Many prospective buyers make their house-hunting experience far too complicated.  Rather than first putting together a game plan and sitting down with a professional to discuss the details such as home criteria, price range, and finance options, unwitting buyers often drive around local neighborhoods looking at all the houses with a sign in the yard.  Once they find a property they want to see, they call the name on the sign for a private showing. But what they don’t know is this appointment is not a private one at all. 

 You see, Realtors in Texas have a fiduciary duty to always protect the seller’s interest above a buyer’s unless that buyer has a signed agreement that states otherwise.  This agreement is called a Buyer’s Representation Agreement.  This document outlines who represents whom in a real estate transaction.  The Listing Agent represents the seller, and the Buyer’s Agent (Realtor of the buyer’s choosing) represents the interests of the buyer.  Without a signed Buyer’s Representation Agreement in place, the Realtor is acting in the best interest of the seller only.  Anything you say to a Realtor regarding your financing, your price range, what you are willing to pay for the property, and anything else that may undermine your negotiating power will be disclosed to the seller.  This ultimately will destroy your negotiating power.

However, when you sign a Buyer’s Representation Agreement document with your Realtor, it is your authorization for her to act on your behalf and in your best interest as you see fit.  The document will prevent your Realtor from disclosing confidential information to anyone without your written permission.  She will be allowed to provide you with pertinent facts about a neighborhood, give you helpful home buying advice, recommend a mortgage professional, discuss price negotiations, and  provide professional opinions to help you make an educated decision.   

Therefore to ensure you get the best deal on your new home, first hire your own Realtor.  Make no mistake, the Listing Agent cannot represent both sides of the transaction. 

About the Author:
Joy Rice is a Dallas/Fort Worth area Luxury Home Specialist, International Real Estate Specialist, Home Staging Professional, and the team leader of Joy Rice Realty Group of RE/MAX DFW Associates. With five offices across the Dallas metroplex, Joy and her team of real estate specialists are available to provide every client with world-class service from start to finish. 

 You may also call directly at (214) 662-5588. Joy Rice partners with Rice Capital Mortgage who is one of the leading lending firms in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Rice Capital Mortgage offers the lowest rates available plus additional incentives for Joy Rice Realty Group clients.

Click here for the latest Dallas real estate information or contact Joy Rice Realty Group by email at Joy@JoyRiceRealtyGroup.com. 

The great town of Southlake, Texas. 

Currently, the Southlake real estate community has approximately 90 homes for sale starting at $1,000,000.  Most notably this new construction house for 6.5 million that is described as the most spectacular home in Southlake and is nearing completion.  There are several cascading waterfalls flowing down to the front courtyard.  The house is complete with tennis court and exceptional landscaping.

The house will have over 10,000 square feet with 6 full bathrooms and 3 partials.  Call the Joy Rice Realty Group to schedule a showing.Southlake is a wonderful place to live with exceptional schools, nearby shopping and has some of the most gorgeous neighborhoods in Texas.  Some of these include Timarron, which is built around the Timarron Country Club, Coventry Manor, Timber Lakes, Stone Lakes, and Estes Park.

About the Author:
Joy Rice is a Dallas/Fort Worth area Luxury Home Specialist, an International Real Estate Specialist, Home Staging Professional, and the team leader of Joy Rice Realty Group and RE/MAX DFW Associates. Joy and her team also specialize in new home construction.  With five offices across the Dallas metroplex, Joy and her team of specialists are available to provide every client with world-class service from start to finish.  Click here for more Dallas real estate news or contact Joy Rice Realty Group by email at Joy@JoyRiceRealtyGroup.com or call directly at (214) 662-5588, Rice Capital Mortgage at (972) 539-1747.

