Cool Austin Texas Real Estate Blog

I recently went to the Alamo Drafthouse in downtown Austin on Sixth Street with my wife to see "Iron Man" (read my movie review here - "Iron Man" = The Best Movie I have seen in awhile). 

The Drafthouse is a unique moviegoing experience and I thought it would be a great idea to share this unique business with others who are looking for an interesting and fun date concept, or just a great place to go with friends.

For years, the most traditional date has involved dinner and a movie.  The Drafthouse concept combines both into an intimate setting where you can enjoy food and drinks while you watch the movie.  There is a long table that runs in front of each row of seats, and there are servers to bring your order as in a normal restaurant. 

Arrive early enough to enjoy your time and get some food, as it is somewhat more difficult to order after the movie has actually started.  However, you can still order during the showing by writing your desired choices on the piece of paper, folding it, and placing in the bar attached to the table.

The menu offers a variety of drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic), appetizers, salads, entrees, and even desserts. 

The price of a ticket is about the same as anywhere else, and you are not required to eat or drink anything if you don't want to.

I would highly recommend checking this out if you have a chance!

Currently, there are four locations in the general Austin area:

Alamo Lake Creek - 13729 Research Blvd, Austin, Tx 78750

Alamo Village - 2700 W. Anderson Lane

Alamo South Lamar - 1120 South Lamar Blvd.

Alamo Downtown Ritz - 320 E 6th Street

If you have any questions about Austin, please give me a call anytime at 512-796-7653 or email jason@austintexashomes.com. 

If you are looking to relocate to the Austin area, you might be interested in checking out my online relocation package here:

Austin Texas Relocation Package

You can search for Austin real estate at our main website at http://www.austintexashomes.com/.  I look forward to hearing from you soon!  

Since I have been tagged three times with this series of meme questions (below), I thought it might be time to actually attempt to compose this post.  Thanks (I think) to Rich Jacobson, Michelle Pimentel, and LaShawn Norden for tagging me this time around.  I decided to do this a bit differently (what a shock!).  You will see what I mean.

Question 1: Who is my favorite Musical Artist? 

REAL ANSWER: I am not very decisive when it comes to choosing a "favorite" anything, frankly, but lately I have been listening to a lot of Keith Green music.  Most of you have probably never even heard of Keith.  He was a very gifted pianist and Christian musician who died in 1982 in a plane crash, but his music left a legacy behind.  This is one of my favorite songs by him.   

FUNNY ANSWER: No question - Color Me Badd.

LEAST FAVORITE SONG: I am sure I can think of something worse, but in the modern era there aren't too many songs worse than "We Built This City" by Starship (formerly Jefferson Starship).  I once saw an SNL skit about the Solid Gold Dancers, and they called this "one of the most difficult songs to dance to ever created".  Agreed.  It is also one of the hardest to listen to in its entirety.  I defy you to try.

Question 2: Who is my favorite Artist?

REAL ANSWER: Monet and Renoir.

CUTE ANSWER (and still true): My son and daughter.  I once wrote a post about Aleah's artwork here: I Love My Daughter's Artwork - Just a Post to Brag on My Kid.

Question 3: Who is My Favorite Blogger?

This is a loaded question, because I am sure to miss someone.  I am currently subscribed to over 170 blogs here.  No need to rock the boat, right? 

Question 4: If I could meet anyone (dead or alive), who would it be?

REAL ANSWER, EVEN THOUGH IT MAY SEEM TRITE:  Jesus Christ, although I could really say that I first met Him in 1991 upon becoming a Christ follower.   

FUNNY ANSWER: Carrot Top, but not the new, steroid-improved Carrot Top.  More like Carrot Top circa 1990.  If he is unavailable, then Andrew Dice Clay.

FICTIONAL CHARACTER ANSWER: Lloyd Dobler, which was John Cusack's character in "Say Anything".  I think he and I could have been friends.

Question 5: What did I want to be when I grew up?

