Fort Worth Real Estate Online

This "First Home" has So Many Custom Features... it will Knock Your Socks Off ! 

The Exterior has great Drive Up Appeal with it's brick front, landscaping, and Breakfast Nook Triple-Bay Windows.  Full Sprinkler system, full sod and landscaping, and many additional Custom Features make this a great First Home for the Incredible Price of $123,990.

The Family Room will surprise you with its wide open feel an its vaulted ceilings.  Lots of room to spread out, and an amazing Custom Feel will fool you into thinking you're in a Much Larger Home than 1,362 Sq Ft.

The Gourmet Kitchen has a Breakfast Bar/Serving Bar which is shown below on the left.  It opens into both the Breakfast Nook and the Family Room.  Also shown are the triple-bay windows in the breakfast nook area.  Instead of having just 2" blinds in the windows, notice how nice the windows will look once you move in and add your own decorating touches with short cafe valences at the top of the triple-bay windows.

The Gourmet Kitchen, shown below, has just a ton of cabinets, and lots of counter space.  With a kitchen like this, you may actually stay home and cook some nights rather than eating out so often.  Notice the crown moulding along the top edge of the hanging cabinets.  Having that there really sets off whatever decorative plates, dried flowers and other fun stuff you display above the cabinets.

Below is a slighly closer view of the breakfast room.  It shows the edge of the serving bar on the left, and the half-wall on the right... which leads into the Family Room.  It's all tied together so very nicely... and makes for a fabulous overall Great Room feel for either having friends over, or for just chilling out after work.  The triple-bay window gives such an awesome open feeling... just the place for morning coffee.  What a nice way to start your day !

With so many photos of the Breakfast Nook/Morning Room... here is what it looks like from the outside.  It shows shorter shrubs just outside the triple-bay windows, but just imagine how great it would look with three or four pine trees or Evergreens surrounding you while having morning coffee while trying to wake up in the morning.  So Many Really Great Custom Featurs... at such an incredible price. 

Pre-Construction Pricing is still available at $123,990, so call Karen Anne Stone, your New Home Hunter, for your private showing today !  Karen can be reached at (817) 929-3400.

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More of Karen Anne's homes can be seen at her website at www.NewHomeHuntersOfTarrantCounty.com .  Karen can also be reached at KarenAnneStone@gmail.com .  Also... Karen Anne is an absolute "Whiz" at mortgage financing, so for mortgage qualifying information or monthly payment numbers you can count on... either call or email Karen Anne Stone... today !

I guess the main point was... maybe I wasn't as smart as I thought I was.

Her home had been on the market for about two months.  The seller thought it was "the Nicest Home On The Block."  It was a four bedroom, two bath "New England Style" colonial.  Lots of white siding, exterior shutters tastefully done, nice shrubbery and landscaping, an oversized lot with some trees... very appealling, or so I thought.

It was a nice home. and as time wore on, it was getting lots of showings... even a few second showings... but no offers.  I took several of my Realtor friends over to this listing, looking for their comments and their marketing sugestions.  I even held a "Brokers open" to solicit their ideas.

I heard just about everything.  Put in brighter light bulbs, remove one item from each room to make the rooms look bigger, change out the kitchen wallpaper... it looks much too frou-frou.  (I liked it, and would have used it myself.)

Paint the interior walls a different color, replace the carpeting, send the little "yapping" dog to a relative until the house sells, send the little yapping KIDS to a relative until the house sells, all sorts of very "helpful" suggestions.

Then came the phone call.  The seller wanted me to drop over that evening.  She had some things she wanted to "go over" with me.  What was my first thought ?  Of course, she was going to "pull the listing."  Give it to a friend... give it to her accountant's daughter who just got into real estate... or maybe what she wanted was something as simple as dropping the price.  I was prepared for just about anything.

Now... I don't mean to say that my seller was a "know-it-all" by any means (or mebbe I do... LOL.)  Nor do I mean to say that she was "stubborn."  According to her... she was simply "firm in her convictions."  Un huh...

Then... out she came with it.  "Karen, my home has had showing after showing, some nice comments, a few criticisms... which I have remedied... but no offers.  I have been thinking it over, and I think I have the answer.

