Addison's WaterTower Theater - 11/29/09 11:09 PM
One of the great advantages to living in Addison, Texas is the proximity to its growing arts and entertainment district, the anchor of which is The WaterTower Theater.
The WaterTower Theatre dates back to 1996. Today, in its 12th Season, the WaterTower has over 2000 subscribers and a budget of $1.1 million.  Perhaps more importantly, it consistently earns rave reviews in local publications and the WaterTower productions regularly are regional theater award winners.
This season's productions began last month with Grey Gardens: The Musical.  The remaining shows for the season include:
Forever Plaid: Plaid Tidings  -  December 3 - December 23, … (6 comments)

Lien On Me! - 11/29/09 09:36 PM
I had a new Short Sale experience this week.  A prospective short sale client asked me about how the second lien on their property would be handled as part of the transaction.  I, making an assumption, asked if both liens were with the same mortgage company.  The seller responded that they were not, the second lien was held by his mother who had loaned the sellers money for repairs to the home and had filed a lien on the property with the county.
I'm not caught off guard often, but that was a new scenario for me.  I said, let me check with … (6 comments)

Not so SPEECHLESS SUNDAY: Life Just Outside Your Window! - 11/29/09 09:12 PM
It's amazing sometimes the exiting things that a view from 16 stories up can bring.
As I sat here this evening I heard loud thunder and walked to my balcony to investigate.  The view of Turtle Creek from my balcony this afternoon looked like this:

But tonight was the annual Light up Lee Park celebration.  I blogged about it last year [Light Up Lee Park] but this year it has been a cold, rainy and damp day, so I assumed the outdoor celebration had been canceled.  Well, I was wrong because here's what I saw when I pulled open the … (13 comments)

The Condo and the Misperception: A Cautionary Story - 11/22/09 11:02 PM
I recently received an uncomfortable phone call from a condo owner.  He was contacting me about a special assessment that had been announced by his HOA.  The property needed some long overdue repairs and updating and the HOA voted to assess each unit owner to cover those expenses.
The condo owner who called me was in a panic.  He had lost his job and luckily found another making less money, but could not afford the assessment.  When he had purchased his condo two years ago he had been told by his REALTOR® that if he paid his monthly HOA charges that … (4 comments)

Maxim's Restaurant: A Dim Sum Delight! - 11/22/09 09:30 PM
When my cousins Abby and Jason lived here in Dallas, our weekend tradition was a Sunday morning visit to Maxim's Restaurant for Dim Sum and conversation.  Abby and Jason moved to New Hampshire in 2006, so my visits with them to Maxim's are less frequent, but I can always count on two things... my cousins will find their way back to Texas for the holidays and the Dim Sum at Maxims will always be just as good as the last time we were there together.
For those unfamiliar with Dim Sum, it is a style of Chinese cuisine that features smaller … (3 comments)

Dinner and a Movie: The Price of Dating - 11/22/09 06:25 PM
While doing some research on Google this weekend an odd search result caught my eye and my curiosity got the best of me.  Being single may have had something to do with it.
Match.com, the online dating site, has compiled a list of the most affordable cities for dating.  The cost of a date was calculated as a casual dinner and two movie tickets.  I am hoping a casual dinner included a beer or glass of wine at least!
The ranking (from most to least affordable) is:1. Pittsburgh 2. Detroit3. Sacramento4. Phoenix5. Indianapolis6. St. Louis7. Tampa - St. Petersburg8. Orlando - … (8 comments)

Sorry, But No, Not Everyone Should Qualify for a Loan Modification - 11/22/09 05:11 PM
I have to wonder what some people are thinking when they call me about a short sale.  With increasing regularity the phone conversations are beginning with a story about how their mortgage company after an exhaustive number of calls and requests has flat out denied their request for a loan modification that would prevent them from having to move out of their home.
This doesn't seem so difficult to believe on the surface, but when I move on to my short sale interview with them I am consistently left wondering what ever made them think that a loan modification was a … (3 comments)