REAL ANSWER: I included this answer in a previous meme.  I wanted to be one of two things: a comedian, or a pediatrician.  I used to listen to comedy albums for hours on end starting when I was about 8.  I actually entered college as a pre-med major, but didn't stick with it.  Looking back on it, I guess I wanted to be Patch Adams.

FUNNY ANSWER: A tax accountant.  What red-blooded American boy doesn't want to handle tax returns?

Question 6: What is the most interesting piece of Trivia that I know?

REAL ANSWER: The guy who played Buffalo Bill (killer) in "Silence of the Lambs" now portrays Captain Leland Stottlemeyer on "Monk".  Yes, really.  That was just the first thing I thought of. 

ALTERNATE: The name for Oz in the "Wizard of Oz" was thought up when the creator,
Frank Baum, looked at his filing cabinet and saw A-N, and O-Z, hence "Oz."

Question 7: If I could live in any point of history when would it be and why?

It would probably seem cool or romantic to say "Renaissance Europe", but I think I would probably choose to be a young man living in the late 1960's, because I am likely a hippie at heart.  Plus, the music was awesome back then.  Who wouldn't want to see Woodstock?

Question 8: What is the most interesting job I've every had?

I worked as a counselor at a boy's home when I was in college.  The kids there ranged from 13-17 years old, and they were not quite bad enough to be in juvenile detention, but they couldn't live at home either. 

One of the kids was dumped by his mom in downtown San Antonio when he was five years old.  Several of them were in gangs or wanted to be. 

Once, there was a gun in the house, and that requires us to put all 12 kids on "one room" detention, meaning that none of them could leave the room without supervision except to use the bathroom.  The kids there loved me, since I was about 20 and closer to their age - they really opened up and saw me as a big brother. 

I would love nothing better than to do something along those lines as a job, but, simply put, I cannot provide for a family of five doing that.

Well, thanks for reading!

A couple of months ago, while I was relaxing one night in front of the television (this is ever-so-rare for me these days), my 40" LCD HDTV went out and I was left with nothing but audio.  At first I thought it must have been a camera failing on the show, so I changed the channel - and freaked.  Nothing.  Just sound. 

I had a guy come look at it, and he took it back to his repair shop.  He called me later that day and said that it would require ordering a part and that it would take about three weeks to get it fixed.  Fair enough, although I did begin to suffer high def withdrawal pretty quickly. 

We replaced this TV in our media room with a smaller, older television (that we already had) for a few weeks, then I got another call. 

The good TV was not fixable. 

I decided not to rush out right away and buy a new one, although I did want to have one by the time the NFL season started.  I ended up caving during a Memorial Day sale and getting a new one - it was such a good deal!

I knew that if I waited long enough, I could find the deal I really wanted at MY price. 

Sound familiar?

I paid $3000 for my television about three years ago.  It was pretty cutting-edge back then, and times were good.  Why not?

This week, I paid $1199 for a better version and arguably a better brand as well.  When I was considering waiting for that "deal", it struck me that this is how most current potential real estate buyers think:

"If I wait long enough, prices will continue to drop and I can get the house of my dreams for pennies on the dollar."

The media feeds this story daily. 

However, unlike electronics, homes do not depreciate in value over the long haul.  In fact, real estate is probably the most stable long-term investment that you can possibly find.

Waiting on the sidelines may work well when buying the latest technology, but it may backfire with regard to home prices, which are "hyper-local".  This means that although the national averages may be down, many areas are experiencing a very healthy market RIGHT NOW.

Don't play the waiting game if you want/need to buy a house.  Although deals exist, they may not be the norm in your area.

I have been selling homes in the Austin, Texas area for over 11 years full-time. If you are looking to buy or sell a home in central Texas, call me first.  You will not be disappointed. 

Jason Crouch, Broker/Owner - Austin Texas Homes, LLC  512-796-7653 (cell)

We have a brand-new listing in north Austin which is priced to sell quickly.  It is located mere minutes from downtown Austin, and it has been extensively updated.

