Special Thanksgiving Recipe--Pumpkin Marble Cheesecake Are you looking for a unique recipe to impress family and friends who come over for Thanksgiving dinner?  Here is an idea, a pumpkin marble cheesecake.  Everyone seems to have pumpkin pie for desert on Thanksgiving.  And, while I'm a huge fan of pumpkin pie, what can you do to stand out as an excellent host or hostess this Thanksgiving? Are you looking for something truly unique to impress your family and friends?  A pumpkin marble cheesecake might be just the trick.  If you are bold enough to try this, please leave a comment below and let me know about it. Dare to be a little different, put a new spin on an old tradition. Thanksgiving is a great time to take a break from your regular schedules of work, school, taking the children t... 11/19/2013

Stage 4 Drought, Wichita Falls Lake Levels & Other Notes from Wichita Falls Town Hall Forum Wichita Falls lake levels reached a combined level of 30.0% earlier this week, and therefore Stage 4 Drought Disaster of the Wichita Falls Drought Plan is being enforced beginning Saturday, November 16, 2013. Mayor Glenn Barham opened the town hall forum meeting at 7:00 on Tuesday, November 12, 2013.  The City of Wichita Falls has decided to go to this format of city-wide meetings rather than smaller, more frequent meetings in the different districts. Much of the meeting was dedicated to speaking about the drought, what has been done during the last 10 years or so, as well as future options.  One main take-away is that if the city had not accomplished the projects completed within the last few ye... 11/13/2013

There is a Special Government Home Renovation Loan Program with Wichita Falls TX FHA 203K Home Loans.    Many are not aware of a special government loan program that is actually a part of FHA (Federal Housing Administration- a department within HUD). A buyer or existing home owner can do meaningful amounts of remodeling or updates to their existing home without having a higher cost second lien thanks to this special FHA loan program.         The loan program does not allow for “luxury items” which are defined as items like a swimming pool or hot tub, etc. Repaint, remodel cabinetry in kitchens and bathrooms, add wallpaper, replace appliances and flooring and even a add a room to an existing structure (which will increase the value of the homes square footage).         Many advantages ex... 11/13/2013

Topy 7 Benefits of Home Ownership in Wichita Falls TX - Part 3 Find Homes for Sale in Wichita Falls TX Would you like to know how you can make a quarter of a million dollars by sleeping? Well, keep reading. The last few years have been difficult for the Wichita Falls real estate market, and many people are wondering if now is really a good time to buy a home or not. Many other people want to buy a home, but are stuck in the rent trap becuase the banks lending standards tightened so much. This article will discuss more of the Top 7 benefits of owning a home versus renting. In Part 1, we saw that homeowners enjoy steady payments helping them fight against inflation and the wonderful tax savings we can enjoy by being able to deduct the mortgage interest from our regular income.  Then, in P... 11/12/2013

Top 7 Benefits of Home Ownership in Wichita Falls TX - Part 2 Click Here to Find Homes for Sale in Wichita Falls TX In Part 1 of this article on the Top 7 Benefits of Home Ownership in Wichita Falls, we discussed the first two benefits of owning a home versus renting.  The last several years have been difficult for the Wichita Falls real estate market, and home buyers have had trouble obtaining financing, however the market is turning around.  Many people are still wondering if now is really a good time to buy a home or not.  Many other people want to buy a home, yet are stuck in the rent trap because of tightening lending standards we've experienced the last few years.  People we work with are finding pleasant surprises, simply assuming they could not qualify when they were actually cl... 11/11/2013

Top 7 Benefits of Home Ownership - Part 1 Find Wichita Falls Homes for Sale The last several years have been really difficult for the Wichita Falls real estate market, and home buyers have had trouble obtaining financing, and home prices softened after the peak in 2008.  However, the market is turning around and financing is becoming easier to obtain.  Many people are still wondering if now is really a good time to buy a home or not.  Many other people want to buy a home, yet are stuck in the rent trap because of the tightening lending standards we've experienced the last few years.  People we work with are finding pleasant surprises, simply assuming they could not qualify when they were actually closer than they assumed.  This series of articles will discuss the Top 7 benefits of ownin... 11/11/2013

