Austin Texas Real Estate Blog (and other stuff)

"Iron Man" = The Best Movie I have seen in awhile

Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (Austin Texas Homes, LLC) — Thu, 15 May 2008 14:10:25 -0500

Last night, my wife and I had a "date night" (which is really just married couple talk for "no children with us for a couple of hours"). We went to the Alamo Drafthouse on Sixth Street to see "Iron Man".

I must admit that I was worried that I might not like it as much as some of my friends who had already raved to me about it. However, I would highly recommend this movie to anyone. We are actually thinking of seeing it again this weekend, and that is indeed a rarity for me. I can't remember the last time that I saw a movie twice in the theaters, but I was probably in college or even high school. We will probably take my son, and my mother-in-law has also expressed interest in seeing it.

The cross-generational appeal is understandable. My wife and I jokingly discussed the movie on the way home last night, stating that we would only recommend this film to those who enjoy good acting, comedy, action, and coolness (not really a word probably).

This film is the biggest summer blockbuster to hit in the past several years, and with good reason. Robert Downey, Jr. is perfectly cast in the lead role, Tony Stark, the super-wealthy heir to a high-tech weapons empire. He creates the first Iron Man armor suit out of necessity, but I won't divulge any spoilers here in this post/review. I had forgotten that he was nominated for his role in "Chaplin" a few years back, but his acting skills are on fine display here.

Gwyneth Paltrow was lovely as Stark's sexy assistant, Pepper Potts. The chemistry between Paltrow and Downey was palpable, and they both have a great sense of comic timing. Jeff Bridges was imposing and somewhat scary with a shaved head and gigantic beard in the role of Obadiah Stane.

The cool factor for the technology and special effects in this film cannot be overstated. Simply put, it was some of the most amazing stuff that I have ever experienced as a movie-goer.

Don't miss this movie while it is still in theaters, or you may kick yourself later. You will not be disappointed. In my mind, Iron Man has replaced Batman and Spiderman as the coolest superhero around.

Austin Named # 4 on Forbes.com list of "Best Cities for Home Sellers"

Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (Austin Texas Homes, LLC) — Thu, 15 May 2008 13:17:47 -0500

Austin was recently named the #4 city on Forbes' "Best Cities for Home Sellers", which analyzed the top 40 metropolitan areas around the country. Austin currently ranks 16th on the list of largest metro areas.

Factors used to determine this year's rankings included:

2007 unsold vacancy rate
How much the market had tightened or loosened when compared with 2006
Construction starts - tracked by the National Association of Home Builders
Job creation
The degree to which new conforming loan limits from Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae will improve each market's lending conditions

Among the factors cited for Austin specifically:

Vacancies have remained steady at a healthy 1.5%, according to the article.
Austin has the BEST JOB GROWTH IN THE COUNTRY, at 4.1% over the past year

I would like to thank Margaret Woda for bringing this article to my attention.

Clearly, there are plenty of good reasons to make Austin, Texas home. To access the full text of the article and the list, visit:

http://www.forbes.com/2008/04/07/homes-sellers-cities-forbeslife-cx_mw_0407realestate.html.

If you have any questions about Austin, please give me a call anytime at 512-796-7653 or email jason@austintexashomes.com.

If you are looking to relocate to the Austin area, you might be interested in checking out my online relocation package here:

Austin Texas Relocation Package

Our Austin real estate website is at http://www.austintexashomes.com/. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Forbes Magazine Article Names Austin, Texas #3 on its "recession proof cities" list

Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (Austin Texas Homes, LLC) — Wed, 14 May 2008 16:08:31 -0500

Once again, Austin, Texas has made national news. Forbes.com has named Austin #3 on its new list of "Recession Proof" cities. The top two cities were Oklahoma City and San Antonio, TX.

The top 50 largest metro areas were ranked on a scale using three major factors, namely:

Unemployment rate - Which areas added the most jobs over the past year?
Real estate prices - Which areas posted the largest annual gains in median home price over the past year?
Gross metropolitan product growth - How would rising foreclosures and falling home prices affect overall levels of productivity in the local economy?

Among the statistics cited were the following:

Austin's low unemployment rate of 3.6%
The median home price in Austin remains under $200,000, and it rose over 6% this past year
Texas cities are much easier to afford for a large percentage of the population, since there is still a lot of open land.

For the full list, along with the entire text of the article, visit:

http://www.forbes.com/2008/04/29/cities-recession-places-forbeslife-cx_jz_0429realestate.html

If you have any questions about Austin, please give me a call anytime at 512-796-7653 or email jason@austintexashomes.com.

If you are looking to relocate to the Austin/Round Rock vicinity, you might be interested in checking out my online relocation package here:

Austin Texas Relocation Package

Our Austin real estate website is at http://www.austintexashomes.com/. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

My son, the poet

Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (Austin Texas Homes, LLC) — Mon, 12 May 2008 22:45:16 -0500

My nine-year old son Brandon has suddenly developed the ability to write haikus. Come to think of it, is haiku the plural or haikus? Is is like moose or deer? Either way, he likes this particular form of poetry.

He comes by it honestly, I suppose. One of the few things I have ever had published was when one of my haikus appeared in my sixth grade end-of-the-year book. It was a dubious distinction, since almost everyone was in the book with me, except for the kid who used to eat those little hairs off of Magic Markers. The other reason that it wasn't really a huge victory was the fact that mine was about dissecting a frog, and it ended with "I kept a frog tongue" (true story).

So, we went to dinner the other night at a Mexican restaurant, and Brandon was inspired to write not one or two, but FOUR separate haikus in one evening. Thankfully, my fast-thinking wife wrote them down in her PDA for prosperity, and I told him that I would share them on my blog.

Without further ado, I present my son's poetry.

This one was written from the point of view of a kid in school (keep in mind that Brandon is homeschooled):

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah

My math teacher is talking

This is so boring.

He said that this next verse was for geeky kids everywhere, and it was recited aloud in a classic "nerd" voice:

These are my glasses

They are not very special

But they sure are cool.

Here's another instant classic:

This is my haiku

It is really not that long

Now it has ended.

Lastly, he composed this quirky gem while we were eating:

You cannot fire me

I can quit if I want to

Oh, boy, that was fun.

After I took a few turns of my own at writing some haiku, Pam said, "Everyone come over to the Crouches for 'Kufest '08!"

Tonight, as a test, I asked him to compose one just for this post. About two minutes later, he said, "I've got one!"

As a special and exclusive one-time offer, I give you his latest creation:

Cat up in a tree

I wish the SWAT team would come

I can't hear a thing!

Thanks for reading this one!

To Pam - The love of my life - A special message on Mother's Day

Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (Austin Texas Homes, LLC) — Mon, 12 May 2008 12:50:30 -0500

This was written last night and shared with my wife before sharing it publicly.

Sweetheart - I wanted to write something special for you on this, the most special of all days for moms. I feel bad that our finances didn't allow me to do something extravagant for you, because I feel that you richly deserve it.

