Ki Gray - Austin Real Estate

Perhaps it's all those years of summer vacations from school, or maybe the heat just makes it harder to focus on work. Whatever it is, there seems to be an inherent need to have some fun during the summer months. Here are some ideas for having an entertaining Austin summer without blowing the budget:

Restaurants
There is something about a sultry summer night that makes people want to find a fun restaurant with a patio and order some chips and salsa. Fortunately, Austin is neither lacking in great restaurants or great deals on eating out. Whether it's the free nacho car offerings at Chuy's happy hours or the $2.99 meal deal at Bill Miller Bar-B-Q, cheap food and drinks abound in Austin. Some great patio spots that offer terrific food and prices is Doc's Motorworks on Congress Avenue and El Arroyo on Fifth Street.

There are also some upscale options that are budget friendly. The trendy French restaurant Aquarelle on Rio Grande offers half priced dishes off the bar menu in its wine bar or on the patio. Enjoying a nice glass of white wine and a plate of mussels makes feeling cosmopolitan a great bargain. Or, head to the up and coming Olivia on South Lamar on Sundays and Mondays for discounted food and drinks from the bar menu. McCormick & Schmick's offers incredible happy hour deals every day of the week and Sullivan's Steakhouse is the place to go on Thursdays for half-priced bar entrees and cigars along with $5 martinis.

Entertainment
The summer months also offer some cheap and interesting places for watching movies. Deep Eddy Pool has Splash Party Movie Nights on Saturdays at dusk throughout the summer. Many of the city's libraries offer free movies throughout the summer and Alamo Drafthouse has a free
Kids Camp movie every weekday at 11 a.m.

There is also the Zilker Hillside Theater, which is presenting The Music Man this summer. Shows run July 3 through August 15, Thursday through Sunday starting at dusk. Also, there is nothing as American as a beer and hot dog at a summer baseball game. The local minor league team, The Round Rock Express is a great family outing that won't break the bank.

Outdoors
The Austin area has an abundance of swimming holes that offer a chance to cool off and commune with nature on the cheap. From the centrally located Deep Eddy and Barton Springs Pool to Hamilton Pool and Blue Hole in the Hill Country, there are enough places to try a new one each week of the summer. For the kids there are free splash pads in Butler Park, The Hill Country Galleria and Brushy Creek Lake Park in Cedar Park.

Family Fun
For some fun family mini-vacations, there is Schlitterbahn Water Park in New Branfels, as well as Sea World in San Antonio. While these are not necessarily cheap outings, they do offer a vast array of entertainment for the ticket price. Consider that it is far cheaper than airline flights and hotels and probably just as much fun as a big vacation.


Escapesomewhere Real Estate is a small real estate company in Central Texas. His site has information on Austin Texas real estate. It also provides a free graphical search of the Austin MLS and a blog covering market updates for the Austin real estate market.

Austin is a big, beautiful city; there is no doubt about that. But, there are several small towns within 50 miles of Austin that are filled with charm and beauty. Whether you want to get out of the city for a weekend or move to a smaller town.

Smithville is a small town in Bastrop County, about 41 miles from Austin. Its population is just at 5,000. It is mostly famous for the 1998 movie "Hope Floats" that starred Sandra Bullock. Smithville is most proud of its recreation center. The center has a large gym, basketball court and has events for the entire community throughout the year.

Smithville also has many family owned restaurants, grills and antique shops. Visitors can always find something interesting while visiting.

Coupland is east of Austin on Highway 95, between Elgin and Taylor. This small town is most famous for its dancehall. The dancehall also has an Inn and a restaurant. There is always something going on here, and the band is always live. They have featured such acts a Kevin Fowler, Moe Bandy even George Strait's band has played there.

Coupland's last population was about 150. If you want to get out of the city, this is the place to visit.

Lexington is about 50 miles east of Austin, in Lee County. Its population is just under 1,200. This small German community was named after Lexington Massachusetts. The community has bed and breakfasts and each year, the first weekend in May, they have a "Homecoming" celebration. The celebration begins on the first Friday in May and runs through Sunday. The town holds a parade, food booths, arts and crafts and a BBQ cook off.

Lexington has a heritage center showcasing two log cabins that were built in the 1850's. They have pioneer furnishings, and are open for tours.

Lexington is also home of "Texas Monthly's" number one BBQ joint in Texas, Snows BBQ. It made the top spot in the magazine last summer and is open on the weekends.

Bastrop is a town south east of Austin. Their is a lake called lake bastrop. Over the last several years Bastrop has been slowly growing. With cheaper prices the Bastrop real estate market is becoming an alternative the sky high prices scene in Austin.

