It is difficult to explain unless you have ever been here. There is a bumper sticker famous around town "I may not have been born in Texas but I got here as quick as I could". Having moved to Texas 14 years ago I have to say the transition for me has been as easy as moving to the next town over from where I was born. An added bonus for me was landing right at the gateway of the Texas Hill country. It is approx. 200 mile X 200 mile area of hills, caves, rivers and natural beauty that gives the eyes everything from lazy cattle herds to beautiful lake side homes.
You can go from winery to winery in one area to hunting leases and fishing in other areas. The hill country starts for Austin West of I 35. You can see the enormous hills beginning their long march to the llano plains in the western part of the state. Now I would not call them mountains like those of the North East or of the Rockies but they are pretty big hills! You will see champion athletes from bike riders to javelin throwers training in the Austin area especially in the fall, winter and spring times. Bikers love the big gradient hills to help build stamina for their grueling rides.
all along the waters of the Colorado River (Not THE Colorado river by the way just A Colorado)
You will se unique residences and boat houses that define the individuals living there. all of the "lakes" in the Austin area are the same dammed up river. from Lady Bird lake that meanders through Austin it self to Lake Austin, Lake Travis and then to the other 4 lakes that make up the Highland lakes: Lake Buchanan, Inks Lake, Lake LBJ, Lake Marble Falls.
The rest of these photos are just neighborhood, street shots of areas in and around the Hill country and Austin, TX. The vast topography the are has to offer draws visitors from all over Texas and the world. it is am amazing place to call home and I am very proud to have been selling real estate in and around the Austin area has allowed me to explore a lot of the surrounding Hill Country and find the little pockets of otherwise unknown treasures that I consider neighbors.
Please enjoy and feel free to ask any questions about the photos you see here. I will be adding photos of different areas and talking about different neighborhoods in future blogs. I welcome your inquires especially if you are thinking about moving to the area and need guidance on where the best place for you may be.
Looking forward to hearing from you all,
Bob Kenney, Realtor
®
Reilly Realtors
Mobile/Text: 512-922-4922
Photos all courtesy of" Bob Kenney
Information and discussion about living in one of the strongest and most desirable city in the South. Relocation advice and resources.
Showing posts with label relocation to Austin Texas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label relocation to Austin Texas. Show all posts
Monday, February 17, 2014
Sunday, February 16, 2014
More on what to do while in Austin. 2 Amazing resources for the residents and visitors of Austin. If you have not been you need to go.
Photos : Bob Kenney
Source:http://www.veloway.com/
Developed in the area of Circle C just south of Slaughter Lane and East of MOPAC (1). Development at them time was controversial but many will agree that the additions of these 2 unique venues adds to the Austin appeal of outdoor activity and the beauty of Central Texas native plants and landscapes.
History of the Veloway
The Veloway has controversial roots.
One of Austin's prized natural features is a spring fed pool known as Barton Springs. Barton Springs is filled year round with almost unbearably cold water and has provided a much needed respite from our brutal summers for thousands of years. The watershed that feeds the aquifer that fills the Springs is a relatively attractive rolling land with small trees and brush.
Only sparsely developed in the early 80's, the land in southwest Austin above the aquifer became the target of development, some chaotic and some well-planned. One of the best planned developments created during the boom years of the 80's was Circle C. The mastermind behind Circle C is Gary Bradley, who is either the devil incarnate or the most forward thinking community creator to ever live in Texas.
Jeff Latimer of Gus' Bike shop in New Hampshire recently emailed this interesting background on the Veloway's founding:
"Back in the 80's I was a real estate broker working for First Austin Properties. I was am also cyclist and today I own a bike shop in New Hampshire. A friend of mine worked for Gary Bradley. She told me that Gary was interested in doing a bicycle project and wondered about building a velodrome on his new development, Circle C Ranch. I think the velodrome came up because another Austin developer (whose name escapes me at the moment) had formed a committee to make a bid for the Pan Am games to be in Austin. Anyway I pulled in Richard DeGarmo, who at that time was the director of the Tour of Texas. He was also president of the United States Cycling Federation, which later became USA Cycling. The Tour of Texas was a week long stage race held every March in Central Texas. Richard was years ahead of his time with the race, this was way before Lance. It brought in all the great teams of the time including 7-11 with Bob Roll, the big Raleigh team and several European junior teams. At that time the Tour was still going on and Circle C became one of the sponsors of the event. The Velodrome actually got some serious consideration, I remember going down to the Houston Velodrome to take a look at the one that had been built there. Richard and Gary thought a Veloway made more sense then the Velodrome as it could be used to hold the criteriums that were part of the Tour. They traditionally had been held on 6th street or on the big loop in Zilker Park. Sadly the Tour came to an end due to lack of sponsorship before a race could be held there, but the Veloway is indeed a jewel."