Features:

• Parklike homesite (almost 0.50 acre)
• 1835 s.f. per tax records
• 3 Bedrooms, 2 Full Bathrooms
• 2-car garage
• Huge canopy shade trees
• Most of the remodeling is from the last 2 years
• Light, bright
• Fabulous front porch to welcome you home

If you have any questions about Austin or Round Rock, Texas, please give me a call anytime at 512-796-7653 or email jason@austintexashomes.com. 

If you are looking to relocate to the Austin area, you might be interested in checking out my online relocation package here:

Austin Texas Relocation Package

You can search for Austin homes at our main website at http://www.austintexashomes.com/.  I look forward to hearing from you soon!  

We have a new listing in the Stone Canyon community in Round Rock (off Highway 620 next to the Round Rock Medical Center). 

This lovely Newmark home was built in 1999:

• 4 Bedrooms
• 3 Full Bathrooms
• Over 2700 s.f. per tax records
• Master bedroom upstairs, guest bedroom and full bath downstairs
• Study
• Large Gameroom
• Wood Floors
• Recent Carpet (April 2008)
• Granite Counters
• Stainless Appliances in Kitchen
• Sprinkler and Security Systems
• Water Softener
• Walk to "Exemplary"-rated Fern Bluff Elementary School
• Walk to Parks and Community Pool

If you have any questions about Austin, Texas, please give me a call anytime at 512-796-7653 or email jason@austintexashomes.com. 

If you are looking to relocate to the Austin area, you might be interested in checking out my online relocation package here:

Austin Texas Relocation Package

You can search for Austin homes at our main website at http://www.austintexashomes.com/.  I look forward to hearing from you soon!  

I have lived in Austin now for almost 20 years, but I was thinking about the types of things that I would like to learn if I were moving to a new area of the country.  Many of these have already been covered in my online relocation package here:

Austin Texas Relocation Package

For the purposes of this post, I thought it would be helpful to give you a few local Austin area websites which will help make your visit (or move) more enjoyable.

Austin 360 - If I want to find local events, festivals, or just stuff that might be enjoyable for my family, this is one of the first places that I check.

Austin Chronicle - This is my default, "go to" site for movie reviews and listings.  I don't always agree with the reviews, but they are well-written and I can at least get a quick idea of what the movies are about.  Easy to navigate.  Also includes a "Best of Austin" list for MANY categories, as determined by readers and visitors.

AustinTexas.org - This website is owned and operated by the Austin Convention and Visitor Bureau, and it is among the best-designed sites that I have found.  Includes information about Austin music, restaurants, the film commission, and much more.

Austin City Guide - Much like Austin 360, this easy-to-navigate website features hotel and restaurant guides, services, shopping, and much more.

Austin CitySearch - Features many sections for nightlife, shopping, restaurants.  As with the Austin Chronicle site, it includes winners in various categories.

Austin Texas Homes - I couldn't resist including my own website here.  If you are considering making a move to the Austin area, this is the best place to start.  Features online home search tools and great information about our town.

If you need anything at all, please don't hesitate to contact me.  I hope to have the opportunity to help you find the right home when the time comes.  My cell phone number is 512-796-7653 and my email address is jason@austintexashomes.com.  I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Jason Crouch, Broker/Owner - Austin Texas Homes, LLC

Each year, Fortune Magazine publishes its list of America's 100 Best Companies to Work For. 

Fortune's staff scrutinizes hundreds of companies, surveying employees and reviewing each company's stated philosophy, employee handbooks, and other materials in order to come up with their annual rankings.

Google was ranked #1 again this year. 

Fifteen of the companies ranked in the Top 100 for 2008 are either headquartered in Austin, or they have locations here:

Edward Jones - (#4) Specializing in personal investment strategies, this company has built a strong reputation for allowing its financial advisors to control their own business decisions with centralized support.

Starbucks Coffee (#8) - Some love 'em, some don't.  Either way, they seem to take good care of their employees, offering benefits even for part-time workers.

Whole Foods Market (#16) - Headquartered right here in Austin, Texas!  They offer 100% health care for their employees, which seems to be a larger benefit by the year. 

