Provided By Real Estate Center Online News
Source Dallas Morning News
The average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage fell to 5.07 percent last week. The previous week it was at 5.21 percent, its highest rate since August, when it was 5.29 percent.
Rates hit 4.71 percent in December, a record low, because of a Federal Reserve campaign to reduce borrowing costs for consumers. The program ended in March but could be reinstated if the economy weakens.
Last week, the average rate on a 15-year, fixed-rate mortgage was 4.4 percent, down from 4.52 percent the week before.
Five-year adjustable-rate mortgage rates averaged 4.08 percent, a fall from 4.25 percent the prior week. Rates on one-year, adjustable-rate mortgages fell from 4.14 percent to 4.13 percent last week.
Would you like more information regarding mortgage rates? Give us a call at 972-772-7000 or email us at rockwall@kw.com.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
HOMES FOR HEROES
Provided By Real Estate Center Online News
Since 2005, the Bay Area Builders Association Support Our Troops program has provided mortgage-free homes to Americans wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In the Real Estate Center's new eight-minute video, meet the leader of the team and one of the recipients as you learn about this unique Texas program and its efforts to go national.
Would you like to learn more information about the Bay Area Builders Association Support Our Troops program? Give us a call at 972-772-7000 or email us at rockwall@kw.com.
Since 2005, the Bay Area Builders Association Support Our Troops program has provided mortgage-free homes to Americans wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In the Real Estate Center's new eight-minute video, meet the leader of the team and one of the recipients as you learn about this unique Texas program and its efforts to go national.
Would you like to learn more information about the Bay Area Builders Association Support Our Troops program? Give us a call at 972-772-7000 or email us at rockwall@kw.com.
Monday, April 26, 2010
DFW IN 2010: STRONGER ECONOMY
Provided By Real Estaste Center Online News
While sublease space will be the most significant hurdle for top-tier operators, most of the attractive locations should be absorbed by midsummer, said the real estate investment firm.
Among the most significant aspects from the firm's DFW office research report:
Also included in the report is the firm’s annual National Office Index (NOPI), a snapshot analysis that ranks 44 markets based on a series of 12-month forward-looking supply and demand indicators.
DFW moved up three places this year to number 27. Robust employment growth kept Houston at number four, while Austin remained at number 24.
Are you interested in owning or renting a home in one of the strongest economic cities in Texas? Give us a call at 972-772-7000 or send us an email at rockwall@kw.com.
Dallas–Fort Worth's economy will strengthen this year.
While sublease space will be the most significant hurdle for top-tier operators, most of the attractive locations should be absorbed by midsummer, said the real estate investment firm.
Among the most significant aspects from the firm's DFW office research report:
- Dallas is expected to lead the nation in job gains during 2010, expecting as much as a 2.3 percent gain;
- office-using employers are projected to add 16,000 jobs, a 2.1 percent boost;
- development will tick down to 1.6 million sf in 2010;
- vacancy is on pace to reach 24.2 percent by year end, up 100 basis points from 2009 and 270 basis points above the ten-year average; and
- rent declines will moderate this year as employment gains traction. Asking rents are forecast to slip 5.2 percent to $18.38 per sf while effective rents retreat 5.6 percent to $14.38 per sf.
Also included in the report is the firm’s annual National Office Index (NOPI), a snapshot analysis that ranks 44 markets based on a series of 12-month forward-looking supply and demand indicators.
DFW moved up three places this year to number 27. Robust employment growth kept Houston at number four, while Austin remained at number 24.
Are you interested in owning or renting a home in one of the strongest economic cities in Texas? Give us a call at 972-772-7000 or send us an email at rockwall@kw.com.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
This Month in Real Estate (US) : April 2010
Find out What's going on in the real estate market this month.
Friday, April 23, 2010
The Art of Display
Source My Home Ideas
Provided By Shelley Dudley
Adapted From Design Idea Book, Oxmoor House, 2007
Collective Traits
Objects work best together when they share a trait. This collection features vases in both glass and pottery, all in gourd shapes.
