Sam Chapman
Articles by Sam Chapman
November 21, 2011
My blood is type O positive (O+) and CMV negative (CMV-). O+ is the most common blood type, meaning a lot of people will need it. But being CMV is not that common.
Cytomegalovirus, or CMV, is a flu-like virus that most people are exposed to at some point in their lives. So what's the big deal? Bl...
November 13, 2011
If you live in Central Texas and have an acre or more of land, especially if it is somewhat rural, you may have a lot of Mountain Cedars on your property. There are a number of problems with Cedars and one is that they compete with oak trees. By the way, the Cedars are actually Junipers and they g...
August 02, 2011
I went on a gluten free diet about 90 days ago and it has been life changing. If anyone reading this has unexplained and seemingly unrelated health problems, from physical to emotional/mental, read on. If some of what you read seems familiar, think about going gluten free.
As a kid I was always...
July 04, 2011
Back in 2001 after the terrorist attacks on the twin towers, Pentagon and flight 93 I felt compelled to do something, but I was not sure what. After a while I figured it out. I wanted to paint a huge American flag on the roof of my home in Lakeway, TX.
I searched online for flag dimensions and ...
May 16, 2011
Lake Pointe is a master-planned neighborhood in western Travis county near Bee Cave and Lakeway. Amenities include playgrounds, tennis courts, pools, walking trails and scenic view over a huge nature preserve. Lake Pointe Elementary School is within walking or biking distance for most kids in Lake...
November 23, 2010
My brother hauled about 6,000 pounds of firewood from Oklahoma to our dad´s place outside of San Antonio last week. Then he helped me move some heavy items.
We got back to dad´s place one afternoon after a heavy load and a buddy came over. He looked at Joe´s trailer and recogn...
October 02, 2010
The hills west of Austin can be difficult in terms of putting in a landscape. Home owners in the area really should think about using plants native to the area and there are some really great ones. I will list and describe some of my favorites here.
The Salvia greggii is one of the first native...
September 28, 2010
Austin is a large city and has many different neighborhoods. The area to the west is home some of the most attractive real estate. With dramatic hills as well as Lake Austin and Lake Travis, there are some great Austin neighborhoods in this area.
Steiner Ranch is one such neighborhood. A maste...
September 23, 2010
Getting Rid of Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants are pesky little creatures. If you get a carpenter ant infestation you have a couple of choices in terms or treating the infested area. These little black ants can be found in the walls of a house, in a wood pile and in rotting trim on the outside of...
September 23, 2010
If you have a teenage son or daughter, have you taught him or her about money management? More specifically, have you taught your teenager about credit cards?
I have a 16 year old daughter. She will be off to college in a couple years. One of the first things she will be hit up for is a credit...
September 21, 2010
Sure, they´re cute when you first see then hanging out in your yard, but deer can be a real nuisance. Here is some advice on how to keep the cute, but potentially destructive creatures away. The first thing you need to understand is that deer will eat just about anything. The other thing t...
September 15, 2010
When many Austin real estate agents talk about the luxury real estate market here, they are referring to homes priced at $750,000 and up. My feeling is that this market starts at $1 million and it includes single-family homes and condominiums.
As I write this in the middle of September, 2010, th...
September 15, 2010
Have you ever heard of an on-site sewer system (OSSF)? If you own an Austin area home, you might just have one of these. The translation for OSSF is septic system. For Austin home buyers, I always recommend that the buyers get a septic inspection from a licensed septic company early in the option ...
September 15, 2010
There are a lot of great reasons to move to Austin, but how many people talk about things aside from the lakes, creeks, parks, live music and other things that make Austin a great place. What about things like Austin´s specific location, the weather and the geology?
The weather in Austin c...
September 19, 2010
Ding Dong was a town in Bell County (go figure) south of Killeen, TX. From what stories tell, Zulis and Bert Bell ran a country store in the area. They hired a painter to create a sign for the establishment. He painted two bells with the names Zulis on one and Bert on the other and painted "Ding ...
