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Don't Miss It! The District Concert Series This Weekend

Friday, October 19, 2018
by Christie Cannon

Don't Miss It! The District Concert Series This Weekend

Rain or Shine The District Concert Series is taking place this weekend! Come on out and enjoy the fun-filled FREE event taking place from 7:00-9:00pm at The Shops at Willow Bend. This weekend promises to be a blast with the sounds of Journey & Fleetwood Mac gracing the stage.

 

Friday, October 19th: Escape: A Journey Tribute Band that consists of veteran musicians who bring a dynamic, high-energy presentation to every show. Their goal is to get people off their chairs to sing along and dance to the music. Journey's music is very much a positive message and their show is all about having a fun time for everyone attending! Food trucks on site will be Jenny Lynn's BBQ & Kona Ice. DUE TO WEATHER THIS NIGHT WILL BE HELD INSIDE GRAND COURT ON THE LOWER LEVEL AND FOOD TRUCKS WILL BE LOCATED OUTSIDE THE FOOD COURT ENTRANCE

 

Saturday, October 20th: Forever Mac: A Fleetwood Mac Tribute Band brings a never ending variety of song arrangements, spanning more than four decades of tours and performances complete with beautiful harmonies and signature instrumental tones. Food trucks on site will be The Dock & Kona Ice.

 

Admission is free and food, beer & wine are available for purchase. Check out the The Shops at Willow Bend website for updates on cancellations due to inclement weather. We will have some fun giveaways and will be available to answer any questions you may have, so come say hello! We can't wait to see you there!

 

Christie Cannon | REALTOR
The Christie Cannon Team
Keller Williams Realty Frisco
972-215-7747
www.ChristieCannon.com
www.CannonTeamHomes.com
 

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5 Tips for Starting Your Home Search

Wednesday, October 17, 2018
by Christie Cannon

5 Tips for Starting Your Home Search

5 Tips for Starting Your Home Search | MyKCM

In today’s real estate market, with low inventory dominating the conversation in many areas of the country, it can often be frustrating to be a first-time homebuyer if you aren’t prepared.

In a recent realtor.com article entitled, “How to Find Your Dream Home—Without Losing Your Mind,” the author highlights some steps that first-time homebuyers can take to help carry their excitement of buying a home throughout the whole process.

1. Get Pre-Approved for a Mortgage Before You Start Your Search

One way to show you are serious about buying your dream home is to get pre-qualified or pre-approved for a mortgagebefore starting your search. Even if you are in a market that is not as competitive, understanding your budget will give you the confidence of knowing whether or not your dream home is within your reach.

This step will also help you narrow your search based on your budget and won’t leave you disappointed if the home you tour, and love, ends up being outside your budget!

2. Know the Difference Between Your ‘Must-Haves’ and ‘Would-Like-To-Haves’

Do you really need that farmhouse sink in the kitchen to be happy with your home choice? Would a two-car garage be a convenience or a necessity? Could the ‘man cave’ of your dreams be a future renovation project instead of a make-or-break right now?

Before you start your search, list all the features of a home you would like and then qualify them as ‘must-haves’, ‘should-haves’, or ‘absolute-wish list’ items. This will help keep you focused on what’s most important.

3. Research and Choose a Neighborhood You Want to Live In

Every neighborhood has its own charm. Before you commit to a home based solely on the house itself, the article suggests test-driving the area. Make sure that the area meets your needs for “amenities, commute, school district, etc. and then spend a weekend exploring before you commit.”

4. Pick a House Style You Love and Stick to It

Evaluate your family’s needs and settle on a style of home that would best serve those needs. Just because you’ve narrowed your search to a zip code, doesn’t mean that you need to tour every listing in that zip code.

An example from the article says, “if you have several younger kids and don’t want your bedroom on a different level, steer clear of Cape Cod–style homes, which typically feature two or more bedrooms on the upper level and the master on the main.”

5. Document Your Home Visits

Once you start touring homes, the features of each individual home will start to blur together. The article suggests keeping your camera handy and documenting what you love and don’t love about each property you visit. They even go as far as to suggest snapping a photo of the ‘for sale’ sign on the way into the property to help keep the listings divided in your photo gallery.

Making notes on the listing sheet as you tour the property will also help you remember what the photos mean, or what you were feeling while touring the home.

Bottom Line

In a high-paced, competitive environment, any advantage you can give yourself will help you on your path to buying your dream home.

 

 

 

Christie Cannon | REALTOR
The Christie Cannon Team
Keller Williams Realty Frisco
972-215-7747
www.ChristieCannon.com
www.CannonTeamHomes.com

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Pumpkin Patches, Festivals, Hay Rides and More!

