Your Guide to the Best Christmas Lights in Central Texas

December 1, 2014 By

One of my family’s favorite Christmas traditions is driving around looking at Christmas lights. I’ve compiled a list of some of the more extravagant displays around Central Texas from Fort Hood all the way down to San Marcos.

Be sure to check the links below before heading out, in case any of the schedules change.

North

Fort Hood

Nature in Lights, a Holiday Tradition

Enjoy the drive through over five and a half miles of holiday-inspired scenes. Like magic, BLORA is once again transformed into a winter wonderland for all to enjoy: kids and kids at heart

  • When: Until January 4, from 5:30-11 p.m.
  • Where: Belton Lake Outdoor Recreation Area
  • Cost: $7 per car

 

 

Georgetown

Christmas Stroll

Bring the family and walk through the many wonders of Whoo-Village, enjoy live entertainment, a special kids activity area, treats in the food court and browse more than 250 arts and crafts booths. Children will love the various FREE activities and rides and visiting with Santa. There’s even a parade on Saturday morning at 10 a.m. If you can’t visit during the stroll, stop by any evening to see the Downtown Square lit up for the season.

  • When: Friday, December 5, from 5-9 p.m. and Saturday, December 6, from 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.
  • Where: Georgetown Square
  • Cost: Free

Spindler’s Family Light Show

Tune your car radio to 88.5 FM to listen to the music.

  • When: 6pm to 10:30pm
  • Where: 2441 Candle Ridge Trail
  • Cost: Free, but please bring an unwrapped gift for Brown Santa.

Harlien Family Christmas

Tune in to 94.1 while viewing 40,000 lights synchronized to 48 channels of animation. Multiple lit trees, arches, Christmas features, and Santa!!! This year will be the 20th year the Harlien Family has decorated their home to bring joy to neighborhood kids and families. Inspired by a wish granted to their dear friend’s son, this year the Harlien Family has chosen to raise $5,000 to adopt a family wish.

  • When: 6-10 p.m. on weekdays and 6-11 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
  • Where: 400 Liscio Cove. (For safety reasons, all guests are asked to enter Liscio Loop from Lancaster Drive & exit Liscio Loop at Champions.)
  • Cost: Free, but a donation to the Make a Wish Foundation is encouraged.

Shady Oak Christmas Display

The show lasts about an hour if you watch the whole thing, but each song averages around 6 minutes.

  • When: Visit the Facebook page for updates.
  • Where: 107 Shady Oak Drive
  • Cost: Free

 

 

Leander

Tree Lighting and Christmas Parade

Pictures with Santa, Holiday Hayrides, Yule Fire, Choral Performances, Christmas Parade, and Tree Lighting.

  • When: Saturday, December 6 at 5 p.m.
  • Where: City Hall, 200 West Willis St.
  • Cost: Free

 

 

Cedar Park

Anna Court Light Display

This Cedar Park cul-de-sac is decked out with thousands and thousands of festive lights. Tune your radio to 89.1 to listen to the music.

  • When: Nightly until December 31st from 5:30-11:30pm
  • Where: 1321-1333 Anna Court
  • Cost: Free, but please bring a toy to donate to Blue Santa.

Holiday Tree Lighting and Santa’s Workshop

Over 60,000 lights will illuminate the largest Live Oak Tree in Cedar Park. Santa’s Workshop will kick off immediately following the tree lighting ceremony. Enjoy live music, free carriage rides, games and prizes, inflatables, photos with Santa, and arts & crafts projects. Bring the whole family for what promises to be a festive evening.

  • When: December 5, from 6:30-9 p.m.
  • Where: Heritage Oak Park, 875 Quest Parkway.
  • Cost: Free

Chinati Court

  • When: See the Facebook page for updates.
  • Where: Just off Sun Chase Blvd in the Ranch at Cypress Creek. Park on Sun Chase and walk, if you can. (Map)
  • Cost: Free but the neighborhood is a collection point for Brown Santa.

 

 

Round Rock

Rock’N Lights Holiday Light Tour

Come and experience the Rock’N Lights Holiday Light Tour at Old Settler’s Park, from the comfort of your car. With 2 million lights, the 1.5-mile path is the must-see event of the season.

  • When: December 1 to 30, starting at 6 p.m. (closing times vary)
  • Where: 4111 E. Old Settlers Blvd
  • Cost: $15 per family vehicle

Christmas Family Night

Watch as Main Street is illuminated and Santa arrives in his sleigh

  • When: Friday, December 5 at 6:30 p.m.
  • Where: Historic Downtown, Main Street.
  • Cost: Free

 

 

Pflugerville

Christmas Parade and Pfestival of Lights

The city’s Parks & Recreation Department joins forces with the Knights of Columbus this year and adds activities to the annual Christmas Parade. Blending the two events makes a larger, more fun holiday celebration for the community. The city will bring a stage with live performances from local elementary schools and dancers on the stage at 200 W. Main Street. There will be FREE arts and crafts activities for children, a bonfire, the traditional tree lighting, and photos with Santa Claus at the end of the parade.

  • When: Saturday, December 13, starting at 5:30 p.m. Activities until 8 p.m.
  • Where: The parade travels down Railroad Avenue to Main Street. (Parade route map.)
  • Cost: Donations for the Blue Santa program welcome.

 

 

North Austin

Holiday Light Shows at The Domain

Watch the holidays come to life with hourly lights show in Domain II. More than 82,000 lights and 2,200 strobes will dance to holiday music for the first 15 minutes of each hour.

