Katy, Texas Real Estate Agent - Margie Kaplan
Margie Kaplan specializes in luxury homes, high rise condos, and other Katy, Texas real estate. She has been a Texas Realtor since 1983 and a licensed Broker since 1986. She was the designated Broker of RE/MAX Memorial in Houston and then transferred to RE/MAX Professional Group and in 2006 had her grand opening of MK Luxury Homes and Condos, Inc. in Houston and Dallas.
She holds many designations including CRS, CLHMS, CNHS, CFS, ePRO. Most of her Katy real estate business is by referral and repeat clients. She has one of the most talked about and previewed web sites regarding luxury homes and high rise condos for sale or lease in Katy and from her website you can view hundreds of VIRTUAL TOURS from the privacy of your own home.
Katy Facts, History, and Local Events
Katy, Texas, is a rapidly growing city in three counties to the west of Houston. Located in the Fort Bend, Harris, and Waller Counties, Katy is part of the Metropolitan Area of Houston–Katy–Baytown. Home to over 12,000 people the community is famous for its quality lifestyle, suburban atmosphere, its small town feel, and a rich talented work force base. It s well connected and easily accessible through the I-10,the US 90, and other major arteries such as the Westpark Tollway, the Grand Parkway, and the Katy Tollway. It is close to three major airports, the Intercontinental Hub, Airport which is some 30 miles away, the Hobby Airport about 40 miles out, and the Houston Executive Airport which is practically next door. The Union Pacific Rail has a branch line running through Katy, and the Port of Houston, and three other ports in the Houston area, are quite close by.
The dynamic and growing city of Katy is also renowned for its friendly neighborhoods, high quality of life offset by low costs of living, and attractive amenities that suit everyone, whatever stage of life they might be at. There is a strong community spirit and community involvement, there are great schools, the climate is pleasant and subtropical, housing is affordable and safe, neighborhoods are clean, and the business climate is professional and thriving. No wonder then, that the Gadberry Group pl;aced Katy in its "9 from 2009" list for the highest growth areas in the nation.
The superb location of Katy is a key element in its businesses and residential growth. Other features that attract new residents and visitors, as well as commerce, include its closeness to Houston, which is the fourth largest US city today. Its suburban atmosphere and small town lifestyle forms a great counterpoint to the huge urban area so close to it. Efficient transportation access makes it attractive as a bedroom community, in conjunction with the award winning master planned communities in the area. Low housing costs, low costs of living, and a good record for safety makes it especially attractive. As a result, population is booming, making Katy home to diverse cultural backgrounds, with the community being family oriented, and the workforce highly educated.
The Katy Independent School District provides latest technology educational aids and a low student to teacher ratio. Higher education access includes University of Houston at Cinco Ranch, Houston Community College, and Bel Haven College. As a result of its award winning K-12 public education system, and access to higher education, the workforce in Katy is highly educated, and talented, creating a large pool of possible white collar employees. The economy is diversified, and strong in the sectors of energy services, medical, engineering, distribution, and retail, while the town is also home to many corporate headquarters. With more than 500 acres of business park sites, many tax based and non-tax incentives for new and existing businesses, training grants for the workforce, and easily available low-interest financing, Katy attracts business leaders like Conoco Phillips, BP America, Igloo, Shell Oil, and Mustang Engineering. Wholesale trade, advanced materials, and Plastics, are among the other booming Katy business sections.
Historically the area comprised of open prairies, and was the hunting ground Indian tribes because numerous game species wintered here. The earliest settlement, in 1872, in the area was called Cane Island, named after the creek that ran through it. At various times in its history, Katy has been everything from a major rail center, through a major rice farming center, to an important center of the early American oil industry. This suburb of the city of Houston derives its current name from the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad. Now part of the Union Pacific Railroad, this railway section was often called the "K-T Railroad", and gave the community its name. The actual town site was platted in 1895 by L C Luckel, J O Thomas, and R M Cash, and the city was incorporated in 1945.
