A conversation with Dino Perelli of

The Perelli Group / Citiwide Realty ~ Gun Barrel City, Texas

About Gun Barrel City, TX

This is a wonderful place for so many different kinds of lifestyles. Once a sleepy little resort area for weekenders from Dallas, the Cedar Creek Lake area now boasts more than 50,000 full time residents, top rated schools (the Mabank school district consistently wins awards for excellence), a hospital and a growing array of “big city” shopping, including major outlets like Wal-Mart and Lowes. The Cedar Creek Lake area is a melting pot of people from all over the world who are also looking for an ideal place to live, work, or vacation.

 

Gun Barrel City is the main town for shopping and entertainment around the Cedar Creek Lake area. Cedar Creek Lake is the 4^th largest man made lake in Texas and has over 325 miles of waterfront! We are an eclectic mix of second home buyers from the Dallas/ Ft Worth Metroplex (only one hour away) and full time retirees, as well as your standard fair of middle class America to round off the population! The lake was finished in 1965 and the area has seen tremendous growth since then while still retaining its rural charm. Gun Barrel City got its name because the primary road that goes thru it (Main St) is “straight as a gun barrel”…. Or so the legend goes! With over 320 subdivisions, nine municipalities, and four school districts, we cover a lot of ground.

Why Do People Choose Gun Barrel City, Texas?

Being convenient to a major city (Dallas) as well as having plenty of space and a beautiful, fully recreational lake to live, play, and fish on has made Gun Barrel City a great destination. It’s a perfect spot for not only vacationers and fishermen from Dallas and other surrounding areas, but for people seeking a quieter, slower, pace of life in general. The area has one of the strongest Chambers of Commerce in Texas and while the theme is slow and relaxed, there’s never a shortage of things to do around the lake. We have a bowling alley, two movie multiplexes, shopping, restaurants / bars, a family fun center and even a drag strip! Of course the lake itself is our biggest draw. Every weekend sees many pleasure boaters and jet skiers as well as a large array of fisherman seeking to catch one of our record breaking catfish (54 lbs!), or perhaps a bass or crappie. Then for nightlife you can see some of our local entertainers, sing Karaoke, or just relax at a waterfront bar or marina and sip a delightful cocktail as you ponder all the things you’re glad you’re NOT doing!

The Future

While Gun Barrel City (like the rest of the country) has seen its growth go through a slow down faze the last couple of years, there has still been a lot of new home starts and businesses opening up in the area. The prognosis for future development is good and the Gun Barrel City council is always seeking and finding new events to encourage new tourism.

Mabank, another town on the lake has recently been renovating their downtown area into an arts and crafts district.

Realtors & Technology

The popularity of our lake is made obvious when you realize the sheer number of Realtors doing business on and around the lake. In a slower market that’s filled with a disproportionate amount of Realtors and realty companies, only the strong end up surviving. While many Realtors have been slow to grasp technology as a means to do business here, many are starting to realize how important the Internet is to doing business in today’s world. Having had a background in media before becoming a Realtor has helped my technology lead in this area soar. I do very personal extra touches like POV (point of view) video tours. Unlike virtual picture tours used by most Realtors here, I actually do a walk through video on a broadcast camera and stream it to YouTube where I also then embed the video into the unique web page I design for each listing. I also use RSS feeds to extend my reach even further.

 

So whether you’re looking for a great place to retire or a quality place to live and raise a family, with all the amenities of a big city in a fairly rural, safe and quiet area, then Cedar Creek Lake is the place for you! We’re growing and that means our prices can’t remain stable and low forever, so start thinking about a wonderful life in Texas at Cedar Creek lake!

Call me….I’ll be glad to “show you around!” Or visit my website at www.BestLakeInTexas.com to see exclusive P.O.V. (point of view) videos that I put up with all my listings as well as professionally shot photos.

POV Tour

Bottom Out?

While our off water properties have faired about the same as the rest of Texas (with foreclosures and some price drops), our waterfront property has remained pretty level and in many cases even increased during these trying times. The sheer volume of sales has decreased, but the upper priced homes have continued to do well and the outlook gets better all the time.

Preparing to Buy…

Now is an excellent time to get some great deals on waterfront, off water, and even farm and ranch properties in our area. Prices in Texas have been low even before the housing crash and the value will soon begin to reflect the fact that Texas is fast becoming one of the most desirable areas for retirees and new home starts in the entire country. There is a boom coming to Texas and those who don’t take advantage of it will feel the pinch when prices inevitably begin to climb in the next couple of years. Combine that fact with a growing commercial appeal to our lake and some of the most beautiful property on Gods green earth and you have a perfect reason to make Cedar Creek Lake your home or destination.

Words of Wisdom…

Many sellers around the lake have been affected by the overall economy and it has caused a glut of listings. Sellers need to be aware that only two things will sell your house quickly…. Sheer desirability or the lowest price in your bracket. Buyers know that sellers are more desperate than in recent years, but a good Realtor will guide sellers through the process without having to take a bath on their real estate transaction by using good negotiation skills and aggressive marketing techniques. Remember too that you don’t need to spend a lot of money on professional staging, if you just remember little things like this:

• Keep the lawn trimmed and the landscaping nice
• Don’t let the house get too messy in case short notice showings come up
• You plan on moving, so start packing up all those knick-knacks and personal things that wouldn’t be very special to anyone but you. Also reduces  clutter
• Some sellers like to ‘micro manage” their listing and want regular reports on what is or isn’t going on. Others would rather be left alone unless there’s a showing and/or a contract and just want their Realtor to “do their thing.” Whichever you are, let your Realtor know so he can treat you accordingly!
• Make sure all your friends and co-workers know you have a great house for sale… referrals are great!!

About Dino Perelli   Dino Perelli is a Realtor, musician, and entrepreneur originally from Las Vegas andnow permanently residing in the great state of Texas. He became a Realtor in 2005, an ABR in 2006, and has won awards including “Rookie of the year” and “The Hi-Touch / Hi-Tech” award for excellence from Excite Realty. After 5 years with Excite Realty, Dino now runs “The Perelli Group” / Citiwide, a full service realty company specializing in lake area and waterfront properties. He is very

active in community events and is also a popular entertainer around the lake.

 

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This guest post is part of our Realtor Thursday Series. We invite realtors from towns and cities all over the country, big or small, to participate. Our goal is to “travel” to as many towns as we can in every state. Every town is unique and wonderful to our readers. If you would like to showcase your town, your neighbors and your talents as a realtor, please contact us at liz@dalesiegel.com