Countrywide is considered one of the largest home mortgage originators in the US. In 2006 alone they were responsible for writing more than 20% of all home mortgages in the US, the highest percentage of any company operating at the time. Their specialty has always been sub-prime lending and non-conforming loans that operate outside of the standards set down by the government. Hence their legal troubles have come from their inability to sell most mortgages to Fannie Mae.

As the mortgage crisis hit home Countrywide was one of the first to see a significant downfall in business. They announced a huge loss in 2007 which they attributed to the foreclosure rate and their inability to sell their non-conforming loans. Because Countrywide was known for sub-prime loans they were hit even worse when the secondary home loan market essentially ceased buying mortgages for those under AAA credit ratings. The losses were significant to Countrywide but they sought to increase their appeal by taking on bailout monies from other companies, including JPMorgan Chase.

A deal was announced in January for Bank of America to buyout Countrywide in an all stock take over bid. How will this affect Austin real estate? Only time will tell. The announcement came as Countrywide was being hammered in the stock market as their value dropped as low as $4 per share for a time. The deal includes stock valued at $4 billion dollars only, a far cry from the market value of $24 billion dollars that Countrywide held just one year prior. All of this has culminated in the fact that Countrywide is now more cautious with their lending practices and it has hit home for those that previously relied on them for sub-prime mortgage loans.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countrywide_Financial_Corporation

April was a good month for real estate. In fact, compared to March, February and January, it was a great month. Sales of new homes rose 3.3 percent to a rate of 526,000 units. In the Northeast, they rose by 41.7 percent, 8.3 percent in the West, and 5.8 percent in the Midwest. In the South, they fell but only by 2.4 percent. And as the number of houses being sold went up, so did their worth. The median price in April was $246,100, 1.5 percent better than a year ago.

However, these changes, while a good start, aren’t the end of the real estate crunch. Compared to when the market last experienced a boom (2000-2005), the number of unsold homes is twice what it was. Activity - selling, buying and listing - remains closest to the lowest it has been in 17 years. And it is believed it will remain this way for some time. Until the economy can revitalize itself, until the number of unsold houses is depleted to a more reasonable level, economists say the real estate industry will continue as it has been: low and slow.

So for now, take pleasure in the month-to-month increases, but don’t get carried away by them. Don’t expect the market to turn around simply because April was profitable. Don’t list your Austin homes purely because your neighbor was recently able to sell his own. Know that it could be a long time before there is a permanent surge in the industry. It is coming but it is taking its time.

Natural can mean many things. It can refer to a person’s hair color. It can refer to the ingredients used in a product or food. It can refer to the skill someone demonstrates at a particular task like playing the piano or throwing a ball. Natural has many possibilities. When it comes to building, what are the realities? What does natural building mean? Natural building is taking green building or the use of sustainable materials and environmentally friendly technology to its greatest point. It uses minimally processed, nontoxic materials and systems that coincide with the environment it is created in. This means that it takes into account whether or not the structure is a piece of Austin Texas real estate or a Chicago property. It recognizes that different regions have different needs and builds to accommodate. If possible, everything used is as local as it can be, coming at the ideal from the site itself.

With that extensive of a definition, natural building may seem more like a challenge than a goal. That’s why there are resources available to help. In the bookstore, take a look at The Beauty of Straw Bale Homes, Alternative Construction: Contemporary Natural Building Methods, and The Cob Web. Online, visit www.strawhomes.com, www.cobcottage.com and www.foxmaple.com. For local sites, try www.thangmaker.com or www.claysandstraw.com. Even after you’ve exhausted these, keep looking. Search around for even more sites, magazines and books to help you achieve the goal of natural building. Resources are available to aid you in your endeavor to keep the world’s natural resources alive.

These days, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are far from the two most popular kids in town. Even in Austin real estate transactions, Fannie is big. Groups on all sides of the political and ethnic spectrums have been criticizing them for designating entire geographic regions as declining, thus causing higher down payments for homebuyers and little to no sales for home sellers. But it looks like Fannie and Freddie will be attempting to change that, starting June 1.

As of the beginning of the month, Fannie and Freddie will use a uniform down payment nationwide, meaning each region will see the same rate regardless of whether it is declining or not. All applicants approved online will qualify for a 3 percent down payment program, and those who require manual approval will be applicable for a 5 percent plan. Mortgage payments will continue to be determined by the borrower’s capacity and locale.

This is a definite move in the right direction for Fannie and Freddie, but it may also be too little, too late. Private mortgage insurers will remain keenly aware of the areas previously marked as depressed and will refuse to go near those loans. It’s highly unlikely that any will choose to change their ways and nothing will differ.

So while Fannie and Freddie get an A for effort, they fail in the long run. The real estate world needs a nationwide plan everyone can agree to, so that currently dwindling markets have the opportunity to come back to life. After all, not every city is Austin. Not every city can succeed without the economy’s help. Sometimes, they need a little push.

Real Estate is a market many people want to learn about. There are many ways to educate yourself on the industry, however the best way to start would be to determine what aspect of the industry best interest you. As with any part of business, or any industry that is open, there are many options to choose from. One popular and often profitable area is purchasing an under priced home and renovating in a brief period of time for a profit. Another growing aspect of the real estate industry is renting foreclosed homes. Both take significant dedication and focus to achieve the positive results. There are many other options available when looking into the Real Estate Industry, finding the best fit for you is the first step in a successful venture.

Before settling on any portion of the industry, the foundation of your choice needs to be based on research. Look into all areas of Real Estate, and investigate what is needed on your end to make it work. For some that might mean including some real estate training with an agent of credit or experience. For others it would be time dedicated to reviewing their own real estate transactions and determining what is the pluses and negatives in each transaction. Keep in mind that there are also public records available at the court house in the community or county a particular home is located. This will provide you with tax history as well as appraisals and other vital information. Of course there is always the internet. That source of information available online through blogs, site specific to real estate education and much more is an intricate part of any research plan.

Maintain records of your research. Should you take a moment to separate you research into categories based on that which interests you. This will facilitate the smoothest method of understanding when you begin the reflection portion of your research. For example you may have easily found time saving tips for selling homes as a real estate agent, but that would not apply if you are the buyer. Keep that separate from the financing tips you have for a buyer. When you have compiled volumes of information to review, you are better able to see what matters to you most, and what will be the most profitable for you personally. Thanks to <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/guillermo-ochoa-cronfel/8/338/91">Guillermo Ochoa-Cronfel</a> of The Cronfel Firm for sponsoring this post!

In most cases, your property tax bill will be automatically adjusted if a change is deemed necessary, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pay active attention to the details of your bill. Mistakes happen. Homes can be overvalued, foreclosures can be mistakenly foreseen and clerical errors can (and often do) lead to incorrect assessments. Regularly examine your property tax bill to make certain that your home has been properly described, there is no unexplainable discrepancy between the assigned value of your property and neighboring houses, and that depreciation and value reducers in the area have been accounted for.

If you find that a mistake has been made, appeal your bill. But when you do, be prepared for a long journey. It’s going to take a lot of time and energy to guarantee the adjustment you deem warranted. To begin with, you will have to find three or more homes in your neighborhood with lower assessments. The more you get and the lower they are the better. However, this doesn’t mean you should randomly select houses just to build a case. The properties should be similar to yours in layout, size, age and improvements. Hiring a professional, such as an appraiser or real estate agent, can make this step less difficult, but it will cost money.

Once you’ve prepared your case and issued the appeal, should you lose, you can appeal to a higher authority, but before you do, make sure that it’s worth it. If you are doing this to prove a point rather than receive something you justly deserve, stop now. You won’t triumph in the end, and you will have wasted much time if not money. However, if you have examined the situation rationally and objectively and know that the adjustment is necessary, don’t give up. Keep appealing and right the wrong.

Considerable attention is given to Austin’s plans for green building. The city has devoted much time and many resources to ensuring that in the future every structure in the metropolis is as energy efficient as possible. It aims to see solar paneling for miles to come, windmills powering houses, businesses and communities, and the most efficient, Earth saving water system possible in all of its buildings. But in all the green hype, is Austin forgetting a few things?

The city still needs to step up and make concrete determinations about issues such as height restrictions and overlay zones. The construction at Shoal Creek was halted because opponents claimed it violated city law, but it wasn’t stopped completely and proponents are looking for ways to get it going again. Citizens similarly need to make their voices heard. For now, they are content to watch the world go by as they plan the next, orchestrate unknown rallies or wait for the situation to get better. In doing so, the saddest members of Austin are making the lives even more pitiful.

You must remember that not everything in Austin is as green and dandy as its plans for sustainable construction. There are other issues on the table, as well. They must be addressed. For if there is no aid for the residents, no way for them to speak out and no environment for the m to work, there is no point at all. Tunnel vision is not safe even when that vision is staring directly at one of the most influential women of all time - Mother Nature.

Find plethora of information about Austin real estate market and surrounding areas. This valuable information about Austin real estate market is provided by the best RE/MAX agent - Affinity Properties.com. Providing home selling services throughout the entire Austin area, including Round Rock, Cedar Park, Lakeway, Pflugerville, and all the west Austin subdivisions Affinity Properties.com is one of the best real estate agents available in this planet. From the famous Character homes, built in the late 1800s, to the modern homes in Austin, there is a huge collection of homes available for sale at Affinity Properties.com. The team of highly skilled and experienced real estate professionals, affiliated with RemaxCapitalCity are now providing valuable information about Austin real estate market through this microsite. This team is lead by the Realtor Mr. Joe Cline who is a member of the National Association of Realtors, the Texas Association of Realtors and the Austin Board of Realtors.

