Austin's Fittest Homes - 06/19/10 11:53 PM
One of my favorite magazines, and best kept secrets in Austin, is Austin Fit Magazine. The montly magazine does a great job of covering our very fitness oriented city. Each issue is diverse in it's coverage of healthy recipes, various gyms around town, running and biking, and fitness events all around Austin and central Texas.
This month, Austin Fit Magazine relaeases it's very first list of the fittest homes in Austin. Here is an excerpt from an extremely well written article:
 
*Our first annual list of Austin's Fittest Homes includes some of the city's most innovative, breathtaking and progressive local … (4 comments)

Reducing your debt - 06/19/10 07:17 PM
A financial channel I watch, asked millionaires what was the single most important factor to attaining wealth. The majority said not incurring large amounts of debt was the number one reason for their financial success. As with most things in life, it's sensible and simple, yet unique. Millions of Americans set a goal to pay off their credit card debt, yet few ever do. Is this one of your goal? With a lot of determination and a good plan, you can achieve the goal of taking control of your debt and credit. Here's how:
 
Get rid of the cards-
Well, don't cut … (2 comments)

What has been your best marketing idea of 2010? - 06/19/10 01:02 PM
We are almost at the halfway point of the year. Actually, it will be July 2nd. Regardless, it is a good time to reflect on the marketing ideas we came up with at the beginning of the year. My idea was to get a Rainmaker account on Activerain and attempt to blog, not only on this platform, but others.
I also wanted to nail down that often ignored database, that is the foundation of any real estate business. Frankly, I wanted to *be better online*- whatever that meant at the end of December last year. The blogging has gone well, and servicing … (5 comments)

Stubbs Barbecue Bad To the Bone Contest $20 - 06/19/10 11:32 AM
The stage at Stubbs BBQ will be smoking as celebrity chefs turn up the heat on Bad to the Bone Chef Smackdown, Round Two. The culinary competition combines star chefs, rowdy judges, audience text voting & DJ tunes from Austin favorite, Manola Black on June 26, 8 pm @ Stubbs back yard amphitheater.
Acclaimed Chef Shawn Cirkiel of Parkside was voted winner at the 1st Bad to the Bone. He will defend his title against challengers Josh Watkins, executive chef of The Carillon, and Rebecca Rather, chef and owner of Rather Sweet Bakery in Fredericksburg.For more information visit www.stubbsaustin.com 512-480-8341
 
… (1 comments)

South Austin 3 bedroom duplex for rent $1200 - 06/18/10 12:50 AM

Great South Austin duplex for lease. Three bedrooms, two baths. Very large backyard. Updated appliances.
Updated appliances, cul de sac. Extra storage, Vaulted ceilings, nice open floolrplan.


 
 
… (1 comments)

A walking billboard? Thought on the real estate t shirt - 06/17/10 12:29 PM
A few weeks ago, a friend of mine called, to inform me he had a great money making idea. A realtor at his gym wears a t shirt advertising his business, complete with phone number and his web address. My friend noticed it, and asked the agent about it. Apparently, the t shirt starts conversations more than anything. And those conversations have lead to several sales and a few leases.
 
                                                              
 
I have always been of the opinion, that restaurants and stores have a lot of nerve asking us to shell out fifteen or twenty bucks for a … (9 comments)

Do you have a pre 4/30 mentality? - 06/16/10 01:25 PM
I often hear pundits refer to a politician, or the country as a whole as having a pre 9/11 mentality. That being that our country went through a fundamental change on that day, never to be what it was. The same could be said for December 7, 1941, and there are other dates of great significance in our country's history.
We certainly can't compare April 30, 2010 to landmark days that shape the course of this country, but it was arguably the most significant day in real estate that I can remember. The debate as to the sense of urgency it prompted, … (0 comments)

South Austin New Construction/ Free Move In - 06/15/10 02:56 PM
NEW HOME READY FOR MOVE-IN!
 
