Posts Tagged ‘Irving’

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How to Price your Home Right in Today

Thursday, January 15th, 2009

If you want to sell your home in today’s tough housing market, it’s time to get realistic. Reaping large profits may no longer be realistic; instead, pricing your home reasonably and accepting a fair price for your home may take the place of windfall profits of the past.

Most real estate experts will tell you that the number one reason homes don’t sell is because they are not priced right. In other words, you must price your home according to current market conditions.

That means that it is extremely important to price your home right – from the beginning – so that you can expect it to sell during these tough times.

The following tips will guide you when setting the listing price for your Irving home:

  • Pay attention to local real estate trends. Your real estate agent will gather a list of all houses that have been listed and sold in the neighborhood over the last six months, and he or she will use this information when determining a fair listing price for your home.

This list will also detail the difference between the list prices and sales prices of these homes, which will give you and your real estate agent a better idea of what you can safely price your home for.

  • Don’t plan on inflating the price in anticipation of lowering it should it not sell. Pricing it right as soon as it hits the market will ensure the excitement of a newly listed home and will generate much more activity than an overpriced home which sits on the market for an extended period of time before being lowered.

Don’t give buyers any reason to doubt your home – and a home sitting on the market too long will immediately create doubt!

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Saving for your First Home

Tuesday, January 13th, 2009

If your dreams involve buying your first Irving home, then there are a few things you can do now to make your dream a reality.

Gone are the days of no-money-down mortgage loans, and most banks are now demanding at least 20 percent down on a traditional mortgage. On a $200,000 home, that equals $20,000.

For many, these numbers make owning a home feel unattainable, but it doesn’t have to be.

The following tips will guide you when saving for your first Irving home:

  • First things first: get a grip on your financial situation. That means laying out all of your bills and debts and creating a list of your monthly debt obligations.
  • Look for areas in which you can cut back, and be realistic. Is it really necessary to have an upgraded cable package, or can you downgrade to basic cable? Is your cell phone plan working for you, or could you potentially negotiate lower monthly payments? The key is to remain open, flexible and creative.

If you currently eat out four times a week, isn’t it realistic to cut down to just two times a week? Many of us have a considerable amount of wiggle room in our budgets, but we never take the time to find areas in which we can scale back.

  • Once you have located that extra money every month, consider having the money withdrawn automatically from your checking account or paycheck each month. Most people are more likely to successfully save money if they never see it in the first place.

Ask your employer if they can set up automatic deductions from your paycheck into a savings or money market account.

  • Open a separate savings or money market account for your down payment money and do not intermingle it with your other savings. This will allow you to keep better track of your savings goals.
  • Avoid investing your down payment money in risky investments. Instead, look for conservative investments, such as money market accounts, short-term certificates of deposit or short-term bonds.

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Is Now A Good Time to Buy?

Thursday, January 8th, 2009

The evening news is grim. The country’s housing market is plummeting, and many analysts believe we have yet to hit rock bottom.

These types of news stories foster a sense of trepidation and concern among most Irving home buyers, and rightly so. Although you may need to proceed with caution in this tumultuous market, it certainly doesn’t mean that you should avoid buying.

Although purchasing a home is an extremely personal decision, and although each individual faces different challenges and obstacles, the fact is, overall, today’s housing market may very well present the perfect opportunity for home buyers.

Let’s look at the facts: interest rates, now at historic lows, are extremely competitive and attractive; there is a great selection of homes on the market from which to choose; and there are plenty of deals to be had.

Many homeowners, facing the potential of having their homes on the market for an extended time, are lowering the prices of their homes and offering very attractive incentives to home buyers. And that’s where you, a qualified home buyer, step in.

Many home buyers in Irving are finding that a home that was, just a few years ago, out of their price range is now within reach, thanks to lower house prices and lower interest rates.

As a buyer in a “buyer’s market,” the ball is in your court, so to speak. Chances are you will have the luxury of finding that perfect Irving home and negotiating a sweet deal in the process.

Before purchasing an Irving home, make sure your credit is strong, your debt is paid down and that you have a large down payment (at least 20 percent) in your back pocket.

Your search for the perfect Irving home can be just around the corner, even in these uncertain times.

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Are you Ready to Buy a Home?

Monday, January 5th, 2009

Everyone tells you to stop renting and purchase a home. It’s a sound, financial decision, they tell you. It’s a great investment, they cry. Wanting to buy a home and being prepared to buy a home are completely independent of one another, however.

