Make your house look bigger without removing walls...

Instead of just asking me to help with his kitchen remodel, my friend made me an offer I couldn't refuse: Want to come over and knock down a wall?

While that's one way to make your house feel bigger, it's probably not the best option if you're putting your house on the market. Here are a few easier ways to add a sense of space.

Cut the clutter
Everyone knows they should do this, but few people go far enough. Don't put books and magazines in neat piles-get rid of them. Put knickknacks in storage, and pare down your furniture. It's better to have a few large pieces than several small ones.

Take a walk
Every house has natural paths, from the kitchen to the dining room or from the living room to the bathroom, and these walkways must be clear. You may not mind detouring around a large sectional to get from the TV room to the kitchen, but buyers will think your TV room isn't big enough.

Look around
Related to clear walkways are clear views. Keep tall furniture like bookshelves away from doorways, and pull back the shower curtain to expose the entire bathroom. Don't block any part of windows, sliding glass doors, or French doors.

Pick the right paint
If you plan to repaint some rooms, choose colors that feel cool, such as light blue or light green.

Add light
Not only will light colors create a sense of openness, actual light helps, too. Open curtains or blinds to let in sunlight, and consider adding a lamp to dark corners.

When you're done with these changes, ask for objective feedback from your Texas REALTOR®. He or she will know what buyers will focus on when they enter your house and which rooms might need more work.

RE/MAX DFW Associates Sets All-Time Record

RE/MAX DFW Associates set a new record in 2015, closing in excess of $1.67 billion in sales volume, up from $1.5 billion in 2014.  The average home sales price at our firm topped over $306,000 up from $278,000 in 2014.   Thanks to our agents for helping make 2015 a banner year.  Final numbers will be forthcoming.

2015 was the best year ever recorded for real estate in the Dallas-Ft Worth market

Expecting a great 2016!

Dallas Home Prices Now Almost 20% Higher Than Before Recession

Dallas-area home prices are at an all-time high and are now almost 20 percent higher than their prerecession peak.  Dallas-area prices were up 9.3 percent year-over-year in the latest Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller Home Price Index report.  There’s no sign of a Dallas home market cool down in the latest nationwide price report.  In factDallas-area home prices are at an all time high in the Case-Shiller report.  Local prices have jumped almost 40 percent since early 2012.

Case-Shiller’s study tracks over time the prices of specific single-family homes located in each metropolitan area. The index survey does not include condominiums and townhouses. It only covers pre-owned properties — not new construction.

-          Dallas Morning News, December 29, 2015

DFW-Area Homes Gain $55 billion in Value in 2015

With the big price gains, Dallas-Fort Worth area homes have increased about $55 billion in value this year, according to a new report by Zillow.com.  A just-released study by the Internet home marketing firm estimates that DFW homes are worth $411 billion – up from $356 billion a year ago. That’s a gain of more than 15 percent. Nationwide, Zillow estimates that the U.S. housing stock is worth $28.5 trillion, up from $27.5 trillion at the end of 2014.  “This reminds us of the large role housing plays in the overall economy,” said Zillow Chief Economist Svenja Gudell. “Total home value growth slowed this year, but there was still a significant increase in overall value, and many markets are more valuable than they’ve ever been.  “Americans are spending a lot of money on housing, and that will make affordability an important issue next year.”

-          Dallas Morning News, December 30, 2015

Dallas Home Prices Jump 14% in May

Dallas Home Prices Jump 14% in May

North Texas home prices jumped by 14 percent in May – one of the largest year-over-year gains ever for the area.  Median home sales prices hit a record $215,000 last month for preowned single-family homes sold by real estate agents.  Home sales were up 6 percent from May 2014 with 9,484 properties sold.  It was the largest one-month sales total ever for North Texas, according to data from the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University and the North Texas Real Estate Information Systems.  With the strong sales, the number of homes listed with real estate agents in the area dropped 15 percent from this same time in 2014. There was a 2.4-month supply of homes in real estate agents’ multiple listing service, less than half of what is considered a normal inventory.  May’s strong home sales and price spike will put more pressure on the local housing market which is stretched with more buyers than sellers.  National surveys show that the Dallas-Fort Worth area is seeing the largest annual home price gains in the country. Prices here are rising at about three times the long-term average rate of residential appreciation for the area.

