Bill Edge

I'm the Real Estate Broker for a boutique residential real estate company in Houston, Texas.

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My Experience with Technology

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Or how I went from technically challenged to industry leader.

Ten years ago I lead a simple life where most everything had an on off switch with the exception of my computer. Prior to that time, for 15 years, computer expert John Beneke build custom programs so I would not have to learn about computers. I enjoyed my abyss delighting in the problems with technology I kept hearing about from my associates and friends.

I might still be wandering around in the dark ages talking about how experience was all that mattered if not for the President of the Houston Association of Realtors, a visionary named Bob Hale. Mr. Hale stressed we are in a changing world and my industry was going through a period of disruption. Basically my choices were to become tech savvy or go broke. I took out a notepad and wrote down every word he said as quick as I could write. I signed up for every seminar and class offered in my area. I made technology my God and Bob Hale was my unknowing mentor.

I can’t say the path was smooth. But I can say the knowledge I acquired was life changing. Technology has allowed me provide my clients with a service level unimaginable just a few years ago. My mobile phone has replaced the desktop as the place where transactions and service take place. I am able to access all files within seconds, provide documents quickly and manage the real estate transaction from my phone.

The once indispensable iPad is becoming a storage device and video presentation tool. I now drive a smart car powered by electricity as my beloved 3 series BMW has become the wet weather car. Storage for files has become a cloud based affair as my office supply bill has shrunk. I buy less paper, print cartridges, gas, and office supplies. I am surrounded by three 25-inch computer screens, a surface Pro, 50 page pdf reader, laser printer, legal size multi- purpose printer, and a large color laser printer. The main computer is backed up on carbonite, and portable storage devices.

I have three websites, two of which have been over hauled recently. The third is in the process of being updated to HTML 5. I still use many mobile apps but I see virtual reality applications being the future of Real Estate.

Fond memories of Messina Hof Winery

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DSCN2801Messina Hof is a special place for me.  It is located next to my Uncle Cliff’s ranch where one of my earliest memories is hooking a catfish in the pond.  I don’t remember who won out but I do remember being afraid of being pulled into the water by the catfish.    I cannot tell you how surprised I was to find out someone was planting vines next to the ranch.   My first thought was this is insane.   The area had kind of a hill, a small pond and only a few trees.  I mention the trees only because the first building at Messina Hof was a white trailer with no AC.  When one needed to use the bathroom it was die in the heat box or hike to the trees.  Somehow Paul and his lovely wife Merrill survived.  As he used to say don’t give up the day job when asked about going into the wine business.

Vintner Dinners and Bus Trips

In the early days of Messina Hof , Paul was a brave soul and willing to partner with myself and Gaye Platt the leader of the Knights Of the Vine.   We all shared a common bond of being slightly insane.

Grape Stomping 101 – August 22, 1993 THE AGENDA

Students wearing shorts (please no nudity) will have the opportunity to take this higher level course.  They will be divided into the following categories based upon ability.

Very Shy:                            will produce the Chenin Blanc

Very Sexy:                          will produce the White Zinfandel

Very Sensual:                     will produce the Cabernet

Very Assertive:                  will produce the Port

We did this for 3 years in a row.  We left from Houston around 9am on buses and returned to Houston about 5pm.  One year we had two buses and one broke down.  After waiting in the hot Texas sun near Navesota for an hour.  The bus driver took pity on us and we all climbed into one bus.  I am not kidding when I say the bus sank down so far we were 4 inches for the ground.  Nobody could move, but we could drink.  Anybody who bought wine at the winery offered their wine as a sacrifice.  We started the wine bottles at the front of the bus and passed them backward.  Needless to say everyone in the front the bus was stumbling drunk and the everyone in the back was pretty sober.

I had the opportunity to revisit Messina Hof this summer.  It has changed so much from those early days that I thought I was at Robert Mondavi Winery.   It is one beautiful operation now, and Paul and Merrill Bonarrigo deserve all the success they have.  Paul promised he would always keep that white trailer to remind him of the old days.  But alas it has disappeared, as has the idea of putting a shrimp boat in the pond and selling dinner on the boat.