Friday Night Pizzas - New at Eatzi's! - 11/22/09 12:58 AM
In the past I have blogged about how much I enjoy the food (and convenience) of Eatzi's.  In my blog from March of this year [My Salad (and other food) Days at Eatzi's] I talked about how great their fresh salads are.  Well the folks at Eatzi's are no fools, they know if they tempt you with something sinful before you get to the salad station at the rear of the store they can probably entice me.  And that's exactly what they have done.
On Friday evenings only, between 4:00 and 9:00 Eatzi's is now offering 4 Hot prepared Pizzas ready … (7 comments)

Holiday in the Park at Six Flags: A North Texas Tradition - 11/15/09 11:09 PM
Beginning in less than 2 weeks, Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington will be transformed into a Winter Wonderland as North Texas transitions from Thanksgiving to the Winter Holiday season.

Holiday in the Park will run from November 27, 2009 through January 3, 2010 and, in addition to the parks usual rides and family fun, features special holiday themed shows, carolers, a snow hill for sledding and special holiday decorations featuring over one million holiday lights.
Be sure not to miss what has become, for many families, a holiday season tradition filled with fun and photo album memories.  Tickets cost … (3 comments)

Forbearance... A Forgotten Option? - 11/15/09 09:52 PM
In a world where terms like Short Sale, Loan Modification, Workout Solutions and Foreclosure are becoming better known to many American who wish they didn't need to know them, one word seems to avoid many homeowners' radar screens: Forbearance.
For those unfamiliar, Forbearance is great option for many homeowners who have experienced a significant change in income level because Forbearance postpones mortgage payments for a period of time.  Homeowners who have lost their jobs can arrange for a Forbearance agreement with their mortgage company which basically allows them, for a fixed period of perhaps three to six months, to either suspend paying their mortgage or … (3 comments)

Dallas - Where Do You Call When You Don't Know Who to Call? - 11/15/09 05:46 PM
We all know about calling 9-1-1 for emergency services, and 4-1-1 for directory assistance.  Many people also know that dialing 3-1-1 will connect you with city services, but what about 2-1-1?  Who answers when you dial that number?  The answer is that it is a service of the Texas Health and Human Service Commission and provides free information to Texans on a wide variety of topics including paying their mortgage, rent or utilities, registering for food stamps, locating food pantries, shelter services, or accessing clothing, counseling child care, senior services, disaster relief and other programs.

Like I mentioned in my … (5 comments)

Not So SPEECHLESS SUNDAY: Are You Dense? - 11/15/09 02:03 PM
Now, I know there are dense people in the world, but this post is about landscaping.  While I know the importance of curb appeal, it seems that with many buyers, clean, tidy and inviting just doesn't cut it anymore.
Based on some recent experience, I am a believer... density grabs attention.  It's a tale of two listings.  One has very lush and dense landscaping (vine covered walls and dense clusters of seasonal color that just pop).  Every comment I get, whether it is from after showing feedback e-mails, sign calls, or calls from consumers who see the property online, mentions how … (5 comments)

Are You Ready for a Short Sale Throwdown? - 11/08/09 10:52 PM
I love food... and Sunday nights there is nothing I enjoy more than watching the Iron Chef on the Food Network... but this post is inspired by the show which follows Iron Chef, Throwdown with Bobby Flay.