 
When you sell your house, you imagine that you will make some kind of profit, which you will then use to purchase a new home. That is why you make certain adjustments to the property before listing it: fixing gutters, touching up paint and reworking the yards. However, if those repairs cost you thousands of dollars - thousands of dollars you won’t see returned when the final papers are signed - what is the point? There isn’t one, and that is exactly the problem with the newly proposed energy efficiency ordinances.

Before you’ll be able to sell your house, you’ll have to install energy efficient systems and have your home inspected by city officials. If you pass, you’ll be free to list; if you don’t, you’ll have to keep working. In the end, you could spend an inordinate amount of money that you likely didn’t have available to you in the first place. The steps you take to be granted permission to sell your property could actually prevent you from selling at all. After all, how can you move when you can no longer afford the down payment on an apartment let alone a single-family home?

Austin officials are not thinking. They are so consumed with the idea of being the greenest city in the country that they have forgotten the needs of their citizens. We can’t nourish and protect the Earth, if we can’t nourish and protect ourselves. We need funds to survive. Thousands of dollars worth of improvement fees are not improvements, but rather detriments.

When you prepared to buy a home, you made a plan. You plotted out an ideal time frame, considered when to list your own house and with whom, and determined what types of properties you wanted to purchase. You determined the right neighborhoods, the right price and the right size. By the time you took action, you were ready for anything and capable of handling any unforeseen (or foreseen) bumps along the way. It was a beautiful thing. So why wouldn't you do the same for your finances?

A financial plan will help you determine what investments you should make, how much money you should save and how much you can spend. It will ensure that you are able to finance your new home, and that down the line, you are set for retirement. It's one of the smartest things you can do and one of the easiest, considering the first step is the hardest: calling a financial consultant and finding a time to schedule the appointment. Once you do however, there are only a few simple steps you'll have to take before you've mapped out your financial future.

You want to have good walls; you want to have good floors. You want an interior that reflects a positive nature and gives you a sense of calm. The indoor, the floors and the walls are, after all, what you will see the most of. But they aren't the only things that need taken care of. You need to pay attention to the exterior, too, particularly the exterior you see the least. Protecting your roof, chimney and gutters will guarantee you have a home that is stable from the top down.

Begin with your roof. It takes up nearly half of your home's exterior and acts as a shield for the rest of the house. Without it you would have an extremely damaged and unlivable interior and crumbling, abused exterior walls. So, monitor its condition regularly. Inspect the shingles and flashings every few years, replacing them as needed. If your shingles are strong, your flashing should be, too. Flashing is the point where roof surface, walls and chimney meet, so obviously it's vital that it remain in good condition. Every 20 years, or following a particularly harsh season, you may want to replace the roof entirely. This is a large chore, however, so don't do it unnecessarily. If you replace the shingles as they are damaged, do the same with the flashing and keep your attic well ventilated to avoid excess heat and moisture, you should be fine for a few decades at a time.

Once you have the roof secure, move on to the gutters. As annoying as the task may seem, you have to keep them clean. There should not be, under any circumstances, an excess amount of leaves or debris in your gutters. This will cause water to back up, which can cause leaks, which can destroy your house. Therefore climb the ladder and clean your gutters - once in late autumn, when the leaves have finished falling, and once in the spring to get rid of leaf buds and seedpods.

If you have a lot of difficulty keeping the gutters clean, try a blowevac. Many come with gutter attachments and clean gutters easily, if the gutter can be reached. Additionally, a gutter protection system could keep maintenance to a minimum and turn your bi-annual chore into a quick and easy task. There are a number on the market that are definitely worth investing in.

Finally, with a sturdy roof and clean gutters, turn to your chimney. A decrepit chimney could send bricks tumbling, injuring a passerby. A clogged chimney could ruin your first winter fire, sending smoke tumbling through your home, clouding the atmosphere and leaving a lingering smell for days to come.

For the chimney, hire outside help. Get someone to come in and inspect and sweep the chimney, at least once a year if you use it regularly. Make sure the chimney sweep looks for cracks, flue problems and anything else that could go wrong, like a family of squirrels setting up their nest in the top. Be sure all repairs are done properly and with great care. Afterward, take over responsibility for the chimney. Keep the damper shut when it's not in use, clean it regularly to avoid unintentional fires and consider a chimney cap to keep out those pesky rodents and birds. If you do all this, your chimney should stay standing and working properly for some time to come.

And if you pay attention to all three aspects of your homes exterior - the roof, the gutters and the chimney - you should be able to sleep easy at night, knowing that overhead is a structure that won't let you down and won't come down on you.

By the time you get to the closing, you've already done a considerable amount of work. You've listed your own home or notified your landlord of your departure; you've obtained a real estate agent and begun the search for your dream house; you've found that house and made a bid, which has been accepted; and you've readied yourself to make the move into a brand new (for you at least) home. So it would be nice to think that all of the work aside from packing and unpacking is behind you, but it isn't. There are still some things you'll have to do to prepare for the closing. And while they may seem like a hassle, they are absolutely necessary and the only way that dream home will become your home.

The first things you'll undoubtedly need are a check and proof of insurance. The check will be for the down payment on the house and for the closing fees. You should be able to determine what the total will be before the meeting, if not to the exact number within a legitimate range. Talk to your lender to obtain that number, and always figure in a little bit more, for any additional costs you may not foresee. The proof of insurance will prove you have insurance on your home to cover fire or a similar hazard. You'll have to have a receipt for one full year, so make sure you purchase that well in advance of your closing.

The next two things you need to remember are not so much items you must have but tasks you must complete: a property survey and a title search. The property survey is required by the lending institution and looks at the insurability of your property. This will mark the boundaries of your property and give you an idea of what, if anything, you can construct in the future, such as driveways, sheds and fencing. A title search is a look into the property's history to make sure there are no liens, encumbrances or taxes on it. The search should go back sixty years and alert you to any unknown problems.

Even if the title search comes up with nothing, you'll want to obtain title insurance for full protection. You have two forms you can obtain. The first is lender's title insurance and is generally required by the lending institution, as it is written for the amount of the mortgage in case there are title defects. The second form is beneficial for when the mortgage is paid off. Written for the price of the house, it protects you and enables you to maintain that protection for as long as you or your heirs own the home.

Tuition costs are ridiculous enough, but have you seen what it costs to feed and house your university student lately? There is a growing trend among parents and grandparents of those young people who are off to college to help out with housing in a pretty clever way: buy them a house near their chosen place of study.

Purchasing your student a house for the four years they attend their institute of higher education is an investment in the future - and not just a financial investment either. Usually, a parent or grandparent will purchase a small house with enough rooms that can be rented in order to cover the cost of the mortgage payments.

This is a great way to not only save on housing costs, but earn some equity as well. And the child learns some responsibility has he or she can be put in charge of basic maintenance on the property and also collect rents. As the child shares in the savings, he or she has a stake in keeping the property in good shape, also.

As for what one should look for in a student rental house, look for whatever you would if you were in the market for a house of your own with a few added features. A nicely maintained property is one obvious criterion, as well as a reasonably priced one. But also look for enough bedrooms for enough tenants to cover the mortgage cost plus a bit for maintenance, close proximity to campus or bus routes, and a low maintenance property such as a townhouse or condominium.

Austin would be an excellent area for this sort of investment. With its seven institutes of higher education, practically everywhere you turn, there are students seeking housing. If your son or daughter has chosen one of the Austin universities or colleges to further their studies, it would be a fine idea to check out the real estate market near your child's school.

When researching properties for your child, it's best to find a local real estate professional to assist you. He or she knows the local market well and may be able to assist you with the legalities of leasing and becoming a landlord. It's important to make sure you cross every "t" and dot every "i" when acquiring rental properties. You should be aware of local laws concerning tenants, also, should the unpleasant task of evicting one arise.

Make sure your real estate agent knows exactly what you're looking for and why and that he or she can inform you when a suitable property becomes available. Have all your ducks in a row and ready for when the property is found - financing, any requirements the local laws may call for - so that you are able to respond quickly. Once the property is acquired, you can look forward to four rent-free years until it's time to sell when you can expect to reap a decent profit for your efforts.

Necessity is the mother of invention, goes the old saw, and it's never been truer than in this day and age. With construction on new housing at a slow down, the real estate market in a slump, and - on a seemingly unrelated note - more and more people calling for a global policy of reduce, reuse and recycle, the building and architecture industry has had to take some interesting twists and turns to get to the goal of providing the housing that is greatly in demand.

While re-purposing buildings is not a new concept, its popularity had been on the slide as real estate investors opted for new construction. As prices have been spiraling out of control and developers are becoming reluctant to shell out the initial cost of new construction, they're turning to architects to redesign older buildings for new uses. Re-use on the grandest scale for everyone involved on these projects.

Take the Eastern Columbia Building for example. Built in 1930, just as the Great Depression was getting into full swing, the towering 13-story structure is a stunning example of the art deco period. It was first built for the Eastern Columbia Outfitting Company as a department store to the stars. In the 1950s, it was used for office space. The building is located in downtown Los Angeles, California, and offers 147 units of two bedroom condominiums to young professionals.

Much of the original features remain, including the gold leaf and turquoise terra cotta on the outside of the building. Inside, in the lobby, the terrazzo floors and antique elevator doors have been refinished. The rooftop boasts a brand new pool.

This concept is not lost on the Ballet Austin dance company. Previously, the dance company was scattered throughout the city in four locations, with offices here, production facilities there, meeting rooms and dance studios in yet another space. When renovation was finished in September of 2007, Ballet Austin found its home in the Butler Dance Education Center and Community School: a renovated building that had previously housed a printing company.

