Homeowner’s Associations (HOAs) have been around since the early 1900s in some form or another. They became popular in the mid-1960s as subdivisions grew and condominium complexes started popping up. Membership is mandatory for homeowners, and there are multiple advantages and some disadvantages of living in a community governed by a homeowners association (HOA). While...Read More

Texas is one big, home-based, business-friendly state. The financial and emotional gains of working from home can be huge. It removes the cost and time of a commute, parking, smart wardrobe and restaurant lunches. Factor in nutritious breakfasts and packing healthy lunches before the yellow bus rolls down the street if you have kiddos and...Read More

All the world’s a stage, and your house is a scene in the “For Sale” act. Gone are the days of dusting cobwebs off the front porch, mowing the lawn, cleaning the house, listing it for sale and signing a purchase contract soon thereafter. Even if you upped the charm with fresh bread from the...Read More

Coloring never goes out of style, even when you move from paper to drywall and turn in the crayons for a paint brush and roller. Color evokes emotion as well as perceived space. Active colors like red, orange and yellow offer both warmth and excitement, like sunshine and fire. Green and blue are passive with...Read More

The thrill of riding a Ferris wheel or ski lift is decidedly diminished when your seat comes to an unexpected halt at the highest point. Oops. Mechanical malfunction. Likewise, buying a residence new to you can be an exciting adventure where elation turns to frustration (the expensive kind) if, early on, you encounter a mechanical...Read More

Are you part of the Austin Fan Club? One of the best ways to maintain comfort, reduce humidity, impede mildew or mold and enjoy a healthy, indoor air quality is with sufficient air circulation. Simple actions like opening windows, closing or opening curtains or blinds, and installing cellular shades are helpful. Planting deciduous trees like...Read More

There’s always a notion afoot that goes something like: How hard can that be? From running a restaurant and writing a best-selling novel to growing your food and selling your own house to avoid the commission of a real estate professional, people without in-depth knowledge of any of these jobs tend to view them lightly....Read More

Reasons for having backyard chickens range from wanting a taste of homesteading and enjoying the soft cluck-cluck-clucks to preferring fresh eggs and leaning into a greener lifestyle. Their numbers run somewhere more than 80 million across the U.S., and the State of Texas has no laws governing backyard chickens. Local municipalities manage those regulations and...Read More

Despite our best efforts, we do judge a book by its cover, people by their attire and a house by its appearance. Like it or not, first impressions form an opinion for everything that follows. Curb appeal can be a deal breaker, and houses with an attractive look from the street often sell for higher...Read More

The buyer’s market, which skipped into Austin, Travis County and the surrounding area last year, is as dynamic in the luxury home segment as it is in condos and lesser priced houses. The supply side of upscale homes above $1 million has ballooned, and the savvy house hunter can find unexpected deals on large properties...Read More