September 16, 2010
From January 1, 2010 through September 15, 2010, the average price of a single-family home sold in the Austin area was just over $256,000. That is up from just over $245,000 a year ago and almost $240,000 for the same time period in 2006. Why is this important and what makes it deceiving?
It is...
September 16, 2010
Many people in Houston have owned second homes in Austin for a very long time. Now we are seeing people from northern climates buying vacation homes. So what should you look for in a second home?
Location is the first thing to look at. Some people may like the downtown area and may want to loo...
September 14, 2010
Austin was number 9 on a list of the fastest growing cities between 2000 and 2009 according to the U.S. Census Bureau Six out of the 11 top cities are in Texas. They include Houston at #2, San Antonio at #4, Fort Worth at #5, Austin at #9 and Dallas at #11.
This list measured the net gain in pe...
September 14, 2010
I have lived in the Austin area since 1987 and have planted and cared for four different lawns. I am thrilled that I discovered zoysia grass a few years ago. Previously my lawns had either St. Augustine or Bermuda and there were problems with each. St. Augustine takes way too much water and Bermu...
August 15, 2010
The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Research Center in south Austin is a leading research institution for native plants. It is also a great place to visit in the spring when the wildflowers are in full bloom. The Center also has educational programs for both kids and adults to help them learn about g...
August 15, 2010
Go to Schlitterbahn in New Braunfels. Called the greatest water park in North America, Schlitter has more than you can possibly do in one visit. Schlitterbahn has 3 miles of tube rides, 17 water slides, pools for the little ones and 3 water coasters that actually blast riders uphill. Schlitterba...
August 12, 2010
If you know anything about Austin, the city is very well known for its live music scene. The hot-spot is downtown with clubs and venues on 6th Street. Most are concentrated between I35 and Congress, but they can be found on side streets and in other parts of the city as well.
Austin is home to ...
August 09, 2010
Must-Have Links for Lake Travis REALTORS
Anyone who sells Lake Travis waterfront real estate needs to know a number of things. They need to understand the floodplain and related building regulations, water and sewer availability, boat dock requirements and the depth of the water among ot...
June 19, 2010
I met clients at the Circle C Starbuck´s at Slaughter and Escarpment in Austin this morning. There was nowhere to sit downstairs so I walked up to a loft and this is what I saw.
I had known about this eco friendly roof before and even know the guy who designed it, but I had not seen it thi...
May 03, 2010
If you have ever had a child in a public or private school system, you have probably seen kids getting recognition for all sorts of things. Kids get awards and recognition for academics, sports, art, music, UIL and many other things, but these things are generally unrelated to the character of the ...
May 03, 2010
Anyone with a house in the floodplain of Lake Travis should have a flood plan. Anyone with a house that is likely to have water in it during a flood should take steps to make the house flood-ready. I am no talking about sand bags and pumps to keep water out of the house, but taking steps to protect...
May 03, 2010
The beauty of Lake Travis is no longer a secret. Although many people owning Lake Travis waterfront homes are full-time residents, Lake Travis has become a very popular place for vacation homes. Many people in the Houston area have had second homes on Lake Travis for years, but now the lake has b...
May 02, 2010
I first heard about the American Cancer Society Relay For Life in 2002, but I did not understand what it was all about. I learned about Relay because I was the new Rotary Club advisor to the Lake Travis High School Interact Club. At that time Interact was a community service club for high school s...
April 26, 2010
Mt. Bonnell is a wonderful place in Austin to visit. Sitting almost 300 feet above Lake Austin, one can see up and down the lake as well as look out over downtown Austin. So after I have climbed the roughly 100 steps to the top of the park, just what am I looking down on from Mt. Bonnell?
The ...
April 26, 2010
OK, Spicewood is not exactly an Austin community, but it is close. Spicewood is a large area geographically and is defined more by a Zip Code (78669) than a town. Located anywhere from around 40 minutes to an hour west of downtown Austin, Spicewood sits in the Central Texas Hill Country and has La...
April 22, 2010
Lake Travis is one of the most sought after places to own real estate in Texas. The lake is 63 miles long and has all kinds of communities and homes built on its shores. Some of the neighborhoods were built for living in luxury and a few on the south side of the Lake will be reviewed here. Some p...
