Fort Worth Real Estate Online

I have seen quite a few posts this week... more and more of then as we get close to the weekend... about "turning our clocks back" this coming Sunday.

You know... the old "Spring Forward, Fall Back" routine.  I have also seen that although some folks get excited about having an extra hour to accomplish "this or that..." most folks usually talk about if they turn back the clock one hour... they can get an extra hour of sleep.

So... here is my question.  If... instead of turning my clocks back ONE hour... I turn them back TWENTY-FIVE hours... could I possibly get away with an entire extra DAY of sleep ? 

I am tired... and I need to make this work... LOL.  Any suggestions ?

For all of you renters out there... if you're thinking about still trying to sneak in under the wire for the $8,000 tax credit that Uncle Sam and Aunt Samantha are just "itching" to give you... you need to see one of the hottest townhouse communities in south Carrollton, Texas.

It's a new kind of townhouse... made just for Texas.  One of the drawbacks for many Texans as far as townhouses have been concerned... is that just about everyone who is interested in a townhouse... wants an end unit.

Usually, townhomes are built with anywhere from six to eight units in each building... which obviously means that out of an eight dwelling building, only two townhouses can be "end units."

Well... that has all changed !  There is a major new neighborhood that has recently opened in the wonderful, close-in city of Carrollton, Texas.  It is an entirely townhouse neighborhood... but with one major exception not normally found in a townhouse community.

Each building... instead of having six to eight dwellings per building... when means six interior homes, and only two corner-units... this new neighborhood features a maximun of THREE units total per building... two of which, obviously, are "end units."

This is a major "happening" in Carrollton.  Only open a few months... sales are brisk... and not many homes are left that will finish in time to qualify for the November 30th deadline needed to qualify for the $8,000 tax credit.

Sooo... if you are ready to go from "Just Looking" to "Let's Get Serious..." give Karen Anne Stone a call at the New Homes Hotline at (972) 951-4350 or (817) 929-3400.  Call Karen today !

I bet most of the buyers that either you or I work with love a good surprise.  Not bad ones, but good ones.  The next ninety days offers the "last chance" for buyers to give themselves their very own Christmas Present.

That present comes in the form of the Homestead Exemption here in the State of Texas.

Texas is very big on home ownership.  The higher the rate of home ownership, the more interested those folks are in creating beautiful yards and neighborhoods to live in.

The Homestead Exemption... the Cliff Notes version... works like this.

There are many "entities" that line up to tax each residential home.  Cities, counties, schools, libraries, water districts, local community colleges... and so forth.  Sometimes the list may seem to be endless.

Each of these entities... for the most part... sees a portion of the value of the home in question... become "not taxable" or "tax exempt"... when the owners of that home qualify for, apply for... and then receive... their very own "Homestead Exemption."

When putting all of these "forgiven parts" of the value of each home together... a pretty good chunk of the assessed valuation of the home can end up "not taxable"... or "tax exempt.

An average estimate of the prcentage of tax savings... and remember... this is just an "estimate"... usually comes in at around twelve percent.  So... if the yearly real estate taxes on a home in Texas happens to be about $300 a month.. or $3,600 a year... if the Homestead Exemption hits in at around 12 percent... the total savings for the year could be approximately $36 dollars a month... or close to $400 a year.

In order for a home to qualify for a Homestead Exemption in the State of Texas... it must be "owned" by the owner as of January 1, 2010... and it ust be his or her primary residence.  If the owner takes title any later than that... the home does not qualify for Homestead Exempt status until January 1, 2011.

If you are in the market for a new home, and are ready to go from "Just Looking" to "Let's Get Serious"... call the DFW New Home Hotline at (817) 929-3400 today !

About eight years ago... I had one of the world's absolute worst "bad hair days."  I was just beside myself.  I felt my life was no longer worth living.  I wanted to run and hide.  I obviously needed a new "do."

Luckily... that afternoon I was driving down Hulen Street... after visiting the Border's Books at the corner of Hulen and I-30.  As I was driving down Hulen Street... I just happened to notice a store-front sign I had never seen before.  It was... Shelton's Salon and Day Spa.

Now... I had never been a "spa" kind of girl.  BUT... I was paranoid about having my hair look as great as it could.  That... and my bad hair day... prompted me to do a quick U-turn... and pull into the parking lot.  My curiosity was aroused. 