Watch this Video to learn the 6 Easy Steps to Buying a Home in Wichita Falls TX Click Here to Find Your Favorite Home for Sale in Wichita Falls TX Watch the video above to learn the 6 easy steps to buying a home.  Many people have been scared out of the market the last several years, and maybe have even been told that their only option is to rent.  The market is very good for buying a home in today's market.  Mortgage interest rates are still historically low making payments for buying a home much cheaper than rent.  We've been able to save clients a couple hundred dollars a month simply by helping them make the transition from renter to home owner.  Buying a home for sale in Wichita Falls TX can be daunting, however, with the right agent at your side guiding you through the process, it... 11/04/2013

When buying a home for sale in Wichita Falls, there are advantages of getting a mortgage preapproval. The home buying process can be exciting, but also stressful.  When there are a large number of buyers in the market for real estate, the odds of being able to purchase your desired home can be low.  However, getting a mortgage preapproval prior to home shopping can dramatically increase the odds of success. Find Your Perfect Home for Sale in Wichita Falls TX Make Mortgage Preapproval Your First Step A mortgage preapproval should be a home buyer's first step when purchasing a home.  A borrower can choose to meet with a lender or get an initial preapproval via the Internet.  The preapproval process is similar to the actural mortgage process and will, in fact, eliminate a lot of time after... 11/03/2013

Why in the world do we change the clocks by one hour twice a year?  Don't know about you, but it seems to always take me several days to adjust, and I'm not even really sure why, it is only an hour.  Well, this Sunday we get to "Fall Back", so make sure you change your clocks before going to bed Saturday so you don't miss church.  Here are some fun Daylight Savings Trivia questions to share with your friends. Trivia: 1.  What was the first country to go to Daylight Savings Time? 2.  Who was the first American to Propose Daylight Savings Time? 3.  What was the paper published advocating for Daylight Savings Time by the Person from Question #2? 4.  Which States do not observe Daylight Savings Time? 5.  What Year did the United States first observe Daylight Savings Time? Find Homes for Sal... 10/31/2013

Choosing School Districts when Looking for Your Next Home in Texoma Compare Community Information, School Ratings & Demographics for Texoma Neighborhoods The neighborhoods you consider while house hunting in Texoma may be determined, in part, by school districts and educational choices.  If you'll be sending your children to public school, ratings and other assessment tools can help you judge the merit of the schools near you.  If you're considering a private school, you may have to sort through programs with a wide range of philosophical backgrounds.  Read on to learn about school ratings, types of schools and other factors to consider. Search for Homes for Sale in Wichita Falls and Surrounding Communities Finding Inforamtion About School Districts School ratings and test score data ca... 10/30/2013

Congratulations to the Wichita Falls Youth Ballet for the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on Wednesday, October 30, 2013 The Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce Gold Coat Ambassadors Welcomed the Wichita Falls Youth Ballet with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Search for Homes for Sale in Wichita Falls and Surrounding Communities Wichita Falls Youth Ballet Where: 1501 Midwestern Parkway, Suite 116, Wichita Falls, TX 76302 Studio Hours:  Monday-Thursday: 3:00 - 9:00                       Friday: 3:00 - 7:00                       Saturday: 8:30 - 2:00                       Classes began September 9, 2013 Contact: 940-636-2861 info@wichitafallsyouthballet.com Wichita Falls Youth Ballet We really enjoyed meeting Valentine and Mishic Liberatore, owners of the Wichita Falls Youth Ballet today at the ribbon cu... 10/30/2013

Top 12 Reasons to List Your Wichita Falls Home for Sale During the Holidays Obtain a Free Home Value Report with Recent Sales in Your Neighborhood Find Homes for Sale in Wichita Falls TX There are a lot of 12s during this time of year, like the 12 Days of Christmas, however most people considering selling their home don't normally think of this time of year as the best for the housing market.  However, even though it is true that there are fewer buyers out shopping for homes, it is also true that the buyers out there are more serious and the showings we get are higher quality.  In fact, you will be surprised to see the actual numbers of the percentage of homes that sold for those who chose to list their home for sale in the 4th Quarter of 2012, versus those who chose to wait until the 2... 10/29/2013

Click Here to Find Foreclosed Homes for Sale in Wichita Falls TX 7 Tips for Buying Foreclosed Homes For Sale in Wichita Falls TX Home buyers in the market for a deal on their dream home need two things: lots of patience and the stomach to do battle with investors. Any home that is in a decent area and priced right is facing keen competition in today's market Home buyers in the market for a foreclosure, or sometimes referred to as a bank-owned property need those qualities tenfold.  Buying a foreclosure is a lengthy process, and although most investors prefer pre-foreclosure sales and auctions, you will face your share of competition for bank-owned homes. Let's take a look at some foreclosure-buying options and how to participate.  Buying Foreclosed Homes for Sale at Auction Homes that a... 10/28/2013