David Weekley Homes (#17) - Austin is one of 17 cities where this builder operates currently.  I have an agent who used to work for them, and I know that they are a quality company.  Half of Weekley's personal income is donated to charity each year.

The Container Store (#20) - This is a cool store to check out if you have access to one.  They are headquartered in Coppell, Texas.  Employees earn far above the industry retail average, and the company offers family-friendly shifts, allowing for picking kids up from school.  Good stuff!

SAS Institute (#29) - High-tech services for government, business, and education.  They offer some terrific perks: Job sharing, 100% health care coverage, and good hourly wages. 

Rackspace Managed Hosting (#32) - Website hosting based out of San Antonio - they have one office in the Austin area. 

REI (#34) - Sporting goods for just about anything you would like to try.  Like Starbucks, they offer health benefits to part-time employees.

Nordstrom (#36) - Headquartered in Seattle, Nordstrom has a store in the Barton Creek Square Mall in SW Austin. 

CarMax (#48) - I have only heard good things about this car dealership thus far.  They have a large location in north Austin near Pflugerville.

National Instruments (#79) - My wife worked for NI for about six years, and I can personally attest to the quality of the leadership and the laid-back nature of the environment.  They are also headquartered in Austin.

Four Seasons Hotels (#88) - The Austin Four Seasons is located downtown, on the shores of Lady Bird Lake.  I have never been there without seeing at least one "famous" person.  They offer job sharing for their employees.

FedEx (#97) - They are perhaps the overnight champs these days.  They have a no-layoff policy and benefits for part-timers. 

Sherwin-Williams (#98) - This paint store chain must be doing something right.  They are known for their employee longevity.

Texas Instruments (#100) - Based in Dallas, TI has multiple offices in Austin.   

If you have any questions about Austin, Texas, please give me a call anytime at 512-796-7653 or email jason@austintexashomes.com. 

If you are looking to relocate to the Austin area, you might be interested in checking out my online relocation package here:

Austin Texas Relocation Package

You can search for Austin homes at our main website at http://www.austintexashomes.com/.  I look forward to hearing from you soon!  

Forbes.com has named Austin as having the second cleanest tap water in the U.S. in its recent study of the largest metro areas.  Des Moines, Iowa was rated #1.  The study covered 77 MSAs (Metropolitan Statistical Areas) across the country.

The ratings were based on several factors:

• cloudiness of water (turbidity)
• bacteria
• haloacetic acids
• lead

The Austin-San Marcos area showed some of the lowest levels of lead, turbidity and haloacetic acid. 

The entire article can be seen here:

http://www.forbes.com/health/2008/04/14/water-cities-drinking-forbeslife-cx_avd_0414health.html

Overall, this is just one more reason to make Austin your new home. If you have any questions about Austin, Texas, please give me a call anytime at 512-796-7653 or email jason@austintexashomes.com. 

If you are looking to relocate to the Austin area, you might be interested in checking out my online relocation package here:

Austin Texas Relocation Package

You can search for Austin homes at our main website at http://www.austintexashomes.com/.  I look forward to hearing from you soon!  

For this month's Inspired by Song! contest, which runs for a few more days, we challenged our ActiveRain friends to write on the topic of a personal theme song.  This is my own post on this topic, although I am not eligible to win, since I am a judge. 

At the risk of alienating some of my readers, and perhaps even some of my friends here on AR, I want to share some of the details of my faith in God with you.  If you know me or read my blog regularly, you will not be surprised by that part.  However, there are some personal details revealed here that will simply make some people uncomfortable, and for that I apologize in advance.

Over the past few months, I watched with pain in my heart as one of very best friends, David Wilder, died of throat and neck cancer.  Even before David was ill, I could have pointed to him as one of my spiritual mentors.  After he was diagnosed, I watched my friend battle against the illness that would eventually take him from us. 

