What are some of the most common recreational activities residents of your region like to partake in? Are there any specific spots they like to frequent to enjoy such to-do’s?
With more restaurants per capita than New York City, dining out is at the top of the list of recreational activities for Dallasites. Sports are also high on North Texans' list of fun, both participating in and watching. We have world class golf courses like TPC at the Four Seasons Las Colinas, Preston Trails, and Gleneagles, and world-class sports teams like the Dallas Cowboys, the Dallas Stars, the Dallas Mavericks, and the Texas Rangers. The new Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters in Frisco will add another exciting sports center to our area. And let's not forget kids' sports; currently two of the top ten nationally ranked boys' football teams are from North Texas (Allen and Cedar Hill, as of September 3rd, 2014).
Klyde Warren Park, a Dallas park built over a freeway that runs through downtown Dallas, has become a great destination for all kinds of recreation. From food trucks to yoga to a dog park to a kids' splash pad there is something for everyone in this park adjacent to the arts district, which is the biggest arts district in the nation.
I would be remiss if I did not mention shopping as a recreational activity in North Texas as well. America's first shopping center, Highland Park Village, was built in Dallas in 1931. Since then other world-class shopping venues have opened up all over North Texas—North Park Mall, The Village at Fairview, West Village, Knox-Henderson, and The Shops at Legacy—to name a few.
Name three things those looking to purchase a new home should do even before beginning their search.
People often ask me what they need to do when contemplating a new home purchase. The first thing I tell them to do is identify their goals for their purchase. They need to establish goals for finances, family needs (neighborhood, schools, etcetera), proximity to areas of activity in their lives, and the needs for the actual layout of their homes. Once they have established those goals, they can get a letter of qualification or proof of funds so they make sure they are able to get into the home they fall in love with. Nobody likes to fall in love with a house and then find out they can't afford it. Protecting yourself up front and getting your financial ducks in a row is a way to save heartache and headache in the transaction process.
The third imperative is to find a licensed Realtor to work with. They can interview as many agents as they like to find the one that they feel can best help them turn their goals into strategies and convert their strategies into new homes.