Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine (July 2008) has named Austin. TX as one to the ten best places in the United States to Live, Work and Play!  They make these assumptions based on many factors including: Strength of the local economy. The availability of good jobs. Affordability of living. Lifestyle enhancements (availability of fun things to do).  The following statistics were noted for Austin:  Population: 1,506,425Population Growth Since 2000: 17%Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 36.5%Cost-of-Living Index: 92.8 (100 being national average)Median Household Income: $52,882 Income Growth Since 2000: 12.2% According to Kiplinger's research, one of the keys to a bright future is a healthy shot of people in the creative class. People in creative fields -- scientists, engineers... 05/31/2008

Sunday Austin's ParkPflugervilleKids under 40 inches eat freeAll others only $5.95 Buster's Bee Cave BBQAustinFree Kids Cup for kids 3 and under Cannoli Joe'sAustinKids under 4 eat freeKids under 12 eat  1/2 Price Catfish ParlourAustinSelect pieces free for kids 3 and under China ChefAustin and BastropFree Buffet for kids under 511:30 am - 3 pm Cici's PizzaAustin, Round Rock,Georgetown, San MarcosKids 3 and under eat free Double Dave's PizzaworksSelect locations in Austin (call first)Kids under 5 eat free all day Elsi's RestaurantAustinKids 12 and Under Eat FREE from 4 pm - close Estancia ChurrascariaSunset ValleyKids Under 5 eat free all day Gatti LandRound RockKid's 2 and under eat free Moe's Southwest GrillAustinKids eat free all day Rockin' Tomato PizzaAustinKids 4 and under eat fre... 05/28/2008

  According to Dr. Mark Dotzour of the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University, the overall economy in Texasis out performing that of the rest of the nation.  The state's non-farm employment rose 2.6% from April 2007 to April 2008, compared with the less than 0.5% increase for the United States. While the U.S. seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose from 4.5% to 5.0%, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell from 4.4% in April 2007 to 4.1% in April 2008. Some high lights for Austin - Round Rockarea? -With 2.7% employment growth rate the area ranked 6th in the state for job creation!  The top three industries with the highest job growthover this period and accross the state were: 1) Natural Resources & Mining 2) Professional & Business Services 3) Leisure & Hospitality   Sour... 05/27/2008

Proponents of higher education in Round Rock, Texas, fulfilled their almost 20-year dream last month of bringing a community college to the city with the Austin Community College (ACC) annexation election passing by an overwhelming margin! This is a huge investment for Round Rock and Williamson County, raising the property taxes approximately $200 for the average homeowner, but raising the bar for college students in particular, reducing the tuition paid for Round Rock residents by two-thirds, and giving the local economy in general a huge boost. Since the election passed, ACC will now move forward with plans to create their largest campus to date in Round Rock for it's 12,000 students - this campus will be ACC's largest overall by over 2000 students. This move will also allow ACC to do... 05/27/2008

Back in my corporate days in the dot com industry, there was always a great amount of due diligence taking place.  We were always looking at acquiring competitors and they were always looking at acquiring us.  And if you were going to spend $50MM of someone else's money purchasing another company, you'd better make very sure that you have done all your homework and you know what you are getting for the venture capital that you are about to spend.  I was thinking about this very issue today as I pondered how to approach this article.  Real estate investors tend to not do a very thorough job at due diligence in the early stages of property acquisition and my belief is that it causes the high rates of foreclosure that happen to junior investors.  To coin an old phrase, "You have to kiss a ... 05/27/2008

  NEWS ABOUT FROM ROUND ROCK, TEXAS!!! What a great place to live and raise your family. Just 15 to 20 minutes North of downtown Austin, Round Rock is a cutting edge community with great schools and great people. Fun places to shop and play.  Below is a post from the Round Rock Chamber of Commerce about the accomidations in Round Rock for large corporate gatherings. If your corporation is interested in learning more email me at roundrockhomes@gmail.com 05/26/2008

Austin has been named again among one of the best cities in the USA, this time by Forbes.com and their analysis of the most recession-proof cities in the country. In their research, Forbes analyzed the 50th largest metro areas in the United States and looked at many statistical areas such as unemployment data, job growth not related to farming activities, average home prices and they also focused on a 2007 report: "U.S. Metro Economies: The Mortgage Crisis" which was funded by the U.S. Conference of Mayors. The top three cities in their findings included Oklahoma City, San Antonio and Austin.  The list was rounded out by Houston, Dallas, Charlotte, Raleigh, Salt Lake City, San Jose and Seattle.  Forbes also added that the Texas cities within the list also have benefitted from historical... 05/26/2008

