| The highest end of the real estate market | | | | homes and building sites in these areas are |
| seems to be well beyond the woes of the rest | | | | also in high demand. |
| of the world. Claims of a downturn in the | | | | |
| real estate market have had little effect on | | | | With easy access to the petroleum, |
| the luxury market in North Texas - in fact, | | | | telecommunications, IT, and commerce |
| sales of Dallas area mansions are up 25 per | | | | industries, North Texas is a great location |
| cent at a time when the lower-end of the | | | | for the big business players. The proximity |
| market is dropping. Financing conditions that | | | | to the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, one of |
| may prohibit those in a lower income bracket | | | | American Airlines' hubs, is an added bonus, |
| are less of an issue to the multi millionaire | | | | allowing a painless commute to international |
| crowd. Tougher conditions may make the market | | | | destinations. |
| trickier to break into for first time buyers, | | | | |
| but with booms in the energy industry and the | | | | It's no surprise that this area has one of |
| stock market, a whole new crowd of multi | | | | the highest concentrations of billionaires in |
| million dollar buyers, many of them young | | | | the world, but living in North Texas is just |
| people, have popped up. In the first six | | | | plain attractive, regardless of your income |
| months of 2007 over 500 million-dollar homes | | | | bracket: with a humid, subtropical climate |
| were bought in North Texas, proving that this | | | | and an average of just three days of snow a |
| area continues to be attractive to the | | | | year, the weather appeals to the super rich |
| upwardly mobile. | | | | and just about anyone else. Dallas's |
| | | | happening entertainment scene including |
| From custom homes in gated communities to | | | | restaurants ranked number one by Zagat, more |
| turn of the century charm, it's easy to see | | | | eateries per capita than New York City and a |
| why neighborhoods like Frisco, Bluffview, | | | | new multi-venue performing arts center |
| Preston Hollow and Park Cities (including the | | | | including an opera house due to open in 2009. |
| prestigious Highland Park) are attracting the | | | | |
| big money. North Texas features a variety of | | | | The old adage rings true here: Location, |
| architecturally stunning homes including | | | | location, location. North Texas is clearly a |
| French Country estates, Tuscan style villas | | | | preferred setting, and the multi million |
| and classic English Tudor homes. Not all | | | | dollar homes in this area will continue to |
| customers are interested in pre-exizting | | | | sell for exactly this reason. |