Similar Sets
The same goes for this display of veined stone -- the tabletop, lamp base, and figurine -- and wood pieces, grouped into like sets. The frame on the wall shares traits of both.
Hanging Glass
Paintings and photography aren't the only things that can be hung on walls. Here freeform glass bowls are displayed in a hallway.
Exotic Display
African headdresses above a desk make for especially intriguing displays.
Multiple Impact
Just about everything benefits from being hung in multiples. Witness these fish-eye mirrors and soft botanical prints: both would have had less impact hung solo.
Creative Display
The designer of this room made creative use of the molding along the top of the wainscoting: She hung a painting and collection of plates to look as if they're propped on the ledge. The height of the wainscoting makes it work.
Keep It Close
Furnishings and wall hangings can often feel like exactly that: a group of furnishings with a group of wall hangings floating above it. To make everything cohere, this mirror and botanical prints were hung close together and low to the dresser.
Classic Space
Mantels and the wall space above them are classic spots for displaying cherished art and objects, but the mouth of the fireplace is often a missed opportunity. This one contains a porcelain piece that matches those on and above the mantel.
Looking for a new home to fabulously furnish? Give us a call at 972-772-7000 or email us at rockwall@kw.com.
Provided By Shelley Dudley
Adapted From Design Idea Book, Oxmoor House, 2007
Grouping similar objects together makes any collection more exciting. Our tips will help to enhance any display.
Collective Traits
Objects work best together when they share a trait. This collection features vases in both glass and pottery, all in gourd shapes.
The same goes for this display of veined stone -- the tabletop, lamp base, and figurine -- and wood pieces, grouped into like sets. The frame on the wall shares traits of both.
Hanging Glass
Paintings and photography aren't the only things that can be hung on walls. Here freeform glass bowls are displayed in a hallway.
Exotic Display
African headdresses above a desk make for especially intriguing displays.
Multiple Impact
Just about everything benefits from being hung in multiples. Witness these fish-eye mirrors and soft botanical prints: both would have had less impact hung solo.
Creative Display
The designer of this room made creative use of the molding along the top of the wainscoting: She hung a painting and collection of plates to look as if they're propped on the ledge. The height of the wainscoting makes it work.
Keep It Close
Furnishings and wall hangings can often feel like exactly that: a group of furnishings with a group of wall hangings floating above it. To make everything cohere, this mirror and botanical prints were hung close together and low to the dresser.
Classic Space
Mantels and the wall space above them are classic spots for displaying cherished art and objects, but the mouth of the fireplace is often a missed opportunity. This one contains a porcelain piece that matches those on and above the mantel.
Looking for a new home to fabulously furnish? Give us a call at 972-772-7000 or email us at rockwall@kw.com.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
BEWARE OF DFW BROKERAGE SCAMS
Source Texas Real Estate Commision
Provided By RECON
The Texas Real Estate Commission Standards and Enforcement Services Division (TREC) has received complaints against a group of individuals and companies that have been doing business in the Dallas–Fort Worth area.
The individuals and companies named in the complaints represent themselves as real estate agents and real estate brokerage companies but do not hold Texas real estate licenses. Owners of real property, tenants, buyers and investors claim to have lost large sums of money because of the group's schemes, which allegedly include:
Before consumers give personal information, money, or financial information to a person claiming to be a real estate agent, they should verify the identity of the person and check whether that person actually holds a Texas real estate license. License information can be obtained by doing a “licensee lookup” on TREC’s website, www.trec.state.tx.us, or by calling TREC at 800-250-TREC or 512-465-3942.
Do you want to buy or sell a home without the hassle of wondering if you're dealing with a false agent? Give us a call at 972-772-7000 or email us at rockwall@kw.com.
Provided By RECON
The Texas Real Estate Commission Standards and Enforcement Services Division (TREC) has received complaints against a group of individuals and companies that have been doing business in the Dallas–Fort Worth area.
