I’m a strong believer that the first time homebuyer tax credit and move up tax credit has impacted our market in a positive manner. Personally I have seen an increase in business and a good amount is due in part to the added incentives.

The article below is one I read that talks about employment and growth and how it has positively impacted the housing market.

Positive signs on employment and national economic growth should... Full Story

I wasn’t going to attend this year’s parade of homes mainly due to time constraints, but it just so happened on the last day of the parade, I had some free time so Iventured north of the river to check out what all the hype was about and it was well worth it. Though there were only five homes on this year’s parade, each showcased numerous green features... Full Story

It’s that time of year again. Every spring the Travis County Tax Appraisal District conducts property tax appraisals for the current year’s taxable values.Here are a few things you might need to know when you receive your appraisal….

- Verify it’s for the correct property and make sure any exemption your elligible for is included. For example, homestead exemption or over 65, etc.

- If you think the property value is higher that what your... Full Story

With an annual job growth rate projected at 2.3% for this year and a ranking of the 5th fastest growing city in the nation, it comes as very good news that Austin is prospering in these hard times.It was interesting to note as I was reading the article on forbes.com that most of the cities that were ranked high on the list are home to major universities, or are heavily involved in the high- tech... Full Story

It’s been a while since I’ve blogged about anything and the reason is I just recently returned from an amazing trip to Belize.The trip had been a few years in the making but my husband and I finally made the time to go and it was well worth it.

Belize is a great and easy country to travel to. It’s a two and a half hour flight from Houston, English... Full Story

Some might consider this great news, others may think differently. Either way, the article below from the Austin Business Journal shows that our local economy is not suffering as bad as others: 

Austin was the nation’s second-fastest-growing metropolitan area between 2007 and 2008, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The population in the Austin-Round Rock area grew 3.8 percent to 1.65 million between July 2007 and July 2008. Among major U.S. metros, that... Full Story

A recent bizjournal report ranked Austin among the Top 10 growth centers in the nation.

The majority of the top ten fastest growing metropolitan areas began their growth in the ‘90s having continued to prosper, even weathering the latest economic storm. On average, the metro areas saw a growth of at least 13% in population from    2000 – 2007. The study focused on four main factors: population, private sector employment, per capita income and gross metropolitan... Full Story

Sports magazine, Sporting News, recently ranked Austin 31st among the nation’s top sports cities in their latest list, a significant jump from last year’s ranking of 57th.

 Even though we have no professional sports teams, the Round Rock Express, Austin Toros and Austin Aztec help contribute to our gaining popularity as a sports city. This new ranking is also due in part to The University of Texas’s football team which has a 5-0 record this season.... Full Story

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,... Full Story
  Categories : Miscellaneous

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... Full Story