Chambord by Meritage Homes – Floor Plan Friday

West Crossing, Horizon Homes, Wakefield

The Chambord floor plan by Meritage Homes is our featured floor plan this Friday! The Chambord is a single-story floor plan with 2,728 square feet offering 4 bedrooms and 3-1/2 bath. This large one story home has it all! With a flex space at the front of the home and two secondary bedrooms with bath. The family room is open to the living and dining space with tons of great windows letting in natural light. The 4th secondary bedroom is tucked away with a bathroom inside bedroom- perfect guest suite! The over-sized master has a large bathroom and walk-in closet as well. The flex space has option to be a study. A plus with this floor plan is the option for a sliding door at family room out onto an extended covered patio. So many great options to choose from all in one great floor plan!

Meritage Homes is currently building this floor plan in a new neighborhood in Celina called Bluewood. Bluewood is a new master-planned community located in Celina ISD. It is also located conveniently located off Preston Road, still close to City but with small town feel. This new community is a must-see, call us at 214-620-0411 today for your VIP tour of this community and floor plan in person!

Caddo by Plantation Homes – Floor Plan Friday

West Crossing, Horizon Homes, Wakefield
The Caddo floor plan by Plantation homes is a gorgeous home that offers 5 bedrooms and 4 baths in a two-story floor plan. This home has 3,633 square feet and enough room for everyone. Walking into the large foyer you are welcomed into the home with a guest suite at the front of the home as well as a study and formal dining. The large kitchen is open to the family room with a large wall of windows that brings in great natural light. The spacious master suite also has a door from the master closet into the utility, perfect for laundry days! The three car garage offers one tandem. Upstairs are the remaining 3 secondary bedrooms with a game room. The living room is open upwards to the gameroom for that spacious feel. This home is a must-see!
Plantation Homes is currently building this floor plan in Auburn Hills in McKinney. This community is in Prosper ISD and is perfectly located off Highway 380 close to everything. For your VIP tour of this home and community, call us at 214-620-0411 today!

Pumpkin Crafts and Carving Ideas

So many families enjoy pumpkin crafts and carving this time of year. With Halloween fast approaching, pumpkins make the perfect porch decor- carved, decorated, or even just plain pumpkins. Whether you enjoy carving a masterpiece or if not a fan of pumpkin guts, there are also tons of great no-carve ideas for your pumpkin craft!

Creative Carving: There are many great templates you could purchase for carving. But you could also try a tasteful pattern to add Halloween cheer to your porch. Turn standard grocery store Halloween pumpkins into decorative pumpkins embellished with polka-dot cutouts, or whichever pattern you would like. After removing the pumpkin guts, begin carving the various patterns. For supplies you will need a carving knife, a spoon, a pencil, and a cordless drill with various-sized drill bits. The easiest pumpkin carving pattern is the polka-dots. All you need to do is mark a pattern of dots on the pumpkin using your pencil, and then drill through the holes using the drill or carving knife if smaller! The possible patterns are endless, and kids will love the chance to be creative.

No Carve Pumpkin Ideas: When thinking of ideas to decorate a pumpkin without the mess of emptying the guts, think of items you can attach to your pumpkin. Either with glue or sticking into the pumpkin, the possibilities are endless. Kids enjoy painting pumpkins as well, so this is a great family craft to enjoy together. Make a few spider pumpkins by attaching pipe cleaners and a paper mouth and eyes. Or cute bats by attaching paper wings, paper eyes, and drawing on the mouth. Yarn is also another fun no-carve item to attach to pumpkins by winding around the pumpkin in style. So many fun no-carve ideas!

 

Whether you are carving a pumpkin or crafting with one, this is a great time of year to let the entire family show their creativity. Maybe even make it a fun family competition! Take pictures of each pumpkin to display and allow your family, friends, and neighbors to vote.

Buxton by Lennar Homes – Floor Plan Friday

West Crossing, Horizon Homes, Wakefield

Happy Friday! Are you looking for a one-story home that offers 4 bedrooms? Look no further! The Buxton floor plan by Lennar Homes offers 4 bedrooms as well as 2-1/2 baths all in 2,144 square feet. This beautiful floor plan is open and spacious with a large foyer. Secondary bedrooms are at the front of the home with the fourth bedroom tucked by garage or option to make this a study. The open family room to kitchen is perfect for entertaining! The spacious master suite is secluded and serene. Lennar Homes builds beautiful homes with so much personality and options to choose from. This home is a MUST-SEE!

Lennar Homes is currently building this home in Artesia in Prosper. Located in Prosper ISD, this community has a community pool with splash park, common areas, and playgrounds. Lots of great amenities and great location, this community has it all. Give us a call at 214-620-0411 today for your VIP tour.

Did you know….there are 7 school districts in City of McKinney?

