Dallas – Fort Worth has been ranked as the 7th fastest growing metropolitan area for children,according to a new study.The report, published in NewGeography.com, is based on an analysis of Census Bureau data from 2000 to 2010 by demographer Wendell Cox, whose Demogrophia consulting- and-research firm is based near St. Louis.
The analysis shows that from 2000 to 2010, the number of children in the Dallas Fort Worth area, aged 5 to 17 years old, rose by 23.3 percent.The Houston area ranked 9th with a 20.4% increase.Some will find it interesting to note that Las Vegas ranked 2nd in the country over a 40% increase; other cities that out-performed Dallas-Fort Worth include Raleigh, Austin, Charlotte, Austin, Phoenix, and Atlanta.
Affordable housing key
“One thing these regions share is affordable housing,” Joel Kotkin wrote in the NewGeogrophy article. “Throughout the real estate bubble, housing prices in Raleigh, the Texas cities and Atlanta remained low. Today, prices have also plummeted in virtually all the other markets in our top ten, reinforcing their relative affordability.” Kotkin, who write frequently on national housing and demographic issues, also said that job growth was an important factor in the “family hot spots,” across the country.
For home sellers, making a great first impression is more important than ever. Besides sprucing up your home’s exterior with fresh paint and attractive landscaping, consider focusing attention on the gateway to your home. According to this year’s Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report by Remodeling magazine and the National Association of Realtors, the one improvement that yielded the highest return on investment was a new steel front door. While homeowners’ ability to recoup their investment on many home improvement projects has gone down over the past year, this project really pays off. Nationally, the average cost of a new front door was $1,218 and the return on investment was 102 percent.
Remember the old saying: You never have a second chance to make a first impression! Your front door is a home buyers first impression of your home.
Helping you find or sell your home is our goal
Getting you through the process is our expertise!
Reechia & Keith Powell
As we talked about last time there are some inexpensive things you can do to prepare your home for sale – and the kitchen is an important place to start.Another important consideration is these tips you can apply to your bathrooms:
1.De-clutter the drawers, cabinets and medicine chest.
2.Organize the linen closet with neatly folded towels and sheets.Remove as much as you can, you don’t want the closet to appear “stuffed” as if there is not enough storage.
3.Replace the shower curtain and/or liner.Soap scum and mildew is a turn-off for any home buyer.
4.Re-grout the tub and shower to brighten the tile and give a fresh look to the entire bathroom.
5.Be sure the cabinet fronts are clean and in good working order.
6.New light fixtures are inexpensive and give a “fresh” look.
When home buyers are asked to name some of the most important aspects of theirnew home very often you will hear “the kitchen” as the top one or two items listed.
So before putting your home on the market here are a few tips and suggestions for grooming your kitchen:
1.Chipped ceramic, stained porcelain, and/or corroded faucets are sure to catch the buyer’s eye. Replace the faucets if necessary.
2.Repaint the walls and ceilings, and replace wallpaper for a bright, fresh look. Stay neutral, and avoid trendy or bright colors.
3.Mini-blinds should be taken down and cleaned and curtains should be laundered and pressed.
4.Clean all the kitchen appliances. Make use of an old toothbrush and toothpicks for detail work.Make sure the oven and fridge are spotless inside as well.
5.Clean out and organize cupboards and the pantry. The next time you’re in the grocery store, notice how products are lined up on the shelf, “faced out.”At home, arrange like products together, and turn all labels to face out.
6.Be sure the cabinet fronts are clean, consider adding pulls to give the kitchen a fresh look.
7.Clear off the counters.Pack up small appliances, knick-knacks, vases, trinkets, collections, and anything else that detracts from the amount of counter space.
8. Have fresh flowers or fresh baked cookies on the counter or table to add color and appeal the buyer’s sense of smell.
Freshening up the kitchen is inexpensive, fairly easy, and very worthwhile.These efforts will reap big rewards in the selling game, and please any prospective buyers.
Here are more ideas to help you conserve water with your landscaping:
Clamp Down
Nothing wastes water quite as much as a needlessly running hose. Attach spray nozzles to all garden hoses to avoid leaving the water running. Spray nozzles also provide you with a little extra "oomph" of water pressure for watering hard to reach plants.
Hold the Sprinklers
Using sprinklers can be a hassle-free way to water your lawn and plants, but if left on too long they can cost you a bundle while over-saturating your landscaping. Some sprinklers nowadays are equipped with built-in timing mechanisms and routines. As an alternative, you can install a simple faucet-mounted timer that remembers to shut off the water supply so that you don't have to.
Pay Attention to the Weather
Overwatering your plants and lawn costs you money, isn't good for the plants and results in a great deal of water runoff. Keep in tune with just how much rainfall (roughly speaking) your yard is soaking in. This can be accomplished either by monitoring local weather sites or by setting up a simple rain gauge in your yard. Typically, plants need about an inch of water per week during the growing season. If you have sprinklers set on an automatic timer, make sure to adjust it as needed during periods of seasonal rainfall.
Let it All Soak In
Unlike traditional sprinklers, soaker hoses aren't susceptible to water loss through evaporation. Soaker hoses slowly drip water into the soil. When covered over with mulch, they have proven to be an extremely efficient watering method.
Here are more ideas to help you conserve water with your landscaping:
Mulch Ado
Adding a layer of mulch to landscaped areas doesn't just serve as an aesthetic touch; it's also one of the most effective and environmentally-friendly defenses against weeds that threaten to steal moisture from your plants. Mulch layers are air and water permeable, making them easy to plant into. Organic mulches such as hay, grass clippings, leaves and shredded bark will also improve the soil quality as they decay over time. Rubber, plastic or rock/gravel mulch layers can also be used with positive results.
More water conservation ideas.
Helping you find your home is our goal
Getting you through the process is our expertise! Reechia & Keith Powell
