Tuesday, March 25, 2008
DON'T BELIEVE IT!
Don't believe everything you see on the national news about the real estate market! Some parts of the country are having problems, but not in our area here in Amarillo, Texas. The Amarillo, Texas real estate market is one of the strongest in the country. 2006 was a record year and 2007 finished just 5% off that pace. Interest rates are good, inventory is good, and sales are strong. Rumor is that foreclosures are up. NOT HERE! Foreclosures in Amarillo, Texas are numbering either the same or less than this time last year. My associate, Kent Meyer and I are pleased to be able to help you participate in this great market. If you need to buy or sell real estate in Amarillo or Canyon, Texas. Please call us at (806)331-3737 or visit my website - christinewyly.com - We office in the Wolflin area to be close to the center of Amarillo. We love the Wolflin neighborhood and are looking forward to serving the Wolflin neighborhood as well as other folks in the Amarillo and Canyon area as the market heats up in the upcoming months!
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Amarillo, Texas Yesterday, Today, and Tommorrow
Amarillo, Texas was established by merchants in 1887 close to a large playa lake known as Amarillo or Wild Horse Lake. The name Amarillo came from the nearby lake and creek and means “yellow” in Spanish. On August 30, 1887 it was officially chosen to be the Potter County seat and became the region’s main trade center with the help of the building of the railroad. Today the city continues to grow and extends from Potter County south into Randall County. The railroad is still an important facet of Amarillo commerce in part because Amarillo has been one of the world’s busiest cattle shipping points since 1890. Amarillo industry and commerce has historically centered around ranching, farming, and oil and gas exploration and production. In recent years the diversification of industry has kept Amarillo alive and growing. Today, Amarillo is home to a Bell Helicopter assembly plant for the Osprey aircraft, the Amarillo Copper Refinery, a Tyson Fresh Meat plant, an Owens-Corning Fiberglass plant, the Pantex nuclear weapons assembly and disassembly plant, and has state of the art medical facilities that attract clientele from the surrounding rural Texas Panhandle, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Kansas areas. The population of Amarillo according to the 2000 census was 173,000 and the city has expanded significantly since that time. Along with population and economic growth, Amarillo has seen the growth of the performing and visual arts. The Panhandle Plains Museum in nearby Canyon, Texas on the campus of West Texas A&M University is Texas’ largest history museum and Amarillo College hosts the Amarillo Museum of Arts. Residents of Amarillo also enjoy the Amarillo Symphony, the Amarillo Opera, the Lone Star Ballet, Amarillo Little Theatre, and the use of a beautiful new Amarillo Globe News Center for the Performing Arts for many cultural events. Nature supplies the most beauty for the area providing mostly sunny skies and making Amarillo home to stunning sunsets. Amarillo has a neighborly spirit and a pioneer attitude that has endured throughout its history. Amarillo’s western heritage compiled with a progressive mindset has kept it alive and growing regardless of dust storms, war, and economic depression and will continue to carry the city toward a positive future
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Amarillo Texas Real Estate Amarillo, TX Real Estate
Amarillo, Texas real estate prices are great, interest rates are down, and the inventory of available homes is diverse. It's a great time to buy a home. My associate at Latham Hometown Realty, Kent Meyer and I are in the process of forming a team to better serve our Amarillo, Texas real estate clients. In addition, Kent will be specializing in serving the folks in Canyon, Texas with their real estate needs. Look for more joint marketing projects from Kent and I announcing our upcoming plans to serve our clients better by teaming up! I invite you to visit my website - christinewyly.com to find more information about me. I enjoy working with buyers because I consider it a priviledge to help people find a new home. Please contact me and let me visit with you; I look forward to hearing from you.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Amarillo, Texas Wildires February 13, 2008
- I have lived in my home in the Hetrick Acres subdivision for almost 32 years. I never dreamed I would have a day like this past Wednesday; leaving that home amidst billowing smoke, not knowing if I would ever see it standing again. I am so grateful to the Amarillo Fire Department, Potter County Fire Department, and the countless firefighters we saw racing from other Panhandle towns to help us. I also appreciate the law enforcement officials who efficiently, kindly, and professionally handled the evacuation process. I am thankful to Mayor Debra McCartt and Judge Arthur Ware for signing the emergency orders promptly so as to expedite the process of handling the emergency. Most of all I want to express deep gratitude to all those who called, those who offered to help me evacuate, and the many people who prayed for my safety and for God to spare my home and my neighbors’ homes. I am greatly blessed to live in Amarillo, Texas.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Just a Tidbit
My next essay will be a great one! I am working on the story of Pleasant Valley, a semi-rural area north of Amarillo, Texas. It's another historic, interesting neighborhood. One little tidbit about Pleasant Valley - It is the geographical point of the lowest elevation above sea level in Amarillo, Texas - at 3,450 feet.
The essay will contain some useless trivia, useful stats for Realtors, and some great history for the rest of you history nuts. I'm enjoying the research; I will be finished soon.
Till then,
Christine
The essay will contain some useless trivia, useful stats for Realtors, and some great history for the rest of you history nuts. I'm enjoying the research; I will be finished soon.