April 21, 2010
OK, Barton Creek is not exactly an Austin community, but it is close. Barton Creek Lakeside is about half way between Austin and Marbles. I was just out there today and it took 20 minutes to get from Bee Cave to the heart of Barton Creek Lakeside. Being in the Hill Country and not surrounded by a...
March 13, 2010
The City of Bee Cave Central Park opened not long ago and it is a very nice facility. The entrance to the 50 acre park is off of Bee Cave Parkway, which runs behind the Hill Country Galleria Mall, at RR 620. So just what are some things you can do at the City of Bee Cave Central Park?
1. Have a...
February 24, 2010
Would you expect to find a primitive area within a major city with a beautiful creek, waterfalls, pools and wildlife? You can find all of that at Austin´s Bull Creek Greenbelt. Just off Loop 360 near Spicewood Springs Rd., the Bull Creek Greenbelt is pretty easy to get to.
There are two p...
February 04, 2010
Lake Travis is the gem of the Central Texas Highland Lakes. It follows the Colorado River´s path through the Hill Country funning over 63 miles from just west of Austin to Marble Falls. Lake Travis is a great lake for recreation and has become a very popular place to own a waterfront home.
...
January 25, 2010
Lake Travis is a large lake that takes a serpentine route through the Central Texas Hill Country from just west of Austin to Marble Falls. If you are thinking of buying Lake Travis property, there are a number of things you need to know.
The first thing to consider when buying Lake Travis real ...
January 05, 2010
Austin is a great city to visit and there is more to see and do here than may people might think. From the live music scene to parks and preserves, there are many ways to enjoy your visit to Austin. Austin is known as the Live Music Capitol of the World. 6th Street is the first place most peo...
December 23, 2009
Shopping for a digital camera these days can be a bit overwhelming because there are so many great digital cameras to choose from. Regardless of how much you want to spend, you will find many cameras will be available.
Even though many cameras will be pretty easy to use, you can take great photo...
December 23, 2009
There are almost too many cameras on the market these days to choose from. How can you decide which is for you? We would like to make it easier for you. These are all compact cameras, easy to use, but they all come with enough features that you can learn to use. Prices are also reasonable.
Of ...
December 18, 2009
I used to fly to meetings with a colleague and she would have panic attacks almost every time she got on a plane. She would literally clinch the armrest so tightly that her knuckles would turn white. The good news is that people can learn to overcome their fear of flying.
First, what does a pa...
December 18, 2009
My daughter cannot wait for this semester of her sophomore to end. This is because she is taking a speech class and hates talking in front of the class. Have you ever experienced that? Well the good news is that there are methods and techniques that can help you conquer your public speaking anxie...
December 18, 2009
There is probably not a person who will read this who has not felt some form of anxiety. Anxiety can be mild or severe and can be triggered by events or it can be a general feeling that is felt almost all of the time. Regardless of the anxiety, sufferers need to know that there are natural anxiet...
December 17, 2009
Have you ever wondered about how much the most expensive homes for sale in the Austin area are? If you are not from the area, you may be a little surprised to see what is on the market right now.
As of today, December 17, 2009, there are 12 homes for sale in the Austin area for more than $5 mill...
December 17, 2009
There are some people who have no difficulty speaking in public at all. Many others, even if they do not show it, get very anxious when speaking in public. If you are in the latter group, you need to know that you can take steps to overcome your public speaking fear.
Performance anxiety, panic...
December 16, 2009
Stage fright is a kind of anxiety that is very common in people, but it is not limited to performing. The kind of anxiety people have when experiencing stage fright can come on at other times and can be triggered by things other than performing. The good news is that there are effective natural tr...
December 16, 2009
The real estate market is slow and the Lake Travis area is slower. This is because there is excess inventory and prices are generally pretty high. With all of the inventory and few buyers, how can you sell your Lake Travis house really fast?
First, price it correctly. By correctly I mean just...
