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Republic Title Classic

by Inside Republic Title

Republic Title recently hosted its second annual golf tournament, The Republic Title Classic, which was a huge success! The event took place on April 3rd at Bent Tree Country Club in Dallas and was attended by dozens of enthusiastic golfers.

The day started off with a delicious breakfast, which was followed by a shotgun start. Participants were grouped into teams of four and played a round of golf on the beautiful Bent Tree Course. The tournament used a scramble format, which allowed players of all skill levels to compete and enjoy the game.

After the round, players enjoyed a reception at the country club while the scores were tallied. The top teams were recognized with prizes and awards, but more than that it was about spending the day with our amazing customers, industry colleagues and sponsors.

The event was not only a fun day on the golf course, but it was also an opportunity for Republic Title to bring people together and strengthen relationships within the community. We even had a hole-in-one from one of the tournament players! A special thank you to our fantastic sponsors, Black Tie Moving, Gordan Highlander, First United Mortgage, CBG Surveying and Sport City Toyota. Thank you for your partnership!

Republic Title’s golf tournament was a great success, and everyone who participated had a wonderful time. It was a great way to enjoy a beautiful day on the golf course and connect with others in the community. We can’t wait to see what Republic Title has in store for next year’s tournament!

To view the photos from the event, visit the Facebook album here: Republic Title Classic Photos

DFW Area Dog Parks

National Pet Day

by Resources

If you’re a dog owner in the Dallas area, you’re in luck! The city is home to many fantastic dog parks where you and your furry friend can enjoy some fresh air, exercise, and socialization. Whether you’re looking for a spot to play fetch, run around, or simply relax, there’s a dog park in DFW that’s perfect for you. In this blog post, we’ll be listing out all the dog parks in the Dallas area, so you can find the one that’s closest to you or try out a new location. So grab your leash and let’s get started!

ALLEN

Mutts Canine Cantina
1070 Watters Creek Blvd., Allen, TX 75013

ARLINGTON

Rush Creek Dog Park
1900 Valleywood Dr., Arlington, TX 76013

Tails N Trails Dog Park
950 SE Green Oaks Blvd., Arlington, TX 76018

BEDFORD

Bedford Bark Park Dog Park
3200 Meadow Park Dr., Bedford, TX 76021

COPPELL

Waggin Tails Park (Formerly Coppell Dog Park)
400 S MacArthur Blvd., Coppell, TX 75019

DALLAS

Barry Annino Dog Park (Formerly Bark Park Central)
2530 Commerce St., Dallas, TX 75226

Central Dog Park
4711 Westside Dr., Dallas, TX 75209

Meadows Foundation Dog Park
1100 Skiles St., Dallas, TX 75204

My Best Friend’s Dog Park – Klyde Warren Park
2012 Woodall Rodgers Fwy., Dallas, TX 75201

Main Street Garden Urban Dog Run
1900 Main St., Dallas, TX 75201

NorthBark
4899 Gramercy Oaks Dr., Dallas, TX 75287

Wagging Tail
5841 Keller Springs Rd., Dallas, TX 75248

White Rock Lake Dog Park
8000 E. Mockingbird Ln., Dallas, TX 75218

DENTON

Wiggly Field Dog Park
1760 E. Ryan Rd., Denton, TX 76210

FLOWER MOUND

Lakeside Dog Park at Heritage Park
41047281, Flower Mound, TX 75022

Hound Mound Dog Park
1202 S. Garden Ridge Blvd., Flower Mound, TX 75028

FRISCO

Ruff Range Dog Park
5335 4th Army Memorial Rd., Frisco, TX 75034

FORT WORTH

Fort Woof Dog Park
751 Beach St., Fort Worth, TX 76111

Z Boaz Dog Park
6950 Camp Bowie W Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76116

GRAND PRAIRIE

Central Bark Dog Park at Veterans Park
7445, 2222 W Warrior Trail, Grand Prairie, TX 75052