  • When: Until December 31, hourly between 5 and 9 p.m.
  • Where: Domain II (mall map).
  • Cost: Free

Frozen Medley Christmas Light Show

Viewers can hear the songs from the house’s speakers or from their car radio by tuning in to 106.9 FM.

  • When: Nightly until New Year’s, from 5:30-9:45 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, and from 5:30-10:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
  • Where: 16412 Rockgate Dr., Austin (near Avery Ranch in Round Rock).
  • Cost: Free

Lanicek Family in Wells Branch

10,000+ lights programmed to 20 minutes of music.

  • When: Until January 3, from 6 – 10 p.m., weather permitting.
  • Where: 2207 Klattenhoff Drive
  • Cost: Free, but the house is a collection point for non-perishable food items for Saint Louis Catholic Church food pantry.

 

 

Central Austin

Mozart’s Coffee Roasters

15-minute light show at the top of each hour. Come drink some hot chocolate while you and your family enjoy the fun decorations and show, including the song “What Does the Fox Say” for the kids.

  • When: Every night from 6 p.m. to midnight
  • Where: 3825 Lake Austin Blvd.
  • Cost: Free

Zilker Holiday Tree

The Zilker Tree stands 155 feet tall and is composed of 39 streamers, each holding 81 multicolored, 25-watt bulbs, totaling 3,309 lights. At the top of the tree, a double star measures 10 feet from point to point. The double star displays 150 frosted bulbs. This unique spiral pattern of lights was created by City of Austin electricians. At its circumference, the tree measures 380 feet. The diameter is 120 feet. The base of the tree is made up of 19 utility poles, each 14 feet tall, arranged in a circle around the Moonlight Tower. Go take a spin under the tree and buy some kettle corn from one of the onsite vendors. REMINDER: December 7-21 the area roads will be closed as thousands visit the Trail of Lights. If you are planning to visit the Holiday Tree itself, make sure to plan around those nights!

  • When: Until December 31, from 6 p.m. to midnight.
  • Where: Zilker Park, 2100 Barton Springs Rd.
  • Cost: Free

Lighting of the Capitol Tree

The fun starts at 6 p.m. when crowds gather on the south steps of the Capitol to sing the songs of the season with John Aielli, host of the long-running show “Eklektikos” on KUTX 98.9. As the clock strikes 7 p.m., the crowd begins the countdown to the lighting of the Capitol tree, featuring a programmed light show at the top and bottom of every hour, set to holiday songs of local Austin musicians. From 7 to 9 p.m. Congress Ave. will be abuzz with holiday cheer during the Downtown Stroll. Shops, restaurants, galleries and museums will be open late and will feature special activities and offers.

  • When: Saturday, December 6 at 6 p.m.
  • Where: Texas State Capitol, Congress Avenue & 11th Street.
  • Cost: Free

Trail of Lights

To get a sneak peek of the Trail, join the two-mile Fun Run on Saturday, December 6, 7-10 p.m., rain or shine ($20 for adults; $10 for kids).

  • When: December 7-21, from 7-10 p.m.
  • Where: Zilker Park, 2100 Barton Springs Rd.
  • Cost: Admission to the Trail of Lights is FREE on Opening Night (December 7) and on Monday to Thursday nights. Admission is also FREE for kids under 12 every night. Admission for adults (age 12+) is $3 on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays (excluding Opening Night). With the purchase of a ZiP Pass for $15, trail-goers can enter the Trail early, starting at 6:15 p.m. on most nights. Shuttle tickets cost $5/person on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights ($4 on weeknights) and provide admission into the Trail of Lights (no additional gate admission ticket is required). Lap children ride free. Zilker Parking Passes are $15. All passes can be purchased online in advance.

Luminations at Wildflower Center

Enjoy Luminations, a Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center holiday tradition. Make plans to visit the lighted gardens, filled with thousands of luminarias and twinkle lights. In addition to the beautiful holiday lighting, there will be hot chocolate and food for sale, plus children’s activities and musical acts throughout both evenings. Kids can get a hug from Frosty the Snowman and make crafts in the Visitors Gallery.

  • When: Saturday and Sunday, December 13 and 14, from 6-9 p.m.
  • Where: 4801 La Crosse Avenue
  • Cost: Admission is FREE with two canned food items for the Capital Area Food Bank.

 

 

South

Buda

Trail of Lights

Get in the holiday mood by strolling through the park and enjoying the lights! FREE shuttle parking is available at Cabela’s. No parking is permitted in the park. Walk in visitors are welcome and may bring leashed pets. The trail is approximately 1/2 mile long. No pets are allowed on shuttle buses. Hot beverages and concessions will be available for purchase.

  • When: December 12 -13 and 18 – 21, from 6 – 10 p.m
  • Where: Historic Stagecoach Park, 880 Main Street, Buda.
  • Cost: Free

 

 

San Marcos

Sights & Sounds of Christmas

Come out for free Santa photos, holiday performances, ice skating, enjoy festival foods, holiday gift shops, laser light show, free petting zoo, pony rides, carnival, town of Bethlehem, 5K Run, Kids 1K Run. Want to volunteer and get free entry? You can do that too!

  • When: December 3 to 6, from 5 – 11 p.m.
  • Where: San Marcos Plaza Park.
  • Cost: –13 and up is $5; kids 12 and under are FREE.

East

Bastrop

River of Lights

The River of Lights features 120 lighted displays and music. The trail continues all the way down the Lower Colorado River to Ferry Park, about a half mile.

