What can you buy in the Waco Texas area for $500,000 or more? In the Waco MLS, there are 33 homes currently for sale between the listed prices of $500,000 and $1,795,000. Of those 33: 11 are listed between $500,000 and $599,999 11 are listed between $600,000 and $699,999 8 are listed between $700,000 and $999,999 3 are listed above 1 million So what can you get in the Waco area at these price points?  A wide variety of homes with greatly different age ranges and locations. From West to Lake Limestone to McGregor, to China Spring, to Woodway, to Robinson, to Crawford to some of the most exclusive and beautiful listings right in the City of Waco. In fact the highest priced listing is located in the City of Waco on over 2 acres with gorgeous lake views. It is over 6000 sq ft and was built ... 07/04/2009

In Mid June, I wrote a Waco Market Report: And more Waco Residential Market News... At that time, we were on pace to nearly meet or exceed last year's June figures.  Now that we've passed the end of June, It looks like we fell a little short of what I thought may happen. But not by much. In fact, at last count we were at 219 sales for June. Not too shabby. Not only that, median sales prices are still up compared to last year.  Last year through March of this year we saw declines in median price, but beginning in April, that median price has steadily increased. Here are the numbers*: 219 Residential Sales for June 09 226 Residential Sales for June 08 ---------------------------------------- 128,000 Median Sold Price for June 09 116,800 Median Sold Price for June 08   What I really like a... 07/02/2009

    If you live in Texas and run to Waco or Dallas straight up I-35, you must stop and experience a retro greasy spoon called the Health Camp!   To get caught in the circle in Waco, Texas is like a rat in a maze! Use the Elite Restaurant sign to get there. Pass the McDonalds or any other burger joint and kill your diet and enjoy every minute of it!     They even have a BYOB .... bring your own banana and they will make you a banana split for 99 cents!         Burgers, Fries and Old-Fashioned Shakes....greatest food around!             It is a tradition with my husband, Gene, when traveling from Austin to Dallas to make this pit stop! 07/02/2009

     The Mountainview Neighborhood Association will host a 4th of July parade on Saturday July 4th at Mountainview Elementary. Line up will be at 9:15 and the parade will start at 9:30.       Prizes will be given for: Most patriotic animal Most patriotic trike, bike, stroller, wagon, and 4wheeler Most patriotic person And most patriotic house on parade route.        06/30/2009

 The city of Waco and H-E-B invite central Texans to join the Fourth on the Brazos celebration in downtown Waco. Each year, more than 10,000 people celebrate the Fourth of July along the river with live music, family fun  and the H-E-B Fireworks Extravaganza. Streets around Indian Springs Park will be closed of beginning at  7:00 p.m.       The festivities begin at 6 p.m. and a patriotic ceremony will take place at 9:45 p.m. The ceremony will feature the Young Marines and Waco Mayor Virginia DuPuy. The National Anthem will be performed by the winner of the "Waco Idol" contest sponsored by Star 92.9 FM, which will also be doing a live remote broadcast.          This years concert will feature Sloppy Joe, the soul band T-Bird and the Breaks, and tribute band The Fab 5. The Waco Community ... 06/29/2009

Did you know that there may be money waiting for you in Waco, the State of Texas or any other State? Money that is rightfully yours that you may have somehow overlooked. This is about getting that money to the rightful owner.  I found unclaimed property in my name in one State. It was left over from an old Stock I used to have.  Sometimes, you may not have gotten your utility refund or something of the sort. Somewhere along the line, you may have missed getting your money from something. But to find out if you have any money that is unclaimed in Waco, visit the City of Waco's Site to see if your name is on the list and follow the instructions on how to make your claim. There are also links to State sites where you can look for anything unclaimed elsewhere in the US. http://www.waco-texa... 06/27/2009

Each August in Texas we have a Sales Tax Holiday that's helps us all to save a bit of money just before school starts up.  Not everything is tax free on this weekend, but most clothing, shoes, backpacks under the price of $100 are included. And this year, they are adding to those items many school supplies such as pens and crayons. For a full list of tax exempt items and more information on this holiday, visit the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts web site:  http://www.window.state.tx.us/news2009/090624-taxholiday.html This year's holiday will take place August 21-23 So mark your calendars, save your money and shop to save in August!   Wendy Montoya, REALTOR® Certified Internet e-PRO Professional Seller Representative Specialist (SRS) SEARCH WACO HOMES FOR SALE AT: www.MyWacoHomes.co... 06/26/2009

