HOUSTON-It's a time to buy in Houston, and maybe Dallas, says an AMLI Residential vice president. Truth is, two complexes had been bought on the same day, but no one had been talking about one of the purchases until now.

ARLINGTON, TX-City council members now have until Jan. 23 to take a stand on stringent big box regulations that are certain to add to construction costs. The ordinance has had to be re-advertised, but so far council has voiced no concerns to the city's planning office.

HOUSTON-Two tenants at San Felipe Plaza have signed lease renewals totaling 21,411 sf. Staying put are Elf Trading Inc., a subsidiary of Total FinaElf and the law firm of Manning, Gosda & Arredondo.

GRAND PRAIRIE, TX-The Ramsey Family LP, based in El Paso, has bought its first holding in the metroplex. The 45,000-sf building in the Great Southwest Parkway Industrial Park has fetched between $1.3 million and $1.6 million.

HOUSTON-EastGroup Properties has acquired 63 acres of raw land and a 107,000-sf building in World Houston International Business Center. The developer is gearing up for the first building phase for the land, which can support up to 800,000 sf.

DALLAS-The Dallas Chapter of NAIOP is ready for the year, seating a new roster of officers to lead the organization this year. Heading the distinguished group is Michael Dardick of Granite Properties.

DALLAS-A Dallas-based child-care provider has found a niche in corporate America, building on-site centers tailored to workers with non-traditional schedules. Children's Choice has added MGM Grand in Las Vegas and Medical City Dallas to its construction list.

DALLAS-An Italian furniture wholesaler is setting up a distribution site in the 270,000-sf Mercantile-Quaker Business Park. The new metroplex business will move into space vacated by a firm that has closed its Dallas operation in a pact that keeps the park at 100% occupancy.