  • When: December 6-31, from 6-9 p.m.
  • Where: Fisherman’s Park, 1200 Willow St.
  • Cost: Free

 

 

West

Dripping Springs

Christmas on Mercer Street

The public is invited to attend the day-long festival on Mercer Street, hosted by the City of Dripping Springs and the Dripping Springs Lions Club. The charming downtown setting of Mercer Street will be transformed into a winter wonderland, complete with lights, holiday decorations, festive music, fire pits for warmth and plenty of holiday cheer. Photos with Santa, train rides, pony rides and a variety of arts, crafts and specialty food and drink booths will be in full swing. The highlight of the evening will be the annual lighting of the Christmas Tree at the Triangle, located at Hwy. 290 and RR 12. At sunset, attendees are invited to gather for the illumination of the tree, showing off its twinkling lights, and joining in festive songs. This year features a special High Steppers performance, in addition to multiple choirs from local Dripping Springs churches and schools. Hot chocolate and coffee will be available for all to enjoy.

  • When: Saturday, December 6, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • Where: Mercer Street, Downtown Dripping Springs
  • Cost: Free

 

 

Wimberley

The EmilyAnn Theatre & Gardens Trail of Lights

Stroll a walking path with more than 100 lighted exhibits created by local businesses, churches, organizations and families. Roast a marshmallow at the yule log and listen to live entertainment on most nights. See the schedule of when Santa will be in his house.

  • When: Until December 31, from 6–9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, and from 6-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
  • Where: EmilyAnn Theatre & Gardens, 1101 FM 2325
  • Cost: Free

 

 

Gruene

Town Lighting

Watch as Cowboy Kringle rides into town on horseback and lights Gruene for the holidays. Celebrating with live musical performances with festival food and wine available for purchase. Afterwards, get some holiday shopping done at Gruene’s 30+ stores and cozy up to a fireplace for dinner at the Gristmill.

  • When: Saturday, December 6, from 5-6:30 p.m.
  • Where: Downtown Gruene
  • Cost: Free

 

 

Johnson City

Lights Spectacular, Hill Country Style

This holiday season, bring your family to enjoy the magic and beauty of over two million LED lights spread over a mile-long drive through light display. To book a hayride through the lights for your family or group this Christmas season, or if you have any questions, call 512-955-1706.

  • When: Until January 1, from 6-11 p.m
  • Where: 1 mile outside of Johnson City, on Hwy 281.
  • Cost: Free but donations are accepted to help keep the display burning bright!

Toungate Klub Kringle

Come out to see a brand new show, with more lights and new songs!

  • When: Starting December 6 at 8:30 p.m.
  • Where: 2305 Arroyo Grande
  • Cost: Free
Filed Under: Family Life, Georgetown Lifestyle, How I help buyers, Inside Scoop, Reviews and Recommendations Tagged With: , , ,

Reposting a great article concerning MUDs

November 26, 2014 By

Municipal utility districts continue to grow outside Round Rock; annexation unlikely

As a matter of necessity, the employees of the Round Rock Public Library have become experts on city residency laws.

That is because with increasing frequency the city’s librarians have found themselves informing first-time visitors that they are not actually residents of the city of Round Rock but instead reside within a municipal utility district, or MUD. The discrepancy in addresses not only affects people’s ability to gain a free library card, but also the property taxes they pay, the fire and police services they receive and in which elections they are allowed to participate.

“We have a lot of people … who don’t know they are purchasing a house in a MUD or understand what a municipal utility district is,” Round Rock Library Director Michelle Cervantes said.

There are approximately 37,000 people living in the 13 MUDs that lie within the city of Round Rock’s extraterritorial jurisdiction, or ETJ—unincorporated areas the city holds the rights to annex but is under no obligation to do so.

Those living within the MUDs share the same Round Rock mailing address as the city’s residents but are excluded from municipal services such as police, fire department and water services as well as street maintenance. If a family living in a MUD wishes to obtain a city of Round Rock library card, the family is required to pay a $40 annual fee—a service that is free for city residents—and if the family uses a city pool or signs up for a parks and recreation program, it pays nonresident rates.

Another surprise to many new MUD residents comes in the form of taxes. Because MUDs fund and maintain their own water and wastewater infrastructures, their property tax rates can more than double Round Rock’s. In addition, MUD residents must also pay a Williamson County emergency services district tax for fire protection, and in some cases, separate homeowners association fees for parks and pools maintenance.

“When you buy a home in a utility district, you actually get a form that is called a notice of disclosure, [that informs people they are living in a MUD]” said Mike Petter, general manager for the Brushy Creek MUD.

“But the reality is it is one of [approximately] 40 forms you sign when you close on your property. So people move in and they look at the mailing address that says Round Rock, and they assume that is where they live. The reality is that is just where the post office is.”

Defining a MUD

By its most basic definition, a MUD is a funding mechanism used to spur residential development.

Created by either the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality or by an act of the Texas Legislature, MUDs are technically state-regulated water districts. Individual MUDs are overseen by an elected board of directors that is responsible for the management, finances and policies within the MUD’s defined area.

“When these MUDs are created, they issue debt to help develop their own infrastructure,” Round Rock Finance Director Cheryl Delaney said. “They are their own taxing entity. They usually provide their own water, wastewater and solid waste services. They are kind of like a mini city themselves.”

The advantage of MUDs for developers lies in the districts’ ability to take on debt by issuing bonds. The bonds allow developers to pass on the cost of building road and water infrastructure to the future homeowners, who pay off the MUD’s bond debt with property tax revenue.

Cities such as Round Rock also benefit from the residential populations MUDs bring into their immediate area. Essentially, MUD residents help build up the city’s commercial property and sales tax bases by providing a workforce and consumers while at the same time saving the city the cost of funding police, fire and municipal services to new neighborhoods.

