Linda Box Taylor's Blog

Great New Listing in McKinney, TX

2008-10-08T23:08:25Z

3512 Jackson Dr. McKinney, TX $172,000 Don't miss this beautiful home. The first thing you will notice about this home is the extensive landscaping in the front yard with flagstone patio and stone flower beds. As you enter, you will see the stunning wood floors in the entry, dining and family rooms. Custom paint featured throughout this light and bright home will make you feel right at home. This home has an open floorplan with arched doorways, crown molding and vaulted ceilings. The cozy breakfast nook and kitchen features smooth cooktop, tile backsplash and tile floor. Relax in your large master bedroom and bathroom with dual vanities, garden tub and separate shower. Step from the master on the covered back patio which is perfect for a dinner party or just relaxing at night. The oversized garage fits two cars comfortably and has plenty of space for storage and extra freezer. It is rare to find such a large garage in this price range house. Enjoy this wonderfully maintained home. Come and see it today! For additional pictures and virtual tour, visit http://www.lindaboxtaylor.com/listings_jackson.asp

Linda Box Taylor Virginia Cook, Realtors www.LindaBoxTaylor.com
5025 Park Blvd. #300, Plano TX 75093 Phone: 972-949-2170

Beautiful New Listing in West Frisco!

2008-09-15T16:06:18Z

1090 Colleton Ln.

Frisco, TX

$252,500

Enjoy this fabulous home in Meadow Creek of Frisco located on a large interior corner lot. This 1-1/2 story home features four bedrooms with a study and upstairs game room. Step inside to the tile entry which leads to the private study on your left and the dining room on your right. The light and bright kitchen opens to the family room and cozy breakfast nook. This wonderful kitchen is a chef's delight with granite countertops, a large island, 42-inch cabinets, under counter lighting and black appliances with gas cooktop and double oven. The master suite at the back of the home is spacious with vaulted ceiling and the master bath offers dual vanities, garden tub, separate shower and walk-in closet. Upstairs, you will find the bonus room over the garage, which is perfect for a play area or media room. The oversized garage has room for your tool cabinet and large vehicles. This well-built Ryland home was built in 2006 and still feels brand new. Don't miss this one!

For additional pictures & virtual tour, visit: http://www.lindaboxtaylor.com/listings_colleton.asp

Linda Box Taylor Virginia Cook, Realtors www.LindaBoxTaylor.com
5025 Park Blvd. #300 Plano TX 75093 Phone: 972-949-2170

State Fair of Texas and its list of crazy new fried food!

2008-08-29T15:25:22Z

The State Fair of Texas is coming very very soon with all the fried food you could want. If you have read my blog for very long, you know that I LOVE the State Fair. It is my favorite time of year. I like it better than Christmas. I know that is crazy, my husband reminds me every year.

The State Fair has announced its list of new fried food for 2008.

Fernie’s All-American Fried Grilled Cheese Sandwich. White bread sandwich with American and cheddar cheeses dipped in egg-and-milk batter, coated with bread crumbs, and fried.

Chicken Fried Bacon. Bacon with seasoning, battered, breaded, deep-fried, served with ranch or honey mustard sauce.

Fried Banana Split. Banana and honey peanut butter rolled in balls, battered, and deep-fried, topped with powdered sugar, caramel and chocolate syrups, peanuts, whipped cream, banana split-flavored ice cream bites, and cherry.

Texas Fried Jelly Bellys. Jelly Bellys rolled in funnel cake batter and fried. Deep Fried S’mores. Marshmallow and chocolate chips sandwiched between two graham crackers, dipped in batter, fried, and dusted in powdered sugar.

Fire & Ice. Pineapple ring, battered and deep-fried, topped with banana-flavored whipped cream that’s been frozen in liquid nitrogen so it smokes.

Fried Chocolate Truffles. Dark chocolate truffle rolled in cocoa powder, battered, deep-fried, dusted in cinnamon, sugar, and cocoa powder.

Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Waffle Balls. Strawberries in chocolate shell, dipped in waffle batter, deep-fried, custed with powdered sugar, served on a stick.

I think I'll give the Fire & Ice and Strawberry Waffle Balls a try this year. I really just want a Corny Dog and a chocolate and banana crepe to make me happy.

So, what do you think? Would you eat any of this food?

List of food provided by Pegasusnews.com

What is Rotary?

