Beginning today through Sunday, August 17th, most clothing and footwear priced under $100 will be exempt from sales and use taxes. Below is a condensed list with what is included and not included during tax-free weekend…

 Exempt items:

• Baby clothes
• Backpacks for use by elementary and secondary students
• Belts with attached buckles
• Boots - cowboy, hiking
• Caps/hats - baseball, fishing, golf, knitted
• Coats and wraps
• Diapers - adult and baby
• Dresses
• Gloves (generally)
• Gym suits and uniforms
• Hooded shirts and hooded sweatshirts
• Hosiery
• Jackets
• Jeans
• Jerseys - baseball and football
• Jogging apparel
• Neckwear and ties
• Pajamas
• Pants and trousers
• Raincoats and ponchos
• Robes
• Shirts
• Shoes - sandals, slippers, sneakers, tennis, walking
• Socks (including athletic)
• Shorts
• Suits, slacks, and jackets
• Sweatshirts
• Sweat suits
• Sweaters
• Swimsuits
• Underclothes
• Work clothes and uniforms

Non-exempt items: 

 Happy Shopping!!!

2008 has seen a record number of foreclosures nationwide and Austin is not immune to this epidemic. Below are some tips to help those of you who may not be in the most secure position when it comes to your mortgage.

 1. Start by facing the problem head-on. Acknowledge the letters your mortgage company is sending you. If you address the problem early enough, you could help avoid the “f” word all together. Contact a credit and housing counselor to help you come up with a game plan.

 2. Contact the mortgage company. Sometimes the lender may reduce your interest rate, lower your monthly payment to make it more affordable for you, or agree to a repayment plan for any payments you’ve missed. The sooner you contact them, the better chance you’ll have of getting them to cooperate with you.

3. Understand what your mortgage rights are. You can usually find them in your original loan documents given to you at the time of purchasing your house. Also, look into what Texas’s foreclosure laws and time frame consists of. By educating yourself, you’ll be better prepared for what lies ahead.

4. Consider selling your house. Parts of Austin are still appreciating in value. Even if your house sits on the market for a few months more that you’d like, at least you’ll be selling it on your terms and not the bank’s. Another benefit could be that your lender likely will suspend foreclosure proceedings once your home is on the market, thus preserving your credit rating.

5. Look into “short sale” or “deed in lieu of foreclosure” options. In a short sale, the lender will take whatever you can get for the house and forgive the rest of the balance owed. A deed in lieu of foreclosure would entail you handing the deed to your home over to the lender voluntarily, in turn the lender would cancel out your remaining debt. This would be less damaging to your credit rating than having your home taken away from you in a foreclosure. Consult a lawyer before entering into either one of these scenarios.

6. Be wary of who you give your money to. Often times companies will approach you offering their services to help counsel you or get you out of your situation for a small fee when in all actuality it should cost you nothing.

7. Look for help from the professionals. The government has set up special departments to help those facing the threat of foreclosure. To get in touch with a credit and housing counselor you can contact a HUD approved counselor or the National Foundation for Credit Counseling for guidance.

8. Get your priorities in order. Getting your house sold should be number one. If the lender sees that you are doing everything in your power to stay out of foreclosure, they may be more inclined to help you.

9. If all else fails, consider filing for personal bankruptcy protection. Consider this the lesser of two evils. By filing for bankruptcy, your credit will still be damaged for a significant amount of time, but you’ll be debt-free and under Chapter 13 bankruptcy you may even be allowed to continue living in your home.

10. Keep a positive attitude. No matter how bad things can get, keeping a positive attitude will help you get through it! 

Information for this blog entry found on http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25347180/page/2/

Swedish based home furnishings store IKEA lives up to its motto with its latest announcement to start carrying solar panels in some of its U.S. and European stores. The Swedish manufacturer plans to invest roughly $75 million in a handful of cleantech startups, focusing on the areas of solar energy, lighting, sustainable materials, energy efficiency, and water conservation. With 270 stores in 35 countries, the idea of “green living” , which has already become a standard in some cities, will hopefully reach a wider spectrum of homeowners. With Austin paving the way as one of the nation’s greenest cities, I wouldn’t be surprised if we started seeing solar panels for sale in our Round Rock IKEA.

Austin area home sales courtesy of Jane Anne Hawthorne of Fidelity National Title

Here’s one list we don’t want to be on.

 I recently read an article claiming Austin has some of the worst congestion in the nation. Inrix, a Washington-based company that collects data from GPS installed in one million automobiles said the worst spots in Austin were at the intersection on I35 & MLK and I35 & Riverside.

A spokesperson for the Texas Department of Transportation stated that the agency doesn’t have any plans to remedy the issues, but that TxDot will look into the situation in the near future.

 Until then, if you can avoid these two areas on I35 at major peak driving times, you may be better off!

The Chamber of Commerce just released the latest market update for our fabulous city…..