“The common knowledge is that cities typically lose money on rooftops,” said Mike Freeman, owner of Mike Freeman Properties, a Round Rock real estate firm. “If any development wants to happen outside [the city limits], it’s pretty much going to need to be a MUD.”

Benefits of a MUD

There are approximately 15,000 people residing within the Brushy Creek MUD in Round Rock’s southwestern ETJ. Founded in 1977, Brushy Creek’s board of directors has injected millions of dollars into the district’s parks, recreation and infrastructure.

Rebecca Tullos, a Brushy Creek resident since 1992, has served on the board of directors off and on for 10 years and as board president since 2012. Tullos believes some of the advantages of living in a MUD include a closer-knit community and greater access to parks and recreation.

“The quality of life for our residents is at the top of the list of goals for the board of directors,” Tullos said.

Williamson County Commissioner Lisa Birkman is also a resident of Brushy Creek and formerly served on the district’s board of directors.

“Generally speaking, it’s a great place to raise your kids,” she said. “Usually the MUDs are a little more affluent neighborhoods with really nice homes and a good quality of life for living here.”

By financing MUDs’ infrastructure through bonds, developers are also able to lower housing costs by avoiding the impact fees cities charge for new construction. Homeowners are also usually allowed to use their MUD property tax payments as a deduction on their federal income taxes.

Enforcement

As a county commissioner representing many of the MUDs in Round Rock’s unincorporated areas, Birkman said she often deals with residents frustrated with the lack of regulations in the districts. Birkman has dealt with a wide range of complaints, ranging from semitrailers being parked on residential streets to the use of fireworks to poorly maintained yards and houses. In most cases, however, the county is limited in its ability to act on residential complaints in the unincorporated areas.

“State laws are written to give certain protections for neighborhoods in cities, not [in ETJs],” Birkman said. “If you live in many places in Texas where [land] is unincorporated, it is just farmland and rural, so those restrictions aren’t needed. But we are under different circumstances in a MUD.”

For most residents living in MUDs, their ability to uphold standards in their neighborhood is limited to whether they belong to a homeowners association, or HOA. As opposed to city ordinances, which carry police authority, however, an HOA’s powers are limited to fines and warning letters.

“You don’t have police power with an HOA,” Freeman said. “With the city of Round Rock, if I try to park my car on the grass, they drive by and write me a ticket and tell me to move my car. In an HOA, they notify [residents] and tell them they have a time period to rectify the situation.”

Annexation

While the residents and leadership of the MUDs surrounding Round Rock have worked in different ways to improve their amenities and quality of life, many recognize there would be advantages to being annexed into the city of Round Rock.

The city of Round Rock, however, has never annexed a MUD, and if it were ever to do so it would require a significant analysis of the costs and benefits of what could be gained by adding hundreds, if not thousands, of new rooftops to the city.

The obstacles to annexation for MUDs are numerous.

For one, MUDs are built on debt used to pay for their infrastructure. If the city were to annex a MUD, state law mandates the city would also assume any debt the district was carrying. There are also the additional factors of the city taking on the financial burden of maintaining any parks and recreation systems the respective MUDs have created. Finally, the city would have to consider the cost of the additional police and fire services.

Much of the costs for maintaining these services within the city of Round Rock are offset by commercial property and sales taxes. MUDs, however, typically contain little to no commercial properties.

The Teravista communities are divided into three MUDs—two located within Round Rock’s northern ETJ and one within Georgetown’s ETJ. Founded in 1998, the districts’ management has developed a long-term strategy it believes could one day help the chance of its residents being annexed. In Teravista, all of the costs of building and maintaining the pools, parks and golf course are funded by the HOA, not the MUD, as is the case in Brushy Creek.

“Where it makes it sometimes challenging for cities to annex districts is when districts get a little bit convoluted with the recreation stuff,” said Rainer Ficken, senior project manager for Newland Communities, the developer for Teravista. “That is why we purposely keep [Teravista MUDs] focused only on providing the water and wastewater and drainage infrastructure.

“Long term, when the city does enter the point they would want to annex that area, they are truly just annexing the utilities. … The city is not taking over any of the swimming pools or open space or amenities.”

Before considering annexing a MUD, the city of Round Rock will also have to determine the costs and benefits to the residents already living within the city’s limits. For a MUD such as Brushy Creek, which currently carries a debt of more than $40 million and an annual operating budget of $11 million, the chances of annexation are “zero,” Round Rock Mayor Alan McGraw said.

“It boils down to the dollars-and-cents discussion,” he said. “If you bring [MUDs] in and the services and debt far outweigh the revenue, then it is the rest of the city that is having to make up the difference, and that is not fair to them.”

by 

August 1, 2013

Filed Under: How I help buyers, Inside Scoop Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Home Mortgages: Should You Buy or Sell This Year?

October 6, 2014 By

Although interest rates are slightly higher than they were last year, they are still at historically low levels, and buyers are eager to lock in before they increase. Nearly half of Americans feel that interest rates will increase in the next 12 months. Here’s an overview of the mortgage market:

MORTGAGE RATES ARE STILL LOW.

30-year fixed rate – 4.20%

15-year fixed rate –  3.31%

5/1-year ARM – 3.05%

Adjustable – 2.40%

MANY AMERICANS ARE MORE CONFIDENT THAT THEY WOULD QUALIFY FOR A MORTGAGE TODAY.

49% said that it would be easy for them to get a home mortgage today, up 4% from last fall.

$154,365 – Average mortgage debt.

Mortgage interest rates averaged 4.36% on a 30 year loan in Q1 2014.

 

3 Reasons to learn more about the mortgage market:

1. If you’re buying a home, knowing more about the mortgage market can help you lock into lower interest rates.

2. If you’re a homeowner, learning more about the refinancing options available can help you lock into a lower interest rate.

