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Austin, TX Real Estate News

By Dorie Dillard Austin TX, NW Austin ~ Canyon Creek and Spicewood/Balcones
(Coldwell Banker Realty ~ 512.750.6899)
Yesterday Beckett (#4) was ready to “play ball” with her Smurf’s team game at 9 am at the NAO (North Austin Optimist ) fields in Austin! A perfect day with blue sky, sun and a breeze! I love going to her games and supporting her interests! I was so proud of the girls as they are really playing well together. Practicing their plays, fielding, pitching and hitting really paid off in yesterday’s game! They were on fire and beat their opponent easily. Their excitement was evident with their cheering from the dugout during the game.The coach is one of the teammates mom and she played softball for Harvard! Hudson always comes to the games to support his sister. I looked around as he wasn’t sitting by me anymore....look where I found him! He had a bird's view by home plate! “Keep your eye on ...
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By Dorie Dillard Austin TX, NW Austin ~ Canyon Creek and Spicewood/Balcones
(Coldwell Banker Realty ~ 512.750.6899)
I baked some French bread yesterday, as I’ll need loaves for a few dinners I’m planning for some friends and wanted to have the bread made.There is a wonderful neighbor couple down the way, he is struggling with Parkinson’s and dementia and can be a handful. They have a sweet little dog and she is blessed with a green thumb. Her gardens, all around her house are such a treat to enjoy! I’ve been meaning to pop in and thought now would be a good time and I would take a freshly baked, half of loaf of French bread to them. I’m so glad I did! It was good to see them and she showed me all around her gardens and we visited on their new deck. When I left she said I’d like you to take a rose from one of my prized rose bushes! Then she cut fresh mint form a huge patch growing among her flowers! S...
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By Dorie Dillard Austin TX, NW Austin ~ Canyon Creek and Spicewood/Balcones
(Coldwell Banker Realty ~ 512.750.6899)
The perfect buyer fell in love with Unit #130 and knew instantly it was the sanctuary, centrally located in NW Hills, she was looking for and immediately pictured herself living in a tranquil treehouse retreat. She was looking for a serene ambiance wrapped by towering, majestic trees and was thrilled when she found it!Two bedrooms and two baths, was exactly what she was looking for and was impressed how this comfy condo exuded a sense of spaciousness and openness. Tall ceilings were a must and lots of windows so she kept checking off her list of must haves as she toured the home.She’s a cook so the kitchen with its roomy space to move around was another box she could check off. She especially liked how the kitchen seamlessly integrates with the living area, an inviting atmosphere perfec...
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By Dorie Dillard Austin TX, NW Austin ~ Canyon Creek and Spicewood/Balcones
(Coldwell Banker Realty ~ 512.750.6899)
Last Monday on April 8th, 2024 the whole country was obsessed with the solar eclipse! I’ve read many posts where school classes, businesses, the general public and just about everyone took time to witness this phenomenon. What an opportunity! The next one won’t be visible until 2044. The general consensus was it was utterly amazing!Canyon Creek Elementary (The Comets) took full advantage of the teaching moment for its students and I was thrilled to hear the excitement they witnessed.“We have more possibilities available in each moment than we realize.”Thich Nhat Hanh  
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By Jennifer Hart
(Sky Realty)
Happy Halloween!  Trick or Treating in a neighborhood with over 4,000 homes is a treat.  Every year I look forward to seeing the little ones in their great costumes and the look on their face filled with anticipation of what they will get in their bucket!  Circle C Ranch in Southwest Austin is a neighborhood with 2 elementary schools located within the community.  So, you can imagine how many ghouls and goblins will be out tonight looking to fill their bag with goodies.  It's not only the little ones, it's the big ones too!  Every year I think I buy enough candy to last the evening and it never fails I run out of goodies when the older children start their shift.  We'll see if I planned well enough to fill every bag and if not I hope the big kids aren't into tricking.If you are looking ...