When I walked inside... of course I was more than a tad "timid."  Hair is a big thing for me... and I didn't quite know what to expect.

Luckily... that was the day I met Carol Eller.  Carol is one of the "Designers" at Shelton's... and wow... is she great.

I first went to the front counter... talked with the Salon Manager... explained my needs and concerns... and asked her to recommend one of her best stylists for me.  And yes... she immediately took me over to meet Carol.

Since that fateful day... I have been a fan of Carol... actually more of a fanatic.  Describing Carol as an artist with the scissors, the color concoctions... and the perm rods... is nothing of an overstatement.  She is That Good !

If you are ever in the Hulen area... and need someone to tend to your hair and beauty needs you can trust... Shelton's is the place... and Carol Eller is the woman who makes it happen.

I am in the process of putting together a marketing package for the home pictured below.  It will probably be coming on the market mid next week.  I think it is such a cool home that I wanted to at least give a little "preview" of one of the great features this home has to offer.

The family room pictured above is just huge.  Lots of room... a great ceramic tile fireplace with a full wood surround... and two walls of "Low-E" windows... engineered to let the light in, but keep the heat out.

The gourmet kitchen pictured above... is just perfect for meal-prep, or casual dining.  The oversized granite island counter top features an upgraded double stainless steel sink... with upgraded fixtures.

The kitchen opens up to the left to the family room to the left... and to the over-sized breakfast area/morning room on the side.

Be one of the first to see this great home... and learn all about the $8,000 tax CREDIT that is available to both first time homebuyers... and buyers who have not owned a home in the last three years.  Call Karen Anne Stone at (817) 929-3400 for your very own "sneak peek !"

There's a brand new townhouse community in Carrollton, Texas.  Sizes range from the mid 1554 sq ft .. to 2245 sq ft... with pricing ranging from the $180's to the $220's.

One of the great features of the Brand New Carrollton, Texas townhouse community... is the fact that the builder has a total of thirteen DIFFERENT floor plans... with custom front elevations for each unit.  What this means for you... is that you won't have to worry about seeing your exact home duplicated in every third building... like is often the case in many of the typical townhouse neighborhoods.

Below is a great example of this feature.  The end unit on the right... with it's arched entryway... and it's full two-story brick and stone front exterior... is a great surprise in that it is a TWO bedroom home.  It is just perfect for the professional single person who does not want to live in a condo... but does not want all the upkeep that goes along with a single family detached home.

The master bedroom is upstairs... and is complete with double knee-spaced vanities, a garden tub and a marble stall shower... and a master closed so large you could get lost in.

There is also a second bedroom up... and an overszed gameroom.  So much room... especially for a two bedroom home.

Downstairs... the living room is huge... and is "stacked" with the dining room.  The gourmet kitchen features hand-stained wood cabinetry, and a three-sided walk-in pantry.  There is also a half-bath downstairs... and... one of the coolest features of all... is the covered patio.  It is in a "C-shape"... and is more than large enough for a gathering of guests... just waiting to wolf down your best barbeque !

The above home measures 1940 sq ft... and is priced at $210,990.  Of course, that pricing included all of the custom exterior architectural features, the brick and stone exterior... and there is NO extra charge for being an end unit.

So... if living in your apartment is about to drive you NUTZ... and you'd like to take advantage of the $8,000 tax CREDIT for first time buyers... and buyers who have not owned a home in the last three years... please call Karen Anne Stone at (972) 951-4350 for a complete explanation of just how the tax credit works... and how soon you'd receive it after moving in.

A sparkling brand new townhouse community has just opened in Carrollton, Texas.  This community is very unique in that there are only three homes in each building... so obviously if you, as a buyer... will only live in a townhouse if it is an end unit... then you may find that this neighborhood will work perfectly for you.

Below is a gorgeous end unit townhouse... complete with brick and stone exterior.

It's exterior features include an arched entryway... two coachlights, and a second story balcony.  WHat's more... all of these exterior features... including the above landscaping... are included in the price of $226,990.

The home is 2,209 sq ft in size, and features three bedroom PLUS a study.  The master bedroom is 21 x 14 in size, has a monster walk-in closet, and also has a covered balcony.  Bedrooms two and three are 13'7" x 10'6"... very unusual for secondary bedrooms.

