North Texas Real Estate Talk

Texas leads the nation in job creation – a title the state is proud to have, given the high rate of unemployment in the United States. The Dallas-Plano-Irving area of North Texas is a large part of the driving force behind that title.  Unfortunately, the Texas job creation machine slowed in May following heavy losses in the state’s federal government sector.

According to the Real Estate Center’s latest review of the Texas Economy, the state’s non-farm employment growth rate from May 2010 to May 2011 was 1.9 percent, down from 2.4 percent. Private sector non-farm employment rose 2.7 percent, down from 2.9 percent from April 2010 to April 2011.

Texas is still outperforming the U.S. economy in job creation. U.S. non-farm employment rose 0.7 percent while the nation’s private sector employment increased 1.7 percent.

Texas’ seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 8 percent in May 2011 from 8.1 in May 2010. Over the same period, the nation’s rate decreased from 9.6 to 9.1 percent.

All Texas industries except the information industry and the government sector had more jobs in May 2011 than in May 2010. The state’s federal government sector lost 31,000 jobs.

Odessa ranked first in job creation, followed by Dallas-Plano-Irving, College Station-Bryan, Midland and Corpus Christi.  All metro areas except Sherman-Denison, Brownsville-Harlingen, San Angelo, Texarkana, Wichita Falls and Abilene had more jobs last month than the year before.

Information courtesy of The Real Estate Center

Rumor has it that Trader Joe’s is scouting for prime locations in and around Dallas to open within the year. If you aren’t familiar with the specialty grocer, chances are you’re going to love it.

Trader Joe’s will rival the likes of Whole Foods and Sprouts, who are already in Dallas and surrounding areas. They carry a variety of organic foods, baked goods and wine. Their namesake label touts NO artificial flavors, colors or preservatives, NO genetically modified ingredients, NO MSG and NO added Trans Fats. The staff’s attire resembles those who attend Jimmy Buffet concerts: jauntily dressed in flower print shirts and khakis .

It wouldn’t surprise us in the least if a new Trader Joe’s location pops up soon. More and more California businesses are finding the North Texas market appealing – just ask In-N-Out Burger.

Frisco will soon have hospital number three. Forest Park Medical Center, a full service acute care hospital that focuses on surgery, has broken ground at Frisco Square.

The $59 million medical campus will include a 130,000-sf hospital, a 90,000-sf medical office building with multi-tenant retail, restaurant, and medical office space, and a 600-space parking garage. Construction is expected to be completed by spring 2012.

The hospital’s managing partner, Alan Beauchamp, said “The construction of the facility will bring several hundred new jobs, and once it is open for business, several hundred more jobs will be created,” Beauchamp said. “Since we are a for-profit facility, we will bring in tax dollars to the city. We also believe we are building a hospital that will be aesthetically beautiful, which will add to the look of the Square.”

Vibrant Healthcare, will operate the facility, that will be physician-owned and will be located at the southeast corner of Main Street and the Dallas North Tollway.

The small town of Celina will soon be home to a new McDonald’s restaurant.  McDonald’s, the most well-known fast food chain, will construct a location in Celina’s Town Square near Brookshire’s, the town’s only grocery store, this October.

This may not mean much to you but it means a whole lot to the Celina community. McDonald’s is known for its ability to identify new, emerging communities and get in on the ground floor.  Wherever the restaurant franchise goes, other businesses tend to follow. Whether or not you’re a fan of McDonald’s there is no denying the impact it will have on the commerce of this quaint Collin County community. 

Celina, population 5,500, is known for its football culture and friendly environment. The growth for this area was predicted to increase at an enormous rate over the next ten years - no doubt the golden arches will contribute to that growth.

Collin County calls itself “The Jewel of North Texas”. With all the county has to offer its residents and businesses in great cities like Plano, McKinney, Frisco and Allen, one could hardly disagree. The county is beautifully contrasting with its vast, rolling countryside and mid-rise business parks.

Its major cities boast many great shopping treasures like Ikea, Stonebriar Centre, Willowbend Mall, Shops of Legacy, Shops of Fairview and the Allen Premium Outlets, just to name a few. There are a variety of restaurants to please any palette and meet any budget. Arts, culture and entertainment are thriving in this northern part of the Metroplex – and soon there will be a grand venue for the masses with the completion of the The Arts of Collin County Performance Hall and Arts Park.

Plano, the largest city in Collin County, is the ninth largest city in Texas. It is home to more than 273,000 residents and is the corporate headquarters for some of the nation’s largest and most recognized companies. This city has grown into something of an icon in North Texas. CNN Money has bestowed such honors on Plano as ‘the best place to live in the Western United States’ and ‘the 11th best place to live in the nation’. Plano schools consistently rank among the top schools in the United States. Not bad for a suburb 20 miles north of Dallas.

Frisco has more than eight million square feet of retail and dining. It has become a hub of entertainment, thanks to first-class venues that host a multitude of sporting events and concerts year round. The Dallas Stars call Frisco home, as do the Rough Riders, FC Dallas, Texas Legends and Texas Tornadoes. You’ll certainly not be without entertainment here. Somehow in spite of all the activity, Frisco remains a close-knit community with strong values. The school and neighborhoods of Frisco are wholesome and inviting, making it an attractive place to raise a family.

McKinney and Allen are both following in the footsteps of Plano, making a name for themselves with their growth, development and education systems. In addition to these large cities, Collin County is filled with smaller communities that are riddled with farms, ranches, open land and Texas history – towns like Celina & Prosper that have very little commerce at present, but have small town pride and high property values. (Celina was even featured in the new Kenny Chesney video, ‘The Boys of Fall’, which I’ve embedded at the end of this post.)

With offerings like this, it’s no wonder more and more people are finding their way to this great jewel that is known as Collin County. And we’re sure glad they are. Contact us to learn more about finding your home in Collin County.

Here’s the Kenny Chesney video ‘The Boys of Fall’ - just keep your eyes open for the orange Celina Bobcats: