"People from outside the U.S. are buying homes in __________ Are you ready to serve this market?" That is the question in an article titled Think Globally by Bridget McCrea in June 2010 edition of Texas Realtor magazine. What is the significance, here? The numbers are the big deal. Our international buyer's market is growing like a weed. And it's not just in Texas. International buyers average higher sale prices. That's impressive, numero dos. Loyalty is another big deal. Once you help one, you get everyone they bring to the melting pot. Danke. And the buying ability is huge. These people aren't coming here, getting off the plane and asking to see houses because they're bored or enjoy the tour. They mean business. Texas Realtor magazine said approximately half of our international buyer... 05/25/2010

One of the things i enjoy most about home staging here in Fort Worth is having the opportunity to transform a home that had previously been un-loved and just about un-inhabitable into a gorgeous fresh new space for someone to love and come home to. It's really gratifying to see how a house can be made new again. These older neighborhoods on the west side of Fort Worth, this one is called Ridgmar, have great homes that are gradually being turned over from one generation to the next! So... here's the befores. This home needed everything. I mean everything. From top to bottom inside and out. Hampton Redesign works with an investor who buys these distressed properties to renovate and flip. I come up with a master plan, floorplan, kitchen, bathrooms, finishes, cabinets, granite, colors, floo... 05/25/2010

 Ridglea Hills an Excellent Neighborhood in West Fort Worth, Texas Background history from the Ridglea Neigborhood Association The Ridglea area, including Ridglea Hills and Ridglea West, lies approximately 6 miles west of Fort Worth 's Central Business District. It encompasses eight surveys, from the 1850 Allen Beard Survey to the 1889 Walter Houston Survey, the main part being included in the 1880 Albert Rusk Survey. A. C. Luther came to Fort Worth from Tennessee in the 1920's and bought three miles of pasture land along what later became Camp Bowie Blvd. , for $400 an acre. His brother, J. T. Luther, credits him with being "The Father of Ridglea". J.T. left the University of Missouri to join his brother in Fort Worth, and with Earl Wilson, who arrived in 1945 after serving the the Air... 05/19/2010

The Fort Worth Botanic Gardens Offers The Japanese Garden After Church this past Sunday I needed some stress relief so I opted for a walk through the Botanic Gardens in Fort Worth which is  not far from my Church.  The gardens are located  on University just North of I30.  In my opinion the most fabulous Gardens anywhere.  God had given us such a beautiful day and what a better way to have some alone time with our Creator than to walk through the natural beauty that's been created for us to enjoy. The Japanese Garden was the inspiration of Scott Fikes the former Botanic Garden director and after Mr. Fikes, Charles Campbell pursued the idea in 1968 at which time Kingsley Wu was commissioned to finalize the plans and construction began in 1970. The garden was originally the site of the ol... 05/19/2010

Hampton Redesign was really pleased to have the opportunity to design, furnish and stage a model townhome in the hip "near Southside" neighborhood near downtown Fort Worth. These tri-level townhomes are beautifully finished with hardwoods in the living areas, granite and stainless steel kitchen as well as three full bedrooms and baths. This is the Escape model ... it's gorgeous! Great city views from your roof top deck and easy access to 1-30 and the hospital district. Not to mention being able to walk to cafes and great restaurants on Magnolia Ave. Here's my first shot of the vacant space. The developer really wanted to be able to move the staging to a more contemporary style unit when this one sells, so I had to keep that in mind when designing this space which was a little more tradi... 05/18/2010

The Villages of Woodland Springs is a master planned community located in far North Fort Worth within the Keller Independent School District boundary. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of homes located in the subdivision with prices ranging from the low $100's up to the $400's. The Villages of Woodland Springs has excellent community amenities, such as a swim club, walking trails, ponds, playgrounds, and more! There are also several retail shops just outside of the neighborhood for easy access for homeowners. Additionally, there is an elementary school located in the neighborhood, which makes it convenient for parents and their children. If you're thinking of buying a home, The Villages of Woodland Springs in Keller has a lot to offer, and there are homes available that will suit al... 05/18/2010

Looking for Eagle Mountain Lake homes for sale? Eagle Mountain Lake in Fort Worth, Texas has many beautiful lake front and lake view homes and lots, as well as properties located in communities that have lake access and amenities. Available homes on Eagle Mountain Lake currently range in price from $129,000 to $1,900,000. On the lower end of the price range, you can expect an attached unit, such as a condo or townhome. On the high end, you can expect a single family home with top of the line amenities, a private boat dock, and a view for miles! Some of these homes also have acreage. A few of the more popular lakefront subdivisions on Eagle Mountain include Lake Country, The Resort, and Oak Harbor. Eagle Mountain Lake is in Fort Worth, Texas located on the west fork of the Trinity River.... 05/18/2010

