Blog Entries

Around Austin: Laguna Gloria

hokgardner@grandecom.net — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 06:00:00 +0100

Austin Museum of Art (AMOA)-Laguna Gloria is a monument to our long-standing commitment to the community, offering a unique experience of history, art, and nature. Visitors can tour the recently restored 1916 Italian-style villa that was AMOA's orginal home, and before that, the home of Texas legend Clara Driscoll, best known as savior of the Alamo. Inside they can view intimate art exhibitions and attend informative educational discussions focusing on art and nature. Outside they can stroll t [...]

Get the House Ready

hokgardner@grandecom.net — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 06:00:00 +0100

A house that "sparkles" on the surface will sell faster than its shabby neighbor, even though both are structurally well-maintained.

From experience, REALTORS® also know that a "well-polished" house appeals to more buyers and will sell faster and for a higher price. Additionally, buyers feel more comfortable purchasing a well-cared for home because if what they can see is maintained, what they can't see has probably also been maintained. In readying your house for sale, [...]

Homebuyer credit extension heads to Obama

hokgardner@grandecom.net — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 06:00:00 +0100

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- First-time homebuyers will have until Sept. 30 to close on their purchases and land an $8,000 tax credit under a bill passed by the Senate late Wednesday.

President Obama is expected to sign the bill, which was overwhelmingly approved by the House on Tuesday. The deadline had been June 30.

The bill doesn't help anyone currently shopping for a home. Buyers must have signed a contract by April 30 to qualify for the tax break. At issue is when the deal must be fin [...]

Austin home sales up 24 percent in May

hokgardner@grandecom.net — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 06:00:00 +0100

As the economic boost from the federal tax credit for new homebuyers fades, Austin area home sales continued to increase in May, rising 24 percent compared with the same month in 2009, according to the Austin Board of Realtors.

While the median price in Austin last month decreased 2 percent compared with May 2009 to $192,000, the price was still up from the figure in April 2010 at $190,700.

Home sales for the month totaled $508 million with 2,074 single-family homes so [...]

Keep Austin Weird 5K

hokgardner@grandecom.net — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 06:00:00 +0100

An offhand remark made by an Austin Community College librarian to a local radio station, the phrase "Keep Austin Weird" has grown to symbolize all the people, places and things that make Austin unique! Check out booths from local artists, retailers and other businesses, food from your favorite restaurants and of course live music all day!

Unofficially known as "the slowest 5K you'll ever run," the 8th Annual Keep Austin Weird 5K presented by H-E-B is an experience you [...]

How To Prepare Your House For Sale

hokgardner@grandecom.net — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 06:00:00 +0100

Prepping and staging a house. Every seller wants her home to sell fast and bring top dollar. Does that sound good to you? Well, it's not luck that makes that happen. It's careful planning and knowing how to professionally spruce up your home that will send home buyers scurrying for their checkbooks. Here is how to prep a house and turn it into an irresistible and marketable home.

Read the rest of the article at About.com

America's Recession-Proof Cities To Retire In

hokgardner@grandecom.net — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 06:00:00 +0100

The Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., metro area--which includes Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties--has gained a reputation as a mecca for retirees. The south Florida sun shines on scores of condos that jut like vertical cruise ships from the emerald-tinged shoreline. Near the most luxurious of these residences, golf courses dot the landscape, poolside sunbathers enjoy the company of other seniors and gourmet meals are available via room service.

Yet Miami isn't quite the paradise [...]

Homes sales soar in April, fueled by tax credit

hokgardner@grandecom.net — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 06:00:00 +0100

Central Texas home sales skyrocketed nearly 31 percent in April and pending sales were up almost 47 percent from a year ago, as buyers rushed to beat the April 30 deadline for a federal income-tax credit, the Austin Board of Realtors said today. “Although the tax credit has expired, we are entering a growing economic, real estate and seasonal cycle which we hope will continue to provide momentum to carry our market upward,” said board Chairman John Horton. The tax credit [...]

Texas Wine Country - #2 Wine Destination in the U.S.

hokgardner@grandecom.net — Mon, 17 May 2010 06:00:00 +0100

Rivaled only by California's Napa Valley, the Texas Hill Country has fast become a major wine destination. With rolling hills, historic farm houses and a growing number of first class tasting rooms, we quickly understood why.

For more information on Texas Hill Country wines and how to enjoy them, visit about.com.

Travis launches online appraisal protests for some homeowners

hokgardner@grandecom.net — Mon, 17 May 2010 06:00:00 +0100

Thousands of Travis County homeowners will have a new option this year to protest property appraisals: handling the process online.

It's a method that Harris County appraisal officials say has worked well in one of the country's largest metro areas as a faster, more convenient way to resolve protests.

Next week or soon after, the Travis Central Appraisal District will send appraisal notices to 35,000 homeowners who qualify for the online option, said Chief Appraiser Patrick Brown. [...]