The building was a 34,000 square foot industrial metal monstrosity, but the Austin based Bommarito Group was excited about the project. Its original purpose - light industrial - was advantageous as the printing press area, which comprised about two thirds of the building, was already soundproofed. The rest had to be outfitted to accommodate a wide variety of activities - from administrative to technical and production staff, not to mention the dancers themselves and their visitors or parents.

The ballet company isn't the only organization to follow the re-purposing path. The old Palmer Auditorium, built in 1959, has been renovated to house the Long Center for the Performing Arts. The Arthouse contemporary arts organization took a building that had been used first as a theater in the 1920s, then a department store, then it became an art exhibit hall in the late 1990s.

Re-purposing fits right in with Austin's stated goal of becoming the most sustainable and environmentally friendly city in the nation.

In every city there is one street that cannot be missed. It is the place to shop, the place to eat, the place to be and the place to be seen. It has everything from chic art galleries to popular bars to live music to quiet cafes. In Los Angeles, it's Rodeo Drive. In New York, it's 5th Avenue; and in Austin, it was 6 Street.

Six Street is one of the first streets created when the city of Austinwas laid out. Running east to west, it was named, as all east to west streets were, after a tree: the pecan tree. For years it was known as Pecan Street. Beautiful houses lined the road, houses that now add a historical air to the popular scene. But it wasn't always popular. Six Street saw its years of ups and downs, the first and one of the greatest ups occurring in the 1970s.

It was in 1975 that the first Six Street blues club opened. Clifford Antone opened his nightclub at the corner of 6 and Brazos. Suddenly, a street that had been nearly deserted and considered dangerous for years was a popular nighttime hangout. University of Texas students frequented the club and bands like Paul Ray and the Cobras, featuring radio jock Paul Ray found a home on stage. From there, the music scene escalated. Already The Ritz had been hosting live music, and then Esther's Pool, Maggie Mae's and Steamboat followed suit. Six Street was officially the place for good songs, good times and cheap beer.

Unfortunately, that scene didn't last for long. As quickly as the live music moved in, it also moved out. Six Street became the place where frat kids went to find dates for the evening or at least the next hour. The only thing that remained from the 1970s hey days was the cheap beer. Musicians found other venues and tourists other hot spots. Today, the situation remains, although there is hope for improvement. Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night young kids cram the bars hoping to find some fun, some alcohol and some friends. During the day the streets are crowded with trucks and cars, people looking to shop and people looking to eat. It is a pattern, a cyclical one, but one that the people of Austin are trying to break.

A study was conducted in 2003 to determine how best to turn around 6 Street. It is, after all, a goldmine for tourism. It is a place that can be once again the Rodeo Drive and 5th Avenue of Austin. The goal is to bring back not just the twenty-somethings but those in their thirties and forties, as well. It will be a change that requires effort, but thanks to places that are already there - Gallery Soco, The State Theatre, Esther's Follies, Friends and many, many more - it won't be an effort without promise.

Six Street was once the place to be and it will be again. So the next time you are in Austin, stop by and see what's changed; see what one of the first streets has done to become and remain one of the last great streets in the country.

 It would be ideal if we all had green thumbs, if we could each turn a seed into a brightly blooming bud that would return year after year to add fragrant beauty to our yards and windowsills. But we don't. Most of us can barely keep a pot of mums alive. Fortunately, the few individuals blessed with a true skill at gardening are willing to share the aesthetic scenes they create. In Austin, those people have done so through Zilker Botanical Gardens, a 31-acre area of variable and beautiful topography.
Zilker Botanical Gardens is actually a complex comprised of many different gardens. At the garden center are the garden offices with the gift shop and restrooms. Educational displays inform visitors of the flowers and plant life they have or will be viewing throughout the remainder of Zilker. These displays are in the Green Room, which was created and donated by Tony Novak. A beautiful stained glass window pictures numerous bromeliads, and a bust of Isamu Taniguchi adds to the aesthetics. From the center, you can see the Violet Crown Fountain, awash in natural beauty, birds and of course flowers. But the most important thing obtained at the garden center is a map that allows you guides you through the rest of the Gardens.
One of those gardens is Austin's Green Garden. To inspire the residents of Austin, it is filled with landscape that positively rather than negatively impacts the environment. Native and adaptive plants are presented in arrays designed by nine different landscapers, in a way that allows homeowners to learn which plants go well together and what will work in their own yards. This creates both an eye catching and practical garden for any Austenite to see.
The Cactus and Succulent Garden pictures are what many Yankees think of when they imagine the Southwest: a desert, but a desert bathed in glory. Dedicated in 1989, this beautiful arrangement is best viewed between April and May. It is certainly a delight for the eyes and spirit.
For those interested in a more historic arrangement of plant life, the Hartman Prehistoric Garden gives guests a glimpse into the past - the prehistoric past, when dinosaurs rather than humans roamed the earth, and wildlife was free to grow wild. Tracks and bones discovered in 1992 in the area are housed in this 2-acre plot, for an even more realistic look at history.
Perhaps the luckiest part of Zilker Botanical Gardens is the Herb Garden. Shaped like a four-leaf clover, the garden involves raised beds and a number of fragrant, delicious herbs. At the center of the clover is Rosemary, goddess of herbs casting a blessing on all that grows within her reach.
Nearby, the Isamu Taniguchi Japanese Garden, built by Taniguchi himself, give visitors a taste of Japan with a decidedly Austin twang. The ponds in the first part of this section spell out the word Austin, proving that the garden was in fact a gift to the city. The Mother Tree and "Bridge to Walk over the Moon" also fill this space, creating a garden that is both delightfully exotic and simply beautiful.
Other gardens include the Mabel Davis Rose Garden, the Doug Blachly Butterfly Trail and Garden and the Pioneer Village. Each has its own theme and twist, but one thing is always certain - all are uniquely beautiful and not to missed by any visitor or resident of Austin.

 When buying a new home, prospective homeowners are looking for the best deal possible, giving them the best home and amenities for their money. Many buyers mistakenly believe that bypassing a Realtor will save them commission dollars, as they are cutting out the "middleman" who will certainly take their own cut. In some industries, direct buying is a wise, money-saving choice, but in real estate, foregoing the services of a Realtor can cost you big in the long run.

When selecting a new home for purchase, a Realtor can help you to select the features that best fit your needs. Many times, when working directly with a builder, buyers are offered excessive upgrades or substandard materials at a premium price. A Realtor can assess your financial situation and lifestyle needs to help you determine exactly what you need and can afford in your new home. They also will help to protect you from shady builders, looking to make extra money by tricking buyers into allowing them to use a lower quality product.

Employing the services of a Realtor, particularly when purchasing a newly constructed home, will give buyers an extra line of defense against many of the common issues that arise during the buying process. Rather than battling the builder directly when problems arise during construction, your Realtor will take matters into their own hands and work to assure that any problem is corrected in a way that is suitable to you. With plenty of mediating experience between buyers and builders, an experienced Realtor knows what needs to be done to get the desired results.

Many people are fooled by builders and contractors into believing that dealing directly with them will offer big discounts. It is a rare case in which this is true. Most builders who ask to work directly with a buyer will park the price of a new home up to include what would have been paid to the Realtor. Buyers who take advantage of these "deals" direct from a builder's representative will pay the same as they would when using a Realtor, but will lose the benefit of having an experienced voice working to help them with their purchase and any issues that may come up with the builder.

Realtors are also experienced in contracts and contract negotiations. While the wording of a contract may be somewhat cryptic to the buyer, a Realtor can clarify any wording that is confusing and work to get changes made to contract stipulations that are unsuitable. This will help to prevent misunderstandings and misleading contract terms that are binding, once a purchase agreement is signed.

While have successfully purchased homes directly from a builder, buyers should ask themselves if this is a risk that they are willing to take. In most cases, the peace of mind and protecting that is given by using a Realtor is well worth their commission. By choosing to purchase a newly constructed home through a Realtor, the likelihood of a positive outcome is almost assured, from start to finish.

 You just bought the perfect house. You love it, it's close to work, the kids school, shopping, your doctor's and dentist's offices. It's really too bad it's also very close to Interstate 35. What to do about that incessant traffic noise? "Control the weak point," says Tony Sola, founder and owner of Acoustics.com.
Acoustics.com is an alliance of educators, experts and design professionals dedicated to promoting the importance of acoustics  'to the general public.' Their mission is to create awareness in the architecture, construction and health industry of the threat to public health too much noise presents. Studies have shown that excessive noise can have an effect on the human immune system as stress levels rise and rest is denied in a noisy atmosphere. Acoustics.com aims to make this problem more understandable and easier to solve.

Mr. Sola explains that home owners will often do the wrong thing when trying to solve a noise problem: add more drywall, or acoustical tile.  This does nothing to alleviate noise from outside the house. "The weak point" is almost always the windows. "The sound almost always goes through the window," he says, "and doing anything  to the walls will be pointless until you have fixed the noise that comes through the window." Although this is often an obvious thought, it is rarely the first consideration when attempting to resolve the outside nuisance.

Like most construction materials, windows have a rating related to their ability to buffer outside elements. In the window's case, it's called an STC, or sound transmission class, rating. A higher rating indicates the window has a better ability to buffer noise. Single pane windows have an STC rating of between 22 and 25, while dual pane windows rate between 27 and 32. Check this when you are getting ready to replace or upgrade your windows.

Windows aren't the only culprits that let in sound, though. A look at some of the outside fixtures around your home may be advisable. Outside elements can help reduce noise within the house, but are especially important in order to cut down on traffic noise, while enjoying your backyard. A fence with gaps in it, or a row of shrubs, for example, will do nothing to hold back noise. A solid wall is more effective at blocking out noise. As can be expected, the higher a wall is built the more effectively it will block the noise from local traffic or the near by highway.

