Tuesday, July 19, 2022 / by Jenny Carroll
By John Case
You’re right, they’re up. From the looks of things, it appears that they may be so for some time. However, despite the doom and gloom that we see on TV, hear on the radio, or read in the paper or social media, this does not necessarily mean that if you have been looking to purchase a home that you are shut out of the market until such time that rates retreat to the levels we have seen for the past couple of years.
Here is a little grounding for you with a long-term perspective. Interest rates have been declining since the early 1980’s. This mean that for many of you, you have not seen rates increase for 40 years. Without this perspective, any increase that you see in today’s mortgage market will look to be high. Through the past 40 years, the rates we see today are very inexpensive.
In you were to take out a mortgage today, 3 things are likely to happen. First, interest rates may continue to increase. This will make you look like a geni. ...
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family, home, affordable housing, buying power, interest rates
Thursday, December 2, 2021 / by Jenny Carroll
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family, home, fun, social distance, christmas, dripping springs, holiday, warm, bastrop
Wednesday, November 3, 2021 / by Jenny Carroll
Supporting your local scene is more important now than ever. Putting those holiday dollars back into your own community means that the very things you love about your area have a better chance of survival in this ongoing time of COVID. We rely on the creators and music makers to entertain and challenge us but the loss of so many service jobs has had huge impacts on those who make Central Texas so unique. Before you go online to the big-name sites for those free shipping perks, consider heading out into your city instead.
Here are some suggestions:
Band Merch: Band merch from our local musicians is the best merch around! What better gift could you give to your favorite peeps than a cool coozie, a t-shirt, or an album? Find a list from Austin’s own KUTX here.
MBE/WBE: (Pronounced me-be-we-be) Here is the City of Austin’s directory to the Minority and Women Business Enterprise establishments. You have a variety of search filters to find what you are looking for a. ...
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family, fun, covid, social distance, new, christmas, dripping springs, freedom, holiday, virtual party, mask
Wednesday, August 4, 2021 / by Jenny Carroll
Contributed by James Witts
Edited by Jenny Carroll
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It’s easy being green in Austin. The city is set among the lush trees, the limestone, and lakes of the Texas Hill Country. The city government also offers incentives for people to be eco-friendly — from the paint on your walls, the temperature of your home, to the trash you throw out. Here are some tips to make your home more environmentally friendly, thanks to popular programs that are already in place.
1. Composting
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The city is happy to pay you to stop throwing out scraps of food and coffee grounds. No, you’re not stuck with rotting garbage. Austin's Home Composting Rebate Program will reimburse you $75 on the cost of a composting system. To take advantage of this program, you will have to take a class and buy from an approved local retailer. The benefit? You create a fabulous fertilizer for your garden — and cut down on the amount of trash in the landfill. It's a win-win!
2. Zero Wa; ...
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family, home, home improvement, housewarming, gifts
Thursday, June 10, 2021 / by Jenny Carroll
As summer begins to settle in and temperatures rise, it’s the perfect time to schedule your annual check up for your home. A check up for my home, you ask? Yes! The health of your home needs to be assessed annually to nip any potential issues in the bud as well as identifying problems before they become failures. Here are some things you can do to maintain your home and keep your systems running smoothly all year long.
What kinds of things should we be looking for?
Air Conditioner
Good question. Your A/C system, your home’s main support system in our hot summer climate, should be checked by a professional at least once a year. As it gets hotter outside our usage goes up and that’s when issues can take us unawares. Don’t find yourself sitting in a hot house this summer because you didn’t clean off your condenser unit, pour vinegar in your drainline, or you didn’t check coolant levels. Having a professional A/C company service your syste. ...
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family, home, new, summer, home improvement, water, electricity, spring
