Dallas County commercial property sales hit a low in 2008

By STEVE BROWN / The Dallas Morning News
As usual, you can blame the credit crunch.

Commercial property sales in the Dallas area fell to the lowest level on record in 2008 as investors were cut off from loans and the worsening economy took its toll.

In Dallas County, only 1,434 commercial properties changed hands last year, a 32 percent drop from 2007 sales, according to statistics from Addison-based Roddy Information Services.

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Home sales, outlook getting better

Austin Business Journal
A February survey of public and private builders across the country from John Burns Real Estate Consulting shows that Texas saw new home sales, traffic and expectations pick up in January. The survey gathered information from 236 home building industry executives.

“I spent several days in Texas this month and can confirm that the pick-up is real and is driven by lower mortgage rates in an area where home price appreciation was insignificant and the economy is still OK,” said John Burns, CEO of Irvine, Calif.-based John Burns Real Estate Consulting.

However, Burns said, new home prices are still trending downward everywhere, including Texas.

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Dallas community calendar

AREA

GriefWorks offers anticipatory grief support services to children ages 5 to 18 and their family members who are dealing with an anticipated death of a loved one. The center is at 6320 LBJ Freeway, Suite 126. To schedule an appointment, call 972-960-9981.

Academic Year in America, a program of the AIFS Foundation, Foreign Exchange Program, seeks host families for August to host foreign exchange students for five or 10 months. Families may choose the student, country and time of hosting. Students have their own insurance, spending money, clothes and personal products. Contact Dorothy Brown at 214-762-1418 or dorothybrown34@aol.com.

DOWNTOWN

The Black Academy of Arts and Letters presents “Comedy Night at the Muse” featuring comedian B-Phlat at 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Dallas Convention Center theater complex. Tickets are $15. Call 214-743-2400 or visit www.tbaal.org.

Dallas Genealogical Society presents a seminar on Irish genealogy led by Paul Milner from 9:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Saturday at the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library, 1515 Young St. Voicemail, 1-866-968-2347 or www.dallasgenealogy.org.

The Dallas Museum of Art celebrates Black History Month with a lecture, Ancient Egypt and Africa/Egypt in Africa, at 1 p.m. Saturday. Vicki Meek, manager of the South Dallas Cultural Center, and internationally renowned biological anthropologists Michael Blakey, College of William & Mary, and Shomarka Keita, Smithsonian Institution, will lead discussion on the ancient Egyptians and the newest technology being used to research the civilizations of ancient Africa. $15; discounts available for members, seniors and students. Reservations required. For tickets, call 214-922-1826. For details on all Black History Month programs at the museum, visit dallasmuseumofart.org.

The Old Red Museum of Dallas County History and Culture will present “Your Dallas: Carrollton Connections,” an exhibit on Carrollton’s history and development, through May 10. The exhibit, second in a series on Dallas County’s cities and towns, may be viewed in the first-floor gallery of the museum, 100 S. Houston St. The exhibit entry is included in general museum admission or available separately for $3 for adults and $1 for children. The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. For group reservations, call 214-745-1100. www.oldred.org.

Rumors of Dallas-area Disney site persist despite company denials

For more than 20 years, the dream of Walt Disney Co. landing in North Texas has kept real estate agents, developers and fans of the entertainment colossus wishing.

But as many people hope for the mouse to magically appear, some just smell a rat.

“It’s a rumor that’s been around for many years, and there doesn’t appear to be anything to it,” said Realtor Chris Rosprim of Scott Brown Commercial realty in Denton. This despite earnest tales from two of his agents that they were certain Disney representatives had bought land near Melissa or near Interstate 35 in Denton County as recently as last year.

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US existing home sales fall 5.3 percent in January

WASHINGTON (AFP) — US existing home sales fell 5.3 percent in January as potential buyers waited to see the impact of the government’s economic stimulus package, a real estate industry group said Wednesday.

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) said sales fell to a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 4.49 million units, from a level of 4.74 million units in December, amid the severe and prolonged slump in the real estate sector.

The decline confounded analysts’ consensus forecast of a rise for a second straight month, after December sales unexpectedly rose on the back of plunging home prices and soaring foreclosures.

