Tuesday, July 19, 2022 / by Jenny Carroll
PREVENTING SLAB SETTLING
By Jeff Stewart, CCIM
Last month set a record for the hottest June in recorded history. It sets the stage for a similar summer as we had in the drought of 2011. This means homeowners need to be proactive in safeguarding their foundations. This is especially true for owners with properties east of I-35 in the black clay.
Slab foundations are engineered with beams, rebar and post tension cables to perform under great stress, but in the final analysis, they are still ground supported. While engineered slabs seldom fail, they certainly can settle enough to bind doors and cause unsightly cracks in brick and drywall. The key to preventing this is to maintain consistent moisture in the soil supporting the exterior beams of the foundation. As a former general contractor and officer of a builder warranty company, I have seen scores of houses with all degrees of settling. Many of the problems could have been largely a. ...
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home, summer, dripping springs, home improvement, bastrop, water
Wednesday, January 5, 2022 / by Jenny Carroll
NEW YEAR PROVIDES NEW BENEFITSFOR PROPERTY OWNERS WITH HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONSProperty owners reminded to file for exemptions on property they own and live in
AUSTIN, Texas – The Travis Central Appraisal District (TCAD) is reminding property owners who own and live on a property to save money on their property tax bill by filing for their homestead exemptions.
“On average, a homestead exemption saved Travis County property owners $1,126 on their 2021 property tax bill,” said Chief Appraiser Marya Crigler. “Thanks to new laws and policies, property owners with homestead exemptions are set to enjoy even more reductions in 2022.”
Several types of homestead exemptions are available, including a general residence homestead exemption and exemptions for people over the age of 65, people and veterans with disabilities, and the surviving spouses of service members or first responders killed in the line of duty. To be eligible for a homestead exemption, a property ...
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home, new, dripping springs, home improvement, bastrop
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
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