IRVING

Irving Dog Park
4140 Valley View Ln, Irving, TX 75038

LEWISVILLE

Railroad Park
4140 Valley View Ln, Irving, TX 75038

MCKINNEY

Bonnie Wenk Dog Park
2996 Virginia Pkwy, McKinney, TX 75071

PLANO

Jack Carter Dog Park
2215 Pleasant Valley Dr, Plano, TX 75023

RICHARDSON

Bush Central Barkway
3581 N Central Expy, Richardson, TX 75023

ROCKWALL

Harry Myers Dog Park
815 E Washington St, Rockwall, TX 75087

SOUTHLAKE

BooBoo’s Buddies Dog Park at Bob Jones Park
3901 N White Chapel Blvd, Southlake, TX 76092

For this and other helpful DFW area information, please visit our Resource Section.

**Print Version

DFW Area Golf Courses

by Resources

The weather is perfect to hit the golf course. Here is a list of DFW Area Golf Courses that we have put together.

Bear Creek Golf Club
3500 Bear Creek Ct., DFW Airport
Bearcreek-golf.com

Bent Tree Country Club
5201 Westgrove Dr., Dallas
Benttreecc.org

Bridlewood Golf Club
4000 W. Windsor Blvd., Flower Mound
Bridlewoodgolf.com

Brookhaven Country Club
3333 Golfing Green Dr., Farmers Branch
Clubcorp.com/clubs/brookhaven-country-club.com

Brook Hollow Golf Club
8301 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas
Brookhollowgc.org

Buffalo Creek Golf Club
624 Country Club Dr., Rockwall
buffalocreekgc.com

Canyon Creek Country Club
625 W. Lookout Dr., Richardson
Canyoncreekclub.com

Cedar Crest Golf Course
1800 Southerland, Dallas
Golfcedarcrest.com

Cottonwood Valley
4150 N MacArthur Blvd, Irving
cottonwoodvalley.com

Cowboys Golf Club
1600 Fairway Dr., Grapevine
Cowboysgolfclub.com

Coyote Ridge
1640 West Hebron Pkwy., Carrollton
Coyoteridgegolfclub.com

Dallas Country Club
4155 Mockingbird Ln., Dallas
Thedallascc.org

Dallas Firewheel Golf Park
600 W Campbell Rd., Garland
Golffirewheel.com

Dallas National Golf Club
1515 Knoxville, Dallas
Dallasnationalgolfclub.com

El Dorado Country Club
2604 Country Club Dr., McKinney
Eldoradocc.com

Frisco Lakes Golf Club
7170 Anthem Dr., Frisco
Friscolakesgc.com

Gentle Creek Country Club
3131 Prosper Tr., Prosper
Gentlecreek.com

Gleneagles Country Club
5401 W. Park Blvd., Plano
clubcorp.com/Clubs/Gleneagles-country-club.com

Grapevine Golf Course
3800 Fairway Dr., Grapevine
grapevinegc.com

Golf Club of Dallas
2200 W. Red Bird Ln., Dallas
Golfclubdallas.com

hackberry creek country club
1901 W Royal Ln, Irving
clubcorp.com/clubs/hackberry-creek-country-club

Heritage Ranch Country Club
465 Scenic Ranch Cir., Fairview
Heritageranchgolf.com

Indian Creek Golf Club
1650 W. Frankford Rd., Carrollton
Indiancreekgolfclub.com

Irving Golf Club
2000 East Shady Grove Rd., Irving
Irvinggolfcourse.org

Keeton Park Golf Course
2323 Jim Miller Rd., Dallas
Keetonpark.com

Lake Park Golf Course
6 Lake Park Rd., Lewisville
Lakeparkgc.com

Lakewood Country Club
6430 Gaston Ave., Dallas
Lakewoodcc.com

Las Colinas Country Club
4400 N. O’Connor Rd., Las Colinas
clubcorp.com/Clubs/las-colinas -country-club.com

