avenueone properties: 2900 Willowbridge Circle - Featured Home - 3rd Annual Austin Modern Home Tour - 01/27/10 04:39 AM
This Saturday, January 30, 2010 in support of my associate Dana Dean at  AvenueOne Properties, I will be helping her hold open 2900 Willowbridge Circle as part of the 3rd Annual Austin Modern Home Tour. As far as modern homes this house is nothing short of SPECTACULAR! Rebuilt in 2009 this Austin Luxury Home has breathtaking open expanses, site-built commercial steel doors. Complete with a huge island in an open gourmet kitchen, exposed beams, pecan built-ins, and unique texture. A private master bedroom suite includes an interior brick wall sitting area. 4th bedroom has kitchenette stubbed in wall and separate entrance from garage. Unique lighting … (52 comments)

avenueone properties: Tale of the Zilker Park Christmas Tree and the “almost” Bad Santa - 12/22/08 06:00 AM
Many years ago, during the Holiday Season, my brother along with some others would rent a bus to tour Austin and look at all of the various holiday lights and decorations. A theme party of sorts and an annual affair, the bus was filled with all types of people in the party mode and stocked with snacks, a couple of kegs of beer and other assorted party favors. I think Wild Turkey may also have been involved. For several years I had the duty of taking the role of Santa Claus and dressing the part. It may seem silly to some of you … (75 comments)

avenueone properties: Home For The Holidays! - 12/18/08 03:43 AM
Hurrying through the ABIA airport terminal, I think I have timed this perfectly. Arriving about 5 minutes before the flight and allowing for baggage pickup we should be out and at the parking toll booth in under 30 minutes so it will be free! Glancing at the monitor, I see that the Southwest flight from Dallas is delayed and will not arrive for another hour. #%!*@! in my haste and excitement, I left the house without looking on line to check the status and also left my phone at home...What to do? I make my way to the coffee shop and … (72 comments)

avenueone properties: SMITTY"S - A Texas BBQ Legend (LOCALISM FEATURED) - 12/08/08 12:36 PM
On the first Thursday of nearly every month, I meet a small group of people and make a short drive to the town of Lockhart, "The Barbecue Capital of Texas". The crowd varies in size month to month depending on who can make it. Today's group includes the founding members; Dave Bieser, who is kind of a "Big Shot" with Time Warner and Randy Merritt, a successful commercial real estate broker with whom I do business and share referrals along with me and our friend Kelly. When I say "Capital", it is no exaggeration as the town of 5,000 boasts four of … (68 comments)

avenueone properties: The Christmas MeMe - Where can Santa be? - 12/04/08 09:42 AM
My friend Paula Swayne tagged me in the newest MeMe, the Christmas MeMe. Here are the rules:
You have to name one gift you would like to have on Christmas. It has to be an object. We all want happiness for Christmas. If you could pick one single gift out for yourself-what would it be? Remember-it has to be something you can touch and hold.... Once you have done this, name five people or more and send this to them for them to name the one special gift they would like to have.
Frankly, I am one of those people who pretty much … (50 comments)

avenueone properties: Trust - The Critical Factor in Referral Business - 10/16/08 02:50 AM
Few things help an individual more than to place responsibility upon him, and to let him know that you trust him.  Booker T. Washington
I am incredibly fortunate that approximately 70% of my business this year will arrive through personal referrals from friends, family, past clients and agents with whom I have done business in the past. This number varies over the years, higher some years and lower others but is always a reliable and consistent source of business. My referral business is built on one primary factor; TRUST. "Referrals are the highest form of compliment I can receive from a … (103 comments)

avenueone properties: What's so Great About Austin and Texas at Large? - 07/18/08 06:08 AM
As a fifth generation native Texan I know the old adage "you can always tell a Texan, you just cannot tell him anything..." I do think the Texas market has escaped suffering many of the dilemmas currently taking place in other parts of the country. I am cautiously confident that we will continue to prosper and grow in spite of the current economic downturn and problems throughout the real estate industry and other parts of the business environment. I do not want to sound overly optimistic or unrealistic but there are several factors that lead to the conclusion.
•1)      Texas went … (6 comments)