker-Realtor

Within the next few days, we'll know if the current hurricane Dean that's racing across the Gulf of Mexico will go ashore along the Texas coast.  One potential target is Galveston, an island that's fifty miles from Houston.  The most famous Galveston hurricane happened in 1900.  Books upon books have been written about the 1900 Storm because some 6,000 people lost their lives. The island had to pump dredge material from the gulf's bottom onto the island to raise the whole kit and kaboodle above sea level.

But Galveston has, since the beginning of time, been a town that has been forced to frequently deal with the disasters caused by the various angers of nature. And it has always risen to the occasion. And if necessary, it will this time.

Beginning back in the early 1800s,  no matter the size or the materials it was made of, or how it was powered, with reasonable frequency vessels were caught by the gulf tides and the waves and the winds and the storms, and when that happened, the odds were that within moments the big boat would become junk at the bottom of the gulf with scores of dead bodies floating to the top; within hours they were cluttering the beach and belching the odor of death through the windows of the mansions that bordered the beach.

In 1857 a big steamer called the "Louisiana" got caught in the rough seas off of Galveston and it broke apart and it sunk and it sent scores of bodies to the beach. And, as it had so many times in the past, the city got a large group of volunteers to gather the bodies and bury them, with wooden crosses to mark each grave, and the quick recitation of the 23^rd Psalm from a minister to remind God to look after the soul of each of those nameless men that only He recognized and knew about.

And then a few days after that task was completed, hundreds of Galvestonians gathered at the opera house on 23^rd Street near Strand, and enough money was collected to clothe the survivors of the Louisiana and to buy each of them passage home. That was just one example of the charity of Galveston.

But it was also at this meeting that the Galveston Life Boat Company was founded and it was chartered a couple of years later. It would become famous around the world because it was unique.

It was a company of volunteers who were not afraid of the rough gulf waters because they knew them, and they were willing to become trained at rescuing those who found themselves helpless in the arms of the sea. And they took those risks without payment and knowing that there was a better than 50-50 chance that each time they went out, they would not return.

The numbers of men, women and children that the GLBC saved over the years is legendary. The enormous danger to their own lives that the members of the GLBC took, time after time, is mind boggling, even today.

But their contribution to life saving was beyond a finite count. Shortly after the GLBC was formed, two other steamships, the Galveston and the Opelousas, rammed each other just off shore. Both split almost in half and started to sink. Fortunately the GLBC got there in time to save most of the crew and passengers.

And on hearing the news, once again the citizenry met and took up a collection sufficient to get the survivors fed, clothed and on their way home. If you were to give Galveston a report card, one slot where it would get an A+ would be the one that assessed its dependability to be there for those who found themselves facing hard times.

But then like most good things, the charity of Galvestonians started to be abused. As more and more ships called on Galveston's port, it became apparent that they were frequently and purposely dumping passengers there after they learned they were out of money. They would leave them port-side to fend for themselves.

And the Texas Code had placed the cost of saving the destitute solely on the county where they showed up.

So even though the citizens of Galveston usually made enough voluntary contributions to solve the problems, this expected and frequent charity eventually started to wear thin on Galvestonians And while that provision of the Texas Code didn't particularly matter on the mainland, it did in Galveston.

So in 1850, the city got the legislature to put into law that every owner of a vessel docking in Galveston had to put up a $300 bond for each passenger left here, and it had to keep that bond up for 5 years. Everyone thought that would assure that no poor people would be left behind for the county to take care of. But that's not what happened.

Instead, Galvestonians found that enforcement of that law made passenger service to Galveston almost non-existent. Ships carrying passengers refused to call on Galveston. They went elsewhere, like New Orleans.

So Galvestonians had to quickly dream up a way around it. Here's what they had the legislature concoct. If within three days of its arrival, the steamship company would put up a $1 fee plus another $1 fee to pay for medical expenses for each crew member and passanger on the vessel, the $300 bond would be waived.

But as you might guess, even with the fee, there were those who slipped through the cracks. And Galveston always found a way to take care of them. And that's how it's been on the island for more than 145 years. Galveston takes care of its less fortunate.

Copyright 2003-2007 - William S. Cherry

Gaither Homecoming gospel music star and my friend for a number of years, Janet Paschal, emailed about three years ago to make sure I knew that her fellow performers Jake Hess and Vestal Goodman had both died, and within a week of each other.