Ribbon Cuttin Ceremony - Hargrove's Grill & Bar Wichita Falls TX You can find Wichita Falls Real Estate Listings Here Congratulations to Hargrove's Grill & Bar for the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on Wednesday, October 23, 2013.  We were very impressed with the new grill and bar in Downtow Wichita Falls.  Places like this are exactly what our community needs, good food, entertainment and fun places to hang out with collegues and friends.  It was also a pleasure to meet the owners Ken and Donna Hargrove. Hargrove's Grill and Bar is located in Downtown Wichita Falls at 801 Indiana Ave, on the corner fo Indianna Ave. and 8th Street.  They offer a full service grill, bar and lunchtime hours.  There is also entertainment with light jazz on Thursday evenings, live music on Saturday evenings, and h... 10/24/2013

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony - Five Guys Burgers and Fries Wichita Falls Texas Click Here to Find Wichita Falls Real Estate Listings Today my wife Gaby and I were privileged to participate in the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Five Guys Burgers and Fries in Wichita Falls as part of the Gold Coat Ambassadors with the Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce.  Five Guys Burgers and Fries is located at 3110 Midwestern Parkway across the street from the Sykes Mall. Tim & Gaby Lockhart are both Gold Coat Ambassadors with the Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce, one of the most active volunteer groups within the Chamber.  The Gold Coats have been a major part of welcoming new business to Wichita Falls for about 50 years.  This is the Chamber's good will group representing the Chamber and the community of Wich... 10/23/2013

Even if you don't believe the Halloween superstitions, as I do not, it is still OK to be curious about where they came from.  Here are just a few of the most popular superstions surrounding Halloween. Nutcracker Night: In Britain, people believe that the Devil was a nutgatherer.  At Halloween, nuts were used as magic charms. Cats: In America, some people believed in the magical power of black cats.  Certain bones on the cat have power to make wishes come true, or even make one invisible.  The white cat in England, at Halloween, is thought to be unlucky.  The blue cat in Russia brings good luck.  The "Blue" is often viewed as a "gray" cat. No Talking at the Dinner Table: "The Dumb Supper" was brought to America by Africans.  This is an eerie Hallowmas meal which nobody is allowed to spea... 10/21/2013

North Texas residents are begining to realize the importance of water many have taken for granted in the United States, yet millions of people around the world view water as one of the most precious commodities available.  In many parts of the world water is more precious than silver and gold.  As a retired Air Force officer, I've had the privalege of traveling overseas to desert environments where billions of dollars is spent desalinating ocean water so the residents have potable water to drink.  Also, much political capital is spent negotiating water rights between these midle eastern countries.  We have been very blessed in the United States to not have to worry about clean drinking water in our homes, for our children.  However, that is being challenged in many parts of Texas as thi... 10/21/2013

Ever wonder what is going on in the housing market in Wichita Falls, Texas?  Do you know how raising interest rates are affecting home prices and the number of sales?  I'm Tim Lockhart Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty, and am your local real estate expert. 10/20/2013

As I was at the home I held open Sunday afternoon, arriving early and awaiting the first visitor, I thought of why this open house event was already a success even before the first visitor arrived. First. this event was leveraged as an opportunity to market the house for sale again.  The marketing consisted of several aspects. 1) This gave me an opportunity to go door to door again in the neighborhood inviting the neighbors.  I've already been through the neighborhood when the house first listed.  And, this is actually the third time since listing the house I've gone through the neighborhood.  This time, I was able to connect with 65 people, and left flyers at the door of many other homes. 2) Utilized Social Media with Facebook and Google+ to spread the word among contacts. 3) Invited b... 10/20/2013

  We all know that words spoken, inflection of voice and timing all have a great deal to do with our POWER OF COMMUNICATION. What one person hears may come across as totally different from another person that hears the same thing. Remember the old game where we would sit in a circle and whisper a line in the next person's ear? The beginning line could be as simple as: John and Mary laughed together at the dinner table. And, then by the time that line gets to the final person they have to announce what the line was. To the final person the line was... John and Mary flirted after dinner. So, okay they are close but not dead ringers! How we would laugh at that game as a child! Today though, each and every spoken word to our clients must be clear and meticulous. The POWER OF WORDS have the ... 07/29/2012