The family room is 21 x 17... quite large.  The Dining Room is 17 x 11... and the gourmet kitchen features a wrap-around serving bar... which accesses both the dining room and the family room.  The rear entry garage measures 21 x 20... which is larger than many 2 car garages on detached single family homes.

If you have been thinking about getting a Carrollton townhouse... if you want to be near DFW airport... and don't want to pay a gazillion dollars for an eight-unit-per-building townhome... it might be time to finally "get serious"... especially if you would like to take advantage of the $8,000 tax credit available on each of these home. 

That credit is a CREDIT... not a deduction... and is available to first time homebuyers... or to homebuyers who have not owned a home in the last three years.  Call Karen Anne Stone for all of the details on both these lovely homes... and the $8,000 tax credit... at (9720 951-4350.

There's something exciting going on in Carrollton, Texas.  A brand new townhouse community has opened... and the models are finally furnished and ready to go.

There are many special features about the townhouses in this neighborhood.  One of my favorites is that there are only THREE homes in each building.

It is not surprising that many buyers of townhouses want an end unit.  In neighborhoods where there are usually six to eight to even ten units per building... having an end unit is a long-shot... and usually, when they are available, the builder charges quite a premium for an end unit.

In this case... two thirds of the homes are end units... so that is no longer a problem.

The square footages of these homes range from 1,544 sq ft to 2,246 sq ft.  The smaller units have two bedrooms, two and one-half baths, and a game room.  All of these wonderful homes have two-car garages... and all of them are rear entry.  They range in price from $188,990 to $227,990... depending on size and exterior elevation.

If you have been "just looking" for a townhouse in the Carrollton area... and are ready to "get serious"... give Karen Anne Stone a call at (972) 951-4350.  There is still enough time to take advantage of Uncle Sam's (or Aunt Samantha's) $8,000 tax credit for either first time buyers... or for those who have not owned a home in the last three years. 

Everyone's excited... new home buyers are just "itchin" to get in to see this goegeous brand new Two Story model that's just about ready for showing by one of Fort Worth's favorite new home builders.

This super two story features four spacious bedrooms (Master Down), two and one-half baths, two dining areas, a Great Room and a Game Room.

The downstairs area Master Bedroom makes for an awesome Owner's Retreat.  Twin wrap-around vanities allows for lots of room to get gorgeous or handsome in the morning... which ever approach floats your boat !

The master closet is so roomy... you just might have to take your $8,000 FREE TAX CREDIT from Uncle Sam... and go shopping at North East Mall to fill up the closet !

The gourmet kitchen is great... with a serving bar that opens up into both the Great Room and the morning room/breakfast area.  Right off the morning room is a good-sized covered patio... just great for all that year-round BBQ'ing you can do in the great Fort Worth weather.

All three upstairs bedroom have walk-in closets... making them just great for your kids or guests, or both !  This great two-story home is approximately 2,421 sq ft in size, and is priced at $176,550... and full of lots of "custom features" at that price.

So... if you are ready to go from "Just Looking" to "Let's Get Serious"... and want to take advantage of Uncle Sam's EIGHT THOUSAND DOLLAR TAX CREDIT for a housewarming present... call Karen Anne Stone of New Home Hunters DFW at (817) 929-3400.  She can probably arrange a private showing even before the model is actually open to the public.

There's a New Model in Town !  And... She's really Good Lookin' ! 

One of our Favorite Builders here in Fort Worth is just about ready to open two new models in one of the most popular Neighborhoods in northern Fort Worth.  Here's the scoop on the smaller of the two !

When driving up to the front of this great home... the first thing you notice is the full front porch.  What a great "street-scape."  Full front porches are hard to find in this price range... the low 150's.  But... here it is

Featured are three great bedrooms (split master), a spacious Great Room, an incredible gourmet kitchen with wrap-around cabinets and counter-tops, with custom-made cabinetry stained "on the job."

The breakfast/morning area is to the rear... past the kitchen... and opens up into a nice-sized covered patio... great for all year round BBQ'ing.

Sizing is right about at 1,616 sq ft... and pricing is from right at $150,240 to $153,800... for the front porch elevation shown above.

If you are ready to move from the "Just Looking" stage... to the "Let's Get Serious" stage... and wouldn't mind your Uncle Sam giving you a house-warming gift of $8,000 as a tax CREDIT... call Karen Anne Stone at New Home Hunters DFW at (817) 929-3400 to see aside a time to see this gorgeous home.