By Tom Branch, on December 18th, 2013  Homes for Sale with Boat Docks in the DFW Metroplex
We recently were talking to a couple relocating to the Dallas Forth Worth Metroplex. They wanted to live on a lake but were surprised to find that many of our local lakes do not allow boat docks or lifts.
Most of our lakes were built and are maintained by the Army Corps of Engineers (COE) and the land surrounding these lakes are also owned by the government. While many homes are lake-front and have access to the water, the COE does not allow docks or lifts to be built. A few properties have boat docks that are grandfathered.
While many lakes do not allow docks, there are a number that do allow them. Wood County in east Texas has a series of lakes that are owned by the county. Boat docks and lifts can be built with a simple lease from the County. Lake Lewisville (just west of Frisco) has a public marina where boat docks can be leased.
Click here to search for all homes for sale in the DFW Metroplex with boat docks or lifts.
Contact us at 214-227-6626 if you have questions or need additional information.
Photo: Licensed from iStockPhoto
By Tom Branch, on March 11th, 2013 
The North Dallas Market is Hot! The Branch Team listed the property at 11901 Shoal Creek in Frisco Texas on Friday evening. In the first 48 hours we had 33 showings and 7 offers. This continues to confirm that properly prepared, staged, photographed, and right-priced homes are flying off the market. With inventories and interest rates at record lows, this is the optimum time to sell your home.
Our marketing plan includes 2 hours of professional staging, professional photography, and over 30 years of team experience selling real estate.
Click here for a FREE market evaluation of your home’s value.
Contact us at 214-227-6626 if you have any questions or need additional information on North Texas real estate.
Photo Copyright 2013 – Imaged2Sell
By Tom Branch, on March 3rd, 2013  We often talk about the drought and subsequent watering restrictions in North Dallas. While many of nature’s problems are caused by a lack of rainfall and Zebra Mussels, the drought being faced by North Texas homebuyers is caused by a deep lack of homes for sale.
Properly prepared homes that are professionally marketed and priced right are flying off the market in days.
We were out working with a first-time home buyer yesterday and we found two homes they liked. One had been on the market for three days and had five offers, the other had been on the market for one day and had three offers. Our clients made an offer above list price and their offer was not the accepted offer!
What does this mean for North Texas homeowners?
This may be the perfect time to sell your home. Many of our sellers are “waiting until the Spring Sales Season” to go on the market but now may be a far better time. Low inventory and high demand create the perfect storm for home sellers. This is the opportunity to get a far better price in far less time than any time in the past five years.
Homes for sale still need to be properly prepared, professionally marketed, and priced right. Get all of this right and pack your bags!
Thinking about selling? This is one of the best times in years. Want to know your home’s value? Click here to get a free market analysis.
Are you looking for an experienced listing team? The Branch Team was named a 2012 Residential Real Estate Top Producing Team by D Magazine. Contact us at 214-227-6626.
Photo licensed from iStockPhoto
By Tom Branch, on January 17th, 2013 
“You know, we would really like to find a home on water.”
We hear these words quite often as people move into the north Dallas area. While there are many homes on water, the prices are considerably higher.
Why? Water is scarce in Texas.
Many of our lakes were built by the Army Corps of Engineers and while these lakes are available for recreational use, the Corps owns much of the land adjacent to the lakes and they do not allow homes on the water. In those places where they do allow access, land prices are quite high driving up the price of waterfront homes.
Many Waterfront homes in the urban and suburban areas are built on smaller, private lakes or running creeks. Most of the lakes are too small to allow docks or motorized watercraft.
If you’re willing to live in the more rural areas, lake homes and lots can be found at affordable prices.
Click here to view all waterfront homes for sale in the Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) area.
Click here to view all waterfront homes for sale in north Texas.
Contact us at 214-227-6626 if you have any questions about lake-front or other homes in the north Dallas suburbs.
Photo: Copyright 2011 – Imaged2Sell
By Tom Branch, on January 25th, 2012 
Wow! It’s hard to believe but it’s raining in North Texas. With Stage Four Water Restrictions looming, this is a welcome sight.
Last year’s drought left our lakes and reservoirs dangerously low. People living on Cedar Creek Lake and many of the local lakes could not get their boats in the water. A positive side was that it was a good time to do any repairs or maintenance on their retaining walls.
While low lakes may seem like an inconvenience, there’s a much larger implication for those of us living here. Those lakes and reservoirs are also the source of our drinking water. When the levels are low, cities begin the various stages of water restrictions in an effort to insure we have water to drink.
The droughts also have an impact on our homes. The vast majority of our foundations are slab foundations. These foundations are sensitive to changes in the water content in our expansive soils. Last year we saw a dramatic rise in homes with foundation issues due to the drought. This cost north Texas homeowners millions of dollars.
Let it rain!
Photo Copyright 2012 Imaged2Sell
By Tom Branch, on June 18th, 2011 
I received an email from a past client asking me why the soil is pulling away from his foundation. The short answer is, “The soil is drying out and shrinking. You need to water.”
For those of you interested in a more detailed explanation, read on.
North Texas is known for its clay soil. Clay soil expands and contracts substantially based upon the moisture in the soil. If the soil dries out, it contracts. If it gets wet, it expands. While this seems simple enough, that shrinkage and expansion can have a dramatic impact on a slab foundation.
A slab foundation sits directly on the soil. Since clay soil expands and contracts, the slab is actually “floating” on the soil. Keeping the moisture level in the soil around the foundation stable is critical to the long-term stability of the foundation. While the in-ground sprinkler system often provides enough water, many times soaker hoses are installed to help regulate the moisture level.
The bottom line is if the soil is pulling away from the slab the moisture content is dropping and steps should be taken to add water. Doing so early can save thousands in foundation repairs later.
If you think you may have an issue, contact a DFW professional engineer or a foundation company.
By Tom Branch, on June 17th, 2011 
While the temperatures have been at or above the 100-degree mark, I’m not talking about the heat wave in North Texas. I’m talking about the lease-home market.
If you’re searching for a lease home in the area and find something you like, you need to be ready to submit lease applications because the good, clean, and well-priced leases are going faster than new listings are coming on the market. You need to have completed applications and funds ready for the application fee.
Search for Lease and Rental Homes in North Texas
If you’re an investor looking for solid income-producing properties, the North Texas market is a great place to be. Capitalization rates are on the rise, the local economy is stable, and with more people moving into the area, the demand for rentals is climbing rapidly.
Search the North Texas MLS
Have questions or need more information? Contact us!
|
|
Comments are closed 
You must be logged in to post a comment.