I will never forget the day that you told me we were going to be parents for the first time. I have repeated your fortune cookie story many times, and it never fails to make me well up with happy tears. I still think that is the single most creative (and patient) way to tell a husband of his impending fatherhood.

There are many days that I hope never to forget, such as the births of each of our three marvelous children. The sight of their precious infant faces is etched into my memory. I see now that one of our "infants" is playing piano (very well) and is a junior black belt. He is also riding a bike. Another of our newborns has become quite the artist. Where does the time go?

You have shaped them into wonderful people already, and I can hardly wait to see what the future will bring for each one.

Your sense of humor is disarming and you have the ability to make me laugh no matter what the circumstances are. For this, I thank you, and I love you. I know that you learned from the master, after all, right? :-)

You made a huge sacrifice for me and for our kids by being a stay-at-home mom and by choosing to homeschool. You gave up a successful career, and I know that this was difficult for you. I know that I was a hard sell on homeschooling a few years ago, but I am thankful that you stuck to your guns. I wouldn't have it any other way. The work you do each day with them is infinitely more important than what I do for a living. I bring home money, but you shape lives!

I am happy for the honesty that we have developed with each other and with our children. This is a great launching point for them to create lives of integrity.

I am so happy for that night when we met in May 1991 - conditions were perfect. If you had asked either of us before we met if we would be meeting our future lifelong spouse that night, I can't imagine that we would have been optimistic, considering the fact that the club was called Sanitarium. Seventeen years later, I still remember what each of us was wearing (including my mustard-yellow paisley shirt) and I remember the first words I ever heard from you. I thank God for bringing us together.

You are a fabulous mother, and I wouldn't want anyone else to handle these duties with my children. You are ridiculously intelligent, and I rarely admit that anyone is smarter than I am, but you are. I defer to your expertise in areas of science, literature, history, and whatever other areas my puny mind is unable to summon right now. I will admit that I am better with numbers and understanding people, which is why I chose this field in the first place. But for "book knowledge", there are few who can compete with you.

You were beautiful on that night, and you remain beautiful today. Let's see - tall, pretty, and smart, too? How could I possibly deserve you? The answer is that I probably don't, but God chose you for me long before I even knew you.

You are my sweetie, and I hope (think) you had a great Mother's Day. I look forward to a lifetime of love with you.

I love you with all my heart.

You are my hero - To my mom on Mother's Day

Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (Austin Texas Homes, LLC) — Sun, 11 May 2008 23:29:20 -0500

Dear Mom - Where do I start? You brought me life, which is arguably the greatest gift that anyone can give. I fully realize how difficult I was to raise, even though there were plenty of laughs and good times. I was a highly intelligent and sensitive kid with a lot of questions (and a rapier wit, too, right?). Now that I have a boy like this in my house, I know the challenges that it can present sometimes. He keeps me on my toes, as I know I did for you.

We went through a lot of tough stuff when I was in my early teens, as you well know. Although we both struggled mightily to maintain our sanity with an abusive and immature man under our roof, I think weathering that storm together made our relationship much stronger. You are one of my best friends. I love you dearly, and I love seeing the grandmother that you have become. You always were the "cool mom" and you probably knew that already, and now you are the "cool grandma". I am happy that my kids know you so well and that you have been an integral part of their upbringing thus far.

I was able to watch you take care of your parents as they aged and we mourned their passing from this world. Obviously, I was comforted by their faith and by the assurance that we will see them again someday. Now that we are caring for Jackie in our home, I would like to think that I learned a powerful lesson from you on this point, and that my kids are learning the same thing. As I have told you before, you won't have to worry about whether I will be there to care for you when you get older.

I wanted to publicly thank you for teaching me how to have compassion for those in need. Your lifetime of service in social work has been inspiring. I have jokingly told you that I would have considered social work if it paid better, but there is a truth underlying this that I know you recognize. I have done my best to carry this torch you passed to me as a child. I hope to see this develop in my own kids, and I have seen signs of this already in them. You are quite probably the most caring person that I have ever met, and it goes beyond your career.

You are a loyal friend as well, and this is a very admirable trait. I have tried to view my friendships with a long-term perspective in mind because I have seen the value of lifetime friends by watching you and your friends.

I have never doubted for an instant that you unconditionally love me, even when I have done some wildly stupid things over the years, especially in my late teens. You have never judged, just nudged me in the right direction in a pragmatic way.

Overall, I guess I'm happy that I can really be myself around you, not some censored and cleaned-up version of me. You know pretty much all of the stuff that I have struggled with, and I can't imagine that I would be the man I am today if you weren't my mom.

I love you. I know I say it every time we are getting off the phone with each other, but I wanted you to know that I really mean it. You're awesome - thanks for being there, always.

Forest Creek Homes for Sale - Round Rock, TX

Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (Austin Texas Homes, LLC) — Sat, 10 May 2008 22:55:02 -0500

I have lived near Forest Creek since 1995, and I have sold countless homes in this neighborhood. Well, maybe not countless, but enough that I know what I am doing there and I know that it has great value.

With a challenging and immaculate golf course, it is no mystery why it remains a popular destination both for those moving up within the Round Rock area and for golf fanatics and retirees as well. Additionally, Forest Creek Elementary is perennially well-ranked with the Texas Education Agency's accountability system.

If you are considering this particular area, you might be interested in seeing the current inventory of homes available there right now:

Homes for Sale in Forest Creek - Round Rock

The current average price for Forest Creek listings is $341,766. The average square footage for the available homes is 3378, which yields an average price per square foot of $100.80, and the current average days on market for these homes is 78.

If you have any questions about Forest Creek, or if you would like to schedule an appointment to see these properties or any others in the Austin area MLS, please give me a call anytime at 512-796-7653 or email jason@austintexashomes.com.

If you are looking to relocate to the Austin/Round Rock vicinity, you might be interested in checking out my online relocation package here:

Austin Texas Relocation Package

Our Austin real estate website is at http://www.austintexashomes.com/. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Round Rock Restaurant Review - La Margarita

Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (Austin Texas Homes, LLC) — Sat, 10 May 2008 22:23:42 -0500

My wife and I took our three kids to La Margarita tonight, which is located in north Round Rock, just south of 3406 on the southbound frontage road of I-35.

I had heard some great things about this place from a friend of mine who called it his "favorite Mexican restaurant". Overall, I was pleased with the outcome, and we will likely return.

The kids each tried something different from the kids' menu. Our youngest really enjoyed the chicken strips and fries, although at age two she is not very discerning yet. My older daughter, who is seven, finished all of her beef taco, along with an extra tortilla from my wife and a chicken strip from her sister's plate. Can you say "growth spurt"?

My son, who is nine, is the pickiest eater in our house, yet he devoured the "peanut butter and jelly taco", which was basically just a warm, thin homemade flour tortilla with PB & J served with a side of fries. I was basically just happy that he was willing to try something unfamiliar to him. I was equally happy that his meal was only $1.95!

