Austin Texas Real Estate

Green Happiness
"He who plants a garden, plants happiness" is an old saying. However, things have changed a lot nowadays. Today, the proverb could be thought of as "He who plants a garden, plants money!" When it comes to selling a house, landscaping is an important factor that determines the value of the property. Real estate gurus believe that gardens around a house can contribute more than 10% to the total value of the property. Moreover, the houses with attractive gardens, particularly mature trees, are easily saleable when compared to the other houses with limited or underdeveloped landscaping. Investing a little time in tending your garden can really pay dividends when it comes to selling your home.

Enjoying Green
Houses with gardens around them are excellent choices for those who wish to enjoy time outside, while not travelling far to do so. It is always refreshing to open the door and go out into the garden and smell the flowers, plants, and trees. Most of us spend less time enjoying the greenery in public parks and sanctuaries since they are becoming more scarce and because of urban sprawl are often far away. Since most of us will never have a chance to visit the tropical rain forests of Central America why not invest a few dollars and house and have your own piece of nature right outside your door?

Green can be healthy
Plants not only contribute value to the property, but gardens also have great health benefits. The health benefits of gardening are impressive. According to medical experts, gardening is a great exercise for legs, shoulders, arms and neck. Gardening also helps to strengthen the joints in our body. Recent researches indicate that gardening lowers blood pressure, reduces cholesterol levels and also prevents diabetes and heart diseases. Gardening is also an ideal physical exercise for people who want to reduce their weight. Gardening helps to burn fat and as an added bonus, creates some healthy, organic fruits and vegetables for your entire family to eat.

Green in real estate
Based on a recent survey or property owners, it was noted that 95% of residential homeowners and 86% of commercial property owners believe that good landscaping adds more value to their properties. Also real estate brokers around Austin think that merely having a garden is enough to attract the buyers. Moreover, gardening has lots of benefits like offering a healthy body, fresh air, a fresh mind, fresh food, bringing birds, attracting butterflies, sustaining beneficial insects and added value to your property. Finally, gardening and makes your property look its best. So plant gardens around your home and grab the sure ticket to quick and valuable resale!

The author writes articles on Austin Texas Real Estate Blog. For more information about Round Rock Texas Homes and Cat Mountain Real Estate visit our site at http://www.affinityproperties.com.

Approximately seven miles west of downtown Austin, there is a stretch of land no bigger than 3.1 square miles. You could drive past it in a matter of moments, but if you do you'll miss one of Texas' greatest treasures. You'll miss Lost Creek.

History

Lost Creek is not a town but a census-designated place with fewer than 5,000 people. It was established in1972 when developers first realized the land's potential. They got permission from Austin and state officials, and started building. By 1976, fifty homes were built and the Lost Creek Neighborhood Association was formed. The first meetings were held in the living and dining rooms of residents' homes. However, with time the association and area grew, adding people, homes and community feeling. In the early 80s, the neighborhood association designed and built the state park, eventually including a gazebo, playground and wrought iron fence.

Today Lost Creek has 1,562 households with 1,379 families. It is a place that continues to grow and thrive, making its small size seem temporary.

Economy

It's hard to fit a multitude of employment opportunities in so few miles; therefore, much of Lost Creek's economy comes from the outside. Its residents commute the few miles to downtown Austin, relying on the city's thriving business for income and financial security. Fortunately, the metropolis is booming. Technology and defense are the primary industries, but the University of Texas, Austin and numerous other organizations help keep the economy growing, as well.

Real Estate

The small-town feel of Lost Creek coupled with the beautiful homes and surrounding landscape (the area itself is framed by stone walls) keeps homebuyers coming and hoping for a sale. There are numerous neighborhoods, each with their own take on luxury housing. Some are condominiums; some are estate homes; and some are in between. Whatever you choose, you'll find something well worth the price, which can fall anywhere between 250,000 and several million dollars.

As a bonus, it's likely you'll find yourself delightfully situated near such attractions as an 18-hole golf course and the banks of Barton Creek. In and of themselves, they make any price on any home a deal.

Attractions

The greatest attraction of Lost Creek is the city it borders. Austin is bursting with things to do, see and experience. If you like history, you can visit the Texas Memorial Museum or the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum. Sixth Street, home to numerous festivals throughout the year, will keep the music lover in you satisfied, and the zoo, pool and dozens of state parks will tucker out the kids so when you return home, to Lost Creek, they fall right into bed, and you realize what you have found.

