Real Estate

They form the basis for all life- earth, wind, fire, and water.  The four major elements are often taken for granted, barely even noticed amid the hustle and bustle of modern life.  This spring as the weather warms and new life blossoms, bring the elements to life by creating outdoor living spaces that enhance the unique energy of each one.

Earth

Spring means a turning over of the old and a bursting forth of the new.  Before the trees bud and the flowers bloom, clear away debris from last fall.  Clearing old growth and dead foliage allows the new to take center stage.   For the ultimate in low maintenance high zen quality landscape, consider a life size sand garden.  The soothing nature of warm white sand accented by drought resistant greenery brings a sense of calm, like a beach sans ocean.  Container gardens or those planted in the ground are also a great way to act global and think local.

Air

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This is courtesy from my friend Cody Baker who came across this jewel today. How could you photograph this for a listing and what exactly, is this supposed to convey?

Downtown Dallas experienced unprecedented progress in 2012 with the completion of several marquee  projects, as well as important under-the-radar residential developments that have the city poised for more growth, business and city leaders agreed on the Sunday, March 10, broadcast of the KRLD “Pulse of the City” roundtable.

In addition to 2012 completions of a signature Calatrava-designed bridge, the opening of the Perot Museum of Science & Nature, the City Performance Hall, and the Klyde Warren Park spanning the Woodall Rogers Freeway, millions of square feet of aging office buildings are being quietly transformed into hotel and residential space.

Read more at Marquee 2012 Developments Have Downtown Dallas Poised For Growth « CBS Dallas / Fort Worth.

I met with a writer from the Park Cities People last week to chat about the low inventory in our market and what a feeding frenzy it’s creating. It has been about a decade since I’ve seen anything like this and we were chatting about the imbalance in the marketplace and what land mines to watch out for. 

Here’s a link to the complete article and the 2013 vs 2012 comparison. 

http://www.parkcitiespeople.com/2013/03/25/real-estate-remains-hard-to-come-by-according-to-mls/

Real estate brokers say that KPMG has picked developer Craig Hall’s planned Arts District office tower for its new location.

The race to build the next office tower in downtown Dallas has gotten a boost toward the starting line.

Read more at KPMG picks Dallas Arts District building for its new office | Dallasnews.com – News for Dallas, Texas – The Dallas Morning News.

Theresa O’Donnell, head of the city’s Sustainable Development department, calls the plan to rezone, redraw and completely redo 430 acres of North Dallas “the most exciting thing I’ve ever been involved in” during her decade at Dallas City Hall. The reason? “This is doable, it’s achievable, and all the stars are aligned.”

She’s referring specifically to the Valley View-Galleria Area Plan, a glimpse of which was presented this morning to the Dallas City Plan Commission and its Urban Design Committee, along with a small room jam-packed with North Dallas property owners and developers. But, as you’ll note below, it was just that — a glimpse, 12 PowerPoint pages consisting of time lines, conceptual renderings and such buzzwords and catchphrases as “pedestrian friendly, mixed use neighborhood,” “vibrant shopping and entertainment district” and “high density supported by a network of enhanced streets and open spaces.”

Read more at At City Hall this morning a peek at the vision for Midtown Dallas, which will make over 430 acres of North Dallas | City Hall Blog.

Growth momentum has shifted decidedly toward Texas. Austin’s population expanded a remarkable 3% last year, tops among the nation’s 52 largest metro areas. Three other Lone Star metropolitan areas — Houston, San Antonio and Dallas-Ft. Worth — ranked in the top six and all expanded at roughly twice the national average. 

Read more at America’s Fastest- and Slowest-Growing Cities – Forbes.