Café Brazil: Good Food + Good Caffeine = Happy Customers - 02/28/09 07:56 PM

I am not a fan of restaurants that become popular and start opening multiple locations... it just usually seems to be the beginning of the end for a "good thing".  That was my fear years ago when Café Brazil started opening new locations.  Perhaps they are the exception that proves the rule because years later, they are still around, their quality is intact and they still make me happy!
Café Brazil is up to 10 locations around Dallas now.  They offer a hybrid sort of product... it's part coffee house (some locations even have live music) and part restaurant (offering … (9 comments)

A Different Kind of Springtime Bloom! - 02/28/09 05:13 PM
Here in Texas, we are accustomed to an annual rite of Spring... the blooming of the Texas Wildflowers (especially our state flower, the Bluebonnet).  This year though, something else has been popping up all over Dallas... especially the Highland Park and Preston Hollow neighborhoods:
 
Now some Dallasites categorize this sign as a weed, others a rose, but regardless of where you fall in that spectrum of categorization, the presence of the former president and Mrs. Bush among us certainly promises to make life interesting for the residents of Dallas.  That point was driven home when "W" showed up at a … (5 comments)

The tale of the LBJ Freeway and the LBJ Not-So-Freeway! - 02/28/09 04:09 PM

The LBJ Freeway in North Dallas has long been one of the most congested roadways in the area.  This week, the Texas transportation Commission announced a project that, once completed in 5 years, will radically change LBJ as we know it.
The LBJ Freeway will be receiving a $2 Billion upgrade ($445 Million from Taxpayers) that will result in 4 free lanes of traffic in each direction, as well as continuous frontage roads.  The new twist on an old freeway will be the creation of six toll lanes, partially beneath the existing road surface, that will feature variable toll rates … (3 comments)

Dallas' Newest Whole Foods Market Opens on Monday! - 02/28/09 03:04 PM
The Lakewood neighborhood will welcome the opening of Dallas' newest Whole Foods Market, located in the converted former Minyards grocery store at Abrams Road and Gaston Avenue.  
Whole Foods Market has been slowly expanding its presence in the Dallas/Fort Worth market and this new store will soon be joined by 3 others.  The new store, which features outside seating and a fountain, will add vibrancy and life to this site, which has been vacant for several years.
The new Abrams/Gaston store will replace the current smaller Whole Foods store located on lower Greenville Avenue, which opened in 1986 and which will … (6 comments)

Las Vegas Comes to Dallas! - 02/28/09 02:29 PM
Las Vegas will be coming to Dallas... well, for a week anyway! 
Appearing at the Majestic Theater in Downtown Dallas (1925 Elm Street) from March 3, 2009 through March 8, 2009 The Rat Pack - Live at the Sands is billed as "the hottest and coolest party in town".
This show ran for four years in London's West End and is a recreation of the Rat Pack's performances at Las Vegas' Sands Hotel in the 1950's.  Featuring impersonators performing as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr., this show will transport you back in time.  With a fantastic musical score … (0 comments)

Who wants to sell Short Sales? I do! - 02/28/09 02:01 PM
I have read several posts lately about agents who choose not to work with Short Sale buyers.  Clearly, there are parts of the country where this decision is not an option if an agent or broker wishes to continue running a viable real estate business.  However, for others, there is a choice to be made.
As a Dallas Short Sale Specialist, several agents on Active Rain have asked me what I think about this issue, and I really had to noodle on this one for a while before I reconciled all my thoughts and feelings.  What I came up with is … (6 comments)

What kind of Real Estate Agent are you looking for? - 02/28/09 01:31 PM
Lately, I have seen a lot of debate about the types of business transactions that agents choose to work with clients on.  It has been of particular interest to me since one of the types of transactions that many agents have expressed an issue with are Short Sales, a type of transaction that I specialize in.
It makes a lot of sense to ask the question, "Am I working with the right agent to deliver the maximum value in my home search or in the sale of my home?"  There are quite a few specializations in Real Estate, for example, would … (0 comments)

