Real Estate Information

Bluebonnet Trails

Although there are many driving routes (known as bluebonnet trails) throughout the state, a good place to start is near the city of Burnet, which is known as the Bluebonnet Capital of Texas.

Burnet is roughly 40 miles northwest of Austin. Follow TX Hwy 29 west out of Burnet for 3-1/2 miles, then turn right (north) on Ranch Road 234 and follow it about 6 miles. Turn left on Graphite Mine Road, which will eventually meet TX Hwy 29. Turn left to return to Burnet. 

A variation of this drive will give you different but equally spectacular views of bluebonnets as well as of Lake Buchanan. Follow TX Hwy 29 west and again turn right on RR 234. If you stay on this road, you'll have 15 miles of vistas before it finally dead-ends. You can return via the same route or make the turn on Graphite Mine Road. 

If you want to see even more of the Hill Country, simply stay on TX Hwy 29 west all the way to Llano, a distance of about 30 miles. In Llano, turn left (south) on TX Hwy 16 and follow it to Fredericksburg (39 miles). In Fredericksburg turn left (east) on U.S. Hwy 290 and follow it 32 miles to Johnson City, then follow U.S. Hwy 281 north 37 miles to Burnet.

Another beautiful bluebonnet drive leads west from Brenham on U.S. Hwy 290 to Giddings (35 miles), south on U.S. Hwy 77 to LaGrange (20 miles), then north on TX 159 and 237, which will get you back to U.S. 290 in the city of Burton, about 15 miles west of Brenham. Brenham lies midway between Austin and Houston.

Safe Travels

Facts About The Bluebonnet

                • The genus of Bluebonnet, Lupinus subcarnosus is also known as Buffalo clover, wolf flower, 

                    and by the Mexicans - el conejo.

                • Texas Bluebonnet is a hardy winter annual native to Texas.

                • Bluebonnet Flowers are densely arranged on a spike with a characteristic ice white terminal tip.

                • As the Texas Bluebonnet flower ages, one of the top petals turns purple-red.

                • Blooming period of the Bluebonnet flowers is between March-May.

                • The last racemes of the Bluebonnet, produced during the season tend to be shorter than 

                    the first racemes.

                • At full bloom, the Texas Bluebonnet plants are 30-50cm tall, 50-70cm in diameter, and have

                   a mounded form.

                • The foliage of Texas Bluebonnet is yellow-green and is composed of alternate, palmately compound 

                    leaves generally with 5 leaflets. Each individual leaflet is oblanceolate, 3-5cm long, and 12-16mm wide 

                    at the widest position. Petiole length is 4-6 cm. Pods (30-50mm  long and 6-10mm wide) become visible

                    about one month after anthesis, are densely pubescent, and contain 4-7 seeds each.

                • Seeds of Texas Bluebonnets are light brown occasionally speckled with black.

                • April 24 is Texas State Wildflower Day.

Austin MLS data released today by the Austin Board of Realtors indicated there were 1,051 single-family homes were sold in the Austin area in January 2012, which is 10 % more than January 2011. During the same time period, the median price for Austin-area homes was $176,550, 7% less than the same month of the prior year.

Austin-area homes spent an average of 85 days on the market in January 2012, 8 days less than the same month of the prior year. Compared to January 2011, the Austin market also featured 6% fewer new listings, 19 % fewer active listings and 16 % more pending sales in January 2012.

The Austin market had 4.1 months of inventory in January 2012 which is 1.4 months less than January 2011. This figure marks the lowest inventory level the Austin market has seen since the organization began tracking the statistic in January 2009.

As brokers we are encouraged to see last years sales momentum continue into 2012, but how does low home inventory, low home prices and shorter days on the market affect you? What does this mean if you are considering buying or selling in 2012?  How will this data affect you decisions making process?

• January 2012 Statistics

   

  • 1,051 – Single-family homes sold, 10 % more than January 2011.

   

  • $176,550 – Median price for single-family homes, 7% less than January 2011

   

  • 85 – Average number of days that single-family homes spent on the market, 8 days less than January 2011.

   

  • 2,266 – New single-family home listings on the market, 6% less than January 2011.

   

  • 6,557 – Active single-family home listings on the market, 19 % less than January 2011.

   

  • 1,638 – Pending sales for single-family homes, 16 % more than January 2011.

   

  • 4.1 – Months of inventory of single-family homes, 1.4 months less than January 2011.

   

  • $236,043,039 – Total dollar volume of single-family properties sold, 1% less than January 2011

  Call us!  We are always thrilled to chat real estate and happy to discuss the market data impact on your real estate planning.

Purchasing a condominium for some buyers can be a good alternative to single-family home buying. Often you can often get more bang for your buck in amenities, square footage and features.  In addition generally you are not solely responsible for exterior maintenance and upkeep.

However condo purchasing is can be tricky. Below are some of the areas you should be educated on as a condo buyer.

