Hello from Austin, Texas

Austin Adults Add Halloween as their Favorite Holiday!

Scott Turner (Turner Residential) — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 15:45:56 -0700

Halloween is becoming steadily bigger business, it's second only to Christmas among consumers — and that's largely credited to adults.

According to a study by the National Retail Federation on Halloween spending, 47 percent of people ages 45 to 54 said they would participate in Halloween this year, and a quarter said they would dress in some sort of costume, each spending just over $30 a costume. With costume companies across the country reporting that their adult lines have overtaken or are about to overtake their children's lines, it appears that Halloween has grown up.

The U.S. Census Bureau says the number of young trick-or-treaters across the country is declining. The estimated number of 5- to 13-year-olds decreased by 381,000 from 2003 to 2004. In Austin, the number of 5- to 14-year-olds slipped from 78,335 in 2000 to 76,354 in 2004.

Earlier this year, the head of the Toy Industry Association told its members that "Halloween has expanded from a one-day event for mostly younger children (trick-or-treating) to a celebration that involves teens and adults as well. Halloween parties in homes, schools and offices allow all age groups to 'act like kids again.' "

Halloween "gives people who are normally stressed out and/or emotionally restrained a chance to let loose, get spooky, scary, naughty and even sexy without being judged," notes the Web site of the Reno-based Halloween Advertising Agency.

Anybody else having issues with Dell?

Scott Turner (Turner Residential) — Sat, 21 Oct 2006 20:19:20 -0700

Last September I purchased a new Dell computer. It came in a cool box, sleek and gunmetal gray. Everything on it was wireless and worked seamlessly with this little box in my office with the blinking lights. I was happy as a clam for almost a year, and that is when the computer developed a mind of it's own.

It would freeze...alot. Sometimes it would decide it wanted to shut itself off and would do so smack dab in the middle of a very long typed letter or something. Then it would make odd "whirring" noises for hours on end.

The last straw was yesterday morning when I tried to turn it on for the day and a very loud, piercing, continuous beep came out of the box housing my computer. Seriously, I have no clue why. The computer itself never did turn on.

After waiting on hold for 30 minutes for a Dell technician I was given the news...Alas, I did not purchase the Dell extended warranty...and it has been a year since purchase. A year and a week actually. Bummer!

No more Dell's for me. This is 2 now that have died in a years time.

Small African American Community in Rural Alabama - Gee's Bend Art Exhibit

Scott Turner (Turner Residential) — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 21:14:27 -0700

Mary Lee Bendolph, Gee's Bend Quilts and Beyond exhibit celebrates the women artists of Gee's Bend, a small African American community in rural Alabama where, even today, only a single road leads in and out.

Accordingly, the region's quilts reflect the passing of time slowed to a trickle; local creative traditions have persisted without interruption since the 19th century. The aesthetic visions of "the Benders," as they are known, borrow as heavily from West African textiles as from modern, bold jazz refrains.

Last evening, nearly a dozen of these fearsome needle-and-thread talents arrived in Austin. Spanning generations, they traveled from Alabama by bus (a few of them are afraid to fly). And, though probably exhausted from the journey, they still managed to hug everyone in sight when they made their first official stop at AMoA this morning.

Consider joining in their good-vibe fest. A virtual olympiad of Gee's Bend activity descends upon our city until Nov. 5 at the AMOA.

http://www.amoa.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ex_CurrentDowntownExhibition

Austin's New Green Energy Power Plant is Cool!

Scott Turner (Turner Residential) — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 21:08:55 -0700

Our own Austin Energy will snip the ribbon to their newest, most greenest power plant on Tuesday. Christened the Mueller Energy Center, part of the gigantic Mueller redevelopment project, the design and function of the building sports some pretty radical new fuel-saving developments. Utilizing the best technology available, the capabilities of this project point down exciting new avenues in energy conservation. Then again, this is what people have come to expect from Austin. This is how we roll. Greenstyle.

