Archive for January, 2010
While we may be in the dead of winter, it is not too soon to start thinking about home maintenance. Preventative measures are the best thing you can do as a homeowner because it’s much cheaper to maintain than to repair. We at Sterling Custom Homes want to help you out with some of the basics, so if you can get through this list, you’ll be set for the year:
- Inspect your smoke detectors, and make sure that there is one on each floor of your home. Test them monthly, and change the batteries annually or as needed.
- Check the light bulbs in all your fixtures to be sure they are the correct wattage as recommended by the manufacturer.
- Replace all high-intensity bulbs (such as incandescent) with fluorescent bulbs that don’t produce as much heat.
- Check your electrical outlets for potential fire hazards such as frayed wires or loose-fitting plugs. Be sure not to overload electrical outlets, fuse boxes, extension cords or any other power service.
- Keep a multi-purpose fire extinguisher accessible, filled and ready for operation.
- Have your air conditioning system inspected by a professional as recommended by the manufacturer. Read More→
The Austin-Round Rock 5 county metro area secured the #1 rank for Best-Performing Cities 2009, based on dominant economic performance. This study, released early December 2009 by the Milken Institute isn’t simply a marketing ploy by the Austin Chamber of Commerce; it is backed by a thorough analysis comparing the largest 200 US metro areas.
How does Austin’s economy consistently thrive? The obvious must always be stated~ it is home to the state capital and a major research university. However, there are other contributing factors to the ranking: successful recruiting of technology firms to Austin from the Silicon Valley (Corvalent); two Australian software firms (Interspire and Oxygen) who established their north American headquarters in Austin based on its strong talent base and low living and business costs; an entrepreneurial presence~ the metro area holds the fourth highest rate of self-employment in the U.S.; clean energy partnerships have landed in Austin to develop a leading-edge clean power system, green energy technologies and create jobs in the region. Read More→
We are so happy that Forbes has finally made public one thing we have always known – Austin is a great city to spend time outdoors. Thanks to a mix of mild weather and plentiful park land, lakes and springs, residents in metro Austin can look to their backyards almost year-round in order to spend a day outside. Based on a Forbes.com report, Austin is the #11 Best City for Outdoors based on the following:
- Park land as percentage of city land: 16.5 %
- Average annual sunny days: 60%
- Average total inches of snowfall: 1
- Days with temps 90 degrees or higher: 109
- Days with temps 32 degrees or lower: 60
- Days with measurable precipitation: 78
- Days with unhealthy air quality: 10 Read More→
The “Old Phonebook” Approach
Posted by:
At Sterling Custom Homes, we have developed an award-winning, accredited seminar series that allows local Realtors to learn all about the custom home building process. So if you have homebuyers planning to build Austin Custom Homes, this seminar is a don’t miss! Included in the seminar is a discussion about how to choose a custom builder. It talks about the due diligence that one should undertake to make sure that they are choosing a builder that can produce the quality, value and ongoing service that the client expects.
A Realtor at a recent seminar approached me after the session and explained her system for recommending a Texas custom home builder to her clients. She said that she has kept phone books from years past and that she simply pulls out a local phone book from ten years ago and asks her clients to see if they recognize any of the names in the Custom Home builder section. What a great idea! Read More→
Sterling Custom Homes is dedicated to being the most informed, educated and inspired home builder in Austin, Texas. The International Builders’ Show is THE premier industry event and an educational retreat that Sterling employees eagerly anticipate. With over 175 educational sessions presented by industry experts and over 1,100 exhibitors, Sterling has the opportunity to discover many new products for the building industry and ideas relating to architecture and design, construction codes, methods and systems, green building, economic trends, organization/business management, sales/marketing and innovation/technology.
In addition to the educational opportunities, Sterling carefully combs the show floor for new product innovations that will be incorporated into their award-winning designs in the years to come. Read More→