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Dallas-area home prices a mixed bag in fourth quarter

By STEVE BROWN / The Dallas Morning News
Feb 25, 2009

So whom do you believe?

Dallas-area home prices were down 4.3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008 from a year earlier, according to the latest Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller Home Price Index.

But just minutes after Case-Shiller disclosed its estimates for the area Tuesday morning, home market analysts at the Federal Housing Finance Agency said prices in the Dallas area were up 1.86 percent in the fourth quarter compared with a year ago.

Two weeks ago, another closely watched report from the National Association of Realtors said area home prices were down 4.8 percent percent in the fourth quarter.

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Koi turn up dead in Fort Worth Japanese Garden after accidental chlorination

More than 100 Koi fish were discovered dead today in the Japanese Garden pond after the water was accidentally chlorinated overnight.

The gardenÂ’s three ponds normally contain about 800 of the brightly colored orange fish that range in size from about six inches to three feet in length.

The accidental chlorination occurred during normal pond cleaning that is carried out every other year.

The procedure involves lowering the water level in the pond and placing two 55-gallon stock tanks filled with raw water in the pool to contain the fish. The tanks are filled with a water line that normally carries raw water, but due to a maintenance procedure at the nearby South Holly Water Treatment Plant, the line also was being injected with tap water. Tap water contains levels of chlorine that are safe for human consumption, but are harmful to Koi fish.

The Japanese Garden is closed to the public today.

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Dallas-Fort Worth area to have new warning guidelines for storm emergencies

February 24, 2009

By BLANCA CANTÚ / The Dallas Morning News

North Texas emergency officials announced new guidelines on Monday for outdoor warning systems to establish a standard for notifying residents of severe weather and other potentially catastrophic events across the region.

The North Central Texas Council of Governments formally unveiled the recommendations to kick off severe weather awareness week. Outdoor warning systems are typically referred to as tornado sirens but can be activated for other reasons.

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Dallas-Fort Worth Events

Feb. 20 - 22, 2009 - ConDFW Convention (Dallas, TX)
ConDFW, an annual literary speculative fiction (scifi/fantasy/horror/etc) convention, will be at the Crowne Plaza Suites Dallas-Park Central 7800 Alpha Rd Dallas, TX 75240 Friday through Sunday February 20 - 22, 2009. Author Guests of Honor are David Weber and Jim Butcher. Artist Guest of Honor is Janimation. Dozens of other local and visiting authors, artists, and dealers will be there. A costume contest and gaming will be available in addition to a wide spectrum of panels, presentations, and activities aimed at readers and writers of speculative fiction. For more information, visit www.condfw.org

Feb. 20, 2009 – Robin Williams – (Grand Prairie, TX)
This fall on Friday, February 20, 2009, at 8:00 P.M. Nokia Theatre will host award-winning actor and comedian Robin Williams who will embark on his first U.S. stand-up comedy tour since his critically acclaimed 26-date tour in 2002. Entitled “Weapons of Self-Destruction,” the show will highlight Williams’ trademark free associations and riffs on social and political absurdities. For more information visit www.robinwilliams.com or www.nokiatheatredfw.com

Feb. 20-22, 2009 - AmeriStamp Expo/Texpex 2009 (Arlington, TX)
Admission is FREE at AmeriStamp Expo/Texpex 2009, winter show of the American Philatelic Society, at the Arlington Convention Center February 20-22. Family fun for age eight or 80, learn the ins and outs of the world’s greatest hobby. Some 6,400 pages of stamp exhibits will be shown in competition, plus rarities including the fabled inverted Jenny airmail error valued at $400,000. More than 80 dealers from the U.S. and abroad and an auction have everything you need to pursue the stamp hobby, with helpful seminars and how-to sessions for interests of every kind. Beginners are especially welcome, with a booth for new collectors and a special area to guide youth through hobby basics, with free stamps, puzzles, hands-on skills, and games. If you have an old collection, “Stamps in Your Attic” will give free evaluations of what you’ve got, courtesy of the National Stamp Dealers Association. AmeriStamp Expo/Texpex, open Friday and Saturday 10 to 6, Sunday from 10 to 4. Visit www.stamps.org/Ameristamp

