Dallas Real Estate | DFW Homes for Sale

Dallas-Fort Worth foreclosures rise 7%

Jenna — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 03:52:49 +0000

By STEVE BROWN / The Dallas Morning News
stevebrown@dallasnews.com

The latest foreclosure statistics show only a 7 percent increase in the Dallas-Fort Worth area from a year ago.

But more than 3,700 homes are scheduled for foreclosure sale in September, according to the numbers released Thursday by Addison-based Foreclosure Listing Service.

The biggest gain in September foreclosures is in Collin County, where the number of homes facing forced sale jumped 38 percent from a year ago.

Foreclosure totals were unchanged in Dallas and Tarrant counties.

The period ending with September’s foreclosure auctions will be the second quarter in a row that total postings in the area have declined.

“It’s a welcome change, but I don’t think you can say it’s for a definite reason or that it will continue,” said Foreclosure Listing Service president George Roddy. “We’ve seen before that foreclosure postings go up and down.”

So far this year, 37,572 residential properties have been posted for foreclosure – an increase of 20 percent from the first nine months of 2007.

Between 50 percent and 60 percent of the monthly foreclosure postings result in an actual forced sale of the property.

In some cases the sales are delayed, or the borrower reaches a new agreement regarding the debt.

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Dallas seeking to expand smoking ordinance Nov. 19th

Jenna — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 03:39:29 +0000

Dallas seeking to expand smoking ordinance Nov. 19th. Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert’s chief of staff, Chris Heinbaugh, says the meeting will involve major players on all sides of the smoking ordinance issue and serve as a forum “to come up with an ordinance that everyone can discuss.” Within a week — probably Monday, November 17 — Ms. Medrano’s committee will conduct another meeting to entertain public comments on an ordinance proposal. A formal vote on an expanded smoking ordinance could take place as soon as Wednesday, November 19.

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Work on Mockingbird Lane in Highland Park could be done by Nov. 22

Jenna — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 03:34:17 +0000

The makeover of Mockingbird Lane in Highland Park is well ahead of schedule and could be complete in two weeks, bringing an end to the town’s largest-ever construction project.

The road is slated to reopen on Nov. 22, months earlier than first anticipated. But that date depends upon continued good weather.

“We’re still placing some asphalt around Preston Road, and the section around Highland Park Village, we still need to put in asphalt,” town engineer Meran Dadgostar said. “We’re looking for a window of opportunity.”

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Dallas County property values expected to drop next year

Jenna — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 03:45:44 +0000

Due to the rise in Dallas home foreclosures, the Dallas Appraisal District property values are expected to decrease.

The foreclosure rate along with the expected slight increase in new construction, the final result would be a zero overall increase in property values, Brown said. This is good news for homeowners, who have been up in arms in recent years over higher appraisals.

The bad news is, most cities, counties and school districts rely on property tax revenue for their budgets. If that dries up, we can expect more tax hikes next year.

DallasNews.com