While a backyard wall may dampen some of the noise, it won't eliminate it completely. In fact, nothing will, but certain elements, when done right, will help to filter or mask out the noise. A water fountain or pond with a decently noisy waterfall, for example is very helpful. This solution is very localized, however, and may mask the noise for only one small part of the yard. A few water features, scattered about a large yard, may be in order here. Also consider utilizing some unique features to promote more of a bird or natural animal population. 

It's probably beneficial in the long run to consult with a landscape architect and acoustical expert when working to alleviate traffic noise outside, as well as inside, the house for the home owner's peace of mind, and for his or her peace and quiet.

There's something about swimming outside, in a nature-made watering hole that just makes for summer satisfaction and all around happiness. When that watering hole is sixty-eight degrees year round and three acres big, there is no such thing as disappointment. Such is the case with Barton Springs Pool, a pool fed from underground springs that sees thousands of tourists and Austin citizens each year, including, in his youth, Robert Redford who learned to swim in Barton Springs.
Barton Springs was created millions of years ago by the land shift that created Balcones Fault. It is located in Zilker Park, a 358-acre park donated to the city of Austin by Andrew Jackson Zilker, the first Coca-Cola Bottler in Austin and a man who after coming to Austin with no more than 50 cents in his pocket was able to buy up more than enough land for a supreme park. But before Zilker owned the land, it was a place the Native Americans considered sacred. They called Barton Springs - the three that make up the one - the Sacred Springs and relied on the water in them to heal wounds. Spanish missionaries set up temporary missions along the springs and Billy Barton erected his cabin on the tract of land surrounding them, naming the three springs after his daughters.
As owner of the land, Zilker slowly sold it all to the Public Free Schools of Austin. He did so having made the deal that the city of Austin would buy it all from the schools at higher than cost prices. As the city did, the area became a popular swimming area, as well as a place for baptisms, picnics, live performances and fishing.
Over the years, Barton Springs has been the location of many historical events, including Robert Redford's first 5-year-old stab at swimming. In 1943, for example, the first female Barton Springs lifeguard, Jean Parker, stood guard over the swimmers after the Texas Pool and Beach Association decided to allow female guards. More noteworthy than historical, the director of the Austin Parks and Recreation Department, Beverly Sheffield, set the record for longest regular Barton Springs swimmer by swimming there three days a week every week from his tenth birthday until his death, in his mid-eighties.
Today, the land is protected under federal law, since a petition to do so was filed by zoologist Mark Kirkpatrick and his wife Barbara Mahler in 1992. In 1998, the US Fish and Wildlife Services named Barton Springs a protected area, as it is home to the Barton Springs salamander, an endangered species.
More so, however, it is home to the people of Austin. They flock there to swim and to celebrate. It is one of the best places around for a lazy afternoon in the water or lively swim through the springs. It is where you want to be when the heat is too much, and thanks to the constant average temperature of 68 degrees, it is where you can be when snow is surrounding the chillier parts of the country and moderate temperatures have settled over Texas. It isBarton Springs - the natural place to swim.

One of the most impressive things about Texas is the landscape. It is a state filled with unbelievable outdoor beauty from desert scenes to lush lakefronts; even if only there for a moment, there is no possibility of not being awed by the fragrant and natural aesthetic perfection. Among the sites to be admired is Mount Bonnell, a limestone mountain that rises more than 700 feet above sea level and more than 200 feet above its surrounding area.

The formation was named in honor of George W. Bonnell. Bonnell moved to Texas in 1836 and spent his career publishing the Texas Sentinel, a well-known newspaper in the Austin area. However, before taking Bonnell's name, it is rumored that the mount was called Antoinette's Leap. Antoinette allegedly leapt from the top of the landmass to her death after Native Americans killed her fiancé.

Since the mid-1800s, Mount Bonnell has been a popular location for picnics and family gatherings. Visitors are able to get their fill of hiking and find enjoyable places to sit and relax within the park. At the top sits a pavilion with an engraved stone commemorating the day Frank M. Covert Sr. dedicated the land as a park - July 15, 1938.

Lake Austin sits to the south of the Mount, and on clear days visitors can sit atop Mount Bonnell's peak watching as boats and swimmers make their way through the cool, relaxing water. Depending on how high up the visitor is, it may be difficult to distinguish between specs of light and individual people, but the resulting view will never change: absolute beauty.

To the East is a more urban view, with Downtown Austin and UT Tower. Those who choose to peer in this direction will realize just how close and yet far from the metropolis they are. They will see that it is possible to have the best of both worlds - urban business and natural quiet.

For those who would rather hike, than sit and soak up the view, there are plenty of criss-crossing trails, lined with beautiful vegetation. Cacti, sage and wildflowers line the walkways, and sections of exposed rock form natural steps. Man made steps can also be found on the mount; they lead from the base to the peak and serve as a main entrance to the park.

There are a few things you may want to consider when visiting the park. First, it is open from 5 am to 10 pm, no earlier and no later. Second, it is a 100-step climb to the top, something you may want to consider if you or your traveling partner is not in the most robust of shape. If you are willing to take the hike, make sure you wear appropriate footwear. It's easy enough to lose your footing; you don't need a flip-flop to help you along. Without a doubt you need to be sure to take plenty of water; it's not hard to work up a sweat and become unknowingly dehydrated.

Other than that, the only rules are to respect the park and to have fun. Mount Bonnell is one of the most beautiful parts of the city. Soak up the sun and enjoy the view.

 
The University of Texas at Austin, with its main campus no more than a mile away from the State Capitol of Texas, is the famous research university at the heart of Texas. As part of the University of Texas System, UT Austin is consistently well attended since its founding in 1883. In 2007, it had the fifth largest fall-season enrolment in the nation. In Texas, it holds the record for the largest enrolment amongst all the local colleges.

The university is noted for the J. J. Pickle Research Campus, an academic research center. In addition, there are other auxiliary facilities and programs that the university operates. Interested parties, students meaning to enroll, or tourists can go on campus walking tours to see the UT Austin for themselves. Aside from the regular day tours there is the nighttime Moonlight Prowl guided tour. Also available is the Tower Observation Deck Tour, taking place at the observation deck of the Tower, the university’s landmark. It is a premium to see the architecture, the construction, the interiors, for yourself.

Public art is a main attraction at the University of Texas at Austin campus. Landmarks is a collection of the finest public art-works on campus. Sculpture is a feature in the online Campus Statues Tour highlighting the more notable statues and other landmark sculptures in the campus.

Go back in time when you take the historic Main Building Tour either online, to sample the architecture, the sights and sounds, the personalities behind the making of the Main Building, or on an actual day tour of the building itself. With the Victorian-Gothic style of old being retained as much as possible, the new Main Building with its modern day tower is one hallmark of the campus you cannot afford to miss.

University of Texas in Austin also plays host to seventeen libraries, 7 museums, a football stadium, a Student Activities Center, the Gregory Gym, the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, the Blanton Museum of the Arts. Art, history, activity, all rolled into one. There can never be an idle time for the intellectually and physically aroused in the campus. There is KUT, a public radio station operated by the university to provide internet streaming audio and regular FM radio broadcasts.

If you really want to see everything there is to discover in the University of Texas at Austin, time your visit for the biggest Texan open house: the Explore UT yearly open house. Every year the university plays host to Texans to discover for themselves the wonders of the UT Austin Campus. From guided tours to special performances, from lectures to demonstrations, from interactive and other do-it-yourself activities, the Explore UT is one event that bares them all about the university.

The UT Austin campus sits on 3.4 square kilometers of land inclusive of the main campus and the research center campus in North Austin housing the J. J. Pickle Research. To get there, Capitol Metro provides regular bus transport, both for students and tourists in-campus and all around Austin.  One of Austin's favorite places!

 If you are ever in the Austin area, you must definitely visit the Laguna Gloria Art Museum. The museum is one of the most popular museums in the area and one of the most beautiful at that, too. With its historic Italian villa style, the museum’s original intention was to become the home of Stephen Austin, the centerpiece in the sprawling grounds of the site. That never happened, though, and the property was later sold in 1914 to the husband and wife tandem of Hal Sevier and Clara Driscoll.

The couple built a home for themselves two years after the purchase and their original villa became what was to become then the Austin Museum of Art. The lady of the house, Clara Driscoll, was the prime mover in developing the surrounding areas into a veritable showcase of flora – flowering plants, trees, foliage that complemented the Italian-style villa of the couple.  Half a century later, their home was converted in 1961 to a museum. It was a fitting structure to house art in various forms and soon enough, the place became known for its art exhibits and other attractions.

The Laguna Gloria Art Museum became the gathering place of social aficionados of art events, fundraisers, and charities. With its exotic gardens and wide spaces – there is even an amphitheater and a gazebo, too – varied events can be held on the grounds or indoors.

The museum is such a hit that it had to expand. Two decades after its conversion into a museum, a 5,300 square foot art school was built in 1983. Nine years later, it became formally known as the Austin Museum of Art. Even when the Austin Museum had to relocate years later, the original Laguna Gloria still retained the school for the arts which even renovated to feature more exhibition halls for both local and regional artists’ works.

Why go there

The original mistress of the place, Clara Driscoll, was behind the development of the Laguna Gloria. Not content to merely making a home for herself and her husband, Clara’s passion for gardening prompted her to make the grounds a veritable exhibit of flowering plants and all sorts of greeneries. Statues and monuments of grace and beauty dot the grounds combining the Texas landscape with exotic European touch. History and art can be seen in every aspect of the Laguna Gloria.

