The Bee Cave Rotary is sponsoring a charity event called Bites of Bee Cave.  This Bites of Bee Cave charity event will be at the Hill Country Galleria in Bee Cave TX on October 1, 2011 at 11am - 4pm.  There are going to be many different restaurants present, and your $10 admission will get you up to 15 "Bites" from several of those restaurants. Everything goes to benefit the Kids in Crisis Charity. Some of the restaurants that will be there are Iron Cactus, Hill Country Pasta House, Two Hot Mama's Grill, Busters BBQ, Verdes Mexican, and many others. You can visit www.bitesofbeecave.com for more information, and this is also where I borrowed their graphic. There will also be a Kid Zone available for the kids to run off some energy. **Are You Packed Yet?** Donna Harris, REALTOR®RE/MAX Aus... 09/14/2011

St. David's 24 hour Emergency Center has opened at the Hill Country Galleria in Bee Cave TX. This is the first ER in the Lake Travis area. The Lake Travis area, for many years, was considered a vacation place, a place for second homes and retirees.  Now, there are thousands of families in the Lake Travis Austin TX area, and the medical field is finally catching up.  As the retirees get older, things could happen and an ER is essential, as well as kids getting rough and injured and needing a place to go. Prior to St. David's opening last month, the closest 24 hour Emergency Center was over 25 minutes away! What does St. David's have to offer? 12 Treatment Beds Chest pain accredited Advanced Radiology & Medical Lab Testing Board-Certified Emergency Medicine Physicians Emergency Trauma Cer... 09/10/2011

Austin TX is hosting a City-Wide Bake Sale that supports Pediatric Cancer research, Cookies for Kids' Cancer.  Cookies for Kids' Cancer raises funds through these local bake sales across the country. What is Cookies for Kids' Cancer? It was founded by a mother, Gretchen Witt, who lost her son to cancer this past January after being diagnosed in 2007.  She found that the survival rate was so low because of the lack of funding for research of therapies. Here in Austin TX, the fundraising has been taken over by a group called Austin's Good Cookies.  The main event location will be the Hill Country Galleria Amphitheater in Bee Cave TX.  There will be many activities going on including Kids' Entertainer, Joe McDermott at 10:30. Put Art in Your Heart (PAIYH) Dance Studios will have some of th... 09/06/2011

The Hill Country Galleria Wine Walk is the second Thursday of every month!  The Wine Walk begins at Twin Liquors at 6pm and goes through 9pm. At Twin Liquors, you'll be given a map that will guide you through that night's events. Admission is FREE and no reservations are required! This is great for Mothers Night Out, Guys Night Out, or just going by yourself and meeting new people. **Are You Packed Yet?** Donna Harris, REALTOR®RE/MAX Austin Skylinewww.DonnaHomes.comDonna@DonnaHomes.comaustin-texas-homes-for-sale.com Austin TX Real Estate and the surrounding areas of Lakeway, Bee Cave, West Lake Hills, Cedar Park, Round Rock, Spicewood, Circle-C, Steiner Ranch, and everywhere in between... Hill Country Austin TX Real Estate and beyond. Whether you're buying or selling an Austin home, I'l... 09/03/2011

Lake Pointe Bee Cave Austin TX had a fabulous Summer with 29 home sales from June 1 - August 31, 2011! That's a huge increase over Lake Pointe homes sold in the same time period in 2010 of 19.  53% more homes were sold, to be exact!  Can you say, "WOW!" This is just another reason why real estate is LOCAL and NOT National! Over and over again, we hear on the National news that real estate is not doing very well, but here we are in one of the top areas in the country with a 53% sales increase over the previous year! I say that's good stuff! Not only are houses in Lake Pointe selling, but they're selling quickly, which shows high demand.  Here is a chart from June - August 2010. As you can see, 47% of Lake Pointe homes for sale sold within 30 days with a total of 68% selling within 60 day... 09/02/2011

The Hill Country Galleria has announced their Fall Concert Series lineup for 2011.  All concerts feature local bands and are on Saturdays from 7-10pm in the middle of the Hill Country Galleria at the amphitheater. Bring blankets, drinks, whatever you want. It's a great time to let the little ones run around and get tired for a good Sunday sleep-in!September 3 - Debra Watson & The Smokin' AcesSeptember 10 - Jackie BristowSeptember 17 - SoulshakerSeptember 24 - Al Monti BandOctober 1 - Arielle NicoleOctober 8 - Chris JamisonOctober 15 - Hoodygoode **Are You Packed Yet?** Donna Harris, REALTOR®RE/MAX Austin Skylinewww.DonnaHomes.comDonna@DonnaHomes.comaustin-texas-homes-for-sale.com Austin TX Real Estate and the surrounding areas of Lakeway, Bee Cave, West Lake Hills, Cedar Park, Round Roc... 09/01/2011