2008-08-29T15:13:55Z

So, have you ever wondered what Rotary is? As a member of Plano West Rotary, let me try and explain. I've only been a member for 4 years. I'm still a "newbie" in the club compared to some of our club members have been involved for 20, 30, 40 and even 50 years!! Amazing.

Rotary is the world's first service club organization with 33,000 clubs in over 200 countries. Members form a global network of service oriented leaders who volunteer their time and money to serve their local communities and worldwide. Our motto is, Service above Self.

Each club meets weekly and attendence is mandatory. If you miss a meeting, you are encouraged to make-up at another club or you can go online. As Program Chair for 2007-2008, it was my responsibility to find the speaker for each meeting. This was a challenge but a great job that allowed me to meet a variety of individuals throughout the Dallas area. The club is the cornerstone to Rotary and have 4 key responsibilites: 1) sustain or increase membership 2) participate in service projects that benefit our community and those in other countries 3) support the Rotary Foundation financially and through participation 4) develop leaders capable of serving in Rotary and beyond.

My club is very involved in the Plano Balloon Festival where we sell Funnell Cakes. It is a crowd favorite and we have lines up to 20-30 people. And all the money we raise go back into the community. The Plano Balloon Festival is next month and I can't wait. We also sell Texas Pecans each holiday season. The pecans are excellent and they pretty much sell themselves! Worldwide Rotary has been key is helping to eradicate polio. Now, Rotary has taken up the challenge of providing clean drinking water around the world. There are so many more projects and I've just begun to scratch the surface.

If Rotary sounds interesting to you, I encourage you to get involved. Our club would love to have you visit. Just contact me and I can get you started on a great journey.

Plano, TX is the center of the Gymnastics World - Congrats Nastia Liukin!

2008-08-15T00:17:29Z

Congratulations Nastia Liukin on the GOLD medal for the Women's All-Round in Gymnastics. I loved it!! America first and second - the first time in history that this has happened. NBC mentioned twice tonight that Natsia's gym in is my hometown of Plano, TX. Our city can't pay for better advertising than that!!

The 2004 All-Round Olympic Champion, Carly Patterson, also worked at the same gym in Plano. So, I think this means if you want to win gold, you need to move to Plano, TX.

AMAZING - Men's Olympic Swimming Relay

2008-08-10T23:51:06Z

I hope everyone was able to see the Men's Olympic 4 x 100m Swimming Relay. It was AMAZING. The commentators were saying it was the best relay race they had ever seen. It was incredible - I was jumping off the sofa, like an idiot. It is amazing what the Olympics will do to you.

The French were the favorites to win the race and had been talking smack that they were going to "crush the Americans". Well, that didn't happen. The Americans beat the French and crushed the world record by 4 seconds with a new World record time of 3:08.24.

Superstar, Michael Phelps, lead off the relay. Garrett Weber-Gale was second and Cullen Jones swam the 3rd leg. Lezak swam the final leg in 46.06 seconds - the fastest relay split in history! Lezak made up almost a body length to win.

They worked together well and all Americans should be proud of what they accomplished. It was great to see them on the podium to receive those gold medals.

GO USA!!!

Why I love Plano, TX

2008-08-10T17:44:13Z

I wanted to share with everyone why I love Plano and think it is a great place to live. I have really enjoyed living in Plano,TX for the past 8 years and can't imagine living in any other city locally.

1. Location - Plano is close to Dallas without having to deal directly with big city Dallas problems and politics. Plano is the southernmost city in Collin County so we get to enjoy the best of both worlds. To the south, I'm 25 minutes from downtown Dallas and to the north only 20 minutes to the county seat of Collin County in McKinney.

2. Great Schools - I don't have children but I appreciate an area that has good schools because it keeps my property values up. And when I do have children then I want to be in an area that I'm comfortable sending my kids to public school.

3. Superb City Services - This might sound silly but I love the services that Plano provides to its citizens. Plano picks up my recycling waste bi-weekly and we have big trash containers to hold all my paper and plastics. It makes it so easy to be "GREEN". I've been recycling for the last 8 years before being "green" was the thing to do. And they pick up yard clipping and landscape materials weekly to be recycled. When I call the city with questions about a bill or another issue, the phone is answered quickly by a live person and my problem is handled professionally.

