Texas is rich in cultural diversity. While standard and intuitive pronounciation is often used, mispronouncing colloquial names is a dead give away that you aren't familiar with the local area.Want to blend in?Step 1: Don't listen to your GPS. It doesn't know how to speak Texan.Step 2: Read this list of commonly mispronounced names of Texas places, and practice!  Humble Suburb of North Houston -- Locals call it "um-bull" Mexia City in Texas -- Locals call it "muh-hay-uh" Tuam Street Street in Houston -- Locals call it "two-um" Manchaca Road Street in Austin -- Locals call it "man-shack" road Fuqua Street Street in Houston -- Locals call it "few-kway" Nacogdoches City in Texas -- Locals call it "nak-ah-doh-chuss" Kuykendahl Road Street in Houston -- Locals call it "kerr-kun-doll" Refugio... 04/30/2016

How do you know when you are "making it" in real estate? Watch for these 10 sure signs of success:10. You spend more time in other people's houses than you do your own home.9. You never cook any more.8. You get calls for showings on "your listing" and you have to ask "which one".7. You are on a first-name basis with CSS reps.6. You can guess (with stunning accuracy) how long a vacant home has been on market by the quantity and height of the raccoon paw prints left on the siding of homes5.  You can correctly guess the combo code when showing instructions were wrong.4. You know when the house was built by the style of the front door.3. You recognize the builder by the interior finish out or floor plan.2. You've "gotta guy" you can refer clients to for just about need... even raccoon extra... 04/29/2016

Four world class pianists combine their extraordinary talent Friday, April 29, at Piano Madness Too, sponsored by the Dallas Jazz Piano Society (DJPS).  Dane Haerle, Stefan Karlsson, Fredrick Sanders, and Dave Zoller will be joined by Jeff Echelson on bass and Steve Barnes on Drums. Piano Madness Too proceeds benefit the Keys for Kids Scholarship Program funded by Dallas Jazz Piano Society.  Electronic keyboards are loaned to students and an instructor is provided through DJPS.  Children five years through high school are referred by nonprofit organizations and local churches. I can't think of a better way to spend Friday evening.  Come and enjoy world class music and make a difference in the lives of young musicians! Piano Madness TooFriday, April 297:30 PMSteinway Hall in Plano5813 Pr... 04/26/2016

In Texas, only specialty contractors (HVAC, fire sprinkler systems, plumbing, electricians and well drilling/pump installation specialists) need to be licensed. These licenses are administered through the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. As this time, trades such as home builders, general contractors, roofers, and foundation companies are not required to carry a state-level license or registration.  Depending on the municipality or County where the contract work is to be performed, local requirements can come into play. Aside from required permits, local ordinances may additionally require City registration, or membership to a voluntary association, such as the Roofing Contractors Association of Texas. Homeowners and Buyers share concerns about what constitutes as a "profes... 04/25/2016

Plano Texas Veterans Loans is the best loan program in Texas!   Designed for both active duty military and honorable discharged Veterans, VA MORTGAGE LOANS are one of the best mortgage loanPROGRAMS available today.   Here are some of the great features of this fantastic program:  - Up to 100% FINANCING, with no down required.  - No monthly MORTGAGE insurance.  - Easier credit qualifying compared to other types of MORTGAGE LOANS.- VA Mortgage Rates are low compared to other types of HOME LOANS.   So how do you qualify for Plano Texas Veterans Loans?  First of all, you must VERIFY YOUR eligibility. This is done by ordering your Certificate of Eligibility or COE. You can work with an approved Texas VA MORTGAGE LOAN  lendertoORDER your COE quickly, or you can contact the VA to obtain a copy... 04/19/2016

February 2016 Real Estate Market Summary for Plano, TX (MLS Area 20)   Month Year to Date   2016 2015 % Change 2016 2015 % Change Closed Sales (Reported) 238 242 1.7 435 456 4.8 Closed Sales (Projected) 238 272 14.2 435 486 11.7 Listings Under Contract 251 270 7.6 513 549 7.0 Average Sales Price $333,018 $338,342 1.6 $332,214 $332,740 0.2 Median Sales Price $272,013 $289,450 6.4 $268,000 $285,500 6.5 Percent of Original Price Received 98.6 98.2 -0.4 98.1 97.8 -0.4 Days on Market Until Sale 36 39 10.2 41 41 1.0 Inventory of Homes for Sale 380 388 2.1       Months Supply of Inventory 1.2 1.2 2.5       Reported houses sold this month was higher 1.7% compared to 2015, with 242 reported houses sold this month. Year to date the number of reported homes sold had a rise of 4.8% from last year,... 04/08/2016