5800 Silver Screen 1525 sq. ft.
 
BRADSHAW CROSSING South Austin   78747
 
3 bedrooms            2 bathrooms
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
Spacious Living Room         Elevated Ceilings
 
Ceramic Tile         Rounded Corners
 
Granite Countertops   Black Appliances
 
Separate Tub and Shower     Garden Tub
 
6-zone Sprinkler System 2 Car Garage 
 
Scott Hayes, Remax 512-786-8300  
      

… (0 comments)

Austin Music Hall Old School Night June 18, 2010 - 06/14/10 06:23 PM
It may be 2010 on the calender, but Friday June 18 it will be 1988 all over again. Salt n Pepa, Biz Markie (Friends), Rob Base (It Take Two) and Big Daddy Kane will be performing at Austin Music Hall. Austin Music Hall is a great venue, and old and new fans alike can see this collection of 80's rap groups up close and personal. 
 
Doors open at 7, with the show beginning at 8. Tickets beginning at $35. Check out the event website for further details:
 
http://www.austinmusichall.com/index.cfm?Fuseaction=EventDetail&EventID=13502
… (0 comments)

Have you considered a billboard? - 06/14/10 06:05 PM
I was driving back in to town, after an out of town trip. I was on a highway- not an interstate, but a highway that runs about seventy miles, much of it through the norhern part of Austin. A billboard advertised availability for $650 a month. It made me think, not a bad price to get tens of thousands of eyes on your website, phone number, business name, or most likely; all of the above.
 
Agents wrap their cars, advertise on busses, and of course there are our yard signs. Many insurance agents use billboard advertising, but I wonder for … (1 comments)

East Austin Drive In - 06/13/10 12:57 AM
East Austin has brought back the tradition of period gone by- the drive thru 2.0
Here is the update, courtesy of the Austin American Statesman website=
A new outdoor screening series, Cinema East, has cropped up on Austin's East Side, offering free sumer screenings of indie films such as "We Live in Public," "The Fearless Freaks" and "Lovers of Hate."
More from the organizers:
Produced by Scott Jawson and curated by Maggie Lea, Cinema East is a free summer film series featuring over 15 of the year's festival-favorite independent films, each concluded with post-screening dialogue. Choice comestibles provided by Karibu Ethiopian Restaurant, … (0 comments)

Austin Juneteenth 2010 - 06/12/10 02:19 PM
On June 19, 2010. Austin will celebrate Juneteenth with the annual parade starting at 10 am. At Comal and MLK Blvd.
Other activities include the:
Freedom Walk, prior to the parade, at 9:30am  also at Comal and MLK.

Park Celebration 1pm - 10pm Rosewood Park - 1182 Pleasant Valley Rd.


Juneteenth A History:
 
Juneteenth celebrates the formal celebration of the United States' emancipation from slavery. Austin Parks and Recreation Department coordinates several celebrations - Adult Dance, Fine Arts Festival, Carnival, Community Parades, Basketball Tournament, Juneteenth Pageant and Parade. Many of the activities are coordinated with the … (2 comments)

Does your office have a recycling program? - 06/11/10 01:06 PM
Is there an industry that uses more paper than those of us in real estate? But the crazy thing is, we as realtors aren't the ones who do this, but the companies that market to us. The builders, the inspectors, insurance companies, home warranty folks....the list goes on. Whenever I walk in my office, I'm amazed at the amount of paper that could just as easily be sent in email.
My fellow agents would stand next to the trash can, and dump nearly every piece of marketing garbage in the trash. So I suggested we put a can in the conference … (3 comments)

Art Ride on Lance Armstrong Bikeway - Public Art Dedication Ceremony June 12 - 06/11/10 12:48 AM
An early-bird art ride will kick off the event at 8:30 am, as part of the "Scout-A-Route" ride series from the Austin Cycling Association,beginning at Mellow Johnny's at 400 Nueces Street. The ride will include stops at various art installations along the route, with commentary and insights from the artist collective NextProject (Leah Davis, Robert Gay and Jack Sanders).
At 10:30 am, the ride will make a stop at the MoPac Bridge along Veterans Drive for a formal dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony. After the ceremony, join us for a family-friendly ride to complete the 2 miles back to Mellow Johnny's, staring … (1 comments)

