Todd Hower

5 Ways to Make Sure Your Home Will Appraise

Written by Todd Hower | April 22, 2014

Have you heard any good stories about home appraisals?

You rarely hear about a property getting appraised for a lot more than the sales price — appraisers have a knack for appraising the value just above the contracted sales price.

It’s more likely that you’ll hear the story about the home appraisal that came in too low — always more drama with this one.

As home prices in Lake Travis continue to rise and buyer demand peaks with the summer buying season right around the corner, you may have concerns about your home appraising when you list it for sale.

Lake Travis Real Estate: Reached the Peak in 2013 or Still Climbing?

Written by Todd Hower | April 15, 2014

The last peak for the Lake Travis real estate market was back in 2006. The area had experienced quite the boom during that time — especially the market for new home construction.

Builders were having a hard time keeping up with the demand. Prices and sales volume for single family homes in Central Texas hit an all time high. That all came to a screeching halt when the mortgage market meltdown began in the summer of 2007 and continued to affect the housing market for several years.

The Lake Travis real estate market experienced prices at their lowest and inventory at its highest during 2009.

And then, slowly but surely, things started to pick up.

The Backyard at Bee Cave: The Final Year for the Live Oak Amphitheatre?

Written by Todd Hower | April 14, 2014

Located behind Bee Cave Central Park — and at appropriately named “Willie Way” — The Backyard is an open-air music venue considered by many an Austin favorite and Hill Country treasure.

Over the years, music lovers have enjoyed concerts from a list that reads like a who’s who of some of the best and varied musicians of our time. To name a few: Bob Dylan, Norah Jones, Merle Haggard, Coldplay, Widespread Panic, Alanis Morissette, Elvis Costello, the Gypsy Kings, Lyle Lovett, Dwight Yoakum, ZZ Top and of course, Willie Nelson.

The Backyard opened its doors in 1993 and originally was located near the intersection of Highway 71 and Ranch Road 620. Nestled in the small town of Bee Cave before there were many of the retailers and restaurants now established, this venue provided a unique and welcomed addition to the Austin music scene.

Bee Cave Public Library: Summer Reading Programs, Bee Cave Book Club, and More!

Written by Todd Hower | April 10, 2014

Do you like to read?

Finding a good library in the area will afford you many opportunities. Besides having a place for some quiet time and finding good books — you’ll have the chance to connect with other book lovers, encourage your little ones to read, volunteer and more.

But did you know the Bee Cave Public Library is more than just a “good” library?

According to Library Journal’s Index of Library Service 2012, Bee Cave is home to a nationally top-ranked public library based on a comparison with libraries of similar population, size and budget.

At the Bee Cave Public Library, you can take advantage of all sorts of reading programs, special events, cool online tools, and more.

Lake Travis Cycling Guide: The Mansfield Dam Loop

Written by Todd Hower | April 9, 2014

It’s no secret that Austin is home to a huge biking community, for both road and mountain. There’s no better way to see a city and find out what it has to offer than on a bicycle. And with miles and miles of bike routes, this especially holds true in Lake Travis.

One such route can give you an excellent overview of the Lake Travis area. The Mansfield Dam Loop is a road ride with several different variations that will take you up and down the hills of west Austin and along the south shore of Lake Travis.

Here’s the breakdown on one of the more popular road rides in Lake Travis.

Todd Hower

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