-         Dallas Morning News, June 9, 2015

North Texas Median Home Prices Soar Above $200,000

North Texas Median Home Prices Soar Above $200,000

This spring’s scorching home market has propelled median house sales prices in North Texas above $200,000 for the first time.  In April, home sales prices in the area were up 14 percent to a record $207,000.  With the latest gains, the median price of preowned single-family homes sold by real estate agents in North Texas is almost 60 percent higher than it was in January 2010, at the worst of the recession.   And home prices in the area are now more than a third ahead of where they were at the previous peak of the housing market in 2007.  “The average home listing price has also jumped up for homes coming on the market,” said Ted Wilson, a housing analyst with Dallas-based Residential Strategies Inc. “More people are motivated to put their houses on the market at these higher prices.”  The Dallas area now leads the country in year-over-year home price increases, according to the latest national comparison from CoreLogic Inc.  In April, median prices were rising at about three times the long-term average annual growth rate.   April’s substantial increase in home sales prices in North Texas comes as some analysts are warning that residential values in Texas’ major markets are overheating.  A new report by Wall Street analysts Fitch Ratings said that Texas and Dallas-area home prices are 11 percent overvalued.

-          Dallas Morning News, May 8, 2015

For 11th Straight Year Texas Ranks as Top State to do Business

For 11th Straight Year Texas Ranks as Top State to do Business

CEO Magazine’s 11th annual survey of the “Best States to do Business” was released Friday and Texas topped the rankings for the 11th year in a row.  The news had Texas Governor Greg Abbott on cloud nine, saying the state won’t stop at its top ranking.  “Everything is bigger in Texas, and that includes our business climate,” Abbott said. “Despite being the number one state to do business for 11 consecutive years, Texas will do even more to empower businesses and increase economic expansion. That’s why I’m promoting policies to cut the business franchise tax, further rein in regulatory regimes and elevate our higher education system to bolster our workforce so that Texas keeps creating jobs and opportunity.”  In the rankings, Texas was ahead of Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia which rounded out the Top 5. California was once again the worst state for a second year.  The rankings takes into account state GDP, unemployment, domestic migration, state government and state-local tax burden.

-          Dallas Morning News, May 8, 2015

DFW Home Prices Rise 9.1% in October

CoreLogic: DFW Home Prices Rise 9.1% in October

Dallas-Fort Worth area home prices increased 9.1. percent in October year-over-year, outpacing the national average, according to the latest CoreLogic report releasedTuesday.   Overall, the country's home prices have been slowing down in the past few months and has only grown at moderate levels, according to economists.  "Home price growth is moderating as we head into the late fall and is currently running at half the pace it was in the spring of 2014," said Sam Khater, deputy chief economist at Corelogic, in a statement. "However, there are still pockets of strength, especially in several Texas markets, especially Dallas and Houston and other markets with strong economic fundamentals."   Based on CoreLogic projections, economists expect home prices to continue to rise, with home prices in over half of the United States to reach or surpass levels seen at the height of the housing bubble sometime in mid-2015.

-          Dallas Morning News, December 2, 2014

Dallas-Area Home Prices Reach Record

Dallas-Area Home Prices Reach Record

Prices of preowned homes in the Dallas area were up 7.4 percent in the latest Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller Home Price Index.  The gain in September from a year ago was the fourth highest in the country – significantly ahead of the 4.9 percent nationwide increase.  Home price increases nationwide have slowed in recent months, but in the Dallas area, the year-over-year price increases have remained steady.  Charlotte, North Carolina and Dallas continue to have price increases considerably above the national average.   Dallas-area home prices are now 12 percent higher than they were before the recession and at record level in the Case-Shiller index.

