The turmoil in national housing sales has had one positive impact on the local market.

Thanks to slowdowns in the big coastal housing markets, some of North Texas' top real estate sales firms have moved up in national rankings.

Ebby Halliday Realtors – the area's largest residential sales firm – was the 11th-biggest in the country in 2007, according to a new report from RealTrends Inc. Ebby's up from 13th in 2007 and 18th in 2006.

And Keller Williams Realty, based in Southlake, moved from 49th in 2007 to 13th in the nation last year.

Colorado-based RealTrends each year tracks which residential firms sell the most houses in the U.S.

The survey ranks independently owned companies and does not combine data under the various franchise flags.

After Ebby and Keller Williams Southlake, the other top residential sales firms based in North Texas last year are Century 21 Judge Fite Co., Coldwell Banker Apex in Mesquite and Re/Max DFW Associates, based in Coppell.

The top five ranking is unchanged from 2007.

But the big residential companies are doing more business.

Total transactions handled by the five biggest residential property sales firms in North Texas rose more than 6 percent in 2007.

At the same time, overall home sales in the area dropped 8 percent.

Alcatel-Lucent has signed a lease for almost a half-million square feet of industrial space in Lewisville.

The telecommunications company will occupy 80 percent of the 121 Lakepointe Crossing building near State Highway 121.

"It's a consolidation of multiple facilities in North Texas and other parts of the country," said Chris Jackson of Stream Realty Corp.

"It will be used for distribution space."

Alcatel-Lucent will move into 489,796 square feet in the building in July, said Mr. Jackson, who negotiated the lease along with Stream Realty's Bob Hagewood and Blake Kendrick, and Ran Holman and Dave Anderson of CB Richard Ellis.

Opus West developed the Lakepoint building in 2004.

With the new lease, the developer is looking at potential construction on an adjacent 30 acres, said Geoff Meyer, Opus West director of real estate development.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and his real estate team were celebrating in Collin County this week.

Mr. Jones' Blue Star Land has completed a tax increment finance agreement with the town of Prosper.

The intention is to develop a 500-acre town center complex at Preston Road and State Highway 380. Called the Gates of Prosper, the project is being planned with developer Lincoln Property Co. to include shops, residential, office space and more.

Houston-based PM Realty Group has set up a new division to work on leasing and development of medical properties in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

The commercial real estate firm already handles leasing of six medical office buildings in the area. Kyle Libby, formerly a senior leasing associate for the Cirrus Group, will head up the operation.