dallas homes: National Night Out - 07/28/06 06:28 AM
I just wanted to remind everyone about National Night Out on August 1.  It's coming up pretty quick.  This is a great way to meet your neighbors and create new friendships.  I've only been in my neighborhood for about 10 months, so I'm definitely looking forward to meeting new people.
I really want to make friends with my neighbors across the street as they're putting in a new pool!  We've passed pleasantries with a wave and smile, but not real talking.  Also, listings are popping up right and left around me, and my name is not on any of those signs.
If we … (0 comments)

dallas homes: First A/C'd Mall in the South Demolished - 07/26/06 02:17 AM
Big Town Mall in Mesquite started demolision, but it was just a procedure as the mall has been dead for years.  Me? I say, "Where the heck is Big Town?  I've never heard of it!"  I've been here for 22 years and never heard of Big Town Mall.
It was the first in the Southwest to be fully enclosed and air conditioned and opened in 1959. It was fourth in the country.  It was apparently over 77 acres and even had a small amusement park for the kids, but again, I say, what's Big Town?
Big Town, since all stores had pulled out … (1 comments)

dallas homes: Dallas Real Estate- Best Places to Live in Dallas - 07/25/06 04:15 AM
Money Magazine did their usual rankings for this year and four Dallas areas made the top 100 list for the best places to live: Carrollton, Denton, Plano, and Richardson. Not to be biased, but i moved to Richardson 22 years ago and currently still reside here, so I could have told you Richardson was a great place to live!!other rankings are:Highest Income:#5 Flower Mound with $104,921#22 Allen with $92,404Job Growth:#2 Allen with 55% #4 Frisco with 53%#8 McKinney with 40.1% (mckinney had no where to go but up)#23 Flower Mound with 31.1%And the most important was Body Mass Index:all cities tied with 25.4, … (2 comments)

dallas homes: Dallas Real Estate - Writing an Offer - 07/25/06 02:48 AM
Verbal contracts are not held up in a Real Estate transaction.  Everything must be in writing.  All terms of everything must be discussed.  I love it when an out of town buyer tells me to just call up the listing agent and ask if such and such price is ok.  I'm like, we need more than just a price.  I need to know the amount of earnest money you'll be putting up, how much time you want to inspections, do you want a home warranty, when will we close, will possession be given at closing and funding or will there be … (1 comments)

dallas homes: Dallas Real Estate- DFW Area Ranked 9th Largest Across Country - 07/23/06 09:48 AM
I always thought DFW was in the top 10 of largest metropolotan areas, but I guess I was wrong.  People always think Ft Worth is larger than it really is, but it's actually a small fraction of the metroplex, whereas Dallas holds well over the majority of the population.  Granted, Ft Worth had the largest amount of growth last year, by 21,500 and percentage growth is high, but percentage growth is only high because the original population count was low.
For all of Tarrant County, the population is 1,702,250.
For all of Dallas County, the population is 2,383,300.
For the main counties in between, … (0 comments)

dallas homes: Gas Price hit an All Time High - 07/23/06 09:35 AM
Can you believe the price of gas these days??  We just hit an all-time high of $3.015 across the country.  The high we beat was set in September of 2005 and it was at $3.0117.
I've been asked many times if the price of gas is going to change my business and I keep saying no.  However, I did give a referral to an agent last week because the buyer's price range was only $100k and he was looking in an area that's 45 minutes away... normally, I would have jumped to help anyone that I could, but decided taking the referral … (1 comments)

dallas homes: Cold Front this Weekend - 07/21/06 06:39 AM
I can't wait for this weekend!  We have had 10 days in a row of triple digit temperatures.  We even hit 107 earlier this week, which was the highest recorded temperature in over 3 years!  This weekend, we will be dropping to 95 degrees!!  Can you believe it??  95 degrees, possibly 94 degrees!!
Actually, can you believe that we're all excited about 95 degrees?  I mean, if the cold front were to be in the 80's, that would be one thing, but it's still going to be in the mid-90's and, yet, everyone is still excited.  There is also a small chance … (6 comments)

