Often called “America’s Premier Address,” Las Colinas is the gem of Irving, and Las Colinas new developments are commonplace. Las Colinas new development for builders and developers is often a smart choice because Las Colinas epitomizes the ultimate location in the DFW Metroplex, a reputation for being one of the finest master-planned communities in Texas, and a hub for some of the world’s largest corporations.

Water Street

Water Street, an envisioned Las Colinas new development, will be located along the shore of Lake Carolyn, in the heart of Las Colinas. This development will be a hub for retail, dining and entertainment establishments, as well as luxury residences, office space and even a landmark hotel.

The developers of Water Street, Gables Residential and Urban Partners, expect this development to “become the heart and soul of Las Colinas.” Water Street, like other complexes in Las Colinas, is ideally located between Dallas and Fort Worth, as well as the DFW International Airport and Dallas Love Field.

Other features of Water Street will include:

• 240,000 square feet of shops and restaurants
• 250,000 square feet of office space
• 600 luxury apartments
• Boutique hotel
• Art-house movie theater
• Waterfront esplanade
• Piazzas, loggias and lakeside restaurants

In response to the Water Street development, Irving has plans to build a DART light-rail system close by, as well as a $31-million parking garage and $16 million in land reclamation and plaza construction. The infrastructure plans are valued at $350 million.

Water Street will be located within a short distance to the Las Colinas Convention Center, and it will be located across O’Conner Boulevard from the Mustangs of Las Colinas sculpture. The Mustangs of Las Colinas is currently a large draw for Las Colinas, and it is Irving’s most popular tourist attraction.

Because the ideal home looks so different to every buyer, VIP Realty has created a new feature called the Lifestyle Search. Using a comprehensive search engine and your specific wants and needs, the Lifestyle Search may be the easiest way to find your next dream home! Here’s how VIP Realty’s Lifestyle Search works:

User Friendly Categories

When you check out our Lifestyle Search, you will likely first notice that it is broken up into a number of categories. Your particular wants and needs will depend on which categories you choose to search. In short, the information you choose to provide will allow the Lifestyle Search to narrow possible homes for sale in the DFW area that meet your requirements.

For example, you may choose to enter information regarding specific schools, dining and shopping areas, airports, and community services, such as: health and medical (hospitals, clinics and dental offices, for example), finance (banks, accountants, insurance, tax specialists, stock brokers and financial planners, for example), and transportation (airports, car rentals, gas stations, limousines, taxis and parking garages, for example).

When you check out our Lifestyle Search, you will be able to locate your areas of interest and search for homes within that framework. For example, if you want your next home to be closely located to the area’s medical center, you can enter this information into your search.

Customizable Features

VIP Realty’s Lifestyle Search also allows you to save recent searches so you can revisit homes for sale on a regular basis.

The Lifestyle Search can also be used to break down your house options into broader categories, such as: homes, land or construction.

Finally, VIP Realty’s Lifestyle Search can be useful if you are looking for a valuation report on a particular home or address.  Finding the perfect DFW home has never been easier with VIP Realty’s Lifestyle Search!

Southlake

As one of the top 2012 DFW real estate areas to watch, Southlake is likely considered to be one of Fort Worth’s most successful cities. Located in the counties of Tarrant and Denton Counties, Southlake enjoys a prime location near Grapevine, Colleyville and Keller.

It wasn’t until 2008, however, that Southlake really began making a name for itself when it was named by Forbes.com as the most affluent community in the United States. In addition to its exceptional real estate opportunities, Southlake features such points of interest as Southlake Town Square and Bicentennial Park, a park with 74 acres of sprawling green space.

Plano

The Dallas population boom of the 1960s spurred the growth of Plano. Now, more than 40 years later, Plano is a popular area that features beautiful homes, impressive shopping and loads of outdoor recreational activities and parks.

Located near Dallas, Plano is now considered to be one of the most successful master-planned communities in North Texas. Plano has become a popular area in which to reside, in part because of the many corporations and business located here.

Points of interest in Plano include an historic downtown area and the shopping malls of Collin Creek and the Shops at Willow Bend.

Carrollton

Carrollton is a popular city in North Texas that boasts a prime location near the DFW Metroplex and the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. It was also ranked as one of the “100 Best Places to Live” by Money Magazine and one of “America’s Best Places to Move” by Forbes.

This area is also quickly growing in popularity because it is home to the Baylor Medical Center of Carrollton. Other points of interest in Carrollton include its 1,230 acres of parks and recreational areas and the Indian Creek Golf Club.