The individuals and companies named in the complaints represent themselves as real estate agents and real estate brokerage companies but do not hold Texas real estate licenses. Owners of real property, tenants, buyers and investors claim to have lost large sums of money because of the group's schemes, which allegedly include:
- taking and keeping deposits for properties over which they have no authority or no control,
- not paying rent to property owners on property they claim to manage for those owners, and
- taking deposits or earnest money on properties that they claim are available for a short sale but in reality are days away from foreclosure.
Before consumers give personal information, money, or financial information to a person claiming to be a real estate agent, they should verify the identity of the person and check whether that person actually holds a Texas real estate license. License information can be obtained by doing a “licensee lookup” on TREC’s website, www.trec.state.tx.us, or by calling TREC at 800-250-TREC or 512-465-3942.
Do you want to buy or sell a home without the hassle of wondering if you're dealing with a false agent? Give us a call at 972-772-7000 or email us at rockwall@kw.com.
Monday, April 19, 2010
GOODBYE, TEXAS STADIUM
Source Dallas Business Journal
Provided By RECON
After almost 40 years as home of the Dallas Cowboys, high school playoff games and countless other events, Texas Stadium is no more.
Thousands of people witnessed the 60-second implosion Sunday morning as Dykon Explosive Demolition leveled the football stadium, the home field of Cowboys legends such as Roger Staubach, Troy Aikman and coach Tom Landry.
The Dallas Cowboys moved from Texas Stadium, built in 1971, to their new $1.3 billion Cowboys Stadium in Arlington last August.
Plans for the 78-acre site are up in the air, but some college students had suggestions. Graduate-level teams from six Texas colleges shared redevelopment ideas at the fifth annual Texas Shoot-Out Real Estate Challenge last week.
Are you interested in homes near the new Cowboys Stadium? Give us a call at 972-772-7000 or email us at rockwall@kw.com.
Provided By RECON
After almost 40 years as home of the Dallas Cowboys, high school playoff games and countless other events, Texas Stadium is no more.
Thousands of people witnessed the 60-second implosion Sunday morning as Dykon Explosive Demolition leveled the football stadium, the home field of Cowboys legends such as Roger Staubach, Troy Aikman and coach Tom Landry.
The Dallas Cowboys moved from Texas Stadium, built in 1971, to their new $1.3 billion Cowboys Stadium in Arlington last August.
Plans for the 78-acre site are up in the air, but some college students had suggestions. Graduate-level teams from six Texas colleges shared redevelopment ideas at the fifth annual Texas Shoot-Out Real Estate Challenge last week.
Are you interested in homes near the new Cowboys Stadium? Give us a call at 972-772-7000 or email us at rockwall@kw.com.
Friday, April 16, 2010
What do Homebuyers Want?
Source Real Estate Center-TAMU
In today's economy, home builders must pay close attention to what buyers say they prefer in a new home. The Real Estate Center's latest video, "What Homebuyers Want in 2010," features two experts with perspectives on buyer preferences.
Rose Quint is assistant vice president with the Survey Research Economics and Housing Policy Group for the National Association of Home Builders. Eliot Nusbaum is executive editor of Better Homes and Gardens.
This 14-minute video was taped at the 2010 International Builders' Show in Las Vegas.
Would you like to know more about what homebuyers want in 2010? Give us a call at 972-772-7000 or email us at rockwall@kw.com.
In today's economy, home builders must pay close attention to what buyers say they prefer in a new home. The Real Estate Center's latest video, "What Homebuyers Want in 2010," features two experts with perspectives on buyer preferences.
Rose Quint is assistant vice president with the Survey Research Economics and Housing Policy Group for the National Association of Home Builders. Eliot Nusbaum is executive editor of Better Homes and Gardens.
This 14-minute video was taped at the 2010 International Builders' Show in Las Vegas.