As the seller, you can control three factors that will affect the sale of your home: * The home's condition* Your asking price* Marketing strategyHowever, it's important to note that there are numerous other factors that influence a buyer, and you need to understand these consumer trends when you enter the sellers' market. The more your home matches these qualifications, the more competitive it will be in the marketplace. The HBH Group can advise you on how to best position and market your home to overcome any perceived downsides. LocationUnfortunately, the most influential factor in determining your home's appeal to buyers is something you can't control: its location. According to the National Association of REALTORS®, neighborhood quality is the No. 1 reason buyers choose certain home... 05/26/2008

If you're in the market for a new refrigerator, dishwasher or other appliance, shopping Memorial Day weekend will save you money.During Memorial Day weekend, Texas shoppers get a break from state and local sales and use taxes on purchases of certain energy efficient products. The 2008 Energy Star sales tax holiday begins at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, May 24, and ends at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, May 26 -Memorial Day, but there is one stipulation.You must purchase an appliance that's received the Energy Star rating. Those products not only reduce energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions, they'll also save you money in the long run."Americans saved somewhat in the neighborhood of $16 billion in their utility bills and reduced gas emissions by the equivalent of 27 million automobiles," Ronnie V... 05/23/2008

Arts & Crafts Imagination Saturdays, All Michaels Arts & Crafts locations Kids ages 5-12 are invited to join 30 minute sessions at 10:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. - Cost includes supplies: free -$3 Day Trips Austin Steam Train Association, Call for Schedule, Ride the rails into the Texas Hill Country aboard the Hill Country Flyer Depart Cedar Park, lnfo:(512) 477-8468 x 13 Austin Zoo, The, Daily: l0 a.m. - 6 p.m., $4-$5 adult Petting Zoo, Rides, Field Trips, Special Events, 60 species & 200 animals. 1087 Rawhide Trail, Austin, (512) 288-3246 Barton Springs Pool, Year Round: 5:00am - 10:00pm (except Thurs.), $1 -$3 A spring feed swimming pool (68deg) Zilker Park, 2101 Barton Springs Rd., Austin, (512) 476-9044 Cedar Rock Railroad, Times Mon.- Thur. 4pm-6pm I Sat & Sun 1... 05/23/2008

If you are an active investor in real estate, you need to know that there are changes on the horizon!  As of April 22nd, Freddie Mac put out a bulletin that stated that as of August 1st of this year, they will only allow up to 4 properties to be backed by Freddie per person and this includes a personal residence!  Usually where one goes, the others follow so speculation is that Fannie Mae will follow soon meaning that all conforming loans will soon be limited to four per person. Non-conforming (conventional) and private investor money will still be available on a case by case basis, but many of those programs also tend to follow the government rules, especially so since the mortgage fall out of the last few years.  So all-in-all, investors are about to have it much harder when attemptin... 05/20/2008

Most sellers know that we are in a major real estate slump in most markets of the country as I write this.  Selling a home in markets such as this requires that you understand two things: Pricing and Marketing.  This article will introduce you to these two concepts and why they are important to you as a seller. If no buyers see your home, no offers will ever be written on it.  This is why market pricing of your home is critical to your success!  Your REALTOR(r) should be an aggressive price hound in this market and may not tell you what you want to hear.  If you are looking for a windfall profit on a home that you bought less than two years ago, you are probably dreaming.  An honest REALTOR(r) will show you the real market numbers and work hard on your market analysis to price your home... 05/18/2008

Fighting Indoor HumidityThe dryer the air in a home is, the cooler the home feels, so humidity reductions should be your goal for your home in the summer.  Unfortunately, we can be our own worst enemy in this area because each time we bathe, shower, wash clothes, do dishes or boil water we are putting more moisture back in the inside air!  Make sure you always use your exhaust fans in the kitchens, laundry rooms and bath rooms whenever such activities are in process.  Turn these fans on shortly before you start such an activity and leave the on at least 15 minutes after you are done.  This also removes all the hottest air in the room near the ceiling. Fan "Up"Why do you suppose people use the term "Cool Breeze"?  Probably because moving air just by its' nature feels cooler than stagnant... 05/17/2008

