March 06, 2008

Richardson Independent School District hosted a professional development day for High School juniors from Lake Highlands High School, Berkner High School, Pearce High School and Richardson High School in order to stress the importance of preparing for college and employment.  Special guest speaker Todd Tramonte, Broker and owner of Assist-2-Sell Buyers & Sellers Realty, spoke about the importance of community involvement in both college admissions and the business world.

Mr. Tramonte stressed the importance of spending time and energy serving the community first out of a sence of duty and service and second out of ambition.  He told the students that you must find something that you are naturally gifted to do and have a true passion to pursue.  For Mr. Tramonte, his passion is delivering truth and direction to groups of poeple through writing and speaking. 

Todd encouraged the students to believe the often used saying that "you can do anything that you set your mind to doing."  He noted that many students feel that this statement is cheesy and overused, but commented that it is absolutely true.  He challenged the students to use community involvement and volunteerism to prepare for their future goals and to grow more personally. 

Students responded with many questions and were very appreciative of Mr. Tramonte's words of wisdom. 

As the Dallas housing market is poised for an early return to normalcy, the weather doesn't seem to want to cooperate.  Many are predicting a strong Spring buying season and a healthy summer as well. 

Dallas home buyers have been sitting on the sidelines for over a year listening to national media reports that the housing markets had all crashed and burned.  Dallas however held fairly strong, and recent reports show both Dallas and Fort Worth to be top markets in the country for buying a home.  With interest rates low and inventory high, all we need is a string of sunny days.

Green grass and a little color in the flowerbeds and Big D Blog believes that the buyers will hurry back and swallow up some of our excess inventory.  This means a healthy Spring buyers market and a stabilizing Summer real estate market.

As the Dallas home buyers begin to purchase property at a more normal pace, the amount of homes available on the market will decrease to a level more in line with the quantity of ready buyers.  The summer should then be a save market to both buy and sell.  Although that interpretation of the data makes the summer a seemingly better time to sell, many wise sellers will take advantage of a busy spring to generate many more opportunities to sell well. 

The market is ready, the buyers are ready and the sellers have been ready for too long.  All we need is a little sunshine.  Heck, we might even welcome the blistering hot days of Texas summers if it will hush the numskulls on the nightly news.

Reports show that more businesses moved to Texas from other parts of the country than to any other state in 2007. This isn't news to anyone who lives here in Dallas.  We've seen huge corporations fill up our previously vacant office space and mid size businesses build new space in our nearby suburbs.  Dallas has been a magnet for businesses due to our low cost of living and central location to the rest of the country.  As a strong banking and technology hub, not to mention Oil and Gas Giangs like ExonMobil and the newbies of the Barnet Shale, the Dallas - Fort Worth area is a great place to live and work.  With incredible facilities for the arts, museums that impress and world class sports facilities for the Dallas Mavericks, Dallas Cowboys, Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers, there is plenty to see and do.

With new businesses and jobs come home buyers.  This is one of the most noticeable reasons for Dallas' relatively strong housing market.  While other parts of the country are experienceing double digit price drops, Dallas is staying firm and in some places seeing some appreciation.  As the lending markets correct and the weather warms this spring, Dallas looks to be a very attractive place to own a home and or rental property.

Neighborhoods that have seen continued appreciation include:

Lake Highlands

Lakewood

Richardson

Highland Park

University Park

Uptown

Addison

Today, Texans are voting in record numbers.  For the first time in a long time, Texans are looking at a presidential primary where our vote will actually count.  While this has little to do with Dallas home sellers and even home buyers in Dallas, it has everything to do with Dallas residents as a whole.  Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are fighting for every single Texan's vote in order to earn the Democrat nomination for President in November.  Obama has been riding a wave of positive media attention throughout an impressive eleven state winning streak while Clinton has been retooling and restating her clear message that she is the only candidate who will be ready on day one. 

Rush Limbaugh has advised conservative voters to cast their primary vote for Hillary Clinton in order to keep the Democrat race close and heated all the way to the National Convention.  If this were successful, Super Delegates would become the topic of choice for media and voters. 

John McCain, while receiving very little media coverage relative to the Democrat candidates, has continued to campaign as the Republican nominee even though he still needs delegates from today's races to shore that nomination up. 

No one expects Mike Huckabee to drop out of the race, but then again he can not possibly win.  He might however pass Mitt Romney in the delegate count to achieve a respectable second place finish.  This will benefit him in four or eight years when he is likely to run again. 

As for Mitt Romney, rumors speculate about his Vice Presidential chances and his future presidential aspirations as well.

Ron Paul, being from Texas, is still involved.  He has zero chance of winning the nomination as well and in recent weeks with less attention being given to the Republican race, has had little to do in the way of moving the debate towards smaller government and less regulation as he had been earlier in the race. 

I just voted and it took about 9 minutes.  It was a great experience and I feel very American.  You should too. 

VOTE,

its your choice,

but VOTE!

It used to surprise me that the average person doesn't know how commissions are really paid in a residential real estate transaction.  I've spoken with hundreds of home buyers who want to know how much their realtor is going to cost them.  I've even seen home buyers in Dallas Texas avoid using a REALTOR since they thought they would have to pay him or her too much money.

The truth is that a home buyer should never have to pay a commission to their agent.  In almost every market in America, the structure of a listing agreement provides that the seller of the home will compensate their listing agent.  That listing agent will then offer a portion of their total commission out to the agent representing the buyer.  For example, Tom and Betty hire Jim to sell their home.  Jim charges Tom and Betty 6% for his services.  When Frank, the buyer's agent for Michael brings Michael to buy the home, Jim splits his commission with Frank.  Jim earns the full 6% but then pays 3% to Frank.  The seller pays the commission. 

Home buyers should always use a REALTOR.  It won't cost a thing and there are way too many moving parts to a real estate transaction to attempt one without the assistance of a full time, didicated expert in the market. 

To find out more abou thow to avoid stupid mistakes when buying a home in Dallas, Tx, visit www.CharmingDallasHomes.com for a free report.