     Temperatures are climbing, but the Waco Water Park has found a way to keep us cool. Bring the family to a Dive-In movie.        The Waco Water Park will show The Goonies on July 6th and Stuart Little on July 20th. Other movies will be shown on the first and third Monday through August. Twilight admission rate to the park apply. Gates open at 8:30. For a complete list of movies to to www.Waco-texas.com. 06/26/2009

         The City of Waco www.wacowater.com, has released a report on the quality of our local water and ways to conserve. . We get our water from Lake Waco, which is fed by the Bosque River. The city recently purchased land at Bull Hide Creek to built a new state of the art water treatment plant.      Our water quality is rated Superior by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.      It is the hottest, dryest time of the year. It has been in the triple digits here in Texas for about 2 weeks now, and will not cool off until the middle of September. And what do we use the most water for? Watering our lawns! So that is number one on their list of ways to save. (1) Water your lawn and plants in the morning and evening, when temperatures are cooler and there is less evaporation. (2) ... 06/26/2009

I'm sure that many or most of you have heard the same old things, time and time again about how to prepare your home for sale. But there are still a few things that I see repeatedly in many homes that really take away from the actual beauty and essence of the home. Some of the top turn offs that I see so often can be so simply fixed: Cluttered Kitchen Counters-you want your kitchen to look as though it has plenty of counter space. It's one of the most important parts of the house. All of those gadgets and small appliances may be nice looking, but they give the impression that there is no space in the kitchen. A huge turnoff. Just put them away and maybe just leave a couple of key beautiful pieces out to warm up the space. Magnets on and things on top of Refrigerator-Oh this is such a no... 06/25/2009

If you live in the Waco Area and haven't done so already, you still have a chance to win FREE Electricity.  The Waco Association of REALTORS® is still accepting entry forms for this fantastic giveaway. There are 2 more drawings left where you can win up to $500.00 towards a month of your electric bill. And with this fantastic weather we are having, I bet a little help with that would not hurt a bit! Please click HERE for complete rules and entry information. There is no obligation. Related Post: Electricity Give Away--Wacoans LOOK!     Wendy Montoya, REALTOR® Certified Internet e-PRO Professional Seller Representative Specialist (SRS) www.MyWacoHomes.com Wendy@WendyMontoya.com Waco Real Estate Needs?  Call  WENDY!            254-315-4906 525 N 4 3rd Waco, TX  76710 254-755-0021     This... 06/25/2009

 I was just reading the online edition of the Waco Tribune and came across this very uplifting news about Waco.   Apparently Business Week has Waco listed as a great place to work and live making a top 20 list at number 14.  Read about it here in "The Best Places to Start Over". I know that I really enjoy living here, but it sure is nice to see that reinforced by articles like this.   Waco TX Job Search Links-Feel Free to Add your Own Waco Texas Relocation Package  FOR INFORMATION ON WACO HOMES FOR SALE, VISIT WWW.MYWACOHOMES.COM Wendy Montoya, REALTOR® Certified Internet e-PRO Professional Seller Representative Specialist (SRS) www.MyWacoHomes.com Wendy@WendyMontoya.com Waco Real Estate Needs?  Call  WENDY!            254-315-4906 525 N 4 3rd Waco, TX  76710 254-755-0021     This infor... 06/23/2009

The latest stats are out about Texas and Waco Real Estate Markets from the Real Estate Center for the Month of May 2009, which actually shows nearly exactly what I've stated in my previous posts. What's going on in the Waco Real Estate Market Wendy? And more Waco Residential Market News...  Sales are still down from last year, May 08 to the tune of 24%, but the median price is up a small bit. Inventory remains lower than last year but is up slightly from April of this year. Please visit the Waco Area Stats for a better look.  And if you need more information about the Waco Residential Market, or more specific market information about your neighborhood, please feel free to give me a call or drop me an e-mail.   For information about Waco Homes For Sale, please visit www.MyWacoHomes.com w... 06/23/2009