3. If you’re thinking about buying a home in the future, you can find out about the financing options available to get an accurate picture of how much you’ll need to save to buy a home.

 

Thanks to Holly Schuler at Gracy Title for this information!
 

Filed Under: Financing, Inside Scoop, Market Updates

VA and FHA Loans – Additional Selling Tools for Homeowners

October 11, 2013 By

Homeowners who purchased their homes with a VA or FHA loan can use their low interest rates as an extra incentive to buyers.  By assuming the current loan terms, buyers can take advantage of low interest rates and, in most cases, lower closing costs.  Another advantage is that the loan is further down the amortization schedule, which means more of their payments go toward principal.

Sellers can now offer a great home with a low interest rate that other homes cannot compete with.  Just remember that with VA loans, your VA eligibility is tied to the home as long as the loan exists.

If you are a homeowner in a similar situation, contact me for details.

Source: http://realtormag.realtor.org/daily-news/2013/09/20/sellers-can-use-their-fha-va-loans-marketing-tool?om_rid=AACLKS&om_mid=_BSPKI6B81T4DuK&om_ntype=RMODaily

Filed Under: Financing, How I help sellers, Inside Scoop, Real Estate News Tagged With: , , , , ,

Not just hype – Green building pays off

September 5, 2009 By

Green Building – Should you believe the hype?
hype-mfp-energy-drink-iiThere’s been a lot of hype surrounding green building practices lately.  Save energy, save the earth and feel good about yourself for making a difference for the next generation.  What’s not to love?  Especially if you can save money at the same time!  Well, last year I decided to test the waters with my own green building experience.  I decided to move into a home built by Green Builders in Georgetown Village and got my Ecobroker certification to learn more about the industry and help others through the process of “going green.”

After 12 months of living in a green home, I decided to compare my utility bills with the previous year of living in a “non-green” home and see if there was a noticeable difference.  Keep in mind that this blog post will only focus on the financial benefits, but green building also benefits the environment and the health of your family.  Before I get into the results, there are a few details I need to share with you first:

1.  My previous home was on 115 Village Park Drive (115 VP) and I only moved 5 houses down to 125 Village Park Drive (125 VP) – Location is pretty much the same (Georgetown Village), and so all the climate and home positioning factors are relatively equal.

2.  I compared the time frame of August 2007 – July 2008 for 115 VP with August 2008 – July 2009 for 125 VP – The 2008 summer was pretty dang hot….but anybody can tell you that the 2009 summer was even worse, not to mention a pretty bad drought that we’ve been having too!

3.  For utility consumption purposes, my family size stayed the same:  Just Me, my wife and 3 rascals under the age of 5.

4.  Lastly (here’s the big one); the home on 115 VP drive is a 2000 SF, SINGLE STORY and my new home on 125 VP drive is a 2800 SF, TWO STORY – a home that is 40% larger!

Comparing the Gas Bill

Gas

Both of my homes used used gas for the stove, furnace and water heater.  125 VP had a slight advantage in efficiency because the home was built in 2008 and 115 VP was built in 2002.  My home on 115 VP used a traditional water heater that would maintain the temperature at a fairly consistent temperature.  The home on 125 VP uses a tankless water heater so it heats water on demand.  I also have a 50 gallon traditional water heater that is dedicated to my 400 SF home office above my garage, but I hardly ever use hot water up there.  So despite the fact that I have 2 water heaters, 1.5 more bathrooms and 800 extra SF more in my newer home, I still ended up spending only $359 over a 12 month period compared to $521 for 115 VP.  A savings of $162/year.

Winner:  125 VP

Comparing the Electric Bill

So how did my larger 125 VP home use 20% less electricity then 115 VP?  Well, for one, all of the bulbs in that home are compact fluorescent lights (CFLs).  According to the Energy Star website, CFL’s use 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs.  This is an easy upgrade for any homeowner to do.  Word of warning though, you’ll notice that the cost of these bulbs are MUCH higher.  Sure, they’ll boast that the CFL lasts 7 years or longer and that might be a good justification, but as of the 12 month mark, I had 4 of my CFLs go out on me already.  I also purchased a more efficient refrigerator, and a front loading washer/dryer set for my new home.  The HVAC unit in my Green Builder home also went up in efficiency to a minimum of 14 seer.  These appliances can make a significant difference in reducing energy consumption.

Another HUGE advantage that 125 VP has is that the insulation is spray foam.  You can go up in the attic at 125 VP during a 100+ degree summer day and you won’t feel like you’re in an oven.  In fact, you might feel comfortable enough to play a game of checkers up there.  The foam does an amazing job keeping cool air in and hot air out during the summer so that my HVAC doesn’t have to work as hard.  The home’s exterior is a white Austin stone, which is better at reflecting heat then the red brick on my 115 VP home.  In order to minimize direct sunlight shining directly into the home, Green Builders constructs their windows higher up and extends the roofline over the home further out.  The result: I spent $1304 for 125 VP and $1418 for 115 VP, a savings of $114/year.

Winner:  125 VP

Comparing the Water Bill

125 VP has low-flow toilets and showerheads, a 53 gallon rain collection barrel, drought-tolerant landscaping and more efficient appliances.  115 VP has a smaller yard.  Even though my grass is looking pretty ugly over at the 125 VP home, at least I can feel satisfied that I spent less on my water bill then I did at my 115 VP home!  In fact, it was a measly $16/year less ($378 versus $394), but still a win for green building!