Apart from the fact that the onsite plant will provide 100% of all the energy requirements of the new Dell Children's Medical Center, it will also serve as an auxiliary power station for other Mueller facilities if the grid goes down. Exhaust fumes from the natural gas-fueled station will be used to both heat the hospital and chill water for air conditioning. A breakdown: the plant will produce 4.3 megawatts of the good stuff, but produce 40 percent less in carbon emissions, and use 20 percent less fuel than equivalent operations.

See, energy conservation can be cool!

Big fan of off-beat horror shows? You will love this home!

Scott Turner (Turner Residential) — Sun, 15 Oct 2006 10:55:29 -0700

Sandra McKee is such a huge fan of the '60s-vintage TV horror sendup The Munsters that she decided to build a new house that looks just like the one on the show. And now she's living in it with her husband Charles. Remember the Munsters? The main characters were a collection of horror-movie rejects.

It's not an exact replica. The kitchen looks pretty normal since they have to actually live in this home. The TV show kitchen had cabinets falling down which isn't too user friendly.

The suit of armor at the top of the stairs doesn't rotate yet like the one on the TV show, and the creepy stairs leading up to it don't lift up yet, either. But one day the stairs will rise eerily when the pneumatic equipment is installed. And eventually the suit of armor will twirl. Sandra and Charles, a plumbing contractor, still have a lot of work to do before the 5,825-square-foot house is finished. So far they've invested $250,000 in the project.

They do have the dungeon installed (which is a storm shelter and sunk in the ground.)

Sandra came up with the design for the interior of the house by rewatching episodes of the show. She and Charles started building the place in 2001, and they moved in in 2002. On Halloween 2002 they had a big Munsters party. Al Lewis, who played Grandpa Munster, and Butch Patrick, who played Eddie Munster, were invited and showed up, along with 500 to 600 other folks in costume.

Oh, that downstairs closet door that appears to be made out of a coffin isn't really made out of a coffin. A funeral home wanted to donate a coffin but they decided they coudn't handle looking at that every day!

Congress Avenue Honored at the Austin History Center

Scott Turner (Turner Residential) — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 21:49:02 -0700

The Austin History Center Association exhibit “The Avenue, Austin’s Main Street since 1839” is now open and runs through January 10, 2007.

Congress Avenue is the heart of Austin. It has served as the city’s center of commerce and staged our city’s most soulful demonstrations – from street parties celebrating the end of wars and the new millennia to demonstrations opposing the Vietnam War and supporting civil rights. The Austin History Center Association will present the “The Avenue: Austin’s Main Street Since 1839,” a major exhibit celebrating the history of Congress Avenue at the Austin History Center. The exhibit will feature more than 75 photographs from the acclaimed history center collection.

Congress Avenue has been described as “Gateway to the Capitol and the City,” “Austin’s Main Street,” “The Avenue,” a “royally wide highway” (by Amelia Barr in the 1850s), and “Austin’s Milky Way” (after merchants installed new electric signs over the sidewalks in 1913).

The Austin History Center is located at 810 Guadalupe Street, on the southwest corner of Guadalupe and 9th Streets in downtown Austin. The exhibit is free and open to the public Mon–Wed: 10 a.m.–9 p.m.; Sat: 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; Sun: 12 noon –6 p.m. (except holidays).

Austin's Bat Colony Providing a Valuable Insect Service

Scott Turner (Turner Residential) — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 22:38:25 -0700

Austin might not have any theme parks or large zoos, but America's largest urban bat colony has become the city's best-known (and ecologically correct) tourist attraction.

It all started in 1980, when the team of engineers designing the Congress Avenue bridge unknowinlgly created the crevices that would soon become the home to the largest urban bat colony in North America.

More than 1.5 million bats emerge each night at dusk as they have for more than two decades from the bridge's underbelly. The bats blacken the otherwise red sky as they take off in search of food.

The hotter and dryer the weather is, the hungrier the bats are, and the earlier they must emerge to hunt. During the best flights, up to five columns of emerging bats can be seen for miles as much as 45 minutes before sunset.