dallas homes: Dallas Real Estate - New Frisco Development - 07/21/06 06:29 AM
A new development is slated to start next month in Frisco, Crosswinds.  This will be 1000 acres of Residential and parks off Lebanon and west of the Tollway.  It looks as though the lot sizes might be a bit larger than what we're used to seeing these days.  The original plot was for 5100 houses and now it's only going to have 3228 houses.  The reason for this was to have some larger green, open areas, but hopefully this means it won't be a normal track-home neighborhood.
So many of my buyers are sick of the neighborhoods where you can reach out … (2 comments)

dallas homes: Dallas Real Estate - 5% Appreciation - 07/21/06 04:13 AM
With the latest statistics coming out, it looks as though the North Texas area has actually seen some apprciation instead of just being "flat" as most people would say it's been. Compared to the same period of 2005, the first half of 2006 showed 5% appreciation!  Granted, we still have around 44,000 active listings on the market, but average sales prices are about 97-98% of asking prices.  I wouldn't say it's a buyer's market, but it's not a seller's market either.Housing bubble? What bubble? No one can get rich in Dallas with only 5% appreciation. Would we like higher appreciation? Of … (2 comments)

dallas homes: Texas Longhorns #2?? - 07/20/06 11:57 AM
What??  Can this be right??  The latest poll that was conducted shows Texas rated as #2 with Oklahoma as #1... no way!  I mean, sure Texas lost some big players this year, but they're on a 20 game winning streak!  OK was 8-4 overall last year.  How could a team with a record like that edge out Texas?!  It's a conspiracy I tell ya, a conspiracy!!
Courtesy of www.Dallasnews.com.
(2 comments)

dallas homes: A New Kind of Tooth Fairy - 07/20/06 11:52 AM
There was an article published on www.dallasnews.com today about a new company in Austin that will store a child's baby teeth for future use to potentially cure diseases.  This is supposed to replace embryonic stem cell research.  They aren't sure whether this will work or not, but it's $595 for the processing fee and then $89 a year. 
So, if a child loses a tooth at age 6 and needs the tooth cells at age 50, that's $4600... but you probably wouldn't know if it worked or not until you spent that $4600!!  I'm not so sure this is a good idea … (0 comments)

dallas homes: Dallas Real Estate- Increase in Foreclosure - 07/14/06 07:48 AM
This is the latest information posted on Dallasnews.com about foreclosures in the Dallas area. 
Residential properties scheduled for foreclosure auction in August and the change from last year.
Dallas County  1,412  +30% Collin County  342    +34% Tarrant County 897    +17% Denton County  310    +30% Rockwall County 43    +23% D-FW area  2,961      +26% SOURCE: Foreclosure Listing Service
With the increase of interest rates as well as the cost of listing increasing is causing people who were just on the bubble last year, to throw in the towel this year. Due to the lack of appreciation in the Dallas market, foreclosures are on the rise.  According … (2 comments)

dallas homes: Dallas Real Estate- How Many Homes to View - 07/14/06 07:29 AM
How many homes is too many to view at a time?I've asked several Realtors this question and most like to show only 3 or 4 houses at a time.  3 or 4??  I can understand viewing that few homes when you're in a market that doesn't have many listings, but there is so much available in my area, and buyers want to see every single thing out there to make sure they're getting the best deal.I like to show 7-9 houses at a time. This is because there will be several where the buyer goes in and out and on to the … (7 comments)

dallas homes: Dallas Real Estate- Another Reason for Loan Approval - 07/13/06 05:54 AM
There are still no good leads for the killing of the builder's rep in McKinney.  I just wanted to take this time to point out, again, why I get my buyers pre-approved for their loans.
Many people think this is just so I don't waste my time showing buyers who don't qualify for loans, but that's just part of the reason.
When I have a buyer talk with my lender, that lender is gather lots of information that I wouldn't be able to gather.  He would get multiple phone numbers, social security number, current and previous addresses, and work history.  The lender is … (0 comments)