Circle C incorporated many unique features for its time, including a wonderful swimming facility, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, and the Veloway. Much to the consternation of the road cyclists of Austin, public money that had been earmarked for creation of urban bike lanes was diverted to help fund Gary Bradley's bike path way out in the middle of nowhere serving his subdivision's residents, who weren't even in the city limits at the time.Fast-forward 15 years and you'll find the Veloway becoming surrounded by development. The rapid loss of bike friendly roads makes its existence seem most fortunate, even to those who pooh/pooh the idea of riding a short 3 mile loop over and over again. A decision was made a while back to allow the rollerblades to legally use the facility ... they now comprise about half the users. The City of Austin repaved the Veloway in 2004. We are alarmed at the deterioration of the pavement surface, and hope the city will add a protective topping before the pavement becomes dangerous again.
Thus, a combination of optimistic investors, over-reaching developers, political opportunists, and creative visionaries gave the citizens of Austin a great recreational resource that, unfortunately, might outlive our constantly threatened Barton Springs.
source: http://www.wildflower.org/about/
Wildflower Center Mission
The mission of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is to increase the sustainable use and conservation of native wildflowers, plants and landscapes.Lady Bird Johnson, our former first lady, and actress Helen Hayes founded an organization in 1982 to protect and preserve North America's native plants and natural landscapes. First as the National Wildflower Research Center and later as the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, this special place exists to introduce people to the beauty and diversity of wildflowers and other native plants. Every day, the Wildflower Center brings life to Mrs. Johnson's vision in its public gardens, its woodlands and sweeping meadows as well as in internationally influential research. In 2006, the Center became an Organized Research Unit of the University of Texas at Austin.
Decades ago, Mrs. Johnson recognized that our country was losing its natural landscapes and its natural beauty. As much as 30 percent of the world’s native flora is at risk of extinction. The Wildflower Center was intended to help preserve and restore that beauty and the biological richness of North America. Since then, the Center has become one of the country’s most credible research institutions and effective advocates for native plants.
The Center’s gardens display the native plants of the Central Texas Hill Country, South and West Texas, while the Plant Conservation Program protects the ecological heritage of Texas by conserving its rare and endangered flora. The Native Plant Information Network is a database of more than 7,200 native species available online.
The Land Restoration Program applies knowledge of ecological processes to restoring damaged landscapes. The Center’s education programs for children and adults teach people about their natural surroundings and how to grow native plants in their own backyards.
Wildflower Center Chronology
Susan Rieff, Executive Director
2011-2012 Annual Report
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Texas swimming holes - A fun and amazing tradition in the Texas Hill country
Huck Finn? Yep a lot of kids in Texas have memories of finding natural springs, water falls and swimming holes. Blue Hole in Wimberley is an amazing find for anyone looking to jump into cold natural river from one of a couple rope swings or just float in tube and watch the fun.
The City of Wimberley and the group Friends of Blue hole http://www.friendsofbluehole.org/ have done an amazing job creating a fantastic experience to all visitor's to a great example of a Texas swimming hole!
Photos courtesy of : Bob Kenney
Photos courtesy of : Bob Kenney
The City of Wimberley and the group Friends of Blue hole http://www.friendsofbluehole.org/ have done an amazing job creating a fantastic experience to all visitor's to a great example of a Texas swimming hole!
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Photos courtesy of : Bob Kenney
Photos courtesy of : Bob Kenney
Monday, February 10, 2014
Salt Lick BBQ - Drift wood/Austin Texas - If you come to Austin you really should plan time to have a meal here..