My home has many, many nice features, and many custom touches.  But... I don't think the people who are looking at it... "appreciate" how nice it is.  Sooo... I want you to raise the price by about six percent.  (In today's prices, that would be about $17,000.)  That way, with the price decently higher, it will be looked at by a better class of people who will better appreciate all the fine amenities my home has to offer.

I almost fell out of my chair.  How silly, I thought.  That will totally "kill" the showings.

Now, this took place back in the days before computers, and before the MLS was on the internet.  We had all our Multiple Listing Service listings in a "loose leaf binder."  The pages... the new listing sheets... were delivered in person to each of our offices every Tuesday and Friday.  So, I had to notify the MLS, and the news of the price increase would be delivered on an "update sheet" along with the new listings... the following Tuesday.

Ok... so I submitted the increase.  I just dreaded how "embarrassed" I would be when the increase hit my competitors real estate offices.

Bottom line... once the increase came out... showings started up again... and within three days... the home sold at FULL PRICE.  Why ?  Well, if you listened to the seller... the home was being seen by a "better class of people" who could really appreciate it.

I guess I really wasn't... quite as smart as I thought I was.

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Karen Anne Stone can be found at www.NewHomeHuntersOfTarrantCounty.com and can be reached at KarenAnneStone@aol.com or KarenAnneStone@gmail.com

Here is what the Cowboy's new home is starting to look like...

I am hanging this out in the blogosphere for you to see what's going on in Cowboy Country.  Take a pee, and then try and share with us what being a Cowboys fan means to you.  Or... share your favorite Cowboys memories, or tell us all a Cowboys story.

To share one of my Cowboys memories, I will have to travel back in time to before my daughter Robin and I moved to Dallas.  Robin used to be absolutely glued to the television screen whenever the Cowboys played the Browns.  She had a crush on Tony Dorsett.  Well, as much of a crush as a nine-year-old girl can have.  It was fun watching her watch Tony.  She liked the long touchdown runs, and the occasional passes he would catch.  

When he was running, and swivel-hipping down the field to dodge oncoming tacklers... she used to say that he and Elvis were pretty good at wiggling their hips.  Then... when I noticed how she paid special attention to watching Tony while he would "bend over" in the huddle... LOL... I kinda-sorta got the idea that perhaps she was starting to grow up.  Now... on to the pictures :

This photo came out pretty clear.  Three cranes busy trying to get things rolling as fast as possible.  I had to get pretty close to the barbed wire fence on this one to get as much of a close-up as I could.  From totally circling around the stadium, it appears that access by car when the games are being played will be a lot easier than I first thought.

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This picture below was taken from the driveway/street right next to the Wal Mart on the corner of Collins and Randol Mill Rd.  I almost got hit by a van while taking it.  Those drivers have absolutely NO sense of humor.  You'll see the van in one of the pictures below.  What a creep !                      

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The picture below was taken from the parking lot grass along Randol Mill right next to the Wal Mart.  No crazy SUV drivers to dodge, but I got some pretty funny looks.  Got a couple of "honks" too.  Must have been a much older guy who forgot his glasses... LOL.

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For this picture, I had to drive up a side street, and into an apartment parking lot, up to a street barricade, and peer over a fence topped with barbed wire.  That was fun.  LOL.  Yeah, until the barking dog came out.  Oops.

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Here... I drove into a burger place on Collins St, parked, and stretched up above the fence to take this shot.  I think the driver of the semi in the lower right was making some sort of "hand signal" towards me.  I thought he was waving at me, but he wasn't using all five of his fingers.  I wonder what he meant ??

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For this one, I had to drive up a side street, park, upen up the tailgate of my Honda CR-V, and stand on top of it so I could see over the black plastic fence they surrounded it with.  Almost fell off the back... LOL 

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This was another easy parking lot shot.  I didn't have to dodge any SUV's, stand on my tailgate, or have someone give me that funny hand-signal for this one... it was just too easy.  I almost felt cheated.

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This was another one taken from the driveway next to the Wal Mart.  In order to try and get the camera above the tops of the traffic, I had to climb on top of a sewer pipe to take this one.  I bet I looked pretty odd perched up there.  <grin>  Oh, the van pictured below was the one that tried to run me over.  He missed.

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This is another one where I was standing in the middle of the street.  This is Randol Mill and Collins.  I had to click this one quickly, cuz this guy was also trying to run me over.  I think hitting an older woman taking pictures in the middle of the street wearing heels was only worth three points, though, so I don't think he tried very hard to hit me.