Mr. Jake and Miss Vestal were pioneer Southern gospel performers. They had been there when the tunes were accompanied by maybe a four-cord bass line played on an out of tune piano before small church congregations on country roads between here and there. But by the time they had died, they had performed before TV audiences of millions and at mega-thousand seat auditoriums packed with admirers, all the result of the genius of producer Bill Gaither who had had that music arranged slick, and had professionally staged the entertainers.

While it probably wasn't very Episcopalian-like, in the last several of years of my mother's life, we accumulated about 15 tapes of the Gaither Homecoming programs, and she and I watched them over and over, almost one every day. Jake Hess, Vestal and Howard Goodman, the Easters, Mark Lowery, Jessy Dixon and Lillie Knowles couldn't help but become our friends, even though they didn't know us. When she passed away, I sent the tapes to the city library for others to enjoy. I was certain I wouldn't be able to watch those programs again without overwhelming sadness.

Many of those who contributed so much to the fabric of my faith and personality passed away this last year. It troubles me that I didn't get to write about any of them before they died. It troubles me even more that, no matter how fast I pedal, I may never be able to write about them or the many others who surely made God proud that he had invented human beings. There have been so many.

My friend Raymond Rapp's wife, Helene died, too. Mr. and Mrs. Rapp had been sweethearts for more than 60-years. He's at peace with his loss because of his strong Roman Catholic faith. He told me that she's waiting for him in heaven, and he knows they'll be together again soon.

Devotion to their faith is, interestingly, the common denominator of all of these people, even though they didn't all know each other, and even though they understood and expressed their faiths in different ways. I asked another friend, the Rev. Ray Pinard what it was like to pray the last prayer while holding a person's hand whom he knew, within moments, would breathe their last breath. He told me that every one of them transmits the same message from their hand to his as their soul leaves to join God. The message is, "Ray, I'm now at peace and with Him."

  <<Steve Allen and Jayne Meadows Allen

In his later years, comedian and jazz pianist Steve Allen and I became friends. Once he wrote that while he, himself, was an agnostic, he never turned down a church when they asked for a contribution. He said that it was undeniable that there wouldn't be as much good in the world if it weren't for people's faith and the churches they had built as a result.

Since, like all of us, he had benefitted from their commitments to good, he thought he should financially support them to help that continue.

When Mr. Allen died, his wife, Jayne Meadows Allen, wrote me a note to let me know that she thought, in her heart, that since Mr. Allen had never denied the existence of God, that he was at peace because he now knew and had accepted the truth, and because of that God "had accepted him in His arms." He would be waiting for her in heaven.

Mrs. Allen and her sister, actress Audry Meadows, had been daughters of missionaries. After they were grown, their father became the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island. It was her faith that, like Raymond Rapp's, comforted her. And that was as it had to be.

For like Mr. Rapp and the rest of us who have lost loved ones, Mrs. Allen could not begin to comprehend how she would deal with the cruelty she would have to face and accept if she and Mr. Allen would not be together again, and this time for the eternity that her religious beliefs of more than 80-years promised.

                                                         Copyright 2004-2007 - William S. Cherry

Perhaps because I spent most of my years as a Realtor on the Gulf Coast, a long time ago I was forced to learn the ins and outs of property insurance.  Now representing Dallas homeowners, sellers and buyers, I'm especially glad I have a good deal of insurance knowledge. 

Oddly, I find most homeowners have a limited knowledge of their coverage and what is available for a few bucks extra. And while all real estate agents dance all around property insurance everyday, only a small percentage seem to know much about it.

There are three very important things everyone ought to know:

• Your homeowners policy probably does not cover floods (even if only a smidgen of water seeps in), earthquakes and war.
• And without special endorsements to your homeowners policy, it probably has special limits on what it will pay for damage, loss or theft of jewelry, furs, cash, collectibles, antiques and expensive musical instruments. And I can assure you it won't be very much.
• Damage caused by small leaks that go undetected for a long time - and we're talking about fresh water as well as sewerage leaks - are not typically covered, so that means the removal of mold, mildew and spores aren't covered either.

And then there's the poor guy who either buys less coverage than it will take to replace the house if there's a big loss, or whose policy doesn't have a provision that makes certain the replacement value keeps up with inflation.

If your homeowners agent isn't calling you at least every two years to take you through the rigor necessary to make sure your property is properly covered, it's time to change agents.

The agent Patty and I use, we've used for years. They've written the policies for our cars, home, my big grand piano, Patty's harp, and her jewelry, plus all of our furnishings. They've even written several of our life insurance policies.  And their office is 300 miles from Dallas! 

