Fort Worth Developer Goes Green
March 27, 2008
Fort Worth Real Estate is getting more environmentally friendly thanks to Dallas-based developer Cawley Wilcox. They have broken ground on an office building in west Fort Worth that incorporates a number of earth-friendly features. The Wilcox Plaza at Green Oaks is set to open in 2009, and has earned ratings as the area’s most energy efficient building.
This three story office complex has been awarded the gold level of LEED certification, and is the first such building in Tarrant County to achieve this mark. LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a nationally recognized building standard for environmentally friendly construction.
Wilcox Plaza to Incorporate Energy Friendly Features
Bricks from the historic Green Oaks, which once hosted such famous names as Elvis Presley, will be recycled and used in the new building. Approximately 70 percent of the site’s oak trees will remain, adding shaded open spaces that will help cool the area, as will reflective roof panels and paving materials. Vegetation will be planted that will help clean rainwater runoff, and a ponds will store the runoff for use in irrigation. Solar powered faucets and energy efficient glass top off the energy friendly features.
Overall the measures will cut energy use by 15 percent and reduce water consumption by four million gallons each year, which in turn will lead to substantial savings in the cost for utilities.
The builder plans to continue its energy efficient improvements to Fort Worth Commercial real estate by making a commitment to integrate “green” measures into all of its new construction projects. As energy costs continue to rise, such measures are likely to become standard. Cawley Wilcox has done a great job of setting the standard for others to follow.
Arlington Real Estate Expected to Remain Strong
March 26, 2008
Strong job growth in the Fort Worth - Arlington area and the ongoing affordability of homes in the area is expected to keep Arlington real estate strong, according to a report released by PMI. PMI is an insurer of mortgage lenders.
As the economy slows, the Fort Worth – Arlington area is expected to have a less than one percent chance of experiencing any decline in home prices, which is consistent with the rest of the north Texas and Dallas region. Meanwhile, there are many areas of the country that are almost guaranteed to experience drastic drops in home values.
Slow, Sustained Growth has Helped Fort Worth
What has helped keep the real estate market upbeat in Fort Worth and Arlington is the slow, sustained growth these neighborhoods experienced while the rest of the country was booming. Now those areas that skyrocketed in value are paying the price as the market tries to normalize back to the levels home values historically should be at.
In areas such as California, Nevada, and Florida, home prices exploded while job growth fell, and the affordability of homes plummeted. In some areas, only five percent of the population can afford the average home.
In Texas, however, home values have remained very affordable compared to the average income for residents, and job growth has continued at one of the fastest rates in the country. This keeps the demand for real estate high and the values holding steady in a time where others are seeing economic strife.
Overall, the picture for Fort Worth Real Estate and Arlington real estate looks good, and homeowners should take comfort in knowing their home values are expected to hold steady in the coming months.
Cleanup Day Set to Beautify Arlington Neighborhoods
March 24, 2008
For one day in April, Arlington residents have the opportunity to clean up their neighborhoods and get rid of unwanted rubbish at no charge. As a means of maintaining your Arlington real estate, anyone with proof of residency can dump unwanted waste at one of three locations. The event will be held on Saturday April 19, and will run from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.,
Get Rid of All of Your Trash
Nearly any type of household or yard waste other than hazardous materials can be dropped off at the Arlington Sanitary Landfill, Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, or Sam Houston High School.
Allowable items include trash, yard waste, furniture, appliances, car batteries, carpet, lumber, building materials such as sheetrock, chunks of concrete, and up to four car tires per household. Old lawn mowers and barbecue pits that have had the fuel removed will also be accepted.
Items such as paint, pesticides, and motor oil will not be accepted, nor will roofing materials.
Organizers of the event ask that residents separate yard waste, such as tree limbs and brush, from the other trash. Yard waste will be mulched and stored at the Arlington landfill, which is available for Arlington residents at no charge.
The Event is Free for Arlington Residents
In order to dump your unwanted rubbish, you must be able to provide proof of residency in Arlington by presenting a current driver’s license or a copy of your current water bill. This event is held twice each year, in April and October, and not only ensures rubbish is handled in an environmentally responsible manner, but goes a long ways towards maintaining the beauty and value of Arlington real estate.
New Trail Provides Open Space in Downtown Arlington
March 20, 2008
As part of the revitalization plan for downtown Arlington, Phase I of the new Center Street Pedestrian Trail is underway. This two-mile trail will help beautify the downtown area, helping to raise the appeal and value of downtown Arlington real estate.
Trail Makes Arlington Pedestrian Friendly
The new trail system will be completed in two phases. With Phase I underway, Phase II is now in the design process.
Phase I will run through downtown and connect with the new Founder’s Plaza, and will provide pedestrian access to the new Levitt Pavilion outdoor amphitheater, which will also open in fall.
