Real Estate Information

FIFTH ANNUAL KELLER WILLIAMS RED DAY!

The folks at Keller Williams may be taking the day off on Thursday, May 9, 2013, but it won't be a relaxing day of rest. Associates with the LAKE TRAVIS MARKET CENTER have chosen to “Give Where They Live” as part of RED Day, one of the biggest events in the real estate industry.  Keller Williams agents all over the world participate in this "giving back to the community" day!

 Short for “Renew, Energize and Donate,” RED Day was created to unite Keller Williams Realty offices and associates in an international day of service.  Check out the fabulous plans for RED DAY!!

KELLER WILLIAMS RED DAY!

This year Keller Williams Lake Travis has decided to host a HUGE Lake Travis are Garage Sale.  There are three organizations who will benefit from this garage sale.

The Lake Travis Crisis Ministries is an interreligious, all volunteer organization, helping families and individuals in a crisis situation.  They have been working in the Lake Travis area for over 20 years, providing food, clothing, financial assistance, whatever is necessary for individuals in need.

The Lakeway Police Foundation supports employees, families and friends of the Lakeway Police Department in the case of emergency or misfortune, for memorials, scholarships, educational programs, and in support of any public safety project or program.

KW Cares is the heart of Keller Williams Realty culture in action – finding and serving the higher purpose of business through charitable giving in the Market Centers and communities where Keller Williams associates live and work.

So, we need your help to make this a success. We want your unwanted items, large or small AND we are even taking clothing!!  The actual location of the Garage Sale is 1921 Lohmans Crossing, here in the Keller Williams building upstairs. On May 9, all the agents participating take the day "off" and set the Garage Sale up.  The actual date of the Garage Sale is Saturday, May 11 from 8am to 2pm.  So, whether you want to donate to this great cause or whether you want to come shop, it will all help!!

As the Pedernales FD Auxiliary has opted to not have a garage sale this year, this is the perfect time to get rid of those items you were saving for the Fire Dept.  There are several ways of getting your "stuff" to us.

1.  You can bring the items over here to 1921 Lohmans Crossing, large or small.  Just let us know you're coming and we can help you get it unloaded! Then you can stop in and have a cup of coffee with us!
2.  You can call my assistant, Debbie Smith, 496-3092, and she will schedule a pick up time for her to bring your items to Lakeway. This is providing it will all fit in a Camry.  You can also call me, 413-2493 and we can figure it out!!!
3.  On Wednesday, 5/8, Apple Moving is donating their time, men and vehicle to pick larger items up.  If we have enough interest in the Spicewood area, I am working on having them make one trip out there for several houses.

So don't think your item is too big or too small - it all helps and goes toward some very good causes!

Also on Thursday, May 9,  from 4-close, All Star Burger is donating 10% of all sales to our three organizations! 

Look around and finally get rid of that "stuff" that is sure to become someone else's treasure!!

Sharon Seligman
Seligman Real Estate
Keller Williams Lake Travis
(512) 413-2493

One of the fastest-growing trends in home landscaping is the incorporation of a sanctuary garden.  It's a sign of the times that people feel the need for a meditative space in their outdoor yard design.  People are realizing that the garden is a perfect spot to relax, meditate and even socialize.  Tom Spencer, www.soulofthegarden.com, (Exploring the Garden of Life from an Austin Garden) has done a great article on how to design a sanctuary garden and below is a sampling.  Simple plans for an important addition!

1.  Be Personal - Look to your own experience for what is meaningful. Your garden should reflect your personality.

2.  Think Big- Dare to have an overall vision whether simple or complex.  

3.  Connect the Dots - Integrate the garden with your home and life. Be inviting - garden for nature and the neighbors.

4. Remember the basics - Start with an overall vision then manipulate the parts.  A garden is a work of architecture, CREATE ROOMS!

5.  Geometry is your friend - Remember that symmetry does not have to equal banality.  Gardens that "make sense" are more inviting.

6.  Repeat yourself - Stay with a few plants or shapes and repeat them.  Look for naturally recurring forms and plants and enhance them.     

7.  Go wild - But, find the order in the chaos, create patterns and flow with textures, colors and forms.

TIS THE SEASON - GO HAVE FUN IN THE GARDEN!

The more you use your natural plants, rocks and wood, the more your garden will blend with the environment and add to the beauty of the area by enhancing what's already there!

Kirk Watson and Troy Fraser are urging the LCRA to withdraw the emergency water management plan to prevent water from being sent down the Lower Colorado.  The article from State Impact sums the whole situation up nicely - this isn't going away and we all need to pay attention!

http://www.longhorncaverns.com/

https://www.vendini.com/ticket-software.html?w=dbc86b87ac8f2c5f7202f704f4e8dc08&t=tix

Join in the fun at the Hill Country Galleria in Bee Cave for a SNOW DAY!  The festivities (and snow!) will be from noon till 4pm outside the Bee Cave Library.  It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas........!!

SNOW DAY at the Galleria

A very local tradition got "plugged in" on November 16th - the Marble Falls Walkway of Lights!!  The lighting event is created each year by hundreds of dedicated volunteers and visitors flock from near and far to revel in the creation!  The display will run from November 16 through January 1, 2013 from 6:00pm to 10:00pm. Bring the family to the Walkway of Lights for a fun-filled evening! For more info, visit http://www.tex-fest.com/regional/marble_falls.html .  The Walkway of Lights is part of the Texas Hill Country Regional Christmas Lighting Trail.  For more info, visit http://www.tex-fest.com/regional/index.htm .  Happy Holidays!!

I'm often asked if this is a good time to buy a home. Some clients are concerned that home prices may fall further than they have already. They are assuming that the best course of action is to wait for the bottom in the market and then buy. The problem with this approach is that you don't know where the bottom is until you see it in the rear view mirror, meaning until you've missed it!

Home prices are one factor in determining your cost of ownership, but so are interest rates and financing availability. Even though interest rates have gone up in the last six months, they are still near historic lows. Since your monthly mortgage payment is a combination of paying down your principal and paying the interest owed, if home prices come down a little further but interest rates go up, it could cost you even more to service a mortgage on an identical home!

While a home is a major investment, it is also the center of your personal life. It's important to live in a home that reflects your taste and values, yet is within your financial "comfort zone." To that end, it may be more important to lock in today's relatively low interest rates and low home prices, rather than to hope for a further break in prices in the future.

Please give me a call if I can be of any assistance in determining how much home you can afford in today's market.