About the Author:
Joy Rice is a Dallas/
Fort Worth area Luxury Home Specialist, an International Real Estate Specialist, Home Staging Professional, and the team leader of Joy Rice Realty Group and RE/MAX DFW Associates. Joy and her team also specialize in new home construction.  With five offices across the
Dallas metroplex, Joy and her team of specialists are available to provide every client with world-class service from start to finish.  Click here for more Dallas real estate news or contact Joy Rice Realty Group by email at Joy@JoyRiceRealtyGroup.com or call directly at (214) 662-5588, Rice Capital Mortgage at (972) 539-1747.

In case you haven’t heard the good news, the Dallas area luxury home market has kicked off the new year with a bang.  Due to the declining interest rates, buyer activity has increased much to the anticipation of many homesellers and builders alike. Assuming that it sells for at least as much, a luxury home in North Texas is a property that has a market value greater than $500,000.

 One such property that is deserving of home buyer attention is this gorgeous, completely custom home in the gated community of Diamond Belle Estates in Flower Mound.  The locale of the home is all within close proximity to shopping, world-class golfing, medical offices, Lifetime Fitness,  as well as area schools Flower Mound High School, McKamy Middle School, and Wellington Elementary. 

 Beautifully crafted by Rembert Custom Homes, this builder constructed the home with the highest industry standards and also captured the essence and elegance of true Old World comfort.  This home boasts 4 bedrooms, 3 full baths, 2 powder baths, 3 separate living areas, 3 car garage, and many additional upgraded features such as:

• gourmet island kitchen with built-in refrigerator and double ovens
• butler’s pantry
• mud room
• library/study
• 2 fireplaces
• media room
• game room
• handscraped hardwoods
• marble and stone flooring
• over-sized, covered patio
• Energy Star rated home

About the Author:
Joy Rice is a Dallas/Fort Worth area Luxury Home Specialist, an International Real Estate Specialist, Home Staging Professional, and the team leader of Joy Rice Realty Group and RE/MAX DFW Associates. Joy and her team also specialize in new home construction.  With five offices across the Dallas metroplex, Joy and her team of specialists are available to provide every client with world-class service from start to finish.

Click here for more Dallas real estate news or contact Joy Rice Realty Group by email at Joy@JoyRiceRealtyGroup.com or call directly at (214) 662-5588.  Rice Capital Mortgage at (972) 539-1747.

The real estate market in the Dallas/Fort Worth area is going strong. With rates at record lows and homes that are priced to sell, buyers have the ability to make their dreams come true.  Here are a few homes that are listed for sale in Flower Mound’s master-planned communities of Wellington.

 Wellington homes priced under $300,000:
1.  4 bedrooms, 3 full baths, formal living and dining, Drees Home built 2004 - $275,000
2. 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, 3 car, gameroom, outdoor fireplace, Highland Home built 2003 - $349,900
3.  5 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, gameroom, across from greenbelt, Landstar Home built 2005 - $349,900

The builders in this wildly-popular neighborhood have added harwood floors, travertine, gourmet island kitchens with granite countertops, media and gamerooms, and butler’s pantries for extra storage.  These homes boast an abundance of upgrades that most buyers want. 

About the Author:
Joy Rice is a Dallas/Fort Worth area Luxury Home Specialist, an International Real Estate Specialist, Home Staging Professional, and the team leader of Joy Rice Realty Group of RE/MAX DFW Associates. With five offices across the Dallas metroplex, Joy and her team of real estate specialists are available to provide every client with world-class service from start to finish. 

Click here for the latest Dallas real estate information or contact Joy Rice Realty Group by email at Joy@JoyRiceRealtyGroup.com.  You may also call directly at (214) 662-5588. Joy Rice partners with Rice Capital Mortgage who is one of the leading lending firms in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Rice Capital Mortgage offers the lowest rates available plus additional incentives for Joy Rice Realty Group clients.

I recently visited with a frustrated home seller in Wellington of Flower Mound whose home sat on the market unsold for six months.  She initially had her home listed with another agent and company, but the listing expired.  As is the case with most sellers, the experience had left her feeling confused and drained.  Going into this process, her goal was to sell her existing home and purchase a new home in Flower Mound’s luxury neighborhood, Bella Lago.  Even though she had already submitted a contract on the new home, she and her family would not be able to close on it and move in until their Wellington home sold.  Still her question remains the same, why did it not sell? 