Giddings is just 18 miles south of Lexington, on highway 77 and is the county seat of Lee County. This little community's population is just under 6,000. The city has bed and breakfasts, hotels, antique shops. They also have the Lee County Junior Livestock and Rodeo each year at the fair grounds.

Dime Box is also located in Lee County, with a population of just 400. Dime Box received its name by a resident in 1877 when locals would use a wooden box to forward and receive mail. They would leave a dime in the box for payment.

This small town has a winding road through downtown, covered with trees. The community is so small, everything is within walking distance. Residents like to keep the German and Czech heritage alive with the Dime Box Heritage Museum.

There are not any hotels in the small town, but there are small towns nearby that have places to stay. Take time and visit a small town near Austin.


Ki loves to bike the Austin hill country. He has worked with Austin real estate for almost a decade. His website has a search of Austin MLS listings. Along with information about Bastrop real estate and Austin real estate.

It is hard to imagine Sixth Street as anything other than the bar-lined street which has attracted bar-hopping young people for decades. But Pecan Street, as it was originally named, got its start in the 1800s as the main thoroughfare into town for farmers and others going into the city for reasons of commerce. By the 1860s, it had its first saloon, along with livery stables and wagon yards.

The city was originally designed on a single square mile grid of 14 blocks, with Congress Avenue running through the middle. All the original north/south running streets were named for Texas rivers, like Brazos and Rio Grande. The east/west running streets were originally named after Texas trees (i.e. pecan), but were changed to numbers in 1884. Much of the original street design is still intact in downtown Austin.

It was the arrival of the railroad to Austin in 1871 that brought the heart of this booming town right to Sixth Street. Soon Victorian limestone buildings proliferated down the tree-lined street, most notably the Driskill Hotel. This luxurious hotel, complete with marble floors and stained-glass dome, was built in 1886.

The seven blocks between I-35 and Congress became known as Austin's entertainment district. The street was changed to a one-way and revitalized in the mid-1970s. Music was at the heart of this rebirth, largely thanks to artists like Wille Nelson who brought national attention to the Austin music scene.

"Today, Austin is known as much for its cultural life and high-tech innovations as it is for the senators and schoolteachers who shaped its beginnings. The same success that has gained the city a national reputation has brought with it many difficult choices, as the city expands on a scale that might shock the early residents of Waterloo," said Biruta Celmins Kearl, Curator Emerita of the Austin History Center.

There are bar-lined streets in cities all across America, but there is something unique about Sixth Street, something quintessentially Austin. Maybe it's the music that spills out into the street from nearly every doorway. Maybe it's the eclectic collection of businesses, like tattoo parlors, to entertainment like Esther's Follies. This combination of improv and satire has been enthralling audiences since 1977.

But it's not just the nightlife that attracts people to Sixth Street. Places like Paradise Bar and Grill have brought in lunch crowds for decades and Dan McKlusky's is a favorite dinner spot for steak lovers. The Pecan Street Festival, celebrating Austin arts and crafts, brings thousands to Sixth Street every year.

Other well-known events that bring thousands flocking to this famous stretch of street are Halloween and Austin Mardi Gras, for which the street is blocked off from traffic to allow revelers to roam freely. Perhaps the best known Sixth Street event is South by Southwest. SXSW is Austin's film and music extravaganza that takes place each March.

Even fire can't slow down this stalwart street full of history, music and fun. On February 6, four businesses were damaged by fire in the early morning hours. The damaged caused by a cigarette tossed under some stairs is estimated at more than $1 million. However, crews were quickly put to work repairing the fire and smoke damage and life on this iconic stretch of street will go on as it has for over 100 years.


Ki lives in Central Austin. His website has information on Austin Texas real estate. His website lets people search the Austin MLS it also has a blog with statistical information on Austin real estate.

If a trip to visit the famous vineyards of Napa Valley, California isn't in the budget this summer, try a scenic drive through some local wine country. Central Texas offers a number of locally produced wines, from the nationally recognized to smaller family owned operations.

A trip down Highway 290 West not only offers rustic Texas landscapes with its own kind of beauty, but also several vineyards along the way. Johnson City has the Texas Hills Vineyard, with soil considered to be like the coveted Tuscan countryside in Italy. Becker Vineyards in Stonewall boasts 46 acres of grapevines and three acres of lavender, which blooms in May and June. Also in Stonewall is the Grape Creek Vineyard with the only completely underground wine cellar in Texas. Continuing west on Highway 290, Fredericksburg has a number of vineyards, including Bell Mountain Wine Cellars in business for 33 years and Chisholm Trail Winery.

