Are you going to the Arts Festival or the Christmas Parade this weekend in Wylie, Texas?  Downtown Merchants are offering the following specials during the Arts Festival: (some restrictions apply) Wylie Sports and Apparel 10% off all orders placed in December  Wylie Flower & Gift's Christmas Open House Saturday, December 5th 3p.m. to 6 p.m. 129 N. Ballard; Historic Downtown Wylie 75% off non-seasonal silk arrangements There will be Santa, Refreshments & Door Prizes Rick's Home Store All gift items are 15% off with this ad Texas Size Micro Fiber Recliner regular price $699 sale price $499  Avon Avon Best Selling Hand Creams in Holiday packaging only $1.001. MOISTURE THERAPY2. VITA MOIST3. SILCONE GLOVE4. SSS SOFT & SENSUAL OTHER ITEM'S FOR A $1.001. Lip Balm's2. Shower Gels3. Body Lotion... 12/04/2009

Wylie Texas adds 10th Elementary School The Wylie Board of trustees and administration is having a groundbreaking ceremony for WISD's 10th elementary school!! The groundbreaking ceremony is on Tuesday December 8, 2009 at 11am Come by and be a part of this celebration! 1301 Elm Road Wylie, Texas 75098 Wylie is growing! You will be amazed at the progress this town has made. Hope to see you there! 12/04/2009

Wylie Arts Festival This Saturday in downtown Wylie, Texas Wylie Arts Festival this Saturday from 10 am - 8 pm.  You can shop for fine art and handmade crafts. There will be holiday cooking demonstrations and festive foods.  At 5:30 pm the Festival of Lights Christmas Parade starts.  Finish the evening with the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony at 7 pm with Mayor Eric Hogue reading of The Night Before Christmas and music by the First Baptist Wylie choir.             -More Than 65 Handmade Arts and Crafts Booths                -Children's Storytelling                -Festive Foods                -Children's Area with a Large Assortment of Inflatables                -Cooking Demonstrations                -Entertainment  Wylie Arts Festival                         Olde City Park              ... 12/03/2009

1301 W Collins Circle Wylie, TX 75098  $244,900 One of the best locations in the community with view to the pond and the fountain. Oversized lot with sprinkler system and beautiful landscaping front and back. Bright, open floorplan with 2 full master bedrooms and jetted tub. Large rooms and closets for all the family. Intercom system, upgraded light fixtures, tile countertops and ceiling fans, beautiful glass mirrors in dining room & above fireplace. 3 car garage & community pool! Directions: From Hwy 78 N turn right on Kirby after road splits Collins will be on the left at Bozman Farm.       12/01/2009

December 5, 2009Historic Downtown WylieThe City of Wylie and the Public Arts Advisory Board are proud to present the Wylie Arts Festival. Shop for fine art and handmade crafts, listen to the sounds of the season, watch holiday cooking demonstrations, and (of course) eat festive foods! To top the day off, we will join to watch the Festival of Lights Christmas Parade sponsored by First Baptist Church of Wylie, followed by the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony. Come out and enjoy the sights and sounds of the holidays! There is something for everyone: -Arts and Crafts Booths-Children's Storytelling-Festive Foods-Children's Area-Cooking Demonstration-Entertainment Wylie Arts Festival Where: Olde City Park When: December 5, 10 am - 8 pm The "Festival of Lights Parade" starts at 5:30 pm on Ballar... 11/30/2009

City of Wylie FREE Text Message and E-mail Emergency Notifications   Severe thunderstorm warning, tornado, hazardous material spill, crime update...stay informed in the event of a public safety issue.   You may also opt to receive traffic and community information updates.  Backed by law enforcement agencies, the system is fast, reliable and your information is secure.  Take two minutes and sign up today.   Simply go to WylieTexas.gov and click on the red "Sign Up" button the left hand side of the homepage. Courtesy of: Cindy Roeschen-The Trinity Group-Keller Williams-214.682.4259 Direct Cindy@TheTrinityGroup.org-www.TheTrinityGroup.org 11/24/2009

Smart ideas to help you sell your home in North Texas Part 2 If you are putting your home on the market remember the first impression makes a huge difference!  A little effort can pay big returns. This is a list to help you get  your home ready for sale. Clean carpet and remove any spots Clean windows inside and out Clean bathrooms thoroughly-floors, walls, fixtures and tiles Clean kitchen cabinets, appliances & fixtures, wax & polish floor Clean closets & hang clothes neatly. Arrange shoes neatly Mow & edge your lawn Rake leaves & pic up fallen limbs Clean out flower beds Repair & repaint fences You might consider the following for decluttering your home to make it appear larger Sell or store extra furniture Arrange furniture to maximize walk space Paint rooms with lighter colors to ma... 11/24/2009

