Austin Texas Homes and More

Archive for October, 2009

Please join me at the Barker Ranch at Shady Hollow open house Sunday November 1st 2009 from 1-4. This home is an amazing 5 bedroom home on a third of an acre with many upgrades. This home is about 15 minutes from downtown Austin and feeds into Bailey, Barronoff and Bowie High School. This wonderful home was just reduced $20,000 this month! This is currently the lowest price per square foot ($93.85) for Barker Ranch at Shady Hollow.

• 5 Beds & 3.5 Baths * 1 Bed Down
• All Sides Brick
• Extensive Tile Throughout First Floor
• Study Down & Gameroom Up
• Formal Living & Formal Dining Room
• Gas Cooktop * Built-In Oven & Microwave
• Center Island & Tile Backsplash In Kitchen
• Sitting Area & Large Walk-In Closet In Master Suite
• High & Coffered Ceilings
• Full Sprinkler & Security System
• 3 Car Garage (2 Side Entry & 1 Front Entry)
• Back Covered Patio & Large Yard
• Fruit Trees In Backyard (Apples, Pears, Plums, Figs & Pecan Trees)

DIRECTIONS: From Mopac and Slaughter, head east on Slaughter to Brodie and turn Right, Proceed about 1.5 miles to Gatling Gun and turn Right, Turn Left on Gun Metal Drive.

If you are in the market for a new home and are not presently working with a Realtor, please call me. I would be happy to help you with the process of buying a home. I specialize in Relocation and I have a team of experts to make the process easy to navigate. I look forward to the opportunity to earn your business.

Betina Foreman, Realtor

Keller Williams Real Estate     1801 S. Mopac, Suite 100   Austin, Texas 78746   512-771-6318  BetinaForemanRealtor@yahoo.com   www.BetinaForeman.com

Member: Austin Board of Realtors, Texas Association of Realtors, National Association of Realtors, ActiveRain, Trulia-Top Voices, and Zillow-Neighborhood Pros.

Please join me at the Barker Ranch at Shady Hollow open house Sunday November 1st 2009 from 1-4. This home is an amazing 5 bedroom home on a third of an acre with many upgrades. This home is about 15 minutes from downtown Austin and feeds into Bailey, Barronoff and Bowie High School. This wonderful home was just reduced $20,000 this month! This is currently the lowest price per square foot ($93.85) for Barker Ranch at Shady Hollow.

• 5 Beds & 3.5 Baths * 1 Bed Down
• All Sides Brick
• Extensive Tile Throughout First Floor
• Study Down & Gameroom Up
• Formal Living & Formal Dining Room
• Gas Cooktop * Built-In Oven & Microwave
• Center Island & Tile Backsplash In Kitchen
• Sitting Area & Large Walk-In Closet In Master Suite
• High & Coffered Ceilings
• Full Sprinkler & Security System
• 3 Car Garage (2 Side Entry & 1 Front Entry)
• Back Covered Patio & Large Yard
• Fruit Trees In Backyard (Apples, Pears, Plums, Figs & Pecan Trees)

DIRECTIONS: From Mopac and Slaughter, head east on Slaughter to Brodie and turn Right, Proceed about 1.5 miles to Gatling Gun and turn Right, Turn Left on Gun Metal Drive.

If you are in the market for a new home and are not presently working with a Realtor, please call me. I would be happy to help you with the process of buying a home. I specialize in Relocation and I have a team of experts to make the process easy to navigate. I look forward to the opportunity to earn your business.

Betina Foreman, Realtor

Keller Williams Real Estate     1801 S. Mopac, Suite 100   Austin, Texas 78746   512-771-6318  BetinaForemanRealtor@yahoo.com   www.BetinaForeman.com

Member: Austin Board of Realtors, Texas Association of Realtors, National Association of Realtors, ActiveRain, Trulia-Top Voices, and Zillow-Neighborhood Pros.

 

       

I loved this so much I just had to share it! My friend Gary Wotal posted this initially and I thought it worth sharing. I think my next dog will be an Irish Water Spaniel or a Derriere.

