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Author: Patrick O'connor, Mai In the retail community, there is an ongoing discussion about consumers' lack of brand and store loyalty. Chain stores long ago took over the retail landscape, and the mom-and-pop retailer is nearly a thing of the past. Kaplan's Ben-Hur, an independent department store operating in Houston's Heights neighborhood for decades, recently closed amid rising land prices and falling revenues. In contrast, residents of the nearby Woodland Heights neighborhood were recently quoted as being overjoyed about the opening of a brand new Target nearby this summer. Perhaps one explanation for this change is the blurring line (at least in the minds of some consumers) between discount stores and more traditional retailers. A new upscale Wal-Mart Supercenter in the Dallas suburb of Plano aims to attract those consumers who can be convinced that the term "upscale Wal- Mart" is not an oxymoron, and who are none too pleased to toss sushi in their cart alongsid

Author: Patrick O'connor, Mai Property taxes are a substantial expense for Texas homeowners, averaging about $3,600 annually. To reduce this expense, property owners should annually review and consider appealing property taxes. While there is no guarantee that an appeal will be successful, a recent survey conducted by O'Connor & Associates indicates that 70% of property tax appeals are successful. Since the mortgage company typically disperses payments, property taxes tend to be a stealth tax. Although the homeowner writes a check, including taxes and insurance monthly, the property tax component is not evident. The property tax component can become quite evident when the homeowner is asked to fund a deficit in the escrow account. Although 70% of property tax appeals are successful, only 7% of homeowners appeal each year. Research indicates five primary reasons homeowners do not appeal: 1. The process seems overwhelming and they do not know how to appeal, 2. They do not