Feb. 21, 2009 – Popeyes Mystiqal Run and Parade 2009 (Dallas, TX)
Popeyes MystiQal is back for itÂ’s 11th annual 5K Run/Walk for 2009. Join us on February 21, 2009 in Downtown Dallas for MystiQal. Watch as Downtown Dallas transforms into New Orleans during Mardi Gras - complete with a nighttime parade, outdoor cafes, street vendors and live music and entertainment. Popeyes MystiQal will rival the most authentic Mardi Gras experience without ever leaving Dallas. Popeyes MystiQal will feature beads and baubles, parties along the parade route, live music and loads of fun activities with the food and drink that celebrate Mardi Gras. The Mardi Gras Run benefits Captain Hope’s Kids an organization that provides for the critical needs of homeless children. For more information visit www.runontexas.com or www.captainhope.org The parade route for 2009 has been changed to start at Main Street and Ervay Street going down Main Street to Lamar Street; making a right on Lamar and ending in the West End District. The Mystiqal Run at DallasÂ’ City Hall Plaza is the site of the start and finish of the annual 5K just two blocks off of the MystiQal Parade route. The run is scheduled for Saturday, February 21st at 5:30 p.m. Popeyes wants you to know what a Krewe is. Visit Popeyes at www.bonafidekrewe.com to get updates about the parade emailed to you.

Feb. 21 - 22, 2009 - Fort Worth Bridal Show (Fort Worth, TX)
Come See The Premier Bridal Event In Tarrant Country! Over 125 wedding businesses to meet your every wedding need. Tickets are available at the door, and no advance registration is needed. Discount coupon available on line at promoters website. For more information visit bridalshowsinc.com

Feb. 22 -Mar. 1, 2009 - Sesame Street: Elmo’s Green Thumb (Grand Prairie, TX)
Sunny isnÂ’t just the weather forecast on Sesame Street - itÂ’s also the name of ElmoÂ’s sunflower friend! Join all your favorite friends on an amazing adventure as they help Elmo find a new home for Sunny in the all new Sesame Street Live stage show, “ElmoÂ’s Green Thumb”. Venue: NOKIA Theatre Grand Prairie. Details - www.nokialivedfw.com or visit www.sesamestreetlive.com

Feb. 22, 2009 - Krewe of Barkus Parade (McKinney, TX)
Dress your four-legged friend in celebrity style and head to Historic Downtown McKinney for an afternoon of Mardi Gras fun! Patterned after the legendary Mystic Krewe of Barkus in New Orleans, Historic Downtown McKinney will feature a parade and costume contest! Humans and their dog escorts are invited to participate. Children may also enter decorated wagon floats. Participants should meet at Mitchell Park located at the corner of Louisiana & Church in Historic Downtown McKinney at 12:30pm. Following the parade there will be a costume contest in Mitchell Park. Couple these festivities with an enjoyable shopping environment and plenty of parking which leads us to expecting a very successful event. For more information, visit www.downtownmckinney.com or call McKinney Main Street at 972.547.2660.

Feb. 24, 2009 - Mardi Gras Celebration (Lake Dallas, TX)
Lake Dallas Main Street is transformed into Denton CountyÂ’s only Mardi Gras Celebration on Fat Tuesday. A Mardi Gras parade travels through downtown, the best float wins $1000 and the Lake Dallas City Hall parking lot features a New Orleans style party with authentic Cajun food, live music from the NÂ’Awlins Gumbo Kings, and a kidzone featuring a giant inflatable obstacle course and slide, rock climbing wall, face painting, balloon sculpting and more! A family friendly costume contest and mask contest also take place at the event where the first place winners receive a cash prize! For more information about this event, visit the city’s website at www.lakedallas.com

