Are you planning to sell your Austin home soon, but need to replace outdated tile?

Consider the current trends before making your selections both for the style and color of the tile as well as the layout.

In some areas, and Austin is one of them, 12×12 tile in a straight-set pattern just looks dated, even if it’s brand-spanking new.

Larger tile (18×18, 20×12) has a more current look, especially if it’s set in a brick-pattern, or on the diagonal, or with a border (either inset, or as an actual border).

Rectangular Bathroom Tile

Rectangular tile, can look even fresher.

Check out what the better builders in your area are showcasing to see what they’re putting in model homes to entice more sophisticated buyers. Even if your budget is small, the way the tile is laid out can make a big difference in how current (or dated) the finished tile will look.

Check out the floor tile in the photo at right.

The timeline and budget for this update meant the tub and cabinet couldn’t be replaced, and the old window was, well, virtually unmovable without major expense.

This tile is 9×12, and laid out this way gave a super-simple tile job a much fresher look than could be had with straight-set 12×12 tile. The expense difference on the 110-ish square feet of tile was minimal. (Compared to the over-all cost of demolition, tile work, paint and plumbing.)

The tile in this bathroom is Torre Venato, porcelain, made in USA, and made from 30-54% recycled material. The paint on the walls is Benjamin Moore Aura Matte in the glorious blue-grey color “Eternity”. The Uba Tuba granite counter from Toluca Granite in Austin is 5 years old but look brand-new against the new tile.

Some tile contractors charge more for “special” layouts, so make sure you know if there is an upcharge for the layout you have in mind.

(The window ledge is the same black granite as the counter – typical 3-inch deep border tile was too shallow for the window sill.)

The tile and paint in this bathroom were selected by Chris Browarski of CCB Designs in Austin Texas. Chris works with Builders, Architects, Realtors and Home Owners to bring the most style value possible to projects ranging from simple (this bathroom) to complex (a fantastic farmhouse on the 25th annual AIA Tour).

The Mueller Development at the old Robert Mueller Municipal Airport (aka “Mueller”) is a stunning example of urban fill.

An old, weedy lot (a GIGANTIC one) turned into something an area needs – fantastic housing, compelling amenities, and excellent proximity to the best that Austin has to offer.

This area falls under the category of “New Urbanism”, which is an approach to land planning that reduces traffic and eliminates sprawl – why should thousands of people drive in from far away to work in the heart of Austin when they can live AND work in close proximity?

Mueller Austin Real Estate Market Update: May 2011

In the 12 months leading up to May 14th, 2001:

• A total of 29 homes sold
• The largest home sold was 3,841 square feet, and sold for a whopping $816,146
• The smallest one sold for $272,500
• There are a total of 6 active listings with asking prices as low as $160,990 to as high as $925,000
• The largest home was on the market for 459 days
• The smallest home was on the market for 3 days
• The median days on the market for the entire inventory was 71 days
• The median price was $383,826

A Few Mueller Photos to Whet Your Appetite

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Leading Pediatric Medical Providers Relocated to Mueller

Dell Children’s Medical Center, as well a a significant concentration of Central Texas Pediatric Specialists are located at the north western edge of the development, right off of Barbara Jordan Boulevard.

One gorgeous new building houses ‘Specially for Children, which offers services from Pediatric Neurologists, Nephrologists, Immunologists, Rheumatologists, Oncologists, Geneticists, Endocrinologists and Gastroenterologists. The concentration of some of Austin’s best pediatric practitioners means that families with very sick children can find many of the services they need in one location, instead of driving (or riding a bus) all over town.

Photos of the Bigger Buildings – Business and Apartments at Mueller

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The Mueller Urban Village

The redevelopment of Mueller into a mixed-use urban village has been spectacular to watch over the last few years.

The 711-acre Mueller site is intended to become home to approximately 10,000 people (in almost 4600 homes including single-family, condos and apartments), 10,000 permanent employees, 10,000 construction jobs, and more than 1,100 homes. The homes were supposed to be “affordable” but that term doesn’t currently apply to the housing available in the area – in December of 2009, the low-end of the Mueller market was around $350,000.

In addition to extensive housing and commercial uses, the redevelopment plan calls for approximately 140 acres of public open space, some of which is in parks with fantastic amenities (a swimming pool, fountains, play scapes) and some of which is in small parks with grassy knolls and freshly-planted trees.