Till then,
Christine
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Amarillo Texas Bivins Neighborhood -Original Article Authored by Christine Wyly
The Bivins Addition subdivision is one of the most diverse neighborhoods in Amarillo, Texas. One of the great joys of my real estate business is the privilege of visiting neighborhoods I love. The Bivins Addition is one of those neighborhoods. Its beauty and my love of the city’s history make trips to the Bivins area of Amarillo a delightful outing rather than a workday chore. The Amarillo Association of Realtors generally defines the “Bivins Area” as bounded by Georgia Street on the west, Interstate 40 on the South, S.W. 8th (or the old Rock Island Railroad tracks) on the north, and Washington (Adams) on the East. The area is actually made up of several additions according to plat maps and the Potter-Randall Appraisal District. Those additions include the original Bivins Addition which was amended and enlarged over the years and Bivins Estate. There are others on the east side of the development such as the John Dees Addition, the Madden Annex, and the Academy Courts Addition.
The Bivins Addition was the first subdivision in Amarillo to extend toward the southwest, a trend that continues to the present. The Bivins Addition was platted in 1926. It was named after Texas Panhandle pioneer Lee Bivins who was a prominent area rancher and businessman at the time. Betty Teel Bivins Lovell who was the granddaughter-in-law of Lee Bivins still lived in the neighborhood in a stately home that was built in the early 1930’s until her death just recently. The area had previously been the home of Bivins Field, Amarillo’s first airport, where Amarillo’s first flying service owned by H. E. Fuqua and Lee Bivins was headquartered. The Bivins Field hangar had been located at 15th and Crockett and was moved when the airport was relocated to the northeast side of the city. The east and west runways became the east and west lanes of Julian Boulevard and the “Y” on Julian Boulevard is where the “Bivins” strip crossed. The tips of the “Y” that were the ends of the runway are the location of the historic gates at two entrances to the Bivins neighborhood. One of those gates is located at S.W. 10th and Travis St. and the other is located at S.W. 15th and Travis St.
The Bivins neighborhood is anchored by St. Andrews Episcopal Church founded by Lee and Betty Bivins on the southwest of the addition and St. Mary’s Catholic Church on the northeast boundary. Julian Boulevard, named after the son of Lee and Mary E. Bivins runs through the heart of the Bivins Addition. The area is characterized by tree lined streets and a park-like atmosphere where the chimes from St. Andrews Episcopal Church and First Church of Christ, Scientist.can be heard. The architectural styles in the neighborhood vary from traditional, ranch, English Tudor, and cottage style. Those styles, along with the spacious townhomes at Bryan Place provide a delightful, eclectic mixture of residences that offer something for everyone. The upper end, higher priced homes tend to be located in the heart of Bivins on Julian Boulevard, on the streets adjacent to Julian Boulevard, and the north and south streets extending from Julian Boulevard toward Interstate 40. Homes in lower price ranges occupied by first time homebuyers and folks who rent or lease are generally located east of Travis St. and west of Washington St. The residences north of S.W. 10th St. and south of S.W. 8th St. also are somewhat smaller and are home to smaller families and first time homebuyers.
Home prices tend to be lower for the traditional, square tract type houses, moderate for cottage and ranch style homes, and higher for the English Tudor and neoclassical style homes. For a better understanding of styles, a resource for residential styles can be accessed through the christinewyly.com website. According to the Amarillo Association of Realtors Multiple Listing Service, sales statistics for residences sold in the “Bivins Area” show the average sales price of residences in the last year to be $95,866 and the median sales price to be $84,850. The type of closed and active listings in the last 12 months since October 1, 2006 range from $25,000 to $30, 000 one bedroom traditional style fixer-uppers on the east side of the development to four to five bedroom upper end homes listed for $375,000 to $400,000 along Julian Boulevard. The majority of homes listed and sold in the neighborhood are those in the $95,000 to $135, 000 price range. First time homebuyers are finding that homes in that moderate price range are good bargains because some are charming older, roomy, well built homes that simply need updating.
I love the Bivins Addition for it’s beauty, it’s charm, and it’s central location. The neighborhood is close to Wolflin Villlage shopping center, downtown Amarillo, Interstate 40, Interstate 27, restaurants, banks, and so much more. The history of the neighborhood intrigues me, speaks to my curiosity of how this city came to be and how it has survived. Its diversity tells the story of what makes Amarillo the city that it is.
Please comment – post your thoughts about this great neighborhood or post comments regarding my observations. While researching for this essay, I found myself so immersed in the history of just this one Amarillo neighborhood, I am very much looking forward to continuing to the next neighborhood essay. In the mean time, let me hear from you.
Sources for this article are the Amarillo Association of Realtors Multiple Listing Service, the National Association of Realtors, The Handbook of Texas Online, and the Amarillo Globe News.
