Carolyn Capalbo, a well-established REALTOR based out of Virginia, knows that home staging is all about putting people in a certain mindset; and if your home speaks of warm days and sunny spaces then your buyers are more likely to feel at home. Carolyn Capalbo suggests the following ideas to get your home (and your buyers) in a summer state of mind:

1. Patios and other Outdoor Spaces – If you have a great patio or other outdoor space, now is the time to deck it out! Give potential buyers plenty of ideas and inspiration by staging your outdoor spaces to show their usefulness. Arrange your outdoor furniture into a conversation area, complete with an outdoor rug and plenty of bright, outdoor-friendly pillows. Top off your tabletop with beautiful summer lanterns and candles, and watch your outdoor space come to life!

2. Flowers, Flowers, Flowers – There is, perhaps, no better way to bring in the summer feel to your home than with flowers. Consider purchasing fresh flowers (ask your florist to show you colorful, local flowers) and making nice arrangements on your kitchen countertop, your dining room table and even the bedside table in your master bedroom. Fresh flowers can instantly brighten any room of your home!

3. A Front Porch Welcome – Welcome potential buyers to your home by wowing them with your front porch. Start off with a beautiful, eye-catching front door wreath and add pots of colorful annuals to the mix. If your front door is drab, consider painting it a fresh color and adding new hardware.

4. Easy, Breezy Beds – You can make any bedroom of your home instantly more inviting and summer-like just by changing the bed linens. Consider a bright white comforter with throw pillows in soft shades of blue and yellow. Or, simply fold a light summer comforter at the end of your bed for a pop of color.

There are so many Fort Worth Realtors and Southlake Realtors how do we know which one of them is the best? Here are some tips that will help you identify the best Realtors.
One of the factors that you need to consider is the reputation of your Fort Worth Realtors. They should have been in business for a number of years and they should enjoy good reputation among their customers. Trustworthiness is one of the essential qualities for your realtor. As this is an area that involves a lot of money, you must find a realtor that you can trust. They should have honest dealings and they should be straightforward. They should always have your best interests in mind and not just their profit. Every realtor wants to make money but the core of their business model should be based on customer satisfaction and not money making. All these will come through in the form of the reputation of your Fort Worth realtors. So ask for references and make quick online search using the name of the realty company to see what comes up. If there are any negative feedbacks online, do not take them for granted and do not ignore them without reviewing them closely.

Secondly, they should also be a popular local realtor. Experience in the local real estate market is of paramount importance. If your realtor is not popular, then local people will not approach them for selling their property. Such a Fort Worth realtor will not have all the latest listings. You will not be able to gain access to the prime property in town. Therefore always check whether your realtor has specific real estate experience in the local market.

Thirdly, they should allow you enough time to decide and show you as many properties that you would like to see. Many realtors will try to convince you to make your decision fast because they don’t like to spend a lot of time on you. The sooner you decide the better for them. So you must find a customer friendly realtor that does not shy away from their work, which is to show you number of real estate properties.

Fourthly, your Fort Worth realtor should be able to assist you with the paperwork involved. For many of us real estate paperwork is a nightmare. Your realtor should make the entire process easy for you through their professional assistance. So confirm in advance whether they will assist you with the paperwork and the scope of their assistance.

By carefully reviewing your realtors based on the above factors, you will be able to identify the best Fort Worth real estate agent.

The community of Grapevine is steeped in history, including the site where the famous villains known as Bonnie and Clyde killed two Texas highway patrol officers in 1934.

The town, originally settled in the 1840’s and 1850’s, had been named after the Wild Mustang grapes that were abundant in the area during that time. Over time, and as the town grew, the Wild Mustang grapes became fewer and fewer. Many people, though, recognized the fertility of Grapevine real estate and its suitability for growing grapes. In recent years, many wineries have sprung up in the area, paying homage to the town’s beginnings.

Taste a Bit of North Texas History

Grapevine real estate once again is producing flourishing vines, and over a dozen wine tasting rooms and wineries can be located throughout this historic town. Many are in the heart of Grapevine, while others can be found on old homesteads spread among acres of gorgeous North Texas countryside.

Each winery offers its own varietals, so it is worthwhile to take the time to visit each one. Many tastings are offered with food samplings, and many of the wineries host themed or special events, maximizing the experience of each visitor.

Grapevine’s wine ambassadors, the Grapevine Wine Pouring Society, can be found at festivals and events within the city, promoting Grapevine’s many wineries throughout the year.

In a land known for its wild frontier days, the elegant wineries of Grapevine masterfully blend a bit of European character with cowboy heritage, providing a truly unique experience for the many tourists who call on Grapevine each year.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Who is the greatest real estate agent in the world? Soon the world will know who truly is the greatest real estate agent, since the contest is according to the highest ranked site on Google.

Several agents and webmasters started a fun competition to decide the Greatest real estate agent in the world contest and since there is about $5,000 in prizes for the highest ranked site, I decided to join in on the fun.

 Here is the link to my official contest page: Greatest real estate agent in the world