Photos: Bob Kenney, Realtor
Just after the Civil War in 1867, the Roberts family loaded their possessions onto a wagon and set out from Biloxi, Mississippi, eventually settling in Driftwood, Texas. On the trip, they barbequed meat by searing it and then slow-cooking it over coals on a pit made with rocks. An earthen berm was created to block the wind and hold in the smoke. Those original family recipes from the Southeast are the basis for what we do now.
Over the years, the recipes were “Texafied” taking on the local flavors of the land – like chili, cumin and cayenne. In 1967, one hundred years after the Roberts family settled in Driftwood, Thurman Roberts cleared an area on the family’s land and built a barbeque pit. The limestone used to make the pit was quarried from the land. (That pit is still in use today.) He would start cooking on Thursday night, sleep on a cot next to the pit, and sell the meat until it was all gone.
From those small beginnings, we now seat over 800 people and on an average Saturday we feed around 2000 people.
I have lived in Austin for 14 years. This is hands down one of the best places to go with family and friends. The addition of a wine tasting room that show cases Texas wines just adds to the uniqueness of the experience as you drive through the beautiful Hill country.
This area is halfway between Austin and Wimberley and the food is fantastic. Cash only policy so bring your $$$ (They do have ATM's)
It is OK to BYOB here. If you go with a group make sure you have designated driver! Sundays you can get their amazing baby back ribs one order is easily split for 2. everything else is served family style so really brings together your group.. There is usually live music to help spend the time waiting for a table.
These photos are from the grounds and entrance to the salt Lick. when I 1st started going there you had to know where to turn into the dirt parking lot of you would go right by. Lots of changes over the years to the facilities. The food remains an amazing experience and treat that can be enjoyed as many times as you make the trip!
If you are looking for real estate in the area there are several convenient areas to choose from. From Equestrian estates to vineyards to amazing communities. Do not hesitate to call me for a tour of the area.. and maybe a bite of BBQ you will not soon forget!
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Fun facts about Austin Texas.
Here is a brief version of the story courtesy of: Humanities Texashttp://www.humanitiestexas.org/programs/tx-originals/list/angelina-eberly
Angelina Eberly
July 2, 1798–August 15, 1860
On Austin’s Congress Avenue stands a striking bronze sculpture of a woman firing a Howitzer cannon. That woman is Angelina Eberly, the heroine of the little-known, but distinctly Texan, Archive War of 1842.
Eberly was born in Tennessee in 1798 and came to Texas as a young woman. By 1839 she was widowed and running a boarding house in Austin. That year, the Texas Congress moved the Republic’s capital from Houston to Austin.
President Sam Houston, however, wanted to keep the capital in the city that bore his name. So when an invading army from Mexico reached San Antonio in 1842, ole Sam took advantage of the alarm to secretly order that government archives be transferred from Austin back to Houston, effectively moving the seat of government.
But as the boxes of land titles and other documents were being stealthily loaded onto wagons, Eberly spotted the activity. She made her way to an armed cannon to defend the city. She fired it, alerting the citizens of Austin. The archive conspirators bolted, but were caught less than twenty miles outside of town, and the vital documents were reclaimed.
The archives remained in Austin, and Austin remained the capital of the Republic—and subsequently of the state, when Texas joined the United States three years later. Eberly died in Indianola in 1860. Her gravesite is lost, but her likeness still stands guard over the streets of Austin.
Enjoy your visit. There are a lot of facts about Austin and the surrounding hill country that amazes even the "Local" population.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or need to find a home in the Austin area!
Regards
Bob Kenney, Realtor
Mobil/Text: 512-922-4922
Saturday, February 8, 2014
I have several inquiries about where the cities of Rollingwood and Westlake Hills are in relation to down town Austin. Just Minutes!!
The City of Westlake Hills, http://www.westlakehills.org/ was founded and incorporated as a village on September 9, 1953.
