Dallas Fort Worth Area Homes and Real Estate

If you're looking for a great four bedroom home with two and a half bathrooms in the Parkview subdivision of Mesquite, TX, you will be amazed at the updates in the home at 501 Conger Drive.   

This home features two stories with the master bedroom located downstairs and all three additional bedrooms upstairs.  The home has high ceilings in the master and the entryway, and the floorplan makes for a very efficient use of all 2,359 square feet of space. 

The owners have recently completed some amazing interior AND exterior updates, which include a fabulous kitchen remodel with granite countertops, updated HVAC units in the upstairs and downstairs (2010), roof (2010), dishwasher, exterior paint, backyard fence and master bathroom shower and tub! 

Both the front yard and back yard have nice landscaping with updated landscaping in the front yard.  The large, mature trees in the front yard provide plenty of shade from the summer heat!  The backyard is very large and the fence was recently updated by the owners. 

The backyard also has a storage buidling to keep lawn equipment and other items out of your way in the garage!

The best feature of this home is a toss-up between the newly-remodeled kitchen with granite countertops and the amazing master bathroom with separate shower and tub.  Why settle for less than all of the latest and greatest upgrades?  Look at the amazing detail of the granite countertops, cabinets, tile backsplash and updated appliances in the remodeled kitchen!

Here is the kitchen from a couple of other angles as well.  The kitchen has a large breakfast area and is also easily accessible from the separate dining area. 

The master bathroom has also recently undergone a major transformation with a new shower and separate tub.  In addition, the master bathroom has a large, walk-in closet with two separate doors that allows for many ways to arrange clothes and other accessories. 

The master bathroom is truly amazing and has more than enough room for two.

With two large living areas, one of which could easily double as a study, you'll have plenty of room for furniture, computers and other accessories.

If a large master bedroom is on your list of "must haves", you need to see this one to believe all the space!

And if a grand entrance is a plus, you'll be amazed when you walk through the front door.  Also, the fireplace in the living area is a cozy sight even in the dead of summer!

List of recent updates to the home accoring to the owners:

• Roof (2010)
• Back yard fence (2010)
• HVAC (air conditioning and heating) units in the upstairs and downstairs (2010)
• Kitchen remodeled with granite countertops and tile backsplash (2010)
• Master bathroom - updated shower and tub with tile and new glass enclosure. 
• Dishwasher

Home details and specifics:

• Four total bedrooms Three upstairs and the master is downstairs.   
• Two and a half bathrooms.  One and a half baths downstairs and one full bath upstairs.
• Two car, attached, rear entry garage.
• Two living areas.  One could be used as a study.
• Breakfast area and separate dining area as well.
• 2,358 square feet per the tax rolls.
• NO HOA DUES!
• Large back yard with patio area.
• Home has laminate wood floors, ceramic tile and carpet throughout.
• Mesquite ISD.  According to the Mesquite ISD website, the schools are: Shaw Elementary, Kimbrough Middle and Poteet High School.
• Don't forget about all of the updates! 

This home is currently listed for $165,000. 

Buyers, ask yourself if you really want to spend countless hours of your time and thousands of your dollars updating and remodeling a home yourself....or if you'd rather buy a home with all the latest and greatest updates ready and waiting for you to move in and call home! 

To schedule a viewing of 501 Conger in Mesquite, TX, call me directly at (972) 978-3553! 

For the first time since 1986, Dallas Fort Worth will host the NBA All Star Game and all the parties and festivities that come along with it. 

The All Star Game will actually be held not in the American Airlines Arena that is home to the Dallas Mavericks, but instead will be in the newly completed Cowboy's Stadium in Arlington (aka "The Jerry Dome"). 

The seating capacity at Cowboy's Stadium is around 80,000 but can be expanded to over 100,000, which is exactly what some people would likely love to see happen.

Cowboy's owner Jerry Jones and Maverick's owner Mark Cuban are anxiously awaiting to see if attendance at this year's game will shatter the current record of 44,735 fans set at the 1989 NBA All Star game held at the Houston Astrodome.  This years game attendance may have a shot of doubling this old record.

And I expect this will likely be one of the busiest, if not THE busiest, weekend of events in Dallas Fort Worth history. 

In addition to the game itself, there are dozens of events happening throughout the Dallas Fort Worth area starting tomorrow (Thursday).   

If you live in the Dallas area and have driven past downtown lately, you probably couldn't help but notice the larger than life image of Dirk Nowitzki plastered on the side of Bank of America Plaza (the neon green building). 