December 15, 2009
Stage Fright is like a person´s fear of public speaking and that is one of the number one fears of most people. Almost everyone will at some point have to perform, talk in front of a group, give a presentation for business or get called on in a meeting. All of these things can trigger the an...
December 15, 2009
Seeing a house for the first time is a lot like meeting someone for the first time. You get a first impression and in general it sticks with you. If you are selling in today´s market, your curb appeal must be better than other homes buyers are looking at. So what can you do to improve your curb a...
December 15, 2009
If you are a home seller in this market and need to sell fast, what can you do? Many markets have seen falling home prices and excessive inventory. So what steps can you take that will help you sell your house fast in a bad market?
First, everyone wants a deal so pricing the house right is cri...
December 12, 2009
If you have a home listed for sale in Apache Shores, you might be facing a lot of competition. Included in the completion will be not just Apache Shores, but homes in Cardinal Hills and Hudson Bend will also provide competition. Keep reading and find out how you can sell your Apache Shores house ...
December 12, 2009
Selling a house in this economy can be a challenge, but it can be done. If you are a home seller at the end of 2009 or the beginning of 2010, you can sell, but you need to do things a little differently than you might have several years. You can sell your house faster even in a down market if you...
December 12, 2009
Do you need to sell your house in this down market and do you need to sell it fast? You can absolutely sell your house really fast even in a down market if you will take the necessary steps.
The first thing you should do is hire a REALTOR. This person should be a competent listing agent worki...
December 12, 2009
Do you have a fear of public speaking? If you do, you are not alone. The fear of speaking in public is one of the greatest fears in most people. It this describes you, read on to learn how you can learn to speak in public with confidence.
You can call it stage fright or performance anxiety, b...
December 12, 2009
Anyone who just lost a job will probably feel a range of emotions. Anxiety, especially if new employment opportunities don´t look good, can be one of the stronger emotions. What does anxiety feel like and how can you treat anxiety naturally after the loss of a job?
Symptoms of mild anxie...
December 11, 2009
Are you selling your home? Is it taking longer than you had hoped it would? Part of getting your home sold fast even in a down market is how well it looks both online and in person. Here are some things you can do to make sure your homes shows the best it can.
The first place 80% or more home...
December 11, 2009
In today´s real estate market, many home sellers are frustrated about their houses not selling fast enough. Many would love to find a way to help them sell the house faster.
Selling a house these days is almost all about price, but location and condition are still important. Many marke...
December 07, 2009
Anxiety can come and go or it can be present almost all of the time a person is awake. Anxiety can also be triggered by certain situations. Anxiety can also be mild or severe. Regardless of the cause and severity, anxiety should be treated. So here are six ways to treat your anxiety naturally.
...
December 07, 2009
Have you ever experienced anxiety? I doubt anyone reading this could say no. Anxiety can be mild or severe and dealing with it can be difficult. However, there are some very good natural anxiety treatments available.
Before talking about treating anxiety, let´s talk about what anxiety i...
December 03, 2009
Cancer diagnosis in a child can bring on a huge emotional change in a parent or other family member. I have seen this first-hand as a volunteer with the American Cancer Society. I have seen parents with extreme anxiety and have seen how some have dealt with it.
Anxiety in some parents can be mo...
December 03, 2009
When I work with home buyers and we get a home under contract, I always recommend that they get an inspection by a licensed home inspector. If they do not want an inspection, I have them sign a form stating that.
So what will a home inspector look for and what might the inspection report look li...
December 02, 2009
In Texas, there is a place in the state promulgated residential real estate contract for an option period. This is a time period, usually 7 to 10 days, during which the buyer can back out of the contract for any reason. So what should home buyers do during the option period?
With the assistance...
December 01, 2009
Texas looks to be in for a wet winter and that should make for a great spring wildflower season. If you would like to learn about how to Read up on some more take great digital photos of Texas wildflowers, I have some tips for you.
First, become familiar with the macro mode setting on your digit...
November 30, 2009
Mark Twain said it best, "There are two types of speakers: those that are nervous and those that are liars". If you are either, you need to know that you can overcome your public speaking anxiety. There are some very good natural anxiety treatments available.
