Search Dallas Fort Worth Real Estate

Advanced Search

Dallas Fort Worth Real Estate News

Oct. 12, 2021

Conventional Home Loan vs FHA Home Loan

 

If you are not a veteran or looking to purchase in a rural area the two most common loans are FHA and Conventional.  If your scores are at or below a 620 the first loan you might consider is FHA. If your scores are higher, preferably at or above a 660 then you might consider a Conventional loan. Below are the main differences between FHA and Conventional. 

 

What Is an FHA Loan?: 

An FHA loan is a government-backed home loan insured by the Federal Housing Administration. An FHA loan typically has less restrictive qualifications on your debt-to-income ratio and credit score. 

 

FHA Loan Pros & Cons:

One of the advantages of opting into an FHA loan is that it can make it possible for individuals with lower credit scores and higher debt to income ratios the ability to purchase a home and/or refinance.

Before opting for an FHA loan, consider mortgage insurance costs, which can certainly add up over time. With an FHA loan, you’ll need to pay both an up-front mortgage insurance premium and a monthly mortgage insurance regardless of your down payment.  

 

What is a Conventional Loan?:

Conventional loans are not insured or guaranteed by a government agency, they’re insured by private lenders. For this reason, lenders extend conventional mortgages to applicants who have stronger financial profiles. As a general rule, you would want to have higher credit scores and a lower debt-to-income (DTI) ratio.  

 

Conventional Loan Pros & Cons:

A few of the advantages of opting into a Conventional loan.

  • You can borrow higher loan amounts. 
  • No monthly mortgage insurance when you put 20% down payment or get to 80% LTV
  • No upfront mortgage insurance premium 

 

On the other hand, you will need to be mindful of the stricter guidelines such as. 

  • Longer waiting periods on bankruptcies and foreclosures 
  • Higher mortgage insurance rates for lower credit scores 
  • More restrictions on your debt-to-income ratio (DTI)

 

In summary, increase your scores as highest possible preferably over a 660+, and keep your debt low to increase your chances of qualifying for a conventional loan.

Posted in News
no comments yet
Sept. 5, 2018

Uncover Treasured Stories on Dallas Property

Stories unfold on Dallas property in the Dallas Arboretum. Over 60 acres of splendid flora and fauna span the landscape. Nineteen titled gardens are filled with color, texture and tales. Each and every space has a story behind it and a history as rich as its soil.

Surprises await in A Woman’s Garden. Dedicated by the Women’s Counsel of the Dallas Arboretum, this spot combines various smaller gardens into one amazing masterpiece. Found within its boundaries are a Texas limestone bridge, sunken rose garden, impressive Dawn Redwoods and a reflecting pond. This particular garden was designed to celebrate the strength, courage, creativity and nurturing demeanor of women.

Imagination springs to life in the Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden. Little ones are encouraged to dig in and explore. Various events are always in the works ready to connect children with nature. Favorite spots to play in the children’s garden include the Moody Oasis and A Walk in the Clouds.

At the north end of the Dallas property guests reflect in the Lay Family Garden. A family affair, separate improvements were made by the daughters of the family over time. Visitors often pause a moment or two to soak in the serenity of the Koi pond while listening to the soft sounds of the waterfalls.

Take Time for Tea when Living in Dallas

The Dallas Arboretum is pretty as a picture and a light and lovely stop for tea adds to the ambinance of visits. Held in the DeGolyer Tea Room service starts with a selections of soups to savor. A second course showcases tasty tea sandwiches with decadent desserts acting as the curtain closer. Cups of seasonal tea are poured throughout the meal and are accompanied with scones covered with jam or clotted cream. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 214.515.6511.

Open daily, patrons of the arboretum living in Dallas enjoy the perks of memberships. Members receive complimentary admission, free parking, discounts and member only events such as private morning walks. More information on becoming a member can be found here.

 

Posted in News
no comments yet
Sept. 5, 2018

Golden Years Shine when Living in Richardson

Seniors living in Richardson shine bright in their golden years. With a dedicated Park and Recreation Department on hand, programs at the Richardson Senior Center are designed to enrich and enlighten lives. A wide range of services are made available to those over fifty-five. Classes, screenings and social events fill the calendar.

It’s never too late to learn something new. Members of the center embrace a variety of subjects from arts and crafts to technology. Music flows freely from the fingertips of those playing piano to voices raised liltingly in song. Classic sewing circles emerge where quilting, tatting and crocheting take place. Grandparents eagerly show off their technical skills to their grandkids after learning the language of the computer in class.