Homes in West Creek Estates - Plano, TX This subdivision has 250+ homes located off Legacy Drive in Plano,TX. Most homes were built in the later 1980's. Grand front entrances, mature landscaping, big backyards and well defined areas make this an area where residents of one or two story dwellings call home. West Creek Estates does have an active HOA membership. Click here for their website information.  Interested in finding homes for sale in West Creek Estates, PlanoTX? Click that link to find all the currently available homes in this area of Plano. The homes you would expect to find for sale in West Creek Estates are going to range between 1821 and 4219 square feet, according to the original building plans. These homes were originally built back in 1988, while the last set of homes in ... 03/07/2016

Springtime in Downtown Plano, TX.  Urban living, local artists, shopping, restaurants, DART Plano Station and much more are in this present day locale of historic downtown Plano, TX. Haggard Park as it's anchor with plenty of green space for picnics, with a playground and gazebo. Interurban Railway Museum is a historic train station within walking distance of Haggard Park. Come enjoy the concerts series beginning in April this year. They are free and open to the public. Here's a preview of what's coming soon.  The local Farmers Market is located across from the park with plenty of fruits, vegetables, coffee, teas, plants and much more.   The Plano DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) station is located just steps from Haggard Park. Here is a DART schedule for the rail. With it's 71.6 square... 03/05/2016

So far this year, housing sales are at 3,933, which is a 2% decrease from a year ago. This December, there were 276 homes sold in Plano, a 11% surge from last month. Year-to-date, housing sales gained 5% relative to the same month last year, with 3,933 houses sold. There were 225 new homes listed this month. New homes listed this December in Plano increased 20%. Plano listed homes under contract were at 210 properties during December, which is a 5% upturn from the previous month. Current listings under contract year-to-date climbed 1% compared to the same month last year, with 3,949 houses sold this year. The average home sales price in Plano increased 8% in December 2015 . Year-to-date, houses sold grew 8% compared to the same period last year, the average sales price being $338,473. C... 02/26/2016

Homes in Cross Bend, Plano, TX  The homes in Cross Bend along Chisholm Trails, in Plano, offer quaint, low key living with mature trees on each street. Interested in finding homes for sale in the Cross Bend, Plano, TX? Click that link to find all the currently available homes in this area of Plano. The homes you would expect to find for sale in the Cross Bend Subdivision are going to range between 1598 and 3298 square feet, according to the original building plans. Most of the homes were built in the late 1970’s with unique design in each home. One of the prettiest parks in the city of Plano with Big Lake as it’s anchor shows well after the recent trail improvements.     Not only is this area a great place to walk, there are biking trails along the city of Plano. Here is a map of all th... 02/23/2016

Have your filed your homestead exemption application?   Each year I send out a reminder to my clients to file an application to claim their property for a homestead exemption.  I want them to save money and it’s free to file.  It’s not just for new home buyers. You can save money too! The application is found on each appraisal district. It is free to you so there is no need to pay an outside vendor to file for your homestead exemption.  Make sure that the property you are claiming exemption for matches your driver’s license/id.  Example: if you moved from Allen to Plano, your driver’s license/ id must match the property address you are claiming exemption for. And you have not claimed homestead exemption on any other property. Sample page one of an application:    You have until April 30... 02/13/2016

  Find homes for sale in Pasquinellis Glenridge Estates. For sale property information for Pasquinellis Glenridge Estates is a direct feed from the NTREIS, commonly known as MLS and is updated multiple times per day.Community:This community of townhomes is just minutes from U.S. Highway 75 for an easy commute to work, shopping and restaurants. These townhomes of approximately 100+ homes were built in 1999-2000 and has an active homeowner's community. Full use of the facilities and community pool are some of the nice features of this subdivision. Find homes available in Plano, TX.Schools:Pasquinellis Glenridge Estates feeds into Plano ISD with Hedgcoxe elementary,Hendrick Middle, Clark High.Free Market Report For The Homes in Pasquinellis Glenridge Estates. The data used in this Free Mar... 02/02/2016

While it is comforting to know the authorities are involved, yesterday's breaking story about TDI's takeover of Millennium Title is sweeping the local DFW market this morning. The owner, along with millions of dollars of customers' money, appear to be missing.The state has set up this website for buyers and sellers in the process of buying or selling a property held in escrow with Millennium Title.  According to NBCDFW.com, State caretakers are now stepping in to close transactions currently in process, and TDI speokesman, Jerry Hagins, assures the public that money in escrow up to $250,000 is insured, and promises little disruption to consumers. Reporter, Scott Gordon, has the full story.Screenshot Source: www.nbcdfw.comHelp for Affected Consumers: TTIGAThe Texas Title Insurance Guaran... 02/01/2016