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Please note: I do not have any homes listed for sale in this area (which means I am not representing any sellers of Mueller properties, nor any of the developers). The photos you will see are of homes in the area, not necessarily homes for sale in the area. If you want to purchase a home in the Mueller Development area, you may engage me as your Buyers Agent (at no cost to you), to find you a home that is available for re-sale. If you want to talk in more detail about what this means, please call me (Alison) on my cell phone at (512) 585-4758, or send me a note by the form in the sidebar.

My kids were enthralled with the play scapes in one of the parks. I had to beg, whine and cajole them to get back in the car so that we could finish photographing the area. The play scapes were best-of-class, and quite frankly, the best I’ve seen anywhere. I have FIVE kids so I have seen a LOT of play scapes! These were just plain cool – great colors, fun to play in and on, and really hard to leave. We dubbed one little yellow spinning chair the “barfomatic” – small, easy-spinning and compelling until one has spun too much and then it’s sickening, but in a good sort of way. They all wanted a turn, and then quickly, they all wanted OUT! HAH!

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As I wandered around taking photos, I noticed how many of the homes reminded me of the Willow Glen area in San Jose, where homeowners have been aggressively renovating smaller cottages into very style-forward new cottages on a larger scale. Others look like rows houses in old urban area across the country and up into Canada. Some of the homes are HUGE, and the architectural styles play off turn-of-the-last-century styles, Mission, and mid-century.

The exterior of these Austin homes range from 4-sided masonry (limestone, brick) to siding and stylings that looks like homes sprinkled across New England. The elevations of the homes are very varied, with lots of details, details details. Even the smaller homes have extensive detailing inside and out, including some with copper siding, metal roofs and a mix of brick, hardie board, metal and stone. Most have porches.

Garages are all at the back, accessed via alleys. All of the homes sit close to the street and to the sidewalks, on small lots, to emphasize the walkability of the area. The colors are glorious – greens, golds, reds, blues. Not a single home is “boring” – all have something compelling about them, whether it is the porch, the heavy front doors, or the intriguing roof lines.

Photos of Smaller Houses In Mueller Austin

Are you ready for more pictures? Let’s start with pictures of the “small” houses, which have a distinctive cottage and old-mission feel to many of them:

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Street Photographs

One thing worth mentioning – very few, if any, of these homes are on “interior streets”. The streets are wide, with parking on both sides, and yellow lines down the middle. Most houses had cars parked in front, even with alley access for the homeowners to reach their garages.

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Alley Photographs in Mueller in Austin

Those were the “street scenes”, these are the “alley pix”:

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Medium Sized Houses

Now that we’ve seen some of the smaller houses, and have a general idea of the size of the lots, and the closeness of the houses to the street, let’s look at some of the mid-size houses.

Before we do that, however, let me say that I am very intrigued by the concept of “small” houses. Once upon a time, Americans raised families in houses of 1500 square feet, or smaller. In 1995 Taunton Press published a book on Small Houses that captivated my attention. I can’t wait for the wave of books and magazines aimed at the “small footprint” crowd!

We have older subdivisions all across the country full of what we now think of as “small” houses. Perhaps these are actually big enough? Do we really need so much stuff? But, I digress . . . let’s look at some of the mid-size houses and see how the interesting elevations, materials and architecture add essential character:

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After the “mid-size” houses, we get to indulge in the really big ones.

These are the ones that have an unbelievable amount of “green” material and design built in. “Green” may be a bit of a misnomer here, since building anything bigger than a family really needs could be considered wasteful. We can regard this conflict this way: a family that wants a BIG house is going to buy a big house, one way or the other.

The freedom to do this is the American Way! Buying a green one, albeit a big one, is still less stressing on the environment than a comparably-sized non-green home, both during the original construction, as well as in regards to the on-going impact of energy usage (which is measurably reduced by the additional insulation, higher SEER ratings on the A/C, etc.).

These homes are GORGEOUS! Just GORGEOUS! And for many residents, the shorter commute means more time for family and friends, or for walking around the neighborhood, or on the trails. Which of these big homes is YOUR favorite?

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Mueller Townhouses

For those that want something a little bit smaller, and even more energy efficient (due to shared walls, which has an insulating effect), Mueller offers a lot of townhomes:

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Even though an extensive amount of housing has already been built, the Mueller Development area has a lot of open, undeveloped space. This space is mostly weedy lots (aka “nature areas” in Texas-speak), between the edges of the new homes and the edges of adjacent areas, some of which is residential and some of which is commercial. It might look barren now, but I know I am intrigued with what may be built in these areas.