  City of Wylie Market Update for October 2009 from Collin County Association of Realtors    October     2008 2009 Change New Listings 101 100 -1.0% Closed Sales* (reported) 80 80 -0.0% Closed Sales*(projected) 80 89 +11.3% Average Sales Price ** $186,156 $180,154 -3.2% Median Sales Price** $168,250 $168,950 +0.4% Percent of Original List Price Received at Sale** 92.9% 94.7% +2.0% Average Days on Market Until Sale 90 71 -21.0% Single-Family Detached Inventory 388 300 -22.7% Townhouse-Condo Inventory 3 0 -100.0%             Entire Year     2008 2009 Change New Listings 1334 1144 -14.2% Closed Sales* (reported) 801 721 -10.0% Closed Sales*(projected) 801 730 -8.9% Average Sales Price ** $176,746 $173,952 -1.6% Median Sales Price** $157,786 $160,000 +1.4% Percent of Original List Price Rec... 11/23/2009

Smart ideas to help you sell your home in North Texas Part 1 The first impression prospective buyers have when they come into your home can make a huge difference.  If your home appears clean, tidy and well maintained, they can begin imagining themselves living in it.  But if your home looks like it needs alot of work, a prospective buyer may cross it off their list. Buy a home warranty while you are on the market Replace heating and AC filters Clean areas around the indoor and outdoor heating/cooling equipment Clean all decks and patios Inspect all faucets for corrosion or hard water deposits Have slow running drains cleaned Make sure all sinks and bathtubs hold water Label all circuits in your electrical service panel Have the AC serviced and the condensation lines cleaned Make your h... 11/20/2009

Finally, training for Short Sales ! A short sale is a situation in which the seller owes more money on the loan than the property will produce on the market.  The lender allows for the woner to sell the property to partially satisfy the amount owed to the lender. I attended a Short Sale training class presented by the National Association of Realtors yesterday. The class qualified for the SFR, Short Sale and Foreclosure Resource certification from NAR.  Even though I have been doing short sales for a couple of years now, I was not sure if I was doing them totally correct because there was no guidelines for realtors to go by! A National Association of REALTORS member survey shows that short sales and foreclosed properties accounted for a third of existing home sales in July 2009. Short s... 11/20/2009

What to do if your tenant is late with the rent payment Being a landlord does have challenges and one problem that seems to crop up for every landlord in their career is tenants who are late with rent repeatedly. It's important that you don't let the tenant "slide" by without consequences, charge them the late fees written in the lease!  Always treat every tenant in the same manner when they're late with rent. Courtesy Call At noon on the 3rd give reminder calls, emails or text messages that rent is due by 5pm today. Late Notice The first step is letting them know immediately that the rent is late. Add in the late fees in a late notice.  Attach the late notice to the homes door and have a witness. Don't accept rent without the late fees added. Tenants will think twice about paying rent ... 11/17/2009

Benefit for Jonathon Bird of Wylie TX  Wylie Lacrosse is doing a bake sale beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, at High Point Park in Plano to benefit the family of Jonathon Bird, the Wylie man beated to death by five teenagers last week. High Point Park is located at Alma Road and Springcreek Parkway. Donations will also be accepted. Please show your support for this family for the terrible loss of their family member. If you cannot make it to High Point Park , I will accept donations at my office <1502 West Kirby (FM 544)> I will take the donations to the park for you.  My office is in Wylie next door to Chili's. Thank you !     11/11/2009

What's So Great About this "Tax Credit" anyway? The benefit of a $8000.00 tax credit is, it's a Dollar-for-Dollar benefit, rather than just a "tax deduction".  If someone owed taxes, a reduction in a tax liability would be just that. If you owed $1,000 you would get taxes reduced and NO cash back.  If a buyer qualified for the entire tax benefit when purchasing a home and owed $2,000 in income taxes, they would get back $6,000 cash. Higher Income Caps-The amount of income someone can earn and qualify for the full amount of the credit has been increased!!  Single tax filers who earn up to $125,000 are eligible for the total credit amount. Those who earn more than this cap can receive a partial credit. However, single filers who earn $145,000 and above are ineligible. Joint filers who ear... 11/09/2009

