Alan In Austin: October 2007

Austin Haunted Forest Trail of Fears

It may be an Enchanted Forest any other time of the year, but in October it's the Haunted Forest. No enclosed spaces. No pitch black passages. But that's no reason to relax because the forest is teeming with witches, crazy clowns, mad scientists, chainsaw-welding monsters, giant spiders, and lunatic families. You never know what you'll find around the curve in the path, up in the trees, or lurking behind a fallen log. This is the Halloween experience of the season here in Austin. Admission: $10

Austin Haunted Forest
1404 W. Oltorf (at S. Lamar)
Austin, Texas
Park across the street at the Office Depot Read Review

Mansion of Terror: Slaughter Circus and Freakshow

2007 Quick Look: Excellent scare factor. Lots of ghouls coming at you in the darkness, confusing twists and turns, unexpected noises, things that pop out of walls and other places, and it seemed much longer than the 10 minutes or so it took to scurry through. I you can handle the frights and only want to do one of the Mansion of Terror attractions -- this is the one. Single Admission: $12.00

Mansion of Terror
2000 South IH 35
Round Rock, Texas 78681
Exit 251 behind the Taco Cabana and near Hastings Read Review

House of Torment: Illusion Manor

2007 Quick Look: Packed full of frights and tons of fun. It's one of those amusement park fun houses gone all creepy. Be prepared to duck, crawl, climb, balance, push, and pull your way through the maze of wacky rooms. And just when you think, hey, this is a pretty fun, fun house -- there's a ghoul there to greet you and send you dashing into more dark, spooky places.
Spoiler Alert: Review contains specifics that some people might not want to know in advance.
This is the "must see" one of the two House of Torment attractions.

House of Torment / Illusion Manor
Separate Building Behind Highland Mall, across from Foley's
523 Highland Mall Blvd
Austin, Texas Read Review

Gruesome Gardens at The Great Outdoors

For something a little different in haunted houses, take a stroll through The Great Outdoors. This South Congress nursery transforms itself into a chain of three different haunted attractions: Gruesome Gardens, Fun & Freak Show, and Wicked Sensations. Rather than your garden variety of Halloween ghouls, you'll encounter a few seemingly normalfolks, disembodied voices, a foul fowl, and this really creepy old lady in a rocking chair. Beware! Wicked Sensations was a blast for me personally although over way too fast. Admission: $12.00

Gruesome Gardens
2730 South Congress Avenue
Austin, Texas Read Review

The Creep Zone

It doesn't have the fancy sets or professional actors of more established haunted attractions, but The Creep Zone still delivers its own sort of skin-crawling, heart-pounding excitement. Coming from the bright lights of Austin, it's something of a creepy drive out there past the Dell Diamond. Housed in some sort of large industrial building, you wander through fairly wide "hallways" and rooms that contain mildly gruesome scenes. The creepiness is primarily in the way the creepsappear sometimes out of nowhere, disappear quickly, or persist in following you around. Two attractions: Dungeon of Death (the better one) & Dr. Dyer's Bio-Lab. Single Admission $10. Double: $12

The Creep Zone
520 Tradesmens Park Drive
Hutto, Texas
512-846-1006 Read Review

Mansion of Terror: Pitch Dark 2

2007 Quick Look: Not as pitch dark as you might expect but still plenty of thrills in the dark. You'll get a flickering lantern to help you find your way although it doesn't stop you from running into walls and monsters everywhere. Don't tell them your name and don't stop to talk to the ghouls if you can help it! Oh, and watch your step. Single Admission: $12.00

Mansion of Terror
2000 South IH 35
Round Rock, Texas 78681
Exit 251 behind the Taco Cabana and near Hastings Read Review

House of Torment Haunted House

2007 Quick Look: Although the outside of the house looks much like previous years, there are new twists to an old favorite. Take a seat and watch a short movie clip then walk -- even if you want to run -- through a series of creepy rooms that feature not only sights and sounds to make you jump but also smells to freak you out. Even though I told myself I was going take more time to appreciate the great (though gruesome) scenery, I found myself caught up in the moment and rushing to get away from the house inhabitants. Single Admission: $12.99 + tax

House of Torment
Separate Building Behind Highland Mall, across from Foley's
523 Highland Mall Blvd
Austin, Texas Read Review

Plan to make it a Family weekend and see as many as you can. Have fun! I know I will!!!