• Don’t get hung up on the aesthetics! – It is often difficult to look beyond a room’s paint color or a homeowner’s carpet choice, but the truth is that all of these things are merely aesthetic and are easily remedied if they aren’t to your liking. If you focus on a home’s aesthetics, instead of its bones (e.g., room size, home location, and its overall condition), you could be missing out on a great North Dallas property.
• Don’t compromise your comfort level! (financially) – It may be quite tempting to push your comfort level and go for the home that has the higher price tag, but you could find yourself regretting that choice for years to come. Instead, determine your maximum budget amount and stick to it.  One of the easiest ways to avoid doing this is to only look at homes that are within your budget.
• Don’t overlook the importance of the neighborhood! – A North Dallas property is only as good as the neighborhood in which it is located. In other words, regardless of how fantastic you feel your home is, if the home values in the area are on the decline, your home may not be the investment you had hoped it would be. Instead, only consider areas that are growing, both in terms of residents and property values, so you can better protect yourself against a poor investment.
• Don’t go too fast! – The home buying experience is often an exciting one, and it is quite easy to get wrapped up in the excitement. But it is just as important to slow down so you can be sure you are making the best decisions for you and your family. An overly excited home buyer is often an overwhelmed home buyer, and that could spell disaster when it comes to embarking on the largest financial decisions you will ever make.

In addition to boasting many new home communities and countless amenities like shopping centers and public parks, Coppell has a number of fantastic community programs that support a strong community:

Community Gardens

The Coppell Community Gardens supports community gardens, as well as a farmer’s market and environment education. This community program is overseen by a group of dedicated volunteers who lend their time to provide a market for locally grown food and donate organic produce to needy families. The community gardens are also a valuable source for education on sustainability practices and youth community services.

Some of the programs within the Community Gardens program include: Share the Harvest, Adopt-A-Plot, Composting Education, and the Coppell Farmers Market.

Coppell Green Team

The Coppell Green Team is described as a “multi-tiered recognition program designed to foster environmental awareness and promote sustainable behavior.” It works alongside Keep Coppell Beautiful and the Coppell Chamber of Commerce to make sure businesses and organizations are taking the necessary steps to help the environment.

The goal of the Coppell Green Team is to promote environmental sustainability through environmental sustainable practices.

Keep Coppell Beautiful

Keep Coppell Beautiful is a program designed to encourage individuals and businesses to engage in activities to promote a beautiful city. Some of the activities and education overseen by Keep Coppell Beautiful include: encouraging waste reduction, litter prevention, beautification and environmental sustainability.

Just some of the awards granted to Keep Coppell Beautiful include: Keep Texas Beautiful Gold Star Affiliate (2011, 2010, and 2009), Keep Texas Beautiful Governor’s Community Achievement Award (2011), and Keep America Beautiful President Circle Award (2010 and 2009).

Some of the major events overseen by Keep Coppell Beautiful each year include: Clean Coppell City-Wide Cleanup, Coppell Earthfest, Texas Recycles Day, Texas SmartScape classes and tour, Denton Creek Clean-Up and the computer and electronics recycling program.

Luxury homes in Tarrant County are the norm and not the exception. In fact, there are a number of wealthy cities in this county that are highly sought out by families and professionals alike. In particular, there are three neighborhoods where luxury homes in Tarrant County are located at every turn:

Westover Hills

If you are in search of luxury homes in Tarrant County, your first stop will likely be Westover Hills. Located near Fort Worth, Westover Hills is home to many older homes and a number of influential families. In fact, Westover Hills held the distinction of being the wealthiest city in Texas in 2000, based on the average household income of its residents.

Homes in Westover Hills generally start in the $700,000 range, although many of the homes here are priced well into the millions. Estates here are often 10,000 to 20,000 square feet in size, and a few estates have been valued at nearly $9 million.

Colleyville/Southlake

If Westover Hills is considered a haven for older estates, Colleyville and Southlake is where many of the newer mansions and estates are located. Located in northern Tarrant County, Colleyville and Southlake boast a considerable amount of new construction, and homes here can run anywhere from $200,000 to well into the $5-$8 million range.

Dalworthington Gardens

Located in the heart of Arlington, in the southern part of the county, Dalworthington Gardens is a city with a rich history (one of its first residents was Eleanor Roosevelt). Many homeowners are drawn to this area because of the wide variety of real estate options found here. It is quite possible to find a home in Dalworthington Gardens for as little as $150,000 or as much as $3 million.

In fact, if you want the finest in luxury, there

Frisco is exciting and progressive, however, in its own right, as it is home to a plethora of award-winning hotels, shopping and dining destinations and many sports venues (it is home to four professional sports teams). In fact, Frisco features over eight million square feet of retail and dining space and is home to Stonebriar Centre Mall.

Frisco isn

In addition, Carrollton