Anxiety, panic attacks, stage frigh...
November 28, 2009
Being diagnosed with cancer is scary and it brings on a number of emotions. One is anxiety. Cancer and anxiety can go hand in hand.
When a cancer patient is diagnosed, the person may intense feel fear, panic and a feeling of hopelessness. All of these are symptoms of anxiety. Medical profess...
November 28, 2009
Losing a job and being unemployed can cause a lot of negative emotions. One can be anxiety. Anyone unemployed and anxious could feel a variety of symptoms of anxiety.
Mild symptoms of anxiety can include hot flashes and sweating, an elevated heartbeat, confusion or the inability to concentrate...
November 30, 2009
Anxiety can be a very difficult emotion to deal with. Anxiety can be mild, it can be severe and it can come in the form of panic attacks. Many people seek medical attention and get on prescriptions drugs for anxiety, but that is not the long-term answer. People experiencing anxiety need to learn ...
November 28, 2009
Thinking about buying a digital camera and wondering which one is right for you? You can walk into Best Buy, Target or look online and you will see all sorts of digital cameras at all sorts of price ranges.
Let´s start by thinking about why you want a digital camera in the first place and ...
November 25, 2009
The Christmas holiday and the New Year are right around the corner. Many people have trouble with anxiety during the holidays. There can be many causes for this, but first let´s look at what anxiety feels like.
Mild anxiety can manifest itself as a more rapid heartbeat, a jittery or nervo...
November 24, 2009
Anyone losing a job will probably deal with anxiety. Losing a job, whether to downsizing or from being fired, can be extremely stressful. Given the current economic situation, many people are experiencing anxiety related to losing a job. Many are also anxious because new employment can be very di...
November 24, 2009
Real estate listing agents – how much do you spend each year on digital photos for your listings? Let´s say you take 20 listings each year and you spend just $80 per listing. That is $1600 each year on digital photos and in this economy that is a lot of money. That is $8000 over just five y...
November 23, 2009
Taking great digital photos is a snap with today´s digital cameras when you have good light. However, things can get a little tricky in low light situations. However, you can take great digital photos in low light conditions even without using your camera´s flash.
Let´s say yo...
November 20, 2009
If you´re in real estate, you have to have a digital camera. You just do. You need a camera for photographing listings and fliers. You need a camera to take photos for your website or blog. So how is one supposed to decide on the best one to get and whether or not to have any accessories a...
November 19, 2009
Taking great digital photos is actually pretty easy as digital cameras have come so far. The technology has allowed people without a lot of photography background to take some really great digital photos.
Your first step to taking great digital photos is knowing the basics of your digital camera...
November 17, 2009
If you want to learn about how to take really good close-ups digital photos, you need to understand the macro mode setting on your digital camera. On what is usually a dial that changes photo settings, macro is usually indicated by a flower. Using the macro mode, you can get excellent close-ups of...
July 21, 2009
Austin, Texas is a wonderful place to live. People relocate to Austin for a lot of reasons. Most move to Austin for jobs, but many move to Austin for other reasons or for a combination of a job change and the lifestyle in Austin.
Over the last few years I have been compiling a list of things Au...
July 01, 2009
Many print newspapers are struggling and some have gone bankrupt. Revenue from ads is way down in many the classifieds sections of many newspapers has shrunk tremendously.
Think of what became available over time as means of communication. Way back, it was TV and radio. Later it was cable. Th...
June 25, 2009
Many real estate agents are very resistant to change and many have no clue about some of today´s technology. When I talk with some agents about blogs, their faces go blank. It gets even worse when I talk about Twitter, Facebook and text messaging. I´m not going to bother with any of thes...
May 28, 2009
Sam Chapman is an Austin REALTOR who has lived and worked in the Austin area since 1987. Sam enjoys working with people looking at Austin or Lake Travis real estate. He is also a very active volunteer in the community.
May 28, 2009
Sam Chapman is an Austin REALTOR® who has lived and worked in the Austin area since 1987. Sam enjoys helping people buy or sell Lake Travis homes and he enjoys volunteering in the community.