The private development of The Ridglea neighborhood in West Fort Worth began in the later 1930's, platted in 1928, although not substantially developed until a decade later. Exclusive, planned Ridglea was the product of West Side real estate developers Morris Berney and Bernie L. Anderson, who formed the Anderson Berney Building Co. Ridglea along with Ridglea Village were annexed by Fort Worth in 1944. This wonderful neighborhood is located between I30 on the North and Camp Bowie to the South. It is a very convenient location to downtown Fort Worth, The Cultural District, The Hospital District, fabulous shopping and amazing restaurants. The neighborhood has such a warm and welcoming feeling of nature and neighbors. Tree lined streets over sized lots and magnificent homes from 1200 squar... 05/12/2010

Downtown Fort Worth will soon have a new activity on the Trinity River, a wakeboard park.  Owners of CowtownWakepark have announced plans for a wakeboarding park along the Trinity River near Northside Drive where the Trinity River Vision project is currently under construction.  This is the first of it's kind built near a downtown environment and is set to open in the Spring of 2011. The owners of the park are leasing land from the Tarrant Regional Water District.  The park will include a 3000 square foot clubhouse with a pro shop, a rental shop, a snack bar and a full service restaurant.  The owners point out this is not only for avid wakeboarders but for people wanting to learn the sport as well. The cable park's clubhouse intergrates with the trail system and a trailhead being built ... 05/11/2010

According to the Fort Worth Business Press small business loans increased significantly the last six months since October 2009.  Banking and business experts say this is a sign of economic recovery.  Comparing 2010 to 2009 the SBA has seen a 106% increase in the dollar amount of loans and a 85% increase in the number of loans as reported by the local SBA office.  These numbers are expected to be higher than the record numbers of 2007.  In total about 945 loans with an amount of $411million were processed in this past six month period. The Dallas/Fort Worth regional SBA works with over 300 lenders to serve small business needs in more than 70 counties in the North Texas Region.  The SBA works with partners such as SCORE and the Small Business Development Centers mentoring and training sm... 05/05/2010

Crawford Farms is a beautiful neighborhood in north Fort Worth located off of I-35 and Golden Triangle. The community was opened in the early 2000's and has since blossomed into a popular neighborhood for many people relocating to the area. Homes in Crawford Farms start in the mid $100's and go up to the high $300's. The neighborhood has a community pool, playground, and walking trails. Although it has a Fort Worth address, children attend highly rated Keller ISD. If you're thinking of buying or selling a house in Crawford Farms or north Fort Worth, please call or email me. I would love to be your guide! Megan PhelpsRE/MAX Heritage817-999-2211soldbyphelps@aol.comwww.soldbyphelps.com 05/03/2010

I received an email from Larry Patterson our RNA NW Sector Vice President and I wanted to share his report on the MirAvanti construction project on the West side of our neighborhood. MirAvanti is a rather upscale cooperative. The 105 units rang in size from a 1007 sq ft one bedroom to a 1,970 three bedroom. Units will be owned by the residents. 30 or more have already been sold. Having a complex like this as a neighbor will be much better than having more apartments like those to the south of us built on the property. Furthermore, although the city zoning ordinance only requires the buildings to be at least 25 feet from the property line, when the Leonards sold the 10 acres they required buildings to be at least 100 feet from property on Trafalgar and Ems Court and 80 feet from Ridgmar ... 04/28/2010

Pure Condo Luxury Has Been Discovered In Downtown Cowtown!  400 W 6th Street E #3 Fort Worth Texas 76102    If you are searching for the ultimate in condo luxury in downtown Fort Worth, your condo luxury search is over! This fully furnished condo luxury is the finest in condo luxury found in the condo luxury market of Fort Worth! This stunning condo luxury stands out from all of the other condo luxury selections in the condo luxury market in Fort Worth thanks to the wonderful and exciting condo luxury features found in this great downtown condo luxury offering.     Many of the stunning condo luxury features found in this/ Fort Worth condo luxury are truly rare and unique in the Fort Worth condo luxury market. Step inside this fascinating condo luxury home and relish the beauty that exud... 04/28/2010

Today is our first year anniversary and what a year it's been.  After a wonderful wedding we settled into married life and both discovered we didn't know each other as well as we thought.  When both of you have been single for 10 years you develop unique living habits and it was like getting to know each other all over again.  Diana is so patient with me in my husband training...toilet seat down, picking up my clothes, don't drink from the milk carton, you know all the stuff us guys forget when we are single. My sweet Diana has redecorated our home into something from Better Homes and Gardens.  It's absolutely gorgeous!  She also has turned the outside into a showcase of beautiful flowers and plants.  So much so it stops traffic. I love my wife and I love her a little more each day.  Sh... 04/25/2010