Winner:  125 VP

Conclusion:

Living in 125 VP saved me money and usage on all three utilities:  Gas, Electric and Water.  A total savings of almost $300/year or $25/month!  However, keep in mind the home is 40% larger and still managed a savings.  At a utility cost of $0.73/SF/year, that would mean that if I didn’t upgrade and just moved into a 2000 SF green home, my utility costs would only be $1458/year.  115 VP, a 2000 SF home, cost me $2333/year!  That’s a difference of $875/year or $73/month.

This $73/month could justify a homeowner paying $10,000 more for a green home and keep his cost of ownership (house payment and utilities) pretty much the same.  Another way to look at it is this:  If you are going to invest $10,000 to achieve a savings of $875/year, you might want to make sure you live in the home long enough to reap the financial benefits.

If you’re considering a purchase of a green home or doing energy efficient upgrades, tap into my Georgetown Texas real estate expertise and give me a call or share your experiences in the comments below.  I’d love to hear from you!

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Filed Under: Georgetown Village, Green Building, Inside Scoop, Reviews and Recommendations Tagged With: , , ,

Mortgage rates are low…but what are the drawbacks?

May 20, 2009 By

Whether you live right here in Georgetown, Texas or 1000 miles from here, the mortgage industry has certainly been a dominant news story for the past year.  To date in 2009, that has continued with the biggest mortgage related news being the incredibly low interest rates that we have been seeing since the beginning of the year.  In fact, mortgage rates are as low as they have been since 1963. These extraordinarily low rates can be attributed to the Federal government’s intervention in the Mortgage Backed Securities (MBS) market.  While interest rates are currently low (just below 5% on a conventional loan today), there is speculation that the Fed could push rates even lower if they threw enough money at the right target.  The FED however does not set mortgage rates, but they can buy the securities that dictate rate levels and that’s how they’re keeping rates low.  They could make a concerted effort to push the rates lower but I believe the rates are in a territory where they want them and will continue their efforts to keep them there for awhile.

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This historically low rate environment, coupled with the recently unveiled $8000 First Time Home Buyer tax credit, has certainly spurred some increased activity in the offices of many mortgage lenders.  And now, we are entering into the high selling season for the year.  This should be a great recipe for putting the skids on the reported housing slump!  However, if you are planning to either purchase or refinance a home this summer, there are a couple of trends of which you should be aware.

1.  The unreported story of the mortgage market today is that the government’s interest rate intervention has created a refi boom in an industry whose workforce has been shrinking for the past three years.  While the number of mortgage applications may not be unprecedented, these loans are being funneled to a smaller number of lenders.  Basically, the same number of loan applications are being forced through a pipeline that is probably 25% of its previous 2006 size.  This has led to a huge backlog of loans awaiting processing and underwriting and extended turn times at some banks to 2 months – double the normal time.  In fact, a loan officer colleague of mine told me that he has been waiting for 22 days for one particular lender to even look at his file for the initial underwrite!   If you are in the process of submitting a loan application, ask your loan officer for some straight talk about expected turn times for underwriting, processing, and closing your loan!

2.  In addition, the second under-reported story of the mortgage and credit crisis is that, as demand for mortgages increase, many lenders are finding that they are unable to fund loans or are extremely slow in funding as their warehouse line capacity is shrinking or disappearing altogether.  (A warehouse line is revolving line of credit in which a mortgage banker arranges for a loan using the funds from this line of credit.  After closing that loan, the mortgage banker looks to sell the loan to an investor, thus freeing up the funds on that revolving line for the next loan.)  Through this credit crunch, many banks have begun pulling back the warehouse line capacity from their mortgage partners and thus making it difficult for them to operate.  In addition, many of these investors who buy these loans are bogged down with a lack of available personnel to process and complete the purchase of these loans (see the comment above regarding shrinking employee pools) and this keeps that warehouse line money tied up and unavailable for the next loan.  This means that as the economy struggles to recover, homeowners that have the biggest need to refinance are finding their loans are not funding or are funding significantly later than they had expected with these delays leading to increased fees for consumers as lenders must extend their locks and many times requires borrowers to resign loan docs when their loans do not fund on time.  Again, to ensure that you do not become a victim of this market phenomena, ask your loan officer if he or she has been experiencing any of these issues in the past few months and how will they help you from getting caught up in it. (Editor’s Note:  Your favorite homeboy, Edward, experienced this on the refi of his own home!)

fri2jpgThere are tremendous opportunities to take advantage of today’s real estate market offerings and secure a great rate on a mortgage loan.  But just remember, like Circuit City on a Black Friday, where people are scrambling to get the best deals, it can get crowded at the “checkout line” when getting your loan.

Mark Hanley is a mortgage consultant with United Lending and guest blogger with GeorgetownCustomHomes.com. Check him out at www.HanleyMortgage.com

Filed Under: Inside Scoop

Edward’s bailout plan – save money on property taxes

April 29, 2009 By

obama-faces-tax-protest-angerjpgIt’s that time of year again, where the county assesses your home for a value that you could only wish you could get in this market. Well, here are two money saving tips for you:

1. This is easy, file a homestead exemption on your primary residence. This removes a portion of your value ($15,000) from taxation, and saves you about $200/year.

2. Protest your property’s valuation. This is a bit more involved. See my previous post here on my results from last year when I saved a whopping $1928/year in taxes:  Property Tax Protest – Results are in!

You can also find additional information at the Williamson County Appraisal District website and at this link.

Good luck and happy protesting!  For my clients, I’d be happy to take a look at your home’s valuation and send you some comparable homes that sold in 2008.  Just give me a call!