How to get there

Check out the National Register of Historic Places; Laguna Gloria is listed there. Fifteen miles from Congress on downtown Austin, the Laguna Gloria lies to the west of the Mapac Expressway intersection of Loop One. With its acres and acres of landscape, with some portions bordering Lake Austin, you won’t miss it. It is near Mayfield Park and Camp Mabry.

Definitely must see

If you are looking for nature, history, the arts all rolled into one, you must definitely visit the Laguna Gloria Art Museum in Austin. Catch an exhibit or fundraising event there, and enjoy the artworks, the lush gardens, the serene surrounding areas.  A great place to visit and enjoy one of Austin's favorite places!

 
The Hamilton Pool Preserve just outside of Austin is a favorite destination of nature lovers looking for lush flora, varied fauna, and natural landscape in one place. With a canyon and a collapsed grotto both water-eroded to be formed, this nature’s wonder is a sight to behold and enjoy. The peace and quiet, the cool atmosphere, the away-from-the-city-buzz laid-back ambiance, all these contribute to the attraction that drives locals and tourists to the Hamilton Pool Preserve year in year out.

The Hamilton Pool Preserve, transformed over the years by both natural and man-made interventions and land management restorations, has recently made a comeback as a tourist attraction with its cliffs, canyon, rolling hills, and upland meadows. All of the preserve’s 232 acres of natural habitat is a collation of various features including a 50-foot waterfall pouring onto a jade-green pool, limestone walls surrounding the pool, stalagmite-like formations serving as a natural ceiling, fern- and moss-covered cliffs, and a sprinkling of exotic flora here and there.

Hamilton Pool Preserve amenities may be a bit Spartan for the average tourist but that’s what you can expect from a nature trip. Swimming, hiking, backpacking, picnics – alone, with a friend, with the family – all these you can enjoy. On a clear sunny day, the trails are available to explore, although the preserve is sometimes closed after a heavy downpour.

Online, you can take a virtual tour of the Hamilton Pool Preserve to sample the excitement. As you finally decide to go there, you take the route along Highway 71 and 30 miles to the southwest of Austin is the Hamilton Pool Preserve. At Bee Cave, you then take the Hamilton Pool Road for a 13-mile ride to the Hamilton Pool Preserve entrance.

The preserve is open daily from 9 o’clock in the morning up to 6 o’clock in the evening, barring inclement weather. Reasonable entrance fees are charged ($8 for vehicles, $3 for hikers and cyclists) and special permits and passes are available for regulars (so you get annual permits at lower rates) and senior citizens. The seniors and veterans can avail of the Lone Star Senior Pass and the Lone Star Veteran Pass. Overnight camping and trailer parking passes, both regular or annual permits, are also available.

Once there, go on and swim, picnic on the grounds, hike and backpack, go biking, nature-trekking, on your own or with the preserve’s tour guides that may be arranged by appointment.

Some notes for visitors: bring potable water; call ahead if you want a guided tour; parking is available only for up to 75 vehicles; footgear made for hiking is recommended; pets are not allowed; firearms and fireworks are not allowed, too; and take note of the weather as the park is closed after a heavy rain. Swimming in the preserve’s pool is sometimes suspended when water conditions (as in bacteria levels of the water) do not permit.

So if it’s nature trekking you are after, it’s definitely the Hamilton Pool Preserve just outside of Austin you’d be meaning to go to.  Surely one of Austin's favorite places!

 History and fantasy rolled into one. Every old town or city will have its share of history, legends, and ghost stories along with it. Each place is the subject of legends of old and these legends make up the core of ghost tours that thrive on the fascination of a lot of people with folklore. Austin is no exception and has its share of Austin ghost tours.

With its old buildings and structures, Austin is not only historic, it can even be legendary, and with legends, expect ghosts and monsters along with them. For the thrill seekers, there are Austin ghost tours that take them to the historic buildings of Austin to see and ‘feel’ for themselves the legends behind the facts. From the founding of Austin as the capital of Texas, it has had its share of stories, folk lore and legends that inevitably point to ghosts and spirits that continue to haunt to this day. The colorful past metamorphosing into the present, with exciting and even frightening stories, these are the attractions of the Austin ghost tours.

Austin ghost tours are walking tours that take you through the oldest and most historic of Austin’s buildings where you retrace history with tour guides and ‘the spirits’. A regular stop is the Driskill Hotel on the corner of Sixth and Brazos. More than a century into its opening in 1886, the ghost of its founder Colonel Driskill remains to care-take the building. Watch out for that smoke wafting along your way; it’s probably from Colonel Driskill’s trademark cigar. Sharpen your senses to hear and feel the bouncing ball that the ghost of a four-year old girl who died in the hotel is playing with. Watch as goose-bumps sprout all over you as you sense the spirits hovering as you tour the hotel’s aisles and rooms.

The ghost tour will take you on the Capitol Tour, too, which covers the Capitol, even the Driskill Hotel, and the Governor’s Mansion. Feel the presence of the late leaders of the State who used to work on these structures and have not abandoned them even after their deaths. There is the Ghosts of the Warehouse District Tour; this takes you through the oldest city buildings especially those that have been the site of some of Austin’s most mysterious murders in the 1800s. You are led on a tour of ancient buildings with the Sixth Street Pub Crawl tour, through the entertainment district which naturally had its share of chaos and mayhem in the past, with bar brawls ending in killings and the ghosts remaining there. Then there is the Servant Girl Annihilator Tour, based on the story of the serial murders of maids and servants in the late 1800s.

If you are up to it, there are combination tours that take you through the most chilling of sites and legends, sampling each of the aforementioned tours. These combo tours are usually fully booked on Halloween nights so be sure to reserve in advance.

Check out the Austin registry at (512) 853-9826 for these Austin ghost tours or go online searching for the ghosts of Texas for more info and bookings.  <a href="http://www.affinityproperties.com/favorite-austin-texas-places.php">Great Austin Places</a>

 Picture this: At 2 pm you and the children scurry into the theatre, for an hour and a half of fun Disney magic. Julie Andrews floats onto the screen by the handle of her umbrella as Mary Poppins and announces that a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. You laugh, you fret, and most importantly you sing along, as Disney's Mary Poppins fills your afternoon.

When the final song is sung, you and the kids head out for an early dinner before the sitter comes for them. When she does, you return to the theatre, this time with your best friend for a movie such as Rosemarys' Baby. For another hour and a half you follow the trials and tribulations of Mia Farrow's character, as in black and white a drama to beat all dramas plays out and the spawn of Satan is born. Eventually the credits roll and again you saunter out, perhaps this time to a bar. But, yet again, you return not too much later, this time with your husband. He is the perfect seatmate for The Exorcist. He'll drape his arm around you when the "scary and gory" scenes come on, and you'll pretend you're scared so you can curl into him.

By the time the final credits roll on the third and final film, you will have filled your day with movies, fun and the people you love. It sounds too good to be true - a theatre with enough variety to entertain any man, woman or child, but it's not. There is such a theatre and it sits right down the street from the Capitol building - it's name: Paramount Theatre.

Paramount Theatre has long been a part of the city of Austin. In years past, it was home to dozens of vaudeville acts, where dancers, comedians and actors filled the stage waiting to entertain all who came in. It has also hosted silent movies, where through the chilling notes of a piano and the dramatic acting of the cast, audiences have been drawn into the thrilling, yet quiet, lives on screen. And of course, Broadway has been no stranger to Paramount Theatre. More thespian troupes aptly performing Broadway hits than can be counted have appeared on stage, making the audience chortle with laughter with comedies, choke with tears during dramas and leave with tap shoes in their minds after musicals. It has truly been a renaissance theatre, leaving no stone of the stage unturned.

Today, the primary draw is classic movies. Movies such as Rosemary's Baby, Mary Poppins and The Exorcist make regular appearances on the theatres screen. And with tickets only 7 dollars each, or 45 for 10 admissions, the rows of plush, comfortable chairs are never lacking in bodies to fill them.

Of course there are still also the occasional live performance, plays, concerts, etc. And when that occurs, it is a full house as well. For it is known throughout Austin that no theatre puts on a show like Paramount Theatre; in fact, no theatre could try.

 Every city has a library. There is one building dedicated solely to preserving the thoughts and ideas of the writers and composers of the world. The shelves in this building are lined with book after book, arranged by genre and author, waiting for someone to wander in and gobble up the words in a manner that could only fill each writer with sheer joy and contentment. In Austin, that library is the Lyndon B. Johnson Library, located on the University of Texas campus at 2313 Red River.

The library is named after President Lyndon Baines Johnson, lovingly known as LBJ. LBJ was the 36th president of the United States. However, before LBJ moved into the White House he was a Texan. LBJ was a Texas State Senator, just as his grandfather was (his father was on the Texas legislature). He also served as the majority leader for six years. Then, in 1960 he was elected vice president to John F. Kennedy's president. When JFK was killed, LBJ took over. Given JFK's popularity, LBJ had some big shoes to fill, but fill them he did. In 1964, after finishing JFK's term, LBJ was reelected in a landslide victory as President of the United States. In office, he got the country through part of the Vietnam War and remained, although not always popular, one of the more reputable Presidents our country has seen.

Thus, it is no wonder that the library of Austin is the Lyndon B. Johnson Library. What other Texan would you name it after? It is also no surprise that LBJ's library is one of the most visited and largest presidential libraries in the U.S.

Within the library, there are, naturally, books. But there are also memorabilia and important papers from when LBJ was in office. These papers cover the turbulent years of the Vietnam War and leave all who see them with an important view of history and what happened in those violent 60s. Those who wish to sit in the reading room and . . . read can do so Monday through Friday, free of charge. The remainder of the library is open 364 days a year (all excluding Christmas) and is, again, free of charge. After all, how could a president deny literacy to his people?