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By Ki Gray, Austin Real Estate
Festivals have been steadily gaining popularity all over the world in recent years, and the larger ones have expanded tremendously. However, as a result of the high ticket prices and relatively remote locations, a few oppurtunistic entrepreneurs have taken advantage of the backlash against the inaccesibility of events like Bonaroo, Lollapalooza, and other big-draw, weeklong festivals. One notable example of this comes in the form of Austin's Fun Fun Fun Fest, which is now in its second year. Last year's event featured over 30 bands on three stages, for a modest charge of $10. Many local and nationally acclaimed acts were featured, from punk rock bands like the venerable Circle Jerks to Austin favorites such as the Octopus Project and the Riverboat Gamblers. Large festivals aim to please...
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By Steve Aubin
(Sand Castles Realty)
Welcome to Austin Real Estate. Specializing in Commercial Land and Residential Development. Working with Shelton Properties that has more than 50 years in Austin Real Estate experience and was the original devloper of Westlake, infact Emmett Shleton has a bridge that crosses Austin Lady Bird lake named after him. I can help you with finding the perfect home or business site. Visit my site at austintxre.com 
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By Patty Sylvana
(E3 Properties LLC)
 While there are many neighborhoods and builders who have gotten more green and promote themselves as green, how can folks locate resale homes that are green?It is not so easy yet on the MLS, although a group of local EcoBrokers is working to change that. Here are some tips to finding Green Homes!Set up reports to search for specific things like the following: Internet remarks that include: energy, solar, or rating (for 3rd party ratings).  Roof: metal or tile.  A home with a metal or tile roof is much more energy efficient than a standard composition shingle roof Energy: double pane windows, energy auditYou can't search for 'green' because you will get a whole lot of greenbelt homes. And in Austin, we love our greenbelts! Aside from the MLS there are a number of internet sites that als...
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By Jeff Kessler, Broker,CLHMS,GRI
(Austin Homes, Realtors www.OwnAustin.com)
Another great article about Austin.  This one is from the Austin Business Journal.Keep rockin' Austin.J.  Monday, October 29, 2007 - 1:43 PM CDTAustin tops list of travel destinationsAustin Business JournalTravel + Leisure magazine and CNN Headline News have named Austin one of the top 25 travel destinations in the country. The annual survey of "America's Favorite Cities" rates cities in the categories of after-dark, characteristics, cityscape, culture, food/dining, people, shopping and type of trip. Travelers voted for their favorite cities online at CNN.com's I-Report. Austin was named in the top five for the following sub-categories: nightlife, clubbing, happy hour, affordability, environmental awareness, cleanliness, public parks, athleticism, attractive people, friendliness, vintag...
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By Alan Kirkpatrick, Alan in Austin
(Austin Texas Homes)
  Austin Haunted Forest Trail of FearsIt may be an Enchanted Forest any other time of the year, but in October it's the Haunted Forest. No enclosed spaces. No pitch black passages. But that's no reason to relax because the forest is teeming with witches, crazy clowns, mad scientists, chainsaw-welding monsters, giant spiders, and lunatic families. You never know what you'll find around the curve in the path, up in the trees, or lurking behind a fallen log. This is the Halloween experience of the season here in Austin. Admission: $10 Austin Haunted Forest1404 W. Oltorf (at S. Lamar)Austin, TexasPark across the street at the Office Depot Read Review    Mansion of Terror: Slaughter Circus and Freakshow 2007 Quick Look: Excellent scare factor. Lots of ghouls coming at you in the darkness, co...
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By Alan Kirkpatrick, Alan in Austin
(Austin Texas Homes)
 Dateline Austin Texas... We interrupt your regularly scheduled programing to bring you this exciting news courtsey of Paul Kaihla, CNNMoney.com  AustinProjected median sales prices for single-family homes: Q1 2008: $186,350 Q4 2009: $195,060 Growth rate: 4.7 percent In Austin, the rental market takes a backseat to buyers, many of whom hold high-paying jobs with tech giants like Dell, IBM, and Freescale Semiconductors. Austin's population is well educated -- 40 percent have a university degree -- and the Texas capital ranks among the top major metropolitan areas for business startups per capita. Austin also has the highest percent age of residents in the coveted 25- to 34-year-old demographic and, not coincidentally, the highest concentration of live music venues in the country. The lab...
