Georgetown, Texas Real Estate Blog Your Host: Edward Lui

I’m helping a friend of mine buy a large home and we ran across this home on 13 Sarazen Loop. This home is located in Berry Creek, a private golf course community in Georgetown, Texas that has homes ranging from the high $100’s to the $700’s and up.

One of the services that I provide my buyers is that I take pictures of the interior of the home for them and then post them on my Picassa Web Album. I forward my clients a link to the pictures so they can share them with family and friends, and “re-visit” the home conveniently through the Internet in case they forgot how something looked like.

What I’m field testing now is using video instead. This enables my client to get a better feel for how the rooms are connected, something that pictures can’t do. It also allows me the creative freedom to play around with iMovie on my Mac and still call it work:) So recently, I’ve been getting more familiar with YouTube to upload my videos. Check out my profile here

The beauty of using YouTube is that I can give my clients a better feel for the home and at the same time, I can use the videos to give the “outside” world a tour of the local Georgetown, Texas real estate market. So here’s the rookie tour…hope you don’t get motion sickness. I’m still working on technique.

You can read more details on Berry Creek Country Club and search all the homes available in Georgetown golf course communities through this page: Golf courses in Georgetown Texas

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You hear a lot about how Georgetown, Texas is such a great place to live for people who work in Austin. But what about 30 minutes in the other direction North? Well, that would land you right in Temple and the entire Killeen/Ft. Hood area. Don’t be scared off by the picture on the left…that would be more like your commute to Austin, then Temple. You see, if you’re heading north, there rarely is any traffic! Heading south into Austin, well, that’s another story.

I have recently had an influx of clients who are working in Temple/Ft. Hood/Killeen and one thing that is important to all of them is the drive time. So here’s a little research I put together thanks to the power of Google maps.

These calculations were done to the entrance of the neighborhood to the Hwy 195 exit 268. You’ll want to add another minute or two to get to the actual home.

These are all close to 10 minutes or less:

Shady Oaks = 4.1 Miles                          (6 Minutes)
Berry Creek/Logan Plateau = 4.5 Miles   (8 Minutes)
Falls of San Gabriel = 5.8 Miles              (9 Minutes)
Georgetown Village = 5.4 Miles              (9 Minutes)
Historic Georgetown Square = 5.4 Miles (9 Minutes)
River Chase = 6.7 Miles                           (9 Minutes)
Wood Ranch = 7.5 Miles                          (11 Minutes)

These are all 15-20 minutes:

Fountainwood Estates = 8.4 Miles              (14 Minutes)
Cimarron Hills = 11.9 Miles                        (15 Minutes)
Woodland Park = 9.1 Miles                          (15 Minutes)
Teravista = 12.2 Miles                                 (15 Minutes)
Mayfield Ranch = 13.7 Miles                       (15 Minutes)
Gabriels Overlook = 12.6 Miles                   (16 Minutes)
Behrens Ranch/Walsh Ranch 14.1 Miles      (16 Minutes)
Escalera Ranch = 12 Miles                           (17 Minutes)

From the Hwy 195 exit 268 to Temple exit 301 is 33.8 miles or 30 minutes. So you can get to Temple from any of these neighborhoods in 36 - 47 minutes one way. If you drive faster you can probably deduct another minute or two. Driving like a Grandma? Well, add another 5 minutes. Anyways, you get the point.

I’d be interested in some actual results! Do you live in one of these neighborhoods and work in Temple? How accurate are these times? Post your results!

Craftsman-style home by Green Builders in Georgetown Texas

A few weeks ago, I helped one of my favorite clients, Rod and Carol, purchase a home by Green Builders in my neighborhood Georgetown Village. This was very special for me because it now meant that I have sold every major builder that has been built in this neighborhood! That would include Perry Homes, Bowen Homes and Origin Homes; which are the current builders, and also some past builders like David Weekley, Lennar and Morrison. That seems like a lot of builders for a small neighborhood of around 500 homes like Georgetown Village, but as we move forward, it seems as though only Green Builders and Perry Homes will be doing the bulk of the building.

After I showed the home to Rod and Carol I jokingly told them that I liked the floorplan so much that if they didn’t buy it, I would! The funny thing is, soon after they closed on the home, a contract on this home (pictured above) fell through and it came back on the market. It was the same exact floorplan as the one I had sold to Rod and Carol! So after a few days of negotiation, I am now the future owner of a Green Builders home! The beauty of this is that it’s just 5 houses down on my same street…so no moving truck needed:)

My wife is pretty excited because we gain an extra bedroom and lots more space. It may not look very large, but it’s 2400 SF and has 4 bedrooms, a gameroom, a study and a large studio above the garage which adds an additional 400 SF.

This studio is the main reason we’re moving. I’ve been blessed to be able to work from home, but the downside is that it’s hard to focus and concentrate with 3 kids running around in the home! Now, I can bring clients to my office without having to do the “5 minute house clean-up”, I can better focus on my work, and I’ll be better able to STAY AWAY from work when I’m with the family. I mean, what good is it to work from home yet not gain any additional quality time with the family?

So, here’s to HIGHER quality family time and LOWER energy bills!

If you have an experience with Green Builders please share them with me on this post! This blog is boring without any outside feedback and what you have to contribute can help somebody else!

Check out my home video for the tour:

419 Keenland Drive - $219,900 with $5000 to be paid towards the BUYER’S closing costs! - 4 Bedrooms, Study, Gameroom and a Private Yard with Trees - located in Stonehedge neighborhood of Georgetown, Texas

Green Home Au Natural: You hear a lot about the energy-saving benefits of green building these days. Some of it is hype, but if you want a sure-fire way to lower the electricity bill: Buy a home that has trees large enough to give it some shade.

