Dallas TX Housing Shows Strong Numbers Despite National News

The latest numbers have come out from the largest Association of REALTORS® in the DFW area, MetroTex. The numbers show some very interesting information that should be very useful, especially to people who are relocating to the area thinking they're going to get a "deal" and even the investors who think they can come to our area and scoop up tons of properties at dirt cheap prices...

Here's what the numbers tell us:

2007 DFW Single Family Home Sales (so this excludes condos, but DOES include townhouses):
Year to Date compared to same period last year

Number of Sales: 61,746
Percent Change: -6%

Average Price: $204,813
Percent Change: +5%

Median Price: $150,500
Percent Change: +1%

Active Listings: 47,750
Percent Change: +8%

With these numbers, you can see that the Dallas/Ft Worth area is still going strong. We do not follow the average trends of the rest of the Country. We have a very strong economical base right now with many companies still relocating people to the area. Many areas across the country are seeing double digit depreciation, and we've had appreciation. Is the appreciation high? No, but it shows we're in a fairly steady market.

Remember, I work all of North Dallas County and Collin County including Richardson, Plano, Allen, Frisco, Carrollton, Garland, Rowlett, McKinney, etc... my car will take us anywhere you need to go!!

ARE YOU PACKED YET?!

Buy My House, and You Get Full Refund When I Die!

Yes, you read the title right. I just saw this story and I thought it was very unusual and unique. This couple in Pittsburgh have been trying to sell their home for a year, and the market is not that great in that area, so they had to come up with something that no one else was offering...

They are asking $399,900 for the house and since they have no heirs to leave anything to, the people who agree to buy the house can have the entire purchase price refunded back to them upon their death.

WAIT, it gets better!!! If the new owners agree to take care of the couple in their old age, they could also get the vacation home in Arizona AND an estate worth over $2.5M!!! Is that a deal or what?!

The problem is, how old are these people? The article doesn't say. What if they live another 20+ years. Will the people who buy the house now still own it when they die?


Here's the story I read.

North Texas Tollway Association Price Increases

The Tollways in North Texas have instated an increase effective today, October 1. This includes the North Dallas Tollway and the George Bush Turnpike. I was astonished yesterday when I went into Frisco on the new stretch that opened on Friday and it was $1.30 for the Eldorado exit... WHAT??!! $1.30!! That's crazy!

To go see my client in Frisco yesterday, it cots me $0.50 to get onto the Bush. $1.00 is charged at the Coit overpass. When I get onto the Dallas North Tollway, it's $1.00 at Parker. Then it was $1.30 to exit at Eldorado. That's $3.80. That's $7.20 round trip. This is getting ridiculous!!!

However, I do have the Tolltag on my car, so the rates are slightly less, so let's look at it with the tolltag. $.40 to get on at Renner. $.70 at the Coit overpass. $.70 at Parker and then $1.05 at the Eldorado exit. That's $2.85, which is $5.70 round trip.

I saved a whopping $0.95 to have a tolltag. You can't even by something off the $1 Value Menu at any fast food restaurant!!! However, going round trip saves me $1.90 so that gets me almost a $1.99 Happy Meal!!

Personally, I think the discount should be much more substantial to have the Tolltag rather than cash. It's the cash people who are making people do extra work and it's more inconvenient for those drivers. The Tolltag saves people a lot of time and energy, especially the North Texas Tollway Association (www.NTTA.org) and they should charge Tolltag users less!

Here's the site that shows you the fees at each and every exit up and down all North Texas Tollways.

Baby Shower Pictures from Sept 8

Here are some pictures from the September 8 baby shower.

This onesie says "Houses for Sale: Donna@donnahomes.com. She's going to be a walking advertisment.