May 06, 2009
Austin makes it on a lot of lists and they are usually "best of" or "top places for..." and so on. Over the last several years I have compiled a list of lists of just what makes Austin such an attractive place to live.
Like everyone else, I realize that the economy is unhealthy now, but it has...
March 06, 2009
1) Austin, TX – Falconhead is about a 30-40 minute drive from downtown Austin. Austin is one of the most intelligent and most dynamic cities in the country. Called the Live Music Capital of the World, Austin is also very well known for its amazing live music.
2) Golf – Falconhead was laid out...
February 18, 2009
Cave Without a Name is worth a day trip from Austin. Just 11 miles west of Boerne, TX, Cave without a Name is just about two hours from the center of Austin. The tour of the cave isn´t long, but there are some huge rooms with amazing formations in the cave.
So the first thing you might be wonde...
February 18, 2009
Developed by Rotarian Chris Byrd and Founder and Executive Director of Knights of the Guild, Randall Parr, EAFK developed into an unprecedented character education program that would put Rotary ideals into the daily academics of mainstream K-8 education for the first time ever. The EAFK approach to...
February 17, 2009
After serving Lakeway and surrounding communities since 2000 Keller Williams Realty Lake Travis just moved to a brand new, state-of-the-art real estate market center at 1921 Lohman´s Crossing in Lakeway. The market center encompasses 15,000 square feet of triple A office space including 49 pr...
October 21, 2008
About 20-30 minutes west of downtown Austin, the subdivision of Lake Pointe is a wonderful neighborhood. There are a number of things that make Lake Pointe special. First is the location. Not far from Austin in the beginning of the Central Texas Hill Country, Lake Pointe residents can be in downt...
October 16, 2008
If you are considering building on Lake Travis and probably on many other lakes, there are some things you need to know. Lake Travis is west of downtown Austin, Texas around 45 minutes. Everything in this article will be specific to Lake Travis, but it may provide some things to think about for an...
October 05, 2008
For the last six years, I have had the privilege of being the Rotary Club of Lakeway – Lake Travis adviser to the Lake Travis High School (LTHS) Interact Club. Interact is Rotary International´s service club for young people ages 14 to 18. Interact clubs are sponsored by individual Rotary clubs, wh...
October 02, 2008
Hamilton Pool Preserve is a park west of Austin. It is an absolutely fabulous place to hike and observe what the power of water can do. The pool itself sits at the base of what must be a collapsed cave. Slabs of limestone line the pool both in and out of the water. There is usually a waterfall p...
September 30, 2008
If you live in Austin and have not visited the Congress Street Bridge, affectionately known as the bat bridge, you need to go. If you are visiting and the bats haven´t left for the winter, this is a must see for you too.
The Congress Street Bridge in downtown that crosses Lady Bird Lake i...
September 30, 2008
Westcave Preserve is a great place to tour on weekends. Westcave Preserve is the remains of a cave that had the ceiling collapse tens of thousands of years ago. Water falls from a creek into a huge grotto containing a pool of water around 25 feet deep. Lush ferns and moss cover areas fed by the c...
September 24, 2008
Have you evern driven through Dripping Springs, Texas? If you have, did you ever stop and think about the name and where it came from? Well, if you go to Dripping Springs, you can actually view the dripping springs. Read more about interesting town names in Texas.
September 15, 2008
Steiner Ranch is a large subdivision in the northwest Austin area. Nestled in the Central Texas Hill Country, Steiner Ranch has some great view as well as having Lake Austin to one side and Lake Travis within minutes.
August 26, 2008
The Lakeway City Park is a 64 acre park in the city of Lakeway, Texas. Free for Lakeway residents and open for a small fee for non-residents, the park has something for just about everyone.
The original park with an actual field and play equipment in Lakeway is Dragon Park. I used to take my ki...
August 25, 2008
Briarcliff is a waterfront community on Lake Travis around 45 minutes west of the downtown Austin area. This small city used to feel pretty far out from much of anything, but that has really changed. As Austin has grown to the west and new businesses have opened up, Briarcliff isn´t that far...
