The 3rd Annual Arlington Christkindl Market start November 29th

Christkindl market is coming to Arlington Friday November 29 through Sunday December 22 at the Rangers Ballpark. Christkindl Market (kris-kin-dill) is an enchanting family market in the tradition of markets held throughout Germany during the Holiday season. Authentic German food, drink, arts, crafts, entertainment, petting zoo, marionette variety show and holiday gifts.  Click here to watch a 30 second video about Christkindl.  Family activities include a Bavarian-themed Petting Zoo, Marionette Theatre, Children’s Lantern Parades and a Santa Haus where children can have a photo made with Santa. You can register your child to attend one of the Arlington Christkindl Market lantern parades! Children participating in the parade through the Christkindl Market sing Christmas carols and receive unique gifts from market vendors.  Lantern Parade dates are December 4th, December 11th and December 18th.  Admission and parking for the event are free.  Click here to get more information including about entertainment, times, vendors and parking.

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Texas Leads Nation in Senior Housing Boom

With construction reemerging in the senior housing sector, one area that experiencing a higher rate of development is Texas. Senior living construction activity may have been down in the third quarter of 2012 on a national level, according to the National Investment Center (NIC) for the Seniors Housing & Care Industry, but Texas appears to be bucking that trend with a “growth explosion.”

The state’s demographics with highly populated metros including Dallas, Houston and San Antonio, have led operators, including new entrants, to seek opportunities within the Lone Star State. A lot is due to population growth. Dallas and Houston are growing exponentially with jobs in Texas and the state being overall more business-friendly. We’re seeing transplants from Michigan and California.”

More than one in ten Lone Star State inhabitants is 65 or older, accounting for 10.5% of the population. While that’s beneath national average of 13.3%, developers say they’re seeing an influx of boomers thanks to some of the state’s retirement-friendly attributes.“Texas really has become a hotbed for snowbirders. People like to retire in Texas, because there’s no state income tax and the winters are mild,” says Michael Bellotto, vice president of sales for Harden Healthcare’s Long-Term Care Division. “We’re seeing an explosion of growth in certain areas.”

“This month, Avanti Senior Living, a company led by executives bringing hospitality and senior living experience, launched in the high-end suburban market outside of Dallas with plans for a dozen new communities in the coming two to three years.

Consumer demand for memory care remains high. The LaSalle Group, headquartered in Irving, Tex., is developing multiple memory care communities under its Autumn Leaves brand, including its eighth in the West Houston metro area.

Meridian Realty Advisors, a Dallas, Tex.-based company, is currently developing two memory care communities in partnership with Silverado Senior Living in Austin and Fort Worth, and is planning the development of a care continuum campus including memory care, assisted living, and skilled nursing care in northwest Austin.

 

Technorati Tags: Texas,Senior Housing

Viridian Lake Club Is Coming

The ground breaking of Viridian Lake Club will take place this month. There will be two phases in the construction of the Lake Club which will be located on the north shore of Viridian Lake. Phase one will include 3 pools, a party pavilion in which the HOA offices will also be housed, locker rooms and shaded structures along with an amphitheater that will overlook the Lake. Completion of the first phase is scheduled for May 2014. Viridian is a 2,300 acre lakefront mixed use master planned community in Arlington, TX.  Located in the heart of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, the community is minutes from Arlington’s entertainment district and 30 minutes from Dallas and Fort Worth with easy access to Interstate 30, Highway 360, Interstate 183 Interstate 121 and Highway 161.  There are miles of trails and nature to explore connecting to the River Legacy Park and Living Science Center. The 3,500 homes will be starting at $180,000, with homes on the island priced over $2,000,000.   For more information on the Viridian Community in Arlington, TX click here.

Click here to look for a home in Viridian.

Technorati Tags: Viridian,Lake Club,Homes for Sale,Arlington

Holiday Lighting Ceremony at Viridian in Arlington

There will be a Holiday Lighting Ceremony at Inspiration Park in the Viridian Community, Arlington, TX.  The festivities will begin at 6:00pm on Saturday November 23rd.  In addition to the lighting ceremony there will be hot cocoa and a children’s choir to spread the Holiday Cheer.  The Viridian community is located on North Collins (Hwy 157) between NE Green Oaks Blvd. and Trinity Blvd.    For more information on the Viridian Community click here.