Along this two-mile walkway, there will be over a mile of upgraded landscaping to add visual appeal to the area. Seating areas will be available in several locations, as well as interesting information about the city’s history.
Minor inconveniences during the construction process include the closing of access driveways to the Central Library and City Hall. These minor inconveniences should only last a short period of time.
Phase II to Access UT Arlington
When Phase II is built, it will begin south of Founder’s Plaza and connect through UT Arlington, then continue on to Johnson Creek. The completion of the trail will provide greater connectivity among downtown attractions.
In addition to the new trail system, other upgrades to downtown Arlington real estate include upgrades to building fronts of existing businesses, the addition of mixed-use developments, and an expansion of owner-occupied housing to bring new life into the core of this historic city.
Fort Worth Texas Real Estate Mineral Rights
March 19, 2008
The development of new, horizontal drilling has finally made it possible to access the enormous natural gas reserve located under Fort Worth and its surrounding neighborhoods, commonly known as the Barnett Shale. Oil and gas companies are drilling in the area, tapping this huge natural resource. As a result, the companies have been approaching owners of Fort Worth real estate and offering signing bonuses and royalties in exchange for lease agreements for drilling rights. Homeowners are being offered up to $18,000 in signing bonuses and 25 percent royalties for signed lease agreements.
Properties not Always Sold with Mineral Rights
Many neighborhood groups in the Fort Worth area have been forming to negotiate the best lease agreements and royalties for all residents. While homeowners in some areas have already signed lease agreements with energy companies, others are holding off, trying to secure a better deal.
If you are interested in purchasing Fort Worth Real Estate and are hoping to cash in on a lease for drilling rights, check to make sure the property you are interested in comes with mineral rights. These rights may be sold with the property or retained by the seller, which would mean the home buyer would not be entitled to royalty checks.
Keep in mind that many homes in the Fort Worth area are being sold without mineral rights, so securing such rights would seem to be the exception rather than the rule. Also, not every home owner has been approached and offered a lease agreement by the energy companies, so owning a piece of Fort Worth Texas Real Estate would not necessarily guarantee profits from the Barnett Shale.
Teens on Patrol in Keller
March 15, 2008
The safety of Keller Real Estate gets a boost as local teenagers work in partnership with the Keller police department. Their goal is to make the streets of Hidden Lakes safer for everyone living in this Keller neighborhood.
Interested teenagers aged 15 years and older learn how to identify and properly report illegal or unsafe activities. Each teen goes through six hours of hands-on training, mostly in the form of ride alongs with Keller police officers.
Teen patrols wear identifiable clothing, including a t-shirt or cap with the HLTP logo. They work in pairs, mostly after dark, patrolling the ten villages and associated amenities of the Hidden Lake community by car. At no time are they allowed or encouraged to pursue suspects or even exit their vehicles. There must be a cell phone inside each teen patrol vehicle, and they must check in with the Keller police department each time they begin their shift.
Community Service Credits Awarded
In addition to enhancing the safety of Keller TX real estate, making these neighborhoods a safer place to live, the teens are awarded community service credits for their efforts. There is no maximum number of hours the teens are allowed to work, but they must volunteer for at least one, two-hour shift per month in order to remain an active HLTP member.
Accommodations are made for school, vacation, and work schedules, in order to make it as easy as possible for teens to volunteer their time. All interested teenagers must be able to pass a background check prior to beginning their training, during which they are taught patrol objectives, observation skills, and memory enhancement techniques.
Purchase a Piece of Fort Worth History
March 12, 2008
If you are looking to purchase a piece of Fort Worth TX Real Estate that is steeped in local history, look no further than the magnificent Reeves-Walker House. Built in 1908 for the founder of First Fort Worth Bank and Trust, this Victorian mansion offers 9300 square feet of beautifully restored office or living space. It was sold in 1917 to the president of the Walker Grain Company, James L. Walker, who owned the property for fifty years. Upon its sale in 1967 it served as a funeral home, and since the mid-1980’s has been used as business offices.
Modern Amenities Offered in an Old Classic
As part of this beautiful building’s restoration, it has been upgraded to include modern amenities such as zoned heating and air conditioning, upgraded electrical service that can handle modern technology, a security system, and automatic sprinklers for the 1.2 acres of lush grounds that surround the structure.
A brick driveway provides access to a parking lot that has a capacity to hold 18 automobiles, and the entire property is fenced. A carriage house at the rear of the property offers an additional 2,400 square feet of usable space, and the main structure includes a full basement.
The grand entrance of the main floor includes a beautiful herringbone patterned hardwood floor and expansive 14 foot ceilings. The large private office on the ground floor is equipped with two fireplaces, as is the conference room. The second floor offers six offices. The original ballroom is currently being used as a library but could be converted into another large office.