The city today is comprised of 2,560 acres (four square miles) with approximately 40 miles of public streets.
source: http://www.westlakechamber.com/pages/Home/
ROLLINGWOOD, TEXAS. http://www.cityofrollingwood.com/ Rollingwood is near Loop 1 south of Austin in southwestern Travis County. It was founded and developed by George B. Hatley in 1955 and by May 1963 the community incorporated as a municipality with a mayor-council form of government.
Source: http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hjr12
Both of these towns are unique in the Metro area because they are incorporated municipalities and have their own form of government and law enforcement. They share some services such as public schools participating in the Eanes ISD and cooperate with emergency services and Zip Code.
The physical boundary separating these towns from Austin downtown and it's urban neighborhoods is Lady Bird Lake (formerly town lake). Adjacent to the multi functional Zilker Park, https://www.austintexas.gov/department/zilker-metropolitan-park and the Zikler botanical gardens, http://www.zilkergarden.org/ . These towns are highly sought after locations for their ease convenience of commutes, community involvement, access to recreation areas and LOCATION.
when I 1st moved to Austin I ended up in "Austin City Limits" but it was across from Rollingwood, http://www.cityofrollingwood.com/ on 2244 (Bee cave Road) It was an amazing place to begin in this great city. 10 min to downtown, 20 min to airport, schools, shopping, parks all w/in minutes.
Today there is a lot of renovation and newer homes being built after tearing down older smaller homes in the communities that sprang up in this area in the 1970's/1980's. The demand for new homeowners and the lack of large land left for residential development means that real estate prices in this area have seen a significant appreciation over the last 10 years.
If you are thinking about moving to Austin and would like more information about this area or any area of Central Texas please contact me and I will be glad to assist. I have experience in listing and representing buyers in this area for over 12 Years.
look forward to hearing from you.
Bob Kenney,
Realtor
®
Mobile/Text : 512-922-4922
Thursday, February 6, 2014
What Palm trees in Texas? Yes Austin is the place that intrigues and surprises people from all over the world. We have an amazing country side, away from the Capital of Texas, that even amazes and mesmerizes Texans1 this is an overlook of one of the many lakes in the lake region to the west of Austin.
Keep you eyes open for more beautiful photos of the area...
Let m know if you want a view like this!
Bob Kenney,
Realtor
®
Email: bobkenney@reillyrealtors.com
Saturday, February 1, 2014
What does a Real Estate agent do once a home gets listed? I have an agent selling my home and I don’t hear from her on a regular basis. This is the first time I have sold a home.
Hi
Anna,
While I don’t know the particulars of your situation I can give you a brief descriptions of all the things going on behind the scenes of getting a home ready for listing.
While I don’t know the particulars of your situation I can give you a brief descriptions of all the things going on behind the scenes of getting a home ready for listing.
Weeks
before a listing there is an initial walk through of
the home by you and your Realtor®. This would give your real estate
agent the opportunity to familiarize themselves with your property,
take notes for the listing information (types of appliances, gas or
electric services, counter top type, general condition etc,) Your
agent will also use this opportunity to get an idea about general
condition of homes and how it compares to other homes either active
on market or recently sold in the area. This will help them prepare
the CMA (comparative market analysis) that they will present and go
over with you as a guide to pricing your home for the market.
Also
at that time you should be discussing what you, homeowner, may want
to do to get the home in showing condition. This is sometimes a
touchy subject with homeowners because we (home owners in general)
are proud of our homes, as we should be. In the vast majority of
cases homes are where we live. Depending on family makeup day to day
living is not as it is always portrayed on TV shows and in movies.
On
any given day I know exactly what someone walking into my home may
face. Kids cloths in strange places, dishes in places that no one
remembers eating at, things stuffed into couch pillows, napkins that
the dog got a hold of and has torn apart. As you all know the list
can go on and on. This is what a welled live in home sees every day.
Now
comes time for listing a home. If your real estate agent does not
have the knack they may bring in a professional “stagger” to
assist. The idea is simple make the homes first impression to
prospective buyers pop. They might suggest removing “Clutter”
from a room This is a catch all phrase – Too many pieces of
furniture that may be cluttering a room to the 50 nick knacks on the
book cases that hold personal value and memories to you and your
family. Every room in a typical home has clutter typically so don’t
be offended with these suggestions and by all means every suggestion
does not have to be acted on.