4. Transportation - It is so easy to get around Plano. Most major interior roads running north/south and west/east in Plano are 6 lanes divided roads. No 2 lane FM roads like our neighbors to the north. And 4 major highways, George Bush Turnpike, Dallas Tollway, Central(75) and SH 121, all have access into Plano. Also, we are the only city in Collin County that is serviced by the DART bus lines and DART Light Rail.

5. Shopping - Grocery stores are on almost every corner. I'm spoiled to live less than 2 miles from Central Market! All the retail, restaurant and fast food you can think of is in Plano. We have 2 major malls to serve its residents. I don't have to leave the city to get everything I need. And with current gas prices this is a major plus!

6. Mature Trees - Because Plano started to be developed in the 70's, several neighborhoods have large mature trees. I love a neighborhood that has good shade trees.

7. Downtown Plano - The city of Plano has been trying to revitalize our downtown for a long time but I think in the last 2 years there has been real progress. The establishment of the DART rail stop in Plano has been invaluable. And more retail and restaurants are opening and staying open.

8. Great Parks & Recreation - You can enjoy 3,600 acres of park land in Plano with 30 miles of recreation trails including six recreation centers, three golf courses, 81 public tennis courts, 5 public swimming pools, 93 soccer/football fields and 61 baseball/softball fields.

9. Great House Market - Price values are very stable because of all the reasons I've listed above. It is a great city to be a real estate agent!

If you are interested in learning more about Plano as your next city, give me a call today at 214-532-3823.

Great Garland Home with Backyard Paradise!

2008-08-08T11:22:41Z

5622 Vinewood Dr., Garland

$169,900

Enjoy this charming four bedroom home in the La Prada neighborhood of Garland. The original owners have updated and kept this 1,935 square foot home well maintained over the years. Step inside to the family room with tile floor, built-in bookcase and a fireplace with gas logs. The updated kitchen features granite countertops, custom backsplash, tile floor, smooth cooktop and convection oven. The spacious master retreat has a large master bath with dual vanities, garden tub and separate shower. And for easy access to your relaxing backyard, the master has a door leading you straight outside onto the covered slate back patio.You won't want to leave this backyard paradise with play pool, tropical landscaping and cabana that were added in 2004. This play pool features a waterfall waterjets and saltwater chlorine generation system. The cabana provides an extra 450 square feet of living space not included in the square footage of this home. The cabana would be perfect for a gameroom or a separate office space. Even with all this, there is still a grassy yard and a storage building on this extra large lot. Home has easy access to 635 and I-30 plus it is close to Audubon Park with its recreation center, softball complex, swim & surf wave pool and disc golf. Make this your home today!

Click here for additional pictures: http://www.lindaboxtaylor.com/listings_vinewood.asp

Not all buyer's agents are the same!

2008-07-19T21:02:19Z

As an agent, I can only become your buyer's agent by entering into a written agreement to represent you. It is important to work with one person that you feel comfortable with and you believe is working in your best interests.

As your buyer's agent, I will pledge to provide with the following services:

1. Property Previews - Based on your own search criteria and needs, I will run an MLS report and preview properties to help in the evaluation process. I will review property online and in person to help you make a decision in the quickest way possible.

2. Automatic Search - I’ll set-up an automatic MLS search that notifies me immediately when new properties are listed that match your criteria. This way you won’t miss any new properties on that come on the market.

3. Home Showings - I belong to the multiple listing service (MLS) which means that I can show you almost any house with a real estate sign in front.

4. Timely Response - Return your calls and emails within 2 hours and provide you with weekly updates on your property search.

5. Home Evaluation - Discuss positive and negative features of a property that may affect its value.

6. Scientific Market Analysis – Once you find a home that you are serious about making an offer on, I will run a scientific market analysis for that property. This report will show comparable homes that have sold in the neighborhood within the last 6 months so we can make a competitive offer.

7. Contract Guidance - Including review of written seller's disclosures and explanation of all contracts and addendums to be used on your purchase.

8. Transaction Assistance - I will help you with your negotiation strategy, offer presentation, home inspection remedies and monitor your sale to closing.

It is my goal to help you find the right home for you to purchase and to make the home buying process as smooth as possible. Call me today at 214-532-3823 to start looking for your new home today!

Independence Day with 2 American Heros

2008-07-14T21:26:18Z

I'm a little late posting this but I just got the picture. The Collin County Association of Realtors in Plano, TX had a Freedom Breakfast at their office on July 1 for all their members. The idea was to celebrate our country and recognize our members who have or are currently serving our great country.

