Austin's amazing population of 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats is one of the most unique aspects of an already exceptionally unique city. Austin's love affair with those delightful little bug-eaters is epic, and is celebrated every year with a bat-tastic festival held right on the Congress Street Bridge, while the honorees sleep below. Bat Fest, although relatively new, has become one of...
After falling for most of the month of July Mortgage interest rates jumped up. And not only did they move up they jumped to the highest levels we have seen in 2008. 30 Year rates jumped from 6.26 to 6.63 last week. To put that in perspective for the entire month of May mortgage rates fluctuated between 5.98 to 6.08. The increases were not confined to 30 Year rates, 15 year rates went from...
There is a cafe and coffee shop circuit in every city that serves as the office for many freelancers, entrepreneurs and off-site workers. You've seen them. They are typing away at their laptops with the focused precision of a brain surgeon. When they come up for air they often are ready for their third or fourth round of espresso or a little chat with their neighboring typist. Then, they are...
Planning a vacation can be stressful, but it doesn't have to be: being well prepared can make a big difference, and a little forethought can go a long way. Follow these simple tips to plan a great trip on your terms.
Plan ahead
The overwhelming number of vacation possibilities available in the United States alone can make planning a vacation stressful in and of itself. One way to narrow...
Elgin is a small city which is located 23 miles east of Austin and 17 miles north of Bastrop, and Elgin is also known as the Sausage Capital of Texas! Elgin covers an area of 4.7 square miles, and in the census of 2000, the city reported a population of 5,700 inhabitants. There were 1869 households reported, and 1349 families living in the Elgin area at the time of the census of 2000. The...
For the second week in a row mortgage rates have fallen. For those that don't read my updates regularly I wanted to give a short background on what rates have been doing. From the end of April to the beginning of June 30 year mortgage rates hovered around 6 percent. Then during the month of June 30 year mortgage interest rates rose peaking out at 6.45 at the end of June. But since then...
Entertaining friends and family in your home is a much bigger undertaking than many people realize. While it may seem like a more "low key" option than going out, in reality there are a lot of things that go into a successful dinner party it's no wonder that a host can easily get carried away and spend more money than intended. To help combat this trend, read on for five tips to help you plan...
So what has been going on in the world of finance and mortgages? Certainly the biggest news was the fall of IndyMac. Last week we heard that IndyMac had stopped giving out new mortgage loans and was going to concentrate on simply servicing the existing loans in its portfolio. Apparently this was due to the fact that regulators felt that IndyMac was not adequately capitalized.
Many...
One of Austin's most sought-after neighborhoods, Clarksville offers a close-knit neighborhood feel in a European style, pedestrian-friendly setting. With small privately-owned markets and delicious restaurants all a stone's throw away, Clarksville residents happily enjoy the best Austin has to offer.
And while Clarksville is home to a number of distinctive shops, including award-winning...
Allandale is the name of a lovely neighborhood in central Austin, although the area was originally considered to be northwest Austin, before Austin's expansion into a large metropolitan area. Allandale recently celebrated its 35th anniversary as an active central Austin community, and the Allandale Neighborhood Association has been a presence in the neighborhood since 1973. Currently, Allandale...