 

       

My contacts at Gracy Title of South Austin just shared some great news. Granted this is something we have thought was in the works, but the powers that be had not announced anything until now. The program may be extended as it is today or it may have some modifications, that is yet to be decided. So if your unsure about waiting, the time to buy a home is now. In order to qualify for the tax credit you must: make no more than $75K a year, be a first time home buyer (if you have not owned a home in three years you will qualify as first time buyer in this program), and be ready to buy now. You must be able to close on the home sale before December 1st 2009. 

Senate likely to extend homebuyers’ tax credit

October 28, 2009 8:36 pm

Washington (CNN) — Senate leaders have reached a tentative deal to extend the first-time homebuyers’ tax credit that was originally passed earlier this year as part of the stimulus bill, Republican and Democratic sources told CNN on Wednesday.

The agreement would extend and expand the credit to include current homeowners who want to move, according to the sources.

The original credit in the stimulus bill is set to expire at the end of November and offers a tax credit of $8,000 to first-time homebuyers.

Senate sources told CNN they have tentatively agreed to extend that $8,000 credit for first-time buyers until the end of April. In addition, they are adding a $6,500 credit for some current homeowners who buy a new residence by then.

To qualify, current homeowners must have lived in their primary residence for five continuous years.

Senators have not agreed on how the tentative deal would come up for a vote, but sources from both parties said they are considering adding the housing credit to a bill that would extend unemployment benefits.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has indicated she also is interested in extending the homeowner credit, but House leaders have yet to endorse any one bill.

 

       

Living in Austin means residents have a multitude of choices when it comes to great Mexican food. Some of my regular favorites are Chuy’s, Maudie’s, Jovita’s, Manuel’s, El Arroyo and Serrano’s. There is a new player on the field and they mean business. La Condesa recently opened up at 400 West 4th Street, just across the street from the new W Condos & Hotel and Lambert’s. They are really upping the bar for downtown Mexican food.

The space is open and inviting with several smaller intimate spaces for drinking and dining. When you enter La Condessa the bar is to your right up a few stairs. There is also an elevator for those that need it. It has an intimate patio area that has a wall that slides away to open the bar to the street for fresh air and natural light. The space has a very modern feeling with a nod to old Mexico. The mural on the west wall is comprised of a multitude of old vintage Mexican billboards that have been cut into smaller pieces and fanned out to radiate like the sun. (see photo below) La Condesa has won several awards for their modern designed space. The Austin Institute of Architecture awarded them the best restaurant in Austin.

As you enter the main dining room on your left, you will notice the unusual lighting. There are a number of thin black cords suspended from the ceiling like an octopus with a slender light-bulbs with numerous tiny filaments in each bulb. These lights radiate a soft light that creates a relaxing atmosphere. If you continue out to the patio it is a sleek modern space that is open to the street and allows for wonderful people watching experiences.

The food is divine, simple and yet complex. I know that is a contradiction, but how else can I put it in words. The Pibil pork tacos were perfectly cooked and served on two double corn tortillas with a sweet and spicy pickled Habenaro salsa and pickled red onions on the side. Every taco dish comes with a side of black beans and rice with a smattering of fresh sweet corn, red bell pepper and fresh cilantro. The presentation was beautiful and the service was prompt and kknowledgeable. Our server was Hannah and she never flinched, even when we bombarded her with a thousand questions about the food and drink specials. She suggested their signature cocktail as a starter. This is a Watermelon Martini served up, with two Mellon balls on a skewer instead of olives. This drink also just won an award as Best New Drink in Austin. We will be back often and I hope that if you read this you will take a chance and try La Condesa yourself. I promise you will be glad that you did!

If you are in the market for an Austin home & are not currently working with a Realtor, please call me. I would be happy to help you with the process of buying a home. I specialize in Relocation & I have a team of experts to make the process easy to navigate. I look forward to the opportunity to earn your business.

Betina Foreman, Realtor

Keller Williams Real Estate   1801 S. Mopac, Suite 100  Austin, Texas 78746   512-771-6318  BetinaForemanRealtor@yahoo.com   www.BetinaForeman.com

Member: Austin Board of Realtors, Texas Association of Realtors, National Association of Realtors, ActiveRain, Trulia-Top Voices, and Zillow-Neighborhood Pros.

