Pat O'Reilly

VALLEY RANCH, TX JANUARY 2012 MARKET UPDATE

Valley Ranch Tx has twenty three Homes for Sale currently. Valley Ranch is located in Irving, Tx north of 635. Though this city has been famous for being the home to the Dallas Cowboys this city is quickly becoming recognized for its wonderful community, beautiful homes, and its amazing walking canals. Of the current 23 Valley Ranch, Tx Homes for Sale there is bound to be one just right for you. Valley Ranch has over four thousand single family homes and 21 multi-family communities which equals to nearly 30,000 residents. Valley Ranch, Tx has over 138 businesses and 8 neighborhood centers. One great feature of the Valley Ranch, Tx is that it is conveniently located around I-635, MacArthur Blvd, 121, and 161. Downtown Dallas, Fort Worth, and DFW Airport are just minutes away from these Valley Ranch, Tx Homes for Sale!

Valley Ranch, Tx offers scenic walking canals and the beautiful Campion Trail. Campion Trail hugs the Elm Fork of the Trinity River in Las Colinas urban Center. If you like to skate, cycle, jog, or walk with your dog then Campion Trail is the perfect spot for you! I personally have skated and jogged the Campion Trail and I can honestly say that it is worth going weekly. Campion Trail is divided into two sections, Elm Fork Trail and West Fork Trail. Elm Fork trails is 3.5 miles and West Fork is 2 miles. Campion Trail in Valley Ranch, Tx connects Bird's Fort Crossing and California Crossing; both historical sites were used by pioneers heading West. They even put up signs along the path identifying the various tree types. There are also numerous mountain bike entrances that go off the beaten path that bring you closer to the Trinity River. If you are looking for a hike there are hilly detours north on MacArthur. You can also see people in canoes and bird watching around the Campion Trail. For more info on this trail please go to Campion Trail.

There are many Valley Ranch, Tx Homes for Sale available right now! Please contact me if you are in need to buy or sell a home, or if you just want information regarding Valley Ranch or any other city in the DFW area. It is never too early to contact me your Valley Ranch Realtor. Visit my website at patohomes.com or call me directly at 214.289.6176! See you on the Campion Trail!

COPPELL, TX EAST SIDE (AREA 21/2) JANUARY, 2012 MARKET UPDATE

COPPELL, TX ISD

IRVING, TX JANUARY 2012 MARKET UPDATE

COTTONWOOD VALLEY HOMES FOR SALE

As you can tell there are many Irving, Tx Homes for Sale in all different price ranges right now! If you are looking for a great subdivision to call home look no further than Cottonwood Valley Homes for Sale. Cottonwood Valley Homes for Sale offers many diverse and unique homes. The subdivision is perfectly located in internationally recognized Las Colinas which offers some of the most scenic rolling terrain in North Texas. Cottonwood Valley Homes for Sale is in the dead center of DFW and only minutes away from DFW Airport and Downtown Dallas. Cottonwood Valley Homes for Sale is a very peaceful and quiet community even though it is minutes away from all the major highways. It is one of the most luxurious resort and country club neighborhoods in North Texas due to the amazing custom homes that offer panoramic views of the beautiful fairways and waterways. Members of this community have the capability of joining two championship golf courses: the TCP, which hosts the prestigious annual Byron Nelson Golf Tournament, and the Members’ Cottonwood Valley Course. Cottonwood Valley Homes for Sale offers word-class tennis, racquetball, and squash courts, as well as, fully-equipped exercise rooms, indoor and outdoor pool, and a multipurpose gym with a 1/8 mile cushioned indoor jogging track. To learn more about this luxurious subdivision please go to Cottonwood Valley Homes for Sale. There are many more beautiful subdivisions in Irving, Tx and I can tell you about them by going to my website patahomes.com, or by calling me directly at 214.289.6176. It is a great time to buy so do not hesitate to contact me. Here are a few pictures of Cottonwood Valley Homes for Sale…enjoy!

