Dec 16, 2016 | Floor Plan Friday
The Sydney by Meritage Homes is a beautiful one story home offering 3,356 square feet with 4 bedrooms and 3-1/2 bath! Walking into the grand entrance foyer you walk into a spacious family space with split bedrooms. The guest suite is perfect secluded from secondary split bedrooms and spacious master suite. Media room, extended patio, and large over-sized island are all perfect for entertaining! Meritage homes offer personality and charm. This home has everything on one floor….definitely a must-see!!
This floor plan is currently being built in Frontier Estates in the heart of Prosper off Preston Road. Located in Prosper ISD, this community offers a community pool, splash pad, park, and greenbelts. Give us a call today at 214-620-0411 for a tour of this gorgeous community and this beautiful floor plan.
Dec 15, 2016 | Real Estate, Technology
As you are in the midst of shopping this Holiday season, are you struggling to find gifts for that hard to shop for person? Curious what cool tech options are available for your home? Here are some unique tech gifts that make any home smarter and are worth checking out:
Amazon Echo is a hand free speaker that is voice controlled. Echo connects to Amazon’s Alexa Voice Service to play music, provide information, news, sports scores, weather, and more. Using apps called skills it can control most of the other items on this post.
The Nest Thermostat is a proven energy saver. It learns your patterns and on average saved its users 10-12% on heating and 15% on cooling.
Touch-to-Open Bluetooth Smart Lock. When your phone is outside, Kevo will recognize you approaching your front door and will unlock when touched, so your phone can stay in your pocket or purse.
Remote access also available with upgrade to Kevo Plus WiFi hub.
The Wemo Switch gives you control of your lamps and small appliances whenever you want, wherever you choose, with tons of options for scheduling and automation. Paired with Amazon Alexa, you can control your lamps and appliances with just the power of your voice.
Nest Cam Indoor stands watch 24/7. It can send an alert when it detects activity. It’s quick and easy to install. And it lets you talk back through the Nest app.
The Rachio Smart Sprinkler Controller changes the way you water. It makes running your sprinklers easy and convenient while saving you water and money. Rachio automatically creates a watering schedule that lowers your water bill and ensures the beautiful yard you want, while the mobile app gives you access to your sprinkler system from anywhere. Plus, Rachio is compatible with nearly any sized yard and smart home platform
The Cree Connected LED bulb looks like a light bulb, lights like a bulb, and now you can control it when you’re on the go. It is a simple, inexpensive way to customize your home’s lighting. Just install your bulbs, sync with your hub, then, with your smart phone, control your lights from anywhere.
The Netatmo Weather Station measures indoor pollution levels through a CO2 sensor, sending you alerts so you can air out your home when necessary and live in a healthier environment.
The Weather Station’s Indoor Module also measures indoor temperature, humidity, or sound level and provides vital information to help you improve your life quality at home.
Ring keeps your home secure and your family safe by protecting you against intruders, burglars, package thieves and any other unwanted guests. Ring makes sure you never miss a visitor. Because with Ring, you’re always home.
These are just a few great and unique options to make the home smarter that any homeowner would appreciate this Holiday season. Whether you are gifting this technology to someone else or treating your own home, these are all great options to look into! Your home will be smarter while hosting those New Year house parties. Happy Shopping!
Dec 13, 2016 | Buyers, Collin County, First Time Homebuyers, The Marr Team
The Federal Housing Administration announced it is increasing loan limits in 2017. These loan limits are effective for case numbers assigned on or after Jan. 1, 2017. The FHA set the loan limits on a yearly basis and they are based on a percentage calculation of the nation conforming loan limit. The loan limits increased in 2,948 counties due the rise in housing prices (List of counties).
Here is how the new 2017 FHA loan limits look in North Texas
| County |
2016 |
2017 |
Increase |
| Collin |
$334,650 |
$362,250 |
$27,600 |
| Denton |
$334,650 |
$362,250 |
$27,600 |
| Dallas |
$334,650 |
$362,250 |
$27,600 |
| Grayson |
$271,050 |
$275,665 |
$4,615 |
| Rockwall |
$334,650 |
$362,250 |
$27,600 |
| Tarrant |
$334,650 |
$362,250 |
$27,600 |
The FHA also increased the amount for FHA-Insured Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (Reverse Mortgages). HECMs will increase to $636,150 in 2017.
There were no decreases for 2017 and 286 counties remained unchanged.
If you are thinking about buying and want to take advantage of the increased limits in 2017 there is no better time than now to start looking. Feel free to give us a call us at 214-620-0411 or Contact Us if you have any questions. We would love to answer them and help you find your dream home in 2017.
Dec 2, 2016 | Floor Plan Friday
Happy Friday! Let’s take a look at the gorgeous Landis floor plan by Drees Custom Homes. This 3,123 square foot home has 4 bedrooms, with option of adding 5th, and 3 full baths. You notice immediately that this home is a one story floor plan with an awesome split 3 car garage. The focus of this floor plan is that it has so much space on a single floor, spread out with so many great upgrade and options you can customize. An additional option includes an enclosed courtyard entrance which is just beautiful! Walking into this home you notice the spacious rooms with a secluded master suite. Upstairs game room and 5th bedroom option or you can make one of the secondary bedrooms a game room or sun room, as you prefer. The options are endless! The open living, dining, and kitchen are great for entertaining. This floor plan is a must-see!!
The Landis is currently being built in Windsong Ranch, which is located in Prosper and Prosper ISD. A master-planning community with tons of amenities including a community cafe’, welcome center, two-acre lake, pool and much more!! Call us today at 214-620-0411 for a tour of Windsong Ranch and to see this beautiful floor plan, you don’t want to miss out!
