Austin Texas Real Estate Blog

It’s often said that first impressions make the most impact on the typical human being, whether it involves a new acquaintance, a perspective employee, or a house. It’s true: the exterior of a house is the factor most often cited as influencing their decision when a potential buyer is looking at properties. There are a number of simple, yet effective ways to enhance the curb appeal of the home on the market and this article lists a number of unique and interesting products designed for just this purpose. Here are a few samples:

There’s no question that a slate roof appeals to most aesthetics, but few home owners are inspired enough to pay for the high cost of installation and maintenance. Atlas Roofing has a solution: StormMaster Slate shingles. They give the beauty of a slate appearance while minimizing the cost and weight of an actual slate roof.

That old reliable manufacturer of secure entry systems, Kwikset, has come out with its SmartSeries line of keyless and “smart key” locking systems. The futuristic SmartScan system features a subdermal fingerprint scan, providing both convenience and security. SmartCode requires a personal identification code for entry and SmartKey allows you the security of re-keying your own lock without having to call a professional locksmith.

Composite materials are becoming more popular as manufacturers get better at mimicking various natural substances. Products that look and feel like wood, stone, ceramics, and even cement, add not just beauty and value to a home’s exterior and decking, but safety as well, because many of these products are fire resistant. Faux stone for home facade and chimney facing, wood composite deck boards, and wood-like vinyl siding are just a few of the products available.

What happens when you get to the point in your life when you realize your home is much too big and you’re ready to move from that 3,000 square foot monster to a more manageable 1,200 square foot townhouse? What do you do with all that stuff you have? Joanne O�Donnell, Chic Home Interiors, has a few good tips for deciding what to keep and what to let go.

The first rule of thumb she cites is if you haven’t touched it, looked at it, or used it in a year, you don’t need it. This is especially true for those packrats who collect mountains of stuff and squirrel it away for years, often forgetting it even exists. If an item is really that badly needed, the downsizer can easily go out and purchase a replacement.

Does your furniture go with your new smaller digs? Does it even fit in your new smaller digs? Different room sizes and configurations will dictate the decision on this one. Make sure, when purchasing new items, that they match the decor and size of the new place.

Family heirlooms, mementoes, photo albums, baby albums, things that are intensely personal and irreplaceable should be set aside and preserved. Putting a “must keep” label on these things helps in letting go of those items that are probably not as significant.

As with the suggestion above, be very clear about what your new home’s decor and theme is. For example, don’t bring along that heavy mahogany dining table if your new place is a light and airy stucco affair.

Lastly, it almost goes without saying that, when packing up the stuff you’ve decided to keep, stay organized. Pack by room and unpacking will be a breeze on the other end of your move.

It’s not a secret that home sales are down and the real estate market is soft these days. But, as far as the benefits of owning property go, not much has changed.

Your average consumer is getting panicky as the news about the real estate market seems to get worse, that the media is broadcasting breathless reports on how the bottom is still a ways away, and that economists are shaking their collective heads at dark days ahead for home sales. This has resulted in many prospective buyers holding back, hoping to see the bottom and get a real deal on a house. Sadly, this attitude not only perpetuates the soft market, but keeps these prospective buyers from enjoying real time benefits to home ownership now.

Real estate is one of the absolute best investments a person can make these days, both in building a credit history and investing in something that will increase in value as time goes on, and will add to a person’s assets as they build equity in the property.

The government contributes heavily to the rewards of owning your own home – in tax benefits for interest payments, private mortgage insurance, low interest loans, homestead exemption and points paid on closing day, among other things. These rewards more than offset any loss the typical home owner may see during a downturn in the market. Historically, real estate has done nothing but rise in value and a house is one of the better savings plans out there today.

So, start looking around. Your ideal investment is out there somewhere!

It used to be that developers of large tract community homes preferred it if they could build a new house in relative secret – keeping the prospective home owner at bay until the new home was complete. In today’s information rich atmosphere, however, this has become increasingly difficult as consumers are more informed and more anxious to have a say in the construction process.

At Town & Country Homes, Brian Murphy, vice president of operations, says they “are encouraging open communication between” buyers and the construction team, which fosters a great feeling of control for the buyer and results in greater customer satisfaction. Home buyers pretty much know what they want and Town & Country Homes provides an interactive experience, from choosing options on their Web site to supervised visits to the construction site so they can see first hand how the building is progressing.

Town & Country is located in the Chicago area and has seen great success building larger homes in the $250,000 to $400,000 range. They also have built townhouses that are selling in the low $160,000 to the upper $170,000 range. The development company is involved in just about every aspect of a building project from market research and land planning to marketing, sales and construction.

It’s not just the home buyers who become involved in the development planning, but the community as a whole can have a say in what sorts of amenities and homes are constructed and how much development is allowed. Town & Country plans to concentrate on smaller, more intimate communities of 200 or so homes rather than the 1,000 unit large tract communities of the past, and are particularly looking to redevelop in the older suburbs and explore urban reclamation.

It’s easy to have a great time in the summer. The weather is warm, the outdoors is calling, and it’s time to kick back and enjoy some leisure time. It’s also easy to maintain a green lifestyle whether vacationing at home or on the road.

Sunscreen is a must these days to avoid the pain of sunburn and the danger of skin cancer, but many sunscreens contain toxic chemicals that are really unnecessary. Safer brands of sunscreen contain mostly Titanium Oxide, which isn’t absorbed by the skin. Here is an extensive list of sunscreen products that were tried and tested by the Environmental Working Group for both health safety and effectiveness.