 

       

Every fall I make these wonderful pumpkin bread/muffins and everyone asks me for the recipe. So I thought I would share it with my AR friends and family, so  you can share them with your friends too! I hope everyone likes this easy recipe.

Ingredients

1 cup oil

1/3 cup water

4 beaten eggs

3 1/2 cups Flour

2 TBSP Baking Soda

3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (hold back 1/4 cup of nuts for topping

1 1/2 TSP. Cinnamon

1 TSP. Salt

1 1/4 TSP Nutmeg

3 cups sugar (I never said this recipe was low calorie!!)

2 cups fresh cooked pumpkin (canned pumpkin is OK too)

12 oz. Cream Cheese- This ingredient does not get mixed into the batter!! This should be held until filling the muffin sheet.

Instructions: Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. Mix the ‘wet’ ingredients in a large bowl. Add the dry ingredients gradually into the bowl containing the ‘wet’ ingredients. Stir well until batter is smooth. Use paper muffin liners in muffin pan. Add one medium spoonful of mix into the cups, then add a teaspoon of cream cheese into the muffin cups. Then add another spoon full of pumpkin batter on top, and sprinkle a few chopped nuts on top. Bake muffins at 325 degrees for 15-20 minutes, If making a loaf of Pumpkin Bread bake for 50-60 minutes. Test to ensure its done by inserting a tooth pick in the center, and then removing the toothpick. If the toothpick has batter on it or is wet, leave it to bake a few more minutes.

 

       

Lake Pointe is a lovely community in Austin Texas that is just minutes away from the Lake Travis area. These homes typically were built between 1996-2009, with an average of 3298 square feet. Most of the lots are just under a quarter acre, but occasionally you will find larger lots of a 1/3 or 3/4 of an acre. Some have hill country or distant lake views. A few back up to a quiet and serene greenbelt. Below you will find the Comparative Market Analysis for Lake Pointe’s September 2009 home sales. The homes used in the C.M.A.  are at least 4 bedrooms and 3 baths on at least a .20 lot or larger.

24 Homes Actively Listed For Sale:

Average Year Built 2002  3298SF               Average Listing Price Per Square Foot $164.01

Low Listing Price Per Square Foot $99.68    High Listing Price Per Square Foot $241.00    

Average 139 Days on Market

2 Homes Pending/Under Contract:

Average Year Built 2004     3385SF    Average Price Per SF $151.44      Average 55 Days on Market

4 Homes Sold in September 2009:

Average Year Built 1999     2828SF    Average Price Per SF $1o6.41      Average 49 Days on Market

Right now my favorite Lake Pointe home that is for sale is located at 3201 Santee. It backs up to the greenbelt and has an amazing yard. The home has 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms, two living and two dining rooms and a 3 car garage. It is priced to move at $315K! If you would like to see this Lake Pointe home or any other please give me a call. I would be happy to assist you with a purchase or sale in Lake Pointe. Of course if you are presently working with a Realtor please contact them directly. Thank you for your time.

Betina Foreman, Realtor and Member of: ABOR, TAR, NAR, ActiveRain, Trulia, Zillow

Keller Williams Real Estate   1801 South MOPAC, Suite 100     Austin, Texas 78746

512-771-6318  BetinaForemanREALTOR@yahoo.com

 

       

Recently while attending another Realtor event in Austin Texas, somehow I managed to beat about 100 Realtors to win a private tour of the Austonian. To say I was excited was an understatement. This new luxury condo property from Momark Development has been in the news a lot, as it will be the tallest residential development in the United States. This property is definitely one of a kind and is making Austin a destination for luxury living on par with New York City.

The property is shaped like an ellipse, so every single condo has a view from every room, powder rooms excluded. There are spectacular views of the UT Tower and the state Capitol, as well as Town Lake/ Lake Ladybird. The building is so tall that on a clear day you can see St. Edwards University and even Round Rock. To say the views are spectacular is an understatement.

