Ebby Halliday, REALTORS has appointed Sylvia Sotelo Kidd sales manager of its Rockwall Office. Mary Frances Burleson, president and chief executive officer, recently made the announcement.

“Always energetic and a proven Top Producer, Sylvia will undoubtedly bring the already very successful and well-known Rockwall Office to the next level,” Burleson says.

Sotelo Kidd will report to Betty Misko, vice president and director of sales offices.

“I have great confidence in Sylvia,” Misko says. “With her successful real estate background, I know that she will continue to perform with distinction.”                            

For the past 10 years Sotelo Kidd has been a top agent in the White Rock/Lake Highlands Office of Ebby Halliday, REALTORS. She was the first recipient of the “Yellow Rose of Distinction” Award, a companywide award for her numerous and significant contributions to the community and her positive impact on the lives of others.

“Among the reasons for my success are the extensive training and tools that come with being a member of the Ebby Halliday Family of Companies,” Sotelo Kidd says. “The Ebby Rockwall Office has long been No. 1 in Rockwall County. My job is to keep it the leader — and make it even better.”

Sotelo Kidd, who is bilingual, has extensive experience in management, operations and human resources for both corporate and non-profit organizations. She is well known for her significant service in a variety of community activities.

Sotelo Kidd has served as a board member or officer with the Dallas Zoo, YWCA, Center for Non-Profit Management, Hispanic Women’s Network of Texas – Dallas Chapter, Dallas Summit for local businesswomen and AVANCE for at-risk Hispanic children. She has served as a member of the DISD Superintendents Advisory Council, Women’s Museum Board and SMU Meadows School of Art Executive Board.

She also has served as chair of the Mental Health Association of Metropolitan Dallas and chair of the Hispanic 100, a group of senior executive Hispanic women. She currently is on the Parkland Foundation Board, is the Chair of MomentumTexas and is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Dallas Theater Center. Sotelo Kidd was 1 of only 20 women nationwide selected to the National Latina Leadership Institute to participate in an intensive leadership program.

“I very much look forward to using my executive management and community experience as resources to support the Rockwall office’s agents, our buyers and our sellers,” Sotelo Kidd says. “My door will always be open.”

For more information on Ebby’s Rockwall office, visit rockwall.ebby.com.

Kendall

According to The Dallas Morning News, the local housing market continues to head in the right direction as pre-owned home sales in North Texas climbed in February. Up 27 percent from last year, the housing market witnessed one of its biggest increases in six months. It seems the good news will keep coming as the number of pending home sales is rising even faster, up 35 percent from this time last year.

According to housing analysts, the increase can be attributed to home buyers having more confidence in the market and realizing that circumstances will continue to improve. At the same time, buyers are taking advantage of  low mortgage rates while they can.

Check out the full story from Steve Brown on the front page of today’s Dallas Morning News. And, if you are ready to start your home search, check out the best address in real estate, Ebby.com, for a comprehensive list of homes on the market.

Cody

Are you already daydreaming about the beach this summer?  Then we’ve got a great opportunity for you that’s not just for summer, it’s forever. 

Cinnamon Shore is bringing the beach to Dallas this Monday, January 30.  Join Texas’ premier real estate blogger, Candy Evans, and come meet the team at one of our favorite places - Marquee Grill in Highland Park Village.  If you’re not hooked yet, here’s what Candy has to say about this amazing opportunity:

“One of my favorite vacation home destinations is Cinnamon Shore on Mustang Island in southern Texas, just about an hour south of Corpus Christi, and maybe five miles west of the charming fishing village of Port Aransas. It’s a budding beach community development and poster child for New Urbanism. CS captured my heart when I visited last March. If you’ve ever been to Seaside, Florida, or the St. Joe clone of Watercolor, you will see that Cinnamon Shore is a Seaside clone in Texas. And there is nothing wrong with cloning something that works! Seaside was a planned beachfront community that remains one of the biggest second home real estate and New Urbanism success stories in the U.S. If you’ve ever driven down Route 30A outside of Panama City Beach, you will see a stretch of Gulf shore developed from my hearthrob Alys Beach to Rosemary Beach, Seaside to Watercolor. Cinnamon Shore brings the same flavor, style and quality of construction to the Texas coast.”

