Be in the KNOW about the City of Austin Energy Conservation Audit and Disclosure Notice  

Are you selling your home in Austin Texas? Did you know there is a city wide ordinance Energy Audit ? Did you know it's the obligation of the seller?  

- Inform yourself here: Energy Conservation Audit and Disclosure Information

- The ordinance applies to properties 10 years or older that are both in Austin and that receive electricity    from Austin Energy
- Yes, condos too
- Results of the audit must be provided at least three days before the end of the option period.
- Non‐compliance with the ECAD ordinance, Austin City Code, Chapter 6‐7,  is a Class C misdemeanor
- Seller Energy Audit Self‐check Check your home here:
- Exemptions include: 
#1 Within 10 years before the sale, the home received at least three energy‐efficiency  improvements through the Austin Energy Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® program.
or 
#2 An equivalent Austin Energy program.
These improvements include:  

• increasing attic insulation to R38

• installing solar screens, solar film or low‐E windows 

• adding radiant barriers in the attic

• replacing or insulation ducts

• reducing air infiltration and sealing ducts 

• installing new qualifying HVAC systems.

- A total of $500 in rebates through the Austin Energy Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® program
‐Energy‐efficiency improvements through the Austin Energy Free Home Improvements program, which is offered only to customers with low‐to‐moderate incomes

WHAT WOMEN WANT IN HOMES THIS MOTHER’S DAY

Here are some ideas for anyone looking to do home improvements, remodeling or even looking to buy a new home. Either way, any of these are always highly ranked on a woman’s wish list! Take a look.

Large Closets

You really want to see a woman smile? If you’re looking at houses, don’t forget this key detail, closet space! You can always get creative and find a hall closet or an area of the house suitable for a custom closet.  An existing closet can also be easily transformed with new shelving and great organization and storage.

Open Living Areas

The open floor plan is usually a big plus for any mother. It allows for a mother to watch over her family while she’s cooking in the kitchen. If this sounds like you, you’ll want to find a home with open floor plan or for your home, see if knocking down a wall would give your home more open space.

Low-Maintenance Living

Not all women are expert gardeners or love home-improvement projects. When looking at homes, look for easy to wipe counters like granite for example. This can also be a home upgrade to transform your kitchen.

Easy-to-Use Security System

A safe home cannot be looked over. And it’s also high ranking on most women’s list of priorities. As a Mother’s Day gift, find providers and have a security system installed.

You can do this for your mother or your home. Your family’s safety will give you peace of mind.

Need a project?

A great Mother’s Day gift can a renovation project  your wife or mother has been pining over.

If you are looking at buying a new home, keep in mind what’s important to Mom.

     Some of What’s Happening in Austin for May

Thursdays-Sundays Shakespeare in the Park- The Winter's Tale, on Zilker Hillside

5/3-5/11 Austin Fashion Week- Austin Fashion Week was founded in 2009 by event producer Matt Swinney of Launch787 as a platform to showcase local talent and the Austin fashion scene. Fashion Week

5/10-5/11 Pachanga Latino Musical Festival- Pachanga is a Latin-themed music, cultural arts and food festival dedicated to showcasing the vibrant blend of Latino-created music and art and the impact it has on American culture today.Pachanga Fest

5/10-5/12 Tour of Homes- The 2013 Tour of Homes is central Texas' ultimate open house, featuring spectacular homes from the best builders in the area. Tour of Homes Austin

5/11 Gardens on Tour- The tour, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. rain or shine, will feature exclusive looks at five private gardens as well as all the gardens of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.  Gardens on Tour

5/16 Movies in the Park-  Movies in the Park is a series of free films brought to you by the Austin Parks Foundation, and presented by the #1 movie theater in America, the Alamo Drafthouse.  Movies in the Park

5/17 Bike to Work Day- Although more than half of the U.S. population lives within five miles of their workplace, lack of knowledge and incentive has deterred many from commuting by bike. Bike To Work

5/18 O. Henry Pun-Off- “ART OF THE PUN: A DOCUMENTARY is a character-driven feature documentary in pre-production now about puns, punsters and the art of punning as set in Austin, Texas and the 36^th Annual O. Henry Pun-off World Championship. O. Henry Pun-Off