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Ingrid Sullivan Recognized for Expertise in Senior Housing And Late-in-Life Transitions

Prestigious Real Estate and Senior Housing Certification Reflects Knowledge of Distinct Market and Passionate Commitment to Service

Having recently completed a rigorous two-day curriculum, Ingrid Sullivan real estate agent with Keller Williams Realty has achieved the prestigious Certified Senior Housing Professional (CSHP) designation from the Seniors Real Estate Institute.

Awarded only to a select number of real estate professionals in any market, the CSHP designation equips senior housing professionals to serve the distinct needs of seniors and their families with an unsurpassed level of compassion, expertise and connectedness.

Demographic shifts and improvements in life expectancy have given rise to senior housing options that far exceed those of previous decades. CSHPs are not only in touch with the full range of options within their communities, they have the specific skills needed to help seniors to get where they want to go – unraveling the complexities involved in downsizing and selling a family home.

“Despite the fact that seniors are the fastest growing segment of the population, this segment of the market remains largely underserved,” noted Nikki Buckelew, Founder and President of the Seniors Real Estate Institute.

Buckelew, who has a graduate degree in gerontology, pointed to the fact that 10,000 Baby Boomers will turn 60 every day for the next 18 years. At the other end of the senior spectrum, the 90-plus segment of the population nearly tripled over the past three decades, and is expected to quadruple over the next 40 years.

“Professionals such as Ingrid, have a clear vision of how the real estate market is evolving,” Buckelew added. “As such, she has sought out the training, the resources, and the access to trusted experts within the Dallas-Fort Worth metro market, in order to serve senior clients and their families at a high level.

“This expertise, combined with a passion to ensure the dignity of elderly clients, is not just a benefit to seniors and their families,” Buckelew emphasized. “It’s a profound asset to the entire community.”

For more information on the Seniors Real Estate Institute or the Certified Senior Housing Professional Designation, visit http://seniorsrealestateinstitute.com/

To find out more about Senior Downsizing Services provided by Ingrid Sullivan visit her website here.

Technorati Tags: Senior,Downsizing,Certified Senior Housing Professional,Arlington TX

November is Senior Pet Adoption at Arlington Animal Shelter

November is Senior Pet Adoption Month at the Arlington Animal Services 1000 S.E. Green Oaks Blvd.  All senior pets 6 years or older may be adopted for a $25 fee through Saturday, November 30th.  The adoption fee includes a city license, sterilization, microchip, core vaccines, rabies vaccine and FeLB/FIV test. Time is running out so, go find your perfect pet!
  For more information visit www.Arlingtontx.gov/animals

Technorati Tags: Senior,Pets,Animal Shelter,Adoption,Arlington TX

Senior Downsizing a 5 Step Plan

Step 1 Create a plan that fits your lifestyle and future needs. The first phase of creating your plan means doing some research.  Consider your interest, financial situation, location of your friends and family, and how you envision living life to the fullest. Then choose a place that will best fit your lifestyle.  Take some time with this step even if you haven’t fully decided whether you intend to move.

Step 2  Communicate with your family and friends.  This doesn’t mean asking for permission or even their opinions.  It is good idea, however, and sometimes necessary to keep family and friends in the loop.  If later, you do not need help or advice, they’re at least on the same page.  You can share with them your thoughts about your plan and find out if they have any questions or concerns.  Interestingly, sometimes a move can be more emotional for adult children than it is for their parents.

Step 3  Surround yourself with highly qualified professionals.  You will likely need the services of an estate liquidator, a mover, a Realtor®, an organizer, move manager, home repair contractors, senior living community personnel,  and others. Get to know these people and their services by taking the time to interview and get references.  Downsizing moves require service providers with specialized expertise and although you may have utilized such professionals before, they may not have the skills, knowledge or perspective that you need at this point in your life.

