Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Condos, Brackenridge Tract, Air Quality
Friday, February 5th, 2010
By Mary Tuma Wednesday, 02 December 2009
AUSTIN — Despite the recession’s effect on the housing market, individuals are still finding the means to move into luxury condos downtown. Many formerly reluctant buyers took advantage of discounts on new units, while others remain cautious about committing to contracts that often favor the sellers.
As downtown continues to grow, developers eye another valuable area nearby, the 350-acre Brackenridge Tract, owned by the University of Texas. Its fate lies in three proposals awaiting a decision from UT regents.
Meanwhile, another issue affecting the city’s future will be determined before the end of the year. Barely passing a federal air quality test this summer, Austin could face stricter ozone standards in the coming years.
Tags: air quality, brackenridge, Development, downtown condos, lions
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3 Beds, 2 Baths and a Walk Score of 70+?
Thursday, February 4th, 2010
Have you ever driven past a for sale sign and spent too much time trying to circle around the prospective property to locate what grocery stores, dry cleaners, coffee shops and restaurants might be within walking distance or at least very close proximity? Worse yet, you fall in love on the internet with photos of the home’s exterior, counter tops and huge windows only to arrive and realize you are buried in an area with no access to the places you like to frequent?
Of course bedrooms, bathrooms and square feet will remain core to property search but the value driving factor that is gaining ground like no other is “walkability”. Walking proximity to a nice mix of local businesses is just what buyers are looking for these days to reduce time wasted and stress on the road ways not to mention achieve improved quality of life, a lower carbon footprint and increased relative property values.
On the national level, a new report, “Walking the Walk: How Walkability Raises Housing Values in U.S. Cities” by Joseph Cortright, John looked at just under 100,000 transactions within major markets and found that in 13 of the 15 markets, higher levels of walkability, as measured by Walk Score, were directly linked to higher home values.
“Walking the Walk’ shows definitively what we have always believed – that homes in walkable neighborhoods continue to be a good investment, and are one of the simplest and most effective solutions to fight climate change, improve our health, and strengthen our communities,” said Walk Score founder Mike Mathieu. “Our vision is for every property listing to include a Walk Score: Beds: 3 Baths: 2 Walk Score: 84.”
Walk Score (www.walkscore.com) is the leader in this space. The site works by calculating the closest amenities – restaurants, coffee shops, schools, parks, stores, libraries, etc. – to any U.S. address. The algorithm then assigns a “Walk Score” from 0-100, with 100 being the most walkable and 0 being totally car-dependent. Walk Scores of 70+ indicate neighborhoods where it’s possible to get by without a car. I’ve placed a Walk Score tile on every page on our site other than the home page. Try it out but I warn you. . it’s addicting and you’ll never look at a house purchase the same again!
Tags: Walk Score, walkability
Posted in Agent Editorial, Buyer & Seller Tips, Lifestyle, Sustainable Living, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Senate Approves Extension Of Homebuyer Credit . . . Through April
Friday, November 6th, 2009
WASHINGTON — The Senate approved a $45 billion plan Wednesday to expand a tax credit for first-time homebuyers, extend jobless benefits and provide tax refunds to money-losing companies.
Under the bill, the $8,000 homebuyers’ tax credit, slated to expire this month, would continue until April 30 and be expanded to include people with higher incomes and some who already own homes. The measure also includes $2.4 billion to extend unemployment benefits for as many as 20 weeks, enough to aid the jobless through the holiday season, and would loosen tax rules for businesses, allowing them to claim refunds by deducting losses sustained in the past two years from the past five years’ worth of profits.
Tags: Buyer, Home, tax credit
Posted in Buyer & Seller Tips, In The News, Uncategorized | No Comments »
New Solar Program Could Front Costs For Homeowners
Tuesday, October 20th, 2009
The City of Austin is working on a new plan to make going green much easier on your wallet.
Solar power is a hot item in Central Texas.
This is a 4 kilowatt system. . . . .The total cost to the homeowner to install this system is right around $20,000. With all the rebates that are in place, the price tag works out to be less than half. Still, city leaders say that’s too much for many people. So Tuesday, they announced a new program where the homeowner wouldn’t have any upfront costs.
Tags: Green Home, solar, subsidization
Posted in Buyer & Seller Tips, In The News, Sustainable Living, Uncategorized | No Comments »
New Urbanism = Old Urbanism
Tuesday, September 8th, 2009
Heard of New Urbanism? Although this movement has been cast as futuristic and politically progressive, the simple truth is that everything old is new again. New Urbanism is a development philosophy that very much mirrors the pre mid-century “traditional” childhood neighbhorhoods of our parents and grandparents.
Consider the characteristics of Old West Austin or Clarksville and compare those with Austin’s newest large scale urban infill development, Mueller. Both include all of the same traditional elements (walkability, variety of dwellings, shops and workspace, sense of community, etc.). The measurable differences lie with the promotion and use of non toxic building materials and optimal energy efficiency.
The quality of life improvements have been recognized as these neighborhoods of yesterday and today have remained in high demand throughout even this latest soft market.
Tags: infill, mixed-use development, New Urbanism, urban, walkability
Posted in Agent Editorial, Lifestyle, Sustainable Living, Uncategorized | No Comments »
25% Of New Homes In Austin Are “Green”
Friday, August 7th, 2009
Home building in Austin is greener than ever.
Long known for its save-the-planet ways, the city continues to be a national leader in producing eco-friendly homes, says Richard Morgan, Austin Energy’s green building manager.