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Where to Find Mueller in Austin, Texas

The Mueller Development is situated between I-35 on the East, 51st Street on the North, Manor Road on the Southeast and Airport Boulevard on the Southwest.

The official website for the development offers a terrific map of the planned development area which shows the mix of retail, detached housing, town homes, parks and commercial areas.

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Even MORE Mueller Photos!

Yeah I like this area. Here are even more photos, including some of the same houses, taken at a different time of year.

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Bright, colorful and boxy.

Modern homes unlike the new homes you’ve seen elsewhere in Austin, except perhaps for a sprinkling just east of I 35 and downtown.

The Agave development on 969, east of 183 and downtown Austin has presence.

(Click Here for the 2011 Market Update for Nine Sixty NIne)

No guts, no glory.

Want Green Living in Austin?

Have you been thinking about living green?

Maybe changing just a few things about your lifestyle to reduce your impact on the planet?

Agave (969) was honored at the 2009 Austin Business Journal “Going Green Awards” and has been winning design awards to boot. This subdivision, located in the area that is East of 183 and North of Martin Luther King Boulevard (aka 969, East of downtown), was designed by cutting-edge modern architects and developed by Vicinia Development.

The larger development was designed to contain 500 homes.

The original series of modern homes was called the Architectural Series and has a significant number of high-end finishes that gave each home a thoroughly modern look and feel.

These finishes included metal roofs, super-polished concrete floors, sleek cabinetry, Hansgrohe faucets and Silestone countertops. These homes sold in the high 200s to the mid-to-high 300s. Most recently, the developer has been building homes in the Design Series which retains a lot of the original highly-modern look and feel but gives buyers more options for keeping costs down when selecting finishes.

What Nine Sixty Nine Can Teach Us

Developers usually play it safe: traditional homes, traditional yards, standard layouts of roads and cul-de-sacs (“coves” for the locals).

The big houses on the hill, however, didn’t play it safe, and here is what we can learn from them:

Drive out 969 east from downtown and take a look.

As you get past 183, start looking on your left and then you will see them – glorious bright boxes marching up the hill.

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• As of May 12th, 2011, 9 properties are for sale in the 969 (Agave) subdivision.
• The least expensive is listed for sale at $212,000. This home contains 2 bedrooms and 2 and a half bathrooms in 1,434 square feet. This two-story home boasts concrete floors on the first level and bamboo on the second.
• The highest current asking price is $374,473 for a 1,793 square foot home with 3 bedrooms and 2 and a half bathrooms. This home has extensive landscaping including a pool with a view of downtown.
• The median listing price for the 9 homes for sale is $285,900.
• The median days on the market is 45.

To look for a home in the Nine Sixty Nine (Agave) subdivision, call Alison Shuman (512) 585-4758.

2010 Real Estate Statistics for Nine Sixty Nine

• 3 homes sold in 2010 in this subdivision.
• The largest sold for $311,969 and contained 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms in 1,686 square feet.
• The smallest home sold for $237,500 and has 3 bedrooms and three full bathrooms in 1,565 square feet.

Photos of 969 Modern Homes in East Austin

(Note: these are NOT homes for sale. The homes in the following photos are existing homes in the subdivision, photographed to give you a good idea of what the modern homes in this area look like.)

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Location for the Agave (969) Subdivision in East Austin

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To look for a home in the Nine Sixty Nine (Agave) subdivision, call Alison Shuman (512) 585-4758.

(All sales data courtesy of ACTRIS, from the Austin Board of Realtors.)

Although many of the newer subdivisions (newer, meaning, in the last 20 to 30 years) still have HOAs and Restrictive Covenants that require (yes REQUIRE) grass in front of the homes, many of the older areas, and subdivisions that understand the impact lawn-watering has on our (dwindling) water supply are seeing a distinct trend towards more drought-tolerant and species that are native to Central Texas that can withstand the blistering heat of the long summer without requiring daily watering to stay alive.

In addition to this, I’m seeing some interesting fence and stonework designs cropping up around town.

You will find Triangle Park at The Triangle at 4600 Lamar (46th Street and Lamar), with plenty of free parking at surface lot next door and The Triangle retail parking garage down the street.

The Austin Farmers Market at the Triangle is on Wednesday

Austin Sustainable Food Center Farmers’ Market at The Triangle

Open Year-Round, Rain or Shine
March – September, 4 pm to 8 pm – Wednesdays
October – February, 3 pm to 7 pm – Wednesdays

Take Your Whole Family to Support Texas Growers

Your kids will love the Farmers’ Market at the Triangle on Wednesdays. They will find real fruit icees, succulent tacos, and a cool water feature to play in at the park.