Step 4  Dealing with a house full of possessions.  Sorting through property and household belongings is often the step that trips people up and leads to dread as they anticipate moving.  It can be the uncertainty of where to begin, reluctant to part with treasured possessions, or the physical work that is involved that creates the stumbling block.
The good news is, you don’t have to sort through everything!  Just focus on what you need and want to take with you.  Let the professionals do the rest!

Step 5 Celebrate your new lifestyle.  This sounds like an easy step, but the impact of this type of transition is often underestimated.  During the hustle and bustle of the moving process, emotions get placed on the back burner
Don’t ignore your emotional well being.   Make sure you take stock of how you're feeling throughout the process,  as well as how you might be feeling about your new lifestyle – simply being aware and prepared can make a big difference.  Open communication is the key.

If you would like more information on Senior Downsizing and a copy of our comprehensive guide “Downsizing Made Easy,” Click Here to Contact the Sullivan & Sullivan Real Estate Team.

Technorati Tags: Senior Downsizing,Estate Sale,Moving,Senior Living

5 Tips For The Best Home Showings

Home routines tend to come to a standstill while your home is on the market. The need to keep the house clean  - and not scare potential homebuyers away - means that kids can't throw their school books on the dining room table, Dad has to pick up his stinky socks, and even the pets need to toe the line.

Keeping the house clean is a good first step toward presenting the home in the best light. But it isn't the only step.

1. Odors
Have you ever walked into a home and been immediately assaulted by nasty odors? Cigarettes, grease, cooking odors, diapers and pets all leave their mark on the way a home smells. While it's almost impossible to rid the home of cigarette smoke without painting, there are ways to get rid of other odors.

Have the carpets professionally cleaned and deodorized.

Launder or dry-clean all curtains and drapes.

Consider having your upholstered furniture professionally cleaned.

Clean the grease from the range hood.

Keep the dog bathed and groomed to keep doggy smells at bay.

Place dishes of potpourri or scented candles in random areas throughout the home.

 

2. Sounds
Like the smell of a favorite perfume, we become habituated to certain things, including sounds. If you've ever lived under a flight path or next to railroad tracks, you understand how quickly one can get used to annoying sounds and not even hear them after a while. Strangers in your home, such as potential buyers, will hear the yappy dog next door, however, so here are some tips to mask the noises in your home.

Play some music, softly, while the home is being shown.

Invest in a white noise machine.

Play a sound-effects CD softly in the background.

 

3. Sights
Light and bright are the operative words when considering the ideal way to present your home to buyers.

Change all the light bulbs in the home to higher wattage bulbs. Leave the lights on for showings, including closet lights.

Paint the walls. If you can't paint, clean the walls.

Remove heavy drapes and replace them with lightweight fabric that allows natural light into the home.

Don't neglect the outside of the house. Before a showing, make sure that the planting beds look clean and attractive and that the lawn is mowed.

 

4. Set the Scene
If you've ever toured model homes, you are familiar with the concept of staging – the art of carefully crafting interiors that appeal to homebuyers. If you're on a tight budget and can't afford a professional designer, make some simple changes that appeal to buyers.

Create vignettes throughout the home. Set the dining room table with attractive dinnerware or create a cozy nook in the bedroom with a small table and chairs. Group items in threes, use different heights, and keep it simple.

Fresh flowers add so much to a home, from masking odors to adding pops of color and texture. A gorgeous bouquet on the dining room table can take the place of a fussy centerpiece. Night stands are ideal places to set small vases of flowers.

Bathrooms are important, so pay close attention to how you stage yours. Get rid of the countertop clutter and add fluffy towels and a new shower curtain.

 

5. Security
Since sellers should make themselves scarce when the home is being shown, it's important to take security measures. Lock up or remove valuables, weapons, prescription drugs and money.

Don't leave personal items - especially paperwork with your financial information - lying around in plain sight.

Whatever you can do to make your home appear move-in ready will appeal to buyers. Tour some new home communities for more ideas and inspiration so that your home shows like a model.

 

Technorati Tags: Home Seller,Sold Home,Tips,Showing Home

Holidays Can Be a Depressing Time for Seniors

Holidays are supposed to be times of joy, celebration and most importantly family.  But for many of our elderly, holidays can mean something totally different.