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By Paul D'Arcy
(AustinTowers.net)
While zoning variances seem easy to come by for most downtown condo projects looking for increased density or height, there is one request that remains sacred: building in the protected zone around Lady Bird Lake. Long-standing rules prohibit construction within 200 feet of the former Town Lake. This is a problem for CWS Capital Partners which is trying to build three 17-story apartment and condo towers with 715 units on the south bank of Lady Bird Lake between Congress Avenue and I-35. The project has requested a variance to build 50 feet closer to the lake than current rules allow. The project has faced significant opposition and lost a crucial vote last week. Here is the summary from the Statesman: A developer seeking city approval to build three high-rises 50 feet closer to the sho...
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By Paul D'Arcy
(AustinTowers.net)
BartonPlace, a planned 270-unit condo project behind Austin Java on Barton Springs Road, announced today that despite recent media attention and public speculation about whether the Austin condo market is being overbuilt, 300 people have already made reservations for a chance to buy a condo in their 270-unit project. They also announced that they will end the reservation project after tomorrow. After that, the only way to reserve a unit will be with a sales contract on any that do not sell in the pre-sales period. The project is expected to begin construction later this year. The project includes one, two, and three bedroom units starting at $263,000 for 683 feet. With a prime location close to downtown and next to Barton Springs pool and park, the project will is in a great location a...
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By Paul D'Arcy
(AustinTowers.net)
The 21c Museum & Condos moved a step closer to reality this week. The project, a 44-story tower which will combine a museum, hotel, and condos in a very attractive structure on Third and Brazos, received approval from the Austin Design Commission. Next, the Austin Planning Commission will review the project on September 11 before it's final review by the City Council. Given the buildings strong support, it seems to be well positioned for approval. Here is the summary from the Statesman: "The 21c museum, hotel and condo development slated for Third and Brazos streets will reach 44 stories into the Austin skyline, making it a dominant presence in the area of downtown east of Congress Avenue. The $200 million project will include 209 condos along with an upscale, 230-room hotel and contem...
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By Paul D'Arcy
(AustinTowers.net)
Fox News ran a story on the Austonian ground-breaking and the state of the downtown Austin condo market. AustinTowers.net editor Paul D'Arcy was asked to provide analysis on the current downtown condo market. Tags: about austintowers***Visit http://www.austintowers.net for a complete guide to all downtown condo projects, real-time downtown Austin condo listings, and the complete AustinTowers Blog**** 
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By Paul D'Arcy
(AustinTowers.net)
We have lots of updates (postings are delayed for ActiveRain but can be viewed in real time here) on the state of sales at the leading downtown projects: - The W Austin Hotel & Residences, which is currently building a sales center at Block 21 in downtown Austin, reports that about three-fourths of the 196 condo units have been reserved with a deposit. Construction of the building will begin in October. - At Spring Condominiums just south of Whole Foods, 40% of the units are under contract. They report that they have sold out of all of the lower priced units. The building broke ground last month. - At 360, the 44-story tower next to Austin Music Hall, 90% of the 430 units are under contract. The building has been very desirable because it is tall, well-located, and reasonably priced wi...
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By Paul D'Arcy
(AustinTowers.net)
The Statesman ran a comprehensive analysis of the current condo building boom -- it was the lead story in today's paper. As part of the article, they interviewed many experts on the downtown condo market. With the ongoing mortgage crisis, the billion dollar question is how the Austin condo market will fare. The answer: while the Austin market is one of the strongest in the country and condo demand remains strong, nobody really knows. The issue is that this is a new market: there is really no good parallel in the history of the city. According to the Statesman: Forecasting demand for luxury condos is difficult, partly because there is little historical data for the fairly new phenomenon in Austin, said Eldon Rude, director for the Austin market of Metrostudy, which tracks the housing ma...
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By Paul D'Arcy
(AustinTowers.net)
The Spring condos, an attractive 42-story green-colored building just south of Whole Foods, is under construction and selling quickly. According to the marketing center, construction began on July 24th and completion is expected Spring of 2009. As of today, 40% of units have already been sold. We have learned of additional details of the planned project: - 75’ lap pool on the 5th floor with an outdoor kitchen - Private dining for rent with a full kitchen  - Gas cooking  - All 2 and 3 bedroom residences are corner units with 180 degree views - 2 and 3 bedroom units come with 2 reserved parking spaces - There is a rentable guest suite available to building residents - Bosch appliances are standard - Pets allowed - Designed as a Green building The latest renderings or shown below -- and w...