The property is still under construction so the photos I have are of this phase. I will go back in April once it is complete and take new pictures. One of the interesting things about seeing it built is seeing how it is built. Since my background is construction I had many questions for the developer Terry Mitchell. One of them was “how will you keep the street noise levels down?” Terry said they are installing all of the glass so that it goes down four inches under the floor and four inches up into the ceiling. Then it has a seal that runs the length and breadth of the glass. This creates a barrier so the sound is totally blocked from entering the unit. These magnificent windows allow for breath-taking floor to ceiling views from every room.

The property will be very secure, and there is a 24 hour concierge. You may only access an upper floor if you have a Resident key fob, and it will allow you to access your floor and the amenities floor. If you have friends on other floors, your fob may be programed for those floors as well. This is superior in my opinion to the public facilities provided by the W and the Four Seasons residences. Since these two properties are also hotels there may be increased public traffic in the amenity areas of those properties. The only people utliizing The Austonian facilities are permanent residents/owners. The amenities floor is on the 10th level and it has:

• A spectacular pool and 12 person spa, as well 24 outdoor living areas and out-door kitchens. The out door living areas have several large planters with landscaping to provide privacy from other residents.
• Dog Park/Walking station- This dog park is state of the art and is continually self cleaning and you don’t have to pick up the poop! There is no need to go all the way to Town Lake to walk your dog.
• Dog washing/grooming rooms. This is one of my favorite services- The concierge can pick up your dog and take them to the Dirty Dog Groomers suite in the building. Dirty Dog will groom your dog and the Austonian staff will return your pooch to your condo when its over.
• There is a Media Room with curved wall and IMax style big screen with stadium style seating with leather recliners. This is a great place to watch the Longhorns games.
• The Residents Game-room will have: a full service kitchen, pool tables, darts, and several TV’s to watch sports events. This room has a view of the UT Tower and Capital. It may be reserved for private parties by residents.
• The Residents may reserve a guest suite for their out of town guests. The suite has a beautifully appointed bedroom and a kitchenette. These rooms are located on the 10th floor with the other amenities. These guest suites are provided as a courtesy free of charge to residents that have more guests than their condo will accommodate.
• There will be a day spa available to the owners. This spa will offer mani/pedis, facials, massages, etc.
• Valet Parking is available to owners that choose this service. You may choose to have your packages delivered to your condo by the Austonian staff.
• The elevators are the fastest elevators made and they are totally silent and yet give a gentle ride. No dramimine necessary on this elevator. There is also a dedicated service elevator for all deliveries and moving.

If you are interested in purchasing a luxury home in the Austonian please contact me.  I would be happy to arrange a condo viewing for qualified buyers. I want to help you through the process of buying a home in Austin. I specialize in Relocation and I have a network of experts to make the process easy to navigate. I look forward to the opportunity to earn your business.

Betina Foreman, Realtor

Keller Williams Real Estate    1801 S. Mopac, Suite 100   Austin, Texas 78746    512-771-6318  BetinaForemanRealtor@yahoo.com   Betina@KW.com   www.BetinaForeman.com

Member: Austin Board of Realtors, Texas Association of Realtors, National Association of Realtors, ActiveRain-Rainmaker, Trulia-Top Voices, and Zillow-Neighborhood Pros.

 

       

Recently while attending another Realtor event in Austin Texas, somehow I managed to beat about 100 Realtors to win a private tour of the Austonian. To say I was excited was an understatement. This new luxury condo property from Momark Development has been in the news a lot, as it will be the tallest residential development in the United States. This property is definitely one of a kind and is making Austin a destination for luxury living on par with New York City.

The property is shaped like an ellipse, so every single condo has a view from every room, powder rooms excluded. There are spectacular views of the UT Tower and the state Capitol, as well as Town Lake/ Lake Ladybird. The building is so tall that on a clear day you can see St. Edwards University and even Round Rock. To say the views are spectacular is an understatement.

The property is still under construction so the photos I have are of this phase. I will go back in April once it is complete and take new pictures. One of the interesting things about seeing it built is seeing how it is built. Since my background is construction I had many questions for the developer Terry Mitchell. One of them was “how will you keep the street noise levels down?” Terry said they are installing all of the glass so that it goes down four inches under the floor and four inches up into the ceiling. Then it has a seal that runs the length and breadth of the glass. This creates a barrier so the sound is totally blocked from entering the unit. These magnificent windows allow for breath-taking floor to ceiling views from every room.

