Archive for May, 2010
Formula 1 Racing Signs Agreement with Austin
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Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™ racing has chosen Austin, Texas to serve as the host city of the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™ from 2012 through 2021. This is a historical moment for the sport and the city as it is the first time a facility has been built with the sole purpose of hosting the popular sport.
Austin is well-suited to Formula 1 for many of the same reasons that families like to call Austin Home. From its fine dining, to excellent transportation to the beautiful geography, Austin is a beautiful city to visit and a beautiful place to build the luxury custom home you have always envisioned.
Did you know that Texas has the 11th strongest economy in the world and that it has more Fortune 500 company headquartered there than any other Read More→
It should come as no surprise that while the job market deteriorates across the nation, Austin is acknowledged by Yahoo Hot Jobs as one of Texas’ great cites that proposes expected job growth for 2010. This is no shock to those of us at Sterling Custom Homes as we have been blogging for several months about Austin’s quick recovery from the recession. We have referred to various reports from Forbes, CEO Magazine, The Milken Institute, Adversity Index, Bizjournal.com and other sources which consistently state that Austin has out performed all other major Texas cities and regularly other large cities in the nation.
Leading factors that hove kept Austin soaring throughout the nationwide recession are:
- Low unemployment
- A major research university in the capitol city
- Leading jobs in the high-tech industry Read More→
Made in Texas
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Texas may be known as the longhorn state, but there are lots of things made in Austin that have little to do with cows or cowboys. We are certainly known for our cowboy boots and hats, Texas BBQ and Texas pride. But, did you know that Texas produces a wide variety of products, including chemical, chemical products, petroleum, food and food products, transportation equipment, machinery, and primary and fabricated metals. In fact, the area from Dallas-Fort Worth to Austin has in recent years become known as the “Silicon Prairie. ” This name refers to all of the electronics and computer equipment that are manufactured in the area.
Another “techie area” that you might not associate with Austin is the Made in Texas Film Series. Presented by the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum and the Austin Film Festival, this series of seven summer films are made by Texas filmmakers or filmed in Texas. Sponsored by the Texas Film Commission, screenings take place in the Read More→
Granite and Stone Care
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Now that you are enjoying your beautiful Austin Custom Home, make sure you know the best way to care for your gorgeous granite or stone countertops. Granite countertops will retain their natural beauty if you treat them with a reasonable amount of basic care. Follow these tips from Bob Scanlon with Renaissance Stone Works, LLC to keep your stone surfaces looking their best.
- Clean the counter top with warm water and a few drops of mild or antibacterial dishwashing detergent. Rinse the surface thoroughly and dry with a soft cloth. Don’t use abrasive dry or soft cleaners or those containing harsh chemicals like ammonia.
- Granite can take hot pans, but not hot fat. Avoid placing anything with hot cooking oils on the counter top.
- Avoid cutting directly on granite. It doesn’t hurt the granite; however, it dulls the knives.
- We recommend that you reseal the countertop every 1 to 2 years for Read More→
Texas is a great place to do business and Austin is certainly no exception to this list. Austin is a great place to work, live and raise a family. And when you are shopping for Austin custom homes, there is no better builder to work with than Sterling Custom Homes. Chief Executive magazine recently surveyed 651 CEOs nationwide to determine the best and worst states to do business in and Texas once again tops the list.
Texas is ranked as the second-most populated state and it represents the world’s 12th largest economy. Amazingly 70 percent of all new U.S. jobs have been created in Texas since 2008. So it is not surprising that it scores high in all the areas CEOs value the most.
According to the Census Bureau, Texas gained over 848,000 net new residents in the last 10 years. This is not surprising considering the low cost Read More→