Archive for August, 2011
Sterling Custom Homes Builds Green Austin Luxury Real Estate
After more than 75 days in a row of at least 100 degree temperatures, Austin, TX continues to heat up, leaving many of us inside our Austin luxury real estate with the air conditioning going full-blast. Experts at Austin Energy have issued warnings that the city’s power grid could fail if we do not conserve electricity between the peak consumption hours between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. You can help do your part by unplugging appliances not in use, turning lights off, waiting to do laundry and dishes, and setting your thermostat to 78 when you are home, and 85 when you are not. Fortunately at Sterling Custom Homes, we make it a little easier to beat the Texas heat while conserving energy.
Not only do we build luxury custom homes in Austin, but energy efficient homes at that. Sometimes it’s the things that you can’t see that makes our homes even more luxurious. Our construction methods of your home helps keep your energy consumption lower, while keeping your home cooler. We are fortunate to have two members of the Sterling Team, Duke McDowell and Vick Pope, who have earned their Certified Green Professional (CGP) designations from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Earning the CGP title requires certification in a program specifically designed to qualify a builder as an expert in Green Building. It then requires continuing attention to, and education in, the newest green building products and technologies. Read More→
Austin City Limits Music Festival
After searching and finally finding the perfect Austin luxury real estate near all of the exciting events that the city has to offer, it’s time to get out and explore. And, what better way to start than by attending the 10th Annual Austin City Limits music festival on Sept. 16, 17 and 18 at Zilker Park? But, you must act fast: tickets are quickly selling out.
And with this year’s lineup, there’s no wonder tickets are a hot commodity. Some of the artists and bands you’ll hear include Stevie Wonder, Arcade Fire, Coldplay, Kanye West, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Cee Lo, Ray LaMontagne, Iron & Wine, Young The Giant and countless more.
Although the main attraction is the music, that’s not all that this festival is about. Need to cool off? Check out The Dell Lounge powered by VISION. Thirsty? Stop by one of the CamelBak Filling Stations to refresh your taste buds with some cool, freshly filtered and FREE water. Looking for a new ride? Visit the Honda Zone for a chance to win a free 2012 Civic Si Coupe. Or, if shopping is your thing then stop by the SoCo Art Market where more than 30 vendors will be selling their wares. Read More→
Sterling Custom Homes Supports the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Central and South Texas
For Austin home builder Sterling Custom Homes, supporting its employees isn’t just about making sure they have adequate working conditions and sufficient time off; it’s about uplifting them so that they feel empowered to go out and make a difference in the community. In an effort to support its employees beyond the traditional call of duty, Sterling Custom Homes recently presented a $2,500 check to the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Central and South Texas in support of an employees’ fund raising goal.
“Several months ago I met with Duke McDowell, President of Sterling Custom Homes, and talked with him about my goal of raising money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation® in conjunction with my training for the San Antonio Marathon this fall,” explains Gary Grambley, Sales and Marketing Director at Sterling. “I went into the meeting with the intention of soliciting a $1,000 donation. When I told Duke about my plans and that a $1,000 donation would help me kick off the program, he offered, without hesitation, to match the first $2,500 I raised for the charity. I was blown away by his generosity!” Read More→
Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival Heats Up Texas
As if Texas wasn’t hot enough already, things are about to heat up later this month at the 21st Annual Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival on Sunday, Aug. 28 from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Waterloo Park. This is a festival that’s too sizzlin’ to miss. So leave the air conditioned comfort of your Austin luxury real estate for an afternoon of fun while amateurs and pros alike take their hottest sauces to compete in the taste-off.
Hot sauce makers can compete on three levels including individuals who submit homemade sauces, restaurants and commercial bottlers. With so much hot sauce available, there will be plenty for all festival goers to try.
In addition to hot sauces, food vendors will be on hand to serve up their most delicious creations. Some of the restaurants include Aster’s Ethiopian Restaurant, Buffalo Billiards, Curra’s Grill, Sun Garden Shaved Ice and Torchy’s Tacos. Also, there will be merchants from across the Southwest with cookbooks, fresh peppers and pepper memorabilia for sale. Read More→
You’ve chosen your lot; you’re ready to build your Austin luxury real estate…What do you need to do to make sure you take advantage of that killer view?
At Sterling Custom Homes, we love to be involved with our clients from the very start. Laying out the footprint of the home is an important first step in the design process and it requires careful consideration. Of course most clients are interested in maximizing a certain view corridor, but there are many other variables at play that need to be discussed. Sun orientation, slab heights, trees, access – these are just a few of the topics that arise when we meet on the lot with our client and the architect. Once these topics are discussed, we can assess which views are most important to the client and from which rooms they would like the views to be seen.
The above picture illustrates the design of this Lake Travis home which frames the view of the cove leading to the main body of Lake Travis. What you don’t see are the many factors that were considered before the decision was made to adopt this orientation and maximize the view. The home is actually turned at the end of an entry corridor to look out over the back right corner of the lot, rather than looking directly back parallel from the street. The results are spectacular! Read More→