Tuesday, October 16, 2018
by Christie Cannon

Pumpkin patches, festivals, hay rides and more! We rounded up some of the best Halloween events in the area just for you! 

ALLEN
BACH & BROOMSTICKS
Sat, October 20 12-4pm
Watters Creek
Crafts, balloon art, face painting, pumpkin decorating, hayrides

FAMILY FALL FESTIVAL
Sat, October 27 4:30-7:30pm
Christ the Servant Lutheran Church
Pumpkin painting, face painting, crafts, games

HOWL-O-WEEN BARKIN' BASH
Sun, October 28 1:30-3:30pm
Bethany Lakes Park
Contests, games, raffles & more!
 

ANNA
ANNA HARVEST FEST
Sat, October 27 12-6pm
Slayter Creek Park
Costume contest, pumpkin decorating contest, live music
 

CELINA
TRICK OR TREAT THE SQUARE
Wed, October 31 4-6pm
Main Street
 

FRISCO
FRISCOVANIA
Sat., October 27 3-8pm
Toyota Stadium
Carnival, fortune teller, games, food trucks, live music, runway show, special performances

FALL FESTIVAL
Sat, October 27 11am-1pm
Dr Pepper Ballpark
Costume Contest, petting zoo, pumpkin painting, face painting

FAMILY FUN FEST
Sun, October 28 4-8pm
Elevate Life Church
Carnival games, petting zoo, cakewalk, hay ride
 

LEWISVILLE
ROCKTOBER HALLOWEEN BASH!
Tue, October 30 5-9pm
Wayne Ferguson Plaza
Trick or treating, kids activities, La Freak performance
 

LITTLE ELM
PUMPKIN HOLLOW - *Cancelled due to weather
October 18-20
Little Elm Park
Haunted trail & hayride, pumpkin trail, games

 

MCKINNEY
GHOSTWALK
Chestnut Street
Check website for times
Walk through downtown, hauntings tours, paranormal experience 

HALLOWEEN AT THE HEARD
Sat, Oct 20 6-10pm
Heard Natural Science Museum
Movie, trick or treating along dinosaurs

SCARE ON THE SQUARE
Wed, October 31 4-7pm
Historic Downtown McKinney
Costume contest, pumpkin races, family friendly event
 

PLANO
PLANO FAMILY EXPO
Sun, October 21 10am-4pm
Plano Event Center
Trick or treat, live shows, haunted house
 
BOO BASH
Thur, October 25 5-8pm
Muehlenbeck Recreation Center
Carnival games & trick or treating
 
HAUNTED FAMILY CAMPOUT
Sat, October 27 3:30pm-10am Sun
Oak Point Park Nature & Retreat Center
Outdoor games, night hike, tent decorating
 
Crayola Experience
Activities, scavenger hunt, zombie crafts, live show
 

PROSPER
PROSPER PUMPKINFEST
Sat, October 20 4:00pm
Frontier Park
Costume contest, pumpkin patch, activities
 

THE COLONY
FAMILY FRIGHT NIGHT
Sat, October 20 4pm-9am
Stewart Creek Park
Campout, haunted trail, costume contest, scary movie, hayride

HAUNTED SHADOWS LAKE TRAIL
Near Blue Sky Sports Center
Check website for times
Walk the dark trail through the woods, self-guided journey along Lake Lewisville
 

WYLIE
BOO ON BALLARD
Thur, October 25 6-8pm
Historic Downtown Wylie
Costume contest, trick or treating, activities

 

PUMPKIN PATCHES
PUMPKIN PATCH & FALL FESTIVAL, Allen
PUMPKINS ON THE PRAIRIE, Frisco
PRESTON TRAIL FARMS, Gunter
STORYBOOK RANCH PUMPKIN PATCH, McKinney
FLOWER MOUND PUMPKIN PATCH, Flower Mound

 

It's a great time of year to live in North Texas. No matter where you live, there is sure to be a fun-filled family-friendly Halloween event nearby!  

 

Christie Cannon | REALTOR
The Christie Cannon Team
Keller Williams Realty Frisco
972-215-7747
www.ChristieCannon.com
www.CannonTeamHomes.com

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Habitat for Humanity to Build Homes from Shipping Containers in McKinney

Wednesday, October 10, 2018
by Christie Cannon

Habitat for Humanity to Build Homes from Shipping Containers in McKinney

A new development in McKinney is coming and it has a whole new look! North Collin County Habitat for Humanity is building a new community, called Cotton Groves, offering affordable housing in the northern suburb of Dallas. 

The steel shipping containers have quickly become a trendy design, offering sleek & simple lines. Habitat will bolt several boxes together & on top of each other to create the three-, four- & five-bedroom homes. The homes will be finished out like standard Habitat homes and will feature solar panels, carports & balconies. 