 

 

La Cruz De Comal

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Dickson Family Wines

La Cruz de Comal Winery is located in the beautiful hill country of New Braunfels. This Texas Hill Country winery has a special significance to me. The winery is owned by good friend Lewis Dickson, and my son Gordon worked there one summer. Lewis is one of a kind, a true renaissance man. He picked out a beautiful piece of land near New Braunfels to locate his winery. He had craftsmen build custom log and stone buildings for the winery. All of the logs were made from trees located on the ranch. Lewis wanted the winery to reflect our Texas heritage. The bathroom is even located in an outhouse near the home.

Winemaker/Owner Lewis Dickson

As a winemaker Lewis is responsible for creating some of Texas finest wines. He has the help of legendary winemaker Tony Coturri of Coturri Wines. Tony is known as one of the first winemakers to use natural winemaking in California. Together this duo is producing wines under two labels. The Dickson label is used for wines made using grapes from the ranch; the La Cruz de Comal label is used for wines made from purchased grapes.

The pictures were taken after volunteer pickers finished for the day.  The La Cruz de Comal  grape pickers are an eclectic mix of Texas individuals.  You have high profile attorneys, story tellers, photographers, artists, architects, winemakers, real estate broker (myself), and just plain characters working in the Texas heat for their good friend Lewis.  A good time was had by all. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HIREBA Goes to Texas A&M Real Estate Center, Sept 2012

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Texas A&M Real Estate Center

The Houston Independent Real Estate Brokers Association recently took a field trip to Texas A&M University.  Members of the group toured George Bush Library and attended a lecture from Dr. James P. Gaines about the future of Texas Real Estate.  Antonio Salinas, Margarete Salinas, Rita Young, Penny Richey, Bill Edge,  John Semmler and many others participated in the event.  The event ended up at Messina Hof Winery where members were treated to a wine tasting put on by legendary Texas Wine maker Paul Bonarrigo.

 

Houston St Patrick’s Day Parade 2013

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Leprechaun

A great parade where the viewer’s dress in Irish green and cheer on the participants. The weather was in the 70’s with a strong wind which made the day bearable.  We followed a group of colorfully dressed Irish dancers who gave out Irish beads to the crowd.  They could literally kick their heels together while dancing  next to the trucks.

 

The Houston Fire Museums 1937 Chevrolet Fire Truck I ride in made it thru the parade like a pro.  Fellow Houston Fire Museum members Cheryl and Jim McGee followed us in their newer 1955 Firetruck just in case it did break down.  We ran into old friends Michael Horan and Michael Griffin the founder of Griff’s Sports Bar.   The highlight of our day was when we were able to convince Mayor Parker she needed her picture taken with Kathryn Peters and Tanya White by the Fire Truck.

 1937 Chevrolet Truck donated By Brady Carruth

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have to lead the Parade once in your Life

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Thanksgiving ParadeLife is a parade. You can either be a part of the parade or it passes you by. To lead the parade even if it is just once is what life is about. I have had the opportunity to be at the front of the parade, riding with Kathryn Peters in the front seat of The Houston Fire Museum’s 1937 Fire Chevrolet Truck with the wind blowing my hair and the police in front leading the way.
There is a difference when you lead the parade. You see everything in front of you but you don’t see the acts in back of you. Life is something like this. You have to look ahead and see where you are going. But you don’t look back to the past. You put a smile on your face and wave to the people. Each day when you get up in the morning you are leading your parade. Put a smile on your face and go forward embracing the opportunity ahead of you.
The leader of the parade always finishes first. The only thing that can happen to you is that you break down along the parade route. With our Fire Truck we are always followed by a newer Fire Truck which has a tow rope, so that if we break down they will be there to assist us. Life is like this in that you have God, family, and your friends to help you when you fall.
You cannot enjoy the parade thinking about what happens if the truck breads down. In the Rodeo parade our truck broke down 4 times before the Parade even started. Officials asked us to move aside if we had not fixed our problem. We changed the truck idle to about 4 times faster than necessary because the engine died every time we stopped. Then we sat back and enjoyed the parade. We did not worry that the truck might not make it or that we were out front and everyone would be making fun of the old truck which broke down. We did not slump back in the seat and hope for the best. We put a smile on our faces and went confidently about our business, the same thing you have to do every day of your life.
Don’t let the parade pass you by. No matter what your problems are there is someone with a whole lot worse problem. Smile and wave to the people as you move on with your life.