If taking in lake views while tasting Texas wines sounds nice, head north on Highway 281 to the family owned Spicewoods Vineyard in Marble Falls. Fall Creek Vineyards on the shores of Lake Buchanan is composed of 65 acres of vineyards making award wining wines in the "French tradition combined with California technology." Take in some Lake Travis views at Lago Vista's Flat Creek Estate Vineyard and Winery.

Heading south a wine lover can find the Sister Creek Vineyards in Boerne, which is housed in a historic cotton gin. Or, in New Braunfels try the Dry Comal Creek Vineyards and one might as well stop in Gruene Hall while in that area.

All these wineries offer tours and tastings and visitors are encouraged to taste the lesser known wine varieties that Texas is gaining a reputation for producing. Ever heard of a sangiovese or malbec? How about a syrah? Texas soil is better suited to some of these more obscure wine varieties. While one can certainly find a Texas chardonnay, a viognier made in Texas may taste better. The Austin-American Statesman recently picked some favorite local wines like the Becker Vineyards Malbec 2006 or the Tuscan-style red Flat Creek Estates Super Texan 2006.

If wine tasting without the driving sounds a little more appealing, there are a number of local wine bars that offer a unique tasting experience. From the trendy to the cozy to the ostentatious wall of wines, Austin-American Statesman's XLent section recently highlighted some local spots for a good glass of wine. Cork & Co. on South Congress was described as cozy while Cru: A Wine Bar has a "plush ambiance." There is also Taste on Cesar Chavez Street and Uncorked Tasting Room and Wine Bar on East Seventh. An impressive wall of wine can be seen at Vino Vino on Guadalupe Street.

Whether hopping in the car to head downtown for the evening or driving west for the day, Austin and the surrounding Hill Country can offer something from the mildly curious wine-drinker to the passionate oenologist.


Ki works near downtown Austin. He has been involved in Austin real estate for ten years. He has a graphical Austin MLS search on his website. His site also has updated news and stats on Austin Texas real estate on his blog.

While the Austin City Council is not giving home sellers a break this year, the federal government is coming through with some tax breaks for the energy-conscious homeowner. For 2009 only, homeowners can get certain tax credits for making energy efficient improvements on a primary residence.

What does this have to do with the Austin City Council? As of June 1 homes older than 10 years are required to get an energy audit and disclose the results to prospective buyers. So along with the new coat of paint and fresh flowers in the yard, homeowners have an added expense to get their homes sold.

The idea behind the city council ordinance is a noble one of keeping Austin green, but the timing is lousy with job losses and a slower housing market looming over the city. "There's never a good time to add fees to a transaction," City Council Member Mike Martinez said in the Austin-American Statesman, "but I think this requirement is a good thing. It allows the consumer to fully understand the purchase they're about to make. If you spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on an investment, you would want to know how efficient that investment is going to be for you."

Fortunately recession-strapped homeowners are not required to make improvements as a result of the $200-500 audit, however the idea is to encourage sellers or buyers to make their houses more energy-efficient. An audit can help pinpoint exactly what needs to be done to make a home greener.

This is where the tax credits come in. Under the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, also known as the Obama stimulus package, Congress has provided two tax credits for homeowners making energy efficient improvements. There is a $500 lifetime credit, which gives a 10 percent credit for improvements such as new insulation, windows, skylights, energy-efficient roofing or exterior doors.

The other tax credit is a 30 percent-of-cost credit for energy improvements. This would include $50 for each advanced main air circulating fan; $150 for qualified furnaces, such as natural gas or propane; and $300 for qualifying energy-efficient heating and cooling systems or hot water heaters.

In a buyers market, sellers wanting an edge may go ahead and make some of the improvements indicated by an energy audit, which focuses on things like insulation and the condition of the heating and cooling systems. This year's tax credits may help offset some of those costs. Also, according to the Statesman, "Austin Energy offers rebates or zero percent loans for energy upgrades."

Of course, these tax credits and Austin Energy incentives aren't just for those wanting to sell their home. According to Austin Energy, in the past five years homeowners have made improvements that have collectively saved $3 million by reducing kilowatt-hours by 38 million.

It's a good idea to get the exact details on the tax breaks from a tax professional. The Austin Energy website also offers information on the audits, rebates and loans, along with energy saving tips.

Ki lives in Austin Texas. He created a site which has detailed information about Austin Texas real estate. It allows buyers to search for homes in the Austin MLS. He also maintains a blog with monthly statistics on Austin real estate.