Homeowners Associations

Condo VS House: Which Property Type is The Right One For You?

By Rachael Abrams / February 9, 2015 /

When it comes to deciding whether or not you want to invest in a condo or a single-family house, there’s a whole lot to mull over. Before stressing about homeowners associations and finding the perfect neighborhoods we decided to speak to Dallas City Center Realty’s Nancy Guerriero, who offered a wealth of sound advice. “The…

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How Far Can an HOA Agreement Go? Man Sues Rabbi Hosting Twice-a-Day Synagogue Service in North Dallas Home

By Joanna England / February 5, 2014 /

Very interesting case here in North Dallas. Orthodox Rabbi Yaakov Rich has been hosting two services a day in his home, dubbed Congregation Toras Chaim, and recently applied for a Certificate of Occupancy with the City of Dallas.

Rabbi Rich wants to operate a religious center in his 3,572-square-foot, four-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath home at 7103 Mumford Court. Built in 1986, records show this home was purchased in June of 2013 and is valued at $330,000. But neighbors are beginning to chafe from the traffic and parking problems in their HOA-protected community.

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Ask an Architect: The Story on Second Stories — How to Decide Between Building on or Moving Off?

By Joanna England / August 20, 2013 /

Two families in my neighborhood, Casa View Haven, recently announced that they’d be selling their modest post war-traditional homes and heading for the ‘burbs. Sure, that’s an option, but sometimes families choose to invest in an addition to accommodate growing families rather than packing up and moving.

Of course, there are pros and cons for both choices. Sometimes the investment in building onto a home isn’t recouped. And sometimes you can’t sell your existing home in time and end up carrying two mortgage payments. And sometimes, too, Homeowners Associations and deed restrictions can keep you from adding more space.

Michael Staten, a Dallas architect and senior project manager at CBRE, considered adding on to his Lake Highlands home. Instead, Staten and his family of four moved to Richardson. Why?

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Residential or Retail? What Will The Rise of The Cottage Industry Mean For Neighborhoods?

By Joanna England / June 20, 2013 /

Let me tell you, folks, working from home is awesome. Sometimes I don’t change out of my pajamas until I have to leave the house, which can often be sometime in the afternoon, guys. I thank my lucky stars for this career option, which has made being a mother so much easier. But while I…

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