• In the past ten years, Austin’s population has increased by 487,000
• 1,000 persons per week are moving into Austin MSA
• By the year 2030, Austin’s MSA population is predicted to be 3.5 million
• Williamson County has increased by 53% since 2004
• Williamson County population is expected to be 1 million by 2030
• 20% of jobs in Austin require a Bachelor’s Degree
• 42% of workers have a Bachelor’s Degree creating approximately 80,000 workers who are underemployed
• Professional/Business Services have added the most jobs in the last 12 months
• Since 2000, Austin MSA has experienced approximately a 14% decline in hi-tech jobs
• Hi-tech compensation has declined 7% since 2000. Private sector wages have increased 6%.
• There are approximately 3000 hi-tech companies within the Austin MSA which comprise 33% of total payroll
• The average income for hi-tech workers is $80,000
• Residential building permits peaked in 2005
• Austin had an average of 4 months inventory of residential properties available for purchase in 2007. In 2008, the number increased to 4.7 months. The national average is 6 months, meaning Austin is below the average in respect to residential inventory.
• Austin is one of the nation’s biggest targets in Venture Capital
• Austin’s MSA population is less than 7% of Texas’ population, but holds 48% of Venture Capital funding in Texas
• 129 companies relocated to Austin since 2004
• 34 companies relocated to Austin from other cities within Texas. California follows in second with 29 companies relocating to Austin, and 17 companies have relocated internationally to Austin

The Chamber’s plan is to bring 72,000 jobs to Austin within the next five years

Below are 10 Earth-friendly ways to help save you a little bit of money:

1. Use efficient lighting - compact fluorescent lights use 70% less energy and last 10x longer than standard bulbs

2. Adjust your thermostat - Set it two degrees higher in the summer and two degrees lower in the winter, and watch your energy use and utility bills decrease

3. Reduce phantom load - 40% of all electricity used by home electronics is consumed while the products are turned off. Unplug chargers and use power strips to turn on/off home entertainment systems.

4. Conserve water indoors and outdoors - It takes a tremendous amount of electricity to treat and pump water. Saving water is one of the most important things you can do to help the environment

5. Plant a tree at home - Trees soak up CO2 and shade your home for lower summer energy needs

6. Drive less - Walk, ride a bike, carpool, take the bus and combine errands when you can

7. Keep your car tuned up - A poorly tuned engine wastes 10-20% of the fuel it uses. Low tire pressure can waste up to 5% of a tank of gas. A clogged air filter can cause a 10% increase in fuel consumption

8. Reduce, reuse, recycle - Create less waste by reusing or recycling items

9. Buy local - Most food is shipped and trucked 1500 miles or more to get to your store and your plate. Locally grown food tastes better too!

10. Talk - Raise awareness and action by talking with your friends, family and co-workers. Tell state and federal leaders you want meaningful climate protection policies now.

Info. courtesy of Austin Energy

Congratulations are in order for three local area high schools.  Westlake High School, Westwood High School and LBJ High School all ranked among the top 100 high schools in the nation according to Newsweek Magazine. Westlake, located in the Eanes school district ranked 52nd, Westwood, located in the Round Rock school district ranked 77th and LBJ High School, located in the Austin school district ranked 95th.

 Rankings are determined by the number of graduating seniors who take and pass certain tests including Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate.

info. courtesy of www.kvue.com

After months of preparation and financing finally in place, construction is set to begin on the upscale mixed-use 37 story project consisting of 165 condo units, a 252-room W Hotel and a 2,480-seat theater that will serve as the new home for Austin City Limits along with a spa and retail space.

The lower level will consist of 47,751 sqft of retail and restaurant space and a House of Blues-style club where the long standing music series Austin City Limits will be filmed. The fourth floor will be home to a full-service fitness center , a 7,000 sqft Bliss spa, two pools and rooftop garden, all accessible to homeowners and hotel guests.

Set for completion in 2011, the W Residences have available for purchase various floorplans ranging from 1 bedroom units to penthouses with prices ranging from the high $400,000s to over $3 million. Although the prices may seem a little steep for the Austin market, what you get for your money is a luxurious lifestyle fit for royalty that only the W can provide.

For more information, feel free to contact me and I will send you available floorplans and all the fabulous amenities offered.

info courtesy of :

www.austin.bizjournals.com
www.block21residences.com
www.urbanaustin.org

Forbes Magazine just ranked Austin the #3 most “recession proof” city in the nation.

The findings were based on the housing market, which continues to stay stable , the unemployment rate, which is estimated to be around 3.6%,  and growth in agriculture, energy and manufacturing. San Antonio, Dallas/Ft. Worth and Houston also made the list.

 In addition to this honor, Austin was also ranked as one of the top 10 of the nation’s “greenest” retirement destinations by U.S. News and World. Factors considered were the number of urban parks and wilderness preserves. Zilker Park in particular was recognized for its mix of recreational and natural settings.

If you’re not living here already, what are you waiting for!

http://www.news8austin.com/content/your_news/?SecID=278&ArID=207646