Would you like to know more about what homebuyers want in 2010? Give us a call at 972-772-7000 or email us at rockwall@kw.com.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
How to Get the Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit
Provided By Shelley Dudley
Source National Association Of Realtors
Close on your home purchase between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010, or have a binding written contract by April 30, 2010 and close by July 1, 2010.
Documentation of Purchase
Details concerning the precise documents required to confirm your purchase have not yet been released. When this information becomes available, we will include instructions and links to the appropriate forms.
When to Apply the Credit
Buyers purchasing homes on or before December 31, 2009 may claim the credit on their 2009 tax returns.
Buyers purchasing in 2010 will have the option to:
Applying the Credit to Your 2009 Taxes
You will need to do three things to claim the credit on your 2009 tax return:
1. Fill out Form 5405 to determine the amount of your available credit;
2. Apply the credit when you file your 2009 tax return or file an amended return;
3. Attach documentation of purchase to your return or amended return.
Want to hear more about the Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit? Give us a call at 972-772-7000 or email us at rockwall@kw.com.
Source National Association Of Realtors
You've decided to purchase a home and take advantage of the Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit. Here's what you have to do to get your benefit:
Close on your home purchase between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010, or have a binding written contract by April 30, 2010 and close by July 1, 2010.
- Decide whether to:
- apply the credit to your 2009 tax return, filed on or before April 15, 2010;
- file an amended 2009 return; or,
- apply the credit on your 2010 return, filed on or before April 15, 2011.
Documentation of Purchase
Details concerning the precise documents required to confirm your purchase have not yet been released. When this information becomes available, we will include instructions and links to the appropriate forms.
When to Apply the Credit
Buyers purchasing homes on or before December 31, 2009 may claim the credit on their 2009 tax returns.
Buyers purchasing in 2010 will have the option to:
- Claim the credit on their 2009 return, even if the purchase is completed after December 31, 2009;
- File an amended return for 2009 if their purchase is completed after April 15, 2010; or,
- Claim the credit on their 2010 tax returns.
Applying the Credit to Your 2009 Taxes
You will need to do three things to claim the credit on your 2009 tax return:
1. Fill out Form 5405 to determine the amount of your available credit;
2. Apply the credit when you file your 2009 tax return or file an amended return;
3. Attach documentation of purchase to your return or amended return.
Want to hear more about the Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit? Give us a call at 972-772-7000 or email us at rockwall@kw.com.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Americans Prefer Owning Over Renting
Provided By Realtor Mag
Source Fannie Mae National Housing Survey
Safety and educational quality are among the reasons why 65 percent of Americans would rather own a home than rent one, according to Fannie Mae's national housing survey.
Of those Americans, 43 percent state that safety is a primary reason to buy, and 33 percent say they think schools are better in neighborhoods where most homes are owned by their residents.
However, buyers and renters are more cautious in today’s economic climate than in the past, according to the survey, with 23 percent of renters reporting that they will buy a home but later than they once thought.
A full 70 percent of respondents believe buying a home is one of the safest investments available, but 60 percent think that it will be more difficult for them to secure a mortgage than it was for their parents.
Are you interested in owning a home? Please contact us at 972-772-7000 or email us at rockwall@kw.com.
Source Fannie Mae National Housing Survey
Safety and educational quality are among the reasons why 65 percent of Americans would rather own a home than rent one, according to Fannie Mae's national housing survey.
Of those Americans, 43 percent state that safety is a primary reason to buy, and 33 percent say they think schools are better in neighborhoods where most homes are owned by their residents.
However, buyers and renters are more cautious in today’s economic climate than in the past, according to the survey, with 23 percent of renters reporting that they will buy a home but later than they once thought.
A full 70 percent of respondents believe buying a home is one of the safest investments available, but 60 percent think that it will be more difficult for them to secure a mortgage than it was for their parents.
Are you interested in owning a home? Please contact us at 972-772-7000 or email us at rockwall@kw.com.
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