Feb. 25 & 26, 2009 – Shecky’s Girls Night Out (Dallas, TX)
SheckyÂ’s Girls Night Out offers women everywhere a place to escape from modern day stressors (ahem, economic crisis!) and relax with their BFFs. Each night of the event features everything a fashionista and her entourage could want: delicious cocktails, tons of emerging designer fashions at amazing prices, fabulous beauty services and – the icing on the cake – SheckyÂ’s Famous Goodie Bags. Shecky’s Girls Night Out offers women the opportunity to get together and bond while partaking in some guiltless shopping. Additionally, ladies at the event can expect to sample and score fabulous beauty products, along with complimentary manicures, hand massages, blow-outs and mini makeovers. General admission tickets are complimentary for SheckyÂ’s Insiders and are available via www.sheckys.com . Tickets for admission plus SheckyÂ’s Famous Goodie Bag, valued at up to $100 and stuffed with this seasonÂ’s must have products from brands such as KiehlÂ’s, REDKEN and Yes To Carrots, are $25 in advance, $35 day-of-event. Pssss, see their website for half-price tickets for the Goodie Bags until February 15.

Feb. 27 & 28, 2009 - Business Solutions EXPO! 2009 (Dallas, TX)
Be a part of bringing new economic growth to North Texas by attending the Business Solutions EXPO! You have the talent and ideas; the Business Solutions EXPO will give you the know how and local free resources to put your ideas into a successful business. Don’t miss the opportunity to meet hundreds of other entrepreneurs and area business success stories of all sizes as we unite to turbo charge our economy. 16 national and international experts will interact with you during 8 discussion panels to provide you the tools you need to create the winning marketing and sales strategies for your success. Resources such as the Small Business Administration Dallas/Fort Worth District, as well as many other trusted free or almost free support organizations (created to help you leverage your every asset to its fullest) will be there to answer your questions. Complete details to this event may be found at www.businesssolutionsexpo.com

Feb. 27 - Mar. 1, 2009 - 35th Annual Fort Worth Rod and Custom Car Show (Fort Worth, TX)
The 2009 Fort Worth Rod & Custom Show featuring Texas finest cars, trucks and motorcycles. This yearÂ’s show will be Feb. 27th, 28th and March 1st, 2009, with move in Wednesday Feb. 25th and Thursday Feb. 26th. The show will be located at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth. For details on this event, please visit www.txshowcar.com

Feb. 27 - Mar. 1, 2009 - All Texas Garden Show with Neil Sperry (Arlington, TX)
Two BIG Exhibit Halls, One BIG Shopping Experience! It’s A Gardener’s Paradise! Inspiring Waterfall & Pond Landscapes * Water Garden Displays * Flower & Plant Features * Stone Products, Plants & Paving Systems * Outdoor Living * “Green” Gardening * All Texas Garden Store * Children’s Activity Center * Over 30 Complimentary How-To Demonstrations, Seminars & Lectures including Neil Sperry, Horticulturist. General Admission $8.50. Kids 14 and under FREE. Friday only –Senior Citizens (65+) $6.50. Special Offer: Friday and Saturday after 6:00 p.m.: Tickets are two-for-one (no other discounts will apply). Discount coupons available at www.texashomeandgarden.com and Tom Thumb stores. For event details, call 1-800-654-1480 or visit www.texashomeandgarden.com

Feb. 28, 2009 - Cowtown Marathon (Fort Worth, TX)
Join us Saturday, February 28, 2009 for The Cowtown Marathon: Fort Worth’s premier road race for adults and children, for the expert, and the novice. The only way to experience the best of Fort Worth…on foot. The Cowtown is a non-profit organization promoting community health and wellness to North Texans of all fitness levels by providing enjoyable, accredited races for young and old, skilled athlete and novice. Events include a marathon, marathon relay, half marathon, 10K and 5K races. The Cowtown was started in 1979 and continues to thrive and grow each year. In 2009 we will be celebrating our 31st year of running. Not only do we have over 12,000 runners participate annually, but more than 3,000 dedicated hard working volunteers are involved in this great community event. For more information, call 817-735-2033 or visit www.cowtownmarathon.org

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Mixed signals on prices

February 20, 2009 by Jenna_blog · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Dallas News, Economy, Texas News 

by Brendan Case

Prices rose 0.3 percent in January compared to December, the Labor Department said today. That was the largest monthly increase since July, driven by energy prices. But during the 12 months ending in January, prices didn’t rise at all - the first time that’s happened since 1955.

Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, rose 0.2 percent in January compared to December. Core inflation rose 1.7 percent in the 12 months ending in January.

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