dallas homes: Dallas Real Estate -What Makes you a Negotiations Specialist? - 07/12/06 09:41 AM
Recently, I've noticed some agents putting an alphabet of real estate classes after their name, CNS.  This CNS stands for Certified Negotiations Specialist.  They are receiving this designation after taking a class on negotiations.  Does that make you a specialist?  I would have to scream out the answer as NO!
I would really hope that Mr. & Mrs. Buyer and Seller would ask the agent what kind of actual experience they have negotiating and not just looking at the words and thinking they must be a great agent.  Anyone can sit through a class and sleep.  I personally know an agent who … (2 comments)

dallas homes: Dallas Real Estate -How Do You de-Personalize Your Home? - 07/10/06 06:53 AM
Look around your house. Now, take another look and count how many times your eyes move to all the photos of your family sitting on the shelves and hanging on the walls. Did you notice your college degree? I've had buyers not buy houses because they were Longhorns and they saw the Aggie diplomas on the walls, and vice verse. Sounds silly, but it's very true!You want buyers to be as comfortable in your home as possible. Not everyone shares the same religious beliefs so remove some of the non denominational things that might cause discomfort. Please, don't be offended by … (0 comments)

dallas homes: Builder Rep Murdered in Model Home - 07/10/06 06:52 AM
This is crazy!! I'm sitting home on a Saturday evening and I refresh my homepage of www.dallasnews.com and there's a story that catches my eye: "Sales Agent Found Dead in McKinney Model Home."It draws my attention immediately as I'm a Realtor and I go to model homes all the time. I knew immediately who it was within the first couple of sentences. I had talked with Sarah Walker just 3-4 weeks earlier about her community for a potential client referral I received.I just sat here and said, WOW, what a small world.Here is the link to the article. You might need … (1 comments)

dallas homes: Dallas Real Estate -Making a First Impression - 07/08/06 09:12 AM
The most important thing you need to keep in mind when putting your house on the market is that you only have one chance to make a first impression.  Many people think the first impression is the drive- up appeal in order to get the people from the car into the house.
WRONG!
The very first impression for over 80% of buyers is the way the house is presented on the internet.  If the pictures do not look good, the buyers are going to eliminate the house so quickly, you won't get a chance to retake the photos!  As a Real Estate professional, … (2 comments)

dallas homes: Another Non-Qualified Buyer won't Learn... - 07/07/06 06:25 AM
As I've said many times within and outside this blog, a buyer must be, at minimum, pre-approved for a loan before looking at houses.  I got a call from one of my online ads to look at a house.  I asked the questions I ask all prospects that call.  The difference is, this buyer got irate that I was asking questions.  I calmly told her that if she was a serious buyer wanting to actually buy a house and not just look at houses, that she should have no problem getting approved for a loan to make sure we're in the … (0 comments)

dallas homes: Dallas Real Estate -Do I need a Realtor when I buy a Brand NEW home? - 07/06/06 07:25 AM
Of Course You Do!!!Think of it this way... when you walk into a Builder's model home and you're greeted by the nice lady or man, he or she works for the Builder and works for the Builder's best interests, not yours! You are the buyer wanting to buy one of their products. They are there to get the highest possible price from you for the seller, the builder.Some people think they'll get a better deal if they don't have a Realtor in their corner with a Builder. It is against TREC rules (Texas Real Estate Commission) for a builder to charge … (0 comments)

 
Donna Harris, Realtor,Mediator,Ombudsman,Property Tax Arbitrator (Donna Homes, powered by JPAR - TexasRealEstateMediationServices.com)

Donna Harris

Realtor,Mediator,Ombudsman,Property Tax Arbitrator

Austin, TX

More about me…

Donna Homes, powered by JPAR - TexasRealEstateMediationServices.com

Address: 5113 Southwest Pkwy #140, Austin, TX, 78735

Office: (512) 592-7127



This blog is to help educate Buyers, Sellers and even other Realtors across the country.  Each market is different and the way Real Estate is done is different.  Austin Real Estate is completely different than Dallas, California and Florida and everywhere else in between.  Some times there will be other things besides real estate as I like to rant and rave as much as the next!!  Come back often!


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