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I am hoping that my doing this will not violate any Active Rain posting rule that I may not be aware of.  If so, somebody please comment... and stop me before I hurt myself.  Thanking you in advance... Karen Anne Stone.

[ Being a part-time sports writer is just one of Karen Anne Stone's past-times.  She spends most of her time finding gorgeous homes for all her customers, clients, friends, and friends of friends.  Karen Anne's homes can be seen on her website at www.NewHomeHuntersOfTarrantCounty.com .  She can also be reached by email at FairyBlogmother@aol.com ]  

This Home Has Such Great Curb Appeal... the Neighbors Across the Street Will Love You !  The first thing that strikes you is the Triple-Bay-Window on the front of the home.  This gorgeous feature is seldom seen in homes for this price.

The Gourmet Kitchen is one you'll feel so comfy in, you may never want to leave.  Wrap-around serving bar, hand-stained cabinets, walk-in pantry, and the oven and range, built-in dishwasher and built-in microwave are all included.

The Breakfast Room also has an angled wrap-around window, and a sliding door leading to a covered patio.  If you like to barbeque, the roomy covered patio will keep you cookin' all through the year.

Here's a view of the Breakfast Room shown from the Family Room.  If you watched the Cowboys Beat Da Bears, you can imagine how much fun it would have been if you had your Cowboy Party HERE !

There are many custom-like features throughout, but just one of them is this Art Niche at the Entry.  It's perfect for a vase or picture, but some Newlywed Grooms have been known to put a Picture of Their New Bride right here, along with two bud vases and two candle holders.  What a nice touch !

The Master Bedroom is quite spacious, and the master walk-in closet is large enough so that after moving in, you just might have to go shopping because of all the left-over room for more clothes.  As you can see from peeking through the door to the Master Bath, both a stall shower with marble surround, AND an extra-deep garden tub are also part of the amenities package.  Call Karen Anne NOW to grab the Pre-Grand-Opening Pricing before it goes away !

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This home, and many more in all price ranges can be seen on Karen Anne's website www.NewHomeHuntersOfTarrantCounty.com .  For your very own personal tour of this great home, along with more information on the upcoming Grand Opening of this Great New Neighborhood, please call Karen Anne Stone at (817) 929-3400.  Karen Anne may also be reached at KarenAnneStone@aol.com .

It just occurred to me... that my fish must be absolutely starving.  I cannot even remember the last time I fed them.  I really can't.  So, like a good little fish-mother... I have been trying to figure out just what to do.  I looked all around for my "Fish Feeding for Rainers" book... but it was nowhere to be found.  What to do... what to do.... ?  I tried google.  It went on for pages and pages... but in the end, it was of no help whatsoever.  I was at a loss...

So, I went to PetSmart and bought some fish food.  I really didn't know what kind to buy, so, of course, I just picked out the box that looked the prettiest, I brought it home, and sprinkled it all over the top edge of the monitor, and hoped that that would do the trick.

I came back about an hour later, and caught my cat, Mollie... sitting there looking sooo innocent... licking the darn fish food off the top of the monitor.  The fish food was all gone, and Mollie had just about fallen asleep... with that silly little "kitty-cat-smile" on her lil furry face.

So... I got out the box of fish food again... sprinkled some more on the top, then grabbed Mollie, took her out of the room, and locked the door on her so she couldn't eat the fish food again.  Then, about an hour later, back I came... and the food was still there.

I read the instructions on the box, and then called my sister in Cleveland and asked her what do do.  She suggested I try putting the monitor on its back... that way I could put the food directly on top of the water.  Well... that didn't work either, but, then again, that was from my sister in Cleveland... and...what does she know ?

So, I went back to PetSmart, but this time I took a picture of the fish to show the salesperson... thinking that "special fish" need "special fish food."

Well... that answered my question.  The PetSmart sales girl was great.  She told me all about some sort of aquarium software that actually ALLOWS you to feed the fish swimming happily inside your monitor screen.  Problem is... I cannot find the software. 

I have had people tell me they have actually heard about actual software that can allow me to feed my screen saver fish... but I have not been able to find such a thing.  The girl at PetSmart "swore" to me that it actually does exist.