In his death, David had an even more profound impact on me.  He taught me how to live as a follower of Jesus, then, later, he taught me how to die with grace.  To some of you, the next sentence may seem strange; to others, it will make perfect sense.  Watching David in his final days on earth and coping with the aftermath actually made me fear death less.  It also made me start to question what I was doing with my life with regard to affecting others tangibly within the church and in the world at large.  I am going to help with a new church that we are starting in the fall, and I hope to reach many lives with the gospel of Jesus Christ.  If this phrase is foreign to you, the gospel can be explained somewhat quickly by reading John 3:16:

"For God so loved the world, that he gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Some of you may recall seeing the guy in the rainbow afro wig at sporting events in the 1970's holding up the "John 3:16" signs.  He was doing his part to spread the Word.  I don't have a rainbow afro wig (yet), but I feel that it is my responsibility to share this, too.

Years ago, I used to be consumed with fears of death, and my wife (who was my girlfriend then) was able to lead me to Jesus.  I was open to this, and the Lord was able to remove this fear that night, but it would still re-surface from time to time, usually in the middle of the night, when I was at my most vulnerable.  A few years ago, I yielded my life to God completely and told Him that I now understood that no matter what happened, I would be content in knowing that He was with me.  Since then, my fears of the unknown have vanished. 

Through my life, I have dealt with my share of challenges, including my parents' divorce when I was about two, to an abusive stepfather, to my own struggles with mental illness in my early 20's, and more.

My wife wrote something on her blog recently that is probably the nicest compliment I have ever received:

"When I met Jason, I had a vision of the man he could become.  He is now that man."

For those of you who don't believe that she wrote this, feel free to call me and you can speak with her on the phone to confirm it.  :-)  But seriously, kinder words were never spoken.

The point of telling you this is that I did not become the man I am today by myself.  God has shaped me over the past 17 years (since I really met Him for the first time).  I obviously still have issues that I am working on.  My temper is too quick sometimes, I lust after the wrong things, I worry too much, and so on.  However, I am improving with God's help. 

The song I have chosen for this post is Casting Crowns "And Now My Lifesong Sings".  The lyrics pretty much sum up the changes that have occurred in my life since I became a Christian.  I was lost and floundering with a very selfish focus back in 1991.  I had little true hope in my life, despite outward appearances.  I was blind to the goodness around me.  Although I seemed happy, my heart felt flat and dead inside back then.  My priorities were far different.

Now, I have a deep and abiding joy in my heart because of my faith, despite some of the recent challenges I have had, including:

• Caring for my mother-in-law in our home full-time starting last fall
• Losing my friend to cancer in March
• Losing another friend to suicide this past month

This song pretty much sums up my feelings.  I hope you will take 4 minutes and 4 seconds out of your busy day to check it out.  If you have any questions, let me know.  I have no doubt that someone will feel that this is not appropriate to post here, and I understand.  Believe me, I wouldn't share it if I didn't think it was important.

Enjoy:

So, we finally broke down and made a family schedule today.  It's not etched in stone, but it covers all of the bases.  My wife Pam was the one who organized it, as it had been a long-standing goal of hers, ever since we had our third child. 

Our instructions were simple:

"Write down what you have to do each day, along with things that you would like to do."

So, after my list of chores, which includes the dishes, trash, and other sundry tasks, I have entries like this:

• Write a book - humor, parenting, real estate?
• Learn HTML
• Teach kids writing skills
• Exercise - biking, running, swimming

Tonight, we were officially scheduled to go for a swim at the pool which is about a block and half from our house.  It is almost uninhabited when we go, since we prefer swimming in the evening, starting around 8pm or so.  Our kids are very fair-skinned, so we don't have to worry about sunburns then.

On a related note, and I am virtually certain that I wrote this on my blog months ago, but I think my favorite song by R.E.M. is "Nightswimming".  I don't seek it out very often, and it's not on my iPod (yet), but every time I hear it, I feel relaxed and transported back to 1992, when my wife and I were still dating.  This song has a simplicity and a beauty that I have difficulty putting into words.  I read once that it was written as an ode to a sort of eternal summer.

The funny part about liking this song is that when I first heard it, I probably hadn't been swimming at night more than a handful of times.  Now, it has become part of our regular family routine during the late spring and summer months. 

The kids helped me to get a good workout tonight, and I look forward to our next outing.  Enjoy the tune: