Austin Texas, Texas
A general blog about real estate with random tips and observations.
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Jun. 27, 2009
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.
Oct. 29, 2008
Georgetown, Texas was established in 1848 by George Washington Glasscock on a fork in the San Gabriel River. Glasscock donated the fertile land, replete with numerous sources of clean, clear water, and the city became the seat of Williamson County. Until the mid-1800s, the area had primarily been inhabited by the Tonkawa Indians, and farming was a common source of income after the arrival of the settlers, as was the timber and logging industry.
The community remained mostly agrarian until the late 1800s, when the railroad was built, and about the same time, Southwestern University was established in the small community. The Chisholm Trail, which was used to transport cattle from Texas to Missouri and Kansas, also ran through the heart of Georgetown, so the cattle industry also provided jobs for settlers, along with cotton farming.
A large flood damaged the community in 1921, and efforts to control flood waters eventually led to the dam which created Lake Georgetown, which was finally complete in 1979, when the lake was officially opened for public use. Many of the city's historic homes were restored after the flood, and the downtown area of Georgetown reflects the Victorian style popular at the time, especially on historic Main Street. The Beaux-Arts Williamson County Courthouse, which dates to 1911, is considered the centerpiece of the historic downtown district.
Georgetown is also a very popular community for retirees, and the Del Webb retirement community of Sun City boasts numerous residents of retirement age; the area is quite popular with retirees due to its temperate weather, country flavor and rural charm, yet its close proximity to Austin, with its many benefits and big city amenities.
In the census of 2000, the population of Georgetown was around 28,000 inhabitants, but by 2008, the population had expanded to nearly 50,000, and a population density of 1241 people per square mile. The square area of Georgetown is just less than 25 miles, and 2.1 square miles of the area is water, mostly the river and Lake Georgetown. At the time of the census, there were 7,711 families in the community, and 10,393 households. The majority of the population is Caucasian, at 85%, and the remainder is an ethnic mixture of Hispanic, African-American, Asian, and a smattering of other nationalities.
The per capita income in Georgetown is a bit over $24,000, and the median household income in the city is about $54,000, and there are about 10,000 housing units in the city. Roughly 31% of the residents have children under the age of 18, and around 65% of the residents of the local households are married, and the percentage of women in the community slightly exceeds the percentage of men.
The San Gabriel River meanders throughout Georgetown, and there are parks along the river in many locations, most with hike and bike trails that border the river in many places and offer park visitors the opportunity to recreate in a serene and natural setting. One of the most well known parks is named for the river: the San Gabriel Park, and there are also two popular art galleries in the downtown area, the Winberg Art Gallery, and the 8th Street Art Studio, along with another popular park, Founders Park.
There are also many popular restaurants and nightspots, as well as libraries, museums, and ample shopping in the community. One of the most popular attractions in the Georgetown area is Inner Space Cavern, which is a natural cave on the south side of Georgetown near Interstate 35.
With its abundant amenities, beautiful scenery, and rural charm, as well as its historic past and proximity to the metropolitan advantages of nearby Austin, Georgetown is truly a place that has it all!
Escapeso Realty helps buyers looking for properties in central Texas. Their site has a search of the Austin MLS along with information on Austin Texas real estate and Georgetown Texas real estate.
Jul. 19, 2008
Allandale is the name of a lovely neighborhood in central Austin, although the area was originally considered to be northwest Austin, before Austin’s expansion into a large metropolitan area. Allandale recently celebrated its 35th anniversary as an active central Austin community, and the Allandale Neighborhood Association has been a presence in the neighborhood since 1973. Currently, Allandale is home to over 21,000 residents, and two of the boundaries of the neighborhood are the MoPac Expressway and Burnet Road, which form the western and eastern perimeters, respectively.
Typical residences in Allandale are three to four bedroom single family homes, most within the $250,000 to $300,000 price range, although more and less expensive housing can be found too. The students in Allendale attend Austin Independent School District schools, and there is an elementary school named Gullet Elementary, as well as a middle school named Lamar and a high school named McAllen High School. Allandale has the 28th largest neighborhood association in Austin, and there is an activity center named the Northwest Recreation Center which is ideal for indoor as well as outdoor sporting activities. The Allandale Neighborhood’s other borders are generally considered to be Anderson Lane and Hancock Drive, as well as Shoal Creek, and the neighborhood is chock full of restaurants, shopping, and various types of dwellings.