The holidays may serve as reminders of friends who may have passed away, their distance away from loved ones, lack of visitation (if they are in an assisted living facility) and the inability to take part in many holiday events.

Signs of depression in your elderly loved one can be difficult to identify and are often times overlooked when they overlap with other medical illnesses or health problems.

Some of the most common symptoms of elderly depression during the holidays may include:

•   Decreased Appetite
• Change in sleeping patterns or lack of sleep
• Lack of Personal Care or Hygiene
• Irresponsible Behavior
• Decreased interest in socializing
• Increased Irritability

Tips to Help Seniors Enjoy the Holidays:

Stroll down memory lane. Holidays provoke memories, which can be especially powerful in the later years of life.

Plan ahead. If older family members tire easily or are vulnerable to over-stimulation, limit the number of activities they are involved in or the length of time they are included.

Eliminate obstacles. If a holiday get-together is held in the home of an older person with memory impairment or behavioral problems, don’t rearrange the furniture.

Avoid embarrassing moments. Try to avoid making comments that could inadvertently embarrass an older friend or family member who may be experiencing short-term memory problems.

Create new memories. In addition to memories, seniors need new things to anticipate. Add something new to the holiday celebration, or volunteer for your family to help others.

Be inclusive. Involve everyone in holiday meal preparation, breaking down tasks to include the youngest and oldest family members.

Reach out. Social connectedness is especially important at holiday times. Reaching out to older relatives and friends who are alone is something all of us should do.

Beat the blues. “Holiday blues” are feelings of profound sadness that can be provoked by all the activities of the holiday season.

Keep on the sunny side. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) or winter depression is an illness that can be provoked by reductions in sunlight during the short days of winter.

Monitor medications and alcohol. If you have senior family members, be sure to help them adhere to their regular schedule of medications during the frenzy of the holidays.

Technorati Tags: Seniors,Depression,Holidays,Elderly,Senior Citizen

Home Winterizing Tips

The first freeze for this winter season in Dallas-Fort Worth is upon us.  Here are some winterizing tips.

Stop the Drafts
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, drafts can waste 5% to 30% of your energy use. Stop the door drafts- the draft snake, which you can easily make yourself. Just place a rolled bath towel under a drafty door.  Pick up some weather stripping from you local hardware to install around the doors and windows.  Also check caulking around your windows.

Change the furnace filters
It's easy to forget, but it's important to replace or clean furnace filters once a month during the heating season. Dirty filters restrict airflow and increase energy demand.  Make a monthly reminder on your calendar so you don’t forget

Reverse Your Fans
Many ceiling units come with a handy switch that reverses the direction of the blades.  Switching to clockwise makes it warmer: air pooled near the ceiling is circulated back into the living space - cutting your heating costs as much as 10%!l

Winterize the Water Spigots
Disconnect and drain hoses, fix spigot leaks, cover the spigot with insulation to keep it from freezing and breaking a waterline.  You can pick up covers for the water spigots at hardware store or you can wrap the spigot with insulation and tape.

Technorati Tags: Home Tip,Freeze Warning,Engergy Saving

Arlington Music Hall–A Historic Arlington TX Landmark

Arlington Music Hall is a classy historic theatre that provides an excellent entertainment venue. The 1,100 seat auditorium includes state-of-the-art sound and lighting, an expanded stage and a classic new decor. I love that the original marquee has been beautifully restored. I remember as a child going to movies at the theatre. I don’t want to date myself, but I remember my parents would drop me off with a dollar and that was more than enough to get into a movie and have snacks.

Arlington Music Hall was built in 1949 and opened in February of 1950. The theatre was considered state of the art at the time and featured a stage for bands. The opening show was the movie “Seabiscuit staring Shirley Temple and Barry Fitzgerald. Opening night live music was provided by a local band known as The Light Crust Doughboys

George Jones, Willie Nelson, Loretta Lynn, Rick Springfield, Sara Evans, Clint Black and Merle Haggard are artist who have played on the Arlington Music Hall’s stage.  Country star

Technorati Tags: Arlington TX,Arlington Music Hall,Johnnie High,Downtown Arlington TX

Leann Rimes got her start as a child performing in the then-popular Johnny High Revue.