Situated on a large shady lot with mature trees that have stood the test of time. This home has a recently installed water heater, water softener & roof. Located near the SH130 toll road with quick access to the Innerloop and I35. Perfect gas saving location!

Floorplan designed for functionality: Sometimes a floorplan can be too open and as a result the rooms lose their sense of coziness and individuality. All of the rooms in this home are separated enough so that you can use all of them at once without feeling you’re in the middle of 3 different conversations. For example, you can have an intimate gathering of friends in the kitchen busily preparing a meal together and have a larger group of sports fans cheering on their favorite football team in the living room. The older children can be playing catch in the backyard on a cool, breezy day, while the toddlers are in the gameroom with big sister.

Interior Pictures (Click to enlarge):

keenland-disclosure

Since the living room and gameroom are high traffic areas, the builder had enough foresight to design the home so that they are on two different levels of the home. There is also a private study and formal dining room with bamboo flooring located towards the front of the home. The warm colors and quality flooring materials keep this 3000+ SF home feeling warm and inviting. But there’s only one way to find out for yourself…

If you’re tired of looking at large homes without any personality this home may be just what you’re looking for. With large amounts of livable space, and smart use of square footage, you might just find yourself having Aunt Suzie over more often. Unless, ofcourse, she lives right down the road. If you’re ready to see this home for yourself contact Edward at 512-554-9594.

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I have been wanting to write about my neighborhood, Georgetown Village, for quite some time. I live here. I buy and sell homes here. I invest in rental homes here. One day in the future, I will even shop here, once the developer starts working on the much anticipated multi-use development that many residents are waiting for. To get you a bit more familiar with my neighborhood, here are three good reasons to look at Georgetown Village if you are making a move to Georgetown, Texas:

1. This is the ONLY neighborhood in Georgetown, Texas with an on-site Elementary School. Yup, that’s right. And not only that, Village Elementary has been given the highest rating (Exemplary), making it one of the best schools in Georgetown, Texas. Now if that doesn’t give parents who send their kids to private school or who home school, a reason to switch, I don’t know what will!

2. The developer-owned Green Builders is making an industry statement in Georgetown by building environmentally friendly homes that are also friendly to the homeowner’s utility bills. All the other builders in Georgetown, Texas can say they have ceiling fans and double-paned windows…big deal. These guys take the next step and utilize foam insulation, low-volatile organic compound paints, and other architectural details like awnings or overhangs that provide additional shade in the home. Here are a couple homes in Austin they put their brand on:

3. Primo-location - Georgetown Village is super close to Hwy 195 (for those working in Killeen/Ft. Hood), SH130 and future Parmer Lane/Ronald Reagen Blvd (for those still stuck in their Austin jobs) and ofcourse the wonderful Interstate 35 for those who work in Temple or Round Rock. Even if you’re fortunate enough to work from your home, this makes it easier for friends and family to find you.

(”A” icon denotes location of Georgetown Village)

STUNNING ARCHITECTURE. Built on a breath-taking bluff, Jack Hunnicutt and Bryant Boyd have teamed up to create an architecturally unique home that perfectly captures this view. One place you don’t have to worry about hanging pictures is the back of this home. Classic wood windows line the entire back wall of this home creating an almost seamless view from the Family Room to the Kitchen. Are you the type of family that needs a His and Hers Study? With 2 rooms adjacent to the Master Suite, you can turn these “flex” rooms into a study, playroom, hobby or fitness room! Two more bedrooms, a full bath and a flex room reside upstairs.

A HILL COUNTRY VIEW. If you’re tired of looking at homes that claim to have a Hill Country View and all you see is what amounts to a large field, here is something different: A genuine Hill Country View. Homes that have unique views generally appreciate the quickest…here’s your chance to soak in this view every waking day.

River Ridge is easily accessible from Parmer Lane or IH 35 – just 15 minutes from 1431 off either major artery. Walking distance to an elementary and middle school. Just 5 minutes to Wolf Ranch and downtown Georgetown!

If you’re in Austin and are looking to retreat from the hustle and bustle of big city life, you owe it to yourself to see this home! The Master Suite is on the first level (read: MAKE THE GUESTS CLIMB THE STAIRS!) and you have a large workshop/storage area so you can actually park both cars in the garage!

This home has 3329 SF, 3 Bedrooms and 3 “flex” rooms. Contact Edward at 512-554-9594 for your private viewing today!
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Located on a quiet street close to the San Gabriel Park in Georgetown, Texas. Imagine being able to walk or bike just a few minutes to a 130 acre park and meander through a hike and bike trail speckled with 200 year old oak trees along the San Gabriel River. Of the $15,000 in recent upgrades, this is the best feature of 108 Benchmark Street.

Click here to view flier: Benchmark Flier

Experience a unique care-free lifestyle in Georgetown, Texas! Come to our clubhouse hut, relax in the shade by the pool, make some new friends while the kabobs and margaritas are made!!! Join us for our FREE Pool Luau Party on Sat. Oct. 6th from 4 - 6 pm. I’d love to meet you!

~David

Let’s welcome our newest contributor to this blog: David Blackburn

He will be the driving force behind a new development located in the hot area of NW Georgetown and is here to engage with anybody interested in these homes. Keep checking back to this blog for events and information related to the Oaks at Wildwood!

~Edward