The roots of the Allandale neighborhood go back to the 1930s, and at that time, it was considered to be a suburb outside of Austin proper. George Davis was the original owner of most of the land in the neighborhood, and he obtained the land from the President of the Republic of Texas in 1841. A grant of over 3,100 acres was given to him in exchange for his service in the battle of San Jacinto, and some of his descendants still live in the neighborhood today. The Davis family also has a family cemetery on Vine Street to this day.
Housing is slightly more expensive in the neighborhood than in some areas of Austin, and the vintage homes from the 1940s and 1950s frequently boast mature landscaping with large yards, a perfect setting for families with children. There are fixer-uppers to be found in the neighborhood too, along with apartments and duplexes, among other choices. Since Shoal Creek, with its numerous parks and hike and bike trails, runs along the Allandale neighborhood, there is plenty to do from a standpoint of recreation as well.
Some of the eateries in the Allandale area include Phil's Icehouse, Ginny’s Little Longhorn Saloon, and Amy's Ice Cream, all local hotspots, as well as many popular family restaurants, including the Hang Town Grill, and the Frisco, which occupied the same location on Burnet for years until it recently closed. A popular park in the neighborhood is named Beverly Sheffield Park, and the park is adjacent to Shoal Creek, and has a beautiful duck pond as well as an Olympic sized swimming pool. The park also includes picnic sites, barbecue pits, ball fields, tennis courts, and a fishing pier, and is a home away from home for the children of the area.
Escapeso helps buyers and investors looking for Austin real estate. Their website provides a map based search of the Austin MLS and updated market statistics on their Austin real estate blog.
Jul. 19, 2008
Elgin is a small city which is located 23 miles east of Austin and 17 miles north of Bastrop, and Elgin is also known as the Sausage Capital of Texas! Elgin covers an area of 4.7 square miles, and in the census of 2000, the city reported a population of 5,700 inhabitants. There were 1869 households reported, and 1349 families living in the Elgin area at the time of the census of 2000. The population density was 1214 people per square mile. 36% of the population reported family members being under the age of 18, and 51% were married couples living together. The average family size was 3.5 members, and there was a slightly higher percentage of women than men at the time of the census. There was a median income of around $38,000 during the 2000 census, and the per capita income for the city was around $17,000.
The students of Elgin attend the Elgin Independent School District Schools, and the city holds two annual events: the Hogeye Festival and the Western Days Festival. Part of Elgin is situated in Travis County and part in Bastrop County, and by the year 2005, the population had grown to around 8700 inhabitants.
Elgin was settled in 1872 and was named for Robert Morris Elgin, who was the railroad commissioner at the time. Elgin was settled around the Houston and Texas Central Railroad, and the train depot was originally in the center of the small community. The city was formed after Colorado River flooded in 1869, and the city was first intended to be built 10 miles east, but due to the flood, the land was unusable at the time.
Elgin has grown in recent years, and there are numerous churches, schools and restaurants, among other attractions. Some of the churches include the First Baptist Church, the First United Methodist Church, the Family Worship Center, and the Central Christian Church. Lodging can be found in and near Elgin for visitors, including the new Hyatt Regency Resort in Lost Pines near Bastrop, as well as the Sunset Lodge Motel and a few R.V. parks. Restaurants in or near Elgin include the Meyers Elgin Smokehouse and the Morelia Mexican Cafe, as well as numerous fast food joints, a coffee shop and a few other local eateries.
Some of the prominent employers in Elgin include the school district, the H.E.B. grocery store, Acme Brick Company, and the Southside Market, as well as Beall's Department Store and the City of Elgin. Elgin is a historic city, and a museum was built at the site of the original railroad depot called the Elgin Depot Museum, and Heritage Walking Tours are offered throughout the city, including historic Main Street. Elgin is also considered the Brick Capital of the Southwest, and there are numerous historic brick homes to display their many uses in homebuilding.
A watermelon festival is held in nearby McDade every year, and musical events are regularly scheduled by the city, as well as sports events, including little league baseball. Elgin is also proud of their barbecue, and the Southside Market and Meyer's Smokehouse have both been in business for over 100 years. Meyer's Smokehouse was named one of the 14 top barbecue spots in the state of Texas in 2003, and the Southside Market, run by the Bracewell family, was founded in 1882 and has been in business since.
The Elgin Courier is the local source of news for the occupants of Elgin, and since the city is located east of Austin, it is reasonably accessible to Houston by Highway 290 as well as San Antonio, which is southwest via Interstate 35 through Austin. There are many parks in Elgin, including the Elgin Memorial Park on Highway 95, as well as the Morris Memorial Park, the Thomas Park, and the Veteran's Park.
Elgin is a great place to consider if rural living appeals to you, yet its proximity to metropolitan areas allows the advantages of the big city. When traveling to central Texas, be sure to visit Elgin, try some barbecue, and visit with the friendly citizens!
