Friday, March 28, 2008

Garage Sale Registration Deadline EXTENDED!

Since we've had such a good response from our awesome neighbors here in Stone Brooke Crossing, we will be extending the deadline to enter until next Wednesday, April 2!
So - start in with the Spring Cleaning and see what YOU can find to sell. If you need a registration form, e-mail or call us! Our contact info is on the right of the screen. We'd be happy to walk on down and hand-deliver it to you too...don't be shy! See you at the sale on Saturday!

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Garage Sale Update - Permits

For those of you that don't know, residents of McKinney must have a garage sale permit when holding a garage sale. For our upcoming community garage sale we will be obtaining the permit for you! As soon as we recieve your Featured Open House Registration Form and $15, we will add you to our list of addresses. Your permit will then be emailed to you the week prior to the garage sale. It's that easy! Now you can focus on the important stuff at hand...like what to keep and what to sell. Have any other questions? We're just a phone call or email away! We're really looking forward to meeting our neighbors as the weather warms up and everyone is enjoying the outdoors.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Garage Sale and Samaritan Inn's Gateway Apartments

We are excited to announce that our office "RE/MAX Four Corners" adopted an apartment to furnish for the Samaritan Inn. This is a project known as "Gateway Apartments".



Did you know that In Collin County, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $650/month. When a security deposit (often first and last month’s rent), application fees ($25-50) and other deposits (utilities) are tabulated, housing quickly becomes out of reach for many hard-working people trying to exist on minimum wages or just slightly above. For those graduating the Samaritan Inn’s program, there is often no place to live within close proximity of full-time employment.

Because of an obvious lack of affordable housing within Collin County, the leaders at The Samaritan Inn, the county’s only homeless shelter, embarked on a new project to begin filling that specific gap. In December, 2005, Jane and Marc Sparks pur¬chased 1.3 acres of pro¬perty across from the McKinney-based Inn, and initi¬ated the steps to¬ward con¬struction of a 20-unit apartment complex. The Sparks family has committed $2 million to see the project to fruition – from dirt to final nail.
Upon completion in February, 2008, the property-struc¬ture will be donated to The Samaritan Inn, which will be responsible for its management. Named “Gate¬way” to symbolize the building as being the final “gateway” to indepen-dence for people formerly without homes (and often hope) who have worked diligently to obtain this level. It is the first such housing program of its kind in Collin County.

There will be 10 one-bedroom and 10 two-bedroom units available, with 1 and 2 baths, spacious floor plans and other appointments. The location permits access to McKinney public transportation.

Gateway residents will pay rent (at a discounted subsidized rate), utility bills and be 100 percent responsible for such things as groceries, while supervised by the Inn staff in order to have this transition period go as smoothly as pos-sible. They will con¬tinue to participate in various Samaritan Inn support programs and counseling (job search, financial adjustment, budgeting).

Residents will go through an application process and be thoroughly screened prior to approval for inclusion. Most rules that currently exist for Inn residents will apply to Gateway (no drug, alcohol, criminal problems) except that inde¬pendence will mean a measure of trust (no curfew, no automatic locks).

Rent will be adjusted every 90-120 days depending on alterations in a resident’s income. Transition periods will be 6-24 months in length and reviews/leases will be examined every 6 months by licensed Inn caseworkers.

“Gateway is transitional housing – not meant to become a permanent address – but a stepping stone to the next level of true independence after a disastrous period in a person or family’s life,” said Lynne Sipiora, executive director of The Samaritan Inn. “People often cannot make the leap from cold recovery to facing the harsh financial demands of living on their own. Gateway is just another means for The Samaritan Inn to help them.”

Thanks to the generosity of one family, and the hard work of dedicated staff and volunteers, beginning in February, there will be a new “Gateway” toward a better life for many people who once believed such possibilities did not exist.


We are excited about this opportunity to help and wanted to ask our fellow neighbors to help as well. If you have items that are on the following list and would like to donate them to this project we will be collecting them the day of the garage sale and delivering to the Samaritan Inn.

Furnishings list

Kitchen:
Table and Chairs
Silverware set (set of 4 or more)
Plates
Cups
Bowls
Large pot
Small pot
Frying pan
Baking dish
Mixing bowl
Spatula
Can opener
Wooden spoon
Cooking knife
Microwave
Toaster

Bathroom:
4 towels
4 wash cloths
1 hand towel
1 bath mat
1 shower curtain

Bedroom:

1 full/queen mattress w/frame (headboard optional)
1 set full/queen sheets
2 pillowcases
1 comforter

Furniture:

Couch
Occasional Chair
Lamps
Coffee table
Dresser
2 nightstands

Miscellaneous

20 hangers
Paper towels
Toilet paper
Cleaning supplies
Laundry detergent
Dish soap
Sponges

For 2 bedroom apartment, please add:

2 twin size mattresses w/ frames
2 sets twin size sheet set
2 twin size blankets
4 pillow cases
1 dresser
2 nightstands

Additional items (if able)

Lamp
Clock
Tv/with stand
Rugs
End tables
Chair
Desk
Phone

For more information please contact Kim or Laura or to adopt your own apartment contact Lynne Sipiora at 972-542-5302/info@thesamaritaninn.org

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

SBC Business Owners!