The guest speaker was U.S. Congressman and former POW, Sam Johnson. Scott O'Grady was also in attendence and gave the invocation. You should remember this national story in 1995 when air force pilot, Scott O'Grady was was shot down behind enemy lines in Bosnia and survived for six days until the US could rescue him. His story was the inspiration for the movie, Behind Enemy Lines. Since I'm the Gov't Affairs Chair for the Association, I was lucky enought to sit next to Scott during the breakfast and he is a quiet and gentle man.

Sam Johnson shared some of his story regarding the 7 years in captivity he spent during the Vietnam War. Sam Johnson was an air force pilot shot down in 1966 in North Vietnam. He shared with us some of the inhumane and cruel treatment that the prisoners received which no individual should have to endure. He thought he was going to die several times during his inprisionment. He said that he survived because of his faith in God, his fellow POW comrades and his hope to return home. He was in the same POW camp as current presidential hopeful, John McCain. The prisoners had nothing to do to keep their minds busy so to pass the time they became "experts" at killing flies. He spoke for 20 minutes and he just scratched the surface on his story but he has written a book, called Captive Warrior, which I intend to read now.

At the end of the meeting, Scott and Sam brought their autographed books to sell as a TREPAC fundraiser. The books were gone in 60 seconds. We had to take orders for an additional 50 books! It was a wonderful morning and I felt so proud to be an American. I was honored that our association was able to get these two great individuals to attend our meeting.

My Aggie Profile

2008-07-11T22:11:08Z

I'm excited that the Aggie Activerain Group now has 35 members. We are growing and I encourage members to invite any Aggies or Aggie fans they may know. I recently went through the ActiveRain profiles and invited people who mentioned A&M in their profile.

One of our newest members, Michael Fitzgerald, wrote a blog telling the group a little about himself and his company and that got me thinking. Since we are getting to be a larger group, I wanted to learn a little bit about everyone. When did you graduate, where do you work and live now? I guess a "meme" for Aggies. This is a great group to network with Aggies across the country and further our Aggie connection.

So, here are some questions to get everyone started. I hope to see everyones blog posts soon!

What year did you graduate? Class of 1997 (Whoop!) I graduated Cum Laude with a BBA in Marketing.

Why did you attend A&M? This is easy, it is the best university in the country! My brother played football for the Aggies from 1980 - 1984 so I went to A&M every weekend for 5 years from the age of 6-10. So, in my mind there was no other college.

What is your best memory from college? Attending Bonfire each year is my favorite memory from college. My friends and I went to the site one night around 2am and just watched them work. It was such a cool experience. It makes me sad to think that current students don't get to experience Bonfire the same way anymore. It was just a unifying and bonding experience for the student body.

What do you do now and where do you work? I currently live and work as a Realtor in Plano (suburb north of Dallas). I grew up in Dallas but moved to Plano 8 years ago when I got married(to an Aggie). I work for the 2nd largest independent real estate broker in the Dallas area called Virginia Cook, Realtors. I got my real estate license at the beginning of 2004 and have been enjoying it ever since. Since I've lived in the metroplex my whole life, I'm comfortable helping clients throughout the area. But I mainly focus on North Dallas, Richardson, Plano, Frisco, Allen, McKinney, Farmers Branch, Carrollton, Murphy and Little Elm.

Are there any other interesting facts you want to share with the group? I love the Aggies(obviously) and the Dallas Cowboys. I don't get down to A&M during football season like I want to because I seem to always be working on the weekends but I watch them on TV. My family has Cowboy season tickets and I don't miss any of those games! We have already gotten our tickets for the new stadium.

I don't have any kids, just 2 big dogs, Champ & Zoe. These are my babies!

I am very involved in my community and my local Realtor group. I'm the current Government Affairs Chair for the the Collin County Association of Realtors. I am a member of the Junior League of Plano and I head their Public Affairs committee. Also, I am a member of the Plano West Rotary. So, as you can tell I am very busy with my job and all my volunteer organizations but I wouldn't have it any other way!

Collin County - One of the Best Places to Live in the U.S.

2008-07-06T21:04:13Z

Forbes Magazine ranked Collin County as the 14th best place in the United States to raise a family.