Dirk is a pretty tall guy, but this really does him justice!

Check out the Hyatt Regency close to Reunion Tower for more larger than life images of some NBA All Star players. 

The downtown Dallas area is expected to have hundreds of thousands of visitors over the weekend.  The only events in recent times that have attracted crowds this large to Dallas were the World Cup in 1994 and the Republican National Convention in 1984.  Police have warned motorists and partygoers in the Dallas area to expect traffic delays and problems with parking. 

Speaking from experience, I can tell you that Dallas is not nice to drivers that park in no parking zones, so don't expect your car to be there when you get back if it wasn't supposed to be there in the first place. Taking cab or hopping on the DART rail may be a much smarter option than risking the traffic and parking nightmare that will likely envelop the city for the rest of the week.  Add to that the two inches of snow expected to fall in Dallas tomorrow night and it might not be a pretty sight for those who are unprepared.

Below is a list of the events planned around the Dallas area for this coming weekend.  Tomorrow night (Thursday) is "opening night" and will likely be the busiest night of the week for events.  Expect security to be extra-tight and dress codes at many of these events to be strictly enforced.  Call the numbers below for full details.

{{{{{{{{{{ THURSDAY DALLAS NBA ALL STAR EVENTS }}}}}}}}}}

• ALL STAR OPENING NIGHT CONCERT - 7PM at the Majestic Theater on Elm Street in downtown Dallas.  Featuring Mary J. Blige, comedian Mark Curry and hosted by actor Mario Lopez.  For tickets, call Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000.  Ticket prices $150-$2,500. 
• ALL STAR WEEKEND TIP-OFF PARTY - 9PM at the Palladium Ballroom on South Lamar just south of downtown Dallas.  Call 800-960-4560 for ticket info.  Hosted by rapper Ludacris and basketball great Allen Iverson.
• ZO AND MAGIC'S 8 BALL CHALLENGE - 9PM at Centennial Hall at Dallas Fair Park.  Featuring Magic Johnson, Alonzo Mourning and Mark Cuban.  $50 donation required to attend - Proceeds benefitting the Magic Johnson Foundation.  www.8ballchallenge.com
• EVERYTHING'S BIGGER IN TEXAS- 9PM at TePheJez night club in Dallas.  Benefit for "Laptops for the Wounded" $50 general admission or $125 VIP.  Call 214-744-JAZZ. 
• ALL STAR COMEDY JAM- 8PM at Nokia Theater in Grand Prairie.  Hosted by Shaquille O'Neal.  214-373-8000. 
• ALL STAR HOLLYWOOD CELEBRITY SOIREE - 9PM at Union Station in downtown Dallas.  Tyler Perry, Terence Howard and Kerry Washington will be there.  Call 800-960-4560 for ticket info. 

{{{{{{{{{{ FRIDAY DALLAS NBA ALL STAR EVENTS }}}}}}}}}}

• 944 MAGAZINE'S FRIDAY-SATURDAY-SUNDAY PARTY AT THE BOARD ROOM - Begins Friday at 5PM.  Continues Saturday and Sunday.  The Board Room in Victory Park on Houston street.  Guests will include Russell Simmons and rapper Snoop Dogg.  www.944allstar.com 
• THE VIBE MAGAZINE ALL STARS OF COMEDY EXPLOSION - 7PM at the Majestic Theater.  Featuring Aries Spears, Jay Lamont and Chris Spencer.  Tickets 800-745-3000. 
• P DIDDY DOES DALLAS - 9PM at the Palladium on South Lamar south of downtown.  Pretty obvious who's going to be there.  Tickets - 800-745-3000.   
• CLASH OF THE TITANS - NFL VS NBA ALL STARS - 9PM at Union Station in downtown Dallas.  Tickets 800-960-4560. 
• VIBE MAGAZINE'S COMEDY SHOW AFTER PARTY - 10PM at the Tower Club in Thanksgiving Tower in downtown Dallas.  Hosted by Rickey Smiley.  800-960-4560. 

{{{{{{{{{{ SATURDAY DALLAS NBA ALL STAR EVENTS }}}}}}}}}}

• THE KATT WILLIAMS EXPERIENCE - LIVE IN CONCERT - 7PM at the Majestic Theater on Elm in downtown Dallas.  800-745-3000. 
• PARTY FOR CHAMPIONS - 9PM at the Tower Club at Thanksgiving Tower.  A Red Carpet Event with multiple rooms of entertainment and a cigar bar.  Tickets 800-960-4560.

