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March 2009

Mar. 29, 2009 - Mortgage Rates Plummet and Hit All Time Low

Following the release of the government's plan to buy toxic debt from banks mortgage rates fell to new all time lows. The 30 year rate fell from 4.98 to 4.85 this week. This is .11 points below the previous all time low of 4.96 that was reached on January 15, 2009. Below are the 7 lowest rates on record for the last 40 years.


1) March 2009 4.85
2) January 2009 4.96
3) February 2009 5.07
4) December 2008 5.19
5) June 2003 5.23
6) March 2004 5.45
7) May 2003 5.48

Looking through the rates we can see we saw some low rates in 2003 and 2004. The last 4 months have been the lowest 4 months on record. Also it's worth noting that since the start of March 30 year rates have dropped by .3 points. Below are the mortgage rates for the major mortgage products for the last few weeks.

Mar 26, 2009
30-yr 4.85 15-yr 4.58 5-yr ARM 4.96 1-yr ARM 4.85

Mar 19, 2009
30-yr 4.98 15-yr 4.61 5-yr ARM 4.98 1-yr ARM 4.91

Mar 12, 2009
30-yr 5.03 15-yr 4.64 5-yr ARM 4.99 1-yr ARM 4.80

Mar 05, 2009
30-yr 5.15 15-yr 4.72 5-yr ARM 5.08 1-yr ARM 4.86

Feb 26, 2009
30-yr 5.07 15-yr 4.68 5-yr ARM 5.06 1-yr ARM 4.81

While the 30 year dropped .13 points this week the 15 year mortgage only dropped .03 points. The difference between the 30 year rate and the 15 year rate is the lowest it has been in the last few months making it not that appealing. The 5 and 1 year arm's dropped a little this week as well. But since both of them are at or above the current rate for the 30 year mortgage they are pretty pointless. I have seen them used in a few cases where the 30 year rates is not available (some condo complexes) but their is no reason to consider them if the 30 year product is available.

We also wanted to look at mortgage payments to see the effects of the new lowered rates. We took today's rates and determined the payment on a 200k mortgage. We also looked at rates from last week and rates from October 16, 2008 when 30 year rates were 6.46.

Mar 26
30-yr 1055.38
15-yr 1538.17
5-yr ARM 1068.75
1-yr ARM 1055.38

Mar 19
30-yr 1071.19
15-yr 1541.25
5-yr ARM 1071.19
1-yr ARM 1062.66

Oct 16
30-yr $1258.87
15-yr $1702.87
5-yr ARM $1217.16
1-yr ARM $1093.28

If we compare rates today to rates from a few months ago we can see a substantial difference. For a 200k loan the payment would be $203.49 less per month or a little over 16 percent less.

Ok so what is our advice for people looking for a home or refinancing. First of all I would lock in rates now. I don't necessarily think rates are about to go up next week. But at the same time there is certainly more of a risk rates will go up substantially than rates will go down much more. Quite frankly there is just not that much room to fall.

So what is going to happen over the next few weeks and the next year? I am not sure what is going to happen over the next few weeks. I would guess that rates would hover around their current levels for a little while to come. Over the next year or two I expect rates to go above 10 percent. The government has poured a significant amount of money into the economy and at some point that is going to cause a significant increase in inflation.


Ki writes regularly about mortgage rates. His site has statistics on Austin Tx real estate along with providing a free mortgage calculator.
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Mar. 29, 2009 - Buying a House During a Recession

Yes, it is a buyers market these days, but a recession can make finding a home and getting a loan a little trickier. Home inventories are down, but so are prices and mortgage rates. Navigating the perks and pitfalls of buying a home in these financially uncertain times can take a little finesse.

While nationwide the median home price is down 16 percent over the last year, that is certainly not the case in Austin. Prices are down a few percentage points from where they were a year ago and houses do sit a little longer on the market. Historically low mortgage rates and other incentives, like the $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers, make this an optimal time to buy a home.

A good place to start is to get your financial house in order, so to speak. How much house can you afford? To be more direct: How much of a monthly mortgage payment can you reasonably afford on your current household income? Determining the price range of a house needs to include how much money you have available for a down payment. An applicant with good credit and cash available for a down payment can get an excellent mortgage rate. It is important to shop around for mortgage rates and lenders. Getting pre-approval for a home loan means a prospective buyer can start the house hunt with knowledge of their limits and confidence about getting a mortgage.

Now it's time to make a list of requirements for a new home. Two stories or one? How many bedrooms? Is a new kitchen important or is a certain school area a must? It's important to have list of basic requirements for a new home. Knowing the price range and having a general area of interest helps to narrow the focus when searching for a new home.

A good place to start the house hunt is looking on the computer. Using the Yahoo! real estate section or realtors.com can help you figure out what's on the market in your price range, and it can also be a preliminary step in finding a realtor. Computer research is a terrific tool for house hunting, but keep in mind seeing a house in person might be a different experience.

The next step is finding a real estate agent. Asking friends and family for recommendations is a good place to start. Doing research on the computer and looking at newspaper real estate ads are also good sources to begin with. Don't be afraid to ask questions and don't feel pressured to settle on the first agent you meet. It is important that you feel comfortable with your real estate agent and feel that he or she is really going to listen to you.

A recession means there are fewer homes on the market, but it also means that sellers are serious about making a sale. Choosing an experienced real estate agent will help you make the most out of your search. Be prepared to spend some time and don't get discouraged if the house of your dreams doesn't materialize on your first day of looking. Keep a notebook handy to jot down notes, keep your list of requirements in mind and be willing to be flexible. But most of all, be assured that you are buying a house at a great time.


Ki maintains a website, which works as a clearinghouse of information on Austin Texas real estate. There, future homeowners can search available Austin homes. Ki also writes a blog about Austin real estate.
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Mar. 29, 2009 - What Are Toxic Assets?

The term "toxic assets" is tossed around quite a bit these days, especially now that the Treasury Department has announced plans to buy up U.S. banks' bad assets to the tune of $1 trillion dollars (more on that in a minute). Terms like toxic assets have become common place, like the terms mortgage meltdown, financial crisis and economic stimulus. But does the American public understand what these toxic assets really are?

Let's say you bought a house for $300,000 dollars and Bank A gave you a mortgage for that house for the full $300,000 at 6 percent interest. There was no down payment, so the only collateral the bank has is the house itself. Shortly after the purchase, your house is appraised for $325,000 and the bank's "asset," a.k.a. your house, has increased in value. Bank A packages together several of these seemingly lucrative assets and sells them to Bank B and Wall Street investors in what are called mortgage-backed securities.

Unfortunately, your house is appraised again a year later for only $255,000. Multiply this scenario millions of times and you have what is known as a bank crisis due to the no longer lucrative mortgage-backed securities. The mortgages backing these securities have lost value and thousands of homeowners are defaulting on these mortgage loans. The bank is left holding the bag, or rather the bad debt. These "assets" are no longer valuable and are "toxic" to the bank, corroding the bank's inherent value and compromising its ability to make loans.