I had way too much to eat, and I didn't finish all of my order, which was the Juarez Delux. Now, before you question why I ordered this gigantic meal, you must understand that it was only 60 cents more than the alternative that I was considering, which was the carne guisada. At $10.59, I thought it was a bargain. It includes two beef enchiladas, two beef tacos, one taco al carbon, rice and beans. I am not a big bean fan, so I had double rice instead. I finished all of it with the exception of some of the rice and part of one enchilada. It was delicious.

My wife also enjoyed her meal, which was far more calorie-conscious than my choice (hard not to be, I suppose). She had the vegetable fajitas for one. Her only complaint was that it didn't have much zucchini, but it was good.

The service was decent, but not stellar. It was a crowded Saturday evening, so allowances can certainly be made for that. They messed up one drink order and quickly corrected it, but our waitress was a little difficult to flag down when we needed her a couple of times. Once, my wife had to stand and call out our waitress's name to catch her. In summary, however, she had a good "table side manner", as I like to think of it.

I would recommend La Margarita as a solid choice for Mexican food in Round Rock. All of the food was top-notch, and the check was very reasonable, at only $36 pre-tip for a family of five (including my gargantuan feast).

Give it a shot!

If you are looking to relocate to the Austin area, you might be interested in checking out my online relocation package here:

Austin Texas Relocation Package

Our Austin real estate website is at http://www.austintexashomes.com/. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Sonoma Homes for Sale - Round Rock, TX

Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (Austin Texas Homes, LLC) — Sat, 10 May 2008 20:34:52 -0500

Sonoma has quickly become one of my favorite communities to show to my buyer clients, because of its numerous amenities, proximity to 45 (toll road), and reasonable prices.

Features:

2 Theme Pools!

2 Lakes

Playscape

Adjacent to Round Rock hike & bike trail system

If you are considering this area, you might be interested in seeing the current inventory of homes available there right now:

Homes for Sale in Sonoma - Round Rock

The current average price for Sonoma listings is $269,587. The average square footage for the available homes is 2808, which yields an average price per square foot of $96.45.

If you have any questions, or if you would like to schedule an appointment to see these properties or any others in the Austin MLS, please give me a call anytime at 512-796-7653 or email jason@austintexashomes.com.

If you are looking to relocate to the Austin area, you might be interested in checking out my online relocation package here:

Austin Texas Relocation Package

Our Austin real estate website is at http://www.austintexashomes.com/. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Teravista Home for Sale - Round Rock TX - Golf Course Community near IKEA and Outlet Mall

Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (Austin Texas Homes, LLC) — Thu, 08 May 2008 23:20:48 -0500

One of my agents, Alan Kirkpatrick, listed a great home today in his neighborhood on the north side of Round Rock (Teravista).

It is well-priced for the area at $238,000, since prices in this subdivision range up to the high $400's now.

Features:

4 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms
100% brick
Culdesac lot surrounded by lush landscaping
High ceilings
Art niches
Corian countertops & bar
Wood blinds
Lots of tile flooring
Sprinkler system
Covered patio
Walk-in closets
Community amenities include: golf, tennis, pools, clubhouse

If you have any questions, or if you would like to schedule an appointment to see these properties or any others in the Austin MLS, please give me a call anytime at 512-796-7653 or email jason@austintexashomes.com.

If you are looking to relocate to the Austin area, you might be interested in checking out my online relocation package here:

Austin Texas Relocation Package

Our Austin real estate website is at http://www.austintexashomes.com/. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Suicide and Depression - Something we really DO need to talk about

Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (Austin Texas Homes, LLC) — Mon, 05 May 2008 22:35:33 -0500

I received an email from our church on Thursday around lunchtime, informing me that a friend of mine had died on Wednesday afternoon. My jaw dropped. What?!? He and I are about the same age! What could have happened? The email didn't give any clues. He was overweight - heart attack? Car accident?

I spoke with a couple of mutual friends who had already heard about it Wednesday evening, since they are closer to the family, but they also didn't know the cause of death.

On Thursday, a new email was sent, revealing that the cause of death was "severe depression". Clearly, this was a euphemism for suicide. But I spoke to him on Sunday! I had no inkling that he was depressed. That big, social guy? The guy who was so good at making others feel welcome. No way! As one who has gone through a few severe bouts of depression myself over the years, including being hospitalized when I was a teenager for this, I am generally pretty good at reading others.

My mind raced. I wish I had known. I could have said something to prevent it. I can relate to this type of mental pain. I could have said the magic phrase that would have assuaged his anguish. I could have taken him to lunch and talked it out.

Then, suddenly, later, I feel angry with him. Why would he do this to his family? He was married (happily it seemed) with two small sons, one of them 4 years old and the other one about 18 months. Now they have to grow up without a dad. And what a loving dad he was - he truly enjoyed his children, that much was obvious to any casual observer. In fact, I admired his parenting skills. If you read my blog very often, you know that I am in love with my three children, so this is a high compliment: he was a great father.

What was he thinking?

Well, that's just it. We don't know now. Since he didn't show sufficiently alarming signs that he was considering killing himself, he is gone. He was apparently in counseling, and he was meeting regularly with someone one-on-one who was helping him to work through his feelings, but this proved to be insufficient to prevent this tragedy.

My friend was recently laid off and lost his job, and that could have been enough to make him kill himself. It could have been something even more minor, though. This is often referred to as the "501st pound", meaning that you can carry 500, but that last thing is simply too much. Whatever the case, he was clearly in a very dark place where he couldn't see any light at the end of the proverbial tunnel.

As one who has talked two friends out of committing suicide (one of them multiple times), I know that many times suicide prevention is really about being a willing listener. It may mean investing a few hours, but it really doesn't take as much as you might think to keep someone from dying IF THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT IT. The key in my friend's case was that he didn't reveal the depths of his despair.

If you have anyone in your life who has a history of depression or who is going through some tough life issues, why not reach out to him/her and see how things are going? Often it is the small gestures that make a big difference in helping someone to turn the corner. It may sound trite, but it is absolutely true. You might be surprised at the response you get. Believe me - it is better to make someone a little irritated by your concern that to lose them to suicide.

Everyone who knew him was affected in some way, especially since he chose to cut himself down in the prime of life. His funeral was Saturday, and the church was completely packed. His wife wrote an eloquent letter to all of us asking for us not to be angry at him, and that he had made a terrible mistake. She asked for forgiveness for him from his friends and family, as she had forgiven him. She also went on to say that she felt that somehow God would bring about good from this tragic event, although it was hard for her to see that in the short-term. I was impressed by her faith, since this was 72 hours after he died.

My mother, who runs the Suicide and Crisis Center in Dallas, has been a great help for me over the past few days, and she has some friends here in the Austin area who will likely be called upon to provide additional counseling and resources in the upcoming months.

A group of people from our church is trying to assess how to best provide support for my friend's wife and their little boys. Some of the men also want to provide a stable male influence for these kids as they grow up. I hope I can do this for them, too. I think this is our responsibility now.