Home gardening and composting vegetable waste benefit the environment in a lot of ways. It keeps organic waste out of the landfill, it gets you outside and away from electronic time wasters like the television or computer, it cuts down on the purchase of trucked in produce, and there is nothing on the grocery shelves that can compare with a fresh tomato, still warm from the sun. Even if you’re not very good with plants or don’t have sufficient yard space for your own garden, you can visit the local farmer’s market or join a Community Supported Agriculture group. Not only that, but you’re virtually assured of health, fresh produce free of chemicals and insecticides.

If you plan to travel this summer, consider packing your meals instead of stopping at those fast food joints along the highway. Not only will your home prepared food be healthier for the kids, but you’re helping in a small way to cut down on the amount of packaging and waste entering the garbage stream.

So, get outside, get dirty, and get some sun this summer!

The demand is rising for more information about graywater systems – those systems that reclaim and reuse waste water from the bathtub, shower, utility sink and washing machine. (Toilet, dishwasher and kitchen sink waste water contains human or organic waste and is excluded from graywater systems.) Recycling the graywater involves filtering it, sending it to a storage tank, and then either using it to water the landscape or drains it below the surface of the yard where it eventually joins the groundwater.

Installing a graywater system can be difficult: it requires a separate drainage system for the bath, non-kitchen sink and washing machine water, a filter system, a storage tank, and an irrigation system to deliver the water to landscape plants. In addition, there should be a way to reroute the water into the regular septic system or sewer should the need arise.

This reuse of waste water ensures that clean, drinkable water isn’t used on the lawn or plants which don’t really care how it tastes. It reduces the amount of discharge going into the sewer system, taking demand off the treatment plant. A few important issues need to be taken into consideration before installing a graywater system, however.

It may be difficult to procure the permits needed to install a system as local health and safety agencies are understandably wary that graywater may leech into and contaminate drinking water. It’s advisable to use biodegradable laundry detergents for obvious reasons, and avoid chlorine bleach. It’s also probably a good idea to at least consult a professional plumber, if you plan on doing it yourself, as he or she can give you guidance on the proper and safe way to install such a system.

One of the primary reasons you want to purchase an office condo rather than rent is the flexibility you’ll have as an owner. You’ll be able to expand if need be, redesign when desired and make any other necessary changes under your own discretion. However, in order to properly do that you’ll have to start with a space conducive to a future of growth - one that has the potential to fit your business no matter what happens. That is where Shoal Creek Office Condos, located at 8500 Shoal Creek Boulevard, comes in handy.

The condos in this office building can be purchased separately or together. When you purchase single spaces, you have a size range that stretches from 792 square feet to more than 18,000 square feet. That means that regardless of what size your business is you can find the office for you. And if you need more than one - you want a suite, perhaps - you can buy more than one space. They are sold with you in mind, making the entire process infinitely more convenient than you had ever imagined.

Once you own them, well, you own them. You can do what you will to the interior of the condo (or condos). You can paint, rearrange, add and take away from the structures that have already been created. Of course, you may not want to do any of that. The sleek design of the Shoal Creek Office Condos could be exactly what you were looking for, as they combine reputability with a welcoming atmosphere, making any individual feel immediately confident and comfortable. They are offices built to appeal to the masses but ready to modify for you. They are a variety bag of potential. The only question is why haven’t you purchased one yet?

Purchasing an office condo is a logical investment, giving you the opportunity to profit from your business in more ways than one. As the property grows in market value, so do the funds you use to obtain the space. You gain from the buy, making more money and continually accruing equity. But that’s only true if the property you have is able to grow in value. If it’s an old outdated structure in a dwindling community, that won’t happen. On the other, if it’s a modern, up-to-date building with all the latest conveniences, it will. And that is part of what makes Shoal Creek Office Condos such a sound investment. They, after all, were just recently remodeled.

The offices now offer beautifully renovated interiors, with sparkling common areas as well as state-of-the-art private areas awaiting your stamp of personality. The security system allows you and only you to enter the building whenever you please, using a fob after six to get in. This means you can work according to your own schedule not the building manager’s and not fear that a stranger will get near your work or assets. The newly furbished building assures you that nothing disastrous will happen to the structure and the developer’s obvious concern for quality guarantees that in the years to come, Shoal Creek will only improve with the times.

The offices at Shoal Creek are the perfect place for you to start or revitalize your business. They are an investment you can make knowing that it is an investment that will benefit you for years to come - growing as your business does, in leaps and bounds.

The last week of June is a time for expos and events world wide that focus on low impact living. Here are just a few:

June 20 and 21: Las Vegas, Nevada, plays host to the Green Living Expo. The whole family is admitted free from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. There’s entertainment, seminars, an eco-fashion show, and a Green Kid’s Zone.

June 22 to 24: St. Louis, Missouri, is the site for the regional U.S. Green Building Council Conference. Promoting eco-friendly construction and design, the council encourages collaborative leadership in both the private and public branches. The highlight of the conference will be the latest innovations in green building, aiming toward a zero carbon footprint, as well as environmentally responsible construction and demolition standards. The conference will also focus on incentives for building green, emphasizing profitability, benefits to people and the environment, while reducing the depletion of resources.

June 22-25: National Harbor, Maryland, hosts Sustainability 2008 – a four-day conference that covers green municipal practices in infrastructure, energy use, storm water management and climate change adaptation. The conference addresses the three goals of sustainability: economic, environmental, and social performance. Sponsored by the Water Environment Federation, and supported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the main focus of the conference is, of course, water resources.

June 24-27: Air & Waste Management Association (A&WMA) announces their 101^st Annual Conference and Exhibition – attracting A&WMA members and associates from all over the world for networking and educational opportunities.

June 24 and 25: In London, UK, the Ethical Corporation is sponsoring a Green Supply Chain Summit. Combining an awareness of carbon footprint, the summit explores ways of reducing emissions, conserving water, and eliminating toxic chemicals in the procurement industry.