That is right! When you are searching for a home in McKinney, keep in mind that you could be in McKinney but not McKinney ISD. McKinney is a large City, Unique by Nature, with a population of 170,000+ and growing so it is no surprise that it is sought after as one the THE places to live in North Texas. With growth also comes reaching multiple school districts. So not only do you get the benefit of living in the # 1 Best Place to Live as ranked by Money Magazine*  but you also get to pick which school district you want to live in, within McKinney.

The 7 school districts are McKinney ISD, Frisco ISD, Prosper ISD, Lovejoy ISD, Allen ISD, Melissa ISD, and Celina ISD. From the northern part of McKinney reaching Melissa, Prosper, and Celina to the southern part of McKinney reaching Allen and Lovejoy….there are so many great options to choose from. Many of these areas have new neighborhoods up and coming as each school district in this area is also growing. Be sure to check out all of the school district rankings here when deciding which one to move to.

For more information on these school districts and their locations within McKinney during your home search, give us a call!

Cypress by Bloomfield Homes – Floor Plan Friday

West Crossing, Horizon Homes, Wakefield
Our featured floor plan is a MUST SEE! The Cypress floor plan by Bloomfield Homes is a beautiful one-story floor plan that is 2,041 square feet in size. With 4 bedroom option and 2 bath, this home offers it all! Walking into the large foyer, you have option for a dining or study at the front of the home. The open kitchen to family room is perfect for entertaining! Unlike other plans, the master bedroom is in the middle of the home with the secondary bedrooms at the back of the floor plan. With an option for a 4th bedroom or sitting area, this home is spacious. This floor plan offers large walk-in closets and covered patio. So much to see….don’t miss your chance to check out this beautiful floor plan!
Bloomfield Homes is currently building this floor plan in Willow Wood in McKinney. Located in North McKinney, this neighborhood is also in Melissa ISD. Perfect location to get to downtown and enjoy a bit of the scenic area of McKinney. For your VIP tour of this new neighborhood and floor plans, give us a call at 214-620-0411 today!

Neighborhood Spotlight: Lilyana

 

Lilyana is located in Celina, bordering Prosper off 1461 and is building up fast! Developed by Hillwood, this community offers a quiet setting and scenic surroundings. This 400-acre community, when complete, will have 50-acres of green space, numerous parks, and great amenities. The amenity center planned will have an outdoor kitchen, pavilion, and resort-style pool. Additional perks of this neighborhood include walking trails and parks, as well! So many great amenities offered, this community is a MUST-SEE!! Great location and great school district as it is located in highly sought after Prosper ISD. New homes in this community start in the $300s, with many great builder options.

Currently, American Legend Homes, CalAtlantic Homes, David Weekley Homes, and Highland Homes are the homebuilders building in this community. So many great floor plans and lot sizes to choose from. We have the complete information on all builders and floor plans offered in this community,  give us a call at 214-620-0411 today.

 

 

Buy Now or Wait?

Thinking of buying a home and not sure if timing is right? Our guest writer, Rob Spring with The Spring Mortgage Team helps provide info below that might help with making that decision!

Buy now or wait?

The answer is….it depends.  Yep it depends.  Every situation is different and throwing out a blind yes or no is simply not right.

Let’s rewind a bit and explore this a little, let’s go back to November of last year.  What happened last November?  That’s right, the Presidential election. Regardless of which side you were on; Wall Street and the Traders that control interest rates were thrown a curveball by the outcome.  These guys hate it when they are wrong not just on the election but when anything out of the ordinary happens.  This particular uncertainty regarding the election moved billions of dollars out of Mortgage Backed Securities in one single day and caused mortgage rates to rise from under 3.5% to over 4% in one single trading session. 

By January this year Economist were predicting even higher rates and some even suggested 4.5-5% for prime credit borrowers by the fourth quarter of 2017….

Guess what?  We’re fourth quarter of 2017 and mortgage rates are almost even with what they were before the 2016 election.  How do all these super smart, highly educated economist get it so wrong?  If I knew the answer to that…I’d go argue with them on TV.  It can me any one of a number of reasons and frankly it’s not all that important for this article.  I just wanted to understand that predicting interest rates is no different that predicting the future and while a ton up people attempt it, very few get it right.

Now back to you and the question at hand. Buy now or wait?  (this question is aimed at first time home buyers)

Buy now if you can afford it and you can commit to living there for at least 2 years.  There are a ton of other reasons but here are my favorites:

  • Your monthly mortgage dollar goes farther than your monthly rent dollar. (You can buy more house than you can rent with the same payment amount)
  • Tax advantages for homeownership make the cost of owning that much more enticing when compared to rent.
  • You can buy a primary residence with a relatively small investment.  There several are low and no down payment options available and 3-5% down payments are becoming more of the norm.  There is a big misconception amongst many people when it comes to down payment.  You don’t always need 20% down.