There is nothing the banks can do about all these suddenly less valuable loans, even with most homeowners continuing to make payments. Let's say Bank A sold Bank B a bundle of mortgages that were collectively worth $300 million, made up of 1000 loans just like the no-money-down, $300,000. If all of these loans decreased in value by 15 percent, as in the example, the bank is out $4,500,0000. Again, imagine this on a nearly trillion dollar scale.

According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, "When the banks -- such as Citigroup Inc., Bank of America Corp. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. -- started writing down the value of the securities, they reported billions of dollars of losses. Their capital eroded, and they didn't have the money to make loans. An estimated $2 trillion in bad assets are now on banks' books."

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner's solution to this huge financial fiasco is called the Public-Private Investment Program. In a letter to the Wall Street Journal, Geithner explained, "The Public-Private Investment Program will purchase real-estate related loans from banks and securities from the broader markets. Banks will have the ability to sell pools of loans to dedicated funds, and investors will compete to have the ability to participate in those funds and take advantage of the financing provided by the government."

This apparently made sense to Wall Street and the stock market leaped the day Geithner released the details of his plan. What it boils down to is that the FDIC and the Federal Reserve will make capital available to allow investors to buy up the so called toxic assets, thus getting them off the banks' books. The government will have much greater stake than any private investor. Geithner assures the American public that "the Public-Private Investment Program will ensure that private-sector participants share the risks alongside the taxpayer, and that the taxpayer shares in the profits from these investments."


Ki works as a realtor in the Austin real estate market. His website offers a graphical search of the Austin MLS. He also provides information on Austin real estate and Austin commercial real estate.
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Mar. 29, 2009 - Five Ways To Slash Energy Bills

Lower the temperature of your water heater: The temperature setting can be adjusted on both gas and electric water heaters which can save approximately 3% to 5% for each 10F reduction. Factory settings are typically dialed to 140F; however, the typical household only requires a setting of 120F. A fringe benefit of this change is that lowering the water temperature also slows mineral buildup and corrosion in the water heater and pipes.

Change your light bulbs: Getting rid of standard incandescent bulbs and replacing them with Energy Start qualified CFL light bulbs is an excellent way to reduce energy consumption by lights by approximately 75%. In addition, the bulbs last about 10 times longer than standard light bulbs and can save about $30 or more over the course of the bulb's lifetime. Switching to CFL light bulbs yields excellent savings with minimal investment beyond the standard pricing of light bulbs.
Check your ducts: Regardless of the age of your home, chances are your duct work could use an examination of its sealing. This is especially true for duct work in attics. If you duct work is leaking, you could be wasting hundreds of dollars in lost heating and cooling in your home. If you have ducts that need to be sealed, obtain a referral from an auditor affiliated with NATE (North American Technician Excellence) or certified with the ACCA (Air Conditioning Contractors of America). Using either of these associations will give you the quality craftsmanship and service that is needed for this type of work and will make your investment into this upgrade worth it.

Unplug your appliances: There are several appliances in your home that have a tendency to suck energy even when not in use or powered up. These appliances include televisions, DVD players, digital video recorders (DVRs), printers, fax machines and computers. The best way to go about managing these appliances is to use a power strip. Whenever possible, plug all appliances in an area into the power strip. When you leave the home for the day, simply unplug the power strip, which in turn unplugs all the appliances. This prevents you from having to go around and individually unplug each appliance.

Upgrade your refrigerator: Refrigerators can be very taxing on energy. Upgrading to an Energy Star model requires about half as much energy as standard models, particularly those manufactured prior to 1993. In addition, shop for a refrigerator model that uses a top freezer as opposed to a side by side freezer, which uses about 10 to 15 percent more energy. In addition, a good way to conserve on energy is to avoid features such as through the door ice and water dispensers.


Ki graduated from college in Austin, and couldn't leave. He created a website to provide information on the Austin real estate market to future buyers. His site also allows visitors to search the Austin MLS along with providing information on mortgage interest rates.
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Mar. 23, 2009 - Preparing to Sell Your Home

You have worked hard to maintain your home and ensure that repairs were completed. It's not been that long since everything received a fresh coat of paint and everything else appears to be in good shape ... but is it, really?!

Use the checklist below to ensure that you are ready to sell your home before it ever gets listed on the market.

* Pull out a tablet of paper and a pen. These will be your instruments to identify any repairs or improvements you may have missed.

* You are now going to take a slow and meticulous walkthrough of the exterior of your home, your yard and the exterior of your home.

* Start at the front door. Walk through each room noting chipped paint, dents in doors or walls, that small edge that keeps sagging on the top of the border in your bedroom. Move on to your garage, yard and the exterior of your home.

* Your goal is going to be to look at your home from a buyer's perspective, and to make your home stands out to buyers. You might want to ask a friend to do the walkthrough with you, so that you can get an objective opinion. Take the friend's comments to heart and include them in your list.

* Note that some of the biggest mistakes that sellers make are to leave clutter, evidence of pets in their homes, and smoke odor. Clutter makes rooms appear smaller and, in turn, makes your home appear smaller. Pet and smoke odor detract from the beauty of your home. All three are a big turnoff for potential buyers.

* Don't forget to note dirty windows, chipped paint on trim of doors and window sills, Fido's dirty dog house, dead spots in the yard, etc.

* Next, buy all the supplies necessary to make the repairs or changes that you've identified.

* Get the family involved and make it a weekend project. You could make memories. Everyone will remember how they got that house on so-and-so Street ready for sale.

* Set a date to complete all the repairs and improvements.

* Once all the repairs and improvements are completed, you're ready to find a real estate agent.

* Call up three real estate agencies and ask for their top sellers. Set up an appointment to Interview the top seller from each of the agencies. Ask them specifically what they will do for you - e.g., place ad in local newspaper, place tube in front yard with sales flyers, etc. Do not prompt the sales agents. Let them tell you, then pick the one you are most comfortable will work hard for you.

* The agent you choose will put together a comparative market analysis (CMA). This is a compilation of homes that sold in the area within the last 60-90 days that are comparable to your home's statistics - e.g., # of bedrooms/baths, size, similar amenities. Have your agent provide your copies.

* Work with your agent to sell your home at a competitive price. Keep in mind that if the value of your home exceeds $50k milestones by a couple of thousand, then fall behind the mark a bit. For example, your home's value ends up to be $205,000. You may want to consider $199,500 or $199,750, instead. Or, if the value is something like $375,000, you may want to list the price as $373,200, or in that ballpark. The goal is to make your home appear to be priced much less than it is.

* Finally, in the current competitive market, it's also a good idea to list your home's sale price at a few thousand less than it's actually worth. If you keep this and the previous bullet in mind, it would serve you well to price a $235,000 home at, let's say, $231,875. Your real estate agent can help you with all that.