In a sense, all of us who knew him, even on a surface level, are now "survivors" of this act. Here is a terrific link to a brief piece written by Norman Vincent Peale on the topic of suicide:

When Someone Takes His Own Life

If you or anyone you know is currently (or ever) struggling with severe depression, here is a phone number and a website that could help:

1-800-273-TALK (8255) - this is a national suicide hotline

http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

Also, I know this might sound like I am opening myself up too much here, but if you EVER want to talk to ME about anything, my cell phone number is 512-796-7653. My schedule is generally flexible enough that I can make time to talk.

Adventures in the Grocery Store - A Real Estate Allegory

Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (Austin Texas Homes, LLC) — Mon, 05 May 2008 00:29:59 -0500

For me, there has always been something comforting about the grocery store. Maybe it's because my first paying job was as a sacker in the Minyard's store in Waxahachie, Texas. Maybe it's because my grandfather worked for H-E-B Grocery for 38 years until he retired in the early 1970's, not long after I was born. Whatever the case, I like grocery shopping, unless of course it is with three cranky children in tow.

Today after church, we needed a handful of items from the store, so I decided to go in and grab them while Pam waited with the kids.

Two gallons of 1% milk - check. Rotisserie chicken for my mother-in-law - check. Blue Bell Ultimate Neopolitan ice cream which will swiftly defeat the purpose of buying 1% milk - check. Ready to check out.

Here in Austin, almost every big store has gone to a "self checkout" system these days. I would imagine that this is the case elsewhere, but perhaps I am wrong. I have noticed this at every grocery store and recently I saw it at Home Depot as well.

They typically limit the self checkout area to 10 or 20 items.

Today, I was happy to use this method, since I only had four items, all of which were clearly marked with UPC codes. I haven't tried it yet with produce, since there is a complicated-looking book of codes for that.

All four of the registers were being used, and there were only two people waiting. This will be fast, I thought. Wrong.

One lady had ONLY fresh vegetables and fruit (see reference to book of codes above), then she proceeded to pay with one dollar bills and coins from a small change purse that she produced.

Another lady made all of us silently roll our eyes, and even caused me to remark, "I guess they don't require an IQ test for this, huh?" to the woman in front of me, who was clearly peeved. Yes, I really said it. No, I am not really proud of it, but I was ticked. Frankly, it wasn't that far off the mark.

Each time this lady scanned an item, she was instructed in a loud computerized voice to "Please place the item in the bag on the carousel." She did, then she picked it up and put it in her basket. The system is weight-based. This means that it is waiting for you to place something on the carousel that weighs the same as the product you just scanned. It might not be obvious THE FIRST TIME.

However, this particular woman was instructed at least three times by three different people about how to operate the machine! Two employees came over, then a well-meaning fellow consumer tried to help. She would not be dissuaded from her erroneous ways. She was convinced that her way was correct, although EVERYONE could see that it was simply not the case. She had about 10-15 items total. However, I think I was probably not only out of the store before her, but home safely with my family before she defeated the infernal machine. Clearly, the complexities were beyond her experience and/or abilities.

So, what is my point here? Sometimes it is simply best to let the professionals handle things. Buying groceries is not nearly as challenging or complex as selling a home, especially in today's real estate climate.

This woman reminded me of so many "for sale by owners" that I have seen over the years, who are absolutely determined that their rules are correct, despite all of the indications to the contrary. It doesn't matter how many agents and/or neighbors try to help them with sound advice. Their way is going to work eventually. To an extent, this is true, but how much time is it worth? In the case of selling a home, it is not simply time, but money that could be lost. Call someone who does this every day, rather than going it alone.

My comment about the IQ test was harsh, to be sure, but I feel even more strongly about FSBOs who are utterly misguided/deluded with regard to pricing. Market value is not arbitrary, nor is it determined by what someone feels their home "must" be worth.

If you are looking to sell your home, I would love the opportunity to assist you with your sale.

I have been selling homes in the general Austin area for over 11 years now, and I have developed a reputation among my peers and past clients as an honest broker/agent. There are certainly others who have sold more homes than I have, but you would be hard-pressed to find an agent with more integrity than me. I would rather talk you out of an offer on your home than to assist you in making a bad decision.

Call me anytime at 512-796-7653 or email jason@austintexashomes.com. I look forward to hearing from you soon! My Austin real estate website is www.austintexashomes.com.

Waterfront Homes with Boat Docks - Lake Travis and Lake Austin

Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (Austin Texas Homes, LLC) — Sat, 03 May 2008 22:03:07 -0500

Austin and central Texas offer a beautiful chain of lakes suitable for sailing, swimming, and jetskiing. There are a good number of lovely waterfront homes on the market currently which feature boat docks as well.

Waterfront land is not possible to duplicate, so homes which back to Lake Travis or Lake Austin have consistently appreciated over the years. I remember when I started in real estate in 1997 it was still possible to get a nice home on the water for $600,000! Clearly, this is no longer the case, but these homes have increased dramatically in value, and they remain a solid investment today.

Here are a couple of great examples of what we have to offer in Austin Texas:

This Lake Austin luxury waterfront home was built in 2007 and features over 4000 square feet per the builder, with 4 bedrooms and 3.5 baths. Located in the exemplary Eanes school district (Westlake vicinity). Offered at $2,695,000.

This Costa Bella dream home features a two-slip boat dock in the back yard, along with fabulous outdoor living spaces. Home features 9842 sq. ft. per the tax records. Gated community. 5-car garage! Panoramic views of Lake Travis. Offered at $5,395,000.

Listings above courtesy of Coldwell Banker and Avenue One Properties.

If you are looking to relocate to the Austin area, you might be interested in checking out my online relocation package here:

Austin Texas Relocation Package

Our Austin real estate website is at http://www.austintexashomes.com/. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Golf Course Homes near Austin, Texas - One-Story Homes under $300,000

Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (Austin Texas Homes, LLC) — Sat, 03 May 2008 21:15:57 -0500

The Austin, Texas area is home to a myriad of both private and public, "daily fee" golf courses. One of our more common request from those looking to retire to Austin is to find something reasonably priced backing to a golf course. With that in mind, I gathered a few current listings to illustrate the value here in central Texas.

All of these listings are one-story ("ranch") homes, with at least 2000 square feet.

Take a look:

This lovely home in Lago Vista (near Lake Travis) features 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, 2117 s.f. per the tax records, with lake and hill country views. Watch the deer from your back patio while you relax. Offered at $279,000!

This home in the Fairways of Blackhawk in Pflugerville includes 4 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms, over 2400 s.f., and a 2-car garage. It was built in 2007 by Ryland Homes. Offered at $259,500!

This terrific 1996-built home in Forest Creek (Round Rock) features 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, with just over 2000 square feet. It backs to the 17th green and 18th tee. There are no homes across the course. Instead, enjoy a lovely view of the greenbelt. Offered at $234,000.

Listings above courtesy of e-Executive Realty, Keller Williams, and Re/Max Round Rock.

