The Shores on Richland Chambers Lake, what's going on in there?

New house on Deepwater Cove

The Shores on Richland Chambers Lake is the biggest subdivision on RC Lake. It is over 600 acres with about 620 lots.  The Shores was developed later in the life of Richland Chambers (from the best I can remember 2004-5 or so). The developer, Texas Land and Lakes, finished up and pulled out late in the spring of 2009.
The subdivision has maintained it's amenities, common areas, and roads very well and the place looks great to this day.  It is conveniently located right off of US 287 on the Corsicana side of the bridge and is gated 24 hours a day to provide security for residents and minimize drive through traffic.
So after 8 years of autonomy over 12 years or so of existence, 3 drought years and a housing market crash, how is the neighborhood doing?

New construction on Sailboat Drive

I had the pleasure a week or so ago of interviewing Gary Sharon who is a resident of The Shores and the head of the Architectural Control Committee (ACC).  Gary gave me the latest on The Shores and is a wealth of information about the growth of the community. The Shores currently has 83 completed homes with 8 currently under construction.  The pace has varied over the years, 9 were approved in 2014, 2 in 2015 and 2016 saw 13 sets of plans approved. This makes The Shores on pace to be at 100 homes before we know it, making it the largest community on Richland Chambers Lake with plenty of room to spare.


The function of the ACC is to ensure that all improvements in the neighborhood align with and meet the guidelines in the community's Deed Restrictions. The process is actually pretty simple.  When a lot owner wants to do an improvement on their property they must submit the plans to the ACC for approval. The ACC  tends to move quickly so you are not out a bunch of time waiting for an answer. Gary also said he "encourages anyone with questions or concerns to call and talk about it". This can save you time and money and keep you from paying an Architect to plan something that does not meet the Improvement Guidelines.  Not to mention paying the Architect to amend the plans after the fact.

Just completed on Clubhouse Drive

Under construction on Waters Edge

Just starting on Deepwater Cove

The ACC not only reviews plans for homes but also sidewalks, sheds, retaining walls, boathouses and really any improvements made above ground. Gary also wanted to point out that any improvements made below the 320' line must also be approved by Tarrant Regional Water District. This would include boathouses, retainer walls, sidewalks, etc.
The Shores property owners can check out more information and download forms from the community's website www.POAofTheShores.com.

Finishing touches going on at the end of Canal Street

Looking good on Hatteras Drive

Side by Side on The Shores Drive

Side by Side on The Shores Drive

So to answer the question, The Shores on Richland Chambers Lake is alive and well and growing!!
#richlandchambers #theshoresonrichlandchambers #richlandchamberslake

The Power of a Local Agent

I usually write our blogs and I hope you've found them useful and somewhat entertaining. But this time Julie has something to say and has taken over the keyboard... enjoy! 

Market knowledge is very important when choosing an agent to represent you in a real estate transaction.  It is considerably more important in a resort market such as ours, Richland Chambers Lake, where there is so much data to be gathered before making a decision to purchase a waterfront property. When we opened our office on the Lake in 2008, we had no idea of how much information gathering that would be required to properly serve our clients.  We quickly realized this fact and began to drive all the neighborhoods, pull all the plats, copy all the restrictions for the more than 60 subdivisions and  began our schooling of all things Richland Chambers Lake! We worked tirelessly 7 days a week those first few years to inculcate ourselves to be equipped to serve and become the RC Lake experts!

Questions that often arise on a daily basis are those related to HOA's, building requirements, subdivision amenities, lake fluctuations, lake depths, marina locations, boathouse building information, and whether or not RV's or Vacation Rentals are allowed in each of the subdivisions. These answers vary depending on the subdivision on the lake.  There are no two that are the same.

With the booming of real estate markets in metropolitan areas around us and the lack of inventory in those markets, we are seeing more and more agents getting out of their comfort zones and attempting to represent their clients in markets not within their scope of expertise.
Part of a Realtor's fiduciary duties to their client's as lined out in the Texas Real Estate Commission's
Canon of Ethics is competency, to be knowledgeable and informed on market conditions that affect
real estate and exercise judgment and skill in performing these duties.

If you are considering a move to a lake area or resort market in the state of Texas, and feel loyalty to an agent where you currently live or in another market, and are unsure of the unknown, ask them to research agents and refer you to an expert agent in that market.  This enables your local agent to make some money while insuring that you are getting all the benefits of working with an agent that is equipped to handle your real estate investment and guide you through the lake buying process.

Real Estate is a part of your portfolio that requires extra special care and expertise. Like the rest of your investment portfolio, you must take extra care to avoid the pitfalls that could occur without a well equipped professional on your side.

Whether you are buying or selling, the local agent is always the best choice to protect your investment.  If you are selling a property, the benefits of hiring a local agent are numerous as well.
For example, market knowledge and pricing are key in getting your property sold.  Local area agents
in markets like ours, have been inside almost every home that has sold and everyone that is currently on the market for sale.  They can help you make specific comparisons to each of these competing properties that will help you to establish the best listing price that will achieve your goals of both time and money depending on your own motivations. They are also available to check on the property if you are an absentee seller.  They also have the benefits of knowing which marketing works and can implement the right tools.  But most importantly, and often overlooked, the agent you hire must be fully equipped with all the data and information needed to sell the lake area first.  Most lake area and resort buyers are shopping lakes and this is vitally important to the sell.  Out of town Agents are not equipped to sell in markets they do not know.

To sum it up, real estate is one of the most valuable and important investments you will make in your lifetime.  Protect that investment by careful selection of a real estate professional that is an expert in that market.