More than 20 percent of homes built in the Austin Energy service area now are being rated green by the city program, Morgan says. The city always ranks among the top 10 in the country in green production – and by some reckonings, the city ranks No. 1, Morgan says.
“Over the last few years, we’ve been rating anywhere from 18 to 23 percent of homes ? more than 1,000 homes each year,” Morgan says. “It was probably about 24 percent last year.
“Even with the downturn, we’re still rating a lot of homes.”
Worth noting is the number of green-certified homes built in Austin by production builders, Morgan says.
“One of the interesting things that’s happening in Austin is, early on back in the 1990s, everybody assumed green building would be for high-end custom homes, but now probably about 90 percent of what we rate are built by production builders. In most places, it’s the custom builders doing green, but here, the production builders have really adopted green. And that is something that’s unique to Austin.” Click Here For More. . .
SPECIAL TO THE AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Tags: Green, New Homes
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Elements Of A Sustainable Living Space
Friday, August 7th, 2009
The majority of homes in Austin are currently not certified green or sustainable, however the demand for these features is increasing at a blistering pace. Given the finite supply of land in the center of our community, most of the core urban market will have to identify potential in non certified or non rated structures of all decades and design. Home Buyers will look for hidden value and Sellers will look to unlock value by adding sustainable elements to aged structures. Remember, refurbishment might be the most sustainable choice we can make.
Location
Overall “walkability” is key which includes close access to parks, schools and stores. Access to a variety of transportation other than your car is also healthier for you, your wallet, and the environment.
Size
Choose a size that optimally suits you and your loved ones lifestyle needs. Larger homes require more heating, cooling and lighting.
Design
These homes are generally oriented on the site to bring natural daylight and ideally take advantage of any prevailing breezes. The exterior has shading devices particularly on the southern and western facades and over windows and doors.
Materials
Materials and finishings are healthy or non-toxic like low or zero-VOC paints and sealants. Wood-based features come from rapidly renewable sources such as bamboo (note: weigh the renewable aspects of the material with less renewable options that might also be local). Many of these homes use significant reclaimed and recycled materials. The roof should be a light-colored, heat-reflecting, or a landscaped roof, to reduce heat absorption. A non-toxic insulation, derived from materials like soybean or cotton, with a high R (heat resistance) factor in a home’s walls and roof will help prevent cool air leakage in the summer and warm air leakage in the winter.
Energy Efficiency
Windows and exterior doors should have ENERGY STAR® ratings, and they should seal their openings tightly to avoid heat gain in summer and heat loss in winter. Select energy-efficient lighting, heating, cooling and water-heating systems. Appliances should have ENERGY STAR® ratings.
Renewable Energy
Technologies like photovoltaic systems (Solar Panels) can be used to generate energy.
Water Efficiency
Incorporate water-conserving irrigation systems and water-efficient kitchen and bathroom fixtures.
Indoor Air Quality
Natural daylight should reach the majority of the home’s interior. Natural ventilation brings fresh air inside the house. The HVAC system should filter all incoming air and vent stale air outside. The garage should not have any air handling equipment or return ducts, and it should have an exhaust fan.
Landscaping
Large canopy trees and other landscaping should shade exterior walls, the driveway and patios to minimize heat islands. Yards should be landscaped with native drought-tolerant plants rather than water-guzzling plants and grass.
Tags: Sustainable Living
Posted in Agent Editorial, Buyer & Seller Tips, Lifestyle, Sustainable Living, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Mission Austainable
Tuesday, May 26th, 2009
Today marks the launch of Austainable Properties, your residential and commercial real estate partner pioneering smart, more sustainable lifestyles in our local community.
Mission Austainable:
Reading the sensational news headlines of the day can be a bit overwhelming. Of course we know sensational news sells, but the world has in fact become a more volatile place from a social, economic and environmental standpoint. It doesn’t take a genius to realize much of these issues are unintended consequences of short-term decision making by all of us to varying degrees.
The solution, sustainable decision-making, is just as obvious as the problem itself. If each of us made more sustainable choices within the context of our own personal and professional lives, we would most likely experience a measurable reversal of many negative macro trends not to mention a happier, healthier and wealthier existence. This is precisely the driving philosophy and motivation for Austainable Properties. We know we can’t change the world alone but within the context of our own progressive community, Austin, and our passion, real estate, we are certainly in a position to stoke a momentum gathering start.
Although we generally embrace the “green” movement, sustainable living decisions don’t always coincide with green only initiatives. Green concepts must be weighed with respect to financial and social ramifications. Although a great number of new developments are incorporating our philosphy, the greatest opportunity for our community exists with the incremental improvements with existing properties from every decade and design.
We are already a team of strong local real estate professionals, but we are setting the bar even higher by taking what is currently a niche, smart sustainable living, and moving it towards the norm. We pledge to do our part by:
1. Making a monetary investment (up to 10% of listing income) in our clients’ properties in the form of sustainable improvements;
2. Possessing the expertise and resources to help facilitate smart real estate transactions that could pay financial and lifestyle dividends for years to come;
3. Providing leadership in local organizations and events that promote a more sustainable community; and,
4. Running our own sustainable business
We realize each individual will have a different interpretation of this concept and how it could apply to their lives. The important and beautiful thing is that we all embrace the idea that a harmonious balance occurs when we properly weigh financial, social and environmental factors; the fundamental mission of Austainable Properties.
We very much look forward to serving your present and future real estate needs and of course your sustainable life!
Tags: Austin, Living, Mission, Sustainable
Posted in Agent Editorial, Lifestyle, Sustainable Living, Uncategorized | No Comments »