According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Fort Worth was one of the top five biggest gainers in population between 2003 and 2004, yet the market remains incredibly affordable, say local Realtors.

"Ft. Worth is the cultural and commercial hub of Tarrant County," says Realtor Gladys Vance. "Given the name of "The City Where The West Begins" by the famed Will Rogers, it embraces it's cowboy heritage while moving forward into the 21st Century with a revitalized downtown and cultural attractions. Downtown's famous Sundance Square offers a unique combination of historic buildings, restaurants, theaters and sidewalk cafes. With a population of about 500,000 friendly people, it ranks among the top cities in the nation to live and work according to Fortune and Money magazines."

Vance continues, "Thriving industries such as Lockheed Martin Aircraft, Bell Helicopter, American Airlines and Radio Shack are indications of the caliber of corporations that helped Ft. Worth grow. Cultural attractions include The Kimbell Art Museum, The Ft. Worth Museum of Modern Art, The Bass Performance Hall, The Ft. Worth Symphony, The Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, The Cowgirl Museum, and the Ft. Worth/Dallas Ballet are just a few. The Ft. Worth Stockyards National Historic District on the north side of the city offers a variety of attractions such as Billy Bob's Texas, billed as the largest honky tonk in the world, The White Elephant Saloon and more than 70 shops, restaurants, galleries and saloons. In January of each year, the world-famous Stock Show and Rodeo is presented at the Will Rogers Memorial Center. Ft. Worth is also home of the Texas Boys Choir and the Texas Girls Choir, both of which perform all over the world. Professional sports are a big part of the Ft. Worth venue and include Texas Rangers baseball, Dallas Mavericks basketball, Dallas Stars hockey, and Dallas Burn Soccer. Homes in the Ft. Worth area range from $80,000 to $3,000,000."

Suggests Realtor Ann Anker, "Northeast Fort Worth provides affordable, high-quality living in a thriving, diverse business environment with outstanding education from kindergarten through college. It's a temperate climate with easy access to popular attractions, sophisticated fine art, community solidarity, renowned performing arts, and convenience to a bustling downtown that is the pride of its citizens and a model for cities across the nation. The half-million people of Fort Worth are genuinely friendly, spirited and quite diverse. Fort Worth is consistently ranked among the top places in the nation to live and do business. The economy is strong!"

Anker exults, "Fort Worth is the place to live. New communities, new schools, parks and room to enjoy the great outdoors -- it's all here. Great real estate opportunities! Home sales in Northeast Fort Worth through May 2005 are down and the inventory is still high, up 31 percent year-to-date over same period in 2004, with only a slight increase in the average price per home to $145,488. Existing homes and new construction provide a choice of homes to surprise and delight buyers. The northeast Fort Worth real estate market was extremely active in 2004 with 1,898 homes sold, an increase of 18 percent over the previous year. The total sales volume of $267,752,758 was 18 percent higher with the average home price of $141,071."

Published: July 7, 2005

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