The Dallas bedroom community of Allen was hit hard by telecom layoffs a few years ago, but the town is finally starting to absorb its excess housing inventory as buyers realize they can have a great quality of life and a lot of home for the money, say Realtors.

"The month of March continued the trend of slower sales; however the average sales price increased in the Allen market," says Realtor Marie Walton . "There was also a decline in the number of new listing and active listings. If homes are priced correctly and in good condition, they continue to sell quickly."

Walton advises, "If you are a buyer, you need a good buyer's agent working for you so that you can see the really good properties before your competition does. If you are thinking about purchasing a home, now is a very good time to do it."

Says Realtor Richard Musgrave , "Allen is located approximately 26 miles north of Dallas. Allen contains 29 parks. It also has the Twin Creeks Golf Course which was designed by Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay."

"These areas north of Dallas are some of the fastest growing cities and towns in the whole north Texas area," says Realtor Roxanne DeBerry . "They're comprised of wonderful schools, parks, lakes, golf courses, senior living areas, great restaurants, many children and adult activities."

"The first part of 2005 through the 1st of March has been very active for both sellers and buyers," she explains. "It has been an exciting first quarter. The home prices are also very attractive as well as the interest rates for mortgages. This combination is really attracting people out of their rentals and into either new or pre-owned homes. In Allen, as well as in many other areas, we are seeing people looking for homes that are in excellent condition and priced fair to the market value. We are also seeing an in-flux of investors looking for deals in a market that has a lot of inventory to offer. The overall environment is still saying that in our area, it is a buyer's market. I don't see any real changes coming this year."