Escapeso Austin real estate is a small realty company in Austin Texas. Their site has information on Austin homes along with updated market statistics on their Austin real estate blog.
Apr. 27, 2008
Several cities across the US are noted for their progressive city governments and citizenry in regards to environmental issues. Known as “green cities”, they not only initiate and practice policies that promote clean air and water, but often promote other programs and practices such as alternative energy systems and construction methods.
Austin, Texas consistently places in the various lists of the greenest cities in the US and the world. The Green Guide, affiliated with National Geographic, chose Austin as number 2 on its list on Top Green Cities in 2006. Criteria for its choices included air quality, electricity use and production, environmental perspective, environmental policy, green space, transportation and water quality.
A commitment to solar energy and green building is what won Austin its place on Green Guide’s list. The city offers some of the most generous rebates in the country for customers who use solar energy. It also buys significant amounts of wind energy from wind farms in West Texas and plans to meet 20 percent of its energy needs with renewable sources by 2020. Austin also has established high standards for energy efficiency for its central business district and has initiated progressive policies to preserve water quality, ensure proximity to mass transit, and maintain a pedestrian-friendly urban design.
But it’s not just the city government that promotes green urban living. Many of Austin’s creative citizens are becoming known around the country and the world for their initiative and success in creating local, community based projects that promote green lifestyles and a more healthy, cleaner urban environment.
The Rhizome Collective was founded in 2000 as a center for community organizing and urban sustainability education. The collective took an old warehouse with an asphalt parking lot and have turned it into gardens, ponds and greenhouses that support tilapia, catfish, turkey, ducks and chickens. They host weekend workshops and seminars to teach people from around the world that they don’t have to wait on governments and corporations to go green, but they can start implementing their own projects with little background in engineering or the sciences.
Austin has permitted a number of private individuals to employ alternative construction methods to build homes inside the city limits, notably straw bale construction. In 2001, there were about a dozen homes in the Austin area that were built from straw, including at least three inside the city limits. In addition to such progressive construction methods, the city has also permitted some people to recycle old buildings, such as warehouses into condos and upscale or innovative commercial properties.
Another citizen-initiated project that has contributed to the eco-quality of the area is the Carshare initiative. This company allows members to pick up a car for a day at various locations around town. In this way, members can save money by not having to pay for their own private car (and consequently not having to pay for insurance, gas, maintenance and parking!). It also helps reduce the amount of air pollution in the city by reducing the amount of automobile traffic in the city.
Finally, there is Good Common Sense, an online store founded by well-known and highly respected Austin musician Chris Searles. Formerly a drummer for such notable artists as Alejandro Escovedo and Shawn Colvin, Searles founded Good Common Sense in an effort to help consumers make the kinds of choices that will help make the world a greener, safer place to live and work. His store offers products that are environmentally friendlier than many products consumers might find in regular stores and shops. Consumers can find home weatherizing products, compostable dinnerware, fuel enhancer devices, and all kinds of recycled products.
Ki helps clients looking for green and environmentally friendly homes in the Austin real estate market. Potential buyers can use his site to search the Austin MLS along with using his free mortgage calculator.
Jan. 22, 2008
On the eastern edge of the Edward’s plateau lies one of Austin’s greatest treasures: the Barton Creek Greenbelt. After millions of years, the runoff of rainwater carved a canyon into the plateau, and created one of Austin’s treasures.
The most popular of Austin’s greenbelts, the Barton Creek greenbelt is just shy of 8 miles long, and covers 809 acres. The greenbelt runs from Zilker Park downtown, to the rocky entrance of Camp Craft Road, just off of the Capital of Texas Highway, with several entrance points in between. Austinites looking for outdoor activities head to the greenbelt every day of the year. There are many nice neighborhoods in the area. The Barton Hills neighborhood is close to the barton creek. And a little farther away the homes in Clarksville offer proximity to Barton Creek and the downtown area.
The creek running through the middle of the greenbelt has attracted people to its waters for several years. The Tonkawa and Apache tribes were drawn to the abundant fresh water, as were other Native Americans for thousands of years. William “Uncle Billy” Barton settled in the area in 1837, and what was known as Spring Creek came to be known as Barton Creek.
