Natural disasters, theft, and other home security problems can arise no matter the technology or attention that you give to your home. But preparing your home with practical safety measures is a powerful way to enhance the safety of your family, and alleviate the problem or damages these incidents cause.

Central Texas isn’t exactly the most dangerous place to live in the U.S., but even the safest places on earth are far from perfect. Theft, fire, and weather are a possibility no matter where you turn. Those who desire more safety for their family can easily improve their security with a few intentional investments of time or money.

Here are a few ways to improve the safety of your Central Texas home:

1. Always Give The Appearance Of Someone…

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For somewhere to qualify as a lucrative place for homeowners to lease out their properties, the city should offer several traits. The most optimal locations tend to be areas popular to young families, and where local universities consistently attract students to the area.

With those factors in mind, Austin is a great city for taking the plunge into your landlord business. With many young families moving to the area, and the thriving campuses of Austin Community College and The University of Texas at Austin, local property managers have a long future of business to look forward to.

But becoming a landlord is not usually a get-rich-quick scheme. There is a lot that goes into being a successful property manager, especially at the beginning when…

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Locals are the first to brag about the experience of living in Austin, Texas. Their happiness has spurred a migration of families from every corner of the country who couldn’t resist all that is offered in this slice of the Hill Country.

New families come to Austin every day. The healthy lifestyles, booming job market, year-round warm weather, and renowned cuisine is enough to incentivize people to try Austin for themselves.

As real estate agents, we know that exciting and tasty motivations are not all that gets factored into a move. Choosing the next city to call home is a decision that considers job possibilities, housing costs, and more. To help families looking for their next home, we devoted this blog series to compare Austin real estate to…

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There’s no denying it. Texas heat found us again.

High Central Texas temperatures are great for swimming, but can be real a downer when that heat penetrates your home and proves stronger than your air conditioning. Many families rack up enormous utility bills in the summer just to combat those local temperatures.

But Texas heat doesn’t have to break the bank. There are several easy tricks for lowering your utility costs while still enjoying the pleasure of a/c.

Before you spend a fortune by cranking down the temperature, give a few of these money-saving tips a try for keeping your house cool.

1. Don’t Fall For This Common Air Conditioning Myth

There’s a myth that for years has instructed families to turn up their temperature whenever they…

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Have you ever wondered how Austin real estate costs compare to other major cities across the U.S.? We were curious too.

Austin’s delicious food, prolific creativity, booming industries, and vast outdoors are no national secret. More families are won over by our awesome city every single day. But these aren’t the only features that qualify a town to be the next place a family calls home. One of the most important factors behind any move is affordability.

Cost of living considers many income and expense variables. Before moving, it’s worth looking into the average rental cost, grocery bills, and median incomes of that city. Since JB Goodwin is a team of expert real estate agents, we decided that crafting a blog series that compares Austin’s cost of…

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School is out!

That means parents are scrambling to schedule fun activities to keep their kids active and learning during the summer break.

Fortunately, Austin is a place where healthy living is valued and boredom is hard to achieve. If you’re new to the area or simply looking for a reminder of the fun places to take your kids, we’ve narrowed down some of our favorite healthy summer activities.

1. Explore The Greenbelt

For locals, this one is the most obvious. For newbies, this is arguably the best gem we can provide. Miles and miles of beautiful nature trails run right through Austin’s backyard. Find the entrance nearest your home, and your kids will swim and explore to their hearts’ content.

2. Swim At Deep Eddy

Don’t forget your…

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For about a year, a small mystery existed regarding the future of one of the most famous buildings in Austin. It began in 2015 when the Cox family purchased the Austin-American Statesman building, a property on Congress Ave, just south of Lady Bird Lake. Anyone who has been to the Congress Ave Bridge to view the bats coming out at dusk has seen the nondescript building just south of the knoll where many stand to view the iconic Austin bats.

The intriguing thing about this purchase, and perhaps why it drove so much curiosity, was the fact that the Cox family has owned the publication since 1976.

Speculations quickly began among local real estate companies in 2015 about whether this expensive property was soon to return to the market. Recently, some…

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When it comes to affordability, families don’t usually shop in big cities when they hope to land a real estate bargain. Home shoppers know they’ll pay more to experience the conveniences that major cities provide.

But a new study from gobankingrates.com revealed that when it comes to measuring the comfort of residents’ cost of living, Austin goes against the major city grain. In the study, not only did Austin prove to be one of the most comfortable cities, but Texas was also concluded as the state whose cities offered their residents the most cost-friendly living situations compared to the rest of the nation.

The study said, “Texas is the state that boasts the most cities in which the median income is enough for a comfortable living”.

In…

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Investment is a term that seizes the attention of even the least business-minded person in a room. When we hear the term, many of us imagine dollar signs, remember our Economics 101 professor, or picture Scrooge McDuck swimming through his sea of gold coins.

In real estate, we toss this term around often. When someone purchases a home, REALTORS® like to communicate every benefit that comes from owning a home. And since real estate investing is such a profitable option in the Central Texas’ market, we find no reason to hold back our enthusiasm about the opportunities we see.

Investment sparks a lot to think about for a family. While you weigh your options about whether to purchase a house or to throw all your extra cash into the stock market,…

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Everyone dreams about what they’ll look for in a first home. Many Texans prefer city living, while others choose a multi-acre property on the outskirts of town. Some consider lavish spaces, and still others prefer a small house with minimalist furniture and design.

Home preferences can feel as distinct as our fingerprints, but the truth is that our housing preferences aren’t as different from one another as they might feel.

At the end of the day, housing trends exist, even to distinguish generation from generation. Many factors play into generational trends:

  • New ideas and technology
  • Economic booms or burdens
  • Community values
  • Celebrity preferences
  • Lifestyle needs
  • And much, much more

The Wall Street Journal collected a…

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