{{{{{{{{{{ SUNDAY DALLAS NBA ALL STAR EVENTS }}}}}}}}}}

• ALL STAR APPRECIATION DAY - Noon at Union Station.  Featuring complimentary mimosas and massage stations.  Call 800-960-4560. 
• ALL STAR GAME WATCHING PARTY - 6PM at Union Station.  800-960-4560. 
• AND OF COURSE, THE NBA ALL STAR GAME WILL BEGIN AT 7PM CST at COWBOY'S STADIUM IN ARLINGTON.  Ticket prices range from $25 up to more than you and I together can probably afford.  Call 800-745-3000. 

And if you feel like checking out multiple events, consider purchasing an NBA All Star Passport.  Get tickets to 10 events for $399 or VIP access for $899.  Visit www.dallasallstarpassport.com for details. 

Or sit at home and watch it on TV.  That's always fun too....In fact, that may prove to be a smart strategy for Thursday night if it does happen to snow two inches.

In addition to these headline events, many other restaurants, bars and venues will host smaller events that will attract crowds from all over.  Check www.quickdfw.com for more info on smaller local events planned for the weekend.

If you are a home owner in the Dallas Fort Worth area who purchased your primary residence last year and occupied this property on or before January 1, 2010, it is time for you to file your homestead exemption.  Central appraisal districts require this file be received by no later than April 30 in order to receive the homestead exemption for the current year.  Having a homestead exemption could save you hundreds of dollars per year in property taxes.

 WHAT IS A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION?

A homestead exemption is a discount that home owners are allowed on their primary residence in the State of Texas.  The amount of the discount depends on how much each taxing entity (county, city and school) allow the appraised value of the home to be discounted.  The specific dollar amounts allowed by each entity should be available on the tax appraisal websites which are linked below.   

HOW DO I FILE MY HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION?

Just follow the instructions below for filing based on the county that you reside in (you will need a computer with a PRINTER to print the form).

REMEMBER, THE DEADLINE TO FILE YOUR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FOR DALLAS, COLLIN, TARRANT, DENTON, ROCKWALL AND KAUFMAN COUNTY IS APRIL 30TH.

 DALLAS COUNTY HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FILING INSTRUCTIONS

• Go to www.dallascad.org
• Click the link on the left side that says "Search Appraisals"
• Click the blue link on the top row that says "Street Address"
• Type in your property address.
• A blue link should appear at the bottom with your property address.  Click this link.
• MAKE SURE that YOUR NAME appears as the owner.  If it does not, you should contact the Dallas Central Appriasal District to find out why.  Their number is 214-631-0910.
• If your name does appear correctly, click the blue link at the top left hand side of the screen that says "Print Homestead Exemption Form".
• Fill out pages one and two per the instructions on page three. 
• Sign and date the form and have the form notarized.
• Mail the form to the Dallas Central Appraisal District at the address listed on the form.
• Log back on to www.dallascad.org after several weeks to verify they have added your homestead exemption.  It may take a while for them to add it. 

TARRANT COUNTY HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FILING INSTRUCTIONS

• According to the Tarrant County Central Appraisal District, they will automatically mail a homestead exemption form to the home owner's address of record.  If the deed was filed by Jnauary 1st, the home owner should receive the deed in late December or early January.
• If the deed is processed AFTER January 1, but the home owner closed prior to January 1, the county says they will mail one as soon as the deed is filed. 
• For full instrucitons, go to www.tad.org, click the link on the left that says "Applications and Forms" and click the link that says "General Homestead Exemption Form".  These instructions should appear, as well as instructions for home owners that did not receive a form.  They will allow a form to be printed online for those that did not receive the form for some reason.

COLLIN COUNTY HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FILING INSTRUCTIONS

•  Go to www.collincad.org
• Click the link that says "Address" under "Real Property".
• Type in your home address and then click "find".
• Click the blue link under "Account Number".
• Verify your information (name, etc) is correct.
• Scroll halfway down the page and click the link on the left side that says "Homestead Exemption Application".
• Click the gray link with red letters at the bottom of the page that says "Homestead Exemption Form".
• This should bring up a pre-populated form with your name and address. 
• Print the form, fill it out per instructions and mail to the appraisal district. 
• Log back onto the appraisal district site in a few weeks to verify the exemption was filed correctly.   