The Ridgmar neighborhood on the Westside of Fort Worth, Texas where I live is located about 6 miles West of Downtown on the Northside of I30. Ridgmar is a great place to live, literally 10 to 15 minutes from everything...great restaurants and businesses on Historic Camp Bowie, Museums in the Cultural District, the Will Rogers Coliseum and Botanical Gardens, four golf courses, Ridgmar Mall, Downtown Fort Worth and the Hospital District. Back in the mid 1930's Amon Carter amased about 1200 acres in the area and later the Amon Carter foundation sold land to Marvin Leonard to build the Shady Oaks Country Club on the North portion in 1957.  Westover Hills developed on the East and Ridgmar on the West.  In 1969 J.C. Penny purchased land and later Ridgmar Mall was built in 1974. The residentia... 04/24/2010

Fort Worth Homes For Sale in Heritage Addition and Keller School District. Pat O'Reilly Your Real Estate Agent...This Fort Worth Home for sale has a great open floor plan with high ceilings and a huge backyard. Unwind after a tense day at work in the privacy of your covered patio. Heritage Addition is a much desired community in Fort Worth. For informationon this home and all Fort Worth Homes For Sale call me at 214-289-6176. 4928 Paddock Drive              Fort Worth             76244-6139   $ 214,900  Fort Worth Homes For Sale In Heritage You will love this floor plan. Tall ceilings..Kitchen opens to downstairs living area great for entertaining. The large master bedroom is downstairs. Three bedrooms upstairs with a large living area. This home sits on an oversize lot and garage for t... 04/20/2010

Another great time at the races this weekend...even while waited in the rain for the race tostart, just to hear it was cancelled!!But on Monday, racing was finally under way and after a few hours of uneventful racing, we saw a nine-car pileup wreck that took out Tony Stewart, who took 100 percent of the blame, Carl Edwards, who accepted 50 percent of the blame and Jeff Gordon didn't blame anybody, but, expressed disappointment.  Juan Pablo Montoya, Clint Bowyer, Jamie McMurray, Joey Logano, Paul Menard and A.J. Allmendinger. Although we were glad no one was hurt, we were excited to see the wreck!  After all, swappin' paint is what we came to see!! Congratulations to Denny Hamlin for winning the Samsung Mobile 500!   http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2011649625_auto20.html 04/20/2010

It was a shootout at Texas Motor Speedway yesterday.  It was definitely worth a one day delay if this is what we got!  The entire weekend was rained out, so both the Sprint Cup race and Nationwide had to be run on Monday instead of Saturday and Sunday.  Finally, Jeff Gordon was the agressive, drive to the front guy we haven't seen in a while.  He was dominant for most of the day, leading the most laps of all the drivers at the Sprint Cup race.  As a Gordon fan, I was so excited thinking, "This is it!  He's gonna win for sure!"  Surprisingly (after such a long rain before), there was three green flag stops.  The Hendrick boys: Jeff, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr., headed towards the front early and pretty much stayed there.  Jr lead several laps himself. Because of the rain delay,... 04/20/2010

Alexander Chandler supports the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth and recently attended the Kimbell Cosmopolitan’s group annual Gala themed Town & Country. I am not sure where the country entered into this because everyone was in a suit. The Cosmopolitan group is for young professionals under 45. It was a pleasant event catered by Bonnell’s with Jon Bonnell carving beef himself. There was also a band which I remember little about, but they were pretty average. What was exciting was the exhibit from the private collections of Texas from Master painters. We got a rare look at works of art that are rarely put on display. They had a contest to keep us interested which was a sort of hide and seek game in the gallery. They gave us little booklets with mini snapshots of scenes from various pain... 04/19/2010

Saratoga is a beautiful, master planned community in Fort Worth, Texas. Located in the Alliance cooridor, this neighborhood offers new and pre-owned homes of all sizes for sale. Currently, new homes can be purchased starting in the $170's up to the $300's. Pre-owned homes are offered as low as the $160's. This is part of the entrance to the community off of North Beach Street. There are rolling hills, views for miles, and great amenities such as the community pool, walking trails, and playground. If you are searching for a great place to call home, look no further than Saratoga in Fort Worth, Texas! Megan PhelpsRE/MAX Heritage817-999-2211soldbyphelps@aol.comwww.soldbyphelps.com 04/17/2010