You have found a community that though small and easily missed by the uninformed, is beautiful in its values, landscape, architecture and size. It is the close-knit town you have been looking for. It is the sign that you are no longer lost, but found.

Joe Cline is a professional real estate broker, investor, and REALTOR with RE/MAX Capital City Austin, Texas.

Find out more about Austin Texas real estate and new homes in lakeway Texas.

A suburb of Austin, the city of Round Rock is one of the hidden gems of Texas. Voted one of the 100 best cities for young people, and also one of the best cities for relocating families, Round Rock boasts some of the safest and most affordable communities in the nation. With an amazing satisfaction rating from its residents and a excellent scores in everything from education to unemployment rates, Round Rock is truly a place to call home.

History

Founded in 1851, the city of Round Rock was originally named for Brushy Creek, the body of water by which it was established. However, three years later the town was renamed for the round rock in the center of the stream that marked the point where water was low enough to cross in a wagon. This rock was later a landmark for those using the Chisholm Trail, which passed through the town and crossed the creek, to herd cattle into the Midwest.

Key figures from the history of Round Rock include Sam Bass, the notorious outlaw train robber. In 1878, Bass was captured and later died, following a shootout in town with the Texas Rangers. His grave can be found at the Round Rock Cemetery. At one time, Round Rock was home to Soapy Smith; a con man who was notorious for swindling citizens out of money in towns throughout the West and Midwest.

Economy/Jobs

As of 2006, the estimated median income for families in Round Rock was $81,521, substantially higher than most US cities. The unemployment rate sits at about 3.6 percent, as of March 2008; where the national average for that month was at 5.1%.

Major area employers include Dell Computers, which provides more than 9,000 jobs to area residents. Sears call center services are also based in the area, along with various manufacturing and retail establishments. School districts and hospitals also make up a large number of the available jobs in the city.

Real Estate

The median price for listed homes in the city of Round Rock is approximately $210,990 with new homes averaging around $287, 559. Round Rock was selected by "Business Week" as one of the best areas for real estate bargains in the country. The value of homes and number of real estate transactions has risen in the early part of 2008. Property taxes are very low within the city; as well, with citizens being taxed only 37.1 cents per $100 of land value.

Attractions

Local attractions in Round Rock include a minor league baseball team, named the Round Rock Express, owned by the legendary Nolan Ryan. The area features beautiful city owned and maintained parks and private golf courses, as well as many festivals throughout the year. Dubbed the "Sports Capital of Texas", there are plenty of opportunities for those who love athletics. Shopping in the area includes a number of shopping centers, with major anchor stores, as well as a major outlet center with well over 100 nationally recognized retailers.

Joe Cline is a professional real estate broker, investor, and REALTOR with RE/MAX Capital City Austin, Texas.

Find out more about Austin Texas Real Estate and homes in Round Rock, Texas. If you think Round Rock might be the place for your next home be sure and check out Mayfield Ranch homes for sale..

If you're looking for a place where you can rest your head, where you have nothing but a bed and a kitchen to tide you over until you once again leave, Senna Hills is not the place for you. If, on the other hand, you are looking for a home surrounded by pebble sidewalks, old-fashioned lampposts and stone entryways, for a place that wraps you in beauty and makes you never want to leave, Senna Hills is exactly what you were looking for.

History

Located near Bee Cave, Senna Hills draws its history from that somewhat larger city. Bee Cave, although not technically developed until 1987, began in the 1850s when Dietrich Bohls moved out of Austin to a quieter, more peaceful setting. The then largely uninhabited area soon became a haven for families who didn't want city life but rather a robust community filled with happy, friendly individuals. Schools, stores and more were quickly built, transforming Bee Cave from an unknown neighborhood into a thriving residence.

In the 1980s, the citizens of Bee Cavs became concerned that Austin officials would attempt to annex the small community. To keep this from happening, they formed the Concerned Citizens and Landowners Organization. The group appealed to the capital, and in 1987, Bee Caves was incorporated into Austin. Today, the Bee Cave area continues to thrive seeing a flux of intimate neighborhoods, such as Senna Hills, that attract more and more residents each year.

