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.
Friday, November 29, 2013
The 3rd Annual Arlington Christkindl Market start November 29th
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
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.
Monday, November 25, 2013
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.
Friday, November 22, 2013
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.
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.
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
Thursday, November 21, 2013
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.