Bats consume their body weight in insects nightly, including vast numbers of yard and garden pests, from moths to mosquitoes. Depending on the season and colony size, these bats consume between 10,000 and 30,000 pounds of insects nightly! We love bats!

Hello Metro! A Great Site for Relocation Clients

Scott Turner (Turner Residential) — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 21:22:44 -0700

Every once in a while I stumble across something that makes my life so much easier! Today I found "Hello Austin". This is an online site that has all of the info you could possibly want to know about Austin, Texas. (Restaurants, weather, music, art, where to shop etc.) This is the absolute best thing for clients who are relocating.

They even put together this great little pdf with a enormous amount of info that I can email to clients.
http://www.helloaustin.com/PDF_Files/AustinTX_Brochure.PDF

Then, after tooling around on the site I realized that they do 550 different cities and 7 continents. Go to www.HelloMetro.com and see if your city is on there.

Single and Relocating? Austin is Rated One Of the Best Cities For You!

Scott Turner (Turner Residential) — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 21:08:55 -0700

Single professionals relocating to Central Texas are in luck. According to relocation industry groups, Austin is among the best cities for relocating singles.

For a third year, the two industry groups have paired to identify the cities with the most to offer relocating singles.

The groups used statistical profiles of the largest 100 U.S. metro areas, focusing on criteria most relevant to singles, to define the rankings of cities with the highest probability of a smooth transition and a successful relocation.

In addition to Austin, other top cities for relocating singles include Nashville, Atlanta, New York and Houston.

Relocation experts take glamorous factors, like nightlife and sports, and pit them directly against everyday concerns, like rent, to identify places where the quality of life is both exciting and sustainable. Other statistics used in ranking the best cities include population criteria such as the local percentage and growth trends of unmarried residents ages 25 to 34, male-female ratios, the number of newcomers to the area, and diversity and density; as well as economic criteria and quality-of-life criteria.

Austin Has "Edited" Their Smoking Ban

Scott Turner (Turner Residential) — Sun, 08 Oct 2006 21:44:08 -0700

Some of the smoke surrounding the vagaries of the smoking ban has cleared. U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks ruled today that some of the enforcement provisions were "unconstitutionally vague."

The ruling did not overturn the existing ban, but it did state that bars must take greater measures to make sure they were in compliance with the law.

It also appears bars won't face the brunt of the law if they can't get patrons to quit smoking. That'll fall on the smokers.

Get in touch with your inner Perry Mason and read the judgment here.

Interesting Lessons...

Scott Turner (Turner Residential) — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 22:36:47 -0700

My Mom taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE.
"If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning!"

My Mom taught me about INDIVIDUALISM.
"I bet if all your friends jumped off a bridge, you would too!

My Mom taught me RELIGION.
"You better pray that stain will come out of the carpet."

My Mom taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.
"Stop acting like your father!"

My Mom taught me about TIME TRAVEL.
"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

My Mom taught me LOGIC.
"Because I said so, that's why."

My Mom taught me FORESIGHT.
"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."

My Mom taught me about HYPOCRISY.
"If I've told you once, I've told you a million times - Don't exaggerate!!!"

My Mom taught me IRONY.
"Keep crying and I'll *give* you something to cry about!"

My Mom taught me THE CIRCLE OF LIFE.
"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

My Mom taught me about the science of OSMOSIS.
"Shut your mouth and eat your supper!"

My Mom taught me about CONTORTIONISM.
"Will you *look* at the dirt on the back of your neck!"

My Mom taught me about ENVY.
"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do!

My Mom taught me about STAMINA.
"You'll sit there until all that spinach is finished."

Austin's Town Lake Hike and Bike Trail Gets A Facelift

Scott Turner (Turner Residential) — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 17:22:35 -0700

Austin's Town Lake Hike and Bike Trail winds around the city's Colorado River for 10.15 miles. It is shady, full of nature and has a view to die for. A recent stroll around the lake was so absolutely beautiful that we did not even notice the crowds!

