Archive for October, 2008

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Home Buyer Tips: Preparing to Buy Your First Home

Friday, October 31st, 2008

Congratulations! You’ve finally decided to make the leap from a renter to a home buyer! This time in your life can be exciting – and for good reason. Owning a piece of Highland Park real estate is one of the best financial decisions you can make.

In order to ensure that the process of purchasing your first home goes smoothly, and that you are prepared – both financially and mentally – for the process, there are a few steps you should take before attending your first open house:

  1. Contact a lender – Ask friends, family or your real estate agent for referrals, and research the interest rates for lenders in your area. Once you have chosen a lender, you can then begin by researching your options. This usually includes getting a copy of your credit report and clearing up any problems.

A lender will then help you figure out how much money you can afford to spend on a home. They will ask for information regarding your income, debts and savings, and will use this information to give you a clear idea regarding on how much home you can afford.

  1. Once your finances are in order, a lender will then “pre-approve” you for a mortgage. This will allow you to search for homes in your price range, and will also give you leverage with the seller when submitting an offer for a home. In other words, if two offers are submitted, and one buyer has been preapproved, they will likely accept this offer over one that does not have a preapproval letter from their lender.
  2. Narrow down your choices. Decide what you want in a home and then focus on homes which meet those criteria. Looking at homes which are either out of your price range or do not meet your criteria will simply exhaust you and prolong the process of finding your perfect home.

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The Village at Fairview

Thursday, October 30th, 2008

The Village at Fairview is the biggest retail/mixed-use development Fairview, TX has ever seen. With retail, residential, dining, office space and much more planned, this development is sure to attract traffic to Fairview, TX. Sitting on 200 acres on the corner of Stacy Road and U.S. 75 in Collin County, my drive from Dallas to McKinney will be filled with much more eye candy. The Village at Fairview will have a 1 million square foot mall PLUS another 500,000 square feet of specialty shops and restaurants.

I know one of the largest attractions will be the Whole Foods Market. These chain stores have been said to boost residential neighborhood growth and are highly desired.

The Village at Fairview will also host a new Gold Class Cinema, Macy’s, JCPenney, The Container Store, Dillard’s and an Embassy Suites Hotel to name a few. In conjunction with this project across the street will be the Village at Allen. Planned to work together as one project, this intersection will become a new attraction for many North Dallas residents.

Posted in Collin County | No Comments »

Sendera Ranch Master-Planned Community

Thursday, October 30th, 2008

If you’ve heard a lot of great things about North Texas’ Sendera Ranch Master-Planned community, then it is not without good reason.

Posted in Tarrant County | 1 Comment »

The Top Ten Reasons to Love Highland Park

Tuesday, October 28th, 2008

Highland Park is perhaps one of the most gracious, stunning communities in the United States. Its homes rival those seen in Beverly Hills, which is why Highland Park has often been called the Beverly Hills of Dallas. Exclusive homes, jaw-dropping architecture and meticulously maintained lawns are just a few of the reasons why you should make Highland Park home.

The following top ten list details all that Highland Park has to offer:

1. Amazing, historically significant homes with a variety of architectural styles, such as French Estates, Classic Tudor Style, Colonial Revival, English Cotswald, Spanish Mediterranean Villas, Spanish Colonial Revival, Italianate Villas and French Renaissance Chateau.


2. Is often referred to as one of the most beautiful communities in the nation.


3. Meticulously landscaped lots with blooming azaleas and Texan-sized pecan and oak trees. Highland Park is often revered for its superbly maintained homes and landscape.


4. Highland Park reserves 20 percent of the available land for parks and green spaces. A beautiful blend of prestigious homes and wide open green space compliment this suburban haven.


5. The Highland Park school district is highly regarded as one of the finest educational institutions in the country.


6. Highland Park Village Shopping Center, which was the first shopping center in the country, is now an exclusive enclave of high-end shops and boutiques, as well as gorgeous grounds and landscaping.
7.Located just four miles north of downtown Dallas. Commuters into the city will find the location of Highland Park to be incredibly convenient.