To prepare for the appointment and diagnose potential barriers between the subject property and the buyers, I did some research.  I looked up the expired listing in the North Texas Real Estate Information Systems which is the MLS database for the Dallas/Fort Worth market area. At first glance, I noticed two things about the now expired listing. 
1.  The agent’s photos of the property appeared very unprofessional.  Most of the pictures that was posted were out-of-focus shots of very cluttered rooms. 
2.  The home was not properly staged.  This means seller must de-personalize, minimize, and sterilize the entire home before it goes on the market. This process is a lot of work, but the property will sell faster for more money. 

For buyers and agents sizing up the competing homes on the market, half the battle of a successful home sale is getting the buyers in the door.  If the photos are not inviting or enticing, your home will not be viewed by many buyers.  The buyers have to see it before they will buy it. Make it picture perfect.

How unfortunate it is that the first agent apparently did not own a professional quality camera nor did she know how to advise her seller clients about the importance of home staging.  Whether you’re selling your home in Dallas, Flower Mound, Grapevine, Southlake, Keller, or Highland Park, speak frankly with your Realtor about how she works and her goals for successfully marketing your home for sale.  It could shave off months of selling and add to your bottomline at the closing table.

About the Author:
Joy Rice is a Dallas/Fort Worth area Luxury Home Specialist, an International Real Estate Specialist, Home Staging Professional, and the team leader of Joy Rice Realty Group of RE/MAX DFW Associates. With five offices across the Dallas metroplex, Joy and her team of specialists are available to provide every client with world-class service from start to finish. 

Click here for the latest Dallas real estate information or contact Joy Rice Realty Group by email at Joy@JoyRiceRealtyGroup.com.  You may also call directly at (214) 662-5588. Joy Rice partners with Rice Capital Mortgage who is one of the leading lending firms in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Rice Capital Mortgage offers the lowest rates available plus additional incentives for Joy Rice Realty Group clients.

In 2007, much of the country experienced a significant increase in the number of days a home stays on the market.  With an abundance of home inventory and an absense of buyers, home sellers and builders are feeling the crunch.  A bright spot we have since observed is that Dallas/Forth Worth properties are selling slightly faster than the average. 

A recent United States housing report comparison shows that only the city of Denver, Colorado has a faster sales cycle than the Dallas, Texas market.   The report shows that houses are selling at an average rate of 80 days on the market (DOM) compared to 110 DOM according to the national average.  Nonetheless, some markets are far greater.  For instance, the average DOM in Los Angeles is 105 compared to Miami at 143.

About the Author:
Joy Rice is a Dallas/Fort Worth area Luxury Home Specialist, an International Real Estate Specialist, Home Staging Professional, and the team leader of Joy Rice Realty Group of RE/MAX DFW Associates. With five offices across the Dallas metroplex, Joy and her team of specialists are available to provide every client with world-class service from start to finish. 

Click here for more Dallas real estate news or contact Joy Rice Realty Group by email at Joy@JoyRiceRealtyGroup.com or call directly at (214) 662-5588. Joy Rice partners with Rice Capital Mortgage who is one of the leading lending firms in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Rice Capital Mortgage offers the lowest rates available plus additional incentives for Joy Rice Realty Group clients.

Lake homes and acreage lots in Flower Mound and across the Dallas area suburbs are selling out fast.  With the plummeting interest rates and current market conditions, right now is the perfect time for buying your new home. 

The above photo displays a lot for sale on Grapevine Lake in Flower Mound.  Although there is a home on the property, most of the value is in the raw land itself.  This fortunate buyer will enjoy awe-inspiring sunset views, boating, hiking and biking trails,  and horse back riding trails. 