Luna Vista
11223 Luna Rd., Dallas
twincreeksgolf.com

Mansfield National
3750 National Pkwy., Mansfield
mansfield-national.com

Maridoe Golf Club
2020 Kelly Blvd., Carrollton
Maridoe.com

Meadowbrook Golf Course1
851 Jenson Rd., Ft. Worth
Fortworthgolf.com

Northwood Country Club
6524 Alpha Rd., Dallas
Northwoodclub.org

Oak Hollow Golf Course
3005 N. McDonald St., McKinney
Oakhollowgc.com

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Class-Calendar-Blog-Header

April Class Calendar

by Ask the ExpertEducationTechnology

Republic Title is pleased to offer a variety of continuing education classes for our customers. Join us in April for classes including:

The Intersection of Divorce, Real Property & Mortgage Planning
This class is designed to provide real estate professionals with an understanding of how a divorce involving real estate, spousal support, child support, etc. can affect a real estate closing transaction. We will cover the elements of a divorce and provide a better understanding of successfully working with divorcing clients.
April 5th
11:30 am – 1:00 pm
Republic Title North Coit

Backup, Contingent & Multiple Offers
This class will prepare licensees to handle the unique aspects of backup, contingent and multiple offer transactions by reviewing pertinent TREC addenda along with critical dates and deadlines.
April 6th
10:00 am – 11:00 am
Zoom

Social Media Content Planning 101 
All good social media begins with a plan. Join us to learn how effective content planning and execution will keep you top of mind with your sphere and help you win more business. In this class, you will learn tips for social media content planning, where to find great content resources, and planning tools to help you organize your social media content calendar.
April 6th
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Caddo Office Reimagine Lakewood

Hit the Road with the MLS-Touch App
Deals are made on the road. MLS Touch is the most advanced Mobile MLS app for agents! Come to this class to learn how to use this tool like a pro from the first time you log in. Seamless integration with Matrix, OneHome Portal, Realist Tax and more. Set up your own branded app to share with clients and on social media.
April 12th
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Republic Title Park Cities

Hit the Road with the MLS-Touch App
Deals are made on the road. MLS Touch is the most advanced Mobile MLS app for agents! Come to this class to learn how to use this tool like a pro from the first time you log in. Seamless integration with Matrix, OneHome Portal, Realist Tax and more. Set up your own branded app to share with clients and on social media.
April 13th
10:00 am – 11:00 am
Republic Title Southlake

Maximize Productivity with ChatGPT A Real Estate Agents Guide
Teaching real estate agents to use ChatGPT can improve their overall effectiveness and efficiency in serving clients. Come to this class to learn the many ways ChatGPT can help you create better listing descriptions, social media posts, scripts for videos & blogs, ad copy and so much more.
April 18th
10:00 am – 11:00 am
Republic Title Uptown Conference Center

Survey Issues
Join us for this class intended to help licensees understand surveys and the applicable paragraphs in the TREC 1-4 Family Residential Contract and prepare them for any potential survey issues that may arise.
April 18th
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Republic Title Castle Hills

Maximize Productivity with ChatGPT A Real Estate Agents Guide
Teaching real estate agents to use ChatGPT can improve their overall effectiveness and efficiency in serving clients. Come to this class to learn the many ways ChatGPT can help you create better listing descriptions, social media posts, scripts for videos & blogs, ad copy and so much more.
April 19th
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Republic Title Preston Frankford

Incredible Canva Tips and Tricks
Boost your listings and properties easily and efficiently using Canva’s beautiful real estate templates. Join us to learn new tips and tricks to make designing even easier and make marketing one of your new favorite tasks!
April 20th
10:00 am – 11:00 am
Zoom