You
have always heard “remove all personal photos”. In some homes
there are walls of family photos from years of traveling and events.
These photos are meant to remind the homeowner of all of these
wonderful times but to a prospective buyer coming through the home
they are a distraction. You don’t want them concentrating on your
vacations because then they are not going to remember the home. This
is my opinion why your photos need to be removed and stored for your
next home. Yikes once you take down the photos you may have faded
walls where the photos are, would suggest a quick coat of paint over
that wall.
So
we go room to room and make suggestions,, rearrange furniture, maybe
remove some pieces to make rooms bigger, check out conditions of
carpets and floors. Caulking around Bath tubs, weather stripping on
doors, missing lights (or ones that don’t work) walk around outside
looking for things a buyer might see. Wood rot at window sills,
exterior caulking that is deterioration, missing shingles, overgrown
bushes, trees that may need to be trimmed. As you can see there is
potentially a lot of work that may need to be done.
Once
you can get a list together it is easy to go through and estimate
costs, see what you the homeowner can do on your own etc. A lot of
the things are just deferred maintenance that we all get too busy to
do at times.
Personally
I have for clients, power washed decks/drives, cleaned windows,
landscaped whenever I think I can lend a had to the appearance of a
home. We do this so that the property makes a good 1st
impression. And we all know that 1st
impressions are very important.
Then
the photo session! So since there are so many people starting their
search on line your photos have a lot to do whether a potential
client wants to see your home or not. We have all been on line
looking at something, Houses, cars, cloths, jewelry and you know
there are just some photos that don’t make things appealing. The
agent in most cases will hire a professional photographer to come in
and shoot your home. Most people cant believe it is there home when
they see it presented on line but all of the weeks of hard work will
now be rewarded.
OK
next is the paperwork setting terms of the listing, how to handle
showings (appointment with realtor/homeowner) call 1st
then go, how to handle comments by other agents/buyers, homeowner
filling out a complete sellers disclosure. The key here is
DISCLOSURE, DISCLOSURE. Disclose any issues you are aware of old or
new.
So
after all this the home goes into MLS or your locale way of listing a
home. Sign may or may not go up and the showings start. Your realtor
will then be requesting feed back from those who are showing your
home (usually asking the other realtors for feedback of theirs and
their clients). Some clients want to see every comment on the
property regardless if pro or con. Some clients just want to know if
they are going to make an offer. I had one client say don’t “never
show me negative comments I am not doing any more work!” So it all
depends on how it was discussed during the previous strategy sessions
over the weeks coming up to listing.
Also
during all of this there most likely is a separate marketing campaign
going on that you don’t always see. Today there is a lot of online
buyer looking for property so agents are busy posting your home for
sale on any various sites. There is no one set way of market strategy
most agents have had success in many different ways and they do what
they think best for a property by property basis. There is also
online and personal networking with other agents in your area. All of
these things in combination of a local listing service are very
minimal actions your agent is taking behind the scenes. Of course
there are ads that may be appropriate for locale or regional
publication that need customizing and have deadlines so the main
story here is there are lots of things going on behind the scenes.
I
am not sure what is going on with your case Anna, every situation is
different, but this outline above catches about 80% of the tasks
required (I am sure I missed a few minor tasks that are automatically
done) to successfully get a home listed and presented to the
marketplace. I am sure other Realtors® reading this will have
slightly different processes or maybe some follow similar process but
the end result is getting your home presented to the market and
making the best 1st
impression possible.
There
is nothing like the feeling that a homeowner/Realtor® experience
when a buyer comes to your home because they liked what they saw on
line. Stays at your home for an hour or more and writes you an offer.
I
wish you luck in the sale of your home. I would suggest if you have
not heard from your agent that you call them and ask them if they
could communicate any activity, comments (good or bad) and let them
know you need a little more involvement in the process.
If
you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact me
Mobile/Text:
512-922-4922
Regards
Bob
Kenney, Realtor®
Thursday, January 2, 2014
I need to lease a home, can my Realtor help me?
Hi Loni,
Thanks for the question.
