Owner: My Active Rain Blog on Real Estate URL:http://www.activerain.com/blogs/stevehomer Join Date: Mon, 28 Apr 2008 08:37:41 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: The rantings and ravings of a full-time real estate broker who specializes in investment real estate. I service the communities of Round Rock, Georgetown, Cedar Park & Pflugerville, Texas. Site statistics:Click here
Reducing Your Summer Energy Costs (pt. V) 2008-05-17 08:48:30 Fighting Indoor HumidityThe dryer the air in a home is, the cooler the home feels, so humidity reductions should be your goal for your home in the summer. Unfortunately, we can be our own worst enemy in this area because each time we bathe, shower, wash clothes, do dishes or boil water we are putting more moisture back in the inside air! Make sure you always use your exhaust fans in th Read more:Reducing
, Summer
, Energy
, Costs
Coopers Old Time Pit BBQ in Llano, TX - THIS IS IT!!! BEST BBQ in Texas! 2008-05-17 07:35:23 When I want REAL TexasBBQ
, I hop in the car with the family and take a ride to Cooper's in Llano. Man it doesn't get any better anywhere in the world for BBQ. Now this is saying something, because I am a native Texan and have never had better anywhere; anytime.
You start your BBQ adventure at Coopers in line outside where you will file past an opened pit with all sorts of great BBQ de
Stone Oak Market Report - Home Sales in 2008 2008-05-16 19:09:08
Through the first four months of this year, Stone
Oak and Preserve at Stone Oak home sales have been down over previous years as follows:
Homes Sold Difference2007 106 Down by 12%2006 114 Down by 7%
The point is that the market throughout Round Rock is slower this year due Read more:Market
, Sales
My Theme Song - The Deeper the Valley, The Higher the Mountain... 2008-05-16 11:53:05 OK so I risk getting immediately disqualified from the contest because of the serious tone of this song, however it has been so inspiring to me in the recent past that I felt compelled to share it. We all know that the real estate business can have the highest highs, as well as the lowest lows for we the real estate industry AND for our clients often times. It offers us a real opportunity to be Read more:Theme
, Valley
, Higher
, Mountain
, Theme Song
Reducing Your Summer Energy Costs (pt. IV) 2008-05-16 08:32:05 Unintentional HeatingMany of the appliances you use on a daily basis add unwanted heat to your home. Your oven is possibly the biggest culprit. Try to avoid baking or broiling on hot days. Use your stovetop to cook meals that can be quickly heated, and keep lids on the pots to hold the heat in. Also make sure you use the smallest burner possible to match the size of your pot. Make sure to run your Read more:Reducing
, Summer
, Energy
, Costs
Reducing Your Summer Energy Costs (pt. III) 2008-05-15 08:22:15 Keeping the Heat OutsideWe all love windows, don't we? But they WILL cost you money in the summer months. They let the heat in along with the sunshine, making it infinitely more difficult to keep the house cool. You should keep the shades closed and keep the sunlight out to reduce cooling costs. In fact the best way to shade your windows is from the outside, using awnings, Read more:Reducing
, Summer
, Energy
, Costs
Freedom is Not Free - Let's Show Our Appreciation this Memorial Day! 2008-05-20 09:22:48 A few years ago I took my wife and son to Washington, D.C. for the Memorial
Day weekend. We did the whole tourist routine around the D.C. area: Smithsonian, National Art Museum, The US Capitol Building, etc. As it turned dark on Saturday evening we had been in the crowd watching The National Memorial Day
Concert from the steps of the Capitol. Many celebrities were there performing and we of Read more:Freedom
2025 Monica Lane - Round Rock Home for Lease 2008-05-18 19:52:28 The HBH Group | Keller Williams Realty | 512-439-3771 2025 Monica
LN, Round Rock, TX Close to shopping, tollways and schools - Quiet neighborhood nestled between Round Rock and Pflugerville. Great location. Great house! 3BR/2BA Single Family House $1,095/month Bedrooms 3 Bathrooms 2 full, 0 partial Sq Footage 1,358 Parking 2 dedicated Pet Polic
1075 Zeus Cir - Round Rock - For Lease - 2008-05-18 19:46:30 The HBH Group | Keller Williams Realty | 512-439-3771 1075 Zeus Circle, Round Rock, TX $250 pet deposit per pet + $200 non-refundable pet fee. Lovely home in desirable area of Round Rock. Close to shopping (Outlet mall), schools (Round 3BR/2BA Single Family House $1,200/month Bedrooms 3 Bathrooms 2 full, 0 partial Sq Footage 1,751 Parking 2 dedica
Appliance Sales Tax FREE Memorial Day Weekend! 2008-05-23 11:16:59 If you're in the market for a new refrigerator, dishwasher or other appliance, shopping Memorial
Day weekend will save you money.During Memorial Day
weekend, Texas shoppers get a break from state and local sales and use taxes on purchases of certain energy efficient products. The 2008 Energy Star sales tax holiday begins at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, May 24, and ends at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, May 26 - Read more:Appliance
, Sales
, Weekend
FUN Childrens Activities in Round Rock and Central Texas Area 2008-05-23 07:36:33 Arts & Crafts Imagination Saturdays, All Michaels Arts & Crafts locations Kids ages 5-12 are invited to join 30 minute sessions at 10:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. - Cost includes supplies: free -$3
Day Trips Austin Steam Train Association, Call for Schedule, Ride the rails into the Texas
Hill Country aboard the Hill Country Flyer Depart Cedar Park, lnfo:(512) 477-8468 x 1 Read more:Childrens
, Central
Freddie Mac Announces Change in Investing/Second Home Guidelines! 2008-05-21 06:34:31 If you are an active investor in real estate, you need to know that there are changes on the horizon! As of April 22nd, Freddie
Mac put out a bulletin that stated that as of August 1st of this year, they will only allow up to 4 properties to be backed by Freddie per person and this includes a personal residence! Usually where one goes, the others follow so speculation is that Fannie Mae wi Read more:Change
, Investing
, Second
, Guidelines
Save Yourself Money in the Sale of Your Home! 2008-05-24 17:10:00 Yes it does matter which agent you choose to sell your home. If you list with an inexperienced agent, they rarely have the knowledge to keep you as the seller clear of added costs that can come your way. Let me give you and example. In the past year
Paragraph 6.C of the 1-4 Family Residential Contract (resale) published by the Texas Association of REALTORS(r) states the following Read more:Yourself
, Money
Austin is listed as a Recession-Proof City by Forbes.com 2008-05-26 10:55:15 Austin has been named again among one of the best cities in the USA, this time by Forbes
.com and their analysis of the most recession-proof cities in the country. In their research, Forbes analyzed the 50th largest metro areas in the United States and looked at many statistical areas such as unemployment data, job growth not related to farming activities, average home prices and they also focused Read more:Austin
, listed
, Proof
Old Glory is to be Honored and Revered! 2008-05-26 09:58:17 On this Memorial Day, I was reminded of a few years back when I visited the Silver Dollar City Theme Park in Branson, Missouri. This is a wonderful step back into the 1800's when there are plenty of old time foods and crafts to be enjoyed, but the most moving of all my experiences there is the flag raising ceremony at park opening. The first guests in the park that morning are called t
Selling a Home in Round Rock Texas 2008-05-26 07:32:38 As the seller, you can control three factors that will affect the sale of your home: * The home's condition* Your asking price* Marketing strategyHowever, it's important to note that there are numerous other factors that influence a buyer, and you need to understand these consumer trends when you enter the sellers' market. The more your home matches these qualifications, the more competitive it wi Read more:Texas
10 Things You Should Ask a Real Estate Agent Before Working With Them 2008-05-26 07:08:06 Having the right real estate professional by your side can greatly improve your home-buying experience. A good rule of thumb is to interview a minimum of three candidates, but make sure you interview at least two. Here are 10 questions to ask during an interview:
Are you a full-time professional REALTOR®? How long have you worked full-time in real estate? What geographic areas do you sp Read more:Estate
, Agent
, Real Estate
, Real Estate Agent
Due Diligence: A Cornerstone to Success in Real Estate Investing 2008-05-27 11:12:01 Back in my corporate days in the dot com industry, there was always a great amount of due diligence taking place. We were always looking at acquiring competitors and they were always looking at acquiring us. And if you were going to spend $50MM of someone else's money purchasing another company, you'd better make very sure that you have done all your homework and you know what you Read more:Diligence
, Success
, Estate
, Investing
, Real Estate
Kids Eat Free in the Greater Austin Area - Where to Go! 2008-05-29 06:41:20 Sunday
Austin
's ParkPflugervilleKids under 40 inches eat freeAll others only $5.95
Buster's Bee Cave BBQAustinFree Kids Cup for kids 3 and under
Cannoli Joe'sAustinKids under 4 eat freeKids under 12 eat 1/2 Price
Catfish ParlourAustinSelect pieces free for kids 3 and under
China ChefAustin and BastropFree Buffet for kids under 511:30 am - 3 pm
Cici's PizzaAustin, Round Rock,Georgetown, San
How to Get More Points on Your AR Account... 2008-05-28 07:45:56 Make every day COUNT on AR!
Several weeks back I started a process along with my daily reading and commenting of AR posts. When I comment on a post, I also subscribe to that person's BLOG and create an ASSOCIATE with them. They usually reciprocate and as a result in the last month my subscriptions and associations have grown quickly. The by-product that comes from this is t Read more:Points
, Account
Saving Money on Your Summer Road Trip 2008-06-02 15:59:33 Americans have loved the open road seemingly from the day that the automobile was invented. This year, the rising cost of gas could threaten one of the season's most cherished traditions: the summer road trip. Here are some fuel-saving (and cost-cutting) tips for summer's road warriors.