July 17, 2008
Spanish is a very exclusive, gated golf community around 30 minutes west of Austin in the small Hill Country city of Bee Cave. Sitting on 1,200 acres, but with only 400 home sites, Spanish Oaks gives people a sense of community, but with a degree of privacy. Some home sites have nice golf course vi...
July 02, 2008
Austin not well known for luxury real estate - yet, but there definitely is a market for luxury real estate in the Austin area. By luxury, I am specifically talking about single-family homes that sell for over $1 million. When talking about Austin, the area is a 5 county area that includes the Aus...
June 24, 2008
New water restrictions were announced today for communites south of Austin. San Marcos, New Braunfels San Antonio and parts of the southern Austin area and other communities draw water from the Edwards Aquifer. The Edwards is huge, but these cities and others pull huge amounts of water out of it. ...
June 24, 2008
OK, so Krause Springs isn't in Austin - technically it is in Spicewood but it is close. Krause Springs is an amazing place. West of Austin a little more than 30 miles, Krause Springs is a wonderful swimming hole. Krause Springs is actually a privately owned area owned by Elton and Jane Krause. O...
June 09, 2008
Flintrock Falls is a wonderful gated, colf community in Lakeway, TX just west of Austin. Hills, Lake Travis and golf are all around. Learn more about Flintrock Falls.
June 08, 2008
There is plenty to do in Austin, but what about recreation outside the city, but within a reasonable drive? There are plenty of places to visit.
If you want to stay relatively close to Austin, take a drive out Hamilton Pool road and visit Hamilton Pool Preserve. Formed when a cave partially col...
May 29, 2008
Author Sam Chapman has lived and worked in the Austin, TX area for 20 years and specializes in Austin real estate and LAke Travis real estate.
May 01, 2008
Sam Chapman has lived and worked in the Lake Travis and Austin area since 1987. Sam now specializes in helping buyers and sellers of Austin, Texas estate and Lake Travis real estate
November 27, 2007
Apache Shores is a rather eclectic subdivision in the hills near Lake Travis just west of Austin. With a couple of creeks carving valleys through the hills of Apache Shores and draining into Lake Austin, the topography is pretty dramatic. Going north on RR 620, you can be in north or central Austi...
November 02, 2007
That is a question anyone buying a home in the Austin area should be asking. It doesn’t matter whether or not you have kids because when you resell your house, most buyers will be concerned about schools.
So how do you define which schools are the best? You start by looking at the entire dist...
September 18, 2007
1) Location – Lakeway is about 40 minutes west of downtown on beautiful Lake Travis. Situated in the Central Texas Hill Country, Lakeway isn’t what most people picture when they think of Texas.
2) Lake Travis – all you need to do is look at the clear, blue-green water and you’ll immediately ...
September 10, 2007
On the north side of Lake Travis, just northwest of Austin, is Lago Vista. There is a lot of value in this small town. As other areas around Lake Travis become more developed, Lago Vista is looking more and more attractive. Check out eight reasons to love Lago Vista, Texas.
1. Highway 183A. T...
September 10, 2007
As more and more homes and businesses are built in the Central Texas area, the supply of water is a huge concern of mine. The lakes and aquifers can only sustain us so long without extensive conservation. As water becomes more scarce, it will become more expensive. So what can we do? Or should t...
September 10, 2007
My parents, just like many other people, are aging. My younger brother and I visited them a couple of months ago and decided to make some changes to make their house a little friendlier for them. As our population ages, many children of aging parents should do the same thing. Here is a list of ei...
August 24, 2007
I went to a very interesting meeting yesterday at which Joe Brown, founder of Milestone Mortgage, who walked us through the start and what he sees as the finish of the current lending crisis. The following comes from notes I took.
After the crash of the tech sector and 9-11, our economy was in a...
August 22, 2007
Anyone who has looked at Lake Travis real estate should have realized by now that the south shore is more expensive than the north shore. With some things changing locally the north shore is looking much more attractive these days.
Big change number one: the opening of Highway 183A. Access ...