Maximize Productivity with ChatGPT A Real Estate Agents Guide
Teaching real estate agents to use ChatGPT can improve their overall effectiveness and efficiency in serving clients. Come to this class to learn the many ways ChatGPT can help you create better listing descriptions, social media posts, scripts for videos & blogs, ad copy and so much more.
April 26th
9:30 am – 10:30 am
Republic Title Park Cities

Selling Out of an Estate
Join us to learn the requirements for selling real estate if title is held by an estate or there has been a death of a seller.
April 26th
10:00 am – 11:00 am
Zoom

Texas-Housing-Insight-January-2023

Texas Housing Insight January 2023 Summary

by Real Estate ArticlesResourcesStats

January home sales increased month over month (MOM), but it was the slowest start since January 2017, a far cry from January levels from both 2021 and 2022. Other housing metrics, such as median price and inventory, may be showing early signs of stabilizing with only minor changes in recent months compared with the major swings experienced during the pandemic.

Supply1

Single-family construction permits had been sliding down in demand since March 2022. January 2023’s permit level fell 6.9 percent MOM to 8,897 permits. The other two months during the past three years that monthly permits dipped below 9,000 were during the initial pandemic shock in April and May 2020. Construction permits fell in all major metros except Austin. While housing demand in Houston (2,842 permits) was mostly flat, Dallas (2,249 permits) dropped more than 15 percent MOM. Austin’s monthly construction demand (1,082 permits) rebounded 10 percent, issuing twice as many permits as San Antonio (481 permits).

Texas single-family construction starts have likewise plummeted since March 2022 but started 2023 with a positive month in January with 9,090 units. Although construction starts rebounded in every major metro, the January metric was the lowest level reported in Texas since 2016, suggesting a meek outlook for the housing industry.

The state’s total single-family starts value diminished from $3.8 billion in January 2022 to $2.2 billion in 2023. Houston and Dallas continue to account for more than half of the states total, coming in at 27.5 percent and 26.1 percent, respectively. Further pressing the point home that housing activity is down from the previous year, Austin and San Antonio had their construction values nearly cut in half in the first month of 2023.

The rebound in active listings had been aggressive since March 2022. However, the acceleration slowed in the past two months as the metric fell flat at a seasonally adjusted rate of 91,000 units. Compared with the first half of 2022 when inventory was 50 percent short of pre-pandemic levels, housing inventory was only 4.5 percent short in January. Active listings in Austin have more than tripled from a year ago, reaching 8,500 units. Amid the recent flattening, months of inventory (MOI) dipped for the first time in the past eight months. The MOI for the four major metros ranged from 2.5 months to 3.4 months. While Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio all either hovered back or beyond pre-pandemic levels, Houston’s housing supplies still needed more homes to restock.

Demand

Total home sales inched up 3.4 percent MOM to a seasonally adjusted rate of 27,475 sales. This uptick marked the largest MOM jump since the second half of 2022. Sales in Austin and Houston rebounded greatly, with the former metro surpassing San Antonio’s sales volume and the latter surpassing Dallas’ (Table 1). While the housing market opened robustly in 2023, Texas’ sales still diminished by over 20 percent compared with last year’s January metric.

Sales grew across all price cohorts. While homes below $300K still make up 40 percent of the market, this sector’s sales volume rebounded least at 0.5 percent MOM. The remaining price cohorts ascended moderately at a low-single-digit growth, but homes above $750K grew at an impressive rate of 21.6 percent MOM, accounting for almost 9 percent of the market. 

With sales activity picking up, the Texas’ average days on market (DOM) continued to climb but at a slower pace of 54 days. Compared with the five-year average of 59 days before 2020, this is still converging to historic norms; and it is tilting toward a weaker market that favors buyers. Quadrupling since March 2022, Austin posted a first dip in DOM—balancing at 61 days.

Across all price cohorts except one, DOM rose to a range of 50 to 58 days, a three-day average increase across all the cohorts. The $400K-$500K housing sector’s DOM declined by 5.8 days over the previous month. Meanwhile, homes priced over $750K had a 55 DOM, one day higher than the $300K-$400K cohort.