Looking for information on Georgetown Texas Homes For Sale? Visit my website or call me anytime!! Want the latest updates on Georgetown Texas Real Estate, news and latest developments? Sign up for the blog by clicking the link below:

5/12/2009 Update:

I just finished filing a protest for several properties and have totaled up the difference between the county tax assessment and my recommendation.  The difference?  $105,507.  At a tax rate of 2.4%, that equals a savings of $2532/year! I’ll post the results once I get them.  Remember, it pays to reduce your tax assessment!

5/13/2009 Upate:

The good news: I didn’t have to mail anything in, the Williamson County Appraisal District takes walk-in appointments so you can get this done quicker.  The bad news is that it’s probably a better “strategy” to wait.  Why?  The County usually sets appointments for big properties ($1 Million+) first since they have a deadline of July 25, 2009 to get everything done and set the tax rate by September.  Therefore, if most of the work (of raising money for the county through taxes) is already done by the time they get to a “small” $150,000 property, they are probably more lenient and they probably want to get things done quicker since they would be a bit more worn out from the months of work they’ve been doing.

The bad news: I went in early as a walk-in, and my appraiser (beware of Cliff, he has a mustache) was definitely not worn out.  I think he was having fun keeping my assessments high.  As a result, I was only to reduce the total assessment by half of what my goal was.  I wanted $105,507, and ended up with a $50,454 reduction, about $1211/year in tax savings. A modest savings, but a savings nonetheless.

Things to watch out for: Pulling comps from the same neighborhood isn’t good enough.  I pulled homes from Georgetown Village, but Cliff was being very picky in wanting homes from the same section!  I can understand the logic when there are many builders in a neighborhood, but if the builder is mustacheconsistent in the different section, it shouldn’t matter.  The same quality of home is being compared.

The other thing that bugged me is that the sold prices they use are artificially inflated.  What do I mean by that?  Well, they don’t take into account the amount of closing costs that a seller pays for the buyer.  So if a house sells for $180,000 and there is $5,000 of closing costs paid by the seller, the true market price is $175,000.  However, the appraiser did not take that into consideration.

Lastly, just because you show them the sales price of a home you closed in the year of the assessment, they won’t necessarily use that price for the new value.  I tried…and failed.

The worst thing about this is the inconsistency.  In previous years, the appraiser would take into consideration closing costs and would use the sales price on the HUD and would even use homes in different sections just as long as the builder was the same.  This year, it was not so.  My advice, go towards the end of the year when they don’t want to spend as much time arguing with you…and just in case it is the appraiser, avoid Cliff, the guy with the mustache. (No, I don’t have anything against mustaches).

Filed Under: Inside Scoop Tagged With:

I want to make a bunch of “lowball” offers, can you help?

April 1, 2009 By

a1With the type of real estate market we’re in right now, many of us are looking for GREAT DEALS…buying opportunities that come around just once in a lifetime.

And if we can’t find the great deals, we think we can create them with a wonderful thing called the “lowball offer.”  Now, technically there is no real definition of what constitutes a lowball offer, except that it’s low ofcourse.  In the market that I’m used to working in (Greater Austin), anything more than 10% off a reasonable list price is considered a lowball offer.  I say “reasonable list price” because there are plenty of agents who list their homes way to high, just to get the listing, and an offer of 10% off list price would actually put the home at market value!

Well, the question that you have to ask is:  Is it worthwhile for a buyer to pursue this strategy for their next home or investment?

I received an email from a client regarding this very thing and I wanted to share my response with my readers:

I know this sounds bad…but given the market conditions and how many houses seem to be going up I want to buy something for what I consider a steal…I am sure there may be buyers in front of me but I figure what the heck I might as well try. We really are happy renting as we will be moving in 2 years for sure into Austin and will turn it into a rental property or sell it. I guess I would be willing to lob bids in on properties in the $125k area for sellers that are desperate. Tell me if I am wrong but, from what I have read, I think that should be doable if I am patient, and like I said I am buying for the bargain, not b/c we particularly need or want a house in Gtown. Your thoughts are appreciated! – JW

Dear JW –

Hmmm, you bring up some interesting points.

You’re not the only one wanting to snag a steal…I do too…in any market!  However, there is a reason why I, as a guy involved full time in real estate, have never gotten a good as a deal as you’re wanting to get through the lowball method even though I own 5 homes:

1.  I’m not savvy enough
2.  I don’t have the patience
3.  I haven’t been in the right place at the right time
4.  I never offered anything that lowball and it got accepted.

I’d say it is a combination of maybe all 4 of those reasons to some degree.  However, my goal is to own homes, not make offers, so eventually I need to be able to use the resources I have (time, money, patience, savviness – i know i didn’t spell that right), however limited they may be, and buy something.  Not because I need to, but because I want to.  For me, it’s better to own 5 pretty good deals, then 1 super great deal.

I don’t know how productive it would be for me to make the 50 offers for you just to get 1 accepted…..especially if I’m not willing to do it for myself! That is a full time job…and I already have one.  In my early (read: desperate) years of real estate when I had time to twiddle my thumbs, I helped a lady do this and we made a good handful of offers….in the end, all I did was spend my time and money and she never bought a home. I told myself that in the future I would never do that again.  If somebody insisted that I represent them on making lowball offers on a multitude of properties, I could only justify it from a business standpoint if I charged my client for every offer made.

If you’re trying to get a home for $125K and it’s worth $150k, why would the owner lose $25k to you when they can just lower the asking price to $135k (10% below market value!) and still sell it quickly and for $10k over what you’re offering?  What you’re trying to do can and has been done….but I haven’t personally been able to be successful with it.  Believe me, I’ve tried.