ComedySportz Austin, at Cafe Caffeine Friday June 11, 7-9 - 06/11/10 12:20 AM
ComedySportz is Austin's favorite comedy since 1986. Two teams of professional improv comedians compete in a show, a referee officiates and the audience programs some of the comedy. All Ages OK.
ComedySportz Austin performs to happy audiences in every state of the union and a dozen other countries. We compete playfully with teams in 21 cities across America and Europe.
ComedySportz also provides the best in private and corporate entertainment and training events! and public classes too!
 
Event website:
http://cszaustin.com/
 
… (1 comments)

This address sure seems familiar. Why is that? - 06/10/10 09:03 AM
Has this ever happened to you? You are searching your local mls for one reason or another, and stumble across a familiar address. You can't put your finger on it, but it sticks in the back of your mind for a reason. When the listing pops up, you realize the owner, is one of your former clients, and you sold this very house to them. It was a good transaction, not particularly bad or great (those are the ones you remember instantly), but you did your job and they were good clients. You had a good rapport, and spoke a few … (4 comments)

Family Saturday Austin Museum of Art June 12, 2010 12-4 pm - 06/10/10 12:06 AM
On the second Saturday of every month. The Austin Museum of Art hosts Family Saturday. This weeks offering:
Re-use, recycle, re-create! Discover how to make wearable designs using recycled materials with the Teenage Eco Warriors. Enjoy "A Taradillo Tale" by Austin Public Library's Literature LIVE! at 1 pm.
Please RSVP to akichorowsky@amoa.org to give an idea of materials needed.
Drop in and create!$7 for the entire family; $5 member families.
Date: Saturday, June 12, 2010 Time: 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM Repeat on the second Saturday of the month until 12/01/2010
 The Austin Museum of Art is located at 823 … (0 comments)

Texas to host Super Regional June 11-13 2010 - 06/09/10 12:42 AM
For the second year in a row, The University of Texas baseball team will host Texas Christian University June 11-13th. The game on Sunday the 13th being played only if neccassary. The winner will punch their ticket to the college baseball world series. Texas is the second overall seed in the tournament, and predicted to make a run for the title.
It will be a buys weekend up and down the I-35 corridor with the baseball series, and the Republic of Texas Bike Rally this weekend.
See the following link to learn more about the playoff weekend.
 
http://www.big12sports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10410&ATCLID=204957226
… (0 comments)

Improving your credit score - 06/08/10 05:39 PM
The credit reporting agencies are spending money to market it. The government is hiring bands to sing songs about it. *It* is your credit score, and is becoming increasingly important in every aspect of your life. Insurance companies are using credit score to price policies. Even rental car companies are basing eligibility on credit score in some cases. So what is the best way to manage your credit score?
The first thing is to find out where you stand. To do this, check with the three major credit reporting agencies:
 
Experian     www.experian.com
Equifax       www. equifax.com
… (2 comments)

Waller Creek Tunnel - 06/06/10 02:02 PM
Yesterday, June 5th, the city of Austin held a very informative open house for the Waller Creek. The city is planning an extensive project, that will be completed in a series of improvements from 2010 to 2014. The tunnel is part of a larger, master project, that will bring a riverwalk feel connecting downtown and East Austin.
The 127 million dollar tunnel is a pretty cool project. The tunnel will be dug down 70 feet and will have a pump station at Waterloo Park. Moreover, it will decrease the 100 year floodplain by 28 acres. 
The larger project has big implications for … (0 comments)