Compared with a surge to 69 percent in 3Q2020 during the pandemic frenzy, Texas’ homeownership rate had been cooling, hovering around 63.6 percent in 2022. At the metropolitan level, the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area was lowest at 56 percent, while Houston was highest at 67 percent. Austin and San Antonio were at 65 and 60 percent, respectively.

Prices

Texas’ median home prices started off the new year with a strengthened housing market. The 2.1 percent MOM rebound was the largest monthly gain since April of last year. All metros posted positive price growth except for San Antonio (Table 2). Median price per square foot (PSF) corroborated with the trend, as San Antonio’s price PSF dropped 1.6 percent MOM to $168.8.

The ten-year U.S. Treasury bond yield continued its four-month decline, reaching 3.5 percent2 in January 2023, while the two-year counterpart decreased to 4.2 percent. The spread between the ten- and two-year bond yields continued to widen for the seventh month straight. The negative spread indicated persistent market uncertainties, and the ten-year bond yield was still far below 2007’s peak of 5.1 percent. The Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation’s 30-year fixed-rate moderated slightly this month to 6.3 percent, down 0.1 percent from December.

Rapidly rising mortgage rates have continued to pester the housing market over the past year. The Texas Repeat Sales Home Price Index accounts for compositional price effects and provides a better measure of changes in single-family home values. The January metric was essentially the same as the month before. However, January’s index value of 220 was still 3.9 percent higher than the year before. The same trend also affected the major metros as growth rates shrank from double to single digits, except in Austin, which had a net loss in home values.

_________________

1 All measurements are calculated using seasonally adjusted data, and percentage changes are calculated month over month, unless stated otherwise.

2 Bond and mortgage interest rates are nonseasonally adjusted. 

Source – Joshua Roberson, Weiling Yan, and John Shaunfield (March 20, 2023)

https://www.recenter.tamu.edu/articles/technical-report/Texas-Housing-Insight

Spring-Festivals

Spring Festivals and Events in DFW

by Resources

Spring is a wonderful time to explore the Dallas-Fort Worth area and experience some of the exciting festivals and events that take place during this season. From cultural celebrations to food festivals, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Here are some of the top Spring festivals and events in DFW that you won’t want to miss.

The Dallas Arboretum’s Dallas Blooms Festival is a month-long celebration of Spring features over 500,000 blooming bulbs throughout the gardens, including tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths. Visitors can also enjoy live music, special exhibits, and food vendors on select weekends. It’s the perfect way to welcome in the new season and take in the beauty of nature.

Check out our full list of Spring festivals and events and get out there and have some fun!

Dallas Arboretum’s Dallas Blooms Festival  | Dallas | February 25th – April 16th

Fort Worth Food & Wine Festival | Fort Worth | March 30th – April 2nd

Dallas Arts Month | Dallas | month of April 

Dallas Reggae Festival | Addison | April 7th -9th 

Scarborough Renaissance Festival | Waxahachie | April 8th – May 29th

Ennis Bluebonnet Trails Festival | Ennis | April 14th-16th 

Arts in Bloom Festival | McKinney | April 14th -16th 

Grand Prairie Main Street Fest | Grand Prairie | April 21 

Earthx | Dallas |  April 21st – 23rd 

Main Street Art Festival | Fort Worth | April 20th – 23rd 

Spring Japanese Festival | Fort Worth | April 22-23

Art In The Square | Southlake | April 28th – 30th

Mayfest | Fort Worth | May 4th – 7th 

Wildflower Arts & Musical Festival | Richardson | May 19th – 21st  

Rockwall Founders Day Festival | Rockwall |  May 20th  

Taste of Addison | Addison | June 2nd – 3rd

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February 2023 DFW Area Real Estate Stats

by ResourcesStatsVideo

Attention home buyers and sellers! The February real estate stats are in and it’s important to stay informed. Active listings are up in every county compared to last year, providing more choices for home buyers. However, days on market are also up in every county, indicating a more competitive market for sellers. In Dallas County, new listings are down 7.4% from last year, but Collin County and Denton County are seeing an increase in new listings. It’s a unique moment in the housing market, so stay informed before making any decisions!