Plan Shorter, Smarter Trips - While you don't have to stay sequestered at home this summer, it might not be the Read more:Saving
, Money
, Summer
, Road Trip
Start Your Real Estate Investing Career in Texas 2008-06-02 07:15:22 If you have ever thought about starting to invest in real estate, now is a great time to get started. One of the greatest investment moguls of all time, Warren Buffet, has been quoted as saying, "We simply attempt to be fearful when others are greedy and to be greedy only when others are fearful." There is great wisdom in this statement and it holds true of the real estate investing bu Read more:Start
, Estate
, Investing
, Career
, Texas
, Real Estate
June Events in Texas - Things to See and Do! 2008-06-02 06:20:43 JUNE 2008
01 KERRVILLE Art Club Annual Juried Show, (830) 895-2911, www.kacckerrville.com
01 LAKEHILLS St. Victor Parish Festival, (210) 317-3948
01 KERRVILLE [1-8] Folk Festival, (830) 257-3600, www.kerrvillefolkfestival.com
01 SAN SABA San Saba County EMS Fish Fry, (325) 372-8291
05 SHERMAN [5-7] Bluegrass Festival, (903) 546-6893, www.chrystalopryhouse.com
05 SAN ANGELO [5-8] USTRC Team Roping, Read more:Texas
Austin Area Pre-Schools 2008-06-01 18:11:50 Austin Preschools:
Butterfly Christian Preschool
www.butterflypreschool.org(512) 327-60353525 Bee Cave RdWest Lake Hills, TX 78746
Cedars Montessori School of Oak Hill
www.cedarsmontessori.com(512) 288-12459704 Circle DrAustin, TX 78736
Child's Day
www.childsday.com(512) 327-32742525 Wallingwood Drive # 100Austin, TX 78746
The Children's Center of Austin
(512) 795-83006507 Jester Blvd.Austin, Read more:Austin
, Schools
Austin is a Best City to Live, Work and Play 2008-05-31 10:59:25 Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine (July 2008) has named Austin
. TX as one to the ten best places in the United States to Live, Work and Play! They make these assumptions based on many factors including:
Strength of the local economy.
The availability of good jobs.
Affordability of living.
Lifestyle enhancements (availability of fun things to do).
The following statistics were not Read more:Best City
This is it! I am crossing 50,000 with this post! Celebrate! 2008-06-03 06:58:36 Just wanted to share the happy news with my fellow Rainers! In two and half months I have made this milestone, which puts me on track for a 240,000 first year! Woo Hoo! Loving it in the rain! Thanks for all the great comments and support, fellow Rainers!
This information is brought to you as a public service of the The HBH Group Realty Team with Keller Williams Realty. You may learn mor Read more:Celebrate
Recycling Resources - Be Green - Part II 2008-06-03 06:39:10 In continuation of the "Be Green
" theme, here are some Austin Area recycling resources to make you more "Green"... In the Immortal words of Kermit the Frog, "It's not easy being Green".
Computers - Recycle or donate your old computers to a good cause.
Goodwill Computer Works, 1015 Norwood Park Blvd.
637-7501, www.austincomputerworks.org. Accepts all types of electronics at no charge. Read more:Recycling
, Resources
New Tips to Conserve Water and Energy - Be Green! 2008-06-02 22:03:12
Here are a few tips to reduce your use of water and electricity around the home and help the earth be GREEN!
Kitchen
Install aerators - free to Austin and San Marcos residents - on faucets (also in baths).
Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator rather than waiting for cool water from the tap.
Wash vegetables in a bowl of water rather than in running water.
Bathroom
Capture warm- Read more:Green
, Conserve
, Energy
Invest in Saving Energy - It Pays Great Returns - And Makes You GREEN! 2008-06-06 10:44:02 Planning to do some remodeling soon? Time to replace old appliances? Consider these energy efficiency suggestions when you make purchases.
Install a whole house fan
A whole house fan is permanently installed in your attic and draws cool air into your home through the windows while forcing hot air out through your attic vents. Use after sundown when the outside temperature drops below 80 degrees, Read more:Saving
, Energy
, Great
, Returns
For Sale - 1329 Quail Ravine - Round Rock TX 78665 2008-06-05 10:16:38 Lovely Country retreat located just minutes from everything. Very close to SH-130, your commute can be easy to Austin, Georgetown or Round Rock. Plenty of room between you and your neighbors. The home is spacious and offers large rooms and a downstairs master. Pull down attic stairs make attic access a breeze! Call today for a showing! (NOTE: SQ Footage claim is from a recent appraisal and does no Read more:Quail
Recommend Site To A Friend