Why change?  They've got serving us down pat!

But the service has been perfect. They remind us about updates, quiz us about lifestyle changes, and when it's time to pay a claim, the adjuster is here in a heartbeat, and writes a check for most or all of the claim before he leaves.

You deserve that same service from your carrier. If you're not getting it, it's time to survey other general insurance agents.

There's more interesting facts about insurance and how claims are calculated and paid. We'll continue this discussion tomorrow.

In the meantime, if you would like to know the name of our general insurance carrier, email me and I'll be glad to share it with you.

                                      Copyright 2007 - William S. Cherry

                                                 All Rights Reserved

<< Chuck Dunnaway, Famous '60s Radio Personality

That's my friend Chuck Dunnaway.  Many of you know him because he was one of the most famous disc jockeys of all times, working in major markets all over the US, until he and his wife, Kendall, bought their own station, built it to icon status, sold it, became better than well-fixed, then retired and moved to the Houston area.

Chuck sent me an interesting web site called "Take Me Back to the Sixties."  While fun music is playing, it points out the way things were back then.  One of them shows that you could have bought a new Chevy Impala for less than $3,000.

It reminded me of the time when Glenda was my girlfriend in college.  I had a swell-looking new MG, and I thought we looked just great in it -- Glenda with her red hair, me with my self-satisfied goofy grin and all. 

But Glenda insisted we'd look a lot better if we were in a new jet black 'vette. 

By then I had learned not to argue with Glenda, and I couldn't seem to get her mind off of the prospect of our looking much better in a jet black 'vette.  So one afternoon after classes, we got in the MG and headed off to the Chevy dealer in Ft. Worth.

They wanted $3,500 for that black 'vette.  I just couldn't see it, so I told Glenda we were going to have to continue looking like nouveau-Ma and Paw Kettle in the baby blue MG.  Glenda said, "OK," and that was that.  She never brought it up again.  What a surprise!  She must have really loved me after all.

So here's Chuck's fun web site.  See how things use to be. (Meanwhile, what do they want for a 'vette today?  Better yet, what do they want for a restored '61 jet black 'vette today?)  OK, here's the site:

http://moreoldfortyfives.com/TakeMeBackToTheSixties.htm)

And here are Chuck and Kendall Dunnaway today.

<<Chuck and Kendall Dunnaway, 2007

 <<Buzzy Hart as Elvis Presley

I swear to you, I attract eccentric people.  Maybe it's because I personally carry the Pulitzer Prize for Personal Eccentricities.

That's my friend Buzzy Hart up there in that picture.  We went to high school together.  Buzzy was always involved in one rock 'n roll band or another, even though in real adult life he was a butcher in Chicago.

Nevertheless, throughout the years, he never stopped playing and singing with one rock ‘n roll band or another. And somewhere in there, he decided he'd become an Elvis impersonator. Even though Buzzy was a blond, with a black Elvis wig and a fancy, spangly jump suit, if you saw him, it wasn't hard to think he just might be Elvis.

And his getup came with built-in inspiration, since he actually uses a guitar Elvis gave him back in 1956 when the two of them first met.  Buzzy became known as the best Elvis impersonator in the world, and he has made hundreds of appearances as Elvis in Las Vegas, New York, Chicago...the world.

Recently, Buzzy recorded a CD called "My Golden Memories of Elvis." Songs like "That's all Right, Mama," "Blue Suede Shoes," "Heartbreak Hotel," and "It's Now or Never" are included. He sent me a copy, and I'll swear it's like listening to the real Elvis.

Buzzy now lives in East Texas. He and his wife Katheryn are active in little theater. But Buzzy takes his Elvis show on the road. He'll be playing our 50th high school reunion in a month or so.

 <<Roy Hammock as Willie Nelson

Now if that isn't bad enough....I've got an Elvis impersonator for a friend, I've also got a Willie Nelson impersonator as a friend, and we went to high school together, too.

Roy Hammock was an enormously successful life insurance salesman and executive, but then he just decided Willie Nelson was having more fun.  So he got him a Willie Get Up, grew that straggly beard, practiced until he could sing like him, and he became Willie.  Oh, yeah, he retired from the life insurance business.

You'd likely never know the difference if you saw Roy and heard his impersonation of old Willie.

Roy lives in Las Vegas where he performs most of the time...actually doing it for a living  Every now and then he takes his show on the road.  He and former Bill Clinton girlfriend, Gennifer Flowers, are big buds.  He wouldn't tell me if she is attracted to him as Roy or Willie.