Today is Alyssa's first day of Pre-K at Primrose School of Bee Cave. Typically, you should be at least 4 to be in Pre-K, but she's only "three and three quarters" as she says.  She's the youngest one, but can hold her own!  It was an exciting morning, but she was also nervous. She got dressed very easily and quickly this morning, which is sometimes a 30 minute ordeal.  She has to wear uniforms now, so we'll see how creative she can get with her socks and shoes since she can't mismatch her tops and bottoms anymore... She is excited about her new teacher and getting to play on the big playground with the swirl slide!  Many of her friends went into the other Pre-K class, but she'll make new friends! Can the backpack be any bigger??   **Are You Packed Yet?** Donna Harris, REALTOR®RE/MAX Aus... 08/22/2011

Lake Travis ISD - Cavalier Varsity Football Schedule is done. The Lake Travis Cavaliers have won the State Football Championship 4 years in a row, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010.  Come cheer the Red and Black Cavs on to their 5th straight Class 4A Championship.Date     Opponent                                    Home/Away          TimeTBA      Bastrop-scrimmage                                           Away                 TBA8/27     Westlake                                                           DKR                  7:009/2       Pflugerville Hendrickson                                    Home                7:309/9       Aledo                                                                Away                 7:309/16     Kerrville Tivy                                                 ... 08/12/2011

New Construction homes have surprises around every corner.  You move into your brand new, beautiful home in Austin TX, and you want to take your very first bubble bath in your gorgeous and inviting new bath tub... But what you didn't realize is that it looked like this while it was under new home construction... Here's a closer-up shot at the nasty grime on the tub. While you're soaking in your Calgon thinking, "take me away," also picture the people who were cooking in your shower. **Are You Packed Yet?** Donna Harris, REALTOR®RE/MAX Austin Skylinewww.DonnaHomes.comDonna@DonnaHomes.comaustin-texas-homes-for-sale.com Austin TX Real Estate and the surrounding areas of Lakeway, Bee Cave, West Lake Hills, Cedar Park, Round Rock, Spicewood, Circle-C, Steiner Ranch, and everywhere in between... 08/11/2011

Lake Travis ISD keeps its EXEMPLARY rating for its second year in a row!! I knew my school taxes were paying for something!!   The Exemplary rating is the highest rating offered by the Texas Education Agency. How does the TEA determine the ratings? They use several different factors such as standardized test scores, graduation rates, drop out rates, and individual ethnic group performance. The breakdown of the school ratings in Lake Travis ISD are easy to list as all but two scored Exemplary!Lake Travis High School - ExemplaryLake Travis Middle School - ExemplaryHudson Bend Middle School - RecognizedLake Travis Elementary School - ExemplaryLake Pointe Elementary School - ExemplaryLakeway Elementary School - ExemplaryBee Cave Elementary School - RecognizedSerene Hills Elementary School -... 08/10/2011

It's nearing the end of Summer and school is going to start. Many new people have relocated to Austin TX, and they might think that school starts after Labor Day, but they would be wrong... and late! School will start on August 22, 2011 for the Lake Travis Independent School District (LTISD). What time? That depends on what grade you're in and what school you're attending. Times are staggered for traffic flow. ALL Lake Travis ISD Elementary Schools are from 7:45am-2:45pm. Hudson Bend Middle School is from 8:35am-3:45pm. Lake Travis Middle School is from 8:45am-3:55pm. Lake Travis High School is from 8:45am-3:45pm.  (I find it odd that high school gets 10 minutes shorter than the middle school) Do you think you need a bus to school?  You can check the Lake Travis ISD Bus Schedule. I reme... 08/10/2011

What happens during the new home construction process that you're not aware of? You move into your brand new Austin TX home, and you get unpacked.  You decide to make your first meal in the house, but was it the first meal in the house... I walked the house across the street from me yesterday as it's coming along nicely and the buyers stop by every so often to check on it.  I was in the master bathroom and noticed the shower was a little odd. They are doing a walk around shower that is sheetrocked up. This caught my attention because usually you want some light in the shower and the way they did it, it's going to be dark. Anyway, I digress... as I walked into the shower and turned the corner, this is what I found... The construction workers are apparently having their meals right there ... 08/08/2011

Is it your dream to appear on American Idol?  If it is, show up at the Hill Country Galleria in Bee Cave TX on August 10th and try out for Austin's Idol, hosted by Fox. Apparently, if you win the Austin version, you'll be able to be first in line at the Houston auditions for American Idol on August 24th. Since I was born tone-deaf and unable to sing, I will not be joining anyone there, but I might go out and laugh at the long line of people waiting in our triple digit heat... I wonder if Amy's Ice Cream and the Yogurt Planet are going to have record revenue that day! Take lots of water, and wear light colored clothing. The new 24 hour emergency center might become pretty busy too! **Are You Packed Yet?** Donna Harris, REALTOR®RE/MAX Austin Skylinewww.DonnaHomes.comDonna@DonnaHomes.com A... 08/04/2011

