FIVE TIPS FOR HOUSE HUNTERS

When shopping for a home, it's easy to be swept away by a property's most charming characteristics and overlook things that may become very important later.

The following tips can help homebuyers define their priorities and streamline the process of finding a home.

1 - Location matters. Location is a key consideration when choosing a home. Desirability of a location may include commute times to work, proximity to schools, and easy access to neighborhood attractions.

2 - List what you want in a home. You'll save time if you decide early what features are most important. Your goal should be to find the right home without falling in love with one that may not suit your needs.

3 - Obtain a pre-qualification letter from a mortgage company. A pre-qualified buyer is often in a stronger negotiating position.

4 - Take good notes about the homes you visit. Turn priorities into a personal checklist and use it to track the features of each property.

5 - A real estate professional can provide valuable assistance. Today's homebuyers have access to a wealth of information, but may not have a way to tailor it to their needs. That's where a real estate professional can be of great benefit.

To view property currently for sale in the D/FW and N. Texas area, visit ebby.com or daveperrymiller.com. For information on loan pre-qualification, visit hometeammortgage.info.

Mary Frances

SELLER'S MARKET

An article in the Dallas Morning News on Friday, October 17th described the supply of homes for sale in the DFW area as "horrendously low". The article further noted that, according the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M, there is currently less than a one and one half months' supply of homes on the market in many parts of the DFW area while a six month supply is considered normal.

The existing home inventory is not expected to grow substantially any time soon, either, according to real estate analyst David Brown of Metro Study, Inc., who further noted that "about three-fourths of Dallas-area neighborhoods have had double-digit price gains over 2013".

Both rising home values and a shortage of homes for sale benefit a potential home seller, whose home may command a higher price in a shorter period of time if offered for sale in today's "seller's market".

If you have contemplated selling your home, today's real estate market in the DFW and North Texas area may be an exceptionally advantageous time to list it for sale.

The Ebby Halliday Companies - Ebby Halliday, REALTORS and Dave Perry-Miller & Associates - with more than 1,600 professional agents in 30 offices strategically located throughout the DFW and North Texas area are ideally positioned to assist you with your home selling needs.

Please contact the Ebby Halliday Companies' professional of your choice to learn the current value of your home in today's seller's market - you may be pleasantly surprised!

Mary Frances

Area Home Prices Rise

Local home prices in the Dallas area hit a post-recession high in the latest housing market report.

According to the closely watched Standard & Poor's/Case Shiller Home Price Index, local home prices were up 10% in March from a year earlier. March marked the fourth month in a row that Dallas home prices increased at a double-digit rate from the previous year.

Nationwide, though, prices remain almost 20% below where they were before the recession. But, according to S&P's Dave Blitzer, Dallas and Denver are the only two cities in the country where home values have set new post-real estate-crisis highs.

Ted Wilson with Residential Strategies recently noted that with the current shortage of homes on the market, Dallas area home prices may rise another 10% this year.

In another sign of strength in the Dallas/Fort Worth and N. Texas residential market, the average time it took to sell an area home in April declined to 53 days, indicating a very strong seller's market.

Given rising home values and the strength of the market, today may be an exceptionally advantageous time to be a seller in the Dallas/Fort and N. Texas area.

Four Great Organizing Tips

If you’re like many people, you want to become more organized. What better time to do so than with the transition to a new season? Below are four tips to help you sort your items and store them so that they’re always within reach. Forward this information on to friends and family to help them organize their homes as well. 

First Quarter Sales

Sales figures for the Ebby Halliday Companies show continuing growth through the first quarter of 2014, and the firm's performance during the period from January 1 through March 31 was outstanding!

Total Sales Volume exceeded $1.2 Billion, up 9.6% over the first quarter of 2013.

The average Sales Price of $348,351 was an increase of 4.7% over the first quarter of 2013.

Average days on market declined 18.6% - from 70 days to 57 days on market.

In fact, during a period many considered to be 'cooling off' from a super-heated DFW residential real estate market in 2013, the Ebby Halliday Companies continued to outperform the overall market.

The Ebby Halliday Companies' first quarter results reflect its sales Associates' exceptional professionalism and their unsurpassed level of service to our clients.

We would like to sincerely thank all our Associates and staff members for their stellar performance in the first quarter and say, "Very well done, everyone - you are the best!!"


Mary Frances

DFW Area Growth

The US Census Bureau recently cited Dallas/Fort Worth and surrounding counties as the third fastest growing major metropolitan area in the country and reported that the area's population grew by more than 108,000 between July 2012 and July 2013. In Denton County, 60% of the population growth was the result of people moving to the area from other parts of the U.S., while half of Collin County's growth was attributed to people moving to the area. Approximately 14,000 people moved to Tarrant County from other parts of the country.

The Census Bureau also reported that Texas outpaced the rest of the country in job growth by a significant margin.

This strong growth in new jobs and population relocating to the DFW and North Texas area will have a positive and direct effect on the local housing market, bringing many new potential home-buyers to the area.

With more than 1,600 Associates in 30 local sales offices throughout the DFW and N. Texas area, the Ebby Halliday Companies are well positioned to assist people moving into the area with their real estate needs. 

Visit the firms' websites - ebby.com anddaveperrymiller.com - for assistance or information on more than 29,000 homes listed for sale in the area.


Mary Frances

Why I Work by Referral

I would like to take a moment of your time to introduce a complimentary service I provide for all of my clients.  My Client Appreciation Program is part of the commitment I have made to run my business exclusively by referral. Every month I will be sending information that I believe you will find useful. 

This first piece explains how my decision to work by referral benefits you. It allows me to devote my time and energy to meeting the needs of my clients. There are a number of ways that I can be a valuable resource to you, such as providing market updates and referring other reputable professionals when you need them.

I will make a constant effort to provide you with excellent service, because in my business, the most profound assets I possess are your respect and trust. Feel free to call if you need anything at all; I am always here to help.

Sincerely,

Alan Hopper

 

Have You Thought About Selling Your Home or Buying a New Home?

If you’ve been tossing around the idea of putting your home on the market or buying a new home, now is a great time to do so.  For buyers this means that homes are still affordable and interest rates are low. For sellers this means that home values are increasing and lower inventory in many areas means more competition for your home.

The information I’m showing you in the following graphic gives you an overview of the top reasons for buying and selling now. While page one outlines three reasons to buy, page two offers three great reasons to sell.

I’m always available to answer any questions you have about our local real estate market. If you’ve been thinking of selling your home or buying a new one, please contact me. And if you have family or friends who are thinking of buying or selling, I would love to help them as well.

It's a Good Life!


Alan