If you have a pile of ‘em like we do, getting there can be a real production, complete with sibling rivalry about who gets to carry the bags (or, more realistically, who HAS to carry the bags), it’s important for them to understand better that our food can’t, and shouldn’t, just come from the big stores. Especially when that food has been trucked cross-country, or worse, from out of the country.

Supporting Texas growers is essential - it helps keep our local economy healthy as we keep ourselves healthy, too. On the way, we discuss why we’re willing to pay more for the produce, and what organic means, and so on. The time in the car is well-spent on these topics, and I hope they’ll record these trips in the fond part of their childhood memories, much like I have for the 7am trips to the farms stands on the summer Saturdays of my own childhood. I hated getting up early but the corn and beefsteak tomatoes were worth the sacrifice.

If you can, consider adding a weekly trip to one of these locations for the Austin Farmers Market – Triangle – support your local Texas growers. The food tastes better because it IS better – fresher, frequently organic, tastier.

You can find a full list of the regular vendors (not all vendors attend all market days) on the Austin Farmers Market Vendors list.

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Once upon a time we had our own backyard orchard, complete with orange, lime, lemon and nectarine trees. Our two apple trees had grafts for 9 different varieties of apples, most of them heirloom varieties, but the squirrels usually beat us to the fruit. The front yard had a cherry tree and a few baby blueberry bushes, and I was in hog heaven, or at least in fruit-growers nirvana. Alas, we moved and our current house in Austin has very little sunlight in the back yard, thanks to several huge old oak trees.

Even a little sunlight, however, is enough to get me to spend $300 (yes, I know) on plants, tools, dirts, fertilizer, hoses, and seeds and to hustle the kids outside for a few weekends of fun in the dirt. We dug, we played, we sprayed each other with the hose, and then we spent weeks leading into months tracking the progress of our sorry little band of sunlight-starved, heat drenched plants. My little Austin locavores in the making have far more stamina than I do for the daily ritual of checking on the status of each little seedling and plant, but my heart brims with joy as they burst through the back door with each day’s update on our family garden.

If you love the idea of the locavore movement and haven’t yet read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver, grab a copy from your local book purveyor – it’s well worth your time. The book chronicles one family’s year of trying to eat locally, with primary emphasis on what they can grow on their own family farm.

We might not ever get to harvest much more than some fresh herbs and lettuce from our own tiny back yard vegetable garden, but we still love love love the concept, especially the part about playing in the dirt for a good reason, and one day we’ll have another yard where we can have a much bigger and (hopefully) more productive garden plot.

Until then, we’ll visit the local Austin Farmers’ Market and bring our fabric bags laden with fresh locally and sustainably grown produce HOME.

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I know my fridge and washing machine are OLD, and they are probably sucking a lot more energy than necessary. That means it’s time to GO SHOPPING!!

The nice folks at HouseLogic have put together a great series of well-researched articles on what to look for when it comes to shopping for more energy-efficient appliances. Check them out and maybe you’ll find yourself waiting for that delivery between 7am and midnight sooner than you had anticipated!

Surely your home is more energy efficient than this one? If not, you need to jump on some of the 2011 Federal Tax Credits for energy efficiency upgrades!

The Texas Mail-in Appliance Rebate Program ended in March, but you can still get in on some of the Federal Tax Credits for certain upgrades.

We have another blazing hot Texas summer ahead of us. In addition to checking out these different programs listed below, make sure you also do the basic energy-efficiency things for your home – turn off lights, replace old bulbs with more efficient ones, and keep the A/C at a moderate setting and not at freezer-cold.

Federal Tax Credits for 2011 for Energy Efficiency

EnergyStar has prepared a nice summary page with detailed information about what credits are offered and how to qualify.

Be sure to read the fine print – these credits are worth pursuing but some are more complicated than others.

What is included in the Tax Credit?

If money seems to be escaping through drafty windows, doors, and skylights, this federal tax credit might make energy-efficient replacements more affordable. Does it feel like money is escaping through your home’s drafty windows, doors, and skylights? You might be able to keep at least some of that cash in your pocket by taking advantage of federal energy tax credits for retrofitting your house with qualified energy-efficient replacements. You can claim a tax credit of up to $1,500 for upgrading the windows, exterior doors, and skylights in your primary residence during 2009 and 2010.