Ki works, and lives, in Austin, Texas. His website arranges details on the Austin real estate market. Interested persons can perform free searches of the Austin MLS. It also has information on North Austin real estate.
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Mar. 23, 2009 - Will the Last Ones to the Recession Be the Last to Leave?

It seems Texas has arrived to the recession fashionably late, the question now is how long will we stay? The current economic woes began to be felt in some parts of the nation at the end of 2007, the official beginning of this recession. Texas began to feel the squeeze at the end of 2008, a full year later.

Austin in particular has only recently started to feel the economic pain that the rest of the country has been experiencing for the last year. According to a recent Austin-American Statesman article, Texas could cut as much as 296,000 jobs in 2009, particularly in the previously booming sectors like construction and financial services. Analysts predict the state unemployment rate could go up to 8 percent.

Austin was looking recession-proof for most 2008 and the situation is hardly dire at this point, with a 6.4 percent unemployment rate still under the national average. But local economic analyst Angelos Angelou predicts things will get worse and recovery will be slow. "When you look at the stock market, unemployment rates, job growth levels, this economic downturn has put us back 15 or 20 years," he said in the Austin-American Statesman recently. He doesn't believe it will take decades for Austin to be booming again, but it won't be soon.

There was some pleasant news about housing starts, which rose unexpectedly in February. According to the Associated Press, "the Commerce Department said new home construction rose to an annual rate of 583,000 in February from a revised 477,000 in January. Economists forecast construction would drop to a pace of around 450,000 units, according to Thomson Reuters. Building permit applications, a key measure of future activity, also rose unexpectedly."

Some analysts found this news very encouraging and went so far as to hope this could signal "some kind of normalization" in the housing market. Home building has certainly been one of the worst hit industries in this recession and Austin has felt that pain, too. But the Federal Reserve's recent decision to buy up more mortgage backed securities could stimulate lending and get people borrowing again. The Fed's hope is this will lead to more home loans on both existing homes and new home starts.

So where does all of this leave Austin? While jobs are still being created in Texas, the workforce is expanding. Austin is a great place to live and because the city has weathered the recession well so far, people are continuing to move here. This is good news and bad news. In general the continual influx of new residents is good for the housing market. But Austin's dependence on high technology jobs is having an effect on the city's economy.

It is likely that Austin's unemployment rate will continue to rise. Analysts predict companies like Dell, Inc. will continue layoffs through 2009. As companies streamline, Austin's high tech landscape is going to look somewhat different. But new industries are likely to come in and fill the void, particularly in the areas of green technology.




Ki caters to future buyers of Austin real estate. He has a searchable website of Austin homes. His site also has statistics on Austin real estate and Round Rock real estate
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Mar. 23, 2009 - Mortgage Rates Inch Toward All Time Lows

30 year mortgage rates dropped below 5% for the second time this year. It was also the second lowest rates posted by Freddie Mac in the last 40 years (the lowest being 4 weeks ago). Rates hit 4.98 this week close to the all time low of 4.96 that was reached on January 15, 2009. The other major mortgage products also inched down this week with the exception of the 1 Year ARM. The one year ARM rose from 4.80 to 4.91. This is the closest the 1 Year ARM has been to the 30 year mortgage in the last few years. This basically means there is no real reason to consider the 1 year ARM since it doesn't offer much savings compared to the 30 year rate. For now the basic decision is between the 30 year fixed mortgage and the 15 year fixed mortgage. Overall I think this is a positive development. The 5 and 1 year ARM are the cause of many of the current foreclosures. Considering the problems they have caused eliminating their widespread use in the future would be appealing. Below are rates for the major mortgage products for the last few weeks.


Mar 19, 2009
30-yr 4.98 15-yr 4.61 5-yr ARM 4.98 1-yr ARM 4.91

Mar 12, 2009
30-yr 5.03 15-yr 4.64 5-yr ARM 4.99 1-yr ARM 4.80

Mar 05, 2009
30-yr 5.15 15-yr 4.72 5-yr ARM 5.08 1-yr ARM 4.86

Feb 26, 2009
30-yr 5.07 15-yr 4.68 5-yr ARM 5.06 1-yr ARM 4.81

Feb 19, 2009
30-yr 5.04 15-yr 4.68 5-yr ARM 5.04 1-yr ARM 4.80

In addition to rates we also wanted to look at actual mortgage payments. We looked at what the payments would be on a 200k mortgage for the last 2 weeks. We also looked at what payments would be based on the rates from October 16th.

Mar 19
30-yr 1071.19
15-yr 1541.25
5-yr ARM 1071.19
1-yr ARM 1062.66

Mar 12
30-yr 1077.31
15-yr 1544.33
5-yr ARM 1072.42
1-yr ARM 1049.33

Oct 16
30-yr $1258.87
15-yr $1702.87
5-yr ARM $1217.16
1-yr ARM $1093.28

All in all although rates fell below the 5 percent line this week mortgage payments are not all that much lower than they were last week. But if we look back a few months we can see a huge savings when comparing the mortgage one would pay today for a 200k loan compared to October 16th.

So what do we think is going to happen moving forward. The general expectation is that rates are going to move down over the next month. This is mostly due to the government plan to buy up over a trillion dollars of bad debt from banks. Rates should probably fall down to 4.5 to 4.75 this week. But, once the economy recovers rates could rise above 10% due to the massive amount of money that has been pushed into the economy during the recession. It's perfectly possible in one year we are going to see the lowest and highest mortgage rates in the last 20 years.


Ki works as a realtor in Austin Texas. This site is a resource on Austin Texas real estate. He also has information on mortgage interest rates and mortgage calculator code on his website.
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Mar. 23, 2009 - Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum in Austin

One of the most interesting and beautiful places to visit in the Austin area is called Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum, which is located near Zilker Park on Robert E. Lee in southwest-central Austin, across from the softball fields and Barton Springs. Umlauf Garden and Museum was named for contemporary sculptor Charles Umlauf, and the museum features his sculptures as well as the works of other local artists, some of whom studied under Umlauf at the University of Texas, where Umlauf taught.

The sculpture garden and museum hosts a very popular yearly fundraising event called the Garden Party, and this event is held shortly after Easter every year. This year, the 11th year for this gala and party, the event will take place on April 23rd, and many local restaurants, clubs, vineyards, artists, and other merchants will display their wares during this event at booths spread about the grounds, and a silent auction will be held as the evening progresses.

For the past three years, a series of architectural lectures has also been held at the facility, and this year's opening architectural lecture features Michael Antenora, a local architect with Antenora Architects. The lecture begins at dusk, and a five dollar fee is charged for admission except to Umlauf members, who gain free admission to the series with the cost of their membership.

Many of the facilities on the property, such as the gardens, are available for rental, the proceeds of which go to cover costs of maintaining the facility and grounds, and many weddings, receptions, parties and other gala events are regularly held at the museum and gardens throughout the year, especially in the spring.

The museum is also open for visiting and tours Wednesday through Friday from 10:00am until 4:30pm, and 1:00pm through 4:30pm Saturday and Sunday, and the museum is a popular attraction for local schools and church groups, as well as various other clubs and organizations. Another attraction this spring is a collection and show of Umlauf's early works, narrated and discussed by Umlauf's son Karl Umlauf, which is being held at the museum January through April of 2009.

This year's 11th annual Garden Party, the most exciting attraction at Umlauf, will feature the Nash Hernandez Orchestra again, and works of featured artist Kyle Bunting will be displayed, among others. Damian Priour has been named honorary chairman for the event this year, and in addition to the silent auction, a celebrity seed auction will be held, during which terra cotta pots and small garden and plant containers will be made or decorated by local well-known celebrities, such as local seed artist Beth Thom, who has been featured for the last three years.

During the silent auction, numerous eclectic gifts, creations, art, jewelry, wines, meals, and other services from local merchants will be auctioned off, and the proceeds will benefit all of the many educational programs sponsored by Umlauf Gardens and Museum.

Some of the restaurant sponsors for the Garden Party include Hudson's on the Bend, Moonshine, Cool River Cafe, and Green Pastures, among others, and vendors will have samples of the tasty menu specialties of these restaurants available to patrons of the garden party for a nominal fee.

Attendees can choose between the wares of various restaurants from the many booths, stands and vendors situated along the tree and foliage encircled paths which meander throughout the grounds. Drinks are also available from outlets along the paths including choices of refreshments such as local wines and beer, and other beverages, with wine being provided by local liquor company Twin Liquors. A dance floor will be set up in front of the stage and orchestra, and dancing is usually a popular activity during the event, along with schmoozing with the local cognoscenti.

Other events this year at Umlauf include a Saturday afternoon sculpting workshop for kids interested in the art form, and during the school break a summer camp is held in two sessions for children interested in art and sculpture. The summer camp includes field trips, materials, and snacks, for a reasonable fee. In the fall, the Autumn lecture series begins, with another series of lectures by local architects.

Umlauf Gardens offers something for everyone, and with its natural beauty and majestic art, the facility is an ideal location for your next event or just to visit, so the next time you are in the Barton Springs area, be sure to explore the many wonders that Umlauf Garden and Museum has to offer!



Ki lives in the Austin area, where he enjoys biking the hill country. His website compiles information on Austin Texas real estate. It also has a search of the Austin MLS and a blog covering Austin real estate.
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Mar. 20, 2009 - Tips on Planning a Vacation during Hard Economic Times

Summer is quickly approaching and school will soon be out. Many families are trying to find an affordable vacation or decide if they can afford a vacation.

Just because our economy is slipping does not mean your family will have to go without a family vacation this year. Here are a few tips and ideas to get your family on the road again.

Walt Disney World is a great vacation spot, especially if your family has children. Vacation packages start for around $1,300 for a 4 day, 3 night stay. It equals to spending about $82.00 a day per person. There are other options and packages with more days and nights.

Cruise ships are also a very affordable way to take a vacation. Carnival cruise line has ships leaving Galveston. There are many options available. Vacationers have the option of choosing how many nights they want to cruise and what destinations and ports of call they want to visit. Many cruises start at around $300.00 per person and food is included with the price. There are many packages to choose from, so the best way to plan your cruise is to find a website and review all the options available.

If your family likes the outdoors, camping can be a fun vacation. There are many state parks in Texas or the United States to visit. If you have a camper, it is inexpensive to stay. For usually around $35.00 you can find a camp site. There are hiking trails, canoe rentals, bird watching, swimming and many other activities to do in the great outdoors.

All inclusive vacations have become popular for families as well. Sandals Resorts always have great deals available. Families can choose how many nights and have a selection of different beaches or choose a vacation that includes several beaches. Everything is included in the price, from hotel rooms, food, drinks even the tips for waiters is included in the price. Prices can be as low as $200.00 per person to $500.00 per person, depending on the package you choose.

If your family is the adventurous type, why not try something different and take a "treasure hunting" vacation. These types of vacations can range from metal detecting to panning for gold or digging for emeralds! Many of these unique spots allow you to pay for an entire day. You may have to bring your own tools, like a metal detector. If you want to pan for gold or dig for emeralds, many of the tools you need are available on the spot. There are many places to treasure hunt, you just need to research and find what interests you and your family. Many locations have restaurants and hotels near by; and they also have gift shops and have specialists who can create your find into a beautiful piece of jewelry or just polish it up for you.

There are many ways to entertain your family this summer. Don't let money stand in your way of a good time!


All available Austin real estate is listed on Ki's website. Potential residents can search available Austin homes in the Austin MLS for free along with looking at current mortgage rates.
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Mar. 20, 2009 - St. Patrick's Day in Austin

Austin has a plethora of Irish-themed restaurants and pubs, and the yearly St. Patrick's Day celebrations at most of them are sure to bring a twinkle to your eye and a bounce to your step!

Fado and Mother Egan's are two popular Irish pubs that promise authentic cuisine and various other Irish-themed drinks, foods, and activities for the yearly celebration of all things green. Fado is planning an outdoor extravaganza, with live music and contests, and both clubs are on or near 6th Street in the downtown entertainment district. Both entertained large crowds last year, and promise more of the same this year.

Another popular choice for St. Paddy's are both of the Opal Divine Freehouse franchises, one of which is on 6th Street and the other at Penn Field off South Congress Avenue. Both are planning festivities, including Irish live music, for the holiday, along with a third location on the lake.

An Austin tradition for many years that also caters to those from across the pond is the Dog and Duck Pub on Guadalupe, where a game of darts can be enjoyed with a pint of ale. The Dog and Duck is located on the southern edge of the University of Texas campus, just north of downtown, and the pub specializes in pub grub with an Irish twist. The pub also boasts a patio for outdoor drinking, eating, schmoozing, talking, and laughing, and music is planned for the day as well. The Dog and Duck is a favorite meeting place for political discussions and meetings of numerous campus organizations, among others. This year marks the 19th anniversary of St. Patrick's Day festivities at the Dog and Duck, and a great musical lineup is on tap this year again.

Two more possibilities for those hoping to celebrate in an Irish atmosphere include Bennigan's, located just south of the river on Barton Springs, and which has a planned Blarney Blast to celebrate the day, and B.D. Riley's, a locally owned downtown pub on Brazos at 6th Street that advertises live music on a regular basis. B.D. Riley's is a historic structure decorated with many authentic Irish accents, and an Irish tune session is held every Sunday with no cover charge. B.D. Riley's will also host a few SXSW events around the same time as St. Paddy's Day, so expect many surprise appearances by local as well as national performers.

In addition to St. Patrick's Day celebrations, March 17th is also the feast day of St. Gertrude, the patron saint of cats, so the mix of these two holiday themes will be sure to provide lots of entertainment to participants in the many planned contests and other trivia games and activities being held at these venues, as well as most of the clubs and restaurants in the entertainment district downtown and in the warehouse district, as well as other areas of Austin.

Austin also has many stores, shops, and galleries that cater to a Celtic crowd, and many of these stores are advertising specials for the holiday period, so join the leprechauns and other Irish folk and take advantage of these sales by stocking up on Irish memorabilia and foods and host your own event, replete with green beer!!

Many such private parties round out St. Patrick's Day in the Austin area, as well as events on the lake and other parks, and 6th Street is expecting its usual big crowds of revelers for the holiday, so pick out something green to wear, and start making plans for this yearly event, because it is just around the corner, and before you know it, it will be over!

Ki caters to the Austin real estate market. He provides a free searchable database of the Austin MLS on his website. There, future buyers can obtain information about Austin real estate along with information on mortgage interest rates
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Mar. 20, 2009 - National Economy: Is It All About Perception?

CNN's Ali Velshi and Erica Fink recently did a comparison of what they considered to be five key measures of the economy. Using what they call the "CNN Real Feel Economic Index," they looked at jobs, personal income, personal savings, industrial production, and home prices.

According to Velshi and Fink, "the U.S. economy, more so than other worldwide economies, is dependent on spending decisions made by consumers. Consumer behavior drives spending habits, spending habits drive corporate profitability, and corporate profitability drives the stock market."

Looking at this interconnectedness, they wanted to see if the consumer's perception matched the reality of the U.S. economic situation. Charting their five indicators on a scale of 0 (the worse) to 10 (the best) to see how the indicators have changed since 1980, they wanted to see if all the "fears and concerns are justified." Their ratings of the current situation were as follows:

Jobs: 4.6 - The worst was in November 1982 with an unemployment rate of 10.8% and the best was in April of 2000 with an unemployment rate was 3.8%. The current national unemployment rate is around 7.6%.

Personal Income: 3.2 - "Pew Charitable Trusts' Economic Mobility Project found that looking at the period 1974 to 2004, salaries actually went down 12 percent, from $40,210 to $35,010 (in inflation-adjusted dollars)."

Personal Savings: 3.3 - Economists fear that although the saving rate has gone up in the last few months to 3.6%, it is not because Americans are earning more. It appears that most Americans are hunkering down and spending less. The highest savings rate was in 1981 at 12.2%.

Industrial Production: 0 - The harsh score for this indicator of what the U.S. produces in tangible goods is due largely to the troubles facing the Big Three automakers.

Home Prices: 0 - This other harsh rating is due to the 6% annual drop in home prices, the biggest drop in the history of the index going back to 1975.

Obviously Velshi and Fink paint a grim picture. The numbers don't look good and the bad news continues to dominate the headlines. This week began with the stock market dipping into the lowest numbers since 1997. But the CNN correspondents also point out that the unemployment rate during the Great Depression was 24% and fortunately America is far from that number. They also point out that the plunge in home prices is largely due to the unprecedented rise in home values over the last five years.

Austin-American Statesman financial columnist Scott Burns recently challenged that things aren't as bad as the numbers indicate. He used the comparison of wealth and income. While he concedes many Americans have seen their wealth decline, their actual standard of living may not be as compromised as they think. While many Americans find themselves "upside down" in their home value, he doubts the average American's standard of living has dropped by 20 percent.

He uses retirees as an example of how the balance sheet looks bad, but their actual day-to-day living circumstances remain mostly unchanged. "...before you allow fear to run free, check the income that supports your actual standard of living."


Ki works, and lives, in Austin Texas. His website has thorough descriptions of Austin real estate. The site also presents a graphical search of the Austin MLS along with a free mortgage calculator.
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Mar. 14, 2009 - How to Buy a Home Without a Down Payment

There's an old television program that aired in the 1960's called Hogan's Heroes. Sgt. Schultz (John Banner) was one of the main characters. His constant exclamation throughout his tenure on this show was, "I know nothing!" Is that where you are in regards to how to buy a home without a down payment? If so, you are about to become educated.

Believe it or not, if you have decent credit - and sometimes even if you don't! - you have alternatives as to how to purchase a home without a down payment. Look at the following examples:

* VA Foreclosure Loans - What's unique about these loans is that anyone can buy a VA foreclosed home with no-money down. You can find VA foreclosures through local real estate listing agencies, typically members of Multiple Listing Service (MLS). You can also do a search on the Internet for VA home foreclosures. You'll find plenty. VA sells their own repossessed homes. If you are not a veteran or on active duty, however, you won't be able to get a VA loan. Instead, you'll be required to obtain your own conventional or FHA financing. Still, there is no down payment required.

* Owner Financing - owner agrees to be your mortgage holder. You reach an agreed-upon price with the property owner. A legally binding agreement is drawn up that includes everything a mortgage loan would include as far as price, duration of loan, interest rate and loan payments. The property owner accepts payments from you just like a bank or mortgage company would for a traditional loan. You are considered the owner of the home, since your name is on the title/deed, along with the mortgage holder as the lien holder.

* Assume a Mortgage - Some owners are having a very difficult time selling their homes due to the mortgage crisis. Many are willing to allow a buyer to assume their mortgage in order to get it sold. This allows them to get out of the mortgage to a certain extent and purchase another home. Of course, there are requirements that the buyer must meet before the mortgage company will allow the assumption. In order to assume a home loan you must qualify for the loan and pay closing costs.

* Lease/Purchase - This has been a popular one for years. You find property you are interested in not only renting, but buying. Sometimes property will be advertised as such. There are various approaches to this option.

* Owner agrees to accept all rent payments over a specified time period in exchange for a down payment. At the end of the specified time period you will have to obtain your own loan to pay for the remaining agreed-upon sale price of the property.

* Owner agrees to accept part of the rent payment over a specified time period in exchange for a down payment. At the end of the specified time period you will have to obtain your own loan for the remaining agree-upon sale price of the property.

* Owner agrees to lease the home to you at a discounted rate, and you agree to obtain a loan to buy the home at a specific price within a specific timeframe. The agreed upon price is typically more than if you were paying the market amount for rental.

Ki's real estate business is located in central Texas. His website provides future home buyers with a free graphical search of the Austin MLS. It gives comprehensive information on Austin real estate along with a free mortgage calculator.
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Mar. 14, 2009 - Mortgage Rates Back Down to Historical Lows

30 Year Mortgage Rates dropped from 5.15 to 5.03. With the exception of the weeks of January 8th, 2009 and January 15th 2009 this is the lowest rates have been in over 40 years. The other 3 major mortgage products dropped as well with 15 year arms moving down from 4.72 to 4.64, 5 year arms going from 5.08 to 4.99 and 1 year arms moving from 4.86 to 4.80. Although the 5 year arm has moved below the 30 year fixed for the last few weeks there is still no real reason to get a 5 year arm at 4.99 when you can lock in for 30 years at 5.03 at historically low rates. Below are mortgage rates for the four major products for the last few weeks.

Mar 12, 2009
30-yr 5.03 15-yr 4.64 5-yr ARM 4.99 1-yr ARM 4.80

Mar 05, 2009
30-yr 5.15 15-yr 4.72 5-yr ARM 5.08 1-yr ARM 4.86

Feb 26, 2009
30-yr 5.07 15-yr 4.68 5-yr ARM 5.06 1-yr ARM 4.81

Feb 19, 2009
30-yr 5.04 15-yr 4.68 5-yr ARM 5.04 1-yr ARM 4.80

Feb 12, 2009
30-yr 5.16 15-yr 4.81 5-yr ARM 5.23 1-yr ARM 4.94

So we also wanted to look at mortgage payments. We took today's rates and translated them into the payment on a 200k loan. We also translated the rates from January 15th, which was the lowest rates we have seen, and from October 16th which is the highest rates we have seen in the last few months.

Mar 12
30-yr 1077.31
15-yr 1544.33
5-yr ARM 1072.42
1-yr ARM 1049.33

Jan 15
30-yr $1068.75
15-yr $1545.36
5-yr ARM $1104.4
1-yr ARM $1060.23

Oct 16
30-yr $1258.87
15-yr $1702.87
5-yr ARM $1217.16
1-yr ARM $1093.28

Looking above its obvious anyway getting a loan today didn't lose out all that much by not catching rates at their absolute lows on January 15th. Payments for a 200k 30 year mortgage today are less than $10 dollar more a month. But their are substantial savings compared to what we saw a few months ago. Payments would be $181.56 less today compared to getting a 200k loan on October 16th.

That relates to our next point of where mortgage rates are going. I can't say for certain what they are going to do over the next 2 months. I would guess as long as the economy stays weak they are not going to move around too much. Mostly likely they will hover between 4.5 and 5.5. Basically they can't fall too much considering they are already abnormally low. And as long as the economy stays down I don't see them rising too much.

But once the economy recovers most people expect that rates will rise. Some have speculated that rates could jump up to 12-15 percent. Basically so much money has been poured into the economy during the recession to stop things from getting worse. Normally that would cause inflation. But the weak economy has kept inflation in check. When the economy finally does recover the billions poured into the financial system by the government will lead to high inflation which will in turn lead to high mortgage rates.


Ki writes updates on mortgage rates. His site has information on Austin Tx real estate along with a tool that graphs mortgage interest rates.
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Mar. 14, 2009 - Getting an Earful about Earmarks

President Obama signed the $410 billion federal budget this week, calling the bill "imperfect" for the billions in earmarks it included. Earmarks, those expensive pet-projects of lawmakers that get tucked into big bills, are something Obama promised to do away with during his campaign for the presidency.

"I am signing an imperfect omnibus bill because it's necessary for the ongoing functions of government," Obama acknowledged in a recent press conference. "But I also view this as a departure point for more far-reaching change."

Administration officials indicated that the change would come in scrutinizing future legislation. As earmarks became center stage during the 2008 campaign for both Republicans and Democrats, reforms had already begun on the process of making earmarks and who sponsors them public.

House Democrats took that reform even further this week, outlining steps to be taken by the House Appropriations Committee. Every earmark will have to be submitted to the appropriate executive branch user for a review. Earmarks designed to benefit for-profit companies would have to be awarded through competitive bidding.

President Obama also promises to bring back the rarely used process by which the president can cut spending from bills that he has signed into law. This process is called rescissions and allows the president to send Congress a list of spending cuts to be considered. Congress can ignore the list, but the hope is that it will be a jumping off point for controlling earmark spending.

But for now there is a new budget that included nearly 8000 earmarks. The Associated Press listed some of those pet programs as a 1.2 million program to provide eye care to poor students through Helen Keller International and a $485,000 boarding school for native students in Alaska. All together the earmarks were more than $12 billion of the $410 billion budget.

The budget itself represented a nearly 8% increase in spending for 2009. Adding to the billions already being spent through the previously approved economic stimulus package, the budget breaks down as follows:

$152.3 billion Labor/Health/Education
$57.7 billion Commerce/Justice
$54.9 billion Transportation/Housing and Urban Development
$36.6 billion State/Foreign Operations
$33.3 billion Engery and Water
$27.6 billion Interior/Environment
$22.7 billion Financial Services
$20.5 billion Agriculture
$4.4 billion Legislative Branch

This huge 1,132-page bill is really nine spending bills that fund the annual operating budgets of every Cabinet department except Defense, Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs. It includes aid to foreign countries and increases in aid to the poor and spending on energy. This is actually a budget started under President George W. Bush, but failed to be signed into law as both parties avoided the election year budget battle.

Texas Senators, Republicans Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn, expressed their disappointment in the bill, citing excessive spending. Both senators said the bill was out of step with the needs of the American people and represented unprecedented levels of government spending. The budget did not sail smoothly through either house of Congress, with members of both parties voting against it. One of the most vocal was former presidential candidate, Senator John McCain, who has always taken a strong stand against earmarks.


Ki lives in central Texas and works in the Austin real estate market. His site provides potential homebuyers a search of the Austin MLS. He also provides detailed information about Austin real estate and Barton Creek real estate on his site.
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Mar. 14, 2009 - Gardening Care and Tips

With spring just around the corner, many Texans will be getting spring fever and will begin to til the land preparing for a garden. Having a garden is not only fun, it can be handy during hard economic times.

Growing your own vegetables and fruits not only cost less, but they taste much better than what you can buy in the grocery store.

You cannot have a successful garden unless you know when to plant and what to plant. Many gardeners begin planting in late March. The average last frost day in central Texas is March 15. To be safe, most people wait until the end of March to plant.

Not sure what to plant? Here is a list of a few vegetables that can be planted in late March.
* Broccoli.
* Chard
* Collards
* leaf lettuce
* mustard
It is important to follow planting directions when planting vegetables to get the best results.

Here are a few vegetables that can be planted in late March
* cantaloupe (it is important to make little mounds of dirt, plant several seeds at once)
* Corn (when planting corn, do not plant too close together. Planting corn too closely will result in missing kernels and smaller ears)
* Cucumber (make sure you have plenty of space in your garden, cucumbers like space. It is also good if you install a trellis for them to climb when they begin to grow)
* eggplant
* black-eyed peas
* summer squash
* Watermelon (sow watermelon seeds in hills or rows. Sow three to four seeds per hill, spacing the eight to ten feet apart)

Where you plant your garden is just as important as how you plant your garden. Make sure you have plenty of sunshine and water your garden regularly. If you decide to use a pesticide in your garden, try to choose something that is natural and not toxic to the ground. Remember, you will be consuming what you plant and what you fertilize with.

Don't get discouraged if your gardening is limited to insufficient space or poor soil conditions. There is an easy solution this problem. Try planting your vegetables in containers. Any vegetable that can be grown in the grown can most likely be grown in a container.

Just about any container will work. Make sure they are large enough for the type of vegetable you are planting. Tomatoes, eggplants, lettuce and peppers do especially well in containers.

Before you plant in containers, be sure to drill holes in the bottom of the container for drainage. Next, it is best to place a layer of course gravel on the bottom to help with proper drainage. Another great thing about container gardening is you can choose the soil you want to use, unlike ground gardening where you have to use what is available.

No matter where you live or how you choose to plant a garden, have fun and be creative with your projects. Not only are you helping your family and health, but you are also helping the environment!


Ki runs a website on Austin Texas real estate. His website provides a free Austin home search along with a statistics blog on Austin real estate.
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Mar. 9, 2009 - What Does Bank Nationalization Mean?

There has been talk in recent weeks about the possibility of the U.S. government nationalizing some struggling banks, like Bank of America or Citigroup. While Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has said that is not the government's plan, political pundits and economic analysts aren't so sure.

As Bernanke faced the House Financial Services Committee in a recent hearing, he told Congress that nationalization "is when the government seizes the bank and zeros out the shareholders and begins to manage and run the bank. And, we don't plan anything like that." Yet American taxpayers are about to become the biggest single shareholders of Citigroup.

As the Obama administration prepares to put banks through a so-called "stress test," the end result could be a greater government stake in several banks. If a stress test reveals that a bank needs more capital to function properly, the government will step in to help. One form of that help could be converting preferred shares to common shares owned by the government. So, what is the difference between this and nationalizing banks?

Many economists have pointed to what is called the "Sweden Solution" as a model for bank nationalization. In the 1990s, banks in Sweden faced a similar crisis of toxic debt until the government swooped in and forced the banks to write down their bad debt. The government gave the banks money under rather strident conditions and eventually profited from their equity stakes in the banks.

The difference between the U.S. bank bailout currently underway and what took place in Sweden over a decade ago may be a matter of semantics. The latest term being bandied about is "zombie banks." A zombie bank is one that is more or less bankrupt, unable to cover their debts, and is essentially being kept alive by the government. Bernanke has said that he does not know of any zombie banks in the U.S. at this time. Many analysts, like New York Times columnist and Nobel Prize winner Paul Krugman, would argue that AIG is a perfect example of a zombie financial institution.

As Krugman said in a column this week, "So why has this zombie idea -- it keeps being killed, but it keeps coming back -- taken such a powerful grip? The answer, I fear, is that officials still aren't willing to face the facts. They don't want to face up to the dire state of major financial institutions because it's very hard to rescue an essentially insolvent bank without, at least temporarily, taking it over. And temporary nationalization is still, apparently, considered unthinkable."

Even Alan Greenspan, the former Federal Reserve chairman, has said that it's possible a temporary nationalization of some U.S. banks may be necessary. Proponents of nationalizing some of the big banks, like Krugman, make it sound very straightforward. He uses the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, which has had to seize hundreds of insolvent small banks. "When the F.D.I.C. seizes a bank, it takes over the bank's bad assets, pays off some of its debt, and resells the cleaned-up institution to private investors. And that's exactly what advocates of temporary nationalization want to see happen."

Unfortunately, few things are straightforward or easily resolved when it comes to the current economic crisis.


Ki graduated from the University of Texas in Austin. He maintains a website detailing Austin real estate. The site allows future home buyers to search for Austin homes in the Austin MLS. His site also has provides a free mortgage calculator.
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Mar. 9, 2009 - Mortgage Rates Move Up Slightly

Mortgage Rates moved up slightly this week. The 30 year rate moved up the most going from 5.07 to 5.15. The other three major mortgage products (15 year fixed, 5 year ARM and 1 year ARM) all moved up less the .05 points. What is interesting is this makes the other mortgage products all more viable. For the last few months it seemed that the 30 year mortgage was the only product worth considering. While that still remains the case the 5 and 1 year ARMs are moving closer to being relevant. The 15 year fixed mortgage is a pretty attractive option at 4.72. This is .43 points lower than the 30 year mortgage. A month ago it was .33 points less than the 30 year mortgage.

The 5 year ARM is now 5.08 so while the difference between it and the 30 year doesn't make it an attractive option we might start seeing some activity again with the 5 year arm if the difference grows to over .3 points. Personally with interest rates this low I would not consider the 5 year ARM unless the difference between it and the 30 year mortgage was greater than .6 points. It's simply too attractive to lock in for a long period of time with historically low rates. Below are rates on the major mortgage products from February 5 to March 5.


Mar 05, 2009
30-yr 5.15 15-yr 4.72 5-yr ARM 5.08 1-yr ARM 4.86

Feb 26, 2009
30-yr 5.07 15-yr 4.68 5-yr ARM 5.06 1-yr ARM 4.81

Feb 19, 2009
30-yr 5.04 15-yr 4.68 5-yr ARM 5.04 1-yr ARM 4.80

Feb 12, 2009
30-yr 5.16 15-yr 4.81 5-yr ARM 5.23 1-yr ARM 4.94

Feb 05, 2009
30-yr 5.25 15-yr 4.92 5-yr ARM 5.26 1-yr ARM 4.92

In addition to rates let's look at mortgage payments. We took today's rates and translated them into mortgage payments for a 200k loan. We also translated rates from February 5th and February 26th. As we can see after falling rapidly rates and their corresponding mortgage payments for the last month have remained pretty steady.

Mar 05
30-yr 1092.05
15-yr 1552.56
5-yr ARM 1083.44
1-yr ARM 1056.59

Feb 26
30-yr 1082.21
15-yr 1548.44
5-yr ARM 1080.98
1-yr ARM 1050.53

Feb 05
30-yr 1104.4
15-yr 1573.26
5-yr ARM 1105.64
1-yr ARM 1063.88

So what is going to happen over the next month and the next 2 years? The second question is easier. I expect over the next two years that mortgage rates will rise. It's hard to know how much they will rise but some people expect mortgage rates to jump to 10-13 percent. It's a little harder to determine what rates are going to do over the next month. It seems that unless the economy makes an unexpected recover the 30 year rate will stay below 5.5. The last question is what the government will do. There have been plans for the government to unveil a 4.5 interest rate for new home buyers. But we will have to wait to see if that program will come out and what kind of restrictions will be attached to the 4.5 interest rate.


Ki works in Austin Texas. His site has information about historical mortgage rates. In addition it provies statistics on Austin Tx real estate along with a free Austin home search.
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Mar. 9, 2009 - Add Curb Appeal to Your Home

Believe it or not, the first thing a potential buyer looks at in a home is the outside. If they do not like what they see, more than likely they are not going to consider looking on the inside or even purchasing the home.

Most buyers cannot or will not visualize changes, so it is up to the home owner to make these changes. If a potential home buyer does want to make changes, then they sometimes want you to lower the price of the home to compensate for the changes made to the home.

There are some things home owners can do to add curb appeal to the home.
* Install a new front door, something with an attractive glass.
* Put a fresh coat of paint on the home.
* If the garage faces the road, replace the old door, or apply a fresh coat of paint.

Home owners can also add curb appeal to the home by adding some lighting.
* Add low voltage down the driveway and sidewalks
* Add an attractive porch light
* Strategically place outdoor lighting in flower beds and under windows to show off the home at night

A homes lawn is important to curb appeal. Potential buyers will not want a home with an unattended lawn. Plant flowers in the flower beds, and be sure to plant some with colorful blooms. The lawns should be well attended with no brown or bare spots. Having pets in the yard can also damage the lawn; especially if they dig holes. Make sure all limbs are cleaned up. When a home is being shown, be sure to put all water hoses, toys and lawn furniture away.

It is also important to keep trees neatly trimmed. Don't let limbs hang too low to the ground or scrape on the roof of the home.

There are other important things to look at when adding curb appeal to your home.
* Make sure the driveway does not have cracks or oil stains.
* Driveways should be clutter free.
* Depressions in the driveway should be repaired.
Another way to add curb appeal and value to your home is to add concrete curbing and landscape curbing. Basically all this is doing is adding some concrete edging along your curb or around flowerbeds. You can add curbing around just about anything, just be sure not to over do the curbing, adding too much to your landscape can make the lawn appear cluttered.

Making your home feel like home is an important step in adding curb appeal. Decorate for the season; add wreaths, pumpkins, whatever the season is, spice it up.

If painting your home is out of your budget, there are a few things that can be done that will add to your home. Try replacing door hardware, house and mailbox numbers with new ones. Instead of paining the entire home try repainting the shutters and trim. Adding some new bright color to the front door can brighten up the home as well.


Ki's website brings a free search of the Austin MLS for future homebuyers. Additionally, there is detailed information about Austin real estate and Cedar Park real estate. He works, and lives, in Austin, Texas.
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Mar. 9, 2009 - How to Stay Positive in Tough Times

With the global economy struggling to stabilize and millions of people losing their jobs, the overall outlook of many Americans and people around the world has taken a bit of a nose dive. This isn't surprising, as loss of income obviously leads to increased stress, which can cause a whole host of mental, emotional, relational and even physical problems, from fatigue and malnutrition to marital strife and depression. But these kinds of problems can be avoided the key is, it's all about attitude.

In these difficult times, it's important to stay positive, and keep a glass is half full mentality. This is true across the board, whether you've lost your job or not. In fact, employers looking to cut costs are more likely to let go of employees who don't bring positivity and energy to the workplace now, more than ever, companies need leaders, even cheerleaders, to keep up morale and prevent further losses. So don't let your spouse's job loss or news of pay cuts or other setbacks effect your work attitude power through, and show your employer just how much they need you, and what a leader you can be to those who are struggling around you.

If you have lost your job, it's very common to feel helpless and even depressed. This is normal, but it's important that you don't let these feelings affect your efforts to find a new source of income. Letting yourself spiral into a state of depression will only make it harder to get back on top. Instead, hit the ground running and start a new job search right away. Revise your resume, re-evaluate your priorities, and keep your chin up!

Of course, staying positive in tough times isn't always easy, but there are things you can do to make it easier on yourself. First, cut extraneous costs. If you've lost some or all of your income, take a long hard look at your monthly spending and cut everything you don't need: fancy cable, high-tech cell phone service, regular salon appointments, eating out, unnecessary shopping, etc. It's better to do without than to sink yourself into debt. Simplification is a great way to relieve stress and pressure, and to really reevaluate what matters and what doesn't. News flash: things won't make you happy. It's people, relationships, friendships, that really matter, and the sooner you learn to focus on this and forget all the "stuff" that the media, commercials and everyone else says you need.

If you find yourself struggling to stay positive, another way to help remove some of the stress is to stop watching the news. The highly alarmist, ratings-driven nature of the modern media has made it less reliable and more sensational. Turn the TV off and just browse headlines online to see what's going on in the world. No need to listen to whatever issue the media has decided to panic about today they will move on to a new one soon enough, and frankly, you don't need the added stress. Finally, remember the old saying, "laughter is the best medicine" it's a clich for a reason.


Ki has lived and worked in Austin, Texas for over 10 years. He works with buyers in the Austin real estate market. He website has comprehensive information on Austin real estate and Round Rock real estate. His website offers a free graphical search of the Austin MLS.
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Mar. 4, 2009 - Walkable Neighborhoods in Austin

What makes a neighborhood walkable? Streets and roads that are accessible for everyone; and have wheelchair ramps, lots of benches with shade and sidewalks on all streets.

Walkable neighborhoods have well designed streets that everyone can use, including bicyclists, pedestrians of all ages and abilities, people getting on and off transit vehicles.

Another thing to look for in walkable neighborhoods are well connected streets that improve traffic and provide many routes to any destination.

Austin has many walkable neighborhoods. These neighborhoods are easy to get around in, and have many amenities that pedestrians can access very easily.

Downtown Austin is our number one walkable neighborhood. Downtown scored a 92 out of a possible 100. The neighborhood has grocery stores such as Whole Foods, several convenient stores. There are also many restaurants, coffee shops, entertainment and parks for citizens to enjoy.

University Of Texas and West University both came in at second, with a score of 87. The University Of Texas is walkable for the students who live on or near campus. Living here makes it easy for students and visitors to be car free and still be able to get around campus and surrounding areas easily.
West University is a neighborhood just west of UT. Students, professors and many others make their home in this small Heritage neighborhood. It is just a short walk to the university, and the streets are lined with trees. Most of the homes in this neighborhood date back to the 1910's and 1920's, making it a nice scenic walk.

North University came in with a score of 83. This neighborhood is in central Austin. Residents have many places to walk in this old neighborhood. One of the most famous places is Trudy's Restaurant, Spider House Cafe and JP's Java, along with the 37th street lighting spectacular during Christmas.

Old West Austin and Bouldin Creek also scored a walkable score of 83. Old West Austin neighborhood has lots of history and plenty of landmarks. The streets are lined with shade trees and the neighborhood has Bed and Breakfast's for visitors. Old West Austin was named one of the 10 best neighborhoods in Austin in 2007. This neighborhood is enjoyable, safe and desirable. Residents of this neighborhood participate in keeping this neighborhood strong and preserving its roots. Chain stores are basically nonexistent in Old West Austin; instead visitors can find specialty shops, restaurants and schools.

Bouldin Creek is a neighborhood that is filled with apartments, homes and mom and pop shops. Running through the heart of the neighborhood is South First Street; with a melting pot of businesses and restaurants.

Austin is full of neighborhoods with shade trees covering the streets and sidewalks, restaurants, bakeries and tattoo shops. That is what makes Austin, Austin!

Next time you are in one of these neighborhoods, find a place to park your car and take time to walk through the streets and look at the yards, trees, homes and businesses that make each neighborhood unique.


At no charge, buyers can search the Austin MLS on Ki's website. The site provides a lot of detail on Austin Texas real estate. Ki started working in real estate as a hobby, and eventually quit his advertising job in Austin, Texas, because real estate was more interesting and fulfilling. He keeps buyers updated on his blog on Austin real estate with statistics and market reports.
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