By Tom Branch, on October 15th, 2010 The North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) will open the first direct-connect ramp at the State Highway 121, the Sam Rayburn Tollway(SRT) and US 75, North Central Expressway (Central) interchange on October 17th.
The new ramp will allow motorists traveling on northeast-bound SRT in Allen and McKinney to directly access northbound U.S. 75.
“The opening of this direct-connector is a momentous occasion for the NTTA and for the public, since this new ramp will vastly improve traffic flow through the area,” said Elizabeth Mow, NTTA director of project delivery.
More developments are coming soon: By the end of November, the NTTA expects to open another major direct-connector on the SRT/U.S. 75 interchange. This one will directly link southbound U.S. 75 with southwest bound SRT. Details will be announced when the opening schedule is finalized.
The NTTA will open the SRT/U.S. 75 interchange in phases during the next several months. All major traffic movements are expected to be open on the interchange in January.
Source: NTTA Press Release
By Tom Branch, on October 13th, 2010 The Branch Team | Real Estate Broker 0547597 | RE/MAX Dallas Suburbs
3 Bedrooms | 2 Baths | 2-Car Garage | 1484 SF/Tax
Little Elm TX Homes For Lease – Nice modern home in Stardust Ranch. Neutral colors. Kitchen with tile backsplash and breakfast bar overlooks living room with wood-burning fireplace. Large master suite. Master bath with garden tub, dual vanities, separate shower, and walk-in closet. Other bedrooms and bath split from master. Washer and dryer remain. Large backyard with open patio is perfect for entertaining. Community amenities include pool, clubhouse, park, and playground.
Click here for current status, pricing, photos, and a virtual tour.
Source: NTREIS | Photo Credit -Tom Branch
By Tom Branch, on October 12th, 2010 The Branch Team | Real Estate Broker 0547597 | RE/MAX Dallas Suburbs
4 Bedrooms | 2 Baths | 2-Car Garage | 1986 SF/Tax
Plano TX Homes For Sale – Great home with pool in the Heart of Plano. Bright and open floor plan with large formals and butlers pantry. Kitchen and family room with wood-burning fireplace overlook the backyard with diving pool. Perfect for entertaining. Generous master suite has walk-in closet and master bath has updated vanity and ceramic tile flooring. Main bath has also been updated including tile and flooring. This home is clean and move-in ready.
Click here for current status, pricing, photos, and a virtual tour.
Source: NTREIS | Photo Credit -Tom Branch
By Tom Branch, on October 11th, 2010 Kim Fischer – NBCDFW.com
October 8, 2010
When it comes to staging your home for sale, making small changes can make a big impact with a potential buyer.
Click here for video.
Gina Branch was interviewed as part of this story that aired on NBC 5 News on October 8 and October 9, 2010. You can see more of us “in the media” by clicking here.
By Tom Branch, on October 11th, 2010 
I was recently reading some of the responses to Margaret Gross’ Member’s Only blog titled, “Use Professional Photos – They’re Worth It!” Fred Light commented that, “‘Web appeal’ is curb appeal of 10 years ago, like it or not. “
That got me thinking.
Years ago people would drive around neighborhoods looking at homes for sale and picking up flyers. Curb appeal made a huge difference in which homes they selected to see.
Times have changed and the smart listing agents have adapted to the changes.
Today it all starts with great Internet Marketing. Why? According to the National Association of REALTORS®, over 85 percent of all buyers start their searches on the Internet. The drive-bys in the cars of yesteryears are now done by driving their mouse on one of several hundred thousand IDX websites displaying listings from the Multiple Listing Services (MLS). The new curb appeal is that first look on the Internet.
Quality photos and well-written marketing text are essential to getting past that first look.
As reported by the Wall Street Journal, professional quality photographs not only speeds up the marketing time but also increase the final sales price of a property. Why? I’ll argue that homes that are better photographed have higher showing rates and better chances of early and multiple offers. Buyers simple pass up on homes with no or very poor photos.
Well-written marketing text is also critical. We still see listings with little to no text (this is usually combined with poor or no photos) in the MLSs.
Marketing a home takes much more than sticking a sign in the ground and inputting some basic data into the MLS. The great listing agents understand that the old paradigm has shifted online and they made that shift as well.
True curb appeal is still important as buyers make subconscious decisions about properties in the first few minutes of a showing and that starts with drive-up or curb appeal. For more information on keeping a property in Show-Ready condition and Showing Restrictions see my earlier blogs titled, “Are You Show Ready?” and Showing Restrictions“.
Sellers need to take a look at how their property is being marketed online. Every home, regardless of price or condition, deserves to be well-marketed. If something does not look right, call your listing agent.
By Tom Branch, on October 8th, 2010 Single Property Websites seem to be in-fashion. I like the idea of the seller having an easy URL that they can give out to their friends and family. I didn’t care for all the work and added expense so I found an easier way.
Here’s a step-by-step:
Register the New Domain – I use GoDaddy and always use a .info Top Level Domain. You can register the new domain for one year for $2.17. In this example, I registered www.6002greenoaks.info.
Forward Domain to Site – Log in to the domain manager and open the control panel for the new domain. Click on Domain Forwarding, enter the URL of the single property website, and click Save. I use the property website on remax.com but you could easily use realtor.com or any other site such as Point2, Zillow, etc.
Start Using the Single Property Site – Note it may take about 4 hours for all the DNSs to update and the forward to go into effect. I wait until the next day to send the URL to the seller. You can try it by clicking here.
I hope this brief tutorial gives you some ideas on how to add value to your sellers with a minimal amount of time and cost.
By Tom Branch, on October 6th, 2010 
Action Makes the Difference!
Tom Branch | RE/MAX Dallas Suburbs
It’s important to keep an open mind as you read, hear, or otherwise experience ideas that can help you. Try not to judge them or cast them aside too quickly because they don’t sound good, they’re not part of your personality or make‑up, or because you may have heard them before.
Instead, consider these courses of action:
If you’ve heard an idea before, say to yourself, “Yes, I’ve heard that before, but am I using it? If not, why not?”
If you are currently using the idea, ask yourself, “How effective am I at using it? How can I improve on it to make it even more effective for me and my business?”
Next, ask yourself this question: “What will I do as a result of what I’ve learned?”
Remember, it’s not what you know – it’s what you do that counts. Ideas are powerful. And good ideas are really important for any business. They’re what keep your interest up and your business fresh and alive and growing. And when put into action, good ideas can make a huge difference in the way you do business, the results you realize, the fun you have, and the profits you make.
Activerain is full of good, practical, and usable ideas that can help make that big difference for you. But it’s up to you to tailor them to your own unique situation, and more importantly, to put them into action.
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