If you plan on visiting the Lyndon B. Johnson library, it is recommended that you make a day of the trip, using the hours that surround your book perusal to take in the nearby sites of Austin. You will already be on the University of Texas' campus, so why not take a tour? And if you have someone of college age, it's all the better. From there, head down the street to check out the Bass Concert Hall, the UT Football Stadium, the Texas Memorial Museum and the University of Texas Tower. All are great attractions to see and will make your day all the more memorable.

Don't forget why you're there: books! Get into that library, soak up some history and most importantly read!!!

 Bats - they are small dark creatures that fly through the night. Their days are spent hanging upside down from the corners of caves and trees. They are seen as one of the scariest of animals, connected to vampires, particularly Dracula, and most popular around Halloween when their nocturnal flights can be the most dramatized. Most do not celebrate the existence of bats, but rather check their rafters and attics for signs of the creatures, praying none will invade. However, the people of Austin are not most people. Every year they celebrate the bats at the annual Bat Fest.
Nearly 40,000 people gather on the 1st Street Bridge for a weekend of fun, music and bats annually. Approximately 150 booths are set up with displays from professional artists and craftspeople, as well as food, educational displays and children's activities. Vendors of past years have included Massage with body massage oil, t-shirts and, of course, massages; the New York Times with an option for subscription; Petal Patties with hanging flower pot holders; Gretchen Grimm with fabric collages and unique jewelry; Lost Island with one of a kind clothing; and The Light House with candles soaps and aroma beads. There are many, many more as well that you won't want to miss from Zootzu to A Worm Nation.
The main reason everyone gathers for the Bat Fest is the bats. They are found on the Congress Avenue Bridge, which spans Town Lake in downtown Austin. There are an estimated 1.5 million Mexican free-tail bats, making the largest urban colony in North America. Every night from March through November, the bats emerge from the bridge at dusk, taking to the sky in search of food. If you are lucky enough to be near the bridge when this occurs, you will see a blanket of winged beasts soaring through the clouds as the sun sinks into the night. It is best seen in late August, which is why the Bat Fest occurs at the end of that month, be can be watched at any time during those months.
In fact, Gliding Revolution, a bat watching tour organization, offers you a great individual way to see the bats depart from the bridge. You can rent a segway and ride on down to Congress Avenue. Perched on your wheels, you'll have the perfect view of takeoff. You could also watch courtesy of Capital Cruises, operators of the largest electric paddle wheel boat in the country. Hop on board for just eight dollars (six if you're a senior citizen and five if you're a child) and look for the bats from sea (or lake).
Whatever mode you choose, you're sure to see a once in a lifetime event. Very few places and even fewer urban areas have this kind of bat population. It is truly something you do not want to miss.
Before you go make sure you brush up on your bat trivia, so you can impress those around you. Here are a few facts to get you started: The bats of Austin consume between 10,000 and 30,000 pounds of insects nightly. They can live to be 30 years old, and during migrations the Mexican free-tail can fly at an altitude of 10,000 feet at velocities of 60 miles per hour.

 If your idea of a good time is a Harley Davidson, the open road, live music and hundreds of like-minded individuals, Austin is the place to be every June for the Republic of Texas (ROT) Biker Rally. With the largest (as certified by the Guinness Book of World Records) motorcycle parade in the world, great bands at the Travis County Expo Center and Rally Grounds, and more vendors than you can count, you won't want to miss this exciting event.
The ROT Rally is held annually at the Travis County Exposition Center. The three-day event runs from Thursday night to Sunday morning, with different activities every day. Festivities begin Thursday evening, with live music. There are four stages for performances, each with a different lineup. The music continues through Saturday night, so no matter when you arrive you are sure to hear some of the best bands Austin and the motorcyclists can find within the city limits or bring in themselves.
On Friday, the motorcycle parade takes place. Everyone takes to their bikes and the streets for a motorcade of grand proportions. Participating means you will have been a part of an event the Guinness Book of World Records recognizes as the largest motorcycle parade in the country. It is an event not to be missed. So be at Congress Avenue by 7:00pm. The lot leaves at 7:30.
Saturday attendees crowd the streets again, but this time they're on their feet not their bikes. The Street Party, which used to be confined to 6th Street, covers a number of roads and avenues throughout Austin, with parking available in designated areas. It runs from 7:00 pm until 2:00 am Sunday morning, with a free concert on Congress Avenue. You'll enjoy food, music and motorcycle fun all night long, well into the early morning hours.
Throughout the entire weekend, you can stop by the many vendors set up for the rally and purchase whatever gear you may currently be lacking from safety needs (helmets, etc.) to stickers, bikes, clothing and much, much more. There will also be a section set up for celebrity builders, where some of the most famous bikers in America display their creations for all to see. And on Sunday morning, there will be a worship service at the Christian Motorcyclists Association in the South end of the Vendor Mall.
If you need a place to stay for the event, you have a few options: You can rent a hotel room from one of Austin's many beautifully establishments. You can bring your RV and a rent a space to park it; or you can, free of charge, set up a tent anywhere permitted away from the vendors and stages. Assuming the weather holds, the last could be the most fun and the most economical.
To register for the ROT Rally, visit the official site at www.rotrally.com. Registration is open as of New Year's Day. Pre-registration lasts through May 15. It's $50 per adult and $20 per child (ages 12-17). There are no day passes available, so know that when you sign up for the rally you are signing up for a weekend of fun, fun, fun and motorcycles.
 
Be sure and enjoy many of Austin's favorite places!

 So now you and your family have finally decided to move. With that crucial step behind you, you go on now to the actual moving and the stress starts building. Here are a few tips on how to minimize the stress of moving.

1. Organize and stay so.

Planning is the key to keep your sanity intact in the moving process. With plans in place you will be less stressed out by controllable and uncontrollable factors that keep cropping up every now and then.

Start with a list. Take a piece of paper and a pen, and jot down every task big or small that you have to do in the moving process. Sort them as to big or small, as to which you can do alone and which you will need help on, and according to priority. Some tasks may seem simple and you get that tendency to ignore them without realizing that they are requisite steps before you can proceed to other tasks. So prioritize.

Plan ahead of time. Your planning today is pointless if you are moving tomorrow. Don’t cram and wait till the actual moving day or week before you start eliminating the tasks from your to-do list. Give yourself deadlines and meet those deadlines by all means. Otherwise, you just lump up everything again to the actual moving day.

Provide a budget for the moving and never waver. Stick to that budget and don’t overspend. Part of the stress of moving is in the cost side where you sometimes find yourself penniless or not knowing where to get the next dollar to pay for an item or a worker or so. Identify and classify the costs by listing them down and find creative ways of reducing if not eliminating some of them.

2. Get help.

If you skipped item 1 on organizing, you will need help from a psychiatrist halfway through the moving preparations. But if you’re organized, you would have identified already which aspects you will be needing a lot of help on, or you might even be paying for help on, and you are thus readied in advance.

Get the family to help on some of the moving tasks. Divide the labor; when you share the responsibilities, you not only keep your sanity but you empower the other family members as they take ownership of some aspects of the moving. Your spouse can probably do the canvassing and negotiating with the movers, your bigger kids can arrange for the packing, the younger ones can stay out of the way. Make sure everyone is doing his or her share.

Don’t be afraid to pay for help especially for the movers. Get referrals on reliable moving companies and take the time to evaluate their track record. Ask about their insurance policies; clarify issues on breakage or loss. Reduce the minutest detail into writing and incorporate that into your contract with the moving company. Then decide on the most favorable one for your needs.

3. Keep rational.

By sticking to your plans and budgets, you retain your senses and are not swayed by impulses.

 
Times are hard whether at home or abroad. Across the globe, financial markets are reeling from the effects of recession in even the major economic powers. The butterfly effect is making us feel the crunch in China and elsewhere, and we worry if we are able to withstand economic downturns. Fear not; with a few common-sensical measures, you can be living lean by lowering expenses and stay financially sane and stable.

1. Live within your means.

Don’t borrow. Getting into debt is the biggest rock you can loop around on your neck to drown you. It is easy to be tempted to make those credit card purchases and worry about the payments later but that’s exactly the point – the payments later and will you be able to afford them.

Living within your means is easy as you maintain a clean and simple lifestyle. Don’t gloat and bloat. Budgeting is simple – revenues must equal if not be more than your expenses. When you do it the other way around, and spend more than what you earn, you’re in for a lot of trouble.

Prepare a budget and stick to it. Line up your regular expenses – meals, transportation, utilities, the children’s tuition, the occasional entertainment or entertaining. See where you can economize without sacrificing quality. Make sure the cost side will not be more than the revenue side. If you’re earning a thousand, don’t spend two thousand.

2. Lower expenses

Cost cutting is not for the corporations alone. You can do your share of cost cutting if you know some of the common-sense basics. Conserving water and electricity cut on your utilities bills. Cooking the right kind and amount of food saves you wastages and cost for medicines if you don’t get the right kind of nutrition. Walking instead of taking the car to the local grocery saves you fuel money. Buying pre-owned or second-hand items, like books or work clothes, saves you precious bucks.

3. Enjoin everyone’s help

Let your family take responsibility for living lean by lowering their expenses, too. Budget the kids’ time in front of the TV. Don’t allow them to waste food. Teach them to shut off the light when they leave the room, turn off the faucet and the shower when they’re through, turn off the air con when it’s already cool. Making them responsible even at an early age is a parents’ responsibility to the whole family. If it is only one member of a family of six who is conscious of cutting down on expenses, the effort is futile.

4. Plan for the future and save

Living lean by lowering expense can be complemented further by planning and saving. Budgeting is part of the planning. But you can budget your saving, too. The formula is really simple. Some people save what they have extra. Reverse the process: allot money to be saved at the onset. Then after you’ve set aside the money for your savings, now you live within the money that’s left, and be content with what you have now.