Best Places for Business and Careers

hokgardner@grandecom.net — Mon, 17 May 2010 06:00:00 +0100

Employment, household incomes and housing prices were all down in 90% of metro areas in 2009. The worst may be over, but businesses on both coasts still face outrageous business costs and state governments starved for tax revenue. What to do?

Head to Middle America, says our 12th annual ranking of the Best Places for Business and Careers. Des Moines, Iowa is in the lead spot, and multiple locales in Nebraska and Colorado rank among the best. The highlights of our ranking are below. For [...]

Fueled by tax credit, area home sales jump 28%

hokgardner@grandecom.net — Mon, 17 May 2010 06:00:00 +0100

Softer condo market may have spurred buyers to take advantage, real estate board says

Home sales in Central Texas surged 27 percent in March compared with the same month last year, pumped up by buyers seeking to take advantage of a federal homebuyer tax credit that expires April 30, the Austin Board of Realtors reported Tuesday.

Real estate agents sold 1,784 existing homes in March, compared with 1,404 a year ago.

The median price remained stable, at $180,000, the board said.

Around Austin - Guadalupe River

hokgardner@grandecom.net — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 06:00:00 +0100

The Guadalupe River provides excellent water recreation for visitors. The Guadalupe River, between Canyon Dam and New Braunfels, Texas, is famous for its exciting rapids and sparkling clear waters and is very popular with tubers.

Much of the land along the Guadalupe River is private. Please respect the rights of Guadalupe River property owners and also help preserve this natural resource. Strict enforcement of laws and regulations applies to the Guadalupe River area.

Click here [...]

Preparing your house for sale

hokgardner@grandecom.net — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 06:00:00 +0100

You want to sell your home for the best price. Start by enlisting a real estate agent and making a list of needed projects, to maximize the potential of your home.

Click here for a handy list to help you prepare for putting your house on the market.

Austin new home starts jump

hokgardner@grandecom.net — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 06:00:00 +0100

Central Texas builders started nearly 31 percent more homes in the first three months of this year compared with a year earlier, the first year-over-year quarterly increase in 3½ years and a sign the local housing market may be turning around.

Residential Strategies Inc., a Texas market research and consulting firm specializing in homebuilding activity, reported that builders started work on 1,601 homes from January through March, up 30.6 percent from the same period last year. T [...]

Austin area home sales up 3.5 percent in February

hokgardner@grandecom.net — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 06:00:00 +0100

Austin area existing home sales rose 3.5 percent last month from a year earlier, the sixth year-over-year increase in a row.

The Austin Board of Realtors said 1,145 single-family homes were sold last month. The median price was $189,500, unchanged from a year earlier.

There were 1,738 sales in the pipeline to close in March, 24 percent more than a year earlier.

In Central Texas and across the country, home sales have received a boost from a federal tax credit that include $8 [...]

Ten Ways to Get More Money From Your Home

hokgardner@grandecom.net — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 06:00:00 +0100

At last some hope for American homeowners: A week ago the National Association of Realtors reported that fourth-quarter existing-home sales surged almost 14% over the previous quarter. Still homeowners must be realistic; the median existing single-family home price remains 4.1% below 2008 fourth-quarter levels, according to the same report.

The freefall in home prices may be over, but the buyers' market persists--there's stiff competition to get a house sold for a good price. In a comp [...]

Austin Home Sales up 5 percent in January

hokgardner@grandecom.net — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 06:00:00 +0100

by Shonda Novak

Central Texas home sales rose 5 percent in January from a year ago, the Austin Board of Realtors reported Thursday.

January's median sales price rose 1 percent to $179,250.

Real estate agents sold 884 previously owned homes in January, compared with 840 the same month last year. There were 1,417 sales pending, a 7 percent increase from a year earlier.

John Horton, chairman of the Board of Realtors, said January 2009 marked the low point of the current c [...]

1. Austin Ranked #1 City Where The Recession is Ending

hokgardner@grandecom.net — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 06:00:00 +0100

In recent weeks business in Washington, D.C. ground to a halt as record snowfalls pummeled the area and a sparring match over national health care reform hijacked the political conversation. But the nation's capital is getting something right: It is emerging from the recession better than any other major city in the country, according to research by Forbes.

Jobs in Washington are growing quickly, and in 2008 the city produced more in goods and services than almost anywhere in the countr [...]

Get Ready for the Zilker Park Kite Festival

hokgardner@grandecom.net — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 06:00:00 +0100

One of Austin's favorite festivals is its most laid back: What says "life is good" better than a day spent flying a kite? The 81st Annual Zilker Park Kite Festival is Sunday, March 1. (Read the full story here, complete with activitiy details AND parking info.) As fun as flying a kite is, just as fun is making your own kite. Click here for easy, step-by-step instructions that moms and dads can follow to help their kids make their very own kite! Get your colored markers out [...]