Here is Forbes analysis of Collin County: "Home to the burgeoning northern suburbs of Dallas, Collin County is a great value play for families. An affordable median house price of $191,000 means access to a school system that boasts a 1,103 average SAT score and a graduation rate of 93%. One caveat: a sub-par crime rate of 34.7 index crimes per 1,000 people."

Collin County is one of the fastest growing counties in the United States which includes the cities of Plano(the largest), Frisco, McKinney, Allen, Wylie, Prosper and Celina and several more smaller growing cities. I'm not sure about their statistic on crime because I know Plano was recently ranked the safest city in North Texas and the 3th safest city in Texas. I feel very safe in Plano and all the surrounding cities in Collin County.

Collin County does have a lot to offer its residents including affordable housing, great schools and wonderful family activities.

Plano is the headquarters for dozens of large corporations so you can work and live close. And when you aren't working you can enjoy the 3,600 acres of park land in Plano including six recreation centers and three golf courses.

Frisco offers great family activities including the minor league baseball team, Frisco Roughriders and soccer club, FC Dallas at Pizza Hut Park.

Allen is one of the smallest city of the Big 4 but it has great newer neighborhoods including a 27-hole public golf course, a large fitness and aquatic center, a recreation center and extreme sports park.

McKinney, one of the fastest growing city in the US, is the county seat of Collin County where you can enjoy their historic downtown square.McKinney has great family activies including the Ballfields at Craig Ranch, a 14-field, 75-acre baseball, softball and physical-training complex. The McKinney Soccer Complex at Craig Ranch is located next to the Ballfields and features 13 tournament-ready soccer fields.

Congratulations Collin County! It is great to work and live here. If you are interested in buying or selling this wonderful county, please contact me at 214-532-3823.

Junior League of Plano - Potential Member Meeting

2008-07-06T18:00:47Z

Here is your last chance to become a member of the Junior League of Plano(JLP) for 2008.

You are invited to a potential member meeting on July 17, at 7 p.m. at the League Office in Plano at 5805 Coit Rd. in Plano. I have enjoyed my involvement over the last 4 years and I encourage other women that are interested to attend this informational session. If you read my blogs, you know I am always promoting our events.

JLP membership currently has more than 900 women from cities in Collin County, including Plano, Allen, Frisco and McKinney who are committed to improving family life in Collin County. The Junior League of Plano members have raised more than $2.5 million, implemented more than 200 community service projects and worked more than 100,000 volunteer hours in Collin County since the League was started.

As a JLP member, I am proud of what our organization has done to help this community. I enjoy volunteering and meeting some wonderful friends along the way. So, I hope you will attend this meeting and learn more about our group. You don't have to know anyone to become a member, just attend an orientation and learn what we are about.

For more information, feel free to contact me or visit the website at www.JLPlano.org

Plano....#1 Again

2008-07-01T11:47:59Z

Salary.com has ranked Plano, TX as the #1 city in the United States to build personal wealth. As a resident and Realtor in Plano, I can wholeheartedly agree with this ranking.

Salary.com looked at the following factors: "Local salaries, cost of living, and unemployment relative to the national average. This year's list also factored in qualitative measures including diversity of industry, education level of the cities' population, proximity to post secondary institutions, percent of population below poverty level, and median travel time to work."

Plano has a highly educated work force - 60% of residents have a college degree or higher and 97.3% of our population has a high school degree. We have headquarters or regional office for many Fortune 500 companies including: EDS, JCPenney, Dr. Pepper, Countrywide, Perot Systems, Frito-Lay and hundreds more so you can work and live in Plano. Our city has a wonderful public school system and access to local colleges in the area like University of Texas - Dallas, SMU and University of North Texas.

Call me today if you have ever thought of making Plano, TX your home. It's #1 for many reasons!

Click here for the full article from Salary.com

McKinney Home Sales - May 2008

2008-06-30T14:43:45Z

Below is the current market information and sales for McKinney, TX in May 2008. Contact me if you are interested to know how this data affects your next home sale or purchase.