BOTTOM LINE: Value is not determined by how much of a discount you can get off a home.  To many lowballers think that if they can get a huge discount off the home, they can brag to their friend’s “I’m da man!” yet really have no idea of the true value of what they bought.  I would much rather determine the value of a home and purchase it at a great price rather then feel the need to have to lowball everything in sight.  I guess what I’m saying is that you don’t have to lowball (offer a ridiculously low amount) a home in order to get a great deal.  Real estate investing is determined by the end result…how many homes you own is more important than how many offers you’ve made. Case in point:

On the market today is a home on 1125 Boxwood Loop in the city of Georgetown, Texas.  It’s listed for $157,500 and is 1953 SF.  If you are an investor or homeowner, I can help you own this home for probably around $150,000.  Is that a lowball offer?  No.  Is it a great price?  Well, let’s just say that it will be the second cheapest home to sell in Georgetown Village since January of 2005 (according to the MLS).  I’d say that’s a great deal!  Interested?  Call me before I buy it for myself.


Filed Under: FAQs, Georgetown Village, How I help buyers, Inside Scoop Tagged With: , ,

Asbestos: You can pronounce it, but do you understand it?

February 25, 2009 By

With so many remodels that happen, especially in Historic Georgetown, Texas, I thought this article from the Mesothelioma Cancer Center was very applicable to my blog readers.

image002Asbestos Remains a Concern for Texas Homeowners – Prevention & Tips

A naturally-occurring mineral, asbestos was used in the 20th century in many applications such as insulation, piping, brake lining and flooring. Asbestos made its name because of its resistance to fire and heat properties. With a large petroleum industry based in the state, many problems have occurred as a result of oil companies using asbestos at their facilities.

Giants such as Mobil, Shell and Gulf have been stationed in Texas. This industry has been one of the hardest hit in terms of asbestos problems, with millions exposed in the last century. As homes and buildings built before 1980 may contain asbestos, those looking for homes for sale in Georgetown, Texas and those seeking to remodel homes should be aware that asbestos exposure may potentially cause many health concerns.

Although asbestos in the home is a concern, not all asbestos poses problems. It is only when asbestos becomes damaged and its fibers become airborne, where exposure can be health deteriorating. A fatal lung-ailment known as malignant mesothelioma is caused by asbestos exposure and accounts for three percent of cancer diagnoses in the United States alone.

The abundance of asbestos incidents in the last 100 years has lead to mesothelioma lawyer firms protecting and advocating victims’ rights. The asbestos scandal is one of the notable corporation and government cover-ups because information of asbestos harmful qualities was repressed from work places and civilian knowledge.

When involved in real estate, it is especially important to embark on the proper inspections to insure the safety of your clients, building workers and your reputation. A good course of action is to identify materials which could harvest asbestos, mark the condition and establish a plan that addresses any negative condition in the building.

Citizen based organizations such as the Texas Department of Health Services help promote and protect the physical and environmental health of all citizens in Texas from asbestos. Striving to prevent exposure, they educate the public to gain understanding and compliance of state and federal laws. The type of contractor performing the inspection will determine the type of removal needed.
In addition, most people are unaware to the fact that eco-friendly products can cut energy costs. Cellulose, cotton Fiber and lcynene are all green options to be considered. Cotton fiber is made from recycled batted material and treated to be fireproof. The United Nations Environmental Program states that usage of recycled materials such as green insulation methods and lighting can reduce energy use by 25 percent!

If you have a remodeling story that involved eliminating Asbestos, please share your comments below! Looking for information on Georgetown Texas Homes For Sale? Visit my website or call me anytime!! Want the latest updates on Georgetown Texas Real Estate, news and latest developments? Sign up for the blog by clicking the link below:

Filed Under: Inside Scoop Tagged With: , , ,

How to shave $300/month from your budget: Refinance

January 28, 2009 By

This is the primo market for refinancing:  I finally closed on my refinance that I was working on for the past 45 days!

I went from 6.375% to 5%, eliminated $99/mo of PMI and am now saving $300/month.  I was able to appraise my home high enough to give me 20% of equity, thus eliminating my PMI.  The refi cost me about $3500 so I’m estimating I should make that up within the year.  After that, it’s $300/month of savings!  It’s hard work to do anything in this lending climate, but the hassle could be worth it!

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Ready for your shave?

Definitely run the numbers and see if it’s worth it.  If you’re only going to be staying in your home for another 2-3 years, then it might not be.  By the time you realize your savings, you would be out of the home!  However, a simple way to know for sure would be to use an online amortization calculator, punch in your interest rate and home loan and compare it with today’s going interest rate.  Divide the cost of the refi (could be $3000-$4000) with your savings and that’s the number of months it will take to make up the cost.

I’m ready, now who do I call?

I used Tracey Day (512-966-7246) with Home Source Mortgage in Georgetown, Texas and he worked like a dog to get all of my paperwork done.  Because of my investment properties, I had a debt to income in the low 50% range and so he had to be real creative with justifying it financially!  Usually, the banks scrutinize anything over a 46% debt to income ratio.  So if you need some help in this area, Tracey Day has been worked over with my file and should be very experienced with just about anything now:)  If you are curious about how your home will do during the appraisal process, he can connect you with some appraisers to give an opinion of your home’s value.  I used Pat Carey with the Georgetown Appraisal Group (512-750-8480).

So tell me about your experience….were you able to shave your budget through a recent refinance? Anybody out there beat $300/month? I’d love to hear your story! Want the latest updates on Georgetown Texas Real Estate, news and latest developments? Sign up for the blog by clicking the link below:

Georgetown, Texas Real Estate Blog

Filed Under: Inside Scoop, Market Updates Tagged With: , ,
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