Your desire to purchase a piece of Irving real estate can easily become overshadowed by your inability to purchase one. Before calling a real estate agent, there are a few, important questions to ask yourself:

  • Do I have a steady job? This is one of the first things a lender will want to know when you apply for a mortgage. Keeping a job for at least two years, or staying in a similar field for the same length of time, shows a lender that you are a good credit risk and that you’ll be able to pay your bills with a steady source of income.

Bottom line: if you’re in the market to purchase a home, now is not the time to change jobs. And if you haven’t achieved a steady work history, you’ll need to work on that before applying for a mortgage.

  • How is my history of paying bills? A good credit history is a must when applying for a mortgage, as a lender needs to see a steady history of paying bills. And that doesn’t just mean your car and credit card payments. What about utility bills? Medical bills? Student loan bills? If any of these have fallen by the waist side, immediately get them up to date and establish at least six months worth of on-time payments before applying for a mortgage.
  • How much debt am I carrying? Although you may be managing your debt and paying your bills on time, a lender will look at your “debt ratio,” which is essentially the ratio of money going out on loans and credit cards and money coming in through your salary. If your debt ratio exceeds a certain percentage (lenders vary on this), you’ll need to pay down some of your debt before applying for a mortgage.
  • Do I have enough money saved for a down payment? Gone are the days of no-money-down mortgages. With the current credit crisis, most lenders require at least 10 to 20 percent down. Once again, if you haven’t achieved this, take another six months or so and continue to save money toward a healthy down payment.

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Why We Love Irving

Tuesday, November 25th, 2008

Irving is one of those communities that has it all: wonderful, residential neighborhoods, a plethora of entertainment, arts and culture and a thriving commercial industry. Whether you

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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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Irving Continues to Surge Ahead with Convention Center Development

Friday, September 26th, 2008

The Irving Convention Center, which will become the centerpiece of Las Colinas‘ Urban Center, is slated to open in November 2010.

Considered Phase 1 of the multi-phased project, the development of the convention center and mixed-use entertainment district will encompass over 40 acres within Las Colinas’ Urban Center.

  • Las Colinas is a 12,000-acre, master-planned community which has over 75 hotels and 11,000 rooms to accommodate convention center guests.
  • Las Colinas has a taxable base of more than $7 million and is home to more than 2,000 corporations and four, Fortune 500 companies.
  • Las Colinas is located in Irving, which is conveniently located next to the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and between Dallas and Fort Worth.

The flexible design of the convention center allows it to secure high-end exhibitions, conventions, meetings and other venues.

Currently, Irving’s largest hotel ballroom is approximately 10,000 square feet. The exhibit hall of the new convention center will be more than five times that size, thus attracting far more groups to meet in Irving.

Right now the Irving Convention and Visitors Bureau has begun filling the facility and is focusing on groups of 800 to 1,200 people, although the facility can hold up to 4,000 attendees for a single event.

The Irving Convention Center project is under the direction of the Irving Convention and Visitors Bureau and is managed by SMG Worldwide, which is a leader in facility management, marketing and development. SMG will serve as a project consultant until the convention center opens.

Irving Convention Center, Las Colinas by the numbers:

  • Gross square footage = 275,000
  • Total leasable space = 90,000 square feet
  • Estimated budget = $137 million
  • Estimated opening = November 2010
  • Total amount of column-free exhibit space = 50,000 square feet
  • Total ballroom space = 20,000 square feet
  • Total breakaway room space = 20 breakout rooms, each at 1,000 square feet

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Neighborhood Improvements Play an Important Role in Irving

Friday, July 11th, 2008

The city of Irving has long realized that a city is only as strong as its weakest link. With this in mind, Irving officials have implemented a strong city program, carried out by city services and community stakeholders, which is designed to produce positive changes throughout Irving and improve the quality of life in all neighborhoods.

Gifting Grants

To accomplish this initiative, the Community Partnership Fund has awarded several neighborhoods and homeowners associations with annual grants, ranging from $250 to $1,500. These grants enable neighborhoods to take on organizational projects which improve the neighborhood as a whole.

The grants, which are administered by the Corporate Communications Department, may be used for beautification efforts, community initiatives and neighborhood events, all with the primary goal of maintaining Irving

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