Today, many are still drawn to the waters of Barton Creek and its several popular swimming holes, most looking to escape the harsh Texas sun. Though the busiest of the swimming areas is Barton Springs pool in Zilker park, places such as Twin Falls and Sculpture Falls offer not only cool waters, but beautiful sheer cliffs and a more secluded setting as well. The pool at Gus Fruh park gathers crowds of families with young children and dogs because of its section of ankle-deep water, and a younger crowd that enjoys its long, deep section that makes for good swimming, and a rope swing for the more adventurous types. Closer to Zilker park lies Campbell’s hole, with its pebbly beach, and rumored to be visited by Robert E. Lee, and outlaws Bonnie and Clyde. During seasons of heavy rainfall, the current is strong and water level is high, which allows tubers to ride the creek through the city, a recreation usually only achieved out of town on much larger rivers.
The Barton Creek greenbelt also offers many trails throughout the area that differ in size from tight, rocky ledges to widths one could deem drivable. The trails wind through sycamore groves, along the creek bed, through limestone bluffs hiding many caves, and deep into forests of juniper and oak trees. Walkers, runners, and mountain bikers all share the same paths through an oasis that lies within walking distance of Mopac, while seeming very far removed. The serious runners ascend the Hill of Life, the steepest hill on the trail, known to make runners stronger, and its rocky surface preps them for off road races. The limestone cliffs of the greenbelt beckon rock climbers from around the city, with at least six different areas, such as Seismic Wall, New Wall and Great Wall, set up as climbing zones, with routes bolted into the side of the rock.
The greenbelt is known for having a very sensitive ecosystem, and drinking alcohol within its borders was outlawed in 1997 by the Parks and Recreation department since the park staff picked up 18 cubic yards of garbage a week, with 75 percent of the trash turning up as beer bottles and cans. Concerned citizens have done a good job at keeping city growth at bay by forming groups such as the Save our Springs Alliance to protect the quality of water coming off of development in the fragile Barton Springs watershed. Though the population of Austin is increasing dramatically, the Barton Creek Greenbelt has been relatively unharmed by the city’s rapid development, and welcomes all Austinites, new and old, to come play.
Ki is an Austin realtor. He helps buyers and sellers interested in Austin real estate. He website has a free search for buyers of the Austin MLS along with information on condos in downtown Austin.
Jan. 18, 2008
One of Austin's oldest and most loved neighborhoods in Austin is Hyde Park. Located in Central Austin just north of The University of Texas, Hyde Park is over 100 years old. Founded in 1891 by the Missouri, Kansas, and Texas Land and Town Company, the neighborhood was designed and marketed as a lush and spacious suburb that included its own streetcar line and an artificial lake. Today, Hyde Park is one of the most densely populated areas in the city. Noted for it's beautiful tree lined streets and its unique and diverse population, the neighborhood is marked within the boundaries of 51st and 38th Streets to the north and sound, and Red River and Duval to the east and west. The neighborhood has its own monthly newsletter, The Pecan Press, which is delivered to approximately 2,000 Austin homes.
Before moving to Dallas in 1875, the Texas State Fair was held in the eastern section of Hyde Park. In fact, a portion of the former horse track is still reflected in the curved segment of 39th street, the location of The Shipe House which was built using wood from the former race track's grandstand. Another important historic home in Hyde Park is the small castle-style studio named Formosa. The former residence of sculptor Elisabet Ney, now houses a museum dedicated to her work. Hyde Park is full of historic homes and former residences of some of Austin's most influential residents.
The residents of Hyde Park are extremely fortunate in the number of fabulous restaurants and businesses that are part of the neighborhood. The Hyde Park Grille is famous for its French fries and is a wonderful place for a Sunday brunch. Across the street, Mother's has become a city wide favorite for its wide and varied selection of vegetarian specialties. Across East 43rd Street, Asti Trattoria serves up it's sleek and sophisticated cuisine. The Hyde Park Theatre has grown into one of the cities hottest theatre spots. Each January and February, the Theatre hosts Fronterafest the premiere fringe theatre festival in the Southwest.
Located in a city full of festivals, Hyde Park has two annual events that are uniquely its own. Every June, the Hyde Park Neighborhood Association holds its annual Historic Homes Tour. People come from across the state and nation to view the homes and hear the stories of the historic neighborhood. The second annual event is the Fire Station Festival which takes place every October. In the early seventies, the city decided to close Fire Station Number Nine in an effort to cut cost. The residents of the neighborhood banded together and saved the historic building. Every year, the neighborhood gathers together to celebrate this historic building and the brave men and women who call it home.
Because of its location close to the University and downtown, Hyde Park has become a favorite among graduate students and young professionals. In 2006, the median price for a house in Hyde Park was $309,902 and the median price per square foot was $204.
If you are looking for Austin Texas real estate Escapeso Realty can help you in your search. Their site has a free search for Austin homes and analysis can be found on their blog about Austin real estate.
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