May 2008		.	May 2007
Sold Volume	$44,235,960.00	.	Sold Volume	$59,986,076
# of Sales	212		# of Sales	266
Avg. Price	$208,660.00		Avg. Price	$225,173
New Listings	407		New Listings	459


Average Days on the Market - May 2008

0 - $100K	.	80
$101K - $150K		55
$151K - $200K		103
$201K - 300K		98
$301K - $500K		85
$501K - $750K		284
$751K +		None


Sale Price as a Percentage of List Price

0 - $100K		95.1%
$101K - $150K		99.1%
$151K - $200K		97.8%
$201K - 300K		95.8%
$301K - $500K		97.4%
$501K - $750K		95.8%
$751K +		None


Percent of Sales by Price Range

0 - $100K		5.2%
$101K - $150K		23.6%
$151K - $200K		30.2%
$201K - 300K		26.4%
$301K - $500K		13.2%
$501K - $750K		1.4%
$751K +		None

*All infomation obtained from NTREIS and Chicago Title

Allen Home Sales - May 2008

2008-06-30T14:36:23Z

Below are the current market information and sales for Allen, TX in May 2008. Sales are down significantly in Allen in May 2008 versus the same time last year but the average sales price is up. The increase in sales price is due to the new neighborhoods that are developing on the west side of Allen including Star Creek, Waterford Park and Twin Creeks. Most of these neighborhoods start at $300K and up.

Contact me if you are interested to know how this sales data affects your next home sale or purchase.

May 2008		.	May 2007
Sold Volume	$33,082,914.00	.	Sold Volume	$44,731,520
# of Sales	130		# of Sales	192
Avg. Price	$254,483.00		Avg. Price	$232,976
New Listings	190		New Listings	255


Average Days on the Market - May 2008

0 - $100K	.	105
$101K - $150K		79
$151K - $200K		68
$201K - 300K		64
$301K - $500K		126
$501K - $750K		110
$751K +		146


Sale Price as a Percentage of List Price

0 - $100K		92.4%
$101K - $150K		98.7%
$151K - $200K		99.0%
$201K - 300K		97.7%
$301K - $500K		95.9%
$501K - $750K		97.4%
$751K +		95.4%


Percent of Sales by Price Range

0 - $100K		3.8%
$101K - $150K		23.8%
$151K - $200K		23.8%
$201K - 300K		25.4%
$301K - $500K		13.8%
$501K - $750K		6.9%
$751K +		2.3%

Frisco Home Sales - May 2008

2008-06-30T14:29:06Z

Below is the current market information and sales for Frisco, TX in May 2008. This report includes all sales reported to our MLS. It does not include all the builder sales in Frisco (builders do not list all available homes in MLS). Sales are down this month versus last year but the City of Frisco sees this as a good thing so the city can catch up. Frisco has been experiencing tremendous growth for the last few years and the slow down in the market is allowing the city to catch up on road work and other city services.

Contact me if you are interested to know how this affects your next home sale or purchase.


May 2008		.	May 2007
Sold Volume	$73,542,592.00	.	Sold Volume	$74,332,416
# of Sales	237		# of Sales	259
Avg. Price	$310,306.00		Avg. Price	$286,997
New Listings	516		New Listings	656


Average Days on the Market - May 2008

0 - $100K	.	None
$101K - $150K		61
$151K - $200K		88
$201K - 300K		94
$301K - $500K		163
$501K - $750K		203
$751K +		259


Sale Price as a Percentage of List Price

0 - $100K		None
$101K - $150K		99.0%
$151K - $200K		98.5%
$201K - 300K		97.4%
$301K - $500K		96.3%
$501K - $750K		97.4%
$751K +		94.5%


Percent of Sales by Price Range

0 - $100K		None
$101K - $150K		5.9%
$151K - $200K		24.5%
$201K - 300K		38.0%
$301K - $500K		21.1%
$501K - $750K		7.2%
$751K +		3.4%

Aggies and the Olympics

2008-06-30T14:10:26Z

The Olympic Trails have just begun and Aggies are everywhere.

For the Jamicans, Texas A&M freshman Julian Reid won the triple jump with a mark of 52 feet, 4 inches and will be representing Jamaica in China.

Muna Lee won the Women's 100 Meters. She is not an Aggie but an Asst. volunteer Chair for A&M Track & Field squad. She joined the A&M family last fall.

Also, on Saturday in Eugene, Aggie senior Jessica Wingfield placed 21st in the javelin.

Qualifying in the men’s 400 hurdles was Aggie senior Nick Robinson finishing sixth in a loaded quarterfinal race with a time of 50.45.

19 Aggies(Future, Current and Former) have qualified for the Olympic Trails in swimming!

We have only had one weekend of Trails so I've sure there will be more Aggies making the team. Stay tuned!

