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Volente Beach Water Park - 08/30/10 12:01 AM
Even though it's nearly December, it's never too early to think about summer time fun. Volente Beach Water Park is just a hop, skip and splash away from Austin, in Cedar Park. It's located on FM 2769 right on the beach of beautiful Lake Travis.

The park has water rides and slides for every person in the family, young or old. From rides like the `Texas Twister' that take you on a plunge that twists and turns, or how about `The Sidewinder' that takes you and a friend down a slope and up the other side, all why you … (0 comments)

For the Fifth Week In A Row - Mortgage Rates Hit A New All Time Low - 08/29/10 11:58 PM
The 30 year rate fell from 4.42 to 4.36 this week. This is the 6th week in a row where rates have fallen. But more importantly this is the 5th week where we have hit a new all time low. In that time the 30 year rate has dropped from 4.57 to 4.36. Considering that 4.57 was an all time low this is a decent drop.

The 15 year dropped from 3.90 to 3.86. The 5 year arm stayed even at 3.56 and the 1 year arm dropped from 3.53 to 3.52. These were all time lows for the respective … (4 comments)

Affordable Federal Home Improvement Programs - 08/29/10 11:52 PM
Sometimes federal programs get a bum rap, because there is so much bureaucracy tied up in it. The cost to run the program and time consumed in applying for it can exceed the benefits. There are two federal programs, though, that deserve a closer look if your home is in need of repair, or you are considering buying a home in need of repair.

Like all government programs, however, there are specific requirements.

The "Rural Housing: Housing Repair Loans and Grants" and the "Section 203k Rehabilitation Mortgage Insurance" programs are poised to assist homeowners to obtain loans or grants … (1 comments)

The Fed's Role in Crisis and Recovery - 08/19/10 12:06 AM
Despite its apolitical mandate, the Federal Reserve remains one of the most politically sensitive institutions in the world, as evidenced by Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke's opinion column on November 29th. In the piece, Bernanke criticized proposed legislation before the Senate that would seek to curtail powers given to the Fed over its near-century of existence. With approval of the Consumer Financial Protection Agency comes a new regulatory regime that may also threaten the dominant paradigm, changing the way business at the top is done for decades to come. What will the Federal Reserve's role be in this new financial landscape, and … (0 comments)

Mortgage Rates Hit A New All Time Low (For the Fourth Time This Month) - 08/19/10 12:02 AM
The 30 year rate fell from 4.49 to 4.44 this week. This is the 4th week in a row where rates have fallen. What's interesting is not only is 4.44 an all time low. But we have been hitting new all time lows for the last 4 weeks in a row. What is even more interesting is no one cares. The market is hardly reacting to bizarrely low interest rates. It's also gotten very little play in the press which might be a contributing factor.

The 15 year dropped from 3.95 to 3.92. The 5 and 1 year arms dropped … (1 comments)

Dove Springs-A Quaint, Family-Oriented Community - 08/18/10 11:59 PM
A quaint, tree-lined rural community exists in Southeast Austin called Dove Springs, and it has a unique charm and many opportunities for recreation, housing, entertainment and access to the central city area. Dove Springs can be found by exiting I.H. 35 and traveling east on Stassney, among other routes, and the neighborhood's proximity to the freeway is another advantage to residents.

Most of the street names include the word Dove, such as Dove Meadow, Dove Hill, Dove Wood and others. These streets are tree-lined, quiet, meandering, residential streets, with inexpensive to moderately priced homes and duplexes, as well as numerous … (0 comments)

Future of the Housing Market - 08/07/10 12:10 AM
Home prices increased from April to May of this year by 1.3 percent, according to the Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller 20-city home price index. The credit for this largely goes to the government's home buyer tax credit, which expired at the end of April.

The general thought out there seems to be that the housing market has been bolstered by the tax credit--which was the point--and now will come tumbling down again. Maybe not, says University of Chicago economist Casey Mulligan. Even the home price index report points out that May is historically a strong month for home sales.