Dateline Austin Texas... We interrupt your regularly scheduled programing to bring you this exciting news courtsey of Paul Kaihla, CNNMoney.com

Austin
Projected median sales prices for single-family homes:
Q1 2008: $186,350
Q4 2009: $195,060
Growth rate: 4.7 percent

In Austin, the rental market takes a backseat to buyers, many of whom hold high-paying jobs with tech giants like Dell, IBM, and Freescale Semiconductors. Austin's population is well educated -- 40 percent have a university degree -- and the Texas capital ranks among the top major metropolitan areas for business startups per capita. Austin also has the highest percent age of residents in the coveted 25- to 34-year-old demographic and, not coincidentally, the highest concentration of live music venues in the country. The labor market is so hot that shortages of engineers and product managers are driving double-digit wage hikes in those occupations.

But unlike other creative-class capitals, Austindoesn't price white-collar talent out of the housing market. At $200,000, the median sales price for a single-family home is about a third of that in San Francisco. But the gap is starting to close: While home prices in San Francisco have barely budged since the market peaked in 2005, prices in Austin have risen by 6 percent. That has prompted major builders to lay groundwork for some of the largest new master-planned communities in the country - at the very time that competitors are fleeing other Sun Belt metros.

If sounds exciting to you let your buyers and investors know about Austin and I will help them and send you a handsome referral fee.

Went downtown the other day just to get out of the house. What a great City Austin is to give you free WIFI in the downtown area. I sat in a comfortable place near the capitol building and soaked in the sites while I answered emai and contacted clients.

As the sun begin to set the capitol lights came on but the people traffic stayed steady and so I kept working and watching. What a wonderful place to live and work. The sights and sounds of downtown are really something to behold.

Just click and listen for yourself.

 The live music is diverse and of the highest quality. Just drive downtown with your car windows rolled down and you can hear everykind of music you can imagine played by some of the finest musicians.

South stands out for home value

Buyers seeking a bargain should evaluate housing affordability, the potential for appreciation and an area's underlying economy.

By Maya Roney, BusinessWeek

You may have heard that now is the time to buy real estate -- if you can afford to. As contrarians point out, demand is weak, sales are slow and inventory is high. Homeowners and home builders are slashing prices desperately, and savvy investors are snatching up cheap foreclosure properties. The real-estate market is teeming with bargain-priced homes, just waiting for that next lucky buyer to come along.

Or so it seems. Most experts agree the era of home flipping is over and believe homes should be looked at foremost as shelter and secondarily as a long-term investment. But, as always, there are some areas of the country where homes are affordable, price appreciation is imminent, and the underlying economy is strong. In these places, you might just have an easy time finding a great bargain.

Along with economists at Fiserv, Lending Solutions and Moody's Economy.com, BusinessWeek put together a list of the best metropolitan areas for bargain homes by looking at affordability, forecasts for price appreciation and job growth, and recent price fluctuations. These areas are not for high-risk investors; they are perfect hunting grounds for smart buyers looking for decent home-price appreciation and a pleasant place to live at a discount.

Southern comfort

For undervalued, affordable housing with a good outlook for home-price and job-market growth, there's one region of the country that stands out: the South. Metro areas such as Austin, Texas; Baton Rouge, La.; Durham, N.C.; and Houston are all expected to see home prices increase more than 5% over the next two years -- a big figure in a country where home prices are expected to trend downward overall.

Austin market is still a fantastic market for investors and a great place to raise a family. I would be happy to show you more if you would like to investigate further...

Circle C - Fairway Estates Austin TX  NOW OPEN!! Circle C Ranch is an upscale, master- planned community, located in the rolling hills of southwest Austin, just west of Mopac at Slaughter Lane. Homeowners may select from 12 luxury floor plans in the Fairway Estates, KB Home's exclusive gated community with large tree-covered and golf course homesites. Amenities include a swim center, Circle C Golf Club with an 18-hole championship course, Circle C Tennis Club, a 3 mile veloway for rollerblading and cycling, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, 500 acres of parkland, two elementary schools, and a child development center. The all new Escarpment Village retail center recently opened with a 93,000 square foot HEB, and an environmentally friendly Starbucks with a green (living) roof. Real Estate. Floor Plan: Sawgrass M   Stories: 1 Square Footage: 3,015 Bedrooms: 3 Baths: 2 Garage: 3   Price: $ 454,950   Floor Plan: Hazeltine   Stories: 1 Square Footage: 3,383 Bedrooms: 3 Baths: 2 Garage: 3   Price: $ 471,950 Floor Plan: Oakmont   Stories: 2 Square Footage: 3,707 Bedrooms: 3 Baths: 2.5 Garage: 3   Price: $  480,950   Floor Plan: Spyglass   Stories: 2 Square Footage: 3,862 Bedrooms: 3 Baths: 2.5 Garage: 3  Price: $ 499,950   Floor Plan: Westchester   Stories: 2 Square Footage: 4,074 Bedrooms: 3 Baths: 2.5 Garage: 3  Price: $ 502,950   Floor Plan: Turnberry   Stories: 2 Square Footage: 4,201 Bedrooms: 4 Baths: 2.5 Garage: 3   Price: $ 508,950   Floor Plan: Pebble Beach   Stories: 2 Square Footage: 4,507 Bedrooms: 4 Baths: 3.5 Garage: 3   Price: $ 526,950 Floor Plan: Augusta M   Stories: 2 Square Footage: 4,811 Bedrooms: 4 Baths: 3.5 Garage: 3  Price: $ 536,950 Floor Plan: Shinnecock   Stories: 2 Square Footage: 5,368 Bedrooms: 4 Baths: 3.5 Garage:   Price: $ 566,950