And if you attend, be sure to register for a complimentary Stay & Play Weekend Getaway!

Cinnamon Shore Overview
Monday, January 30 | 6:30-9pm
Marquee Grill at Highland Park Village
RSVP to Lee Ann at leeann@cinnamonshore.com

To learn more, visit cinnamonshore.com or read Candy’s full Cinnamon Shore report at her Candy’s Dirt Blog.

Kendall

Regardless of the good news the Dallas-Fort Worth housing market receives, purchasing a home is always an intimidating prospect.  But, as Zing points out, owning a home is also a part of the American dream.  And in 2012, there are more reasons than ever to pursue your dream of being a homeowner.  Zing’s top five reasons are:

1. Appreciation

Buying a home at current rates means there’s a good chance your home will go up in value.

2. Property Tax Deductions

Property taxes for a first home are fully deductible.

3. Preferential Tax Treatment

Owning your home for more than a year can lead to preferential tax treatment.

4. Equity Building

Home loans with lower interest rates can help you build equity.

5. Pride

Owning your home can bring you freedom and a sense of pride.

Click here to read the full article “Top 5 Reasons to Buy a Home in 2012″ and if you are looking for a home this year, remember to visit ebby.com to see all the homes for sale in North Texas or to find a Realtor to represent you.

Cody

The following was sent to all members of The Ebby Halliday Companies by company President & CEO, Mary Frances Burleson:

Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings, in an address to the North Dallas Chamber of Commerce recently cited a statement by the Associate Editor of the Wall Street Journal who recently said, referring to the economic performance of the Dallas-Fort Worth area, “Something amazing is happening here.”

And “something amazing” is happening at the Ebby Halliday Companies, too!

Associates of the Ebby Halliday Companies closed sales in excess of $100,000,000 more in August 2011 than in August 2010!

Thank you all for your professionalism, hard work and your “amazing” performance!

It’s clear that Dallas-Fort Worth and North Texas is the best place to be in business, and that the Ebby Halliday Companies is the best place to be in real estate!

Thank you again for all that you do!

 - Mary Frances

Kendall

We love Dallas and if you live here, you probably do too. Thankfully, some experts seem to agree with us.

RelocateAmerica just released their 14th annual list of “The Top 100 Places to Live in 2011”. The list takes into account many factors including employment, education, community leadership and overall quality of life.

Dallas proudly boasts the number 5 overall spot on this years list!

With a population of just over 1,200,000 (in Dallas County), our city is recognized as the Southwest’s leading business and financial center with one of the top convention cities in the United States. Dallas is devoted to business with its concentration of high-tech companies, corporate headquarters and wholesale trade markets. While other cities in the country have wavered in the face of the recent economy, Dallas has continued to thrive. The only other Texas city in the top 10 was Austin, claiming the number 1 spot this year.

As a bonus, this year, RelocateAmerica is giving local residents the chance to vote for their city in various breakout categories. Voting is on now through August 30th for “The Top 10 Places to Play”.

Go here to vote for Dallas or your favorite Metroplex city.

Kendall

Summer weather is always hot in Dallas but this week has brought on consistent 100 degree temperatures and heat advisories. Weather like this can lead to more expensive energy bills and less cash to spend on summer activities. So, there was no better time and place than Thursday at the home of single mom Jo Trizila for TXU Energy to conduct a Home Energy Makeover. The day’s goal was for TXU to help Jo conserve electricity and save some money. The makeover also spotlighted hidden energy efficiency risks that other inspections could miss. Some of the work done in today’s makeover included attic insulation installation, sealing windows and doors, placing insulation in light switches and electric outlets and installing a programmable digital thermostat. Jerold Davis, of Tex Energy had previously conducted an audit on Jo’s home to give her tips for improvement.

TXU invited various “Mom Bloggers” to attend a presentation about the energy improvements. Barbara Stanfield, a sales associate in Ebby’s Little White House and an NAR Green Designee, was on hand to speak about why moving is the right time to consider energy efficiency. She recommended that home buyers be proactive before moving into a new home to find out about a home’s energy efficiency and make sure there are no surprises. Barbara recommended talking to specialists to answer questions and ease the process. She also spoke about the value that this kind of work can provide for new homeowners.

