Austin, TX rocks!

Everyone, not just Austinites, knows Austin is one of the best cities in the world.  Want to see who else is talking about us?  Here’s proof.

No. 1 Boom town in America, Forbes Magazine

No. 1 City for starting over, thedailybeast.com

No. 1 Place to live in the U.S., relocateamerica.com

No. 1 City in resident satisfaction, ETC Institute

No. 1 City for young adults starting careers, American City Business Journal

No. 1 Best golf city in America, golf.com

No. 1 Funniest city, thedailybest.com

No. 1 City in the U.S. for job growth, gracytitle.com

No. 2 Best city for families, Parenting Magazine

No. 2 Market to watch in 2012, Urban Land Institute and PricewaterhouseCoopers

No. 2 Best place for dating in the U.S., vavoom.com

No. 2 City for young Latino Americans to live, work and play, Mun2

No. 2 IT startup hot spot, PayScale, Inc

No. 3 Best airport in America and 5^th best in the world, Airports Council International

No. 4 Best city for single women, CBS Money Watch

No. 4 Best job market in the U.S., Forbes

No. 4 Best city for college grads, thedailybeast.com

No. 5 U.S. city with the healthiest employment outlook, Manpower Employment Outlook Survey

No. 5 Place with good jobs and cheap housing, investopedia.com

No. 5 American city for iPad hot spots, Men’s Health

No. 5 Most moved to city in the U. S., U-Haul

No. 7 Best place for business, Forbes

No. 8 Most socially networked city, Men’s Health

No. 8 Best beer city, Travel + Leisure

No. 10 Greenest U.S. city, Mother Nature Network

No. 10 Social media college: University of Texas, studentadvisor.com

Central Austin office remodeling is finally underway!

After several months of delay in securing the necessary building permits from the City of Austin, construction is finally underway on the new Central Austin office location for Fine Austin Living, REALTORS.  In less than two short years, notwithstanding a sluggish economy, Fine Austin Living is bringing its signature level of service to commercial and residential property buyers and sellers to Central Austin!

Currently, the company’s primary location is in Westlake Hills,  and features an open-concept working environment accentuated by a rotating display of fine art from Central Texas artists.  The new location, coincidentally a renovation of a former art gallery and studio, will offer a variety of dedicated and shared workspaces, furnishings custom-built for the professionally-designed space, gallery-style art displays and state-of-the-art technology to support the growing team of real estate professionals and their clients.

Broker/Owner Todd Smith adds “our new location in Central Austin is ideally situated to serve the needs of homeowners and prospective homebuyers in the Allandale, Brentwood, Rosedale, University Heights and Mueller communities, along with other areas of Central Austin. We will also offer commercial representation services, as well as home-leasing and apartment locating services.  As members of the Austin Independent Business Alliance, we look forward to opening our office and serving the local community in 2012 and beyond with a new caliber of real estate consulting services.”

The company’s original business plan is ahead of schedule, and Smith hopes to secure a location for an additional office to open sometime in late 2012.

Click Link to RSVP via Facebook

Fine Austin Living, in association with the Belvedere Homeowners Association, is proud to present an appreciation event on September 10th to raise funds for the Lake Travis Firefighters Association. To be held the night before the 10th Anniversary of the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks, in which so many brave first responders lost their lives, we honor the men and women who work tirelessly and unselfishly to protect our homes and community.

The LTFA was instrumental, along with multiple other firefighting teams, in knocking back the flames that swept through the community and neighboring properties last month, protecting every structure in the area from damage.  Despite their heroic efforts, two firefighters were injured in the blaze.

All proceeds for the event will be directed to the LTFA Benevolent Fund, which helps to address uncovered personal or family medical expenses in the event of an injury or loss of life by a member of the LTFA.

Please join us at the Belvedere Amenity Center from 7-10pm on Saturday September 10th, located on Hamilton Pool Road 4 miles west of Hwy 71 in Bee Cave, for this worthwhile opportunity to express our gratitude for those who unselfishly serve our community.

Donations will be graciously accepted via cash at the door, via check (payable to Lake Travis Firefighters Association) or by credit card via the PayPal link below.

For more information contact Karen Shultz at kzelina@yahoo.com or Todd Smith at 512-402-9800 or visit us online at www.FineAustinGIVING.com or at www.BelvedereAustin.com.

Fine Austin Living, REALTORS is pleased to announce the addition of Patrick Dixson, REALTOR to our growing ranks of seasoned, experienced agents.  A welcome addition to our team, Patrick’s character and personality puts the “FUN” in our adopted nickname, the FUN Austin Living Team!

With former careers in home construction and remodeling, oil and gas, the travel industry, and even as a professional chef…Patrick’s journey to becoming a Realtor in 2004 has been a long and winding road. His varied background, coupled with his strong business acumen and exceptional people skills, enable him to succeed where others cannot.

Patrick holds the Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE) designation, as well as ACRE,  Accredited Consultant in Real Estate.  He believes in the value of advanced learning, and strongly supports Fine Austin Living’s commitment to continuing education for its agents.

His unparalleled commitment to customer satisfaction is what sets Patrick apart from the rest,  and the accolades he receives from his clients are a testament to that fact.  For more information or to contact Patrick directly, please visit www.FineAustinLiving.com/Patrick_Dixson , and let him show you The Fine Art of Austin Real Estate!

17704 Worley Dr.

The team at Fine Austin Living, REALTORS is pleased to introduce our latest new listing, located at 17704 Worley Drive in Pflugerville.  The MLS # is 7580281, and can be viewed on www.FineAustinListings.com.  The property is being marketed by Jonathan Henson, REALTOR.  To contact Jonathan directly for additional information about this new listing or to arrange a private showing, please call him at (512) 981-9950.