HOA Dues

Most condo developments operate with a Homeowners Association (HOA), a group of residents who enforce community rules and collect monthly or annual dues. We advise our buyers to always find out how much the dues are and what they cover.  In addition it is smart for buyers to research the HOA to see if there are any pending legal issues or current disputes.

Association fees usually cover insurance on the exterior of the building, but coverage can differ from complex to complex. Sometimes some utilities are covered in HOA dues, but there is no stead fast rule on utilities so buyers should ask their agent to dig deep.

Find out if there are any pending assessments and the last time the HOA dues were raised. If it has been awhile you might budget for future increases.

FHA Approval

Even if you're paying all cash or getting a conventional mortgage to buy your condo, you'll want to buy in a development that's approved by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) for FHA financing.

An FHA-approved condo will have a stable community and HOA that operates on a budget with healthy cash reserves. FHA-approved condos generally have a lower “rental-to-occupant” ratio and less dues delinquencies.  FHA-approved condos are usually easier to resell as your buyer market is broader.

You or your agent can research these issues. If an HOA is not forthcoming with answers, you might seriously consider this is not the purchase for you.

Assessments

Condo residents are required periodically to share the costs for assessments—development-wide improvements like new roofing, new gates or generally complex maintenance

We strive to make sure all our condo buyers are heavily educated and over informed in all facets of their condo purchase.  

Sales of existing single-family Texas homes in December were up 4 percent from a year ago, according to the most recent Multiple Listing Services (MLS) data compiled by the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University.

More than 16,500 homes were sold, data showed. The median home price was $150,700, about the same as a year ago, and the state's overall inventory was at six months.

Below is December 2011 MLS data as of January 30, 2012. Six months inventory is considered by most industry standards to be a balance market.

Though we are enjoying some rain in Austin at the moment and the fall wildfire media talk has subsided, Travis county is still experiencing a record drought over the past 12 months and it is important not to let our guards downs in terms of wildfire safety. Keep diligent in the protection of your house and property. The Texas Forest Service recommends the actions and precautions listed below are designed to help you prepare your home and lessen the threat of wild land fire damage to you and your property.

1. LPG tanks should be far enough away from buildings for valves to be shut off in case of fire. Keep area around the tank clear of flammable vegetation.

2. Store gasoline in an approved safety can away from occupied buildings.

3. All combustibles such as firewood, wooden picnic tables, boats, stacked lumber, etc. should be kept away from structures.

4. Clear roof surfaces and gutters regularly to avoid build-up of flammable materials such as leaves and other debris.

5. Remove branches from trees to a height of 15 feet or more.

6. In rural areas, clear a fuel break of at least 3 times the fuel length around all structures.

7. Have fire tools handy such as: ladder long enough to reach your roof, shovel, rake, and a bucket or two for water.

8. Place connected garden hoses at all sides of your home for emergency use.

9. Assure that you and your family know all emergency exits from your home.

10. Assure that you and your family know all emergency exits from your neighborhood.

Be safe and cautious as we protect our homes and the Texas we all love.

As promised from last week, below are our Exterior Tips for preparing your home for Winter in Texas

Exterior Home Preparation Tips

Outdoor preparations should include a walk around your property with an eye for cracks in foundations, the mortar in brick structures, and caulking or weather stripping that has failed. Other things to look for include: evidence of uninvited guests in the form of rodents or birds living or nesting in unsafe or unwanted locations, exposed wood that may need some type of protective treatment applied, and items that are too close to heat sources that could become fire hazards. In addition to this general evaluation, here is a list of specific items to consider:

• Hoses/hose bibs - in regions where temperatures drop below freezing, it is important to disconnect and drain your garden hoses, and either wrap hose bibs or cover them with insulating covers to prevent freezing pipes. A quick inspection for other exposed pipes that may need insulating will prevent the headache of dealing with broken pipes later.
• Sprinkler systems - in colder climates, sprinkler systems will need to be drained to prevent water from freezing and causing cracked or broken pipes. You may be able to drain the water yourself, or you may hire a professional to winterize it by blowing the water out of your system with an air compressor.
• Roof - inspect your roof for any loose, missing, worn or damaged shingles, tiles or other roofing material and have any needed repairs made to prevent unwanted water damage.
• Clean your gutters and downspouts - after leaves and other tree debris has fallen and collected in your gutters, it will be important to clean the gutters and downspouts to prevent water from backing up and causing water damage or overflowing during winter storms.
• Clean landscaping tools - when storing your landscaping tools for winter, take the opportunity to clean them well, apply a light coat of lubricant on tools such as pruning shears to keep them operational and to extend their lifespan, and replace tools that are in poor condition so you'll be prepared next spring when your landscaping begins to come to life once again.
• Prepare winter equipment - now is the time to test winter equipment that you may need in the coming months and make any necessary repairs ahead of time. Knowing that the snow blower or back-up generator will work and are in good repair and that you are prepared for inclement weather will provide peace of mind. It is also a good time to place this equipment along with shovels and salt in an accessible location so it is readily available when it is needed.
• Winter fertilizer - an application of winter fertilizer to lawns will promote stronger roots and help produce a healthier lawn in the spring.
• Plants - take a look at your landscaping and determine if there are plants that may be sensitive to cooler weather and require special preparation. While some plants may need to be trimmed, others may require additional composting materials around their roots to protect them during freezing temperatures, and others will need to be moved to a sheltered area or indoors. This is also a good time to lift bulbs that won't survive the colder temperatures such as dahlias and to consider planting spring bulbs like tulips and daffodils

As winter approaches we often get questions in regards to preparing a home in Texas. We suggest preparations should be considered both inside and outside your home to protect your investment, maintain your safety, and provide comfort throughout the colder winter months.  Below is our Indoor Tips and we will address exterior in a future blog.

