These North Texas craftspeople transform discarded materials into works of art

These North Texas craftspeople transform discarded materials into works of art

An American flag made from bike chains by Re-Geared. Photo courtesy of ReGeared

From artisans who create dining room tables out of bowling alley lanes to teams who reimagine uses for bicycle chains, oil drums, and car parts, these are some of North Texas’ most interesting craftsmen and their companies.

Stop Yelling at Us’—and 5 Other Things Your Home Contractor Wishes You Knew

Stop Yelling at Us’—and 5 Other Things Your Home Contractor Wishes You Knew

Planning a major renovation can be absolutely terrifying.

39th Annual Lakewood Home Festival

39th Annual Lakewood Home Festival

6915 Lakewood Blvd. in Dallas Photo by Jenifer McNeil Baker

The homes featured in the 39th Annual Lakewood Home Festival exemplify the charm and character of this treasured East Dallas neighborhood.

Gap between what homeowners and appraisers think is improving

Gap between what homeowners and appraisers think is improving

This is the ninth consecutive month where homeowner’s estimates of value exceeded the appraised value of the home.

Buyers driving farther, looking harder for new homes under $200K

Buyers driving farther, looking harder for new homes under $200K

Soaring home costs in North Texas have made it tougher for buyers to find properties priced under $200,000.

Don’t Let the Holidays Scare Off Sellers

Don’t Let the Holidays Scare Off Sellers

Some home owners may be tempted to delay putting their home on the market until after the holidays. But there’s plenty of reasons why they shouldn’t wait and use the holidays to their advantage and start the new year with a “sold” sign on the front lawn.

Events Happening between November 13 - November 15

Events Happening between November 13 - November 15

Lot's of things to do this weekend!

Heavy Metal: Getting In On The Shipping Container Home Trend

Heavy Metal: Getting In On The Shipping Container Home Trend

Want to be on the cutting edge of home design? Ditch the standard building materials and haul in a giant metal box. Or 10. That's right—the hottest thing in real estate is shipping containers.

More Sellers, Buyers Say: We Need an Agent

More Sellers, Buyers Say: We Need an Agent

Fewer home sellers and buyers are opting to navigate their home sale or purchase on their own, 

Far North Dallas Residential Sales Report for October

Sales and pending sales were off sharply in October

Single-Family:
Sales experienced a sharp drop of 28% in October as compared to a year ago. This is the second month in a row of declining sales. September sales were off by 3%. Homes that are in good condition and priced correctly are continuing to sell in less than a week. The average sales price fell 3% while the median sales price rose 4%. Pending sales also experienced a sharp drop of 22%. Looks like November sales will be off. The number of new listings dropped 14% and the active listings were down by 3%. The months of inventory declined to 2.2 months. This is a very low level of supply and is partially responsible for the drop in sales. Buyers are just having a hard time finding the house for them with the low supply

Sales: 78
Average Sales Price: $405,367
Median Sales Price: $357,500
Pending Sales: 74
New Listings: 111
Active Listings: 220
Months of Inventory: 2.2

Condos and Townhouses:

Condo and townhouse sales followed single-family sales down but were only off by 6%. The average sales price increased by 4% and the median price jumped 15%. This simply indicates that the sales were more in the upper price ranges. Pending sales took a hit of down by 20%. The new listings dropped 14% while the active listings fell 43%. The months of inventory now stands at 1 month. If you think it's hard to find a single-family home you should try to find a condo or townhouse. It's almost impossible!

Sales: 50
Average Sales Price: $160,034
Median Sales Price: $127,000
Pending Sales: 35
New Listings: 44
Active Listings: 43
Months of Inventory: 1

Leasing:

Same song 3rd verse. Leasing activity declined by 21%. The average rent rode 6% and the median rent by 4%. Pending leasing was flat. The number of new listings fell 11% but the active listings rose 8%. The months of inventory jumped to a whopping 1.9 months.

Leases: 48
Average Rent: $1,867
Median Rent: $1,800
Pending Leases: 28
New Listings: 55
Active Listings: 84
Months of Inventory: 1.9

Information provided by The Real Estate Center at Texas A&M

Mortgage Rate Panic: Time to Lock in a Low-Interest Loan?

Time to Lock in a Low-Interest Loan?

Realtor.com estimates the strong employment report will boost U.S. home sales activity and will also hike U.S. mortgage rates above 4%.