Living in Austin

Why My 1 Hour Daily Workouts Cost me 5 Hours Daily

March 27, 2012

As I start typing this blog article at about 6:15PM on a Tuesday, a crazy reality befalls me. It’s almost my bedtime. In less than 2 hours, maybe 3 at most. I have to get to bed around 9PM Sundays through Thursdays because of a new lifestyle commitment I’ve made. And it’s messing up my [...]

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Forgetting the MLS Key Really Stinks

January 24, 2012

No doubt every Austin Realtor has forgotten – or almost forgotten the electronic MLS key when showing a property. That really stinks when it happens. Me and Sylvia are still old school and carry around these horrible devices. The alternative would be to use an iPhone app that requires a small infrared stick that plugs [...]

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Austin Short Term Rental (STR) Update

December 4, 2011

Almost a year ago I wrote about the Austin Short Term Rental (aka STR, Vacation Rental, VRBO) issues surfacing in the Austin community. That blog article generated 57 comments and a lot of heated back and forth. I eventually had to close the comments for that article because I felt everything had been said that [...]

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Fitting Into Your Smaller Austin Home

November 29, 2011

Sylvia and I recently installed new hardwood floors in our entire home. Bedrooms, closets, kitchen, hallway, etc. Everywhere except the laundry room and 2 bathrooms, which received new tile the month before. The process of doing this in an occupied home required a packing and moving of stuff not dissimilar to actually moving. Every part [...]

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Where is Westlake, or is it West Lake Hills?

November 23, 2011

Where exactly is “Westlake” in Austin? Well, it depends on which boundaries you use. In the broadest sense, “Westlake” is considered to be those areas which attend Westlake High School, or those areas within the Eanes ISD boundaries, as shown on this map. So, in general terms, the area west of Austin known as “Westlake” [...]

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Austin Fence Dramas – Dealing With Unreasonable Neighbors

September 29, 2011

Most homes in Austin have fenced back yards. Most fences are built on the property line. The standard wood fence lasts about 8-15 years before it needs replacing (less if it’s a cheap starter home fence). Usually, when replacement is needed, reasonable neighbors work it out and get it done, sharing materials and labor in a way [...]

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Keith Richards, Harry Potter and the Austin Home Buyer

July 22, 2011

I recently read the autobiography Keith Richard’s Life. In it, Keith Richards, of Rolling Stones fame of course, talks about becoming a songwriter and how it changed his perspective on life. It caused him to more closely observe people and how they behave. To more closely listen to comments and phrases people use, always keeping [...]

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Central Austin Homes: Buyers Often Frustrated and Deflated

July 6, 2011

I’ve been working with buyers recently looking in Central Austin neighborhoods. A recurring scenario always develops. Buyers are in love with neighborhoods such as Allandale, Travis Heights, Zilker, Barton Hills, Hyde Park, East Austin, etc., but cannot find an acceptable home to purchase in the Central Austin areas they love. A couple of months ago [...]

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Popcorn Ceilings – Are They Really So Bad?

April 10, 2011

As I was suffering with allergies last month, praying the medicine would work, and wishing I could at least start to half-breath again, I took respite on my living room sofa and laid there for a while, like a zombie, staring at my ceiling, meditating and trying to will my sinuses into operation. As I did so, I [...]

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Texas BBQ and Wussy Austin Bikers

March 28, 2011

My 14 year old daughter and I like to catch lunch at Rudy’s BBQ on Sundays after her volleyball practice. I love everything about Rudy’s, especially having one two minutes from the house. Yesterday was a typical Sunday at Rudy’s on 360. Great cross section of Austinites, young and old and of all stripes, including [...]

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