Developer Burk Collins who purchased the property in 2006 provided the Music Hall a major upgrade through a $7 million renovation. Upgrades to “the Hall” included doubling the stage size and increasing seating capacity. In addition to national acts, Arlington Music Hall supports and hosts local community events like Symphony Arlington.   Click here to see a calendar of events for the music hall.

Scams That Target Senior Citizens

 

In our business, we are blessed to work with Seniors and helping them in downsizing their living situation. We have seen first-hand how unscrupulous contractors try to take advantage of our Elder clients. On more than one occasion, our clients have called contractors who they’ve trusted in the past, to come in for home repairs and were taken advantage of with outrageous quotes for the repairs. Fortunately, we were working with our clients and encouraged them to get second opinions from trusted contractors who we recommended. In one case, our client was given an estimate of over $20,000 to take care of a bathroom leak repair. Our recommended contractor ended up being able to fix the problem for just a few hundred dollars. Because we’ve seen these problems first hand, we decided to share some common scams perpetrated on senior citizens.

According to the most recent Elder Fraud Survey, the 10 common scams that target senior citizens are:

Health Care/Insurance Fraud
Scammers pose as Medicare representative to get seniors to give them their personal or financial information. Scammers are known to set up makeshift clinics

Door-to-door Sales/Repairs
Products may never be delivered or repairs never done

Funeral/Cemetery Fraud
Scammers attend funerals and aggressively demand payment for debs they claim the deceased owed them

Counterfeit Prescription Drugs
Unauthorized sites with the best prices may send ineffective or harmful drugs

Telemarketing Fraud
Offers for free prizes, health care products, low-cost vitamins. Once deal is made, the buyers information is shared with similar schemers

Fraudulent Anti-Aging Products
Scammer distributors offer bogus homeopathic remedies that do nothing or can possibly have health consequences

Internet Fraud
Pop-up browser windows will fool victims into downloading fake anit-virus software that could download a virus that could steal personal and financial information

Grandparent Schemes
Scammers will contact the senior citizen and pose as their grandchild or relative saying they are trapped in a foreign country and request cash.

Investment Schemes
From pyramid schemes to real estate investments, scammers target seniors who are looking to safeguard their cash for their later years.

Reverse Mortgage Scams
Scammers will send fraudulent letters offering to arrange a reassessment of the seniors property for a fee.

Please feel free to contact us if we can help you avoid potential fraud and provide you with resources for a second opinion.

Technorati Tags: Senior citizen,Elderly,Scams,Fraud

Vote November 5th

Tomorrow (November 5, 2013) is Election Day. There are 9 propositions on the ballot at a state of Texas level . Click here to see a sample ballot for the state propositions.

In Arlington we have one big proposition to consider, whether to expand access to alcoholic beverages. If the proposition passes on the Nov. 5 ballot, Arlington residents will no longer have to leave the city limits to buy bottles of vodka, whiskey or other hard liquor. Click here to see a sample ballot for Arlington alcoholic beverage proposition. The proposition originally started with the intention of making things easier for Texas Rangers fans who wanted to have more than the customary beer and hot dog at the game to be able to purchase wine as well.

City officials stated, “Because of how the issue is worded on the ballot — calling for “the legal sale of all alcoholic beverages including mixed drinks,” package liquor stores would be allowed to open in any area zoned for industrial or retail use as long as the site is at least 100 feet away from a public or private school, hospital, day care or church.

“Even if it was initiated by one certain group for one particular purpose, it’s going to impact the entire city,” Assistant City Attorney David Barber said. “Essentially we would be ‘wet’ if it passes for all different kinds of permits and licenses available under the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code, one of which is package liquor stores.”

In Arlington residents can buy wine and beer at grocery stores within the city limits. Currently if Arlington residents want to buy a bottle of hard liquor, they have to go to Dalworthington Gardens, Pantego or Fort Worth.

Tomorrow you get to decide whether Arlington will expand access to alcoholic beverages. Exercise you right as a citizen and get out to vote.

Go here to see polling locations in the city of Arlington.

 

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