Staying active keeps folks fit and an array of physical fitness and sports classes are regularly scheduled. The water aerobics class is great for those with troublesome joints. Yoga also focuses on gentle movements. Tai Chi, aerobics and pilates are other options. An onsite workout room holds top notch equipment including treadmills, weight machines, stationary bicycles and elliptical machines for those seeking to workout at their own pace. Health and Wellness seminars help seniors living in Richardson keep on top of their health. Clinics include blood pressure checks and other screenings for preventative care.

Seniors Find a Social Haven Near Richardson Homes

The Richardson Senior Center sets the scene for a lively time. A weekly game schedule presents the opportunity for constant get togethers. Competition is fierce during Scrabble, Bunco, Pinochle, Bridge and other games. Toes are kept tapping during Saturday Night Dance Club and Texas Reelers Square Dance Club meet ups. Leagues are organized for golf, bowling and tennis. Tournaments pit avid shuffleboard players and pool sharks against one another.

Easily found at 820 Arapaho Road, the Richardson Senior Center is conveniently close to Richardson homes. Here the doors are open Monday through Saturday. Those needing additional information can call 972.744.7800 for assistance.

 

Posted in News
no comments yet
Sept. 4, 2018

Frisco Real Estate Residents Get in the Game

Crowds are drawn to Frisco real estate and gamers go wild at the National Videogame Museum. Located at 8004 North Dallas Parkway the scene is set for all day play. Journey back into time when video games were just beginning. Guided tours relay all the historical information and are scheduled on Sundays at 1 and 3 p.m.

This Frisco property is the perfect place for family fun. Parents will be in their element sharing stories about the good old days and kids will be blown away by the rudimentary graphics and sound effects on the screens.

Player One is Ready to for Action on Frisco Property

The spotlight shines in the Timeline of Consoles where it all started. Fifty consoles are chronologized starting with the original Magnavox Odyssey. Close by flashbacks are happening and sights and sounds of back in the day are surging in the 80’s Arcade. Memories overflow of digging deep in blue jean pockets for quarters before lives were lost on the video screen. Classic games provide hours of amusement in the retro arcade. Visitors find their competitive spirit and battle once again to get their initials up on the leaderboard. Play PONG and other early games on a larger than life television in the Prehistoric exhibit. Educational programs place a focus on STEM subjects and are designed to stimulate the mind. Designed for both kids and adults a variety of programs fill the museum's calendar on a regular basis.

Birthday parties held on the grounds are epic. Basic packages include unlimited access to the museum, a private party room, tokens, pizza and beverages. Bells and whistles added on include exclusive high score contests, tournaments, t-shirts, birthday cake and much more!

Hours are seasonal and Frisco real estate residents should check online before heading over. Admission to the museum includes complimentary tokens to play in the Retro Arcade and access to guided tours.

 

Posted in News
no comments yet
Jan. 31, 2018

Home Purchase & Education Go Hand in Hand

For many families, schools are an essential consideration when searching for a new home. However, most property searches only offer property related criteria such as price, beds, baths, and square feet. As such, locating properties that meet the criteria for your family and your child’s education can be challenging, especially when you are less familiar with an area.

For this very reason, this website provides you with the ability to incorporate school ratings directly into your property search as a primary criteria.  Additionally, you’ll have access to detailed information and statistics on local schools and neighborhoods on every listing detail page.

In this post, you will learn how to:

  • Incorporate school ratings in your search for a new home
  • Access accurate school information for virtually every property

When you first start a property search on this site, you will see a menu of search criteria. The Lifestyle section on the right side of the search tool bar allows you to select criteria that reflect your lifestyle preferences. The first option is “School Rating.” Simply select the value that best matches your requirements and the results will instantly update to show only the matches that fit your preferences.

If you are using the map search, hover over any home for summary info; click directly on a property to go to the details page. If you are using the form-based search, click “Search Results” once you are done selecting search criteria. You can then click on any property from the search results page to go to the respective listing detail pages.

To access school information from any listing detail page, just click the “School Information” link in the ‘Neighborhood & School Information’ section of the detail page.

You will have access to detailed information on all nearby schools as well educational statistics such as expenditures per student, students per teacher, and much more.

As you scroll through this page, a great deal of valuable school data can be viewed. To research individual schools, simply click on the school name.

These tools will help you match your ideal home with the educational path of your children. By following these steps and thoroughly researching schools near any potential home, you will be able to pair two of your most vital investments: your new home–and the education of your children.

Posted in uncategorized
no comments yet
Jan. 31, 2018

How to Track Your Home’s Value

Buying a home is generally the single largest purchase that we make in our lifetimes and most of us are interested in not only the value of our properties, but also the general value of like properties in our neighborhoods. Whether you have just moved into a new home or have lived there for years, tracking the market value of your property is essential for any informed homeowner.