The credit is based on 30% of the cost of materials, so a $5,000 purchase would max it out. But a tax credit alone isn’t reason enough to start calling contractors. Do a little homework first. The true value of replacing aging windows, doors, and skylights isn’t always an open-and-shut case.

Follow the 15-year rule for windows

A good rule of thumb for window replacement: Don’t bother if they’re less than 15 years old, says Jim Rooney, a home inspector in Annapolis, Md. The savings on your energy bills likely will be negligible since window technology hasn’t changed that radically and the integrity of your windows should still be intact. Shoddy installation or poor manufacturing may call for exceptions to the 15-year rule. Windows that are 20, 30, or more years old are prime candidates for replacement. Read More of this Article on Houselogic.com

Play golf, go kayaking, hike or bike the trails, or fly a kite. When you’re done, you can BBQ at one of the built-in grills, and enjoy your food at a picnic table. If you have a special occasion coming up, you can rent one of the pavilions!

Brushy Creek Lake Park, often referred to as Brushy Creek Park is located at 3300 Brushy Creek Road, east of the intersection of Parmer Lane and Brushy Creek Road. This park is huge, and has an extensive collection of amenities for the whole family or for you and your friends to enjoy!

Some folks are lucky enough to live within easy proximity to this fabulous park. Some of the near-by subdivisions are:

Park Hours

• Brushy Creek Lake Park opens 30 minutes before sunrise and closes at 10 PM.
• The water playscape operates daily from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and is open from May through September.

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This 90-acre park was designed by the Kellogg Landscape Architecture firm in Bastrop. The 38-acre lake was constructed in 1965.

The Brushy Creek Regional Trail also passes through the park. This trail meanders along Brushy Creek from just east of Great Oaks Drive west to US 183 in Cedar Park. Along the trail are six parks: Creekside Park near Great Oaks Drive, Olsen Meadows Park, Champion Park, Brushy Creek Lake Park, Brushy Creek Sports Park, and Twin Lakes Park near 183 in Cedar Park. To read more extensively about all of the parks in Williamson County, including the county’s master plan for parks and recreation, visit Williamson County’s website.

For more information about Brushy Creek Lake Park, contact the City of Cedar Park – Parks & Recreation Department at (512) 401-5500 or e-mail parks@cedarparktx.us.

Rules and Regulations (Regulations pertaining to Revised City of Cedar Park Code of Ordinances Article 7.300: Conduct in Parks & Playgrounds.)

• Fires allowed in BBQ grills only.
• No swimming, motorized boats or hunting. Non-motorized boating is allowed.
• Trolling motors are not permitted.
• Fishing is allowed pursuant to Texas State Law.
• Motorized vehicles must remain on paved surfaces.
• Vehicles in the park after closure are subject to towing.
• If your vehicle is towed, please call (512) 259-3600.

Brushy Creek Park is easy to find!
The park is located at 3300 Brushy Creek Road, east of the intersection of Parmer Lane and Brushy Creek Road.

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Have you been thinking about living green? Maybe changing just a few things about your lifestyle to reduce your impact on the planet? East Austin has a really cool development that was honored at this year's Austin Business Journal "Going Green Awards" in January and has been winning design awards to boot, so we decided to go have a look-see. Agave, in the Nine Sixty Nine (969) subdivision, located in the area that is East of 183 and North of Martin Luther King Boulevard (a little North East of downtown), was designed by cutting-edge modern architects and developed by Vicinia Development.

Although I don't currently have any listings for East Austin Real Estate, I couldn't resist posting some photos of these funky, edgy houses. If you're looking for this type of housing, drop me an email and I can search for active listings, or can set you up with a custom search that will let you know when properties become available in this area. I can also represent you as your Buyers Representative if you decide to have this developer build you a home in Nine Sixty Nine. When you work with a Buyers Rep, the agents commission is customarily paid by the seller (the developer). If you want to see more of this type of game-changing development in Austin, reach out to the companies and individuals that teamed up to make this happen.

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Want to go See?

(updated 11/23/2009)
I love Google Maps! Unfortunately, this development isn't reflected on the current (November, 2009) maps for the area. For the map below, the street named "Tetherland Trail" is now called "Agatha Circle". This large loop is the center of the Nine Sixty Nine Subdivision. On 11/23/2009, there were 5 homes for sale, ranging from $215k to just under $400k.


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Want to learn more about East Austin Development trends? Drop me (Alison) an email via my on-line contact form, or call (512) 585-4758.