Mortgage Rates at Historic Lows but Beware the "G-fees"

Mortgage rates are still at an all time low but with the extension of the payroll tax cut comes a new way for the government to get money. Rich Hebert is a great Mortgage Lender in the Dallas Fort Worth area and he explains it below. Even with this "g-fee" it is a great time to buy Real Estate in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex!!

Rich Hebert Vice President Lending Edge Mortgage Phone: 817-485-4155 Cell: 817-992-6492 License: NMLS:# 209685 Rich@RichHebert.com www.RichHebert.com

Fee Increase to Impact Home Loans In December 2011, Congress reached a last-minute deal to fund the payroll tax cut extension. The payroll tax extension will provide a 2% tax reduction for individuals earning up to $106,800, so the tax extension will be very helpful for many Americans who are struggling during these tough economic times. But like so many things in our tangled economy, there's a flip side. In this case, the tax cut deal has a rippling effect that will impact the mortgage world. Here's what's happening and what it means to home loan rates: What is happening and why? To put it bluntly, the passage of the payroll tax cut extension is being funded via a mandate to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the nation's largest providers of mortgage money) to increase their guarantee fees or "g-fee's" by at least 10 basis points on the rate. So rather than giving a par rate of 4.00%, for example, the par rate is now increased by at least 10 basis points, or approximately 4.10%. But as you probably know...home loan rates are priced and offered in .125% increments, so this will most likely impact the consumer by .125% in rate. Whether you agree or not on the politics behind this cost being passed along to folks who are taking out mortgages, the Congressional Budget Office recently estimated that the increase will ultimately pay for about $35.7 Billion of the cost of the payroll tax extension. What exactly is this "g-fee"? The guarantee fee or "g-fee" is an amount charged by mortgage-backed securities (MBS) providers, like Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, to help protect against credit-related losses in the overall mortgage portfolio. In other words, it acts a lot like insurance and helps lower the overall risk...which means home loans can be offered at terrific interest rates to borrowers that have good – but not perfect – credit. What exactly is the impact of the rate increase? For example, for a $200,000 home loan, the increased g-fee (assuming a .125% increase in rate) would equate to $250 more per year in interest, or $7,500 more over 30 years. Someone buying or refinancing a home can certainly choose to buy down the cost with cash up front – but most folks will not do this. Who will this impact? The change will impact all new borrowers of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans. The bill will also impact Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans by increasing the annual mortgage insurance premium that borrowers pay by one-tenth of a percent. When will it start? Officially, the increase to guarantee fees will begin on April 1, 2012. However, the increase is already starting to be seen in rate sheets right now, since home loans being originated now will likely not be closed, pooled and securitized until April...and therefore will need the increased g-fee priced in earlier. How long will this be in effect? The increase will be effective through October 1, 2021. The bottom line is that the g-fees will be going up...and this will impact homebuyers looking to obtain a home loan through Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and FHA. The good news is that home loan rates are still at historic lows right now, and it's a great time to purchase a new home or refinance. If you or anyone you know has any questions, please call or email! Sincerely, Rich Hebert Lending Edge Mortgage Rich@RichHebert.com

LION SIGHTED IN COPPELL TX NATURE PARK video

You will never know what you will see walking the trails in Coppell Nature Park. 66 acres of wild, raw nature. Sitting on the west side of Coppell Tx smack in the middle of Wagon Wheel Park, Coppell Nature Park is a great way to get away from the craziness of living between Dallas and Fort Worth.

This park is a natural habitat for coyotes, bobcats, hawks and other animals. There are over 130 different kinds of birds that migrate thru the Nature Park throughout the year. I have lived in Coppell for over eight years and did not know that there are amazing trails that run thru the 66 acre park. The first trails were cut and cleared by Eagle Scouts and volunteers under the supervision of Scout Masters Chris Wilt and Pete Parrish.

The Parks in Coppell Tx are one of the reasons that Coppell is a great city to live in. Even though it is surrounded by Dallas and Fort Worth, Coppell Tx still has that small town community feel. This is a great time to buy in Coppell!!