Here’s the FINE print:

A must-see spacious 4 bedroom/3 full bath/2 car garage home! New carpet in entry, living, and stairs. Great backyard to relax and enjoy the day! Home sits on a cul-de-sac away from main roads. Custom tiled back splash in kitchen with granite counter tops. One of the largest master retreats in the area to just relax and get away from it all! This will be a great place to call home so do not miss a chance to see it today!

The virtual tour may be viewed by CLICKING HERE

I'm SOLD on Fine Austin Living!!!

We are pleased to announce the first of many recent additions to our team of outstanding real estate agents.  Our team is growing, and we’re excited to welcome, and celebrate, Beth Ann Cummins.

As one of Austin’s premiere boutique residential real estate firms, Fine Austin Living launched an aggressive public awareness campaign at the beginning of 2011.  As a result, we’ve been speaking with dozens of agents across the Central Texas marketplace in search of the right combination of personality, commitment to service excellence, market knowledge, and willingness to help grow our company.

Beth Ann is one of those rare individuals that is a perfect fit for our company.  She comes to us with an extensive career in the travel industry, after which she entered the world of real estate in 2001, while living in Houston.  Raising four boys and embarking on a new career gave Beth Ann the experience and skills necessary to not only survive, but flourish in the Austin real estate market ups and downs.

A consummate professional, Beth Ann is a welcome addition to the team at Fine Austin Living, REALTORS.  Check out her full biography at http://fineaustinliving.com/beth_ann_cummins and let her show you The Fine Art of Austin Real Estate!

Fine Austin Living joins WCAOR

Expanding its presence in the Greater Austin / Central Texas real estate marketplace, Fine Austin Living, REALTORS announced today that it has joined the Williamson County (TX) Association of REALTORS (WCAOR), located in Round Rock, Texas. The firm is also a continuing member of the Austin Board of REALTORS.

Broker / Owner Todd Smith says that “by joining the Williamson County Board, Fine Austin Living continues to expand our market presence and capture the attention of customers, dynamic real estate agents, vendors and suppliers who do business in and around Williamson County.” “Market statistics consistently show that the area has grown exponentially over the last decade and is strongly positioned for substantial future growth, even despite the current economic malaise.”

Smith adds that “as a member of WCAOR, I hope to encourage our current and future agents to take an active role in serving the community, cultivating passionately loyal clients who appreciate the Fine Art of Real Estate (SM).”

Fine Austin Living, REALTORS is a boutique residential real estate brokerage with principal offices located in Westlake Hills, but future growth plans include Williamson County and surrounding areas.  The company is in the planning stages for celebrating its 1-year anniversary in late April, which will feature live music, hosted reception, valet parking and an appearance by one of Central Texas’ preeminent local artists at an exhibition of her work.

Things you should know before buying an Austin TX home

Planning to buy in 2011?  Preparation is the key to getting the best deal when shopping for a new home in Austin, TX.  Following are some tips to help get you started:

1.  Define Needs Versus Wants: Make a list of “needs” versus “wants” for your new home.  For example, if you have a large and growing family then four bedrooms might be a necessity, while a pool might be optional. If you have pets, a fenced yard could be a need, unless you wish to live in a more rural area then a fence could be a “want.”

2.  Select a Location: Come sit down with a member of our Team and we can give you a local map so you can ride around a bit and get a sense of the kind of neighborhood where you would like to own a home.  Knowing where your place of employment is located (particularly if you are relocating to the Austin area) is helpful, so you can estimate commute time. Pay attention to schools, neighborhood amenities, and your neighbors, so that you pick a location that will feel like “home.”

3.  Set a Budget: Most real estate purchases rely on financing, so it is critical for you to get “pre-qualified” with a mortgage lender. Spend a little time upfront and have a personal conversation with a lender and find out what you can afford. (If you need a name of a reputable professional, give us a call … we only deal with the most competent ones in the business.)

4.  Read, Set and Search: We know that today’s real estate searches begin on the internet.  So look around.  Call us if you need directions, or more information on a particular neighborhood or school.  We’re stocked with information … and even have access to information on all the best golf courses, restaurants, and entertainment venues if you’re interested!  Let us be your trusted advisor … after all this is one of the most important decisions you’ll make!

5.  Go Looking: As interesting and informative as the internet is, there’s really no substitute for getting out and visiting homes.  You’ll be surprised that some of the homes you thought were “just perfect” fail to live up to the hype, and others will look so much better.  House hunting is fun, and with one of us along with you we can help you narrow your focus on finding the perfect one for you.

After all that, and learning more about what kind of home you’re REALLY looking for, we’d like to show you a few that you might have missed.  when we’re thru, you’ll have a very clear idea of which one you’re most interested in purchasing, and then we’ll help you write up an offer and navigate the paperwork and negotiation process.

(to be continued….)

Contact The Fine Austin Living Team today for up-to-date information about Austin Texas real estate as well as free access to the Austin Texas MLS and all properties currently for sale in the Austin area.

Shaunna Terry receives cruise award from Laquita King, AHPS while Broker Todd Smith looks on

Fine Austin Living REALTOR Shaunna Terry was the lucky recipient of a 5-day cruise from Laquita King (left) of Affordable Home Protection Services, an Austin Texas-based provider of residential service contracts (aka home warranties).  Broker Todd Smith looks on as Ms. Terry receives her reward in the Fine Austin Living offices, located on Bee Cave Road in Westlake Hills.