This magnificent piece of Fort Worth Real Estate is recorded as a Texas Historic Landmark, and is conveniently located among the other grand historic homes of Fort Worth’s Fairmount-Southside Historic District.
Fort Worth Neighborhood Capacity Building
March 10, 2008
As the City of Fort Worth continues to grow, city leaders recognize that the involvement of citizens within their communities is an integral part of helping each community reach its goals. To that end, the City of Fort Worth has begun encouraging citizens to participate in neighborhood organizations and associations.
Benefits of Neighborhood Organizations
The encouragement of neighborhood organizations by the City is helping boost the quality of Fort Worth Texas Real Estate because those organizations help foster a sense of community among the citizens of that neighborhood. Having a sense of community brings pride to the neighborhood and builds a strong neighborhood self image. In turn, resident involvement within those neighborhoods leads to a safer community and the completion of many neighborhood improvements. These neighborhood associations also monitor building proposals, and come up with a list of goals for their neighborhoods along with a plan of action and list of priorities for reaching those goals.
There are a variety of neighborhood organizations in Fort Worth, including neighborhood alliances and associations, community development groups, and nonprofit organizations such as Citizens on Patrol.
Fort Worth Neighborhood Activities
Since August 1997, the number of registered neighborhood organizations in Fort Worth jumped from 114 to 238. There are currently 14 registered neighborhood alliances, but many areas of the city as of yet remain unrepresented. The goal is for every piece of Fort Worth Real Estate to belong to a community group, ensuring representing every residential neighborhood within the city.
These organizations are responsible for such activities as planting trees, organizing clean-ups, procuring custom street signage, and for conducting neighborhood policing. A program run by the City of Fort Worth provides courtesy notices to citizen’s groups notifying them of any growth and development issues slated to go before the Zoning Commission so that concerned citizens have the opportunity to listen in and voice their opinions.
The Fort Worth Citizens on Patrol program has trained 5,200 residents in crime stopping tactics, and 189 citizen’s groups help patrol Fort Worth neighborhoods, resulting in a lower crime rate for those areas.
Ten Common Mistakes that Real Estate Investors Make
March 7, 2008
Investors, interested in investing in thriving markets such as, Fort Worth Texas Real Estate, need to avoid the ten most common mistakes that investors make. Real estate experts have created the “Top Ten” list of investor mistakes. To be successful in real estate, an investor needs to avoid these lethal mistakes.
An investor should never plan as they go. Before an investor purchases a piece of residential or commercial property it is important to have a well-developed plan.
It is foolish for an investor to become involved in real estate as a “get rich quick” scheme. Long-term real estate investments are usually the most profitable.
An investor should not work alone or play the “Lone Ranger”. A wise investor always works with a professional, such as a Fort Worth Realtor.
It is important that an investor does not pay too much for a piece of property. This can have a dramatic impact on the amount of profit the investor makes.
Do not forget to do your homework. The investor should always research how much the property is worth and what improvements need to be made.
A real estate investor needs to be diligent in acquiring property and financial backing if needed.
A serious investor should never misjudge the amount of money that they can spend on the property and on the improvements that need to be made.
To receive accurate estimates make sure to work with reputable professionals experienced in real estate.
An investor does not want to become “stuck in a corner”, so to say, with a piece of property that is a dud.
An investor should not decrease the amount of real estate that they purchase and sell. Investing in real estate is a continuous process.
Fort Worth Home Buyers - Get Pre-Approved for Your Home Loan
March 5, 2008
There are so many things you must take into consideration when buying a home, and many times you are left to wonder, with interest and insurance, if you can really afford the home of your dreams.
There is one way to ensure you keep your attention focused in the right segment of the Fort Worth Real Estate market, without overextending your means. By becoming pre-approved on a home loan before you start looking for a new house, you will already know up front that you will be able to qualify for a loan, and how much you will qualify for.
Why Pre-Approval?
Once you have been pre-approved for a loan, you should know the maximum dollar amount you will be able to spend on your new home. You will also have an idea of what the payments will be, enabling you to make more informed decisions when it comes to determining which homes are in your price range.
Pre-approval also shows the buyer and the real estate agents involved that you are serious about making a purchase. They quickly tire of those who are just out “window shopping,” but can never commit to the sale. When you arrive, pre-approved, many times you will have greater bargaining power.
Before going out and shopping for your new home in the Ft. Worth Texas Real Estate market, first go and speak with your lender. Find out how much you can comfortably afford, taking into consideration additional costs such as taxes and insurance, and get a pre-approval letter from them. This way, any real estate agent you speak to will know that you are serious, and that you can qualify for the mortgage