A few blocks on either side of IH-35 are re-routed to sidewalks instead of the trail at the rivers edge. It goes for about a mile section of the lake along the Riverside Drive section. This is the part that gets a bit sketchy as you weave through the traffic, the freeway and gated apartment complexes.

The city has proposed some overwater boardwalks to alleviate this problem and keep everybody happy. They are also discussing construction of restrooms, planting of trees and shoring up of retaining walls, that's taking place on the crown jewel of Austin's trail system.

For decades, much of what is now the Town Lake hike-and-bike trail was an industrial wasteland of gravel pits and landfills along the river. Not anymore! With an estimated 15,000 users on a weekend day, the trail is now the most popular public trail in Austin. Traffic has quadrupled in the past decade with Austin's growth.

With any luck, this construction will mean that folks out stretching their legs in the city's big, beautiful backyard will be able to do so in uninterrupted comfort in the not-so-distant future.

Kraft and Gunn Realty
www.AustinPropertySales.com

Termites are a Huge Problem...Quick Tips on How To Spot Them...

Scott Turner (Turner Residential) — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 22:36:47 -0700

With so many homeowners foregoing the inspection process, I find myself more and more eager to learn about little things like this in order to help my clients avoid a potentially hazardous situation!

Spotting the following telltale termite signs could save you or your clients a bundle:

Mud Tubes: About the size of a pencil, these tubes connect to infested wood. They may be visable on concrete foundations or hidden under floorboards or siding.
Swarms: Winged termites are attracted to lights and my be found around windows or exterior light fixtures.
Wood Damage: Tap wood every few inches and listen for a telltale hollow sound or see if a tool easily penetrates the wood you're tapping. Dark areas or blisters in the wood flooring may also be a sign.

Even the inspection doesnt offen tell the whole story. Look over the seller's disclosure carefully for anything relating to treatments in the past, etc.

Looking for something to do in Austin? Here are a few ideas:

Scott Turner (Turner Residential) — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 17:51:38 -0700

There are so many things to do in Austin. Depending on your mood, you can go from funky to upscale in about 3 blocks. There is so much to do here and some sort of festival every weekend. Perfect for families and even better if you're single!

The Congress Ave. Bat Bridge - The Congress Avenue bridge in downtown Austin is the spring and summer home to some 750,000 bats with up to 1.5 million bats at the peak of the bat-watching season. It's the largest urban bat colony in North America.Each evening around sunset the Congress Avenue bats emerge like a black cloud from the crevices of the bridge. Covering the countryside in search of food, it is estimated that the bats consume from 10,000 to 30,000 pounds of insects.
South Congress Ave - South Congress Avenue and South Lamar Boulevard deliver offbeat shopping and dining and legendary live music haunts including the Broken Spoke, the last of the true Texas dance halls, the legendary Continental Club and the Saxon Pub. First Thursdays on South Congress offer a pedestrian-friendly atmosphere that brings the musicians to the street and shopping late into the evening where funky galleries, vintage shops, clothing and furniture stores, jewelry shops and salons stay open until 10:00pm (or later). South congress is Austin's SoHo, eclectic and fun.
Warehouse District - The Warehouse district, just west of the central business district, is the upscale cousin to 6th street. A bit trendier and certainly more pricey, it caters to a slightly older crowd than the other downtown entertainment areas. True to its name, the restaurants and clubs in this district have been renovated from former warehouses into trendy restaurants, top-notch concert halls, and distinctive bars. Live music is everywhere in the Warehouse District and great restaurants are easy to find.
Red River District - If Austin is the world's live music capital, then the Red River District is it's senate chambers. An eclectic three blocks of the best, and most, live music in Austin. You can see more than twenty bands in a three block stumble on any weekend night. From Austin's best and worst home grown indie's to lot's of almost famous road shows, Red River is a music lovers panacea.