In most cases your Realtor®
will be very happy to assist you and very appreciative that you
thought to seek their advice and assistance.
Leasing
of homes and apartments is handled different all over the United
States. Each market seems to have it;s own system in place. In
Austin, Texas your have either a leasing company or management firm,
apartment owner leasing, Listing agents (Brokers) that will list your
unit in MLS for all realtors to see.
Some
Realtors® prefer not to assist clients in leases. This is always an
individual decision by the agent. I have found that telling a client
they are no interested in assisting them but “hey don’t forget to
call me when you are ready to buy”, is not a very good business
policy!
If
I have a client in need of assistance on any type of transaction I
will do my best to handle the transaction or if not qualified find
someone with the experience needed to give them the best
representation.
For a Realtor® they earn a commission from the leasing transaction after the client has been approved for the lease and lease the terms are negotiated and the lease is signed and funded (security deposits and rent payments made). Typically the Realtor® will receive a % from the leasing company or listing broker between 30-50% of the 1st months rent.
There
is a lot of paperwork associated with the lease process , at least
here in Austin, and it is very chaotic as every company/broker has
their own sets of rules in order for an applicant to be accepted. I
personally think there is a better way to handle leasing process but
think until a more efficient process is introduced there is just no
way to get around the pain of the leasing process.
The
majority of agents will assist you in this transaction so please make
that call!
I
will point out that in some markets around the country the leasing
market is very tight with available inventory. There are usually
multiple lease applications on desirable properties and how you
present your application is essential in obtaining the lease. So work
with your agent and let him/her find out exactly what is required to
present a strong application. Do not assume that this is any easier
than buying a home! Sometimes it seems to be even more difficult to
get approved for an application than a mortgage.
The
main reason is that the owner of the unit is trying to get his
monthly cost of carrying the property covered by the rent. Any
disruption in the rent payments could be costly for them so they want
to make sure they are not having to re list the property every couple
of months and gamble that they might loose income for any period of
time.
So
emotions run high in these transactions. Don’t be put off bu being
rejected, a lot of lease negotiations fall off prior to the finale
leases being signed so it is good practice to keep in touch with
leasing agent for the next 5 days or so after they have decided to go
with another applicant. Don’t stop looking just keep it in play
until it becomes more finale.
What
to have prepared for a lease application:
1.You
will need to approve the leasing entity access to your credit and
criminal history. This is usually included in the “application
fee”. They will access an on line service that costs between
$30-$50 per applicant (You will need separate applications for each
adult that will be named on the lease) It is usually required that
this application fee be paid with application in certified funds
(money order or cashiers check) and made out to the leasing entity.
This fee varies but runs between 40-75 depending on the company.
Yes more than the costs of the reports!
They
will send you an Online approval from the credit checking service
asking for permission to access your records. Be prepared to check
spam box if you do not get anything w/in 24 hours
2. You are sometimes required to also submit security deposit (typically 1 months rent) by either cashiers check or money order. It is usually made out the owner of the property but some leasing companies have escrow accounts so from time to time you make these out the leasing company. You really need to know this info up front so make sure your agent asks!
I know – "WHAT! I have to give them security deposit before I
know that I am approved? " What happens if I am not approved? This
is one of the broken features of the leasing process in Austin
market. I cant tell you the number of times I have had to fight with
the listing entity to get these funds back. Some will just
hand you back the cashiers check/money order and your
client can return to where they purchased it to convert
it back into dollars. Some will actually cash the check and then wait
7-15 days for the funds to clear then issue you a refund
check, some very unscrupulous companies will tell you you lost
the funds and you need to get very argumentative to get funds
returned. If nothing else this is a great reason to have a
Realtor® involved.
3. Read the lease carefully (as with any legally binding document) and make sure you know the terms of the lease. Make a copy of it and keep it handy because after the term of the lease there are certain time deadlines you will be responsible for and you will want to have a quick reference
Hope
this answers your question Loni. Please feel free to contact me if
you have any firther questions or need a referral!
Regards,
Bob
kenney, Realtor®
VP
Turnquist Partners Realtors
Mobile/Text:
512-922-4922
Friday, December 27, 2013
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