The Bivins Addition was the first subdivision in Amarillo to extend toward the southwest, a trend that continues to the present. The Bivins Addition was platted in 1926. It was named after Texas Panhandle pioneer Lee Bivins who was a prominent area rancher and businessman at the time. Betty Teel Bivins Lovell who was the granddaughter-in-law of Lee Bivins still lived in the neighborhood in a stately home that was built in the early 1930’s until her death just recently. The area had previously been the home of Bivins Field, Amarillo’s first airport, where Amarillo’s first flying service owned by H. E. Fuqua and Lee Bivins was headquartered. The Bivins Field hangar had been located at 15th and Crockett and was moved when the airport was relocated to the northeast side of the city. The east and west runways became the east and west lanes of Julian Boulevard and the “Y” on Julian Boulevard is where the “Bivins” strip crossed. The tips of the “Y” that were the ends of the runway are the location of the historic gates at two entrances to the Bivins neighborhood. One of those gates is located at S.W. 10th and Travis St. and the other is located at S.W. 15th and Travis St.
The Bivins neighborhood is anchored by St. Andrews Episcopal Church founded by Lee and Betty Bivins on the southwest of the addition and St. Mary’s Catholic Church on the northeast boundary. Julian Boulevard, named after the son of Lee and Mary E. Bivins runs through the heart of the Bivins Addition. The area is characterized by tree lined streets and a park-like atmosphere where the chimes from St. Andrews Episcopal Church and First Church of Christ, Scientist.can be heard. The architectural styles in the neighborhood vary from traditional, ranch, English Tudor, and cottage style. Those styles, along with the spacious townhomes at Bryan Place provide a delightful, eclectic mixture of residences that offer something for everyone. The upper end, higher priced homes tend to be located in the heart of Bivins on Julian Boulevard, on the streets adjacent to Julian Boulevard, and the north and south streets extending from Julian Boulevard toward Interstate 40. Homes in lower price ranges occupied by first time homebuyers and folks who rent or lease are generally located east of Travis St. and west of Washington St. The residences north of S.W. 10th St. and south of S.W. 8th St. also are somewhat smaller and are home to smaller families and first time homebuyers.
Home prices tend to be lower for the traditional, square tract type houses, moderate for cottage and ranch style homes, and higher for the English Tudor and neoclassical style homes. For a better understanding of styles, a resource for residential styles can be accessed through the christinewyly.com website. According to the Amarillo Association of Realtors Multiple Listing Service, sales statistics for residences sold in the “Bivins Area” show the average sales price of residences in the last year to be $95,866 and the median sales price to be $84,850. The type of closed and active listings in the last 12 months since October 1, 2006 range from $25,000 to $30, 000 one bedroom traditional style fixer-uppers on the east side of the development to four to five bedroom upper end homes listed for $375,000 to $400,000 along Julian Boulevard. The majority of homes listed and sold in the neighborhood are those in the $95,000 to $135, 000 price range. First time homebuyers are finding that homes in that moderate price range are good bargains because some are charming older, roomy, well built homes that simply need updating.
I love the Bivins Addition for it’s beauty, it’s charm, and it’s central location. The neighborhood is close to Wolflin Villlage shopping center, downtown Amarillo, Interstate 40, Interstate 27, restaurants, banks, and so much more. The history of the neighborhood intrigues me, speaks to my curiosity of how this city came to be and how it has survived. Its diversity tells the story of what makes Amarillo the city that it is.
Please comment – post your thoughts about this great neighborhood or post comments regarding my observations. While researching for this essay, I found myself so immersed in the history of just this one Amarillo neighborhood, I am very much looking forward to continuing to the next neighborhood essay. In the mean time, let me hear from you.
Sources for this article are the Amarillo Association of Realtors Multiple Listing Service, the National Association of Realtors, The Handbook of Texas Online, and the Amarillo Globe News.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Amarillo Neighborhoods
Coming soon....
A series of essays that will give a comprehensive review of neighborhoods in Amarillo, Texas. I will endeavor to provide a resource for real estate professionals, lenders, city and civic leaders that will give background, understanding, and pertinent current information on all the neighborhoods in Amarillo. I will also comment periodically on issues that relate to current events that relate to the well being of Amarillo, the growth, potential for growth, and other subjects that effect the real estate market.
My particular interests tend to drift toward the older neighborhoods of Amarillo; its core, its heritage. I have a soft spot for downtown Amarillo, so I will endeavor to look at issues regarding potential growth and development in the center of the city. I plan, however, to critique all Amarillo neighborhoods eventually, so please join me each week and read, comment, learn, and enjoy!
Christine Wyly
A series of essays that will give a comprehensive review of neighborhoods in Amarillo, Texas. I will endeavor to provide a resource for real estate professionals, lenders, city and civic leaders that will give background, understanding, and pertinent current information on all the neighborhoods in Amarillo. I will also comment periodically on issues that relate to current events that relate to the well being of Amarillo, the growth, potential for growth, and other subjects that effect the real estate market.
My particular interests tend to drift toward the older neighborhoods of Amarillo; its core, its heritage. I have a soft spot for downtown Amarillo, so I will endeavor to look at issues regarding potential growth and development in the center of the city. I plan, however, to critique all Amarillo neighborhoods eventually, so please join me each week and read, comment, learn, and enjoy!
Christine Wyly
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