Economy

When Austin booms, Senna Hills booms. That is how the economy of this small neighborhood works as it is so closely tied to the city it borders. As such, much of the employment opportunities are based in the industry and technology fields as well as higher education and scientific research. Surrounding schools, hospitals and similar structures employ many citizens as well, providing a bundle of opportunity to anyone who may choose to move to Senna Hills.

Real Estate

In a place like Senna Hills, you wouldn't expect cheap homes for outlandish prices and no reward. And fortunately, that's not what you get. Senna Hills is one of the premiere locations for real estate. Homes start at 3,200 square feet and $500,000. Those with four or five bedroom often have three or more bathrooms, several living and dining room possibilities, vast kitchens and multi-car garages. Some even include ornate fireplaces, grand staircases, huge picturesque windows and updated fixtures. The quiet surroundings and beautiful landscape found at every home only add to the lure of the neighborhood.

Attractions

The hills encompassing Senna Hills draw more people to the area than anything else. Miles of lush green dotted by playgrounds, decks, parks and pools appeal to any resident be it a city dweller or country lover. The proximity of prime shopping stores, golf clubs and various restaurants make it an even better community. And when the city calls, Austin is only a short ride away, offering concerts, sports, plays and much, much more.

Senna Hills is a place that will remind you of the past, with its stone buildings and traditional close-knit feel. Let it also be a place that makes you think of your future.

Joe Cline is a professional real estate broker, investor, and REALTOR with RE/MAX Capital City Austin, Texas.

Find out more about Austin Texas real estate and new homes in lakeway Texas.

You may live in the best city, suburb or town in the world. Everyone you know may be jealous of your general location, emitting sighs laced with envy whenever you mention it. But, if you don't live in a neighborhood to match, none of that matters. You may as well live in squalor, because it is the little things - the people to your left and right, the homes around your own, the community - that are most important. That is why places like Teravista, TX, located right outside Austin, exist.

History

Teravista, as a small, relatively new neighborhood, is less a place of history and more a place of possibility. The close-knit community grows larger every day. Plans are developed and made reality at a rapid fire pace. Already, there are numerous shopping centers, a large golf course, an on-site elementary school and miles of greenbelt trails for running, hiking and biking. A new mall and movie theater are scheduled to open in fall 2008, and two medical facilities, Scott and White, and Seton Medical Center Williamson, are just opened. It is clear from the buildings and structures and organizations that come into Teravista on a regular basis that the citizens of this neighborhood are determined to make up for a lack of history by creating their own.

Economy

Teravista's economy is largely rooted in Austin. The nearby city offers employment in the industrial and technology fields, as well as possibilities in numerous other large organizations, which are more and more choosing the Lone Star's capital as their home base. However, that's not all Teravista has to offer. The neighborhood's continual development means a continual flood of new jobs. The two hospitals in and of themselves call for a number of doctors, nurses, nurses' aides and other medical staff to keep them running. The elementary school, golf course and retail sites require similar manpower. So despite Teravista's small size, the economy is quite large.

Real Estate

The real estate market in Teravista is very much like the economy: growing. There are a wide range of homes, varying in style and price. Typically, houses start at $150,000 and work their way up to the mid-two hundred thousands. Each home is as beautiful and intimate as the neighborhood it has been placed in, luring families, young and old, to the charming community.

Attractions

Perhaps Teravista's greatest attraction is the luxury, 18-hole golf course right inside community limits. The course is 7,200 yards long and, as a public course, operates under a daily fee structure. Residents, however, are offered a discount. For a slightly smaller fee, they can play on the rolling hills of green calling to them from their backyard.

For those who don't golf (and those who do), there is also a Resident's Club, with a two-story great room used for numerous events throughout the year. Information about upcoming happenings, new groups and community news are posted in the club as well. And of course, there are the greenbelt trails. Anyone who has ever loved nature loves the miles of landscape begging for a walk, bike or jog.

Teravista is small, but it is also packed with opportunities for fun, employment, togetherness and, most importantly, home.

Joe Cline is a professional real estate broker, investor, and REALTOR with RE/MAX Capital City Austin, Texas.

Find out more about Austin Texas Real Estate and homes in Round Rock, Texas. If you think Round Rock might be the place for your next home be sure and check out Mayfield Ranch homes for sale..