-          Dallas Morning News, November 26, 2014

NEW HOME SALES JUMP, RESALES DIP

NEW HOME SALES JUMP, RESALES DIP

Existing home sales slumped 1.8% in August – their first retreat since March, according to the National Association of Realtors. This followed gains of 2% or more in each of the previous three months. News about new home purchases was better: the Census Bureau recorded an 18.0% increase for August, more than making up for two months of declines. Keep in mind that these numbers may be significantly revised (as an example, May’s apparent 18.6% advance in new home buying was reduced to an 8.3% gain a month later)

New Report Shows DFW is a Top Market for Home Sellers

New Report Shows DFW is a Top Market for Home Sellers

Dallas-Fort Worth is ranked as one of the best markets in the country to sell a house, according to a new study. Zillow Inc. said the D-FW area is the fourth best place in the country for home sellers.  “Sellers in the Bay Area, Seattle and Dallas have the most negotiating power, with final sale prices largely at or above asking,” Zillow’s report says.  Zillow said that overall home prices in D-FW were up 5.8 percent in August from a year ago and there were about 5 percent fewer houses on the market.  U.S. home values will continue to rise during the year ahead, but at a slower rate than last year, according to Zillow.  D-FW home prices are forecast to increase by about 4 percent in the next 12 months.

-          Dallas Morning News, September 19, 2014

Dallas Home Prices Growing Faster Than the Nation

Dallas Home Prices Growing Faster Than the Nation

Dallas-area home prices are growing faster than the nationwide rate, according to the latest study by CoreLogic Inc.  Dallas prices rose by 9 percent from a year ago in July, according to CoreLogic’s new report.  That’s ahead of the 7.4 percent nationwide increase.  The largest increases were in Riverside, Calif. (13.8 percent) and Houston (11.8 percent).  CoreLogic forecasts that nationwide home prices will grow by almost 6 percent over the coming year.  “Home prices continued to march higher across much of the U.S. in July.  Most states are reaching price levels not seen since the boom year of 2006,” Anand Nallathambi, president and CEO of CoreLogic, said in a statement. “Our data indicates that this trend will continue, with more states hitting new all-time peaks this year and into 2015 as the recovery continues.”

-       MetroTex News, September 2, 2014

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Dallas-Ft Worth’s Economic Growth Outpaces Texas

Dallas-Ft Worth’s Economic Growth Outpaces Texas

The Dallas-Fort Worth economy has grown faster than the state average and its employment has increased faster than any other Texas major metro area in the first half of the year, according to a report issued yesterday by the federal reserve Bank of Dallas.  DFW employment has grown 4.5 percent this year through June, compared with 3.5 percent growth with Texas.  Local job creation in the second quarter (5.5 percent or 42,600 jobs) outpaced first quarter growth (3.4 percent or 26,500 jobs).  Most of the region’s employment gains have come from fast growth of the Dallas economy, which has added jobs at a 5.4 percent pace in the first half of the year.  The professional and business service sector saw the most growth.  Manufacturing is the only local industry to lose jobs (-700) in the first six months of the year.

-          Dallas Business Journal, July 22, 2014

Dallas No Longer in Top 10 for Traffic Congestion

Dallas No Longer in Top 10 for Traffic Congestion

The nation's worst rush-hour traffic can be found, not surprisingly, in Los Angeles. But the No. 2 city is a surprise.   Each year, three organizations produce traffic congestion reports.   The reports estimate the “excess travel time” lost in traffic congestion during morning and evening weekday rush hours.     This excess time is relative to the travel time that would be expected if traffic were free-flowing and there was no congestion.   The Los Angeles metropolitan area notches the worst traffic congestion in all three reports — 44.4 percent excess travel time. The second worst congestion is in Austin, Texas, with 34.5 percent excess travel time.   San Francisco (34.4 percent) is No. 3 and New York (33.4 percent) is No. 4. Both cities have a high population density.   Seattle is No. 5 at 32.4 percent, due in part to the cancellation of some planned freeways.   Rounding out the worst 10 are San Jose, Calif. (32.2 percent); Washington, D.C. (31.3); Boston (29.7); Houston (28.3); and Portland, Ore. (28.2).