HowToTrackYourHomesValue1

This website’s property search provides an excellent platform to track property values and market trends in your area.  In this post, you will learn strategies for tracking the value of your home by researching similar homes in your area.

The goal is to track for sale and sold properties that closely resemble your own. The asking price (or sold price, if available) on similar properties will give you a better idea of the value of your own home at different points in time.

To begin, navigate to the property search on this site and fill in the search criteria and property characteristics that closely match your home, while setting the price ranges at “Minimum” for the low range and “Maximum” for the high range. Remember that you are trying to find other properties that are as similar as possible to your own. Thus, be sure to include location, property type, beds, baths, square feet, and garage spaces. If you live in a newer home, you may also wish to include a year in the “Year Built” field to filter our older homes.

As you continue to select criteria, you will notice that the number of matching properties will continue to decrease. When you are done entering your property criteria, there should be a reasonable number of similar homes matching the criteria you selected. If not, you may wish to remove some of the less important amenities or add geography to your search in order to establish a better pool of similar properties.

Once you have selected all criteria, run your search to view homes similar to yours. Reviewing the prices of these homes will begin to help you develop a sense of your own property’s value. You may also wish to save your work by saving your searches for future reference. You can also elect to receive email notifications when new ‘like properties’ hit the market.

HowToTrackYourHomesValue2To use these tools, simply save your search and give it name such as “Comparisons to my home.” You can save your search on the main search page after selecting your criteria by clicking the “Save Search” button. Alternatively, you can save your search on the search results pages by clicking the button “Email Me When New Listings Match This Search.” Both links will take you to the same screen where you will set up your saved search name and email notification preferences.

As you track home values in your area over time, you will also begin to develop a sense of market trends in your area. For instance, if you notice that the selling price of homes similar to your own are increasing, you can typically conclude that the value of your property may be on the rise. If homes similar to yours are on the market for longer lengths of time and have a lower selling price, you could infer that the market value of your property may be decreasing. But, please remember the results of these searches are indicators–not hard science.

These easy, but important steps will empower you to stay informed regarding the value of your home and on the changing marketing trends in your neighborhood.

Posted in uncategorized
no comments yet
Jan. 31, 2018

Become an Expert on New Homes Hitting the Market

Knowledge is power and early knowledge can offer you a powerful advantage, especially in tight real estate markets. Those who find properties first gain an edge by being the first have a chance to see new properties and thus the first to make offers. More often than not, this first to market knowledge pays off.

CaptureThis post will review how you can leverage the property search on this website to quickly access the newest properties on the market and how to setup email alerts when new properties match your criteria.

It’s important to first point out that this website offers you the most current, up-to-date property information available. In fact, the listing inventory on this site comes directly from the local MLS and is updated multiple times throughout the day. Having access to current and accurate information means another advantage for you.

  • Utilize the “New Listings” checkbox to filter your searches. From the main property search, enter your desired search criteria and check the “New Listings” checkbox. This will filter your results to only display properties added to the market in the past seven days.
  • Sort property results in chronological order. From the main search page, enter your desired search criteria and change the sort order to “Descending by Date Listed.” This will automatically display listings in chronological order with the newest listings to hit the market displaying first.
  • Set up new listing email alerts.  From the main property search page, select your search criteria and then click the “Set up E-mail Alerts” button. Follow the instructions to create your free account (make sure to activate your account right away), name your search, and then select your email notification preferences. You will receive email notifications whenever new listings hit the market that match your saved search criteria.

These tools give you fast access to new listings as soon as they become available. Enjoy the first to market advantage and happy house hunting!

Posted in uncategorized
no comments yet
July 31, 2017

Curious About Local Real Estate?

Receive the Latest Local Market Stats

Curious about local real estate? So are we! Every month we review trends in our real estate market and consider the number of homes on the market in each price tier, the amount of time particular homes have been listed for sale, specific neighborhood trends, the median price and square footage of each home sold and so much more. We’d love to invite you to do the same!

Get Local Market Reports Sent Directly to You

You can sign up here to receive your own market report, delivered as often as you like! It contains current information on pending, active and just sold properties so you can see actual homes in your neighborhood. You can review your area on a larger scale, as well, by refining your search to include properties across the city or county. As you notice price and size trends, please contact us for clarification or to have any questions answered.

We can definitely fill you in on details that are not listed on the report and help you determine the best home for you. If you are wondering if now is the time to sell, please try out our INSTANT home value tool. You’ll get an estimate on the value of your property in today’s market. Either way, we hope to hear from you soon as you get to know our neighborhoods and local real estate market better.

Posted in Market Updates
no comments yet

Recent Blog Posts

Archives

Connect with us