The Second Annual Community Showcase

A small group of home builders in Austin including Sterling Custom Homes will open their build sites to the public during the second annual Community Showcase at The Reserve at Lake Travis this weekend. The event will take place on Sunday, Oct. 23 from Noon to 5pm. This event will provide  a fantastic opportunity to see two beautiful Sterling Custom Homes near completion.

The two homes we are featuring in the showcase are both located on waterfront properties. The first is at 2109 Ruffian Heights Cove and has 4,649 square feet of living space with 4 bedrooms, 4 baths and 2 half baths. The second home at 1700 Poco Bueno Court is 5,381 square feet and has 4 bedrooms, 4 baths and 3 half baths. When you think of these two homes’ specs you might think that they are very similar. In fact, they are not. They are two completely different homes and both have very unique, Sterling features.

The best way to understand the unique features that we implement in our custom homes would be to come out and see them. When you come to The Reserve on Sunday and register for the event, you will be entered to win a 50” TV, a delightful companion to any custom media room or game room. We look forward to seeing you all on Sunday and discussing your luxury custom homes!

For more information about Sterling Custom Homes or the Community Showcase at The Reserve, email Gary Grambley at gary@sterlinghome.com or call him at (512) 263-2214.

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!

Our 22 years of experience as one of the area’s premier Austin home builders allows us to help our clients understand the impact of these important design decisions, guiding them to the layout that best fits their budgetary and aesthetic goals.

For more information, visit the Sterling Custom Homes website.

Sterling Custom Homes is quickly becoming the “builder of choice” for property owners interested in building the highest quality, best value custom Austin luxury real estate in The Reserve at Lake Travis!

Yesterday we poured our most recent foundation at the Mahood Residence, 2109 Ruffian Heights Cove, on a cliff overlooking the magnificent Lake Travis. This home will be a beautiful addition to that fine community and marks our second custom home of only a handful of custom home starts in the area.

The Reserve is a unique and coveted community boasting incredible Lake Travis frontage, a full-service Equestrian Center, a Lazy River Pool, world class Marina and a private Cypress Club Pavilion for its members. There’s really nothing like it in this area, with all these amenities constructed at this early stage of its existence.

The commitment shown by the Hal Jones Development team has made this a highly sought after destination and we look forward to working closely with them to provide their property owners with the very best value in the custom home building industry.

Since 1989, Sterling Custom Homes has been the choice of hundreds of discerning homebuyers. When you’re ready for the very best custom homebuilding experience in the Austin / Lake Travis area, let us show you the Sterling difference—a quality that makes us one of the area’s leading Austin home builders!

For more information about Sterling Custom Homes, visit our website.

At the Summer Blitz event, buyers can tour The Reserve’s new model home as well as two luxury custom homes, but that’s not all. Interested parties who purchase a qualified villa or home site during the event will receive a new 2011 Sea Ray Sundeck, 2011 Super Air Ski Nautic, 2011Kawasaki Jet Ski or a golf cart absolutely FREE.

Not only does this community feature beautiful home sites and gorgeous homes, but buyers will also find that The Reserve boasts amazing amenities as well. Just imagine sun-filled days of floating in the lazy river pool with a refreshing beverage from the swim up bar, driving your golf cart to the deep water marina or visiting the full service equestrian center.

Once you’ve found the perfect site at The Reserve at Lake Travis for your home, call Sterling Custom Homes to help you design the perfect abode. We’re one of the Austin area’s top Texas new home builders with more than 20 years of experience assisting buyers in designing the custom home of their dreams.

For more information about Sterling Custom Homes or to start designing the home of your dreams, visit our website.

Smoke Detectors: Make sure that there is one on each floor of your home, inspect them monthly to see that they’re working and change the batteries as needed.

Light Bulbs: Examine the bulbs in all of your fixtures to see that they are working and are the correct wattage as recommended by the manufacturer. Also, replace high-intensity with fluorescent bulbs that don’t produce as much heat.

Electrical Outlets: Check all outlets for frayed wires, loose-fitting plugs or other fire hazards such as overloaded electrical outlets, fuse boxes and extension cords.

Fire Extinguisher: Locate your multi-purpose fire extinguisher to make sure it’s accessible, filled and ready for operation. If you don’t own one already, purchase one.

Air Conditioning System: Have a professional inspect your air conditioning system to make sure everything is in working order.

Roof: Check for damage to your roof. Also, clean gutters and downspouts of any accumulated debris.

Water Heater: Check for leaks and corrosion. Fix or purchase a new unit as needed.

Furnace: Clean or replace your furnace filter.

While you’re cleaning your home, if you’ve noticed that it no longer fits your needs then contact us. We’re Austin home builders with more than 20 years of experience. We can help you design the home of your dreams based on your individual style and preferences.

For more information, visit the Sterling Custom Homes website.

Boasting a bird’s eye panoramic view of Lake Austin, the Austin skyline and the Pennybacker Bridge, Mount Bonnell is the perfect spot for exercise enthusiasts who enjoy hiking and nature buffs looking for a relaxing place to have a picnic. It’s also a great backdrop for special occasion photography sessions to celebrate an engagement, wedding or graduation.