Born from the rubble of Austin's crack row and homeless hideaway, Red River still brandishes it's seedy, tough exterior. But it's "Sunset Strip" aura lends even more to it's raw, real, live vibe.The Red River District has it's own

Barton Springs Pool - Just off Barton Springs Road, Barton Springs Pool is one of Austin's famous landmarks and easily the most popular swimming hole in the city. Spring fed and over 900 feet long, the pool was formed when Barton Creek was dammed up, so it has a natural rock and gravel bottom. There are varying depths, diving boards, and stairs and ladders for entry. The water temperature averages 68 degrees F' throughout the year, so enter the pool gingerly. As you swim across, feel how some spots are colder than others. A more refreshing swim is hard to find, but the pool is often crowded, especially on summer weekends. In recent years, the city has closed the pool when the fecal coliform count was high and posed a threat to swimmers, often the case after a heavy rain.

Austin's New Proposed Skyscrapers Forcing us to Grow Up - Literally!

Scott Turner (Turner Residential) — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 17:35:37 -0700

This cool new building is the brain child of developer Tom Stacy and designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects...

This is one of the many proposed buildings that a lot of firms submitted for the new Austin Museum of Art. One firm included a condominium tower over a 75,000 square foot museum. The architects here seem to bo going for the cool. modern looking buildings. Is this an effort to support our city's moniker "Keep Austin Weird?"

There is also a 36 story tower planned for 101 Colorado St. Our city is getting more and more skyscrapers and the smaller buildings are getting dwarfed by them. I guess Austin is growing and we all need to get used to it, but it is still hard to watch!

5 Tips To Help With Your Electric Bill!

Scott Turner (Turner Residential) — Mon, 25 Sep 2006 20:02:53 -0700

You may already know these things, but what the heck!

Nuke it baby! Warm up food in the microwave instead of heating up your food in the oven. This will save energy and help ease that electric bill. (As much as 30-40%)
Little Things Add Up! Think about all those gadgets we keep plugged in day in, day out. Things like your cell phone charger, your iPod charger, the digital clocks on your stove or your coffee pots, the computer monitor, your TV, and even your night light uses energy when you're not actively using it.
It may not seem like much, but consider, if you keep your computer monitor on all the time, that will cost you $.60 cents a day, or $18 a month. And if you fall asleep watching television, you'll find that you'll pay about $6 a month for the privilege. Keeping your cell phone and battery charger plugged in may cost you $1.50 a month.
Watch your thermostat! This month I noticed after receiving a $500 electric bill that by adjusting the thermostat just 2 degrees warmer has managed to lower my bill by $75. I also installed a programmable thermostat that can be set to not run as much during the day when nobody is home. I think this will help a lot for next month's bill!
Use the cold cycle on your washing machine! With all of the antibacterial stuff out there warm water is not always necessary. You don't need hot water to kill the germs anymore. You can save a load of energy if you use warm or cool water instead of hot water in your washing machine. That's because between 80 and 85 percent of the energy used to wash clothes comes from just heating the water alone.
Use Energy-Star appliances: When upgrading an appliance, choose an Energy-Star appliance instead. The true savings on these is still being investigated, but what can it hurt?

Are you in the top 10 of the most overvalued housing markets?

Scott Turner (Turner Residential) — Mon, 25 Sep 2006 19:47:45 -0700

We are lucky here in Austin. We were on CNN just a few months back and gloating about how great and undervalued our property is! It opened up a flood of investors looking for a great deal in Austin. We tend to forget about the rest of the US. Some markets are not so lucky. Extremely overpriced homes are wreaking havoc on markets that were so popular just last year.

Money Magazine lists the most overvalued markets:

The 10 most overvalued housing markets, according to Global Insight and National City.

CityStateMedian
pricePercent
overvalued

Naples	FL	$389,200	101.5%
Bend	OR	$296,700	89.3%
Salinas	CA	$618,400	79.4%
Merced	CA	$295,400	78.4%
Madera	CA	$311,000	76.9%
Port St. Lucie	FL	$240,800	74.0%
Stockton	CA	$346,600	73.9%
Santa Barbara	CA	$638,300	72.8%
Miami	FL	$292,800	70.8%
Punta Gorda	FL	$210,900	70.2%

I would have thought that some areas of Pennsylvania would be listed here. My brother just purchased a house that seemed to be extremely over priced, and said the market could support a price tag of that size. Austin did not make Money Magazine's undervalued list, but we did come close with Killeen, TX only about 25 miles away! Seven Texas cities made the list out of 10.