Interior Home Preparation Tips

The most obvious items to address as the winter months approach center largely around ensuring that your home remains warm. Regardless of your heat source there are preventative measures that should be taken to ensure that you remain warm and safe inside your home. Some of the most important areas to assess include:

• Furnaces - regular annual furnace inspections will help keep your furnace in good repair. Cleaning or replacing furnace filters monthly during the operating months will also keep your furnace operating efficiently.
• Oil Heaters - like furnaces, oil heaters require annual inspections and maintenance. Annual inspections should include: inspecting the chimney, cleaning the pipes to remove soot build up, replacing the air filter, checking oil pressure and cleaning the oil filter bowl. Oil supplies will need to be replenished.
• Fireplaces - periodic cleanings should be performed by a chimney sweep to remove soot and creosote buildup to prevent chimney fires. It is also a good time to ensure that woodpiles are sufficiently stocked for the winter months with well-seasoned wood. Woodpiles should be located in a dry location and in an area away from structures to prevent granting wood-eating insects, such as termites, easy access to your home.
• Inspect windows and door for leaks - replacing cracked windows, or sealing air leaks around doors and windows will not only make the winter months more comfortable, but will also lower the costs of heating your home. One method of sealing leaks around windows is by using a removable caulking product which allows for easy removal and restoration of functionality for windows with the return of warmer weather in the spring.
• Evaluate smoke detectors and related safety equipment - the ending of daylight savings time is an ideal time to replace batteries in smoke detectors and any other battery-powered safety or emergency equipment. It is also a good time to evaluate existing smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers in terms of lifespan and whether they provide an adequate level of coverage. Smoke detectors and fire extinguishers are generally considered to have a lifespan of 10 years, whereas carbon monoxide detectors have a lifespan generally ranging from 2 to 5 years. Beware that batteries in the carbon monoxide detectors may still function after the actual carbon monoxide sensor has ceased being operational. For more information in regards to carbon monoxide you can visit http://www.epa.gov/iaq/co.html 

Recently, I’ve witnessed a number of people in my life such as clients, associate and friends who have expressed they are “stuck” or disappointed in their success path; they feel like they’ll never hit their goals or dreams.

I strongly believe that one becomes successful by taking consistent action to move toward a goal; even on the days when it is not fun or glamorous or you simply don’t feel like it. It is easy to give 100% when you’re on top of the world; the challenge for most of us is giving 100% on day 11 or when you simply don’t feel like it.

Persistence & consistency wins the race every time.

Most everyone is familiar with Aesop’s Fable of “The Hare and the Tortoise”. It’s an age old lesson read a multitude of times by parents and teachers alike to children who at the time were really too young to embrace the life lessons throughout the story. The story goes something like this…

There once was a speedy hare who bragged about how fast he could run. Tired of hearing him boast, Slow and Steady, the tortoise, challenged him to a race. All the animals in the forest gathered to watch. Hare ran down the road for a while and then and paused to rest. He looked back at Slow and Steady and cried out, “How do you expect to win this race when you are walking along at your slow, slow pace?” Hare stretched himself out alongside the road and fell asleep, thinking, “There is plenty of time to relax.” Slow and Steady walked and walked. He never, ever stopped until he came to the finish line. The animals who were watching cheered so loudly for Tortoise, they woke up Hare. Hare stretched and yawned and began to run again, but it was too late. Tortoise was over the line. After that, Hare always reminded himself, “Don’t brag about your lightning pace, for Slow and Steady won the race!”

The same lessons shown here are present in our every day lives. Think about it… have you ever taken off quickly in hopes of reaching your goal, only to become distracted or knocked off course prior to reaching your goal? Or come back from a motivation event, only to fizzle after a weeks or days. Or started a diet or athletic training only to lose your interest because your results were slow in materializing. Of course you have… ALL of us have.

Most of us don’t take the path of the tortoise because it’s a slower path that may not be as exciting or adventurous. It’s much sexier to be the hare that is faster, sleeker, and more gregarious.  I challenge you to slow down, be the tortoise and win your race.

Tortoise Tips

• Write your goals down. 
• On paper.
• On purpose. 
• Review them daily.
• Measure them weekly.
• Get an accountability partner. 
• Be flexible.

No matter how many times I have read Aesop’s Fable over the years….the Tortoise ALWAYS wins.