The Naming of 121… I Hope that Someone was Paying Attention! - 02/21/09 06:06 PM
Last year, I posted several items on the renaming of Dallas’ Industrial Boulevard.  You can read the details here: http://activerain.com/blogsview/700945/But-really-they-had-good-intentions-Dallas-Industrial-Blvd-Update
The controversy surrounding the renaming of that road and the furor that erupted when people were asked their opinion and then ignored was fodder for the local news media for months and nobody ended up looking good.  It was an ugly battle!
This week I received an e-mail newsletter from the Nort Texas Tollway Authority.  They are in the process of choosing a name for the 121 Tollway and at its January meeting, the Board selected three finalists: ‘Interurban Tollway,’ 'Sam … (10 comments)

Better late than never! Outlook 2009 & My 15 Minutes of Fame. - 02/21/09 04:43 PM
Back in December, I commented to a client that I was quoted in the Residential Real Estate Outlook for 2009 article in the Dallas Business Journal.  I promised that I would post a link from my Blog, but the Dallas Business Journal has a policy of keeping these articles accessible online for “subscribers only” for several weeks.  Well, I got caught up in the holidays and a busy January and forgot to go back and post the article once it was publicly available… another tick on the clock of my “15 Minutes of Fame”.
This week my client called me up … (2 comments)

Dallas ranked as 3rd largest Home Building market for 2008! - 02/21/09 04:09 PM

I was reading an online article from Builder magazine and came across that interesting fact, along with several other great ones about my city.
In naming Dallas as one 2009’s Healthiest Housing Markets (we ranked 5th), Builder magazine offered that compared to a 35% drop in housing permits nationally, in 2008, Dallas only dropped by 9%.  That’s 26% better than the national average!
The Dallas employment market also seems to be a source of strength.  According to the article, 42,000 new jobs were created in the Dallas market last year.  That represents a GROWTH rate of 2%.
And housing … (4 comments)

Say Goodbye to Texas Stadium! - 02/21/09 01:43 PM
"It’s Hard to Say Goodbye" was the last song performed by Deena Jones and The Dreams’ in the Broadway Musical “Dreamgirls”.  This weekend, that sentiment applies to a big piece of North Texas sports history… Texas Stadium.
As I wrote in my post Farewell to Texas Stadium, the last Cowboys game played there was back in December of last year, and now, in preparation for the move to their new $1.1 Billion stadium in Arlington, there is one final fan event taking place at Texas Stadium this weekend.
The Farewell Fan Fest will take place at Texas Stadium this Saturday and … (2 comments)

A Photographer's Story: Bob Jackson and the Kennedy Assassination - 02/21/09 01:12 PM
To live in Dallas is to know about the awful events of November 1963.  Shortly after moving here in September, 1991, was the 28th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in downtown Dallas and I learned what an ongoing impact that event had on the psyche of my city, even decades later.  As vivid a memory as it is for people who were alive on that day, in Dallas, it seems to be an event that lives on in the local media and will always be a thread in the fabric of the city.
On the Sixth Floor … (5 comments)

Roti Grill: Indian Food Fast, Not Indian Fast Food! - 02/21/09 11:32 AM
 

I like food with bold favors.  Food that is fresh and tasty.  Thai food is one of my favorites and so is Indian food.  (I am also a big fan of Greek and Italian).  Recently I had dinner at Roti Grill.  Located at 4438 McKinney Avenue in Dallas, Roti Grill is what I would call a hybrid restaurant.  You order your food at a counter, it is prepared in the open-style kitchen and then delivered to your table.  But don’t get the wrong idea.  Yes, you get your own soft drinks, but this is not the McDonald’s of Indian … (2 comments)

Texas Rangers Baseball: Spring Training is on it's way! - 02/14/09 11:57 PM

Here's the reminder that will keep kids of all ages singing "Take me out to the ballgame"... Spring Training for the Texas Rangers begins in just 10 days!  The first game will be a charity game against Kansas City played at home in Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on February 25th! 
The regular season home opener will take place on Monday, April 6, against Cleveland.  Be sure to cheer the Rangers on throughout the season!
… (7 comments)