Near the bottom already...

The 10 most undervalued metro markets

CityStateMedian
pricePecent
undervalued

College Station	TX	$97,100	22.3%
Dallas	TX	$129,900	21.2%
Ft. Worth	TX	$107,500	19.3%
Houston	TX	$113,000	17.3%
McAllen	TX	$57,300	16.4%
Shreveport	LA	$97,100	15.2%
Killeen	TX	$94,200	14.9%
Wichita Falls	TX	$74,500	13.8%
Tulsa	OK	$98,100	12.3%
Monroe	LA	$90,800	11.8%

How safe is your nest egg?

Scott Turner (Turner Residential) — Mon, 25 Sep 2006 19:38:19 -0700

My father did everything right. Saved for college for his kids, retirement, 401k, etc. He was serious about saving and only paying for things with cash to avoid the credit card debt.

You can do everything 100% correct and still have life kick you in the butt. What will happen to your nest egg if you get a serious illness, job loss or disability? My father was diagnosed with a medical condition that forced him onto short term disability and also into his retirement money. He has bounced back quite well, but statistics show that most folks do not get so lucky.

This article has great facts about reitirement and avoiding a financial nightmare!
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/RetirementandWills/PlayingCatchUp/HiddenThreatstoYourNestEgg.aspx

Texas Home & Land Auction - Tax Sales Every Month!

Scott Turner (Turner Residential) — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 20:32:18 -0700

Texas auctions their tax sale properties on the first Tuesday of every month. There are a few rules, and you must sign up as a buyer. Generally you myst have certified funds on hand, so no mortgages!

A list of properties to be auctioned is made available in the Austin Chronicle 21 days prior to the auction. Look for the online posting of properties for sale approximately 15 days before the sale date.

Auctions are held at 10:00 am on the west steps of the county courthouse at 1000 Guadalupe St., Austin, Texas, on the first Tuesday of the month.

Methods of payment include cash, check, cashiers check, money order and major credit card. Payment made with credit cards will be subject to a service fee of 3%.

http://www.co.travis.tx.us/tax%5Fassessor/foreclosure/Oct/

Austin Unclaimed Property Site

Scott Turner (Turner Residential) — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 19:07:52 -0700

Here is a great site to search for unclaimed property in Texas. There is even an unclaimed property auction on Ebay!

http://www.window.state.tx.us/up/

Blanton Museum adds to AUstin's Arts Scene

Scott Turner (Turner Residential) — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 19:01:44 -0700

Before "Austin City Limits" hit the national airwaves in 1976, who outside Austin knew the city nurtured such a vibrant music scene?

And really, Austin didn't insist it was the Live Music Capital of World until after 1987, when the South by Southwest Music Festival attracted waves of media attention.

The Blanton Museum of Art has acted as a similar catalyst for the city's visual arts scene — and, by extension, its self-image as a mature cultural destination.

The Blanton — the largest university art museum in the country and the third-largest art museum in Texas — is expected to join acknowledged Texas treasures such as the Museum of Fine Arts and Menil Collection in Houston and Fort Worth's Kimbell Art Museum and Museum of Modern Art as a major destination for art lovers.

The Blanton helps fill in some necessary gaps in our creative landscape, Now Austin has everything from high art to street corner strange.

Austin has free movies in the park on Saturdays

Scott Turner (Turner Residential) — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 18:16:15 -0700

Austin Parks Foundation is proud to continue the Movies in the Park fall series. All movies will be shown at Republic Square Park (4th and Guadalupe St.) in downtown Austin. Bring your blankets and chairs and experience your favorite movies under the stars. Sponsored by AT&T with special assistance by the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema.

Good Stuff to Know:
All movies are free. Dogs, picnics, and lawn chairs are welcome. Alcoholic beverages are not permitted in the park. Concessions will be available. Note: Movie begins at dusk.