 You want a festival that offers you a little bit of everything. You want a great venue, with plenty of room so you don't feel squashed amidst the masses of people sure to attend. You want masses of people sure to attend. You want food, drinks, music and vendors. You want fun that, if possible, is not at the expense of the environment - after all you are from Austin, so you must be green - and you want it all at a reasonable cost. Fortunately, the Austin City Limits Music Festival is just that.  A perfect opportunity to partake of some of Austin's favorite places!

Held every year in Zilker Park at the end of September, the Austin City Limits Music Festival offers a great lineup of bands for three days of unbeatable music. In 2008, the Foo Fighters, Allison Krauss, N.E.R.D., Jenny Lewis, Gnarls Barkley, Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, Patty Griffin, Tegan and Sara, Iron & Wine and so many more took the stage at the festival, entertaining guests with their varying styles and great tunes. They performed at the AMD, the AT&T Blue Room, the Austin Kiddie Limits stage, the Austin Ventures stage and the BMI, WaMu, Dell and AT&T stages, so that no matter what your taste there was always someone worth listening to playing. It was just a matter of finding them.

In between shows, participants were able to sample some amazing cuisine from numerous Austin eateries. At the Austin Eats Food Court, Aquarelle Restaurant, Austin's Pizza, Solar Natural Wraps, The Best Wurst, Thistle Café, Saba Blue Water Café and Wahoo's Fish Taco, among others, served their best dishes to famished music fans. Those who walked away did so full of burgers, gyros, pizzas, salad, fish cones, potatoes and so much more. Famished they may have been to start, but they were anything but to end.

While eating and listening, guests were also able to relax their eco-conscience, knowing that the Austin City Limits Music Festival is as green as it possibly can be. The festival's motto is Love the Music. Love the Park. Love the Planet. The festival more than lives up to that motto by offering its guest suggestions on how they can be a green part of the weekend. Recommendations include biking or taking the festival shuttle, carpooling, buying carbon offsets as a part of the ticket or once at the festival, and reducing the number of water bottle littering the park by refilling or making use of the water fountains throughout Zilker. However you choose to make a difference - try them all - you'll know that the weekend of fun you had wasn't one of waste.

The Austin City Limits Music Festival is a phenomenal, annual event that all should attend. It is the opportunity to see bands few have the privilege of seeing live, and to enjoy warm fall days with your friends and family. If interested, head to www.aclfestival.com. You can purchase your ticket or wristband (and maybe that carbon offset?) there, and find out about parking, getting to and from the festival, the lineup and the schedule. That way, you'll be all set when the festival begins for three days of music-packed fun.

 Prior to 2003, women's flat track derby was essentially nonexistent. Those who played did so nonprofessionally and got no credit for their skill, athleticism and dedication. But that has since changed. Today there are more than 300 Flat Track Derby leagues in the world. The women skaters are the primary owners of the league - they dictate the rules, make sure all is fair and keep interest in the sport alive. But none of this could have happened without the creation of the first league, which happened to be in Austin.

The Texas Rollergirls formed in 2003 as a league owned and run by the skaters themselves. There are officially four local teams: the Hell Marys, Honkytonk Heartbreakers, Hustlers and Hotrod Honeys. Additionally, an all-star team, the Texecutioners, was created in 2006 to play in the Women's Flat Track Derby Association National Championship. Competitions are held at the Playland Skate Center, where crowds of up to 1,100 spectators can be accommodated and almost always are. There are also exhibition games and interstate competitions throughout the season. Information on those meets can be found at the Texas Rollergirls Web site, www.txrollergirls.com.

But the Rollergirls do more than skate. After the death of one of the Rollergirls' most beloved members AmberDiva, the league came together to form the Tulsa Fund. Tulsa is Amber's son and was promised by the girls that all of his needs would be met. Any donations made through the Rollergirls Web site for Tulsa are used to help the little boy, who may grow up without a mother but will never be without support.

The Texas Rollergirls have also formed a junior league. The league is a result of collaboration between the Rollergirls and the Austin Derby Brats. It is open to all girls, ages 8-17, and in the eyes of the league, represents the future of the derby. The girls are trained by the Rollergirls themselves and have just begun their first season back on Sept. 18, 2008. Any interested in joining are more than encouraged to and can get information from the Rollergirls' Web site.

If you are looking for a more involved way to be a part of the Rollergirls, consider trying out. You have to be female, naturally, and over the age of 18, but if you have the skill, the Rollergirls are ready and waiting. If you lack skating ability but have a musical ear, you could always vie for a spot at one of the season's bouts. Considering how often the meets sell out, you couldn't ask for much better coverage.

Of course, if you'd rather just watch, that's an option too. Information about all of the bouts can be found at www.txrollergirls.com. Regular season games are $12 in advance, $15 at the door. Children under 12 are free. You can purchase your tickets at Playland Skate Center, Rio Rita Café or Cheapo Discs. And if you have the opportunity, you definitely should. The Texas Rollergirls are history - they are the first in the country to take a sport that was barely recognized and make it an international phenomenon.

 That’s right, the splendid St. Edwards University campus sits on a hilltop that overlooks downtown Austin. You not only get a great view; you get a great education, too. With the St. Edwards University Main Building as its historic landmark, the campus is a collection of architectural wonders of academic buildings and classrooms, outdoor parks and other recreation facilities.

Established in 1878, St. Edwards University was named after the saint Edward the Confessor by its founder, Reverend Edward Sorin. History and faith is evident in much of the elements of the campus. In fact, the university’s Main Building is listed as an historical landmark in the National Register of Historic Places. It should be, having been designed by the famous architect of his time Nicholas Clayton, what with the building’s Gothic Revival theme.

Inside the campus, all the amenities of a comfortable community life are available within walking distances. Social and sports events are continuously ongoing. For the health buff, there are fitness centers and jogging trails, not to mention the racket sports courts. There is the Casitas, an on-campus residence which allows students or visitors a great living environment, aside from apartments that dot the campus. A new residence hall, 119,000 square foot of it all with diners and coffee shops, is expected to be finished in 2009.

For a closer view of the campus you can take the regular tours St. Edwards University offers. Registration can be done online and tours go from Mondays to Fridays except Wednesdays. The tours feature a one-hour and a quarter leisurely walk through the campus to view the academic buildings, the recreation facilities, the gathering nooks. Tour guides are available to answer all your queries. Or you may opt for the quieter weekend Saturday special tour.

You will find that the St. Edwards University campus is one that has been planned carefully. It retained its classic architecture evident in the overall design of the buildings and the campus as a whole. In 2002, the 33,000 square foot Trustee Hall academic facility opened. There is also the Basil Moreau Residence Hall and the Jacques Dujarie Hall, both relatively new having opened in 2003 and 2005 respectively. You can visit the John Brooks Williams Natural Sciences Center, the first phase in the science complex development to house all natural sciences programs. A new chapel is in the drawing board, to be designed by 2004 Smithsonian Institution National Design Awardee Rick Joy.

Ranked as one of the top 20 best colleges in America, St. Edwards University is a balanced mix of academic, historic, and contemporary campus life. With all its amenities and luxuries, students and visitors to the campus are assured of long-term or overnight stays.

You can get directions online or from anyone in the downtown area on how to get to St. Edwards University. Public transport is available or you may arrange for your personal or hired vehicles to get there. At the end of your visit, you’ll definitely agree that St. Edwards University is worth the trip.

If you can’t go anywhere without your four-legged buddy, you probably have experienced not a few times with much difficulty getting a seat in a restaurant that’ll allow you to dine with your dog along with you. Fortunately for you, there are a lot of restaurants in Austin that are dog-friendly and will allow your pets to relax in the restaurant’s patios or other special nooks while you dine in comfort.

Some of these food places have several outlets and you will not have a hard time finding them. Amy’s Ice Cream for example has 9 locations scatterd in Austin, from Guadalupe to the Lake Austin Boulevard, from Burnet Road, and Mesa Drive, and at Round Rock along Highway 79. Other multi-outlet places that also allow you to check on your emails while dining, through their Wi-Fi facilities are Opal Divine’s and Grind Coffee. Opal Divine’s outlets are along 6th Street in the downtown area, South Congress to the South, and North Mopac to the North.

There also other single-outlet dog-friendly diners that offer regular Wi-Fi services like the Dog and Duck Pub on 17th Street, Dolce Vita on Duval Street, Club de Ville on Red River Street, Copa Cabana along Congress Avenue, the Crown and Anchor Pub on San Jacinto Boulevard and the Mangia Chicago Stuffed Pizza.

To the south, your dog-friendly restaurant map should take you to the Irie Bean Coffee Bar located in South Austin; note their ‘yappy hour’ at the patio area every last Friday of the month. On South Congress, there is the Hotel San Jose, where your best four-legged friend can also relax at the patio while you sample the hotel’s dinner fare. Then there on the South First is Freddie’s Place for great American dishes you can enjoy while your pet lounges along with you. For great ribs and a place to park your pet, there is Artz Rib House at number 2330 along South Lamar Boulevard.

Your touring of the city with your doggie best friend will be exhausting enough without you stopping by for a cup of coffee or two at Austin Java, along Barton Springs Road; their outlet at 1206 Parkway features Wi-fi, too. You go for a beer and grilled specialties and let your friend rest awhile as you sample BB Rover’s Pub and Grill on Research Boulevard. On Lamar Boulevard there is Central Market, a favorite hangout of dog lovers, too. Along Hancock Drive, at number 2105 is Billy’s on Burnet. If it’s pasta you want and a little cheese for your dog, try out Carmelo’s Italian Restaurant at 504 East 5th Street.