5/19 Viva La Streets- Viva! Streets is a festival meant to encourage families to get out and enjoy a car-free sixth street and discover new and fun ways to be active. Attendees are encouraged to bring their bikes, skates, strollers, and anything to play with. There will also be a range of free activities such as yoga, Zumba, live music and dancing, hula hooping, etc.  Viva La Streets 

Thursdays at The Grove-One of Austin’s longest running concert series, Thursday’s at the Grove marks it’s 20^th anniversary of KGSR’s Unplugged at the Grove. Every Thursday for 24 weeks ending on September 19^th. Show starts at 8pm.  Thursday at The Grove

5/23-6/9 Kerrville Folk Festival- The Kerrville Music Festivals are family oriented events which are held each year on the Quiet Valley Ranch, just 9 miles south of the resort town of Kerrville in the heart of the beautiful Texas Hill Country. Kerrville Folk Festival

5/25-5/26 Texas Tax-Free Appliance Weekend- During Memorial Day weekend, Texas shoppers get a break from state and local sales and use taxes on purchases of certain energy efficient products. Texas Tax-Free Appliance Weekend

5/27 Memorial Day & Capital of Texas Triathlon-  Life Time Tri CapTex was founded in 1991 and has become one of the most popular multi sport races in the country. Memorial Day & Capital of Texas Triathlon

5/30-6/2 Chaos in Tejas-  2013 marks  the 9TH year of the CHAOS IN TEJAS Music Fest in Austin Texas. A nice lil mix of punk, hardcore, metal, hip hop, garage rock, indie rock, and all points in between. Chaos in Texas

5/31-6/1 Ballet under the Stars- AMDE was formed in 2006 out of the merger of two very dynamic dance companies Ballet Under The Stars

Greetings from Austin

Housing Trends Austin Region and Austin Region Real Estate Market Updat

Housing Trends Austin Region and Austin Region Real Estate Market

Housing Trends Austin Region and Austin Region Real Estate Market Updat

Homeowners, it’s Property Tax Valuation Season!

Have you received your property tax valuation in the mail recently from your county tax authority?  Most homeowners are dissatisfied with the results because it means more money owed to the county for a high valuation. And historically you have a 50/50% chance that your property tax valuation is too high. Did you know you can protest if you aren't satisfied with the results? 

A licensed real estate agent can help you by researching comparable property in your neighborhood and provide advice on how to fill out protest forms increasing your chances of lowering your taxes.

Don’t hesitate to call Red Owl Real Estate at (512) 773-5735 for assistance! And don’t’ forget the deadline is fast approaching In most cases, you have until May 31 or 30 days from the date the appraisal district notice is delivered - whichever date is later.

We've compiled some tips and advice for filing a Tax Proration Protest for Travis County residents below.

1.  File your protest as late as possible then request an extension (the later in the year your hearing, the better the results).
2. On protest form Step #3 – check everything that applies but always check box 1 - Value is over market value and, 2 - Value is unequal compared with other properties.
3. On protest form Step #4 facts: never put a value; instead put "request tax payer info package" (shows the homes they are using as your comps).
4.  Study those comps (your Realtor can help with this).
5. One of the biggest mistakes an owner makes in appealing their taxes is showing up with the wrong sold data.  Most likely should be looking at solds from June last year through January this year (not current solds).
6. Your property valuation is supposed to represent the fair market value on January 1 based on similar sold property in the area.
7. What neighborhood grid are they using?  Fight that your house is not typical for your grid.
8. Take marginal photos of your home.
9. The more you study, the better chance you have.
10. You have your best chance with the informal hearing vs. going before the Board (not flexible).
11.  Travis protests must be filed by June 1. 
12.  It is best to settle informally but you can escalate to a formal hearing if you do not agree with the results of the informal hearing.
13. Be prepared with accurate sold data and photos.  If you refinanced and have an appraisal that supports a lower number, include that with your data.