8. Part of the Park Cities community. University Park and Highland Park comprise Park Cities, which offers an abundance of services and community facilities.


9. Local parks include Abbott, Davis, Fairfax, Flippen, Lakeside and Prather Parks.


10. Most houses in Highland Park sell for well over $500,000, and for good reason. This exclusive community offers some of the finest real estate in Texas.

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Fort Worth

Monday, October 27th, 2008

Windsor Park is Fort Worth’s newest community of single-family homes. It is located just minutes from Lake Benbrook and is close to Hulen Mall and Hulen Heights Shopping Center, as well as a nice variety of restaurants, shopping and entertainment.

This prime, Fort Worth community, which is developed by Coleman Homes, is located near Interstates 35W and 820, as well as downtown Fort Worth. Homes are priced from $125,990 to $168,990 and boast 1,479 to 3,116 square feet of living space.

Windsor Park is served by the Crowley Independent School District (Crowley ISD), which includes Jackie Carden Elementary School, Crowley Middle School and North Crowley High School.

Some of the features of the residences of Windsor Park include:

  • Wood-burning fireplace
  • Dramatic arched walk-throughs with round sheetrock corners
  • Plush, wall-to-wall carpeting
  • Oversized, fully carpeted walk-in closets
  • Lavish garden bath with oval tub
  • Separate shower enclosure
  • Wilson Art countertop in kitchen
  • Cultured marble vanity tops
  • Designer kitchen and bathrooms
  • GE appliances
  • Full-sized, family linen closets
  • Landscaping packages
  • Exciting, dramatic designs
  • Fully fenced rear yard
  • Two-car garage
  • GFCI outlets
  • Brushed nickel hardware
  • Brick mailbox
  • Steel garage door
  • Ceramic tile entry
  • Electric home security system

Forth Worth is located just 17.5 miles from the Dallas/Forth Worth International Airport. It’s a vibrant city with a thriving economy, competitive trade, a strong real estate market and an endless supply of restaurants, shopping, nightlife and cultural activities.

The real estate industry in Forth Worth, and in Texas as general, is strong, stable and progressive. A wide range of home prices make homeownership affordable and attainable.

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The Townhomes of Bordeaux Villas in Irving

Thursday, October 23rd, 2008

The Townhomes of Bordeaux Villas offer luxurious, modern living with a low-maintenance lifestyle and is a smart choice for Irving real estate. It features townhomes of three bedrooms and three bathrooms, and is close to several shopping malls and restaurants.

The Townhomes of Bordeaux Villas are served by the I

rving Independent School District (Irving ISD), which i

Includes Townsell Elementary School, Sam Houston Middle School and MacArthur High School.

Homes in this community are priced from $196,990 to $212,990 and offer 1,824 to 2,405 square feet of living space.

Some of the features found throughout the residences of the Townhomes of Bordeaux Villas include:

  • Spacious living area
  • High-grade nylon carpet
  • Dramatic, arched walkthroughs with round sheetrock
  • Balusters on staircases
  • Private owner’s suite
  • Oversized, fully carpeted, walk-in closets
  • Ceramic tiled shower
  • GE appliances
  • Full, family-sized closets
  • GFCI receptacles
  • Custom makeup lighting in bathrooms
  • Cultured marble vanity tops
  • Fully fenced backyard
  • Clay brick exterior
  • Extensive landscaping package
  • Double pane, low-E insulated windows
  • 10 x10 patio
  • Two-car garage
  • Ceramic tile entry
  • Ceiling lights in all bedrooms
  • Home security system
  • Steel garage door
  • Smoke detectors
  • Satin nickel hardware
  • 10-year, structural defects warranty
  • Designer kitchens and bathrooms

Irving offers efficient an transportation system, affordable housing for virtually any budget or lifestyle, abundant employment opportunities, an excellent system of schools and an impressive sense of community.