Plano Home Sales - May 2008

2008-06-20T22:39:04Z

Below are the current market information and sales for Plano, TX in May 2008. Contact me if you are interested to know how this affects your next home sale or purchase.

May 2008		.	May 2007
Sold Volume	$78,158,448.00	.	Sold Volume	$112,950,560
# of Sales	303		# of Sales	421
Avg. Price	$257,948.00		Avg. Price	$268,291
New Listings	608		New Listings	880

Average Days on the Market - May 2008

0 - $100K	.	57
$101K - $150K		62
$151K - $200K		62
$201K - 300K		91
$301K - $500K		72
$501K - $750K		124
$751K +		143


Sale Price as a Percentage of List Price

0 - $100K		97.9%
$101K - $150K		98.4%
$151K - $200K		97.9%
$201K - 300K		97.4%
$301K - $500K		97.4%
$501K - $750K		97.3%
$751K +		95.1%


Percent of Sales by Price Range

0 - $100K		1.7%
$101K - $150K		14.2%
$151K - $200K		31.4%
$201K - 300K		24.1%
$301K - $500K		21.8%
$501K - $750K		5.6%
$751K +		1.3%

Virtual Tour Inside the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium

2008-06-20T14:36:24Z

I got an email recently from the Dallas Cowboys with a link to a virtual tour inside the new Dallas Cowboys stadium and I thought I'd share it here on ActiveRain. My post on the new Cowboys stadium, back in November, has gotten the most hits from any blog I've ever written(7800 views so far). That tells you people in Texas love football and their Dallas Cowboys. So I thought everyone might be interested in this link. It was created for season ticket holders so we could get a feel for the angle and views from our new seats. Since the stadium won't be finished until next year, we won't be able to get inside a long time. This virtual tour is the best we have got for now.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/newStadium_Interactive.cfm

Our family has purchased seats in Section 232, Row 2 on the Visitors Side. It is a pretty good view and angle of the game. It is the premier deck in the stadium to sit. It looks like we will be on the 10 yard line. That will be an adjustment since our current seats are on the 25 yard line. But to stay on the 25 yard line in the new stadium would have cost us an additional $76,000 in seat licenses so we decided it wasn't worth it.

Training camp is just around the corner. I can't wait! Go Cowboys!

Easiest Deal I've Ever Closed!

2008-06-05T18:26:59Z

I had the smoothest and easiest closing I've done in my 5 years as a Realtor. I didn't want to blog about it until it closed because I didn't want to jinx it. I just wanted to share this great experience because the easy ones are some times far and few between.

I started helping a young couple last summer who were about to get married. We looked at 6 houses and they liked one and we wrote an offer. We didn't the house and they decided to wait until next summer. They wanted to save more money and the guy was about to start his first job out of college. Okay, so we'll stay in touch.

Flash forward 9 months to April 2008. I had stayed in touch with this couple and the wife called to tell me they were excited to start looking for a house and they would start after tax/audit season (they are both CPAs) at the end of May/June. Great!

Well, less than one week later, they call me and tell me they have found the perfect home and they want to write an offer. They were driving around in Plano and found an Open House and went in. The wife fell in love!! Well, because of our communications over the last 9 months, they wanted me to represent them. I told her that I wanted to go back to the house with them without the listing agent present and see the house for myself and walk them throught it. It was a great little house, just sold the same floorplan last year. Let's make an offer.

So, we go back to the office and wrote the offer on a Wednesday night and by Thursday morning at 9am we have a deal and we got the price we wanted!! This is going smooth but I remind myself don't celebrate yet, there is still the inspection. So, inspection happens 2 days later on Saturday. The house is in great shape for a house only 17 years old. Buyer doesn't need to ask for repairs, there is nothing wrong. The house was owned by a single lady with no kids or pets so it was gently lived in and well maintained. I'm really starting to think this deal is blessed.

Lender is great. We get financing approval within 20 days. Paperwork arrived at the title company early! Buyers signed this morning and they are moving in right now!! I'm so happy for my clients and it is nice to have an easy deal. It makes up for the clients that are difficult or you have to show 40+ homes over several months before they find the one.

I wish all deals could be so easy. A Realtor can dream!

Aggie Softball in the College World Series Final

2008-06-01T22:50:59Z

The Texas A&M softball team has made it into the College World Series Final!!! It was an exciting and long day for the Aggies. As most of you know, I am a huge Aggie fan. I had a birthday party at my house this evening and I had the game on(but muted) the whole time.