There are a lot of other dog-friendly restaurants in Austin, and they can be reached by any number of modes of land transport, whether you go by your car or take the public transport facilities. The Austin Cab Company is also there at your beck and call; they are just a whistle away. While dining and although these places are used to pets hanging around, be mindful also of your pet’s best behavior in public; it’s your responsibility to others and to your pet, too, to maintain that responsibility.

 When buying a new home, particularly a custom-built home, it is very tempting to do so without the middleman, i.e. the Realtor. After all, is he not just a third party who will require more expenses and resources from you in the end? Won’t he simply do what you could do (talk with the builder, negotiate and buy the home) but with more time, as he will have to discuss first with you, then with the builder, and finally with you again? Couldn’t you do it all on your own, getting the best deal and saving money in the end? The builder seems to think you could, and he wouldn’t lie, would he?

Honestly, he might. The custom builder is not your friend, regardless of how nice he may be or how many fine dining establishments he escorts you to. In the end, the builder is looking to pad his pockets and build his portfolio. He has a business to run, and if he gives you the best deal he can, he may not make enough of a profit to continue running it. He has no choice but to act in his best interest. It’s not malicious; it’s not personal. It’s business and it’s fact.

Now you may believe that being aware of the builder’s motives will enable you to prevent getting duped and actually get the best deal. But how much real estate experience do you have? Maybe you’ve bought a building before, or a home, or maybe you’ve executed some leases on your own. All of that is great experience, but it’s not enough. You don’t know the ins and outs of the real estate world; you aren’t constantly working within the market. You have other things you have to attend to: your family, your work, etc. No matter how much you think you know about real estate and how well you think you can manage, you need to realize that you do not have the experience, education and know how to manage on your own.

A realtor, at least a well-known and reputable one, does. You cannot become a realtor without proving your worth. You must first take classes and work towards obtaining your license, which requires a test (i.e. proof of your worth). You also need to build a reputation through experience and positive interactions with clients. This requires you to only secure the best deals possible for your clients and to remain on top of the latest trends and regulations involving real estate. In short, you must know every inch of the market, never faltering and never waning in your knowledge.

While you may think that the realtor will have to behave much like the builder - working only to get the commission and make the deal - you’re wrong. A realtor is only as good as his clients are happy. So, his best interest is your best interest. He also may know of things you don’t, like when a deal must be requested, when an area is not as prestigious as it’s made to seem, and when you are getting the raw end of the bargain. Further, his only job, aside from his other clients, is you. He doesn’t have to devote 9 to 5 to anything but real estate. You and the market are it. When that’s the case, how can you honestly think not using a realtor is even remotely a possibility?

 Everyone knows the Astros, at least everyone in Austin and in Texas. They are the major league baseball team of Texas, hitting homeruns and striking visiting players out whenever possible, from their home-base of Houston. While they may not be as nationally known as the Yankees, the Dodgers or the Red Sox, they are still a baseball force to be reckoned with, and part of that can be owed to a team within Austin, a minor league team known as the Round Rock Express.

The Round Rock Express is the minor league affiliate of the Houston Astros. For the past 10 years, the team has dedicated itself to commemorating America’s favorite pastime in a fun, safe and healthily competitive manner. The best in minor league staff are employed to take care of the fans, the sponsors and the players. Tickets are affordable, so whole families can go on a regular basis, and players are regularly given the opportunity to play to the best of their ability and advance in an appropriate manner.

In addition to entertaining the community, the team gives back as well. An example of this is the Miracle League, a league that helps and encourages children with disabilities to play ball - a feat that for many is nothing short of a true miracle. It all began in 2005 with the donation of $5,000, proceeds raised in an Express Charity Bowling Tournament. Then, in collaboration with the Nolan Ryan Foundation, $250,000 more was added, and the Miracle League was able to build a facility for its games and events. Now several seasons in, the Miracle League is an inspiration to all Austin citizens. It is a display of what can be accomplished with enough effort, time and caring.

The Round Rock Express has also established a Baseball Camp, led by former Texas Longhorn and Major League player Spike Owen. Owen was a Team USA Gold Medal Winner in World Games and Intercontinental Cup (1981); he was the University of Texas All American in 82; played shortstop in the Major League for 14 years; and coached baseball from 2002 to 2006. Every year he and the Round Rock Express offer an Overnight Camp, a Full-Day Camp and three Half-Day camps. Attendees are taught how to hit, field, throw, base run and pitch. It is an invaluable experience for baseball fans everywhere.

In keeping with the tradition of education, although in a more scholarly than sports manner, the Round Rock Express has established several school-based programs. The Grand Slam Attendance Program rewards students who achieve perfect attendance during the final grading period of the year. Open to children K-5, the honorees receive four complimentary tickets to an Express game. For those who earn straight As in the final grading period, the All-Star Honor Roll Program also awards four complimentary tickets. And in an effort to promote literacy, the Round Rock Express has created a reading program in which elementary and middle school students take part in a 10-week summer reading program.

That is just the tip of what the Round Rock Express does. It is truly a team that gives back to its community, offering not just baseball and fun, but education and values, as well.
For more information on the Round Rock Express, visit www.roundrockexpress.com.

 The evening news always finds a way to ruin your appetite. Skyrocketing fuel prices don’t help any to alleviate the discomfort. If you are just about at your wits’ end trying to fit your gasoline expenses into the budget, try the following tips on how to save on fossil fuel and avoid pain at the gas pump.

1. Find alternative modes of transport.

If you used to take the car several blocks down to the local grocer, try a bike. It can prove healthier in the long run. If you can, walk, but if you don’t feel like it, riding a bike can be healthy, enjoyable, and downright economical. You not only get extra treadmill time as if you’re on a regular gym regimen but you get to see the sights that you used to miss in the confines of your car when you ride a bike. This saves you on trips to the gas station and saves you those precious bucks.

For the daily trip to the office, consider taking the bus or the train. The bus fare or train fare will definitely be a lot cheaper than your regular tankful of fuel. Consider the following benefits aside from saving you the pain at the pump: you get to sleep on the train or bus instead of slaving behind the wheel weaving in and out of traffic; you get to read the news while on travel; and if you’re rushing through your workload, you can check your email on the fly. You’ll end up with less stress and more fuel savings.

2. Keep your car in tip-top condition.

Keep to your scheduled tune-up. Skipping the regular oil change or the check up of your car’s engine might save you a few bucks now but think how much gas is guzzled by a poorly maintained car.

Check the air-conditioning and the thermostat. Poor air-con performance weighs heavily on your engine and you end up wasting precious fuel. In cooler weather, roll down the windows and feel the breeze. It can be a worthwhile way of saving fuel and avoiding pain at the gas pump.

Tires that are poorly or under-inflated convert into added drag translating into more fuel burned by the engine to move the car. Make sure the tire pressure is at the manufacturer’s recommended level. The manufacturer knows more than you do in terms of safety and efficiency.

3. Drive with discipline.

Jump starts and screeching halts not only burn tire rubber, burden the engine, and wreak havoc on the car’s carburetor; they guzzle up fuel in surprising amounts, too. Adhere to the recommended acceleration rate and watch that tach.

Ease up on the gas pedal and drive within city limits. You not only save fuel but avoid fines otherwise paid for every speeding ticket you get. On the highway, know what your car’s ideal cruising speed is and stick to that. The bonus is you get to your destination in one piece with nary a bruise or a cut.

With a little discipline and concern, you can avoid pain at the pump as you conserve fuel and increase your savings.

 It is not enough that you are aware of water being a very important resource. You should also be aware that it is a very scarce resource. In some countries, women walk tens of kilometers to fetch clean water. Before you soak on that bath or let another dripping faucet off the hook, know that when you conserve water, you not only add up to your savings, but your water conservation efforts constitute your social responsibility, too.

Here are a number of tips on how you can conserve water, save to fatten your wallet, and also help others get their fair share of this precious resource.

1.  Repair leaking faucets and bathroom fixtures. That faucet or cistern drip adds up to gallons of water wasted and water bills being bloated. A wrench and some sealer may be sometimes all it takes for you to do your share of water conservation.

2.  Learn a few water-saving tricks like putting a brick inside the cistern so that instead of 7 gallons being flushed down the drain, you are down to 5 or 6 gallons. Don’t flush trash in the bowl; not only do you waste clean water but you run the risk of your toilet being clogged, too. Turn off the shower while you are lathering; you save on water and you save on the shower gel. Don’t let the faucet run when your brushing your teeth; fill a glass with water and proceed to brush. Your dishwasher drinks up dozens of gallons of water so optimize each run by having all your dishes done one-time. Same holds true for your washing machine: wash at the machine’s optimum load, not a few hankies and undies at a time.

3.  Don’t flood your lawn with the automatic sprinkler; make sure the grass just gets the required amount of watering and turn off that sprinkler on time. Your garage or driveway may be awash with oil spills but before washing them off, sprinkle sawdust or sand first so that don’t use that much water washing those spills off. The patio and the gazebo are dusty and strewn with dry leaves? Of course you can wash the dirt away but if a broom and pan will do, why waste that precious water?

4.  The exterior walls of the house and the fences are in need of a wash-over but you can time it during the next rain-shower so that you don’t use as much water as when you do clean during a hot sunny day. The glass windows can maybe use just a damp cloth and old newspaper to have that sparklingly clean look instead of pouring water on them.

5.  Teach your kids and other house mates to be responsible in their use of water. Turning off the faucet or the shower to its tightest takes just a little effort and ensures there are no precious drips. Don’t let the tub overrun; they can soak and yet be responsible at the same time.

Follow these simple water conservation tips to help the environment and your wallet at the same time.