Sooo... is anyone out there in Active Rain Land able to help ?  My fishies and I would be oh so grateful for any ideas you may have.  All suggestions appreciated.

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Karen Anne Stone, Mollie, and all her fishy friends can be reached at (817) 929-3400.   Or, you can drop by our website at www.NewHomeHuntersOfTarrantCounty.com and visit us... and perhaps pick out a new home to put your very own aquarium in.

We had both been through a lot... .  We drove over two thousand miles to get to DFW.  We were both tired, and although we were both very sad about leaving Ohio... we both knew we needed to somehow start our new life.

The divorce had been very hard for me.  Eighteen years... the girl next door married the boy next door.  We were scared, but we were in love... and we had dreamed about it since the middle of high school.  And now... it had all come to an end.  A very sad, very tearful end.

My daughter was more the brave one than I was.  The TV show "Dallas" was very big in Cleveland.  We watched it every Friday night... my daughter and I.  It all looked so "new."  And... it all looked so warm.  I had done some market studies, some cost-of-living studies, and some studies on all the local school districts in DFW... all from two thousand miles away.

I made one trip... a scouting trip... very early in 1982.  I had picked out Plano... mainly because of the schools.  I had read so many wonderful things about the Plano schools... and the most important thing for me to be sure of... in deciding where we would relocate to... was the schools. 

On my scouting trip I visited just about every elementary school in Plano, and after touring the school with the Principal, and talking with several of the teachers, and quite a few of the students there... I finally found a school I was happy with.  I finally found a school I felt comfortable sending my fifth grade daughter to.

The last thing I did on my scouting trip was rent a duplex.  The present tenants were moving out at the end of February, 2002.  Perfect.  We arrived at the duplex very early that Friday morning in March.  I wasn't going to send my daughter to school for only a partial day that day.  I thought we could get settled over the weekend, but she wanted to go... so that's what we did.  I drove her straight to school.  We both sat there and watched the empty school yard... all the kids were inside.  As my"baby" started to get out of the car... she turned to me and tried to talk, although her sniffly nose and tearfilled eyes could barely get the words out.

Please, please, please... she said.  "Promise me you'll be here on time to pick me up after school.  I don't want to get lost trying to walk home."  I promised her... I'll be here better than on time... I'll be here early.

So later that day... about ten minutes before school was out... there I sat... early... waiting for my "little lost baby" to come walking out of her new school.  I strained and strained my eyes... waiting for this one, single girl to come walking towards my car.  Then, finally... I spotted her.  But... she wasn't alone.  There she was... with three other girls... walking towards my car.  I quickly rolled down the window as she came up to the car and said to me...

I know you're here to pick me up... but can I please walk home with my friends ?

As I watched her walk away with her three new friends... my eyes filled with tears.  For the first time in months... I said to myself... "I think we're really going to be... OK !

Yes, We Really Are Serious... .  This Four Bedroom Brick and Stone Single Story Home is such an Incredible Home For The Money !  Four Bedrooms, Two Full Baths, Large Family Room, and a Gourmet Kitchen with Cabinets and Counter Tops on ALL FOUR SIDES.

What a Kitchen !  All Four Walls are lined with both Cabinets and Counter-tops.  Can you imagine... moving in to your new home, unpacking and getting all your kitchen stuff pot away, and still having empty cupboards ?  There is a Food-Prep Island with Breakfast/Serving Bar, space for Breakfast-Bar "High Chairs" and a Dishwasher, Oven and Range, and a Built-in Microwave.

The Gourmet Kitchen opens into the spacious Family Room by way of a second Serving Bar.  The Family Room, combined with the Oversized Dining Room... makes for Lots of Holiday Room for All the Family... even Goofy Uncle Herbie !

The Formal Dining Room is also Extra-Roomy, and... if the Breakfast Room space next to the Family Room provides enough Room for casual breakfasts, lunches and dinners, and Holiday Dinners, the Formal Dining room can easily be made into a Second Living Area.

And yes... the price quoted above is correct.  This 2087 sq ft New Home is priced at $133,490.  Now, in some parts of the country, home prices do NOT include the lot... but in Fort Worth, Texas... all new home pricing, including THIS one... includes the building lot.