If you are looking to relocate to the Austin area, you might be interested in checking out my online relocation package here:

Austin Texas Relocation Package

Our Austin real estate website is at http://www.austintexashomes.com/. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Blackhawk Homes for Sale - Pflugerville, Texas

Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (Austin Texas Homes, LLC) — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:04:11 -0500

There are several sections of Blackhawk, including:

Fairways of Blackhawk
Meadows of Blackhawk
Park at Blackhawk
Lakeside at Blackhawk

Currently, in all of the subdivisions that comprise this area, there are 52 homes for sale.

In the Fairways, there are 14 current listings, with an average asking price of $265,607. The average square footage is 2711, yielding an average price per square foot for these homes of $98.66. The average days on the market is 44. Here is a breakdown and list of the currently available homes for sale:

Fairways of Blackhawk Homes for Sale

In the Meadows, there are presently 18 listings available, with an average listing price of $225,723. The average square footage for these homes is 2681, making the average price per square foot $84.88. The average days on market is 91. Here is a list of the current homes for sale in this section:

Meadows of Blackhawk Homes for Sale

The Park at Blackhawk has 12 present listings, with an average asking price of $170,225. The average home size is 2091, yielding an average price per square foot of $83.23. Here are the current listings in the Park:

Park at Blackhawk Homes for Sale

Lakeside at Blackhawk currently has two MLS listings available, priced in the low $300's for both. Most of the homes in Lakeside which are available are under construction, so they are not necessarily in the MLS at all. If you have interest in this section, let me know and I will gather some information for you!

If you have any questions, or if you would like to schedule an appointment to see these properties or any others in the Austin MLS, please give me a call at 512-796-7653 or email jason@austintexashomes.com.

If you are looking to relocate to the Austin area, you might be interested in checking out my online relocation package here:

Austin Texas Relocation Package

Our Austin real estate website is at http://www.austintexashomes.com/. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

My Son Can Ride a Bike Now! Way to go, Brandon!

Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (Austin Texas Homes, LLC) — Fri, 02 May 2008 21:45:42 -0500

As of Wednesday evening, my son Brandon has officially joined the ranks of those who can ride a bike. He is nine years old. We had tried awhile back with a little progress, but this time he got the hang of it on the third outing, much like when he learned to swim last year.

I spent the first day with him in our cul-de-sac going around on the sidewalk in circles basically holding him up from the left side with my hands on the handlebars. The second day, I took him to the local elementary school parking lot so that we would have more room. While it provided for some good bonding time between us ("I like spending time with you, dad"), it still felt like it was going to be a bit of an uphill battle. I was literally jogging backwards and holding the handlebars. I would let go for a second or so just so that he could feel what it was like to balance, however briefly.

Day three: We got a tip from some fellow homeschoolers that I decided to try. They said to remove the pedals completely, and lower the seat so that he could balance the bike and sort of scoot/glide around using his feet to stop. In the meantime, Pam had installed training wheels on his bike and on Aleah's (she is seven). We decided to try the training wheels, but they weren't working right anyway, so I just rotated them up and out of the way for him. Aleah likes hers for now.

I did lower his seat, but the pedals looked too daunting to remove, so I left them on. He played for awhile, then I asked him if he was ready to try again. By this time, Pam and our girls were about 100 yards away on the playground relaxing while I was with Brandon.

I raised the seat back up, and he got on. I held his left handlebar with my right hand holding his left arm. We started slowly, then picked up speed. I kept pace with him, then I took my hands off completely when he said he was ready. I did this for a couple of seconds, maybe three, on the first try.

The second try, I just had a feeling that he could do it.

"Brandon, do you want me to let go? Do you have it?"

"Yes, dad. I think so."

I let go.

And go he went.

He went for about 10 seconds unassisted in a straight line, then back across the parking lot in the same fashion.

We could hear Pam hollering and clapping, even on this very windy evening. I was also hollering and clapping for him, of course. Pam came running to hug and congratulate him. Pam revealed that she was watching and praying from a distance, then she said that she almost couldn't believe her eyes. I felt the same way. We have had some balance issues with Brandon which required occupational therapy for about two years, so this is a BIG milestone for all of us. Tears welled up in our eyes and we hugged each other. I was proud of Aleah for her cool support of her older brother ("Wow, Brandon! You did really well!").

We celebrated with a pizza party at the house afterwards (his request).

Yesterday, we worked on steering and getting started from a dead stop without help. He did marvelously. Tonight, we went down to the parking lot and he is already getting FAST! He also seems remarkably error-free for a new cyclist. Sharp kid! He even challenged me to a race (me on foot, him on bike). I like the newfound confidence that he is showing. I need to take my bike for a tuneup so that we can ride together soon.

I have some video from our camcorder that I will attempt to share on another post, if I can figure it out. I guess I need to get one of those flip cameras soon.

Thanks for reading about our special day!

Acreage Homes in Austin, Texas - Nice Homes with 5+ Acres for under $1,000,000

Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (Austin Texas Homes, LLC) — Thu, 01 May 2008 17:17:37 -0500

One common request that we have is for properties with at least 5 acres and a nice home at a halfway reasonable price. Thankfully, this is not that hard to find in the Austin, Texas metro area. Here are a few current listings that will fit the bill nicely:

This lovely home in Leander, Texas (located about 30 minutes NW of Austin), offers tranquility on just over 6 acres of hill country land with private views. Over 4000 s.f. per tax records - built in 2001. Priced to sell at $679,000!

This Dripping Springs estate features 12+ acres with a 3681 s.f. home. Negative-edge ("infinity") pool, panoramic views of hill country and wet-weather creek. Bring your horses! Just $850,000.

This Liberty Hill, Texas estate home on 8.68 acres features 4850 s.f., with a gorgeous pool and outdoor living space. High end finishes throughout. Priced at $925,000.

If you have any questions, or if you would like to schedule an appointment to see these properties or any others in the Austin MLS, please give me a call at 512-796-7653 or email jason@austintexashomes.com.
If you are looking to relocate to the Austin area, you might be interested in checking out my online relocation package here:
Austin Texas Relocation Package
Our Austin real estate website is at http://www.austintexashomes.com/. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Voice Mail "Triage" - Do you simply return calls in the order in which they were received?

Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (Austin Texas Homes, LLC) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 23:30:29 -0500

I am the owner and broker for a relatively small company in west Austin (we have 14 agents currently). I also handle my own sales, most of which come from referrals, past clients, and friends at this point, since I have been in business for just over 11 years. Additionally, I do a lot of networking, both locally and now nationally, through my involvement with ActiveRain.

As such, there are days when I get a LOT of phone calls. Today was a good example. I had some friend calls, along with calls about two separate items that are currently being repaired (our TV and one of our notebook computers). Turns out the TV cannot be repaired at all, but the notebook is an easy fix. I managed to spill a soft drink on it TWICE.

Thankfully, I have a dedicated staff of lovely ladies from the 1940's that I employ to help screen the nonsense calls (pictured at right).

At any rate, when I get a lot of voice mails all at once, I typically write them down along with the pertinent info for each call. Then comes the fun part - voice mail triage. If you are not familiar with this term, it's because I just made it up today. I then Googled it, and apparently this was not a completely original thought. Oh well...

