With the summer that we had this year, the City of Frisco has implemented “Stage 3 Water Restriction”.  Starting November 1, the City of Frisco is now activated Stage 3 drought restrictions as outlined in its Drought contingency and Water Emergency Response Plan at the direction of the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD).

The Stage 3 water restriction allows a resident to water on their trash day, only if necessary.  There are no time of day restrictions.  Stage 3 still allows residents to use hand-held and soaker hoses to help protect important investments such as home foundations, pools, trees and shrubs.

It is important to adhere to the water restriction impose by the city to help conserve water. This past summer  drought has cause our lake level to be low. With the cooler weather and some rain prediction, the water restriction is designed to help raise the water level back up.  For homeowners, you can do your part simply by turning off your sprinkler system. Most lawn and landscape will begin to go into dormant state in preparation for the winter.

· Utilize hand held hoses for your trees, up to two hours each day
· Utilize soaker hoses for your foundations,  up to two hours each day
· Obtain variance to drain and refill pools for maintenance
· Wash vehicles using hoses with end nozzles, only

Go to the city’s online ‘state-of-the-art’ weather station data to find out how much watering is needed weekly. This information is updated weekly and uses advanced technology to measure landscape water needs. Residents can subscribe to receive these updates directly via e-mail.

Failure to adhere to the water restriction could result in fines.

Frisco TX is a highly desirable area to purchase real estate in today’s market. There are several factors that contribute to it.

1. Frisco TX is a very affordable area when compared to many cities closeby.
2. The floorplans and age of Frisco TX homes are relative new. Many homes are built after Year 2000, which means the homes have many desirable updated features: open floorplan, nickel or oil-rubbed bronzes fixtures, granite countertops, stainless appliances. Many homes have hardwood floors, beautiful curb appeal accented with stone exterior fronts.
3. Frisco TX has many master-planned communities with community living: community swimming pools, children’s playgrounds, greenbelt for hiking, active HOAs (with annual activities to bring the neighbors together). Many communities have elementary schools close or within the community, and middle and high schools near by.
4. Frisco TX has an EXEMPLARY school district standing in comparison to Plano (Recognized), McKinney (Recognized), Allen (Exemplary). Frisco ISD has smaller student population and keep its student to teacher ratio small.
5. Everything in Frisco looks new, orderly and family-friendly.
6. Frisco TX is just a very well-built, well-planned city. Kudos to the Frisco TX city planners.
7. Frisco TX is 30 minutes for 2 major airports: DFW and Love Field. DFW is an American Airline hub. There are many direct flights to all major cities in the US. DFW is centrally-located.

That being said, there are still some Frisco TX homes that lack some highly-sought after home features. Hence, in order to increase the chances of selling the Frisco TX home, many home sellers are open to the idea of needing to update their homes: Granite countertops, stainless appliances, replacing gold/ bronze fixtures.

Frisco TX home sellers typically ask,

Should we sell the house as-is and offer the buyer some allowance for upgrades at closing? That way, they can decide what they like and also have cash-at-hand to purchase.

Not a bad idea to begin with. However, here are some of the realities the buyers face:

• Most mortgage companies do not like to hold back ESCROW, which means more often than not, the buyers receive a seller concession in the form of closing costs in lieu of appliance or upgrade holdbacks.
  Yes, instead of taking $5,000 into closing, the buyers are now using that cash that they otherwise have to buy appliances or hardwood floors.
• But many Frisco TX home buyers may not have the surplus cash laying around for the purchase. They are already needing sellers’ assistance in closing costs (up to 3% on conventional loans and up to 6% on FHA loans).
• Most Frisco TX buyers do not want the hassle of needing to spend additional time to work on the house. They want to buy it “already done”. They live a very busy lifestyle. They don’t want to spend weekend after weekend updating the house.

While Frisco TX home sellers do not want to deal with having to do minor home improvement projects, this may be the necessary evil to begin increasing the chances to successful home selling – far better than offering seller’s allowances. They dont go very far, at least here in Frisco TX.

If you think your home needs it, do it NOW rather than to offer it at closing 30 days later.

3:16 team REALTY has a very successful track record in home selling, especially in and around the Frisco TX market areas. Loreena Yeo is one of the best and top local Frisco TX Realtor that maintains an immaculate home selling track record. Call Loreena (214) 783-2210 for an appointment to evaluate your home selling plans.

Related Home Selling Topics:

• 3:16 Home Selling Marketing Plan
• Commission Rates
• Proven Track Record
• Pricing my Frisco TX home
• Value my Frisco TX home

School is finally back in full swing which means we are ready for cooler weather and Fall/ Winter. This also means we are ready to get those “Honey-Do” lists that have been piling up from Summer. Following  chores is a good-start to a great Fall maintenance project:

(1)    Windows and Doors

Walk around the exterior of your property. Look at the windows and doors make sure gaps and cracks are properly caulked and sealed. With the heat from the Summer and the revised Stage 3 water restrictions, settling may occur and cracks and gaps may form as a result of the settlement.

Check the inside of windows and doors. Do not forget to check the weather-stripping on exterior doors too. They prevent air (from your ac or heat) from escaping.
These tips keep your home more energy efficient and utility costs down.

(2)    Gutters

Check your gutters and downspouts and make sure, they are  free from debris. Flush them with water, inspect their joints and tighten brackets.

(3)    Heater

Hire a professional HVAC company for a tune-up of your heater.  If your heater is serviced often, it runs efficiently and last longer.

(4)    Roof

Inspect your roof for missing shingles and damaged flashing around the roof. Consider care on steep roof lines. Call a professional roofing company if you do not feel comfortable climbing up on the roof.

(5)    Chimney
Prepare your chimney for winter use. Regular cleaning and clean out ensure safe use. Check for soot or creosote build-up. If you are unsure of what you need to do, hire a professional company. Ask lots of questions and watch they do. Inspection of the chimney includes the inside and exterior of the chimney.

(6)    Ceiling fan

Reverse your ceiling fan. Make sure it creates an upward draft. It distributes warm air up to the ceiling and the rest of the home.

(7)    Lawn Equipment

Prepare your lawn equipment for storage. This includes draining fuel from the gas-powered movers and trimmers. Replacing the oil, spark plugs, and air filters ensure they rev up well in the Spring for you.

(8)    Smoke  and carbon dioxide detectors

Change out the batteries in your smoke and carbon dioxide detectors. As a good advice, write down the date on the battery with a Sharpie so you know when it was placed.

(9)    Fall yard trim

Remove dead annuals and mulch perennials. Trim back the growth from spring to prevent injury in case an ice storm hits in the winter.

(10)  Attic Pest Control

Bugs and pest enjoy the heat in the Winter. Do walk around the property and attic to look for opportunities for entering. Also, evaluate the insulation to make sure efficient energy is maintained when the heater is in used.