Austin TX New Home Construction is going strong. As I reported last week, there are 23,000 new homes planned for the NW Austin area. Even down in the SW area, things are going hot and heavy as well.  Bee Cave is growing tremendously and the neighborhoods of Falconhead and Falconhead West are almost complete. One of the biggest complaints I get from buyers is that they don't want a "cookie-cutter" house in a cookie cutter neighborhood.  I live in Falconhead West and I've been watching the construction for three years now. I've been very proud of the builders for trying to make the houses look different. The houses all have some kind of brick, stucco, stone, or a combination of these materials. Every so often, the stucco colors look very similar as does the white limestone, but the houses... 07/26/2011

Falconhead West - Bee Cave Austin TX was on KVUE News yesterday.  Last winter, we experienced very low temperatures and the propane tanks supplied by FerrellGas froze up and we were without heat for several days. I had an infant, only a few weeks old, and our house was 53 degrees. It wasn't until day 2 where Ferrell Gas offered to put up homeowners at a local hotel, but I wasn't going to pack up a 3 year old as well as an infant to live in a hotel. Way too much stuff to worry about, so we toughed it out at home. FerrellGas brought by firewood to use in our "gas" fireplaces and they did what they could to help restore the heat as quickly as they could. I made a comment on Twitter, and Ferrell Gas saw it and responded very quickly. It was in their best interest to make this situation bett... 07/12/2011

The Independence Day Celebration at the Hill Country Galleria in Bee Cave TX will take place on Saturday, July 2, 2011 from 4-10.  No, there won't be any fireworks as they've all been canceled, but there will be live music and fun for all!! Graphic courtesy of Hill Country Galleria's website. **Are You Packed Yet?** Donna Harris, REALTOR®RE/MAX Austin Skylinewww.DonnaHomes.comDonna@DonnaHomes.com Austin TX Real Estate and the surrounding areas of Lakeway, Bee Cave, West Lake Hills, Cedar Park, Round Rock, Spicewood, Circle-C, Steiner Ranch, and everywhere in between... Hill Country Austin TX Real Estate and beyond. Whether you're buying or selling an Austin home, I'll be with you every step of the way.  For real time Austin TX listings, click here. ** Multi-Million Dollar Producer Year ... 06/30/2011

Lake Pointe - Bee Cave Austin TX - Homes for Sale are holding strong!  Year to date, there have been a total of 23 properties closed and another 11 that are currently contract pending. That's 34 sales thus far! There are currently 20 Active houses for sale in Lake Pointe.  Since that shows less than a 6 month inventory, it's definitely not a buyer's market in Lake Pointe! Moreover, of the 20 closed properties, only 3 were foreclosures and of the 11 pending, only 1 was a foreclosure. Not a single house for sale in Lake Pointe Austin TX is currently in foreclosure. That's awesome news! Here is a sales chart with the foreclosures taken out since they skew the numbers. (Foreclosures should only be taken into account for property values when they are a good percentage of the community. 4 out... 06/23/2011

New Construction homes are being built right and left all over the Austin area, including my own neighborhood of Falconhead West in Bee Cave TX.  Right across the street from me, as I'm looking out my office window, they're pouring a new slab to build another new home. How many people does it take to pour a slab?  I've counted 14 people plus a line of 7 concrete trucks up and down both ends of my street.  It's a process that they definitely have down. As one truck is emptied, it pulls away and another takes its place... **Are You Packed Yet?** Donna Harris, REALTOR®RE/MAX Austin Skylinewww.DonnaHomes.comDonna@DonnaHomes.com Austin TX Real Estate and the surrounding areas of Lakeway, Bee Cave, West Lake Hills, Cedar Park, Round Rock, Spicewood, Circle-C, Steiner Ranch, and everywhere in ... 06/17/2011

WCID 17 - Outdoor Watering - Mandatory 2 days a week. For residential properties, odd numbered addresses can only water on Wednesday and Saturday.  Even numbered properties can only water on Thursday and Sunday. This is mandatory from May 1st - September 30th.  I can tell you that they're serious about the time too. We had our sprinklers on Sunday night, and apparently one of the cycles had not finished until just after midnight, and we got a "Warning". After midnight is considered Monday and not Sunday.  They should more focus on the people watering in the middle of the day when the sun is blazing or even at 7pm at night when it's still 100 degrees, and not people watering in the middle of the night when it's cooler which allows the water to soak in.  After a warning, it's a $200 fine ... 06/16/2011

Falconhead - Spillman Ranch - Bee Cave Austin TX Home Sales are fairing quite nicely. Back in March, my Falconhead Market Report showed only one sale year to date. Since then, there have been a total of 10 sales year to date in Falconhead Spillman Ranch. That's some good activity. The chart above shows some further information about Falconhead Spillman Ranch real estate in Bee Cave Austin TX. There are currently 15 Active listings, and not a single one of those are a Foreclosure!! There are 5 properties that are under contract that are awaiting closing, and not a single one of those are a Foreclosure!! I've said it before, and I'll say it again, if you're looking for Foreclosures because you want a "deal", you're going to be waiting a long time as Foreclosures in this area are very few ... 06/16/2011