DENTON COUNTY HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FILING INSTRUCTIONS

• Go to www.dentoncad.org
• ON the left side under "Resources", click "Homestead Applications".
• Click the box that says "Application For Residence Homestead Exemption".
• Fill out the form and follow the filing instructions. 
• Check to see if the exemption was added properly in a few weeks by logging back on and doing a search by address. 

ROCKWALL COUNTY HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FILING INSTRUCTIONS

•  Go to www.rockwallcad.com
• Click the link that says "Forms".
• Click the link that says "Homestead Exemption"
• Print the form, follow the instructions and mail to the appraisal district.

KAUFMAN COUNTY HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FILING INSTRUCTIONS

• Go to www.kaufman-cad.org
• Click "Forms".
• Click "Homestead Exemption".
• Print the form, follow the instructions and mail to the appraisal district.

{ { { MORE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS: } } }

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO FILE MY HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION?

IT IS COMPLETELY FREE! (OTHER THAN THE COST OF A POSTAGE STAMP AND THE COST TO HAVE A NOTARY SIGN THE FORM).

IF IT'S FREE TO FILE, WHY HAVE I RECEIVED SO MANY LETTERS IN THE MAIL FROM COMPANIES THAT CHARGE A FEE TO FILE MY HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION?

Because it is LEGAL IN THE STATE OF TEXAS for a company to charge a fee to file a homestead exemption on behalf of a home owner.  However, this basically amounts to paying a company a hefty fee to do something you can do for free anyway.  So if you're getting letters in the mail asking for money to file your homestead exemption, THROW THEM AWAY because I'm going to show you how to do it yourself FOR FREE!

WILL I HAVE TO FILE FOR MY HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION EVERY YEAR?

NO!  Once it is filed on your current home, you will NEVER need to file it again, unless, of course, you purchase another home at some point and make it your homestead.  In that case, you would file for a homestead on the new home and the homestead exemption on your current home would be discontinued.  Home owners are only allowed to have a homestead exemption on one property at any given time. 

BUT WHEN I BOUGHT MY HOME, THE PREVIOUS OWNER ALREADY HAD A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.  DO I STILL HAVE TO FILE?

YES YOU DO.  The previous homestead exemption only applied to the previous owner.  The county may have "grandfathered" their exemption to you for the rest of last year, but they should have automatically removed the previous owner's exemption effective January 1, 2010. You will need to file your own homestead exemption before April 30, 2010 in order to receive the discount for tax year 2010.

The Kaufman County property tax rates for 2009 have been released by the Kaufman County Central Aprpaisal District.  These tax rates will apply to property taxes due by the end of 2009. 

Below is a list of cities in Kaufman County with their respective property tax rates.  Tax rates on this list only apply to cities within the borders of Kaufman County.  Some cities may lie in different counties and possibly even school districts, so please verify tax rates for individual properties through the Kaufman County Central Appraisal District.

Please note that I obtained this information from third parties and cannot guarantee or make any warranties as to its accuracy.  Please verify tax rates with the appraisal district.

Here's a list of the Collin County Property Tax Rates for 2009 listed in order of lowest to highest by city.  These 2009 tax rates for Collin County were just recently released by the Collin County Central Appraisal District.

Property tax rates are a sum total of the county, city and school taxes for each taxing entity.  It's important to note that some of these cities may lie in multiple counties and school districts, so the tax rates shown here may be different in cities that either lie outside of Collin county or that lie in multiple school zones.

While the property tax rate is certainly an important factor to consider when purchasing a home, I do not recommend that home buyers choose a city based solely on the tax rate.  There are plenty of other factors to consider besides just the tax rate.  This is simply meant to be a guide for home owners and perspective buyers who are curious about the cost of home ownership in various cities in Collin County.

This information was also provided by third parties, so i can make no warranty as to the accuracy.  Please verify the tax rates with the Collin County Central Appraisal District. 

Here is a list of the Denton County Property Tax Rates listed by each city in order of lowest to highest.   The 2009 tax rates were recently released by the Denton County Central Appraisal District. 

Property taxes in Denton county, as is the same in every county in Texas, are determined by three main factors: The city tax rate, the county tax rate and the school tax rates.  Each tax rate is set by local officials based on their budget for the following year. 