If you are not already familiar with the concept of triage, it is a medical term that they use in emergency rooms to describe the process of determining who to see first. If you have a detached limb, you will likely be seen very quickly. If you have a respiratory infection, prepare to wait at least 12 hours to see a doctor. If your last name is Crouch, prepare to sleep on a cot.

So, in order to best handle voice mails, I have my own version of triage to determine whom to call back first.

Here's how things typically go:

First message. "Hi, Jason, this is Audrey with Advanced Dental. I was calling to re-schedule your appointment." Yuck. Skip.

Let's see what else we have here.

Second message. "Hey, Jason, this is Steve. Gimme a call, man." That one can wait for the moment, too, I suppose. Skip.

Third message. "Hi, Jason, this is Donna. I have a closing that is supposed to happen...well, right now. The buyers are threatening not to close - call me PLEASE." I guess that one sounds important. Better write it down.

Fourth message. "Jason, this is James. I have some questions on a contract I am writing for some clients. Call me when you have a second." Also sounds important.

Fifth message. "Mr. Crouch, this is Joe at Centex TV Repair. We ordered the part and installed it, but it turns out that the LCD screen is out, too. We can't repair your television. It would be cheaper to buy a new one. Please call me." Well, dang. So much for going with a "quality" brand. That lasted about two years - they really don't make them like they used to.

Sixth message. "Jason - How are you today? This is Karen. Could you please re-fax a copy of your license to the apartment place? They are giving me a lot of grief over sending a $300 check. Sorry to bother you. Thanks for your help. The number is 343-XXXX." I need to take care of that for her.

I could go on like this, but I think you get the point. It may sound like I never answer my phone, but I do. However, if I am at home, and my cell phone happens to be downstairs in the kitchen, I don't feel like breaking my neck on the stairs (or straining my MCL by falling, which I did about two years ago), so I will let it go to my voice mail. Otherwise, I am generally pretty responsive.

So, with regard to these particular calls, even though James clearly needs some a little bit of help with writing a contract, it doesn't sound like he is in imminent danger of losing money, so I will call Donna first (neither of these are their real names, by the way). After a few minutes on the phone, I think we have a good solution in place, and I didn't even have to call and serve as a mediator with anyone else this time, or ease a skittish seller's nerves, or explain to a buyer's agent why his client will not be seeing his earnest money should they decide to cancel 20 minutes before the closing, or break someone's legs. Whew!

James' question is very easy and takes about 45 seconds. So, that clears the most pressing stuff. I re-assure Karen that I will re-fax the license within five minutes, although it turns out that I don't get it done for a few hours. More phone calls just happen to arrive in the interim.

The point here that I am clumsily trying to make is twofold:

Make the hardest and least desirable phone calls first. As Zig Ziglar famously stated, "If you have to swallow a toad, you don't want to have to look at him on your desk all day. Get it over with early."
Have a mental system in place for sorting calls. Personally, I can make several quick business phone calls in the car on the way to the grocery store, but I may wait until I have a larger block of free time to call my friends.

Thanks for reading!

My Perspective on the Great ActiveRain Content Debate of 2008

Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (Austin Texas Homes, LLC) — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 17:42:26 -0500

DISCLAIMER: I apologize in advance for the sheer length of this post, but I had a lot to say apparently. I didn't want to include images this time, as I thought they might detract from the message I am trying to get across.

I have seen a bunch of posts with regard to what is "proper" content on ActiveRain lately. Unless you live under a rock, you have probably also seen these around lately.

I left the longest comment of my entire blogging career last night on Jessica Horton's featured post (Working the Net or Networking? Which has value? ). She gave me some good-natured grief about this on Twitter, calling the comment "Lord of the Rings". Despite the fact that I had mentioned there that I wouldn't write my own post on this topic, I was encouraged today by a good friend to do so, so here we go:

In a nutshell, some people seem to be concerned about the balance of real estate related material written here vs. the "fluff", which is sort of a catch-all term for jokes, recipes, family stories, and other "non industry" posts. They feel that if too many of these types of posts are made public (instead of Members Only), it could harm the Google juice/power that AR has notoriously harnessed, because Google might somehow devalue the site and see it differently.

As with the other posts, the stuff I am about to say is my opinion, since I am not on staff at Google, or Yahoo, or any other search engine, so I am not privy to their algorithms. However, I have been doing my own SEO for my sites since early 1998, before Google was even being used. Back then, we optimized for search engines like Altavista, Lycos and Excite. Yes, really. I feel old now.

At any rate, to make it really easy to understand, Google LOVES new content. With 85,613 members as of this writing, ActiveRain is generating new pages of content just about every minute of the day. Every post marked "Public" is a separate page of content.

With that in mind, AR is viewed by Google's spiders as highly valuable and as an "authority site" for real estate. You have probably read anecdotes of members who have had pages indexed onto the first page of Google within a few minutes of posting. This is because Google is constantly spidering this site looking for new pages.

Does it spider "Members Only" posts? Not really. There are tags called "nofollow" tags that will disallow those posts from being indexed in the search engines, and they are automatically generated when we post to Members Only.

Google cares about the page's structure, along with its content. The skeletal structure of EVERY SINGLE page/post on AR is built and optimized in exactly the same fashion. If you look at the bottom of this page (which is the same basic look across the board here on AR), you will see the following keywords and links:

Find TX real estate agents and Austin real estate here on ActiveRain.
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
© 2007 ActiveRain Corp. All Rights Reserved

Also, every single post is titled with "REAL ESTATE BLOG", followed by the author-assigned part of the title. Clearly, this is adequate to make Google understand that the hundreds of thousands of pages generated here are real-estate related, even if the body of the post itself is about the weather, or a chocolate pie, or an unfunny joke.

I don't want to make this overly technical for those of you who are not into SEO at all, but I think I can make this even more clear, even for newbies. I did a bit of research just now by viewing the source code for my blog in particular, and I found the following meta tags there:

The only part of this italicized part that I wrote myself was "Austin Texas Real Estate Blog (and other stuff)", as that is the title I originally chose. The rest of that is automatically generated for me by the AR code. Keep in mind that THIS is what Google looks at first. I counted four real estate terms there. There are a couple of other things in the inherent structure that I could point out if you are really interested, but I think the point is made for my purposes here.

So, what does this mean to you and me anyway? Well, for one thing, ActiveRain has done things right and has garnered a lot of Google juice by setting up the structure of this site correctly from day one.

Basically, it would be very difficult to derail this by writing about whatever the heck you want to write about. In fact, I think we could all stop writing real estate posts and concentrate on jokes and recipes for several months without affecting the "balance" to the extent that it would ever be detrimental to our Localism posts. They will continue to be indexed by Google and Yahoo. Don't sweat it.

Personally, I enjoy sharing many facets of my personality along with stories of my family. I would guess that 4 or 5 out of 10 of my posts are truly about real estate. I want the consumers who find me to feel like they know me already. These are the easiest buyers and sellers in the world to convert to sales.