Helpful link from State of Texas Property Protest: http://www.window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/proptax/protests.html

If you want to hire someone, there are professional services that will protest your taxes on your behalf for a fee (typically, 30-40%).  TX Protax Austin, Inc has been around the longest.  www.texasprotax.com . Another is Tax Tiger or you can find recommendations on Yelp and Angie’s List.

Here are the central Texas county property tax websites for your reference:

Travis County

Williamson County

Hays County

 Disclaimer:  This paper is intended to give general information to homeowners and does not constitute or imply any kind of representation by the author or Keller Williams Realty.  Homeowners should do their due-diligence in collecting the appropriate data to effectively assess their tax protest situation.

Happy Earth Day! 

Ten Quick Things you can do right now that will help you, the environment, and your wallet!

It’s about dollars and cents. Whether you are all in or not, some of these ideas are so easy there’s almost no reason not to do it.

1. Compost: Composting is a great way to reduce how much trash you produce and create free fertilizer. Visit How ToCompost.org for some good tutorials and instructions on how composting can help you.

2. Recycle: In Austin, you even get a separate trash can for this. If you don’t live in the city, you can still request a recycle bin from your waste service company. Recycling should cost you nothing but a little extra time. Did you know recycling paper reduces the number of trees that are cut down?  Did you know recycling aluminum and other metals reduce how much must be mined and extracted from the earth? And of course less waste for our landfills.

3. Adjust the thermostat temperature: Conserve, turn off if you are not home. If you are, take advantage of adjusting your thermostat and confine yourself to one area of the house.

4. Become a hypermiler: Realistichypermiling is easy, just drive the speed limit and don’t slam on either the brakes or the gas. Empty your trunks, no need to haul heavy items in your trunk.

5. Carpool once a week: If it’s possible, give it a try at least once to see if it’s for you. One day a week can’t be too bad. Carpooling just once a week is the easiest way to shave 15% off your gas bill. 

6. Stop drinking bottled water: Yes, it’s convenient, but it’s more expensive than drinking water from the tap. And it doesn’t necessarily taste any better and isn’t any healthier for you. It’s just wasteful.

7. Cook more food at home: Why not, pull out grandma’s cookbook and get cooking. It will save you money and it’s better for the environment. You will use fewer resources, like driving, wasting gas and spending more money per meal, etc.

8. Use the dishwasher: Today’s dishwashers are so energy efficient, take advantage of it and fill that thing up! So financially and ecologically it makes more sense to use a dishwasher instead of by hand.

9. Seal up your windows and doors: Texas heat is fast approaching! A good way to save on your energy bills is to make sure your window coverings are sufficient enough to keep the heat out. Black out curtains can be very effective.

10. Replace regular faucets with low-flow faucets: A great way to reduce water use is to reduce the amount of water coming out of your faucets. You don’t have to sacrifice your shower head, but sink faucets is a good start. 

Top 10 Austin Area Swimming Holes

Top 10 Austin Area Swimming Holes- It's time to swim! 

Mark your calendars and plan ahead for the best Austin area spots to swim.  

1. Barton Springs

This Austin staple is easily deemed the best place to go for a swim on the planet! Yes, it’s cold, but it’s also clean and crisp and most importantly true to it’s natural integrity. Barton Springs is 1,100 foot-long and spring-fed, that’s right, no chlorine and one of the countries largest non chlorinated. Swimmers join natural life such as crawfish, bass, double-crested cormorants and ducks. This is a hot spot for lap swimmers and anyone willing to work on a good tan. The pool is open year around with the only exception when under maintenance for water quality, heavy rain or saving the salamanders. Call ahead after heavy rain at (512) 867-3080.  Hours: 9am to 9pm with life guards and 9pm-10pm w/out. Cleaning hours 9am to 7pm on Thursdays. Admission: Adults, $2.50 weekdays, $2.75 on weekends, 75 cents for ages 12 to 17 and 50 cents for 11 and under.

2. Deep Eddy Pool

This is a great family pool because of it’s unique hug shallow end. The water is also cold like it’s neighboring Barton Springs Pool. There are plenty of trees at Deep Eddy. Early morning lap swimming from late May (24) to early August (10). All other hours  10am to 9pm. Fees: $2/ adults, 75 cents for ages 12 to 1 7 and 50 cents under 11. (512) 472-8546. Located West of Mopac on 401 Deep Eddy Drive.