For more information on this home, and others, too... call Karen Anne Stone at (817) 929-3400.  Karen Anne can also be reached by clicking on the following link to her website at www.NewHomeHuntersOfTarrantCounty.com

Many Nights... Late at Night... I can usually be found at my "Blogging Desk."  I have received many, many requests (one actually... LOL) for a photo of myself while creating the "missives" I send out into the blogosphere in the middle of the night.  So, in response to all of those "pleadings" (actually, it's up to two now... my cat Mollie just emailed me)... here it is !

I have an artist working on creating a Fifteen Month calendar suitable for mounting in such places as offices, libraries, schools, churches, auto body shops and NTB Tire Stores.  Once completed, I will have my marketing agent, Phyllis Diller's older, more attractive sister Hazel, start shopping the publishing houses in New York City... to find a suitable vehicle for mass distribution.  Stay tuned for further information.

 [  Karen Anne Stone of RE/MAX Associates Realty in Colleyville, Texas, can be reached at (817) 929-3400.  She can also be reached at FairyBlogmother@aol.com.  Her new home's website is at www.NewHomeHuntersDFW.com .  ]

This Exciting Brick Single-Story Home... is so great for entertaining.  All you need to do is see this home just once... and You'll Want To Call The Movers.

The Gourmet Kitchen is incredible.  The cabinets are hand-stained, and look absolutely gorgeous.  There's more room, more counter space, and more cabinets in this spacious kitchen than in some homes selling for much more.

The Breakfast Serving Bar opens int the Morning Room/Breakfast nook, and is such a peaceful setting to enjoy your morning coffee.  The kitchen also opens into the Great Room/Family Room, and is the perfect setting for the upcoming Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. 

The Master Suite is quite large, and features an extra-roomy walk-in closet so big you just might need to go shopping right after moving in.  It's also a "split-Master"... so you'll have something you haven't had in awhile... Pricacy ! 

The Front Secondary Bedroom features a Triple-Bay-Window, and makes a really great kid's room, or an awesome home office. 

Right now, even with the credit crunch, the builder has financing plans providing zero down payment, zero closing costs, and even Zero Move-In.

This exciting New Home is priced at $138,990, and is available for quick move-in.  You can also build one from the beginning... adding all of your custom personal touches.

To see more of the inside of this really pretty home, visit www.NewHomeHuntersDFW.com .  Or, call the New Home Hotline at (817) 929-3400 to see a decorated model of this home today.  And... don't be surprised if you find yourself saying... Honey... Call The Movers !

Mr and Ms Home Seller have decided to sell their home. They have a fairly good idea of what they think their home is worth. After doing their own homework online with some of the automated pricing web sites, The Sellers, being very sensible sellers, schedule appointments with three local Listing Agents who've been hanging stuff on their front doorknob for years.

Each Agent comes prepared with a "Competitive Market Analysis" (called a CMA). It is on fancy paper, and two of the three even have "professionally done" flip charts as part of their presentations. Each of the three Listing Agents recommends a specific sales price.

Amazingly, a couple of the Listing Agents have come up with prices that are lower than the Sellers expected. Although they back up their recommendations with recent sales data of comparable homes, The Sellers remain convinced their house is worth more.

When the third Listing Agent arrives, The Sellers find his pricing numbers are much more in line with the Listing Price they had hoped for, or maybe even higher. Suddenly, they are two very happy and very excited home sellers, already counting their money.

If they're like many people, they pick Listing Agent Number Three. They feel that this is an agent who seems willing to listen to their input and work with them. This is an agent who cares about putting the most money in the Seller's pockets. This is an agent who is willing to start out at The Seller's price, and if they need to drop their price later, they can do that easily, right ? After all, everyone else does it.

The truth is... that The Sellers may have just met a Listing Agent using an unfair listing practice called "buying a listing."  He "bought" the listing by suggesting that The Sellers might be able to get a much higher sales price than the other agents CMA's recommended. Most likely, he is quite doubtful that their home will actually sell at that price. The intention from the beginning is to eventually talk The Sellers into lowering their price.

Why do some Listing Agents "buy" listings ?

There are basically two reasons. A well-meaning and hard working agent can feel pressure from homeowners who have an inflated idea of their home's value. On the other hand, there are some agents who engage in this unfair sales practice routinely.

Which makes more sense ?  Which Listing Agent should the Sellers choose ?

It depends on whether The Sellers just want "to list" their home... or if they really want "to sell" their home.