Considering the fact that a good number of members have already referred business to me over the past few months, why would I want to stop writing this way? I write for consumers sometimes, for my friends sometimes, for my family, and even for myself.

The first AR closing that I had found me on a post that I had written about my CHURCH. I made about $12,000 on that post, so it had some very tangible value to me. Obviously, it was not Members Only (thank God!).

In essence, Google is a fickle mistress sometimes and they want it to be hard to "game" their system. They are constantly tweaking their algorithm and dialing variables in and out with regard to importance. If there is ever a temporary effect on the indexing of our posts on ActiveRain, it is something they have done in the Googleplex, not anything that you or I can do here at AR. It would simply be really hard to ever have much effect on how Google views this site, as it is already well-established as a real estate authority site. Yes, that is just my opinion, but it is not an uninformed one.

On a separate note, I use StatCounter to track my AR blog visits (which are just over 100,000 now), and I see where the consumers enter my blog initially. Currently, they are coming directly from Google and Yahoo. I don't think any serious buyers or sellers are merely surfing around AR randomly like we do, studying the mix of content. They come to specific posts, then they choose to stay or go. With that in mind, why not have something interesting for them to look at while they are on your blog? You got them that far - is it time to show them more market data, or do you think they might enjoy a funny story?

As a further illustration, when I have buyers in the car with me, I could probably talk all day about real estate and nothing else. Do you think they would be looking forward to our next meeting? Doubtful. Wow - I just managed to relate SEO to real estate. Cool!

I don't claim to be an SEO expert myself, but I have done a lot of my own optimizing over the years, and I can recognize what works and what doesn't. Obviously, this is a somewhat complex subject, and I hope I haven't oversimplified matters.

Overall, my opinion on this subject is: Write whatever and whenever you want to, just make sure you are writing something! If you are not taking advantage of this FREE opportunity to market yourself, you are missing the boat.

I choose not to hide my light under a bushel very often, making the majority of my posts Public. If you aren't comfortable doing that, by all means, don't. However, don't be scared to share personal stuff at the risk of harming this enormously powerful (real estate) network.

Thanks for taking the time to read my exhaustive treatise on this topic! If you have any questions about what I have covered here, let me know.

The Wit and Wisdom of My Nine-Year Old Son

Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (Austin Texas Homes, LLC) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:13:49 -0500

My son has always had a good sense of humor. In fact, my favorite video of him ever was taken when he was about four months old, laughing hysterically as I played, "Peek-a-boo" with him. Thankfully, the clip is not marred by my appearance, so it's really just a very cute baby in a diaper on the floor laughing like crazy. The funniest part to me on this particular piece of film was when I could just say the word "peekaboo" without hiding my face and it would still send him into a fresh fit of hilarity.

Recently, I have come to realize that he is truly witty. Rather than just "getting" a good joke, he is producing some fine comedy of his own. Additionally, like his mom and dad, he is a deep and profound thinker. I once shared with a friend here that my mom used to call me "The Little Philosopher" when I was about six. My son would be worthy of this title as well.

Here are a few examples that have occurred over the past three days:

He has finally shown interest in learning to ride a bike (we have some long-standing balance issues to work on). The other day, I took him to the local elementary school parking lot to work on this, which provided some great father and son bonding. It was hot and we were both pretty tired and headed home. Brandon suddenly said, "Biking is a great example of perseverance." What could I say but to agree completely? Smart kid!

In the car on the way home, before putting on his seatbelt, Brandon took off his shoes and put his feet up in the dashboard and leaned back like he was waiting for me to serve him some grapes. I joked with him about something, then he said, "It's like I say, 'The best parents are humorous parents.' Well, I don't always say it. I said it twice. Once before, and once just now."

Brandon picked up a copy of People magazine that was in our kitchen. I didn't know he had any interest in reading that at all. He brought it back, stating with no small amount of disdain in his voice, "I was curious to read about this two-year old who is treated like the President." He was talking about Suri Cruise, daughter of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. I had to agree with him again.

In the car on the way home from church yesterday, Brandon asked, "What does touche mean in French?" My wife Pam said, "It means touched. Like in fencing, when someone touches you with a sword." Then, he asked, "What does en garde mean?" Pam replied, "It means you should be watching out and be prepared." After a pause of a few seconds, Brandon said, "I guess French people aren't as violent as I thought." I could only laugh.

Yesterday afternoon, we had some friends over (every Sunday afternoon we host our church small group) and the adults were talking. We started laughing really hard about something, and Brandon ran over and started laughing louder than everybody. Abruptly, he stopped laughing and said, "I don't get it." He did this just for a laugh from us, which proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is my son.

Lastly, today he was looking at the comics from the Sunday paper, and he asked, "When you were a kid, did you like Opus?" Pam said, "Oh, of course I did. But back when we were kids, Bloom County wasn't so political. Do you know what 'politics' means?" Without missing a beat, Brandon replied, "Yes. Politics means boring." Agreed.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, you might enjoy reading some of my other posts about my family here:

My Kids' Greatest Hits - A Collection of All Posts About My Children

It's a Wonderful Life - Inspired by Movie Songs

Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (Austin Texas Homes, LLC) — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 12:09:59 -0500

This is my own "entry" into our latest song contest, which runs through Wednesday.

Ever since I was a kid, I have enjoyed old TV shows and old movies. Not all of them, mind you, just the good ones. I have books in my home right now about the Three Stooges, Our Gang ("Little Rascals"), and the Twilight Zone. Do I look at them often? No. Do I plan to get rid of them anytime soon? Also no.

For those of you who know me, it may come as no surprise that my favorite movie of all time is "It's a Wonderful Life". I try to watch it every Christmas, but sometimes I don't get a chance to see the whole thing. It is funny to me that my favorite movie didn't come out during my lifetime. In fact, this film was released the year that my mother was born.

If by some chance you have never seen this movie, you are missing out on a significant cultural touchstone, as well as the valuable life lessons contained therein. I have enjoyed this movie since I was a teenager, but it means much more to me as a man, and as a husband and father of three.

George Bailey represents the hardworking average Joe (something that Jimmy Stewart excelled at portraying during his acting career). Due to some hard financial times and other factors beyond his control, he is at the end of his rope and he doesn't want to live anymore.

God sends a clumsy angel named Clarence to show George what the world would be like if George had never lived. The ripple effect of his life is much larger than he ever considered - saving his war hero younger brother from drowning when they were kids, keeping the old pharmacist from poisoning someone and losing his business, rescuing his wife from a lonely existence.

This is true for all of us. All of our lives have a God-given purpose. There is a reason that you are here.

I read a book recently that reminded me of this as well, and how this is something that every living person longs for. Erwin McManus, in his book "Soul Cravings", discusses a suicidal girl who was sidetracked from killing herself and decided to live another day. So what could have deterred her? She was stopped by a co-worker in the hall who asked where the Coke machine was. That was enough to give her a sense of purpose.