Demand has been high for the new neighborhood with lots of people watching to see how it turns out. Read the full article about the new community!

 

Christie Cannon | REALTOR
The Christie Cannon Team
Keller Williams Realty Frisco
972-215-7747
www.ChristieCannon.com
www.CannonTeamHomes.com

 

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What’s Going On With Home Prices?

Tuesday, October 9, 2018
by Christie Cannon

What’s Going On With Home Prices?

What’s Going On With Home Prices? | MyKCM

According to CoreLogic’s latest Home Price Insights Report, national home prices in August were up 5.5% from August 2017. This marks the first time since June 2016 that home prices did not appreciate by at least 6.0% year-over-year.

CoreLogic’s Chief Economist Frank Nothaft gave some insight into this change,

“The rise in mortgage rates this summer to their highest level in seven years has made it more difficult for potential buyers to afford a home. The slackening in demand is reflected in the slowing of national appreciation, as illustrated in the CoreLogic Home Price Index.  

National appreciation in August was the slowest in nearly two years, and we expect appreciation to slow further in the coming year.”

One of the major factors that has driven prices to accelerate at a pace of between 6-7% over the past two years was the lack of inventory available for sale in many areas of the country. This made houses a prized commodity which forced many buyers into bidding wars and drove prices even higher.

According to the National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) latest Existing Home Sales Report, we are starting to see more inventory come to market over the last few months. This, paired with patient buyers who are willing to wait to find the right homes, is creating a natural environment for price growth to slow.

Historically, prices appreciated at a rate of 3.7% (from 1987-1999). CoreLogic predicts that prices will continue to rise over the next year at a rate of 4.7%.

Bottom Line

As the housing market moves closer to a ‘normal market’ with more inventory for buyers to choose from, home prices will start to appreciate at a more ‘normal’ level, and that’s ok! If you are curious about home prices in your area, let’s get together to chat about what’s going on!

 

 

Christie Cannon | REALTOR
The Christie Cannon Team
Keller Williams Realty Frisco
972-215-7747
www.ChristieCannon.com
www.CannonTeamHomes.com

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Don't Miss It - The District Concert Series Tonight & Tomorrow!

Friday, October 5, 2018
by Christie Cannon

Don't Miss It - The District Concert Series Tonight & Tomorrow!

 

Come on out to the brand new District at The Shops at Willow Bend tonight & tomorrow from 7:00-9:00pm to enjoy the fun-filled free concert series. The District is destination dining area at the The Shops at Willow Bend with up to seven chef driven restaurants. Pick up delicious takeout, picnic on the patio or take in all the festivities from one of the new restaurants' outdoor dining tables. 

 

Tonight, October 5th, the sounds of Big Little Town will be rockin' the stage & covering all the hits of the top country band, Little Big Town. Come on out Saturday, October 6th as well and take in the sights & sounds with Beatlemania64 as they put on a multimedia musical journey through the life & times of The Beatles.

 

Come pop by our tent and say hello! We will have fun giveaways & are available to answer any questions you may have! See you tonight!

 

 

Christie Cannon | REALTOR
The Christie Cannon Team
Keller Williams Realty Frisco
972-215-7747
www.ChristieCannon.com
www.CannonTeamHomes.com

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Weekend Happenings - The District Concert Series

Thursday, October 4, 2018
by Christie Cannon

Weekend Happenings - The District Concert Series

The Christie Cannon Team is once again proud to sponsor the District Concert Series located at the brand new Restaurant District at The Shops at Willow Bend in Plano, TX. Bring your entire family out for a night of food, music & fun! This year the District Concert Series will be held Friday & Saturday nights during the month of October.  This weekend come check out Big Little Town & Beatlemania64.

 

Friday, October 5th: Dallas' own tribute to the hottest band on the country charts today: Big Little Town, has paralleled the group in an unprecedented way. Covering all of their songs, in perfect harmony.

 

Saturday, October 6th: Beatlemania64 presents a live multimedia musical journey through the life and times of the world's most celebrated band, The Beatles. The cover band performs hits from the vast anthology of Beatles classics.

 

Pick up delicious takeout and picnic on the patio or take in the festivities from the new restaurants' outdoor dining tables.  Get a roll-up picnic blanket with takeout from one of the new restaurants in The District - Knife, Mexican Bar Company, Terra Mediterranean, Whistle Britches or Ascension, while supplies last!

 

 

This is a family friendly event and we can’t wait to see everyone out there!  Stop by our tent, say HI and get some treats!!

 

Christie Cannon | REALTOR
The Christie Cannon Team
Keller Williams Realty Frisco
972-215-7747
www.ChristieCannon.com
www.CannonTeamHomes.com

 

 
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Introducing The Corridor DFW Magazine!