This weeks movie? Saturday Night Fever!

Austin is a pet friendly city!

Scott Turner (Turner Residential) — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 18:13:44 -0700

If you are a dog, Austin is the place to live. We have 12 dog parks and numerous trails and lakes that are all dog friendly. Restaurants will let you hang out on the patio and even give you a few treats and a bowl of water while you hang out in the sun.

There is even a self serve dog wash (which is the coolest idea ever). You can put your filthy dog in a little metal bathtub, and scrub away and then use the blow dryers that are provided. It is only $12 and I think that is well spent. Better than cleaning your own bathtub or using the hose.

Down south by Central Market there is a bakery that caters to dogs. The Groovy dog Bakery makes cute little paw shaped cookies in many flavors just for your mutt. My son thinks this would be better suited for LA, but hey, it works for them.

There are numerous doggy Day Care centers around town where you can drop your mutt for the day or week and they will be completely entertained. Do they have these for children yet?

Austin is a great town for dog lovers. They are welcomed on a lot of outdoor patios around town. There are trails galore and Austin's laid back feeling has people squeezing their pets into more and more places. Yes, life is good for a dog in Austin.

Other cities brag about their welcoming attitudes toward dogs and dog owners. Dog Fancy magazine recently proclaimed that, if you're a dog, Chicago is the best city in the United States. To determine the rankings, the magazine took into account such factors as the number of dog parks, efforts to reduce euthanasia and the availability of dog trainers. Austin ranked only sixth, one spot behind Houston.

Here's a list of Austin's 12 official leash-free parks. Only two of the parks, the Norwood Estate and the West Austin Dog Park on West 10th Street, are fully enclosed by fencing. For more information, see www.ci.austin.tx.us/parks/dogparks.htm.

Austin Continues to Defy Cooling National Market

Scott Turner (Turner Residential) — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 18:01:39 -0700

Despite a report from the National Association of REALTORS^® that the country’s housing market is slowing down, Austin-area home sales remained solid in August. The latest Multiple Listing Service report from the Austin Board of REALTORS^® indicates another record-setting month for the Austin market.

In August, the number of single-family homes sold in Austin increased 6 percent from the previous year to a record 2,805. The median price of single-family properties also rose, by 8 percent, to $182,500. Collectively contributing $683,533,620 to the local economy—19 percent more than they did in August 2005—these sold properties sat for 10 percent less time, averaging 60 days on the market. Altogether, the number of active single-family listings in the MLS fell by 2 percent in August, totaling 8,137.

Austin has the quality of life that people are interested in obtaining and compared to ther cities you simply cannot beat our prices here. We are emerging into a "big" city and so it is difficult to really nail down our market. With more than 7500 licensed REALTORS in Texas, I am so pleased that we are still rolling!

Single-family properties were not alone in experiencing notable gains this August. The number of townhouses/condos sold increased 20 percent to 299. These sales collected $53,184,924 in aggregate revenue, 33 percent more than they did last year.

August 2006—Single Family Homes

2,805 homes sold, a 6 percent increase from 1 year ago and an August record
$182,500 was the median price, and that increased 8 percent
$683,533,620 was the total dollar volume of properties sold, and that increased 19 percent

Austin, Texas area Market Statistics

Scott Turner (Turner Residential) — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 22:28:08 -0700

I keep hearing that the Austin market is slowing down, but I have yet to have a day of fun and relaxation in about 6 weeks now! I am not complaining...Staying busy keeps me out of trouble. The August market summary is in and the results are pretty interesting.

Current Market Summary
August 2006 All Single Family Sales

2006
2005

2,805
2,634

+ 6%

All Active Single Family Listings

2006
2005

8,137
8,302

- 2%

Single Family Median Price

2006
2005

$182,500
$169,400

+ 8%

Single Family Pending Sales

2006
2005

2,891
2,549

+ 13%

Any investors out there? Now is the time to get your little piece of paradise in Austin!

Kristin Gunn
Kraft and Gunn Realty
www.AustinPropertySales.com