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By Paul D'Arcy
(AustinTowers.net)
Construction has officially commenced on a five-year project to transform the Seaholm power plant and surrounding site near Cesar Chavez Street and Lamar into a large mixed-use project. The initial phase of construction, as expected, include mostly infrastructure enhancements and site preparation. Seaholm is a 7.8 acre site, the main feature of which is the 136,000 historic art deco decommissioned power plant. The redevelopment project will add a 22-story hotel and condo project featuring 80 condo units atop a 160 room hotel. While the initial phase of the project will open in 2008, the Seaholm Plaza Hotel is not expected to open until 2010. The project will also include offices, extensive retail, and more than 3 acres of open space. However, the most exciting part of the project is th...
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By Paul D'Arcy
(AustinTowers.net)
The Four Seasons Residences, the new condo project adjacent to the hotel, has released new renderings which provide a great feel for what the building will look like when it is completed. The renderings also show a slightly modified exterior design: more upper floors have been added with full glass walls. These replace the lower floors with smaller windows. The change is the result of the elimination of rental apartments which were initially planned but since have been replaced by additional condo units. The building is designed by Michael Graves, a world-famous architect. The pictures show sample units as well as the rooftop amenities: a pool, yoga deck, and sun deck more than 30 floors above town lake. The pictures complement a very impressive "walk-through" video rendering of the pr...
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By Paul D'Arcy
(AustinTowers.net)
Austin's KXAN is reporting tonight that an acute shortage of cranes and crane operators is complicating high-rise construction in Austin. We've heard numerous reports from developers that a scarcity of construction labor -- and skilled general contractors and sub-contractors — is leading to escalating constructions costs, and higher condo prices in the end. According to the story: "There's no available operators in Austin right now," said construction worker Sam Buchanan. "They're all working." With a nationwide shortage, construction managers are paying more to keep cranes moving in Texas. Over the last two decades, only a handful of tall buildings have been built downtown. As a result, local construction companies are only staffed to build a couple of major projects at one time. With...
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By Jeff Kessler, Broker,CLHMS,GRI
(Austin Homes, Realtors www.OwnAustin.com)
The long-standing Travis County Farmers' Market on Burnet Road will be closing by the end of the month, and along with it will go Brentwood Tavern, a popular restaurant and live music venue.Sad to see this go.  Things are always changing and hopefully this new project will work.  This new project sounds interesting.   Let me know what you think.   Here is the link.  http://www.statesman.com/business/content/business/stories/realestate/10/19/1019farmers.html  J. If you are buying a new home in Texas and would like to save money and get cash back please view my web site for more information.  http://rebateontexashomes.com/   Thank you,
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By South Austin Real Estate Blog
(Sky Realty South Austin)
On the local news the past day or so has been tidbits about the Giant GOOGLE moving some offices to Austin Tx, this first appeared earlier this year and was quasi-qualified by GOOGLE by posting job openings for an Engineering Team Manager for Austin. Per the Austin Business Journal June 6,2007.Well, SILICON HILLS (Austin) is happy to have more SILICON VALLEY ( California) come join us in all this good  good weather, cheap (a relative word) Real Estate and reasonable employment costs, plus a huge engineering department at University of Texas here at the 40acres downtown.  So, IF GOOGLE moves some offices here, will the HOMETOWN KIDS (me me me)  get better placement on their SEO?    HEY GOOGLE I SELL HOUSES IN AUSTIN TEXAS... GIVE ME A CALL.512-217-9482
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By Jason Crouch, Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (512-796-7653)
(Austin Texas Homes, LLC)
Last night, I took my family to EZ's Restaurant on North Lamar about a block north of 38th Street, just across the street from the H-E-B Central Market shopping area.  This is a fun restaurant for the whole family, and the kids actually liked it so much, they asked if we could return again today.  Not today, but probably soon.   The menu at EZ's consists of distinctly "American" cuisine -  burgers,sandwiches, salads, pizzas, kid's meals, and a couple of plate dinners.  It evokes thoughts of an old-fashioned diner with a soda fountain.  Bright pastel colors and black and white checkered tiles set the mood as fun and family friendly.  It has also been named "Best Restaurant in Austin" a couple of times in the Austin Chronicle's annual "Best of Austin" reader poll.  The crowd was actually ...
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