Wednesday, October 3, 2018
by Christie Cannon

Introducing The Corridor DFW Magazine!

 

This month, The Christie Cannon Team is proud to announce the launch of our new magazine The Corridor DFW! This publication designed for the North Texas community features a wide range of lifestyle and real estate stories to inspire, inform & connect with you like never before. The world of home design, a featured local artist, tips on how to stage a home and featured local listings that are too great to miss can all be found in this debut issue. We also take a peek into some of the highly anticipated master planned communities and everything that they offer. 

With the market seeing a shift, expertise comes into play more than ever. Whether you are planning on buying or selling, The Corridor DFW is now here to entertain, inform and present ideas for you and your next real estate endeavor. 

 

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Oldest Home in Plano TX Moves Locations!

Friday, September 28, 2018
by Christie Cannon

Love your home, but not your location?  Check out what happened when Plano's oldest home was facing destruction.  

Built in 1861, the Collinwood House, was moved to Haggard Farm last week to protect the home's future.  The City of Plano purchased the home's previous location with the intent of turning the Collinwood Farm into a city park.  After a city bond intended to restore the property was declined by voters last year, the property was facing likely destruction.  The home was purchased by one of Plano's founding families, the Haggards, whose plan is to restore the property the frontier property 

Construction on the Windhaven Meadows park has already begun. 

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The Cost of NOT Paying PMI

Wednesday, September 26, 2018
by Christie Cannon

The Cost of NOT Paying PMI

The Cost of NOT Paying PMI | MyKCM

Saving for a down payment is often the biggest hurdle for a first-time homebuyer as median incomes, rents, and home prices all vary depending on where you live.

There is a common misconception among homebuyers that a 20% down payment is required, and it is this limiting belief that often adds months, and sometimes even years, to the home-buying process.

So, if you can purchase a home with less than a 20% down payment… why aren’t more people doing just that?

One Possible Answer: Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI)

Freddie Mac defines PMI as:

“An insurance policy that protects the lender if you are unable to pay your mortgage. It’s a monthly fee, rolled into your mortgage payment, that is required for all conforming, conventional loans that have down payments less than 20%.

Once you’ve built equity of 20% in your home, you can cancel your PMI and remove that expense from your mortgage payment.”

As the borrower, you pay the monthly premiums for the insurance policy, and the lender is the beneficiary. The monthly cost of your PMI depends on the home’s value, the amount of your down payment, and your credit score.

Below is a table showing the difference in monthly mortgage payment for a $250,000 home with a 3% down payment and PMI vs. a 20% down payment without PMI:

The Cost of NOT Paying PMI | MyKCM

The first thing you see when looking at the table above is no doubt the added $320 a month that you would be spending on your monthly mortgage cost. The second thing that should stand out is that a 20% down payment is $50,000!

If you are buying your first home, $50,000 is a large sum of money that takes discipline and sacrifice to save. Many first-time buyers save for 5-10 years before buying their homes.

To save $50,000 in 10 years, you would need to save about $420 a month. On the other hand, if you save that same $420 a month, you could afford a 3% down payment in less than a year and a half.

In a recent article by My Mortgage Insider, they explain what could happen in the market while you are waiting to save for a higher down payment:

“The time it takes to save a (larger) down payment could mean higher home prices and tougher qualifying down the road. For many buyers, it could prove much cheaper and quicker to opt for the 3% down mortgage immediately.”

The article went on to say,

“Since renters typically devote a higher percentage of their income to housing than homeowners, providing flexible down payment options can help renters with solid earnings purchase a home – and gain a fixed-rate mortgage with principal and interest payments that will not increase over the life of the loan.”

If the prospect of having to pay PMI is holding you back from buying a home today, Freddie Mac has this advice,

“It’s no doubt an added cost, but it’s enabling you to buy now and begin building equity versus waiting 5 to 10 years to build enough savings for a 20% down payment.”

Based on results of the most recent Home Price Expectation Survey, a homeowner who purchased a $250,000 home in January would gain $50,000 in equity over the next five years based on home price appreciation alone (shown below).

The Cost of NOT Paying PMI | MyKCM

Bottom Line

If you have questions about whether you should buy now or wait until you’ve saved a larger down payment, let’s get together to discuss our market’s conditions and help you make the best decision for you and your family.

 

 

Christie Cannon | REALTOR
The Christie Cannon Team
Keller Williams Realty Frisco
972-215-7747
www.ChristieCannon.com
www.CannonTeamHomes.com

 

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Photo of Christie Cannon Real Estate
Christie Cannon
Keller Williams Realty
5933 Preston Road #300
Frisco TX 75034
972-215-7747
Fax: 972-215-7748
Send an Email
Keller Williams Frisco - The Christie Cannon Team - http://www.christiecannon.com

 

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