While this data can certainly be helpful to potential homebuyers who want to compare the cost of living in different cities, I strongly recommend not choosing a city based solely on the tax rate.  Quality of services and schools should also be considered, as well as other factors such as commute times factors that may affect cost of living or contribute to the overall quality of life. 

In addition to the tax rate, each county appraisal district will have an appraised value for each home.  This factor can also have a significant impact on the actual amount of taxes due for a specific home.  Counties allow homeowners to protest their tax value once per year, but not until they actually become owner of record.  In other words, a potential homebuyer cannot protest the value of a home prior to actually taking ownership.

Some of the cities listed below may lie in multiple counties and school districts.  Therefore, please assume that each tax rate only applies to properties located in Denton county.

* denotes a city that lies in multiple school districts and may have varying tax rates.

I have made an effort to ensure this data is accurate, but this was obtained from third parties.  I make no claims or warranties as to its accuracy.  Please verify these tax rates with the Denton County Appraisal District.

The Denton County property tax rates for 2009 have been released by the Denton County Central Appraisal District.  Below is a list of cities in Denton County and their respective tax rates.  There are many cities on this list that may also lie in other counties, but the tax rates shown on this list only applies to property in those cities that lie in Denton County.  The county tax rate will be different in cities that lie outside of Denton county.

The 2009 tax rates will apply to taxes due on December 31, 2009.  Homeowners and their mortgage companies should have already received their tax bills from Denton County. 

Cities that are served by more than one school district are marked with an (*). 

* Denotes cities that are in multiple school districts. 

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this data, but I make no warranties or guarantees as to its accuracy.  This information was obtained by third parties.  Please verify this data with the Denton County Central Appraisal District. 

The Lochwood Branch of The Dallas Public Library will be having its Grand Opening on Saturday November 7th, 2009 beginning at 10AM.

The City of Dallas has invited all citizens to the official grand opening of the new Lochwood Branch Library this coming Saturday, November 7th, 2009 at 10AM.  If you live in or near the Lochwood area of East Dallas, then you have probably noticed the rather unique building that's been slowly taking shape for  the last several months across from the Home Depot on Lochwood Boulevard.   I had a chance to visit the library yesterday and it is quite amazing, both inside and out. 

In addition to the over 70,000 books available to the public, the library has a huge selection of magazines, DVDs and CDs.  The computer area has almost two dozen computers with high resolution flat screen monitors.   

The Lochwood Branch Library replaces the old Casa View Branch of the Dallas Public Library that was on Ferguson road.  When that library opened in 1964, they broke a record for the most books ever checked out in a single day at a U.S. public library.  The organizers are hoping once again to break a new record, and they certainly have the inventory on hand to make that happen as long as enough people turn out on Saturday. 

In addition to calling all citizens of Dallas to attend the grand opening, they are also asking for help from volunteers to come by the library between the hours of 10AM and 6PM to help put the finishing touches on the remainder of work that has to be done before the big event.

The Lochwood Branch Library also has a theater room with a maximum occupancy of 420 people.  This room will likely be used for community affairs and theater events.  The library is an impressive 19.000 total square feet, including the black box theater, classrooms and public meeting areas.  The parking lot has enough space for over 100 cars and there is also an area to park and lock up bicycles close to the entrance.  

The area is close to the DART bus lines as well.  The DART rail station is only a few miles away on Northwest Highway.

The building itself is a Silver Rated Leadership in Energy building, so it will consume less energy and use recyclable materials. 

The computer area is right in the middle of the library.  There are 25 desktop computers available, as well as 10 laptops and wireless access.  The library will also have self-checkout stations.

The residents of Lochwood and East Dallas have been anxiously awaiting the formal grand opening of the library ever since construction began back in April of last year.  The previous building that occupied this land was the old YMCA building, which had been somewhat of an eyesore in the neighborhood for quite some time.  The city of Dallas did a wonderful job on the Lochwood Branch Library, and hopefully the residents of Lochwood and East Dallas will have the opportunity to enjoy it for years to come.

SCHEDULE OF THE GRAND OPENING EVENTS ON SATURDAY NOVEMBER 7TH:

10AM - Grand opening begins.

11:30AM - Reilly Elementary Choir will perform.

12NOON - Reinhardt Elementary and Bryan Adams High School will perform

12NOON to 2PM - Childen's Crafts

3PM - Tango lesson with Laurie Vego

4:30PM - Teen Time.

The Lochwood Branch Library is located at 11221 Lochwood Boulevard in Dallas, TX 75218 almost directly across from the Home Depot.