Circle C-Ranch is an exciting new home developmet in Austin Texas. Featuring some great floor plans and pricing. If you would like more information contact me at: alanmaz1@earthlink.net

Austin is a great place to live and Circle C Ranch is a prime place to begin your future in Central Texas. This community is sure to fill up fast.

While we wait on Real Estate to pick up. I have a fine piece of furniture that will look nice in your current home or a new home you may want to purchase in Austin from a really fantastic agent.....ME. Ha

     It can be yours for just 650.00 in the Austin Area you can have it delivered for 675.00

Buy it as a gift for a client and help me get my garage back so I can park my car in it. If you are interested contact me at 512-709-3336.

It also makes a fine place to store all of your Real Estate trophies. Ha

Why own a business and live in Round Rock?

Round Rock has a facinating history and a bright future full of growth potential.   A short list of  Round Rock's highlights are:

• Highly Educated Workforce- The Austin-Round Rock MSA is the second most educated workforce in the country. There are more than nine centers of higher education in close proximity to Round Rock.
• Affordable Cost of Living - The cost of living in Round Rock is substantially lower than the national average.
• Prime Location- Round Rock is located along the NAFTA corridor on Interstate 35 and will also be a vital link in the Central Texas Turnpike System, to be completed in 2007.
• Quality of Life - An outstanding park system, beautiful lakes, sporting events and live music are prime examples of the fabric of the Round Rock community. Residents enjoy one of the lowest crime rates for a city of its size in the nation.
• World-class infrastructure - The city's public services continue to earn a 91% satisfactory rating while providing superior utilities at some of the lowest rates in Central Texas.
• Quality Healthcare - The Round Rock Medical Center is a state-of-the-art hospital that includes a Heart Center, Women's Center, Surgery Center, Emergency Care and Rehabilitation Services.

   You can't beat Owning a Business in Round Rock Texas. If you are looking for a business to buy or a place to take an existing business let me help you take a serious look at Round Rock Texas.

There are many mixed opinions about whither we should or should not celebrate Halloween. Some people see it as an evil celebration with ties to occult activities. Others see a harmless community annual ritual.

There are some who have very strong opinions about why we should not acknowledge this as a celebration time on the calendar.

As a minister for over 25 years, I had both camps in my church. Naturally the church membership looked to me as their Pastor to settle the issue for them Biblically.

This post is not about my theology however.I do celebrate the day with my kids and dearly enjoy having all the neighbors knock on my door for candy. In fact my wife and I dress up and decorate our home. If  you want to know the deeper theological reasoning you can email me and I will be glad to share that with you. Suffice o say that there is one night in the American Calendar when the world comes knocking on your door, and I am eager to answer that knock with a smile some candy and introductions.

The larger issue of this post is that we all from time to time will find ourselves in the position of leadership for others. In Real Estate, our clients depend on us and the knowledge we have gained through experience and education. The leadership we provide for them can make a huge impact on their lives.

If they buy the right home at the right price it can change their economic picture. If they get the right advice and do the correct thing when putting their home on the market it can add thousands to their sales price.

You can gain a client for a lifetime by doing he right thing for them. It is character that seperates good leadership from bad. Integrity will do the right thing when no one s looking.

Enjoy Halloween and take time to do the right things.

House rolls out!

Posted September 11th, 2007 by The Team

After months of toiling indoors, we finally gave birth to our 15 ton baby and rolled the BLOOMhouse out onto the tarmac. Now for an event like this - we needed some help - so we asked our neighbors - and called out the National Guard. Unfortunately, their truck was too big. So the nice guys next door at FilmFleet helped us roll the house out. With a flat-nosed big rig attached to the front, I can't help but make the Optimus Prime comparison.

This home will sit in one of the tredest communities in downtown Austin you can check it out at www.muelleraustin.com Should be fun to go take a look at. Even better to learn how to use Solar energy in our everyday lives.