When I want REAL Texas BBQ, I hop in the car with the family and take a ride to Cooper's in Llano.  Man it doesn't get any better anywhere in the world for BBQ.  Now this is saying something, because I am a native Texan and have never had better anywhere; anytime. You start your BBQ adventure at Coopers in line outside where you will file past an opened pit with all sorts of great BBQ delights inside: Brisket, Chicken, Pork Chops, Ribs, Steaks, Sausage - You name it!  Its' all there!  And fresh and hot!  You point to what you want and choose whether to have it dunked in sauce or not (the sauce IS to die for!).  Then they slap it on a tray and you carry it inside. The line inside allows you to select other goodies: Potato Salad (awesome), Corn on the Cob, Cole Slaw, Deserts, Drinks and m... 05/17/2008

Through the first four months of this year, Stone Oak and Preserve at Stone Oak home sales have been down over previous years as follows:            Homes Sold        Difference2007    106                   Down by 12%2006    114                   Down by 7% The point is that the market throughout Round Rock is slower this year due to many factors: A slower economy. An election year. Dell layoffs. etc. If you need to sell or lease/manage a home in Stone Oak there are many critical issues to understand in order to make it happen.  We can assist you with these issues and would like to point out that some homes in Round Rock are still selling quickly and receiving multiple offers that can push the sales price ABOVE list price.  We would love to discuss the current value of your home, the ... 05/16/2008

Unintentional HeatingMany of the appliances you use on a daily basis add unwanted heat to your home. Your oven is possibly the biggest culprit. Try to avoid baking or broiling on hot days. Use your stovetop to cook meals that can be quickly heated, and keep lids on the pots to hold the heat in. Also make sure you use the smallest burner possible to match the size of your pot. Make sure to run your kitchen exhaust fan while you are cooking, and for up to a half-hour afterward, to remove as much of the heat from your home as possible. The best way to cook in the summer is with a microwave oven. Microwave ovens use far less energy to cook your food, and produce very little unwanted heat. And, of course, the smartest thing to do on hot days is to eat cold foods that don't require heating, l... 05/16/2008

Keeping the Heat OutsideWe all love windows, don't we?  But they WILL cost you money in the summer months.  They let the heat in along with the sunshine, making it infinitely more difficult to keep the house cool.  You should keep the shades closed and keep the sunlight out to reduce cooling costs.  In fact the best way to shade your windows is from the outside, using awnings, deciduous trees, vines on a trellis or other such decorative foliage.  All these can do a terrific job of keeping your home cooler, particularly on the south and west sides where more heat builds up during the day. Don't forget about reflected heat either.  Patios, sidewalks and streets can increase outside temperatures by several degrees and you house should be shielded from them whenever possible.  Use shrubs pl... 05/15/2008

Air Conditioning (part II) Now on to some additional myth-busting.  It is another common fallacy that you can cool your home off faster by setting a lower temperature on the thermostat.  This somehow kicks the air conditioning system into "overdrive" where it cools faster - NOT TRUE.  Actually it does nothing to speed up the process and you take the risk of forgetting to adjust it back up to 78° after the event, thereby costing more in electric bills.  Just set it for the normal temperature and wait out the cooling process. If you feel chilled in the house, or you must sleep with a heavy blanket at night to be comfortable, you are probably over-cooling your home and further wasting your money.  In addition, our bodies naturally adjust to seasonal temperature changes and you may be prev... 05/14/2008

When you negotiate a contract, make sure you know what furniture, fixtures and appliances, if any, are being sold with the property. Technically, anything that’s permanently affixed to or installed in the home is real property. Everything else is the sellers’ personal property. This definition leaves a gray area that can lead to disputes between a buyer and a seller. When The HBH Group lists your property for sale, we will work with you to be very specific in what is included and excluded from the sale. If we are working with you as a buyer, we will also make sure that everything is spelled out clearly and you AND the seller know what you are purchasing contractually. We always ask our sellers what permanent fixtures they intend to remove and remind them to spell it out clearly in the ... 05/13/2008

Energy ExpensesFor the average Texas resident well over half of your total energy expenses in the summer will go to cooling your home.  Electricity is produced most often in our area of the country by using fossil fuels which as you know are getting more costly every day and also come with a pollution by product of reducing quality of our air, placing more carbon dioxide in our atmosphere (whether or not you believe in global warming, the pollution is an issue that most people agree is a problem).  You can make a difference by reducing your use of energy in the summer months and in turn save your family some big bucks in energy costs as well.   Summer cooling is a difficult thing in Texas due to two major factors: heat and humidity.  By working to keep the heat outside and cool inside, ... 05/13/2008