Nov 30, 2016 | Real Estate
The Holidays are meant to be a time to enjoy precious moments spent with family and friends, but all too often we find ourselves rushing to decorate our homes perfectly. The good news is a few garlands of evergreens, a colorful wreath in the window, or an arrangement of simple candles flickering on the mantel can create an abundance of cheer. Here are some quick and easy ways to make your home festive this Holiday season:
Develop a Theme!
Something as simple as an unique container filled with ornaments can tie a room’s theme together. Decide which palette you want as far as colors. This helps when decorating tree and placing decorations throughout house that makes the theme flow throughout. Pinterest has great DIY projects to create decoration pieces that go along with any theme. Choose a couple colors and go from there….easy start to making your home festive.
Garland, Garland, Everywhere!
It’s difficult to overdo it on that classic winter decoration, the garland of evergreen. Add some visual interest by weaving in lights, pine cones, strips of thick ribbon, or bright seasonal berries. Whether hung over doorways, draped between shelves, or wrapped around a dining table centerpiece, there’s space for this fragrant favorite anywhere.
Lights!
Whether outdoors, strung along your bushes, or wound around your staircase, lights add a soft glow and create a comfortable atmosphere. White or color lights….let them shine bright. ‘Tis the season for lighting anywhere you want it to be!
Keep it simple…and don’t forget the tree!
We sometimes feel overwhelmed thinking we need more Holiday decorations when in fact sometimes simple is best. Adding pops of color with a lighted JOY sign or Santa will draw that Holiday feel without cluttering the shelf with several decoration pieces. Spread out the bulbs on the tree and add more ribbon for the full yet simple look.
There are many ways to make the inside and outside of your home cozy, inviting and a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Turn on that Holiday music and include the entire family….happy decorating!
Nov 24, 2016 | The Marr Team
From our families to yours, we wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving! May your heart be filled with gladness and your home be filled with joy today and always!
Nov 18, 2016 | Floor Plan Friday
Our featured floor plan is a MUST SEE in the quiet community of Erwin Farms in McKinney, The Bandera floor plan is a beautiful one-story home featuring 3 bedrooms, a study, and 2-1/2 baths. This spread out floor plan offers all of the elegant features that Beazer Homes builds. You are welcomed into an open foyer down a gallery hall and into a spacious, open living area. The kitchen overlooks the gorgeous family room that offers a fireplace with optional cabinets. Perfect for entertaining! The large, secluded master suite is tucked at the back of the home with the other 2 bedrooms and study towards the front. This home offers many great options and upgrade to customize and make your own.
Erwin Farms is in North McKinney and is located in McKinney ISD. Future amenity center with pool and splash park, this community is one to see in person! Give us a call at 214-620-0411 for VIP tour of this floor plan or any other floor plan you want to see! Happy Friday!
Nov 16, 2016 | Real Estate
When hosting, each year you try to make this Thanksgiving easier than the last, and every year you end up spending more time running around the house than enjoying your guests.We want to help change that so here are some tips to help you prepare in advance to help you de-stress when your guests arrive! Whether you are entertaining multiple families or you are having a small intimate gathering, Thanksgiving is to be enjoyed by the host, too. Here are some tips to help you prepare your home, and your meal for a Thanksgiving that will be remembered for years to come.
- Invite your guests now! While you may want to try to have an ‘open door’ policy that anyone who wants to drop by on Thanksgiving is welcome, this tens to make for an uncertainty in planning. Inviting guests now allows you ample time to invite a few more guests if you’d like. This will help you budget for food, time, chairs…and your nerves!
- Choose your menu well in advance! Consider going through family traditional recipes in your cookbooks, or visiting your favorite food blogs, or websites for ideas. If choosing a potluck, plan out a list of what type of food you’d like guests to bring and advise them once they accept the invitation.
- Plan your holiday table! Whether you prefer a formal dining experience or you will go with a casual dinner, plan table linen, dinnerware, seats, and serving ware now. Add a pop of color when picking the table linen or place a few pumpkins around for decor. Planning in advance helps lessen the stress the morning of.
- Prep your kitchen! After you have planned the meal, make sure to prep your kitchen with plenty of serving utensils, and plan where the food will be served. This will help you when preparing food and for the ease of serving. This also will help guests find what they need easily without asking you where items are!
- Enjoy your guests! While this step isn’t about preparation, it is the most important step! The holidays only come around once a year, and Thanksgiving is a time to cherish those around you, and give thanks for having loved ones near.
We hope you find these tips helpful when preparing for your Thanksgiving holiday meal and home. Remember to keep an open mind and be flexible when planning, to help lessen the stress that comes when hosting. Every detail doesn’t have to be thought out and your guests will be thankful for you opening up your home to have them over to enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday together!
Nov 14, 2016 | Walk Through Wednesday
Let us know if you have any questions or if you want to see this home, or any other, in person call us at 214-620-0411!
Nov 11, 2016 | Floor Plan Friday
Our featured floor plan is a MUST SEE in the quiet community of Saddlecreek in Prosper. The Baypoint floor plan by Megatel Homes is a gorgeous 3,578 square foot home with so much personality to offer! It features 4 bedrooms and 2-1/2 bathrooms with more options to add or change up. With the majority of the living space on the first floor, you can spread out with separate bedrooms with a unique walk through study. Oversized kitchen with butler pantry option features great entertaining space including a large kitchen island. This floor plan in this community also has split 3rd car garage.
Saddlecreek is a quiet community tucked away in Prosper but also close to all retail and located in Prosper ISD. Saddlecreek also has several lakes, hike and bike trails as well as beautiful outdoor spaces for the entire family. Call us today at 214-620-0411 to see this floor plan and community with all it has to offer!
