Kim Daugherty, McKinney REALTOR, TX Broker

McKinney, TX Spotlight on Yogolution - the newest place in town to get a sweet, healthy and COLD treat!

Oh, how I love being the first to find a new hot spot in town. And I really think I'm really on to something here. Like I'm Indiana Jones and I've just discovered a rare hidden jewel...

What is it? YOGOLUTION!

Located just South of the McKinney/Allen border on Hwy 121, tucked into the new shopping strip that faces Lifetime Fitness, Yogolution's modern sign subtley calls out, "Try Me".

And so I did.

My husband and 22 month old son, Gavin, made our way over to the new spot right after a butt-kicking of a Spin class at Lifetime Fitness. And what better way to replenish the 600 calories we just burned? A frozen, sweet treat! And while they didn't have the exact calorie and nutritional content on hand, the writing on the wall was there. Literally (from their website):

These phrases, as seen on their under-construction website, were written all over the interior of the shop. I immediately felt better, all guilt gone away. I wasn't eating something BAD, rather something oh, so very good!

So how is Yogolution different, and why should you check it out?

The store is self-serve. I believe there were 12 flavors ready to be sampled...I had watermelon, blueberry, coconut, strawberry and chocolate samples. It was some of the best frozen goodness I had ever eaten.

After grabbing my own cup, filling it up with how ever much I wanted, of whatever flavor I wanted, I made my way to the check out where there was a topping bar. The topping bar had fresh fruit, cheesecake pieces, brownie bites, candy, and everything you'd expect to find as a "mix in" at many other ice cream shops.

Not bad for only 39 cents per ounce!

Inside the yogurt shop was a very calm modern feel - glass tiled walls with blue and white accents made a very clean backdrop to this new destination. There was an adjacent patio with tables for enjoying your yogurt when the weather invites you outdoors.

I asked the cashier when they opened, and was surprised to learn just 5 days ago!

And back to why you should try it out.. I think this picture should say it ALL!

McKinney Spotlight On McKinney, TX Home Inspector, Gene South

Ask any real estate agent how important it is to have a good home inspector on their team, and they'd agree that a great inspector was worth their weight in GOLD!

When I first encountered Gene South on a home inspection for one of my buyers, I remember thinking as I left,

"Why don't ALL inspectors do as thorough of a job as Gene?

Why aren't ALL inspectors as nice as Gene?

As knowledgeable?

As COMPETENT? etc, etc..."

From that moment on, I have recommended Gene South with Texas Property Inspection to ALL of my home buyers. Yes, he's part of my "Dream Team".

Gene's background in real estate actually begins as a local Realtor. It is with this unique background that I believe gives Gene such an advantage. Gene knows that by presenting even the most insignificant problems in the wrong way can scare off a buyer. This is why he's great working with first time buyers. He takes the time to walk through the home, point out any defects, answer questions and even suggest an easy fix for small problems.

Why is this important? Let's say the Texas Inspection Report points out that a stove lacks the proper anti-tip device. Because of this, he is required to check the box "In Need of Repair" on the report. Does this mean the stove doesn't work? Does it mean the stove fails to heat properly or is in need of replacement? NO! As Gene would EXPLAIN, it just means a $5 part needs to be added to the back of the appliance so that it is compliant with the code home inspectors are to follow when doing their reports on state promulgated forms.

Had this NOT been pointed out to a buyer, this buyer could be led to believe the stove doesn't work, therefore it's going to cost a fortune to fix, and they should cancel their contract, exercise their Option and go on to the next house.

OK, that's an extreme example, but not an unrealistic example of what could play out on any number of other instances.

Gene South takes each inspection seriously and treats them in the same manner - whether it's for a 7,000 square foot estate, or a 1100 square foot fixer-upper. He takes NUMEROUS photos - both interior and exterior - to back up his report comments. He reviews these with the client at the end of the inspection and makes it easy to discuss some otherwise difficult areas to access - like furnaces in the attic, or shingles on top of the roof.

In Gene's personal life, he is married to Stephanie South and they have 3 kids.

Gene provides detailed reports, attention to detail, honest opinions and is someone you can call on for questions - even AFTER the inspection is over and you've moved in.

Call Gene at 972-658-6152 or email him at gene.south@tx.rr.com.

McKinney Spotlight on Christmas Light Installation Company:

North Pole F. D. (Where the FD stands for Festive Decor!)

NPFD owners, Kevin Daugherty & Greg Hodges, met while in the Collin County Fire Academy. Quickly becoming good buddies, these guys decided to tap into a market that had a lot of demand: The Christmas Light Installation Business!

Like many off-duty firefighters, Kevin knew he'd have the time available to devote to this business during the three month window of time it required.

Now in their third season, their clients keep coming back due to their good prices, great service and dependability.

For many people the idea of installing their own Christmas lights just makes them start to dread the holidays. If you just call NPFD you can have a warm and festive home, without having to climb ladders, bear the cold weather (yes, Texas does get cold!) and take it all back down a couple weeks later!

Kevin said that NPFD has a unique way of offering Christmas Light installations to their customers. Here's how it works:

1.) Kevin & his crew will measure and custom-fit your home with christmas lights according to the client's needs - colors, theme, design and budget.

--------> In the first year the customer pays a one-time light set up fee and an installation fee. Years 2 and beyond the customer only has to pay for an installation fee!

2.) The light installation can take anywhere from 2 hours to 2 days, depending on the design.

3.) Once the Christmas season is over, Kevin & crew go back to collect the lights and stores them for his customers.

When the next Christmas season rolls around, Kevin already has their lights ready to go on the home!

If you visit the North Pole F. D. blog, you can see the different lighting packages available.

They give free quotes, so there's no harm in having Kevin or Greg out to your house to see how they can help you.

North Pole F. D. services Collin County cities, including:

McKinney, Frisco, Allen, Plano, Fairview, Prosper and Melissa.

What do the McKinney North High School Swim & Dive Team, Chinese Food and Car Washes have in common?

+ + = ????

By themselves, nothing.

But when you put them all together on Saturday, August 8 at the Panda Express on the corner of Virginia Pkwy and Stonebridge Drive you come up with one AWESOME fundraiser that EVERYONE loves.

Drive your dirty car on by the Panda Express beginning at 10:30 am and make a donation to the MNHS swim & dive team. Help them raise money for scholarships and equipment that they'll need for the upcoming 2009-2010 year.

While you're getting the car cleaned, step inside where you can eat some yummy Panda Express chinese food - my fave: Orange Chicken and Spring Rolls! 20% of your order will also go towards MNHS fundraising efforts. It's a win-win. You get a clean car & lunch, and they get some much needed funds for their organization!

Make sure you tell Panda Express that you're there for the swim & dive team and they'll toss the 20% in all day long.

On a personal note, a few of the coaches of the McKinney Sea Lions Swim Team attend MNHS. My son, Mason, was a part of the team this summer - his first season - and he LOVED it! These kids put in a lot of hard work and deserve some community support.

Stop on by!