I like to consider myself the Bobby Flay of Dallas Short Sales.  I still can remember almost 6 years ago when I listed my first Short Sale how hard it was to find anyone in my market who had ever heard of a Short Sale, let alone had worked a Short Sale deal themselves.  Even today, Short Sales seem to be less … (7 comments)

When is a Short Sale NOT a Short Sale? - 11/08/09 08:52 PM
Ah... the ultimate Real Estate riddle... well perhaps not, but it's still an interesting question to ponder!
The answer is, in a nutshell, when someone wants a house badly enough that they are willing to pay a purchase price above what is being asked on a Short Sale listing so that the seller is no longer "shorting" their mortgage.
I never would have believed it in this competitive market, but this recently happened to me.  An agent contacted me on one of my listings, had a client who wanted the house, didn't want to go through the process of a short sale to save … (5 comments)

The Trains at Northpark: All Aboard A Dallas Holiday Tradition - 11/08/09 05:46 PM
I was just in Northpark Center this week and it occurred to me that it is nearly time for an annual Dallas Event... The Trains at NorthPark.

For 22 years, children and adults have taken a break from their holiday shopping at NorthPark to enjoy the over 35 "O" Gauge trains and the amazingly realistic scenery created for the display.  What many people do not realize is that the Trains display is a fundraiser for the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas.  The model trains in the exhibit will travel across America from the Golden Gate Bridge to New York's Times … (4 comments)

Not So Speechless Sunday: Sometimes You're the Windshield and Sometimes You're the Bug! - 11/08/09 01:13 PM
Have you ever looked up from what you were doing to be startled by what's in front of you?  Sometimes it's a person who has sideled up to you while you were distracted.  Sometimes it a bug on the window directly in front of you... you get the idea, right?

I think that there are many home buyers and sellers out there who are experiencing the startling effect of market changes relative to their real estate transactions.  Homeowners who have been in their home for years and, while they are aware of the economy and what's been reported on the … (4 comments)

Gentle Creek Estates, Prosper, TX - Short Sale Opportunity, 1541 Winding Creek Road, Prosper 75078 - 11/07/09 05:15 PM
SOLD

… (11 comments)

Rowlett Short Sale Opportunity: 2605 Brookside Drive, Rowlett 75088 - 11/03/09 09:51 PM
No longer available. Contact us about other properties.

… (5 comments)

Dallas' Katy Trail: The Road to a Healthier and More Active Dallas - 11/01/09 10:59 PM

Dallas's Katy Trail is the starting point in Dallas' plan to develop a network of urban trails to connect the city for pedestrians, bicyclists, and lovers of the outdoors.  The history of the Katy Trail began in 1997, when community members and city leaders jointly came together in order to repurpose the land along which the former Missouri-Kansas-Texas (MKT or "Katy") Railroad traveled through Dallas.
Today, the Katy Trail is a 3.5 mile long urban trail extending from the American Airlines Center northward to Airline Drive not far from SMU.  The plans are that, when completed, the trail will extend … (5 comments)

Not so SPEECHLESS SUNDAY: College Football and The Diversity of Dallas - 11/01/09 10:14 PM
One of my favorite things about Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex is the diversity of our city.  There are all sorts of dichotomies that exist here... there is casual Dallas (Deep Ellum) and dress-up Dallas (Highland Park).  There is Billy Bob's Texas (The World's Biggest Honky Tonk) and Dallas's new AT&T Performing Arts Center.  There is Arlington with attractions like Six Flags Over Texas, as well as the Ranger's Ballpark and the new Cowboy's Stadium contrasting with attractions like Dallas' Nasher Sculpture Center and Fort Worth's Kimbell Art Museum.
After the recent Red River Rivalry between the University of Texas and Oklahoma, the … (5 comments)

Not So SPEECHLESS SUNDAY: It Takes a Bit Longer to get to Texas! - 11/01/09 08:02 PM
Autumn, that is.
Each year around mid-September I get jealous as all the Bloggers and ActiveRainer members in the northern states and Canada post their pictures of beautiful autumn foliage.  We do get a bit of it here in Texas, albeit not as vibrant or plentiful as in places like Vermont or New Hampshire, and living in a more urban setting, the signs of it for me are a bit more sparse.  It's here though, it just beings to show up a bit later... like around now.

By the end of this month we can even have an occasional dusting of … (9 comments)

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

Dallas, TX

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