What a glorious first day of November at Creekside Estates, Wylie, TX. The community hosts this beautiful pond in the heart of its neighborhood where residents can fish (catch and release) or wander around the walking trail enjoying all that nature has to offer. To find out more about Creekside Estates or any other community surrounding Wylie, Sachse, Murphy or Allen please give me a call directly (972) 795-2571 for a free consultation on the area's homes. 11/01/2009

Top 10 Scary Homebuying Mistakes 1) Not Getting Pre-Approved by a Lender-Don't get your heart set on a certain neighborhood or type home until you have talked to a lender. Have you ever seen Property Virgins on HGTV? The host starts the show walking the homebuyers down a street in their favorite neighborhood. She asks them how much they think homes in the area cost and they are usually WAY more expensive than they thought! We all have Champagne taste right? A lender will look at your income, assets, debts and credit to determine a monthly payment you can afford. 2) Not thinking Long Term-If you fall in love with a home but it sits next to the electrical plant or has a major road next to it you might want to think again. This is a huge investment, you want to make sure future buyers will... 10/30/2009

Tax Credit Possible Extension for 1st time Buyers Want to buy a new home but haven't yet and your a first time home buyer? Hang on the $8000.00 tax credit might be extended according to Bloomberg.com ! As you have probably heard by now, the credit ends November 30,,2009. This means you have to find a home and have it in escrow at least 3 weeks prior to this date. The lender and title companies need at least this much time to do the paperwork and gaher closing documents. Please click on the link below to see an article on the possible extension or copy and paste into your browser. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aoI9KTlHpwzI There are income limits and other stipulations to qualify. Please call me if you have any questions. 10/29/2009

Downtown Boo on Ballard Wylie, TX  has been re-scheduled for FRIDAY, October 30th, 6p.m. - 8p.m.   due to rain forecasted on Thursday.      IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW: **Lost/Found - Wylie Police command post will be set up at Bart Peddicord Community Center. **Halloween Costume Contest - children, adults & pets!  Registration from 6:15-7:15pm at 114 N. Ballard Ave. (next door to Downtown Salon Suites). **Food - East Fork Masonic Lodge will have BBQ and drinks for sale near Quick Response Technologies. **Carnival Games - Oak/Ballard near Bart Peddicord Community Center. Hosted by New Hope Christian Church. **Jump Zone - parking lot next to Bart Peddicord Community Center. **Music - Gateway Community Church Band (corner of Oak/Ballard) and First Baptist Church Band (corner of Marble/Ballar... 10/27/2009

Hire a Veteran Job Fair in Arlington TX 10/29/2009    Veterans often possess the key knowledge, skills, abilities, and character traits employers are looking for in top candidates to fill today's jobs. These traits include: • Integrity • Leadership • Teamwork • Accelerated Learning Curve • Performance Under Pressure The Texas Veterans Commission, Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas, Workforce Solutions for N. Central Texas and Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County are sponsoring this event.  It will be held at the Arlington Convention Center , 1200 Ballpark Way, Arlington, TX 76011 from 10am-3pm October 29th. If you have additional questions you can call 817-459-5000. If you know a veteran who is looking for a job please tell them about this job fair! 10/26/2009

  September   2008 2009 Change New Listings 105 98 -6.7% Closed Sales* (reported) 70 69 -1.4% Closed Sales*(projected) 70 77 10.0% Average Sales Price ** $170,703 $164,137 -3.8% Median Sales Price** $155,000 $157,500 1.6% Percent of Original List Price Received at Sale** 94.9% 96.2% 1.4% Average Days on Market Until Sale 92 73 -20.3% Single-Family Detached Inventory 404 315 -22.0% Townhouse-Condo Inventory 4 1 -75.0%             Entire Year   2008 2009 Change New Listings 1233 1042 -15.5% Closed Sales* (reported) 721 634 -15.5% Closed Sales*(projected) 721 642 12.1% Average Sales Price ** $170,944 $181,181 6.0% Median Sales Price** $157,033 $158,100 .07% Percent of Original List Price Received at Sale** 94.8% 93.9% -1.0% Average Days on Market Until Sale 94.8% 89 -14.2% Single-Family D... 10/23/2009

Interested in purchasing Foreclosures in Collin County Texas or nearby? October Inventory 2009 Wylie has 305 homes on the market -45 are Foreclosures Rowlett/Sachse has 295 homes on the market -35 are Foreclosures Rockwall has 706 homes on the market -42 are Foreclosures Fairview/Lucas has 134 homes on the market -6 are Foreclosures Allen has 372 homes on the market -32 are Foreclosures If you are interested in any other areas please call me! 10/22/2009