The final six minutes of "It's a Wonderful Life" shows George back on the bridge where he wanted to die when the film opens. This time, he wants to LIVE. He prays, and his prayer is answered.

After returning home, he is greeted with bill collectors, but more importantly, he is greeted by his loving family. His unbridled joy is a pleasure to witness.

There is a huge outpouring of support from the community in order to help this man who has helped so many others. Watching it today, it had a new meaning to me yet again, as I was reminded of the people in this community who send cards, money, emails, and prayers for my friend David who recently passed away. I don't think I shared this before, but we raised roughly $5000 through the fundraising efforts here. THAT is amazing to me.

I think most people want to feel like George Bailey, knowing that they have some sort of impact on the lives of friends, family, and even strangers that they come in contact with each day.

When George's friends and family gather around him, they sing, "Hark! The Herard Angels Sing!" and "Auld Lang Syne". I usually think of this scene anytime I hear those particular songs. I have NEVER watched this scene without crying, and today was no exception. This scene is rife with emotion - the love of a man for his family, the love of friends, the relief of a big problem solved, the generosity of a community for one man in need, and don't forget it's Christmastime, too.

The message from Clarence the angel in the book they find has always stuck with me, and I hope that it always will:

Remember no man is a failure who has friends.

The Legend of Dan the Man

Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (Austin Texas Homes, LLC) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:38:09 -0500

I have been selling homes in and around Austin, Texas since I was 26 years old. For those keeping track at home, that was over 11 years ago. During my time selling, I have worked with hundreds of buyers, the majority of whom were married couples.

When working with first-time buyers (and sometimes with buyers who have been around the block a few times), I consider it part of my service to "counsel" husbands on what to expect during the process. In other words, it is likely that we will have a conversation along these lines at some point (for our purposes, we will use Mike and Susan as the names for this happy couple):

SUSAN: I don't like this house. The living room is too small and the kitchen is kinda cramped.

MIKE: But look at all of the room for the big screen TV! Also, the bedroom has hardwood floors.

ME: Mike, it really doesn't matter what you say at this point. I can assure you that you won't be buying this house. Susan is not sold on it, and it's really her decision, believe me.

MIKE: But it has...

ME: Mike, seriously. You are not really part of this process as much as you might think.

MIKE: Okay. I hear you.

Perhaps I am not quite that harsh, but this is not very far from the truth. In my experience, I have seen precisely ONE MAN who was able to "win" the debate on which house to purchase, and I still remember it like it was yesterday. It was Dan the Man.

I use Dan the Man as a cautionary tale for men who think that they are going to control the purchase process.

Dan and Marie (not their real names) were part of a relocation account that I handled several years ago. They made a few visits to the area to look around with me. Marie seemed to want a newer home, while Dan leaned toward older places, like their previous home in Houston.

So, in the end, it came down to two very different properties. One was about two or three years old, with all of the expected neighborhood amenities, and it was in great condition. Clearly, this one was Marie's choice.

The other home was about 30 years old, with shag carpet, sunken living room, and a dark hallway leading to the (admittedly large) bedrooms. It also had some giant shade trees in the backyard. This was Dan's choice.

I watched Dan wear Marie down at every turn, singing the praises of "his" choice. In the end, he prevailed, but at a cost. He had to promise to do a LOT of updating along with some minor remodeling in order to get the house he wanted.

Although they had been together for many years, I don't actually know if they stayed married.

So, what's my point here anyway? Well, I have used Dan as an example, both because of his singular success being the only male to win a home choice debate (it was exhausting to watch), and because of the ridiculous amount of additional money that he had to pour into the home in order to please his wife.

Ultimately, I suppose the jury is still out on that one. Even though Marie didn't get the house she originally wanted, she made the older house into one that she could tolerate.

Thanks for reading!

How many left hands do YOU have? Writing directions for the MLS

Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (Austin Texas Homes, LLC) — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:48:38 -0500

I have a long-standing pet peeve that I wanted to vent about today. I have been actively selling homes for more than a decade in and around Austin, but I have noticed a disturbing trend.

When one is a bad or clumsy dancer, he/she is said to have "two left feet". I would like to coin a phrase today for agents who write directions incorrectly on their own listings - two left hands.

I have a GPS system in my vehicle, but it doesn't get every address in outlying areas of town. I also have a pretty good sense of direction. I am good at following instructions if given properly. The key words in the last sentence were "if given properly".

PLEASE take the time to get the MLS directions right if you are a listing agent! The last several homes I have shown have all had incorrect directions.

Let's see - "turn right on CR 198" - seems easy enough. Wait. There IS no right on CR 198. What the heck?

"Turn right on Maple, then left on Main." Oh, I see. You meant it the other way around. Makes perfect sense now.

Have you actually visited the property in person? Maybe this is the first step. Believe me, I am not really super detail-oriented. I consider myself more of a big picture kind of guy. So, if incorrect directions bother me somewhat, it might actually make someone's else head explode.

I have another possible reason for this. Maybe you are trying to give directions to me as if we are sitting face-to-face (my right is your left, my left is your right?).

Maybe you are holding a map up to a mirror when you are entering your listings. That would certainly make good sense, although it does seem a little odd, now that I think about it.

Since I have seen this repeatedly in recent days, maybe someone in that part of town messed up his/her directions, and everyone is just copying and modifying as necessary.

I have even had some that were correct until you get to the street itself - "house is on the right". You mean in the drainage culvert? The last time I checked, this direction is called "left". My mom even taught me a cool trick when I was a kid. Hold up your hands with palms down (not up). Stick out your thumbs so that they are perpendicular to your hand, and make your thumbs touch each other. Which hand makes an L shape?

I think I actually figured out the problem just now. You are using your feet to type, rather than your hands. Sorry - my bad.

Thanks for your time!

Switching things up a little bit

Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (Austin Texas Homes, LLC) — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 23:21:33 -0500

I decided on a whim tonight to change my profile picture. I have had the same one for almost nine months, and I wanted something a little different. The new picture was taken during the recent AR Gathering in Bandera, Texas. It's by no means perfect, since the sun is in my face, but I like the natural look of the background.

If you don't like the new picture, please don't bother to tell me, as you will likely just hurt my feelings. If you do like it, you are welcome to say so.

I thought it would be nice to have a more recent photo, since my hair is a little longer and I am about a year and a half older than in the previous peach-colored shirt picture.

I don't think I will become a "serial profile pic changer", changing it every week or two, but I may try to get a different photo at some point during the upcoming months. I resisted for awhile, but it seems a little bit liberating now.

I hope you are able to locate me on the dashboard without my signature shirt color. I know it will take me some time to get used to it as well. I wore that shirt last night when my wife and I went to the movies, so who knows? Maybe I will take a new profile picture with the "old school" shirt sometime.

Since I had written what is arguably my longest post this morning, I figured it wouldn't hurt to write something short tonight.

Have a good one (I almost had a typo just now - you would have wondered what I meant by "have a good eon" - sounds vaguely dorky, huh?).

Thanks for your time!