The property will be very secure, and there is a 24 hour concierge. You may only access an upper floor if you have a Resident key fob, and it will allow you to access your floor and the amenities floor. If you have friends on other floors, your fob may be programed for those floors as well. This is superior in my opinion to the public facilities provided by the W and the Four Seasons residences. Since these two properties are also hotels there may be increased public traffic in the amenity areas of those properties. The only people utliizing The Austonian facilities are permanent residents/owners. The amenities floor is on the 10th level and it has:

• A spectacular pool and 12 person spa, as well 24 outdoor living areas and out-door kitchens. The out door living areas have several large planters with landscaping to provide privacy from other residents.
• Dog Park/Walking station- This dog park is state of the art and is continually self cleaning and you don’t have to pick up the poop! There is no need to go all the way to Town Lake to walk your dog.
• Dog washing/grooming rooms. This is one of my favorite services- The concierge can pick up your dog and take them to the Dirty Dog Groomers suite in the building. Dirty Dog will groom your dog and the Austonian staff will return your pooch to your condo when its over.
• There is a Media Room with curved wall and IMax style big screen with stadium style seating with leather recliners. This is a great place to watch the Longhorns games.
• The Residents Game-room will have: a full service kitchen, pool tables, darts, and several TV’s to watch sports events. This room has a view of the UT Tower and Capital. It may be reserved for private parties by residents.
• The Residents may reserve a guest suite for their out of town guests. The suite has a beautifully appointed bedroom and a kitchenette. These rooms are located on the 10th floor with the other amenities. These guest suites are provided as a courtesy free of charge to residents that have more guests than their condo will accommodate.
• There will be a day spa available to the owners. This spa will offer mani/pedis, facials, massages, etc.
• Valet Parking is available to owners that choose this service. You may choose to have your packages delivered to your condo by the Austonian staff.
• The elevators are the fastest elevators made and they are totally silent and yet give a gentle ride. No dramimine necessary on this elevator. There is also a dedicated service elevator for all deliveries and moving.

If you are interested in purchasing a luxury home in the Austonian please contact me.  I would be happy to arrange a condo viewing for qualified buyers. I want to help you through the process of buying a home in Austin. I specialize in Relocation and I have a network of experts to make the process easy to navigate. I look forward to the opportunity to earn your business.

Betina Foreman, Realtor

Keller Williams Real Estate    1801 S. Mopac, Suite 100   Austin, Texas 78746    512-771-6318  BetinaForemanRealtor@yahoo.com   Betina@KW.com   www.BetinaForeman.com

Member: Austin Board of Realtors, Texas Association of Realtors, National Association of Realtors, ActiveRain-Rainmaker, Trulia-Top Voices, and Zillow-Neighborhood Pros.

Lakeway has many gorgeous waterfront homes for sale. This Market Report shows you the current information on recent listings and home sales for Lakeway. The homes used in this report have at least 3 bedrooms and two bathrooms and are true Lake Travis waterfront properties.

11 Homes Actively listed for sale:

  Average Year Built 1986    Average SF 3812    Average Price Per SF $346.09  

  Average List Price $1,334,545.   Average number of days on market before selling 235.

1 Home Sold in July 2009:

 Year Built 1965   3860SF   4 bedrooms 3 bathrooms on .85 acre lot   List Price $1,399,000.                     (Sold Price not disclosed due to Texas laws)

Since Lakeway used to be a sleepy, bedroom community an hour from Austin there are still a few lakefront homes that were built in the 1940’s-1970’s. Occasionally one of these older homes is listed for sale. Right now there is an older waterfront home built in 1970 for sale for only $599K. This home has been updated somewhat and has four bedrooms and two bathrooms in 1673 square feet. The lot is very large with .49 of an acre and a new 9×25 dock. It is on a finger of the lake that has water at 659 feet. If your interested in this lake property or any other please give me a call.

Betina Foreman Realtor

Keller Williams Realty   Austin and Lake Travis

BetinaForemanREALTRO@yahoo.com  Betina@KW.com    512-771-6318    www.BetinaForeman.com