Wait if your expectations don’t line up with your budget, and then decide which one is going to budge.  Wait if you can’t commit to living there for at least 2 years (unless you put 20% down and want to turn it into a rental).  Wait if your credit is not where it needs to be for favorable mortgage terms. 

Don’t wait because you don’t understand your options.  Don’t wait because someone told you buying a home and getting a mortgage is hard.  Find out for yourself, take some time to learn about the process and decide what is best for you.

When ready to buy a home, give the Marr Team a call at 214-620-0411, we are ready to help you find THE home for you!

Special thanks to our guest writer, Rob Spring with The Spring Mortgage Team @ AmeriFirst Financial of Texas, NMLS: 221178, 204 S Kentucky Street – McKinney, TX 75069, 469-277-4462

 

 

Floor Plan Friday- The Brown Floor Plan by Gehan Homes

West Crossing, Horizon Homes, Wakefield

The Brown floor plan by Gehan Homes is a beautiful 4,020 square foot home. This large home has 5 bedrooms and 3-1/2 bathrooms. Gehan has built a great floor plan featuring a 2nd living area and study. Downstairs is spacious with many options to extend patio and bay windows in master bedroom. The large kitchen is open to family room, perfect for entertaining. Upstairs is tons of personality with the 4 secondary bedrooms and game room.

Gehan Homes is currently building this home in the master-planned community of The Arbors at Willow Bay in Frisco. This community, located in Firsco ISD, has a playground, pool, greenbelts and hike & bike trails. Call us today at 214-620-0411 for your VIP tour of this community and floor plans.

Fair Day!

The State Fair of Texas is open and if you are thinking about going, check out the details below on admission prices and deals for you!
Ticket prices at the gate for 2017 remain the same as last year. General admission is $18 and includes hundreds of daily shows, concerts, activities and exhibits, all at no extra cost. The Fair offers $14 admission for children under 48 inches in height and seniors age 60 and older, with free admission for children age two and under.
There are ways to save when going to fair such as the deals below:
  • Advance Tickets Online: Skip the lines and buy your ticket in advance online and save a few bucks. You will save $2 per ticket when you buy online. You can even buy Food & Ride Coupons early online, too!
  • Kroger – Discounted General Admission / Season Passes: Advance purchase General Admission tickets are $16.50. A Season Pass is $39.95. You can purchase both at the check-out counter or at the service desk. A State Fair season pass includes a one-day companion ticket (good Monday-Friday).
  • School Tickets: Every year, school districts in the area send children home with FREE admission tickets. Be sure to use and take advantage of them….these are for free children admission only but what a savings!
  • McDonald’s Deals: McDonald’s offers a discount on children’s general admission with their State Fair coupons (you can find these on tray liner or bag stuffers) any day of the fair. Bring your coupon to the gate and SAVE $5 off a general admission ticket or HALF OFF a children’s tickets (with purchase of general admission). One coupon per person. Discount may not be combined with any other offers. 
  • First Responders Day – Friday, October 13th: As a special thank-you to their public service and dedication, the Fair will host a special day recognizing the various organizations of first responders and their contribution to the community. The State Fair of Texas would like to honor all active and retired public law enforcement, firefighters, paramedics and other emergency services agencies on First Responders Day – Friday, October 13, 2017. First Responders Day includes free admission to the 2017 State Fair of Texas for all first responders when they present a valid badge or ID card from their department or organization, plus up to three admission tickets for their family members. Valid documentation must be presented at the gate. Offer and ticket valid only Friday, October 13, 2017.
  • Senior Citizen Discount: Grab your granny and take her to the State Fair on Thursday! Senior Citizens (anyone 60 and over) get in for FREE on every Thursday that the fair is open.
  • Dr. Pepper reduced admission after 5pm: Any day after 5 p.m. Bring an empty Dr Pepper can and enter for half off.
  • Dr. Pepper Tuesdays: Every Tuesday, bring an empty Dr Pepper can and enter for $6. Most rides on those Tuesdays (excluding the Thrillway, Texas Star, and selected other attractions) are just 6 coupons.
  • North Texas Food Bank Wednesdays: Bring 4 cans of food for donation to State Fair gates any Wednesday of the Fair and receive a coupon for a $4 admission ticket. Enjoy the Fair for just $4 and help stock the North Texas Food Bank. One (4 can) donation per person. Discount may not be combined with any other offers.
  • Coca Cola Thursdays: Bring an empty 20 oz. bottle of a Coca-Cola product and enter the Fair for $7 admission on Thursdays. One bottle per person. Discount may not be combined with any other offers. Guests can save while snacking during Thrifty Thursdays, where participating food vendors offer one of their signature menu items at a reduced price, ranging from mini versions to regular-size items.

So many great deals are offered to save on admission to the State Fair of Texas, feel free to take advantage of these deals and enjoy all the fried food you can eat!