Our stats infographics include a year over year comparison and area highlights for single family homes broken down by county. We encourage you to share these infographics and video with your sphere.

For more stats information, pdfs and graphics of our stats including detailed information by county, visit the Resources section on our website at DFW Area Real Estate Statistics | Republic Title of Texas.

For the full report from the Texas A&M Real Estate Research Center, click here. For NTREIS County reports click here.

Preparing Your Home for Spring

Preparing For Spring

by Resources

Spring Cleaning and Maintenance Tips To Get Your Home Ready For The Season

Interior
□ Inspect and change out HVAC filters.
□ Clean kitchen sink disposal.
□ Clean range hood filters.
□ Inspect your fire extinguisher(s).
□ Get your air conditioning system ready for summer; empty drain pans, check hose connections for leaks. Consider getting an HVAC technician to service your system biannually. This will help it run optimally year-round.
□ Inspect your attic crawl spaces. Look for signs of vermin infestation. Contact a pest control professional if any concerns arise.
□ Run water and flush toilets in unused spaces.
□ Check water softener and add salt if needed.
□ Test your water heater’s pressure relief valve.
□ Test smoke/carbon monoxide detectors and replace batteries if necessary.
□ Spring cleaning! Now is the time to give your house a deep clean.

Exterior
□ Get your lawn ready for the warm temperatures. Clear your yard of any debris and aerate your lawn if needed (you might need a professional to do this.) Early spring is the best time to lay pre-emergent herbicide. This will prevent weeds from growing.
□ Check exterior drainage.
□ Clean out gutters.
□ Inspect the exterior of your home. Look for soil erosion and add fill dirt/sod if needed.
□ Inspect roof for damage, leaks and missing shingles.
□ Inspect exterior walls including eaves for any cracks or holes where insects or critters could enter.
□ Check seals around windows, caulk if necessary.
□ Check for loose, warped or splintered boards on your deck/patio. Now is a good time to seal/stain if needed.
□ If you stored your lawn furniture for the winter, bring it outdoors and give it a rinse or wash
with a mild detergent.
□ Go ahead and have a little fun! Plant seasonal flowers to add color to your landscape. Flowers that thrive in spring in North Texas are cosmos, marigolds, zinnias and pentas.

Click here for printable version

Seller-Leaseback-Issues

Seller Leaseback Issues

by Ask the ExpertReal Estate ArticlesVideo
A Sellers Temporary Leaseback allows the seller to continue living in the home after closing for a limited time. The Seller leaseback begins when the sale is closed and funded and can last for up to 90 days. During this lease term the Seller is the tenant and the Buyer is now the landlord.
 
Join Republic Title’s Sarah Mann and Shaun Neidigh as they discuss:
– What is a Sellers Leaseback?
– What are the other terms that are negotiated?
– Additional considerations when negotiating a leaseback
 
For more informative videos from the Republic Title Legal Team, check out our YouTube channel: youtube.com/c/RepublicTitle/videos
 
Homestead-Exemptions

Homestead Exemptions

by ResourcesVideo

In our newest video, Republic Title’s Sheri Groom and Matt Visinsky discuss what you need to know about homestead exemptions. A homestead is a house or other residential structure that is used for residential purposes. To qualify for homestead in Texas the owner must be an individual (a corporation or other business entity cannot have a homestead), and use the home as his or her principal residence.

Listen in as Republic Title’s Sheri Groom and Matt Visinsky explain:

  • What is a homestead?
  • What are some of the benefits and protections of homesteads?
  • Who can apply for a homestead exemption?

For more informative videos from the Republic Title Legal Team, check out our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/OHUe02-4c4c