A&M played a game at noon against first seeded Florida and lost 6-1 so they had to play again on Sunday evening in the deciding game. Again, it was another pitchers dual. 0-0 at the end of 7 innings. It was a nail biter for me. Finally, in the 9th inning, Aggie freshman Kelsey Spittler, tripled down the line into the right-field corner to score Macie Morrow from first base. In the bottom of the ninth, the Gators had the tying run on 3rd but popped the ball out. The Aggies escaped a close game and advanced to the finals of the Women's College World Series with a 1-0 victory. It is the first appearance for the Aggies since 1987.

Texas A&M will face Arizona State in the best-of-three championship round that starts Monday at 7pm Central. I hope you will help me cheer on my team. GO AGGIES!

Prices are Up in Dallas

2008-05-23T22:12:47Z

You wouldn't know it based on what the local media reports but local prices are UP compared to last year. The Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight is reporting that Dallas/Fort Worth prices in the first quarter were up versus the same time last year (up 3.76% in Dallas and 2.59% in Fort Worth). This contrasts with a 3.1% nationwide price decline over the same period.

The local newspaper and TV stations always report national numbers but real estate in local. You can't quote numbers for the entire nation and apply it to Dallas.

Dallas' economy is solid and our area is still adding jobs. This is helping our area maintain our prices. DFW is a great place to be. If you are interested in buying or selling in the metroplex, call me today at 214-532-3823.

Have you voted yet???

2008-05-08T12:58:58Z

Have you voted yet? City elections are this Saturday, May 10 - this includes city council races, school board races and some bond elections. I early voted last week but not that many people did. So, if you are one of those that didn't early vote, please go to the polls this Saturday.

Your polling locations in Collin County, can be found here: http://www.co.collin.tx.us/elections/election_information/index.jsp

It is so important to remember to vote. Your vote is so important in these local elections. I just don't understand why more people don't vote, especially in local elections. And don't anyone comment and say "voter apathy". As Realtors or anyone for that matter, our local officials do things on a daily basis that affect our cities and quality of life that is important to every resident. These local elections are where your vote counts the most - sometimes these races are determined by just a handful of votes. A race for one of the county commissioners in Collin County was decided by only 30 votes!! These candidates live and work in our neighborhoods. There are lots of opportunities to meet these candidates so they can get to know you by name. Sorry - I'll get off my soapbox now.

If you live in Collin County, here are the endorsements from our association.

Plano City Council Candidates
Pat Miner, Place 1
Loretta Ellerbe, Place 3
Harry LaRosiliere, Place 5
Jean Callison, Place 7

Frisco City Council Candidates
Maher Maso, Mayor
Bart Crowder, Place 5
Scott Johnson, Place 6

Allen City Council Candidates
Steve Terrell, Mayor
Ross Obermeyer, Place 2
Joey Herald, Place 3 (REALTOR)

McKinney City Council Candidates
Geralyn Kever – Place 2
Ray Ricchi, Place 4
Sherry Tucker David, At-Large Member

New Listing in East Plano - Timber Brook West

2008-04-23T14:14:28Z

2804 Gulf Breeze Ct., Plano

$255,000

This home will impress from the moment you step into the two-story entry with beautiful real wood floors. Feel the warmth in the dining and living rooms with the wood floors, faux painted walls, crown moulding, custom draperies and multiple windows for light. The wood floors are extended throughout the downstairs into the family room and private study with french doors. The light and bright kitchen opens to the family room and cozy breakfast nook. Enjoying cooking in this kitchen with gas cooktop, corian counters, tiled backsplash and 42" cabinets for great storage. The large master suite has private bath with tiled floor, garden tub, seperate shower, dual vanities and large walk-in closet. Upstairs has three wonderful bedrooms, full bath and large gameroom. A beautifully landscaped backyard awaits as you step outside onto the large stamped concrete patio - perfect for outdoor dining or just relaxing. Home has been well maintained and is move-in ready. Make this spectacular home in Timber Brook West yours today!

Visit www.LindaBoxTaylor.com for more pictures and virtual tour.

Linda Box Taylor Virginia Cook, Realtors www.LindaBoxTaylor.com
5025 Park Blvd. #300 Plano TX 75093 Phone: 972-949-2170