News

Feb 23 2015

Real Estate is Booming in Rockwall Area!

This week-end I showed a home to my clients that just went on the market in Royse City. My clients knew right away they wanted to make an offer. We identified that the house was somewhat underpriced. Together we decided to offer $10,000 offer listing price!

So to sum up, we offered $10,000 over list price, no contingency, no closing costs, no home warranty and……we STILL did not get the house.

Heartbreaking! Listing agent reported that the accepted contract went $12,000 over. We will see if it appraises…but still, a sign of the times…

If you are looking to buy; get a pre-approval, know the area you want and be ready to act fast!

Happy Home Buying!

Jennifer

Jul 05 2012

Rockwall Real Estate bidding wars?

The Rockwall market is hot right now. If you are thinking of buying an home, there is actually less to pick from. Although it is not completely a seller’s market, it is close. Below is an excerpt from an article on the MetroTex Association Of REALTORS® website.

Stunned Home Buyers Find the Bidding Wars Are Back

A new development is catching home buyers off guard as the spring sales season gets under way: Bidding wars are back.

From California to Florida, many buyers are increasingly competing for the same house. Unlike the bidding wars that typified the go-go years and largely reflected surging sales, today’s are a result of supply shortages.

“It’s a little surprising because we thought bidding wars were done with,” said Andy Aley, who is looking to buy his first home in Seattle’s Beacon Hill neighborhood. The 31-year-old attorney was outbid this year when he offered up to $23,000 above the $357,000 listing price and agreed to waive inspections and other closing conditions.

Competitive bidding in the current environment isn’t producing huge price increases or leaving sellers with hefty profits, as occurred during the housing boom. Still, the bidding wars caused by tight inventory provide the latest evidence that housing demand is starting to pick up after a six-year-long slump.

An index that measures the number of contracts signed to purchase previously owned homes rose in March to its highest level in nearly two years, up 12.8% from a year ago and 4.1% from February, the National Association of Realtors reported on Thursday.

To buy or sell homes in the Rockwall area, call Jennifer!

Apr 04 2012

Forney, Rockwall, Royse City Storm related damage

The Dallas, Rockwall, and Forney areas we significantly impacted by yesterday’s storms. We live in Heath, and there were some scary
moments! Even if your home wasn’t directly hit by a tornado, you could still have minor or even major damage.

I pulled up some information about things to look for if you are concerned your home might have experienced hail damage. This is from the Allstate website and it gives these tips if your home was in a tornado and/or hail storm:

Tornado Damage

• In the days or weeks after a tornado, check walls and ceilings for water stains or yellowing that did not exist before. It could indicate damage on the roof.

• Carefully inspect the outside gutters. Damaged gutters could cause water damage inside the home long after the actual gutter damage occurs.

Hail Damage

For residents who received hail, there are a few places you can look for signs of damage:

• Check patio covers, screens, windows and soft aluminum roofs for hail damage.

• Be safe when checking for roof damage, and consider using binoculars to check your roof for hail damage.

• Check vehicles for dents and broken or cracked glass caused by hail.

• If you find hail damage, consider doing the following:

• Cover any broken windows and holes in your roof, as well as any broken glass on the car, to prevent further damage.

• Report your insurance claim as soon as possible; no matter what the level of damage.

• If possible, have your auto insurance, homeowner insurance and/or renter’s insurance policy numbers available when you report your claim.

• Take pictures before you make any temporary repairs.

• Keep receipts for necessary temporary repairs due to a covered loss to present to your adjuster. These costs may be reimbursable under your homeowner policy.

If you just aren’t sure whether there was damage or not, but are still concerned, there are many roofing companies with experience evaluating hail damage and also can negotiate directly with your insurance company.

I hope this helps! As always, don’t hesitate to call or email me if you need anything at all! I hope all is well and hope to hear from you soon.

Talk to you soon,

Jennifer

972.814.3612

Mar 27 2012

Top Ten Things You Need To Know About Rockwall ISD

With more than 14,000 students and 1,500 employees, there are great things happening every day in Rockwall ISD that our parents, staff and community may not hear about. As you can imagine, there are also challenges. In an effort to keep you informed, we’d like to share the “Top Ten Things You Need to Know About Rockwall ISD”. The safety and security of our students sits at the top of our priority list. It also lends us our first Top Ten topic…

Rockwall ISD Makes Student Safety a Top Priority

The safety of each student is of the utmost importance. The objective to provide a safe and secure educational environment necessitates a three-prong approach involving the efforts of Rockwall ISD employees, external government agencies and the involvement of parents and families. Rockwall ISD’s internal safety processes involve campuses and district departments working together to follow established policy and procedures. External entities include municipal, county and state agencies that collaborate with Rockwall ISD on a regular basis. Every one of these shareholders plays an important role in promoting safety at all Rockwall ISD schools, facilities and events.

