At Fine Austin Living, REALTORS….we say “ENOUGH, ALREADY!” to all the negativity saturating the media.  Austin is a great place to live, work and play, and here’s proof.

Take note of all the awesome statistics and accolades Austin’s economy has received, and while some of this pertains to 2010, the 2011 version will be available soon.

It’s a great time to be transacting real estate in Austin, Texas and we would love to be your Realtors of choice.  Our team of talented agents are ready to go to work or you in helping you market your property for sale and/or finding you a new place to live!  Relocating here…we can help?  Up-sizing or down-sizing…we do that too! Leasing real estate, whether it be apartments, homes, or multi-family properties…we’re your team!

There are an amazing number of ways we can help you achieve your real estate objectives.   Contact us today. We look forward to sharing the Fine Art of Austin Real Estate with you.

We support our first responders

Fine Austin Living, REALTORS, along with the Homeowners Association at Belvedere on Hamilton Pool Rd. honored the Lake Travis firefighters, their Department and their Association on Saturday September 10th for their work in fighting the wildfire that broke out in the community in July.  Although many weeks of planning went in to the event, originally designed to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, it was entirely coincidental with the Labor Day fires which broke out all over Central Texas, consuming acreage and homes in Spicewood, Steiner Ranch, Leander and most significantly in the Bastrop/Smithville areas.  However, the Labor day weekend fires helped to raise awareness levels of the importance of fire safety and the sometimes thankless yet life-treatening work that our local fire departments do to keep us safe.

Our appreciation event was complemented by delicious food from Verde’s Restaurant, Goodwin Goodies, and Carmela’s Italian Deli was enjoyed by all. Liquid refreshments donated by Harpoon Brewery and Deep Eddy Beverage Co. kept the 200 attendees in good spirits, particularly as they enjoyed the sounds of 11-year-old acoustic singing sensation Grace London and the graceful sounds of “the Classic Crooner” Bruce Carbonara.

Exceeding expectations, our event raised over $12,100 for the firefighters, and will help launch a Benevolent Fund to defray excess medical expenses when firefighters are injured in the line of duty, as well as to contribute towards the replacement of certain equipments lost or damaged in the recent blazes.

Our sincere thanks and appreciation goes out to all who participated, attended, and/or contributed to this very worthwhile appreciation event. We truly live in a caring, giving community here in the Austin area and remind everyone to support the firefighters as well as the displaced residents by giving to the Central Texas Chapter of the American Red Cross.

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.

It’s hard to believe Memorial Day is already behind us.  I always think of Memorial Day as the true arrival of summer, a busy season when many of the families I work with are anxious to be settled before the new school year arrives.

I hope you’re well and enjoyed a little rest and relaxation on the long Memorial Day Weekend.  The smell of BBQs in the air and the sounds of kids playing is always a fortunate reminder of how much we have to be thankful for in our community.

My family and I attended the graduation of our nephew from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD this Memorial Day weekend, and then spent a few gloriously relaxing days at our beach house in nearby Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

This year I was also heartened to see people remember those families throughout history who have paid the ultimate price for the freedom we’re enjoying this summer.  Sadly, we do not have to look very far into the past to remember those who have died.  We have people in our community who have recently lost fathers, daughters, sons, and mothers.

Even though Memorial Day has passed, I encourage you to continue to show your respect and appreciation for those families whose loved ones will not be returning to them.  Invite them to enjoy fellowship with you throughout the year.   Honor them and honor their soldiers by holding up a mirror to show the generous, grateful community we live in.

It’s also not too late to teach our children that Memorial Day means more than a long weekend.  Why not take an evening soon to explore some websites which talk about the history of Memorial Day?  (The History Channel is a good place to start: http://www.history.com/topics/memorial-day-history).

May your summer be a reward and a reminder to appreciate the big picture.  All my best to you and yours.  Keep in touch.

With kindest regards,

Todd Smith

Fine Austin Living, REALTORS is pleased to announce the addition of Texas Real Estate Q&A to our award-winning website.  Already loaded with user-friendly search tools, information, and interactive applications, our primary website at FineAustinLiving.com now includes a Question and Answer module that explores a multitude of questions most buyers and sellers encounter in the course of a real estate transaction.

From the mundane to the wacky, the Q&A session covers the gamut. Buying strategies, home selling tips, even legal issues and professional standards are fair game!  Get your questions answered by a team of professionals, engage in the discussion, or ask a question of your own.

Click Here to check it out today!

Austin Texas is a growing city.  Census data is in, it’s been tallied, and Austin Texas was one of the fastest growing cities of the past decade.  What does Austin have going for it?  Education, lifestyle, a diverse economy, funky entertainment, and a great place to start a business.  Austin has been noted as a city having a highly educated population, is referred to as the new Silicon Valley, and offers one of the most active lifestyles in the country.

Recent headlines also tout Texas as one of the top ten fastest growing states, with Austin as its capital this comes as no surprise.  Recently Austin was noted for having the second best job market in the nation, making it a very attractive city for those looking to relocate.  Everything that has contributed to its growth also helps the Austin real estate market.

Contact us today to learn more about Austin real estate.  As the capital city changes so does the local market.  An experienced Austin REALTOR® can help you get to know the various neighborhoods that make up our unique area and find the property that best suits your needs.

Click here to read the “10 fastest-growing cities” from CNN Money.

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.

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.

Eanes Education Gala raises funds for our schools in Austin

The 2011 Eanes Independent School District Gala, held last night at the Renaissance Austin Hotel, was a rip-roaring success, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars to support our kids, our schools, and most importantly our teachers.

With the looming budget crises at the state and local level, the event could not have been more well-timed, as it brought together teachers, faculty, parents, community leaders, and residents to celebrate the level of excellence we have come to expect from the Eanes ISD, and to raises money to fund the gap between Adequate and Excellence.

The organizing committee, co-chaired by Lynn McFarland and Polly Rickard, planned a festive, Roaring-20′s themed evening complete with honky tonks; music from the Westlake High School Jazz Band; silent, live, and Big Board auctions of fantastic items; a casino section; and the ever-popular wine toss challenge and the Head-or-Tails fundraiser.

All of the members of the committee, the Eanes Educational Foundation Trustees and Staff, and everyone connected with the success of the evening should be proud of their achievements in raising badly-needed funds for our District!