Calling all Stone Brooke Crossing Business Owners!

Do you own a business? Are you looking for a way to promote your business to your neighbors here in Stone Brooke Crossing? If so, we are looking for donations for our Community Garage Sale & Open House Tour! All visitors to the open houses will have a chance to enter prize drawings. All businesses that donate will recieve advertising on the maps that are handed out to the garage sale "shoppers".

In addition to the map advertising, you can also set up a table in the SBC Pool parking lot next to our information table. We are anticipating lots of traffic and this will be a great spot to advertise your business. Not only will our information table be handing out maps at this location, but we will also be giving out donuts, collecting donations for The Samaritan Inn (more info on this to come) and encouraging all neighbors to come on down and say HI! Bring the kids and let them play at the park! Let's just pray it doesn't snow....or rain....or hail?

For more information, or to sign up as a Prize Donor, please email us or call 469-667-8225 (Kim) or 214-415-5329 (Laura).

Sunday, March 2, 2008

SBC Bunco


Are you interested in making friends? Meeting neighbors? Just having some fun with other women?
Stone Brooke Crossing has a Women's Bunco Group that is always looking for players. We meet the first TUESDAY of the month and alternate homes. The cost is just $5 to participate and you could walk away with some great prize$. We currently have 12 women playing and hope to get it up to 16. If there is a lot of interest a SECOND group can start up. What better way to get to know other FAMILIES in the neighborhood?

If you are interested in PARTICIPATING please email myself or Kim. We'd love to see some new faces! Next GAME: Tueday, March 4th at 5505 Pebble Ct, start time is 7:30 p.m for some food & socializing - game begins at 8:00. We look forward to SEEING you there!

February 2008 Market Update

Here's a snapshot of how the real estate in Stone Brooke Crossing fared for Feb. 1- Feb. 29, 2008.



The month ended with 8 Active listings.

5504 Crystal CT 1,452, 3 BR, 2 / 0 BA $139,900

513 Winding LN 2,095, 3 BR, 2 / 0 BA $169,900 - Kick Out

5436 Pebble Court 2,546, 4 BR, 2 / 1 BA $182,500 - reduced $179,500

5500 Fairfax CT 2,311, 4 BR, 3 / 1 BA Pool $214,900 - reduced $209,500

5301 ARROWHEAD WAY 2,891, 3 BR, 2 / 1 BA $214,990

5521 Fairfax CT 2,574, 4 BR, 2 / 1 BA Pool $215,000

209 S Village DR 3,280, 4 BR, 2 / 1 BA $229,900

5209 Rolling Rock DR 3,304, 4 BR, 3 / 0 BA $229,900



Two Pending Sales:

200 S VILLAGE DR 3,280, 4 BR, 2 / 1 BA $224,900

309 S Village Dr, 1,489, 3 BR, 2/0 BA, $144,500



One Sale:

Home #1: 3280 sq ft, 4 BR, 2/1 BA $227,771



2 Canceled listings:

5408 Pebble Ct, 2105, 3 BR, 2/0 BA $163,800

5213 Arrowhead Way, 2826, 3 BR, 2/1 BA Pool $224,900



Do you need a McKinney Realtor that specializes in Stone Brooke Crossing? Call or Email us today! McKinney Real Estate is picking up this Spring. If you would like a complimentary market analysis we would be happy to provide you with one - no pressure, no obligation!

Stone Brooke Crossing Community GARAGE SALE & OPEN HOUSE TOUR


SAVE THE DATE!
Saturday, April 5
Garage Sale 7:00 am - 2:00 pm
Open House Tour 11:00 am - 2:00 pm

Saturday, April 5 Stone Brooke Crossing will have its First Annual Community Garage Sale and Open House Tour! There will be a 3-day ad in the local newspapers and an ad in the Dallas Morning News promoting the event. There will also be community maps handed out that will direct people to the Featured Open Houses and Featured Garage Sales. The maps will be handed out at the corner of Crutcher Crossing and Turtle Court and there will be signs and directionals into our neighorhood from 7 - 2. We will also be handing out donuts in the morning and they will be served in the parking lot of the SBC Community Pool, so come down and say Hi!

To be a Featured Garage Sale, please email or call Kim (469-667-8225) or Laura (214-415-5329) (your SBC neighbors) to register. We will email you a registration form to fill out where you have the chance to fill out what featured items you will be selling at your garage sale. All featured garage sales will have special balloons at their home identifying them as a featured home. The cost is only $15.00 to participate and will be due no later than Friday, March 28.

To be a Featured Open House, please have your real estate agent call us for registration information. We will send them a registration form so that you can participate. The Featured Open Houses will have exclusive advertising and visitors to these Open Houses will have the opportunity to win some awesome prizes! What a great way to get some traffic in our awesome neighborhood to show off your home! The deadline to sign up as a featured Open House is also Friday, March 28.

Keep checking back for more details!