3. Hamilton Pool

The Hamilton Pool Preserve is more like a beautiful natural beach with a 75 foot waterfall like something out of a movie. Take the path or water and find great photo ops with this beauty. One of the best things about Hamilton is the hiking ops. You can hike and swim, picnic and spend a whole day having fun. Keep an eye out for the birds, because there are plenty of beautiful species to see. Directions: Take Highway 71 in Bee Cave. Then take Hamilton Pool Road south for about 13 miles. Hours: 9am to 6pm. Restrictions: No glass, camping, fires, or pets. Make sure and hydrate, you won’t be near any stores. Fees: $5 per vehicle. Call ahead after heavy rainfall (512) 264-2740.

4. San Marcos River

Seasoned tubing folks know this place well.  The San Marcos River is also a great swimming spot and fun road trip for people wanting something out of the city. It’s about a 30-minute drive from Austin and the spring water makes it a very desirable place to take a dip. Be sure and wear protective gear on your feet! Water shoes work best.

5. Sculpture Falls on Barton Creek

If we have a good rain season, this is a quiet Austin hide a way. You’ll have to drive upstream from the Mopac Bridge a little under a mile and a half. To actually get to the Sculpture you need to bike or walk. This is for serious outdoor people for sure! Hours: Curfew hours from 10 pm to 7am, and please no glass!

6. Stacy Pool

A family favorite for many, "Little" Stacy Pool’s water stays somewhat warm year around, even when it’s cold outside. The water feeds from a natural warm spring, keeping it warm. It’s the one pool your parents will know about if you are from Austin since it has a been a part of the city since the 1930s. Take an umbrella, there aren’t many trees. There is also a "Big" Stacy Pool which is a lap swimmer’s heaven. The Big Stacy pool is for the serious swimmers. Hours: 6am to 8pm during the week and noon to 7pm on weekends. Weekdays from 6am to 8am, the pool is reserved for lap swimming. (512) 476-4521 FREE. Located at 800 E. Live Oak.

7. Krauss Springs in Spicewood

Want a quick get away? Go to Krauss Springs. It’s a hide a way located in Spicewood and privately owned. Overnight camping is available. Take Highway 71 west to Spicewood. Once you are in Spicewood, look for the signs to Krause Springs. (210) 693-4181 for more info.

8. Hippie Hollow

If you’re from Austin, then you know this is clothing optional. Located on Lake Travis and although the lake is your playground, you won’t find a family atmosphere in these parts. It’s a must stop for out of towners for sure. 18 and under prohibited. Fees: $5 per vehicle. Hours 6am-9pm. Restrictions: No camping, no glass, no pets, no cooking. Directions: Take FM 620 going west . Take Comanche Trail 1.5 miles just past the Oasis Restaurant, at 7000 Comanche Trail. More info: Travis County Parks Department, (512) 473-9437.

9. Blue Hole in Georgetown

This is a spot with a lot of buzz lately. The Blue Hole in Georgetown is a swimming hole made from a small dam with water feeding from the San Gabriel River. It’s a great place to take your family for a day of swimming and picnics.  Directions: From the Williamson County Courthouse in Georgetown, go north on U.S. 81, (Austin Avenue), turn left on 2nd Street then right on Rock Street to the river. FREE

10. Blue Hole in Wimberly

This isn’t just a water hole; it’s a well known camping ground and highly populated place to be in the summer! The famous rope that you see people swinging on in pictures?- this is the spot!  Fee: Up to five people, $50 for a seasonal membership plus $1 per head. Or, pay $3 a person. Camping starting at $15 per night Directions: From Cypress Creek one quarter mile east of the town square. Hours: 9am to 7pm. Restrictions: No pets, no glass, No minors w/out parents. (512) 847-9127 for more info. 

Barton Springs Photo Credit:Austin Parks & Recreation

Deep Eddy Photo Credit: Steve Hopson

Hamilton Pool Photo Credit: Travel Muse

Hippie Hollow Photo Credit: The Digital Texan

Blue Hole Georgetown Photo Credit Parks Georgetown