Among young and first time home buyers, demand for condos and townhomes throughout the DFW area has been strong. And if you're planning to make the transition from renting to owning somewhere in or around Addison, we have a pretty good idea where you should begin your search heading into the spring market of 2019. 

Meridian Square

For a mid-rise condo building that’s just a short walk from restaurants and shops, consider Meridian Square. The newer construction property currently has your choice of two- or three-bedroom condos on the market.

La Mirada

More options exist in La Mirada. This more established property also includes access to community tennis courts and a swimming pool. A large one-bedroom unit here commands more than 1,200 square

Dallas-based Billingsley Co. is looking to replace two old warehouses situated just just of Galleria Dallas with new apartment residences, according to a recent report from the Dallas News. 

The project site, located at 4730 Simonton, encompasses roughly 8 acres and is currently surrounding by industrial development. However, Billingsley Co. is also looking to demolish another warehouse property just a few blocks away and develop and additional five-story apartment complex. 

Combined, both projects would be a major step forward in totally changing the area landscape. 

For now, the first project planned is a four-story, 412-unit apartment community that will have a rooftop deck and two interior courtyards. 

Approval from Farmers Branch’s

Dallas isn’t short on desirable neighborhoods that all have something unique to offer home buyers. Not surprisingly, some locations have more of a laid-back residential vibe that features tree-lined streets and stately single-family homes, while others offer more of an urban living experience that’s walkable, vibrant, and full of energy. 

Deep Ellum, for the most part, tends to lean towards the latter of the two, but it’s also a neighborhood that’s quickly becoming one of the hottest destinations in all of Dallas for home buyers to consider. But just what makes Deep Ellum so attractive? Well, here’s a closer look at 3 key reasons that are among a fast-growing list….

The Arts

Along with hosting an art festival that’s been around since 1994, you’ll

A new high-rise development slated for downtown Dallas will include a number of affordable units according to recent reports—something many new projects throughout DFW have been lacking. 

Being developed by Matthews Southwest, the new apartment tower will soon break ground at 2400 Bryan Street, and when finished, will stand 15 stories high and have around 230 apartment residences. And of those 230 units, over 100 will be reserved for below-market rents. 

But just what does that means exactly? Well, according to affordable housing regulations, residents will need to be earning between 30 and 60 percent of the area’s median household income to qualify for the affordable units. 

Also included in the project scope is a parking garage and right around

The Dallas-Fort Worth area was once again the top home building market in the U.S. last year, making it the third year in a row DFW saw the most home starts.

According to a new report from Metrostudy Inc., home builders began construction on roughly 34,750 homes in North Texas in 2018, edging out Houston’s total of 30,146 home starts and Central Florida’s 28,074 home starts.

Also noted in the report is that the median price for new homes throughout DFW actually dropped last year, indicating that buyers are opting for smaller, more affordable homes.  

New homes priced below $350,000 are what new construction buyers want most right now, especially as mortgage rates continue to increase. In 2018, new home starts in the DFW region were up by more than 4%,

If you're looking for options during your Dallas condo search, here are four buildings close to downtown that all have pretty strong inventory heading into the busy spring market. 

3525 Turtle Creek Boulevard

For mid-century modern style in Dallas, be sure to check out 3525 Turtle Creek. The building offers a heated pool and fitness center, plus street level retail. Heading into spring, the property serves up your choice of a luxurious penthouse unit, an elegant double-unit or a more traditional condo home.

The Mayfair

Several two-bedroom units are currently available at The Mayfair. This property enjoys views of downtown and Lee Park, with delightful additions including access to a fitness center, swimming pool and a Rooftop Sky Club. 

The

The housing market in the Dallas-Fort Worth area just hit a record high, topping $510 billion in 2018. Last year alone the area’s home market added another $14.6 billion in value, at least according to newly released Zillow estimates.

Over the past five years, housing values in the area have increased more than 40-percent. Despite a slowing of home appreciation in the second half of the year for North Texas, median single-family home sales prices still rose for much of the year.

Despite this, Dallas-Ft Worth housing market value is still relatively modest when compared to housing markets such as New York/Northern New Jersey, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego.

The real estate marketing and data firm also reports strong and stable home

Gated communities in DFW provide home owners with plenty of privacy and extra security. As a result, gated homes always seem to be in relatively high-demand, especially when the market is hot. If you're planning to buy a home in DFW in 2019 and something in a gated community is high up on your wish list, take a closer look at where you'll find some of the area's most impressive gated properties. 

Vaquero- Westlake, TX

The extremely private Vaquero offers the luxury of a Tom Fazio-designed golf course, clubhouse and some incredible, high-end homes. This guard-gated community enjoys large lots and multi-million dollar estates for the elite buyer.

The Hills of Kingswood- Frisco, TX 

Bordering a wooded greenbelt and Lake Lewisville, The Hills of

We already know that the apartment market throughout North Texas has been robust over the past few years. But to put things in perspective, apartment builders in the DFW region added a whopping 26,000 rental units in 2018 alone—a total that led the nation in completions by a large margin according to apartment data firm RealPage. 

Despite the huge number of apartment deliveries over the past 12 months, most economists say demand is still quite strong for DFW rentals, which is why another 35,000 more apartment units were already under construction or getting ready to start construction at the end of 2018. Compared to last year’s new construction apartment pipeline, that’s 5,000 more units for those of you keeping track.  

The good news for renters in

Just a few short months ago, PricewaterhouseCoopers and the Urban Land Institute released a report that summarized what kind of housing market we can expect in 2019, and not surprisingly, Dallas-Fort Worth was labeled the top real estate market to watch in 2019. 

Thanks to a relatively low-cost of living [for now] and strong population growth, DFW took home the top spot on the report, which considered 78 other cities in the U.S.

Right now, DFW’s business economy and housing market are strong, which is a trend that should continue throughout the new year. The cost of business remains low in North Texas, which is driving more businesses and companies to DFW, and ultimately more people. 

According to the report, DFW’s population growth in 2019 is