Austins Night of The Bat June 6, 2010 2pm -10pm - 06/05/10 11:56 PM
The Bat city has its night Sunday June 6th. In addition to the flight of the bats from the Congress Avenue Bridge, enjoy the activities of the first annual Night of The Bat. In attendance will be the original Batman himself, Adam West.
The list of activities are to include-
2p.m. -"Batman: The Movie" at the Paramount Theatre.
3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. - Hyatt Regency's "Fang-Tastic Family Fest."
5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. - "Born To Run" training for kids, sponsored by Run-Tex.
6:30 p.m. - The Band of Heathens free concert and Adam West.
8:00 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. … (2 comments)

TweetDeck for updating - 06/05/10 03:49 PM
A client suggested I use TweetDeck for updating various social networking websites, most notably, Facebook. It seems to be the best of all the updating applications for a number of reasons. It works on Mac, PC's and all the various Apple mobile devices.
Furthermore, you can easily upload photos, video and links in seconds. Your followers can follow you, and you in return. And creating groups and sending tweets as email can be done in a snap.
Take a look a Tweetdeck for all the possible features:
 
http://www.tweetdeck.com/desktop/
 
… (2 comments)

Austin Cool House Tour June 6, 2010 - 06/04/10 08:27 PM
The Austin Cool House Tour is this Sunday June 6, 2010. The Texas Solar Energy Society hosts the 12th annual cool home tour. What qualifies as a cool home, is one that uses solar technology, and other technologies; to make for a more efficient home. Their motto is
 
The "built" environment uses almost 50% of energy from all sources, is responsible for almost 50% of greenhouse gases and uses 75% of all electricity. Let's do something about it!
The Texas Solar Energy Society has a great website, full of important information about solar, and solar in Texas.
… (1 comments)

Are garden homes the future of real estate? - 06/04/10 07:46 PM
I just got off the phone with a client, whose parents are in their 70's, and looking to downsize. They mentioned the desire to purchase a garden home. Unfortunately, we have a lack of garden homes in our market, and I suppose most markets have similar lack of inventory.
It seems to me, that garden homes may be a big part of the real estate market going forward.  The demographics of the country suggest, that the we will be see many baby boomers looking to reach their late 60's and 70's in the next decade. Furthermore, one of the trends of … (5 comments)

ROT Rally 2010 June 10th-14th - 06/03/10 04:49 PM
It's that time of year again. Time for the Republic of Texas Bike Rally.  Every year, over 200,000 people pack the highways, streets  and roads of Austin and surrounding central Texas. This year will be even bigger, have greater acts, and more events.Highlights include:
Headliner- Bret Michaels- The Saturday night concert features the recent Celebrity Appearance winner, and possible next judge of American Idol, is on a roll, and headed to Austin.
Friday Night Rot Parade and Congress Party-  Simply put, Republic of Texas takes over downtown Austin.
Bikers for Babies Ride- Dee Michaels and Twisted Sister ride with others for … (0 comments)

First Thursday Austin, June 3, 2010 - 06/02/10 12:23 AM
There are some things that are pure Austin. The Capitol, Barton Springs, Mount Bonnell, the list goes on.  South Congress is arguably at the top of that list. From the bats that live under the Congress Avenue Bridge, to The Continental Club, to the long time restaurants.
First Thursdays provide a great opportunity to enjoy the best of Congress Avenue and Soco. This Thursday, June 3rd, the tradition continues. Stores typically stay open to at least 10pm, with some offering sales for the evening. Several of the restaurants offer drink and food specials, with artists and musicians on hand for entertainment.
… (0 comments)

Do you go to inspections? - 06/01/10 02:54 PM
Every agent has a philosophy when it comes to attending inspections. Some attend every inspection, others none at all, and then there are the agents that fall somewhere in between. As we have mentioned before, the home buying process is daily for us, but rare for our clients. Most don't know an inspector, much less have several on speed dial. So they rely on us for us for such things.
My thoughts on inspections have always been to refer to my company's list (which includes seven inspection companies) and tell my clients they should interview a minimum of three, but of course I … (3 comments)

 

Find TX real estate agents and Austin real estate on ActiveRain.