About the Author:
Joy Rice is a Dallas/Fort Worth area Luxury Home Specialist, an International Real Estate Specialist, and the team leader of Joy Rice Realty Group of RE/MAX DFW Associates. She is familiar with the real estate market in Flower Mound and across DFW.  With five offices across the Dallas metroplex, Joy and her team of specialists are available to provide every client with world-class service from start to finish. 

Click here for more Dallas real estate news or contact Joy Rice Realty Group by email at Joy@JoyRiceRealtyGroup.com or call directly at (214) 662-5588. Joy Rice partners with Rice Capital Mortgage who is one of the leading lending firms in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Rice Capital Mortgage offers the lowest rates available plus additional incentives for Joy Rice Realty Group clients.

For the multitudes of Dallas area home buyers wading into the unknown world of new home construction, the number of builders and floor plans is nothing less than mind-boggling.  Builders such as Highland Homes, Toll Brothers, and Drees Homes are three of Dallas/Fort Worth’s leading single-family home builders who all rely heavily on their Realtor partnerships.  Builders understand most discerning buyers work with a Realtor because of their knowledge of the marketplace, the home construction process, and most importantly the contracts. 

So if you are one of many who are about to jump on the new construction band wagon, consider these facts before you walk into the builder’s sales office. 

1. Home builders protect their own financial interests.
2. A Realtor protects the buyer’s financial interests.
3. The Realtor has inside knowledge of unadvertised builder incentives.
4. Home buyers will not save money by not using a Realtor to represent them in the purchase of a
    new construction home.
5. In the event of a dispute between the builder and the buyer (and there almost always is) the Realtor’s
    job is to amicably resolve it.

When a buyer enters into a new home construction contract alone and without Realtor representation, it is much like entering a courtroom without legal representation.  Additionally, how does a buyer know if they are paying too much for the home, working with a reputable builder, understand the builder’s home warranty, understand the contract exit strategies, and the list goes on.  If you don’t already have all the answers, make an appointment with an agent who has a lot of new home construction experience. She knows the process and knows how to negotiate the lowest sales price.

About the Author:
Joy Rice is a Dallas/Fort Worth area Luxury Home Specialist, an International Real Estate Specialist, and the team leader of Joy Rice Realty Group of RE/MAX DFW Associates. With five offices across the Dallas metroplex, Joy and her team of specialists are available to provide every client with world-class service from start to finish.

Click here for more Dallas real estate news or contact Joy Rice Realty Group by email at Joy@JoyRiceRealtyGroup.com or call directly at (214) 662-5588. Joy Rice partners with Rice Capital Mortgage who is one of the leading lending firms in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Rice Capital Mortgage offers the lowest rates available plus additional incentives for Joy Rice Realty Group clients.

As I sat down with my weekend edition of The Flower Mound Messenger, I noticed that grand scale commercial and retail changes are on the horizon for 2008 thanks to a recent voter-approved sales tax increase.   These funds are expected to generate approximately $2 million per year and will be used for parks and recreation projects, street maintenance, emergency medical and crime control services.  Construction is well under way for the Flower Mound Community Activities Center.  This projected completion date is late spring.  

The town leaders are also working with Parker Square developer Cole McDowell on a plan for a Flower Mound town center similar to the Southlake Town Center complete with office, retail, and restaurant space. 

About the Author:
Joy Rice is a Dallas/Fort Worth area Luxury Home Specialist, an International Real Estate Specialist, and the team leader of Joy Rice Realty Group of RE/MAX DFW Associates. With five offices across the Dallas metroplex, Joy and her team of specialists are available to provide every client with world-class service from start to finish.

Click here for more Dallas real estate news or contact Joy Rice Realty Group by email at Joy@JoyRiceRealtyGroup.com or call directly at (214) 662-5588. Joy Rice partners with Rice Capital Mortgage who is one of the leading lending firms in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.  Rice Capital Mortgage offers the lowest rates available plus additional incentives for Joy Rice Realty Group clients.