-          Newsmax, July 6, 2014

Plano Approves Legacy West, Toyota, Fed Ex

Dallas Cowboys Development                   Legacy West with Toyota, Fed Ex, Renaissance Hotel

Dallas Cowboys Development Began Wednesday

Work began Wednesday on the future home of the Dallas Cowboys in Frisco, city officials confirmed.   Mass excavation is expected to start the week of July 7.   The city, the Cowboys and Frisco ISD have partnered on the development, which will include the team’s headquarters, outdoor practice fields and a 12,000-seat multi-use event center at the northwest corner of Warren Parkway and Dallas North Tollway.   The city and the school district have pledged $115 million for the public portion of the 91-acre site. Any costs above that will be paid by the Cowboys’ ownership. About 66 acres at the site will be developed separately by the Blue Land companies owned by Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and his family. That acreage will include retail, restaurants, office space and a hotel.  The indoor stadium and training facilities are expected to be completed in late summer 2016. The stadium will be used not only for Cowboys training but for high school football games and other events.   A ceremonial groundbreaking is planned sometime in August.

-          Dallas Morning News, June 24, 2014

Plano Approves Legacy West, Toyota, Fed Ex

The Plano City Council approved a rezoning request Monday that paves the way for a 205-acre mixed-use project near the J.C. Penney headquarters. The council approved the request to rezone the  undeveloped land, located at the southwest corner of State Highway 121 and the Dallas North Tollway, from commercial employment to central business to allow for greater development flexibility.  Developers plan to break ground after the first of the year on the project that’s part of the Legacy West development, which will surround J.C. Penny’s corporate headquarters. Legacy West will also include Toyota’s new North American headquarters and the new FedEx office building.  The development will include hotel, commercial, retail, office buildings and residential.

-          Dallas Morning News, June 24, 2014

Next Portion of LBJ Freeway (I-635) Dallas, TX Expansion to Open July 12

Next Portion of LBJ Freeway Expansion to Open July 12

The second phase of LBJ Freeway’s massive, $2.7-billion expansion will open July 12, developers announced today. This is the portion that includes LBJ’s interchange with Interstate 35E. If you’ve driven 35E lately, you’ve seen the new lengthy bridges that will be tolled and will connect that thoroughfare with LBJ. The interchange will feature the dynamic toll pricing that goes into effect on LBJ at midnight tonight.

-          Dallas Morning News, June 11, 2014

More Home Buyers Are Bringing All-Cash Offers to the Table

More Home Buyers Are Bringing All-Cash Offers to the Table

And more of these buyers are individuals, not the institutional investors who plunged into the housing market in 2012 and 2013.   Wealthy people, foreigners and retirees are transforming markets across the United States with these all-cash deals, helping make up for an alarming shortage of first-time buyers who are struggling to save for a down payment or qualify for a loan, a cause of grave concern about the long-term health of the market and its prospects for a true recovery.  “It’s the investor and the wealthy individual that’s keeping the market alive,” said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics.  “The wealthy buyers in particular are fully engaged now. The stock market is up and times are good for them.”    But it is a frustrating time for first-time buyers who cannot compete because their offers included financing contingencies, appraisals and inspections.

-          Washington Post, May 26, 2014

Cypress Waters In Las Colinas

Straddled between Coppell and Irving in the city limits of Dallas, Cypress Waters is a dream come true for Lucy Billinglsey, the daughter of Trammell Crow.  

7-Eleven has announced that it is moving its headquarters and 1,000 employees to Cypress Waters.  Cheddars is building their corporate location there and Monitronics Security Systems has announced it is moving from Carrollton to Cypress Waters.  The business parks of Cypress Waters are booming.  Located at the northeast corner of I-635 and Belt Line Road, the development is in the Coppell ISD and the first elementary school is scheduled to open this fall.  More schools are planned.    The forst 800 apartment units are now occupied with some of the most appealing designs and architecture in the Metroplex.    Recently announced was the proposal for upscale restaurants in Cypress Waters on the shores of Northlake.  The dream is now reality, and Lucy Billingsley has made a significant mark in northwest Dallas County.