Marty Kramer | Consumer columnist http://www.texasrealestate.com

Great news if you’re thinking of selling your home: Almost every area in Texas is a seller’s market right now.

That’s certainly the case on my street, where a house recently attracted six offers within 24 hours of the For Sale sign going up. (Four of the offers were above asking price.)

Another house on my street that hit the market last week took all of three days to garner a successful offer.

If you’re lucky enough to live in a similar selling environment, finding a buyer may not be too difficult. Does that mean you should try to sell your home on your own? I wouldn’t. Here are three reasons why:

Setting the right price is crucial. Do you know how much to ask for your home? Making a pricing mistake can cost you a lot of money. But a Texas REALTOR® knows what’s going in your market. He or she can help you analyze the latest data and the specifics of your house to arrive at a price that maximizes your profit.

There’s more to consider than money. How should you handle the termination option? Is the buyer’s earnest money enough? What if the buyer wants to make buying your home contingent on selling her existing home? And if you do get multiple offers, how do you respond to make sure you obtain the highest price possible and the most attractive overall deal?

Getting a buyer is not the same as selling your house. Accepting an offer is only the beginning. Real estate transactions can fall apart for a variety of reasons: financing difficulty, problems discovered during inspections, missed deadlines, contentious follow-up negotiations … even hurt feelings or cold feet. A Texas REALTOR® has experience dealing with potential pitfalls, though, and knows how to minimize problems on the way to a successful closing.

Source:

Great News: UCR to market Lakeside DFW retail space

 

United Commercial Realty (UCR), which represents properties including Southlake Town Square and the Shops at Highland Village, will introduce Lakeside DFW’s retail space to the market, according to officials with the 150-acre mixed-use development in Flower Mound.

“This is a project I have been quite close to for years,” explained Mickey Ashmore, founder and partner of UCR. “But the long-term vision that has emerged over the past year or so and the progress made toward achieving that vision has us really excited.”

Phase I features six mixed-use buildings along Lakeside Parkway that will accommodate approximately 50,000 sq. ft. of commercial space, just off the well-traveled International Parkway (FM 2499). Click here for traffic counts.

 

“With its great visibility,” Ashmore said, “the key at this point is to create an entry that is clearly something special, one that attracts the right tenants. We want to set the tone for a true destination site.”

Over the past six months, UCR agents have been working on merchandising plans, targeting tenants, and doing a lot of listening.

“We’re finding interest and tenants are providing input that is helping us to adjust our plan to make it more appealing,” he said.

“They can see the density around the site, and the density that will be coming on line in the next year or so.

“We are looking for significant tenants of high caliber where there currently is a real void in the market. We think there are several who would like to get in on the ground floor at Lakeside and begin building their client base.”

Mickey Ashmore of UCR.

Specifically, UCR plans to target “fast casual” restaurants for the first phase that would offer excellent lunch as well as dinner capabilities.

“There might be some with more than one location, but no large chains,” he insisted. “They would have the track records to prove they can deliver what Flower Mound residents want. It is all about creating a reason for people to come to Lakeside.”

The clientele attracted by the restaurants will help to create the environment that will then attract upscale retailers.

“This kind of project does not happen overnight,” Ashmore warned. “It is a step-by-step process. Retailers and restaurants will go where people gather.

“Over the long term,” he said, “I believe Lakeside will grow organically to achieve its vision of becoming a regional destination.”

In addition to the Shops of Highland Village, UCR brought the Pines of Flower Mound to the market as well as introducing Sprouts and Lifetime Fitness to the town

“We think Lakeside offers us the opportunity to show prospective tenants what is really special about Flower Mound,” added Ashmore.

The firm also represents Knox Street redevelopment (Dallas), Mockingbird Station (Dallas), Midtowne Little Rock (Little Rock), and Casa Linda Plaza (Dallas).

Ashmore has represented tenants including adidas, AMC Theaters, Nike, Brio Tuscan Grill, Borders Books & Music, Viking, Design Within Reach, Zara and Z Gallerie.

Source:  Lakeside DFW

 

Fort Worth-Arlington home prices rise nearly 11 percent in March | Business | Dallas Bus…

Fort Worth-Arlington home prices rise nearly 11 percent in March | Business | Dallas Bus….

The 100K Club: America’s Highest-Earning Cities

This is a very interesting list.  Take a look at what Dallas/Fort Worth city took the Number 2 position..I think you’ll be a bit surprised!!!

 

The 100K Club: America’s Highest-Earning Cities.

FHA For First Time Home Buyers

FHA For First Time Home Buyers.

10 mistakes when pricing your home for sale

1.  Picking the wrong asking price for your home can cost you a lot of money. Here are nine don’ts when coming up with your number:

2.  Don’t compare apples to avocados. Your neighbor’s home sold recently, but it has a three-car garage, a pool, brand-new appliances, and a cracked foundation. Your house doesn’t have any of these things, so it probably isn’t worth the same amount.

3.  Don’t go way back in time. Real estate prices can move up or down quickly. Old sales have little bearing on the amount you should ask for your home today.

4.  Don’t look far away. You know that location matters. A recent sale of a property just like yours doesn’t mean much if the home is across town. Sometimes property values can even vary from one block to the next.

5.  Don’t put a price on your memories. No buyer will pay more because the house was in your family for three generations.

6.  Don’t start high to allow room for negotiations. Most home seekers ignore overpriced homes. They don’t want to deal with unreasonable sellers. Plus, buyers wonder what’s wrong with a house that sits unsold. You may eventually have to Kramerr the price below what would have attracted an offer if you had started out with a reasonable number.

7.  Don’t take the tax man’s word on it. Yes, valuations from your county appraisal district are supposed to reflect the real market vale of properties. That doesn’t mean they do.

8.  Don’t think that anyone cares about your needs. You may want to net a certain amount from the sale of your home to buy another property or pay down debt; unfortunately, that doesn’t matter to buyers.

9.  Don’t add in the exact cost of your upgrades. Sure, a remodeled kitchen boosts your home’s value, but how much? It could be more than you paid or less.

10.  Don’t rely on unreliable sources. You can find websites that tell you how much your home is worth. Look closely at what they say about their accuracy, though. Depending on the source and the market, as many as half of those estimates are off by at least 20%.

So how should you arrive at an asking price? I think your best bet is to hire a Texas REALTOR®.  www.JimStriegel.com He or she can show you the data that matter in your market right now and what details of your property affect your asking price. Once you and your REALTOR® sift through all the pertinent information, you can come up with a pricing strategy for a successful sale.

Source:

Marty Kramer | Consumer columnist www.TexasRealEstate.com

Apr. 18, 2013

Star Local News Flower Mound Leader News Lakeside DFW establishes tree farm

 

 

Star Local News Flower Mound Leader News Lakeside DFW establishes tree farm.