Mark Felton offers buyers looking for houses in Waco a full suite of professional services. As a licensed realtor and co-owner of Keller Williams Waco, he can assist you with any of your real estate needs. Mark also is a Custom Home Builder and Developer. His home building company is Front Porch Homes which builds in and around the Waco area. And his development company is Frontera Development, which is a full service real estate development firm based in Waco, Texas. The primary focus is residential, master planned communities that emphasize the values of New Urbanism and Traditional Neighborhood Development. Cotton Crossing Rancho Lorena 06/22/2009

     My husband and I (and our son) all love to read, so one of the things we usuallyt do on Sunday afternoons is go to the bookstore. While loking through people magazine today, I saw a 2 page spread about the Church Under the Bridge, complete with pictures.      In case you have never heard of th Church Under the Bridge, let me give you the history. In the early 1990's a lot of homeless people were living under the overpass at I-35 and 4th street here in Waco. That intersection is the main entrance to Baylor University. As you may or may not know, Baylor is the prremier private Baptist college in the country. Ok, I'm prejudiced, I went to school there.      Being private also means being expensive, so the Baylor students would have money to help these homeless people. The would buy th... 06/21/2009

If you are a model plane enthusiast you will not want to miss this! The Heart of Texas Miniature Aircraft Club (HOTMAC) is having a scale model aircraft fly-in on Saturday June 20th from 10:00 am to dark at the HOTMAC field at Speegleville park on Lake Waco. Per car donation accepted at the gate. Restrooms and concessions on site. For more information go to www.hotmacre.org or call 254-722-5569.   06/18/2009

     My husband got out of the army in 2000. After 2 years in school at Texas State Technical Institute in Waco he got a degree in computer networking and 6 weeks later found a great job. Happy Happy!! Joy Joy!      After a celebratory trip to Las Vegas we started house hunting for the first home either one of us had ever owned. At first we were going to buy some land and a manufactured home. We found land, picked out a home and started the deal. But then we decided the deal was getting too expensive. Land $16,000, home $80,000, improvements on land $18,000= $124,000. We wanted to stay below $100,000.    So we cancelled the deal.     Three months later in February, we started looking for an older home. We found one we were interested in. Like most buyers, we called the agent on the yard... 06/17/2009

Although the Real Estate Center has not posted their figures for May 2009 yet, let me give you some information that I've viewed in our local MLS* As I talked about in my last Waco Market Update, this year of May appears to be much like April in comparison to April and May of 2008. In other words, sales are down from last year and median sales prices showed slight increases. According to The Real Estate Center May of 2008 produced the following results: 242 residential sales 109,100 median sales price   Information from the MLS* for May of 2009 reflects: 184 residential sales 114,888 median sales price   And as we are midway through June, here is what our MLS* is telling me so far: Up until today, June 15th 2009  109 residential sales 125,000 median sales price   Which appears to put us... 06/15/2009

Located on Interstate 35 between Dallas and Austin, is Waco. This city is full of Texas history and hospitality. Waco has 18 museums and attractions that offer visitors a chance to learn and relax in a big city with a small town feel. One attraction is the Bear Habitat. This habitat is located on the Baylor University campus. The habitat has a waterfall, pool, digging holes and trees, all for the bears who live at the habitat. Visitors can learn and watch how the bears live. This exhibit is the most visited attraction on the Baylor campus. Cameron Park Zoo is a natural habitat zoo. Not all cages and cement like most zoos keep their animals in. Visitors will see tortoises, birds from Africa, and lion cubs. Another popular attraction in Waco is the Dr. Pepper Museum. Waco is the home of t... 06/13/2009

Are you a buyer who can't find what they are looking for in the real estate market? Thinking about building, but don't know where to start? Wondering what it would cost per foot to build in the Waco, Texas market? Trying to figure out if the $8,000 tax credit will benefit you? Want to know what you can afford to build? Need a referral into a Waco lender that you can trust? What will my house sell for? How long will it take to build? At Front Porch Homes, we offer a complete consultative approach to building a house.  After one appointment, we can answer all of the questions listed above and any others you may have.  You will leave the meeting, educated, informed and most of all comfortable.  So that you may make the right decision for your family to buy or build a home.  For more infor... 06/10/2009