Irving boasts family homes in quiet, master planned communities, luxurious estates in golf-course communities and apartment, condo and town home living.

Irving offers outstanding business opportunities which further fuel the growth of this progressive city. The nearby Dallas/Forth Worth International Airport provides easy access to regional, domestic and global markets.

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Posted in New Homes, Tips For Realtor | 1 Comment »

Cottonwood Creek Townhomes

Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008

Nestled behind the rows of trees lining Cottonwood Creek is the low maintenance luxurious Allen Townhome lifestyle you

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Posted in Collin County | No Comments »

Exploring Fort Worth

Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008

The City of Fort Worth has many homeownership programs which are designed to turn homeownership into a reality for many qualified buyers. First-time buyers can take advantage of the several housing assistance programs, which are made possible through federal, state and local funds.

Fort Worth Homeownership Programs include:

  • Closing Cost Assistance/Down Payment Assistance

First-time homebuyers – or those who have not owned a home in the last three years – may be eligible for

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Posted in Tarrant County | No Comments »

Rayzor Ranch Development is in full swing

Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008

Rayzor Ranch Development is in full swing again. The anchor stores have been secured some of them will be Walmart and Sams club. With most of the retail spots already spoken for Denton County will be looking forward to the new shopping center to open. There will be new restaurants which I know we are all looking forward to, as well as the boost to the Denton community economy.

The retail project is scheduled to start opening the stores in the late fall of 2009. Rayzor Ranch is still working out a few bugs in the Residential side of the plan. The Brownstones and custom homes will be a few years away. The group is wanting to get the retail development up and running before they start on the home front. It will be a exciting project to watch. I will keep you posted as the project develops keep checking our website www.viprealtyinfo.com for more details as they develop or don’t hesitate to give me a call – Christine Schwirtz.

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Posted in Denton County | No Comments »

Four Seasons Resort & Club is Just One More Reason to Love Irving

Tuesday, October 21st, 2008

Surrounded by 400 rolling acres of North Texas Hills, and conveniently located between the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and downtown Dallas, the Four Seasons Resort & Club is undoubtedly the highlight of Irving’s Las Colinas Development.

This resort boasts a championship golf course and the finest sports club and spa in the Dallas area. Whether meeting for business or pleasure, the Four Seasons Resort & Club has the accommodations and amenities to suit your every want and need while in Irving.

The resort features 397 guest rooms and 20 suites with private balconies or patios overlooking the golf course’s sprawling fairways or the Cottonwood Valley.

Villa and Suite Amenities

Each villa has a walkout balcony or lawn with teak furniture, as well as an indoor garden court with a vaulted ceiling and skylight. Other standard amenities include a marble bathroom with a glass enclosed shower, a soaking tub and double vanities.

The resort’s “superior” rooms boast extra high ceilings and sitting areas with overstuffed chairs, executive writing desks and stately armoires.

The Payne Stewart suite features a stone fireplace, an LCD television, a credenza with a refrigerated bar, overstuffed sofas and lounge chairs and a double-door entry to a dining room or board room with seating for 14 people.

The Byron Nelson suite, which is located on the uppermost floor of the main tower, features a baby grand piano, a wood burning fireplace, a whirlpool tub and a mahogany dining table with seating for eight people.

Recreational Amenities

The fitness facilities of the Four Seasons Resort & Club are surely the recreational centerpiece of Las Colinas, as it includes an 18-hole championship golf course, indoor and outdoor tennis facilities, fitness, sports and spa facilities, racquetball and international squash courts, half-court basketball courts and a professionally managed child care center.

In addition, this resort features four swimming pools (both outdoor and indoor), as well as a jogging track.

Business executives will find the 24-hour business center invaluable. In addition, this resort also includes an airline reservation service, audio-visual equipment and wired or wireless Internet access in all meeting rooms.

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