The … (2 comments)

The Jolly Area of Jollyville Road - 08/07/10 12:04 AM
Jollyville Road has recently become a mecca for shoppers, business people, and residents, due to its varied character, which is a combination of high tech businesses, shopping venues, and nice but fairly reasonably priced homes with big, shady yards.

The relatively recent addition of the Arboretum and the nearby Domain make the area a shopper's paradise, and there are numerous strip centers, restaurants, fast food establishments, and grocery stores, among other businesses. In addition, Great Hills Baptist Church is in the center of the neighborhood, and it is one of the largest and most active churches in Austin with numerous … (0 comments)

Find a Good Deal on an East Coast Vacation Home - 08/07/10 12:01 AM
Whether you're looking for a condominium, multi-family unit or a single-family home, you'll find an abundance available in the housing market in almost every major city in the U.S.

Florida's slumping home market has targeted this state for some sweet deals on real estate. You'll even find beach front property at astounding prices. Check out Cutler Bay, Fisher Island or Homestead, all in Miami-Dade County.

Nassau County has some great offerings, too, on Amelia Island. Right now you can get a beautiful condominium on Sea Marsh Road right next to Oak Marsh Golf Course listed at $100,000. It's … (2 comments)

Mortgage Rates Hit An All Time Low: Again - 08/06/10 11:55 PM
In what has become an almost weekly occurrence mortgage rates hit new all time lows. The 30 year rate fell from 4.56 to 4.54 this week. Rates have either reached new lows or matched old lows for 5 consecutive weeks.

The 15 year also reached an all time low dropping from 4.03 to 4.00. It will be interesting to see if the 15 year fixed will fall below 4.0 in the next few weeks. The 5 year arm dropped from 3.79 to 3.76 just .01 points above the all time low. The 1 year arm dropped from 3.70 to … (4 comments)

Mortgage Rates Hold At All Time Historic Low - 08/06/10 11:51 PM
Last week the 30 year rate fell to an all time low of 4.57. This week mortgage rates held at 4.57 so we are still sitting on all time historic lows. This is also the 4th week in a row where mortgage rates have either held steady or fallen. The expectation has been that rates were going to rise. Since the economic recovery has kind of sputtered their has been some downward pressure on mortgage rates. If the economy starts to recover we could expect rates to increase. In the meantime I would expect rates to hold steady or fall a … (1 comments)

Can You Influence What Airs On TV? - 08/06/10 11:45 PM
It never fails. You're flipping through the channels looking for a good program to watch and you bump into one that is not the type of programming you'd expect to see on a particular station. Television has gotten racier and racier over the years. It used to be that stations couldn't use certain language, and they were very restricted as to how much flesh they could show. The FCC has become lax in what they allow to be aired, however, and programming directors are taking full advantage of it.

Many say, "If you don't want to watch it, just change … (2 comments)

The Town of Georgetown in Texas - 08/06/10 11:35 PM
If there is one Central Texas town that has grown significantly in the last 10 years, it would be Georgetown. The Williamson County seat is a picture-perfect small town, with its town square surrounding the historic courthouse. The town was founded in 1848, the same year Williamson County was established. The charming Victorian style limestone buildings surrounding the domed courthouse reflect Georgetown's early prosperity as a commerce center.

Built near the banks of the San Gabriel River, with fertile farmlands to the east and wide-ranging ranch lands to the west, Georgetown had no problem attracting settlers. The addition of a … (1 comments)

The Town of Wimberley - 08/06/10 11:33 PM
Head west, between Austin and San Marcos, across the seemingly endless Texas Hill Country vistas dotted by quaint towns and you will find the old mill town of Wimberley. The town was first settled in the 1840s, after Texas became a state. Mills powered by Cypress Creek kept the town growing, and changing names, for decades. Each new mill owner gave the settlement a new name, until it officially became Wimberley in 1880 after then mill owner Pleasant Wimberley.

Perhaps the best known spot in Wimberley is Blue Hole. Shaded by Cypress trees, this spring-fed swimming hole is always inviting. … (1 comments)

 

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