The goal of Plum Creek is to provide uncommon living for the common man. This 2,200 acre master-planned, new urbanist community is located 17 miles south of Austin in Kyle, Texas and incorporates all the amenities of schools, recreational parks, residential neighborhoods and commercial centers. Plum Creek is a pedestrian friendly community with winding streets, sidewalks and traditional architecture enhanced by neighbor friendly front porches. The goal is to get you closer to the other places in our lives including schools, parks, shops, and jobs.  

Residential offerings are a mix of traditional cottages, elegant golf-course homes and duplex townhomes. Single family homes start in the low $100s $300,000 and townhomes in the $90s. Neighbors are the hardworking folk this country is know for…firefighters, teachers, medical personnel, and government or civic employees. Plum Creek is committed to providing ‘life-cycle’ housing, allowing its residents to mature with the community.

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Popularity: 4% [?]

Austin Board of REALTORS® sent an email alert today to propose a change to Mayor Wynn’s Climate Protection Plan.  So far, it looks like REALTORS® agree with most aspects of the plan. Like most solutions, there’s a few areas of contention. Here’s what the email alert outlined:

What’s this about?
In early 2007, Austin Mayor Will Wynn released the Climate Protection Plan with the goal of making Austin the “greenest” city in the country, [including] the “Proposed Point of Sale Ordinance”….The city’s proposal would require that homeowners upgrade their homes and obtain a “Certificate of Compliance” from the city before they’re able to sell it. We oppose this plan for several reasons:

• Affordability – This type of out-of-pocket expense will prevent many homeowners from having the option to sell their home, particularly if they need to sell due to a difficult financial situation. In addition, the cost will inevitably be passed on to homebuyers, making it even more difficult to afford a home in Austin. 

• Extended sales process – Arranging the additional inspections needed to obtain a Certificate of Compliance (not to mention actually making the upgrades to properties) would draw out the time required to sell homes substantially. Further, Austin doesn’t currently have enough home inspectors in our city to fill the anticipated demand, promising even further delays. 

• Mandates- Do we want to require a “license” for homeowners to sell? – As it’s proposed now, this ordinance would essentially require that homeowners apply to the city for a “license” to sell their home (i.e. Certificate of Compliance). Do we want to spend our city’s resources on this activity and add this complication to the real estate process? Austinites buy and sell more than 25,000 homes each year…

What’s the alternative?

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Popularity: 13% [?]

If you own or recently purchased a lot in Austin with the intent to build more than one unit or a duplex, throw your current plans away. A crucial City Planning Commission vote tomorrow could drop some Central Austin land values by at least 50%.

For background, the Austin City Planning Commission reviewed changes to city design standards through a task force. The Residential Development Standards Task Force first met December 2007 and briefed Austin City Council in February.

Most guidelines are well-received, but one in particular may negatively impact Austin duplexes and infill lots, especially in East and Central Austin. (more…)

Popularity: 60% [?]

In today’s ‘green conscious’ society, not only is there a moral obligation not to destroy and discard, but to recycle and reuse.

The eco-friendly ‘unbuild’ has now become an option to the traditional ‘tear-down’ of Austin real estate. According to a Wallstreet Journal article, an unbuilt house can be carefully disassembled, piece by piece, and the parts used for a new house and/or donated for reuse elsewhere. Whatever is donated can be deducted from income tax.

‘Unbuilding’ an Austin home may be the right thing to do for many reasons, but saving time and money is not top of the list. It will take longer to ‘unbuild’, but at least a couple of weeks and may end up being more expensive in the long run, even after any tax deductions. But, other benefits are the reuse of materials such as beautiful aged brick from fireplaces, stone foundations, custom woodwork, decorative tile or antique fixtures and working appliances.

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Popularity: 47% [?]

Austin entrepreneur, Dylan Schleppe, has announced a partnership of his company, DriveBuy Technologies, with real estate industry leader, Top Producer Systems. The partnership will provide the seamless integration of real estate’s best sales and marketing software, Top Producer 8i, and the leading interactive mobile marketing software, DriveBuy Technologies.

DriveBuy, allows listing agents to provide a "Short Message Service" (SMS) text codes on property promotions and yard signage, making it easy for prospective buyers to receive detailed information about property on their mobile phone. The technology can be used in combination with toll free hotlines or in lieu of them.

With the addition of Top Producer 8i, the prospective buyers’ information is automatically entered into the agent’s contact database, making it easy for agents to follow-up.

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Popularity: 44% [?]

This hot alert was sent from Becky Hopkins at Austin Title.

A Special Edition of Real Estate Radio!

LIVE with David McMillan Saturday from 1-3 pm on TALK RADIO 1370AM…

You will not want to miss this special edition of Real Estate Radio Saturday from 1 to 3 on 1370AM.  We will get both sides of the controversial Austin City Council proposal calling for every home in Austin to pass an energy compliance inspection before it can be sold.

Attendees: Mayor Will Wynn along with Brewster McCracken and Mike Martinez of the city council, candidate Randi Shade and Socar Chatmon-Thomas from the Austin Board of REALTORS.

Live streaming audio on www.talk1370.com.

Popularity: 55% [?]