The biggest hit with those in attendance was the TXU Energy MyEnergy Dashboard^SM, which allows you to see throughout the month how much energy you are using and what your bill will cost. There is also an application for your phone so you are able to control your thermostat no matter where you are. Lastly, TXU representative, Amanda Ray, showed off some great energy saving gadgets available through the TXU Brighten Online Energy Store. Even non-TXU customers can shop the store.

Thanks Barbara for your insights on what makes a green home smarter, healthier, and more energy and resource efficient, and to TXU for hosting this event and all of the bloggers that came out. Visit our Facebook page to see pictures from the event!

Barbara Stanfield speaks to "Mom Bloggers" at the TXU Home Makeover Event.

Cody

The Ebby Halliday Relocation Team has just received the SIRVA “Preferred Broker of the Year” award, which was announced at the 2011 Worldwide Employee Relocation Council National Relocation Conference.  Of the evelven broker finalists for the prestigious award, SIRVA recognized the Ebby Relocation Team for their excellence in performance, service quality and partnership in 2010.

SIRVA is the world’s largest provider of moving and relocation services. This vast Preferred Broker Network (PBN) consists of 300 broker members with 11,000 registered “SIRVA Team Agents” serving over 160 metropolitan areas throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.

As one of the oldest, most established independent real estate brokers in the country, Ebby Halliday has consistently received top ratings in performance and service quality. Ebby Halliday has also long been a recognized leader in relocation services and is proud to add this most recent award to the list of accolades. Congratulations to the Ebby Relocation Team!

Pictured above is Tracey Gatlin, CRP, Manager of Preferred Broker Network & Home Rental Services for SIRVA Relocation; Martha Marshall, SCRP, SGMS, Senior Vice President & Director of Relocation for Ebby Halliday; and Tina Swenson, CRP, SGMS, Vice President & Director of Corporate Development for Ebby Halliday.

Cody

Forbes brings good news to Dallas area residents once again with this year’s annual “Best Cities for Jobs” list, released this month. The list measures growth between January 2010 and January 2011. Compared to last year, the findings are encouraging, as many of the best-performing areas experienced at least a slight rise in employment.  Forbes ranks metropolitan areas based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The magazine bases its rankings on three criteria: recent growth trends, mid-term growth and long-term growth and momentum. The rankings are then broken down by size into small, medium and large cities. Coming in at number 5 on the list for large cities and overall, is our hometown of Dallas-Irving-Plano. The entire state of Texas was dominant in all three categories.

“Whatever they are drinking in Texas, other states may want to imbibe,” says the articles author, Joel Kotkin.

 A Ft. Worth Star Telegram article highlighting the findings quotes Michael Shires, a professor at the Pepperdine University School of Public Policy in Malibu, Calif., as he attempts to explain the success of the city and the entire Lone Star State:

“During volatile times, places with broad-based growth strategies — like Texas and Utah — do best. Cities that are heavily dependent on a narrow set of industries leave themselves vulnerable, paying back the gains of good years in poor years.”

We don’t want to brag, but between a flourishing economy and a basketball team bound for the Western conference finals, it sounds like our fair city is a good place to be right now.

Cody

Many times when the real estate community says that now is the time to buy, the public doesn’t quite believe them.  If you happen to fall into that category, according to the Keeping Current Matters (KCM) Blog, you can stop listening to real estate agents and start listening to the investment community. 

In a recent post, they point out that right now, both voices have the same message - it’s time to buy real estate! Tuesday’s blog post highlights two recent articles – one by The Wall Street Journal and another from Fortune Magazine encouraging the public to invest in houses.

The Wall Street Journal’s Jim Woods states that real estate is a new desirable low-risk buying opportunity. Fortune Magazine conveyed a similar idea with an article in this month’s issue by Shawn Tully entitled Real Estate: It’s Time to Buy Again.

Thanks to the KCM blog for publicizing this great information. To read the articles in their entirety, click here.