Plano TX Veterans Loans is the best loan program in Texas!   Designed for both active duty military and honorable discharged Veterans, VA MORTGAGE LOANS are one of the best mortgage loanPROGRAMS available today.   Here are some of the great features of this fantastic program:  - Up to 100% FINANCING, with no down required.  - No monthly MORTGAGE insurance.  - Easier credit qualifying compared to other types of MORTGAGE LOANS.- VA Mortgage Rates are low compared to other types of HOME LOANS.   So how do you qualify for Plano TX Veterans Loans?  First of all, you must VERIFY YOUR eligibility. This is done by ordering your Certificate of Eligibility or COE. You can work with an approved Texas VA MORTGAGE LOAN  lendertoORDER your COE quickly, or you can contact the VA to obtain a copy. If d... 02/01/2016

 NEW CONSTRUCTION The long wait is finally over. My buyers signed the papers with the Builders in April 2015. Although the contract states it can take up to two years to build, the builder thought it could be ready last summer; then late fall. It has been a little more than nine months. We closed today, January 29, 2016! WAS IT WORTH THE WAIT?I had to know... What did my Buyers think? At the closing table I asked, knowing what you didn't know when you decided on new construction rather than pre-existing, would you do it all again? YES! I WOULD DO IT ALL OVER AGAINWithout any hesitation, they both agreed buying New Construction was worth the time and the wait for the following reasons:  They got to pick out exactly what they wanted. They took pictures every step of the way & know what's ... 01/29/2016

House shopping is a big job with lots of moving parts. Buyers usually realize that they must consider more than the house alone...  The immediate neighbors, the neighborhood, and the schools can bear a significant impact on the property value. Photo Credit: Vincent Disanza Our friend, Vinny Disanza, is both a licensed agent and Certified Residential Appraiser in California. He frequently shares interesting and unusual tidbits from situations he encounters in his daily field work. We've learned a lot from Vinny through the years, and this recent question really grabbed follower attention.Can street name negatively affect market value?The short answer is yes. Vinny explains that appraisers will adjust for street name if there is evidence that street name affects property value, stating, "... 01/21/2016

Year-to-date, housing sales are at 3,656, which is a 3% drop compared to the same month last year. In November of this year, Plano houses sold dipped 10%, with 270 houses sold this month. Year-to-date new listings are at 4,558 overall, which is a 4% decrease from a year ago. There were 256 new real estate listings this November, which is a 8% upturn from a month ago. Listings under contract in Plano increased 5% this month, with 272 homes currently listed under contract this month. So far this year, current listings under contract have reached 3,738 in all, which is a 1% increase relative to the same month last year. The average price for a house year-to-date climbed 8% compared to the same month last year, with $340,256 being the average price for a home. The average price for a house ... 01/21/2016

Homes for Sale in the Creek Trails subdivision, Plano, TX  Creek Trails, a neighborhood of single family homes that is conveniently located just 1 mile west of Highway 75 off of Legacy Drive in Plano, TX. Plenty of greenbelt space, a community playground within walking distance and the small bridge through the greenbelt connects the neighborhood nicely.Looking for a home in Creek Trails?Interested in finding homes for sale in the Creek Trails, of Plano, TX? Click that link to find all the currently available homes in Creek Trails and in Plano, TX.The homes you would expect to find for sale in the Creek Trails subdivision are one to two story with a range between 1239 and 2389 square feet.  Most of the homes were originally built back in the late 1980's. The last set of homes in this sub... 01/16/2016

Are you a NTREIS subscriber?NTREIS is the MLS database for North Texas, and Matrix is the platform most subscribers use to access the NTREIS database. CSS is the acronym for Centralized Showing Services, the predominant service used by brokerages in the North Texas market to manage showing appointments.This quick tutorial will demonstrate how listing agents can link listings to CSS, giving buyer's agents the convenience of being able to "click" to schedule a showing.You will know you have set up your listing correctly when you see the CSS icon appear under the right hand corner of the main listing photo. STEP 1Under listing input, find the "Showing Info" tab.STEP 2It isn't enough to select CSS under the "Call for Appt" drop down... To link the listing, the key action is to make sure the... 01/03/2016

As we welcome in January, Winter Wonderland lyrics may be back on the shelf, but the beautiful message that it paints still inspires, especially on this initial day of 2016. While goal achievement can add to a sense of accomplishment and well being for that "High D" sales personality that is common among successful real estate agents, it can also be an addictive element that steals focus from other areas of our lives, leading to the deprecation of happiness or a deteriorating perspective about those around us. Amidst setting business goals and committing to the long list of resolutions for fitness and health,  many people risk  missing the bigger picture… living an excellent life and loving our day to day -- no matter what life brings our way. Our mental and emotional happiness often co... 01/01/2016