Some Current Safety Measures

All elementary and middle school campuses have intercom/camera systems so campus doors can remain locked throughout the school day.
The district’s Emergency Operations Plan provides procedure, direction and planning to respond to emergencies.
In the event of an emergency, the district’s Skylert messaging system informs parents via e-mail, phone and text.
Video cameras on campuses record activities so that they may be reviewed when incidents occur.

You Might Not Know That…

Campuses receive an average of 407 visitors per day.
Over 73,500 visitors entered Rockwall ISD campuses last school year.
Raptor Visitor Management software is installed at all campuses requiring visitors to show proper identification.
School Resource Officers are assigned to each middle and high school campus.
There are 33 crossing guards posted across the district.

Future Safety Needs within Rockwall ISD

District-wide wireless crisis communication system
Update card access system and mechanisms for door security
Update current camera systems and add additional cameras in critical locations
Update specific fire alarm systems
HVAC manual shut down controls

Questions & Answers

Are all areas of my child’s campus under video surveillance?
The district has cameras on the interior of all campuses. The cameras are located in hallways and other common areas within the campus. Some campuses have exterior cameras that capture entrances and portions of the parking areas. Future planning includes installing cameras that provide additional coverage of parking areas and cover gymnasiums, cafeterias and other strategic locations.

What is the district doing to prevent school violence?
Rockwall ISD strives to create partnerships between students, staff, school resource officers, and parents to avoid violence in school-related settings. These relationships are geared towards incorporating prevention, detection, and communication efforts to create an atmosphere free of violence. In addition to this critical human element, Rockwall ISD also utilizes various mechanical systems in working to deter school violence.

Top Ten Things You Need To Know About Rockwall ISD.

Why am I asked to swipe my ID when I visit a campus?
The district uses Raptor Visitor Management software that requires you to present your ID at the front office of every campus. The system uses government issued photo ID’s to determine the identity of the person requesting access to a campus. Raptor checks a national registered sex offender database to determine if the person that is requesting access is a registered offender. It does not check a visitor’s criminal history.The Rockwall ISD Top Ten Things You Need to Know campaign focuses on areas that impact a student’s education and environment. Topics include safety, financial difficulties, the academic environment, district growth, college readiness, special programs, facility information, environmental efforts and kindness and compassion. Visit www.rockwallisd.com for updates on the Top Ten.

Feb 14 2012

Rockwall Ebby Halliday REALTORS Awards Ceremony

The Rockwall Ebby Office held their annual Award and Recognition Breakfast February 14 at the Hilton Bella Harbor Hotel. Special guest were Mary Frances Burleson, President and Ron Burgert, Comptroller of Ebby Halliday, REALTORS. The entire team was commended for their success in 20 1 1 and those associates reaching production levels were recognized for their achievements. Ron Burgert congratulated the Rockwall Associates and commended them for being the number one office in Rockwall Counq. Ron also projected 2012 to be a great year and Judy Harris agreed that business is great!

Rockwall’s First Name In Real Estate, Ebby Halliday REALTORS.

Jennifer was a recipient of the Star Award.

Why Choose Ebby?

Why should you depend on Ebby Halliday, Realtors® when selling your home?

Since 1945, Ebby Halliday, REALTORS® has provided outstanding service to our clients and community. With 30 office locations throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and North Texas, Ebby Halliday is the largest independently owned residential real estate company in Texas and the 8th-largest nationwide, selling more homes than any other brokerage in the Metroplex. Our award-winning team of more than 1,600 associates and knowledgeable Dallas realtors remains the highest-rated in Texas as a result of our commitment to client service, continuing education programs, dedication to our industry and devotion to the communities we serve.

Ebby sales associates will greatly enhance the sale of your home. In the United States, 90 percent of homes are sold by real estate agents, and agent-listed homes sell almost twice as fast as owner-sold homes. Our knowledgeable and experienced Rockwall Realtors do all the work for you, eliminating the hassle and uncertainty of the by-owner selling process. With Ebby Halliday, your home will receive unparalleled exposure. Ebby is a household name; homebuyers all over North Texas come to us first when planning a move. Major corporations depend on our well-known Relocation Department – the area’s largest – to secure housing for their employees during corporate relocations.

Our award-winning website, with our popular Virtual Tours which showcase your home to potential buyers, receives approximately 17,000 visitors a day. We market your home in the very best media. Ebby Halliday, REALTORS® is a founding member of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World [www.leadingre.com], the largest and highest-selling real estate network in the nation, comprised of 550 firms with 4,600 offices and 140,000 associates in 30 countries worldwide. Additionally, our company is a gold member of Leading RE’s Luxury Portfolio Fine Property collection, which markets luxury homes in over 30 countries, selling more than $225 billion in the U.S. alone.

Rockwall homes for sale listed with Ebby will be syndicated to our partner companies, media outlets worldwide, and it will appear on the best address in real estate… ebby.com. Listing with Ebby Halliday, REALTORS® brings the real estate market to you.