REALTORS®: Loving what we do! - 02/14/09 11:11 PM
I have always been told by teachers, advisors, mentors and the like, that when you love what you do, the rewards are the greatest.  I have to say, that I know what they were talking about.
Being a REALTOR® and working with Short Sale clients has been extremely rewarding for me in many ways.  I know that every REALTOR® has his or her own specialization.  Some of us like selling certain neighborhoods.  Some of us enjoy older homes.  Some like dealing with builders and clients looking to purchase new construction.  And some like listing and marketing historically or architecturally significant properties.  … (7 comments)

I Don’t Live in West Africa – A Cautionary Tale of Attempted Real Estate Fraud - 02/14/09 10:47 PM

Scary stuff here...
This week I was contacted by 3 people to tell me that someone, using my name, was attempting to commit fraud.  The person took one of my listings off of the internet and posted one of the homes that I have listed (along with my photos of the home) on Craigslist for rent at nearly half the going price for homes in the area.  The person is clearly not very well informed since he seemed to think I was the owner of the property and he also had several other pieces of information incorrect.  He set up … (4 comments)

Ginger Thai - Good Thai Food and Reasonable Prices make for a Winning Combination - 02/14/09 10:07 PM

It's Saturday, so it ‘s time for my weekly Dallas area restaurant review.  Tonight, I will be writing about Ginger Thai, located at 6434 E. Mockingbird Lane (@ Abrams).
When it comes to Thai food, I am a creature of habit.  I have a couple of area Thai restaurants that I enjoy a lot, so I don't stray very often.  Last night I strayed!
My friend suggested we go to Ginger Thai and I am glad she was persistent... it was that good.
We started out with an order of steamed dumplings.  They were great.  Well cooked and nicely flavored, … (2 comments)

Short Sale Opportunity - 9536 Brewster, Dallas, TX 75227 - 02/14/09 04:59 PM
No longer available. Contact us about other properties.

… (5 comments)

The Wonderful Waffle! - eatery NYC, A New American Restaurant - 02/07/09 05:18 PM

It's been a few weeks since I have done my Saturday Restaurant Review, and this one will probably disappoint since it only covers one menu item, but I had to post it... it was too good to keep a secret!
On my recent trip to NYC for a wedding, I met my friend Leigh for Brunch at eatery nyc, located at 798 Ninth Avenue (@ 53rd Street).  We looked over their wonderful and diverse Brunch menu and both decided on a special that day.  It was a Belgian-style Waffle that was topped with Ice Cream, Cinnamon Whipped Cream and Berries.  … (6 comments)

The House I Grew Up In - 02/07/09 04:57 PM

Sometimes it takes some perspective to remind us of how important our profession is.  When it comes right down to it, what we do as REALTORS® is help our buyer clients find an environment that will become the backdrop of dreams and memories.
I recently returned to my hometown of Rockaway, New Jersey for the first time in many years.  Thanks to the prodding of childhood friends who found me on Facebook and insisted we have a small reunion, I found myself in Rockaway standing across the street from the house I grew up in.  As I stood there, the … (13 comments)

East Dallas Open House Tour - Sunday, February 8 - 02/06/09 10:49 PM

Many people shopping for a new home find the home of their dreams while attending an Open House.  Keller Williams Realty - Dallas City Center is making finding dream homes in East Dallas easier than ever this Sunday. 
This Sunday, from 2:00 to 4:00 P.M., you can visit over 25 properties and 5 multi-unit developments available for sale at KW-DCC's East Dallas Open House tour. 
This event will be a great opportunity to observe the balance and transition between the old and the new.  The properties on tour will feature the traditional architecture of East Dallas, as well as many of the new construction … (4 comments)

 
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Steve Shatsky - Dallas Real Estate & Short Sale Specialist (214)213-0340

Dallas, TX

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Prudential Texas Properties

Address: 8115 Preston Road, Suite 110, Dallas, TX, 75225

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