The overlook area has two access points: a rocky trail from the north and a steep set of stairs at the south end. However, don’t let that discourage you. Neither access point represents a major hike. Just make sure to wear a sensible pair of shoes and pack your water bottle and sunscreen.

Park hours are from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m., so there is plenty of time to get out and explore.

Mount Bonnell offers a great weekend destination. However, if you wish to enjoy beautiful lake views from the comfort of your own home, then consider giving us a call. We’re a builder on Lake Travis that can help you design a custom home with a luxurious outdoor living space that features peaceful views of the water.

For more information, visit the Sterling Custom Homes website.

With that in mind, three of the most important factors in choosing your builder are:

1)    The builder’s track record for managing funds. Has the builder ever been bankrupt, leaving clients and vendors in financial distress? This is not necessarily a result of tough economic times. It more often is an indicator that the builder lacks the organization and discipline to manage the funds for several complex building projects.

2)   The builder’s experience. Does your builder understand, through practical experience, the best practices of all aspects of homebuilding? When managing subcontractors, does your builder understand the shortcuts that they may try to take to save materials and time – jeopardizing the quality of your home? There is no substitute for experience.

3)   The builder’s processes. Has the builder developed processes for building new homes in Austin that make the experience both organized and enjoyable for you? Some builders have copied our processes and some have even given them fancy names, but nothing can replace the real-life experience from which those processes were created. The underlying systems that support the process are not so easy to duplicate.

At Sterling, we welcome the tough questions that have to be asked when choosing your builder. So do your homework. Don’t be fooled by fancy marketing pitches. Ask the hard questions up-front. The custom homebuilding experience can be fun and rewarding when you take the time to choose the right builder. For more information, visit the Sterling Custom Homes website.

Located at the Hill Country Galleria, near Lake Travis custom homes and off of Hwy 71 at 620, the event features many fun activities for the whole family. From arts and crafts to the boat expo and barbecue cook-off, everyone is sure to find something they enjoy.

Worried that your children may get bored? Bring them to the KidZone. For adults 21 and older, check out the Bloody Mary contest. And, everyone can enjoy the live music featuring Duck Soup and Bruce Robison.

The Lake Travis Springfest is a free event. However, there is a nominal fee for the KidZone: $4 per child or $10 for three children. For more information about the Lake Travis Springfest, visit the website.

Would you like to be located near all of the exciting events near Lake Travis? New home builder in Austin, Sterling Custom Homes, constructs luxury homes throughout the Austin, Texas area. For more information, visit the Sterling Custom Homes website.

By contrast, in a Fixed Price scenario, all the specifications and pricing for your home are worked out in advance. As a result, the buyer gains a comprehensive understanding of the budget. Delivering a Fixed Price does require more time up-front to identify the materials and finishes. The biggest drawback has always been the inordinate amount of time it took for the builder to obtain bids from suppliers and subcontractors. Sterling has solved this problem by developing a proprietary Specifications and Pricing module that allows us to front-load material and labor costs. This enables us to produce a Fixed Price in a matter of a few days, rather than weeks or months.

Once the price is determined, the builder assumes all the risk of the fluctuating material costs. Thus, the builder is quite willing to flex his purchasing power and hold the suppliers and subcontractors to their bids.

From a builders’ perspective, Fixed Price building is much more difficult to manage. It requires the luxury home builder to be more organized and analytical in running the business. However, when the system is applied by seasoned professionals – the bottom line benefit is that the client is protected from the instability and uncertainty of rising material and labor costs.

For more than 20 years, Sterling Custom Homes has provided the advantages of Fixed Cost building to its clients, producing the highest quality and best value in the custom home building industry. For more information, visit the Sterling Custom Homes website or call Gary Grambley at 512-263-2214.

#5… The Casita – This popular space is a Guest Room on the main level of the house that is accessed from an outside entrance. It can be incorporated into a beautiful courtyard or situated near the swimming pool with a view of the Lake. We have incorporated Casita’s into many custom homes over the last five years.

#4 … The Combination Media Room/Game Room – This versatile space was born of the desire to have more public, social access to a large, main viewing screen. Opening up the Media Room to the Game Room has created a fresh new way to entertain for our clients. In many applications we have included a heavy theater curtain that can close the Media Room off from the Game Room when the true theater experience is desired.

#3 … The Outdoor Living Space – This area has become more important to our clients as they create an area to relax and/or entertain outside of the home. The Outdoor Living Area has become more spacious with nicer finishes and more substantial furniture. With misters for cooling and heaters for heating, it’s viable year-round.

#2 … The Disappearing Glass Wall – This feature has grown in popularity since we introduced it to the Austin market in 2004. An interlocking glass door system that pockets into the wall, this feature creates seamless flow from inside the home to an inviting Outdoor Living Area. It always frames a magnificent view and has plenty of WOW factor! We have installed more than 30 of these systems and continue to include them in our most recent designs.

#1 … The Outdoor Shower – This feature gets top billing because it is the most recent addition to our custom home designs. We are currently building two homes with this unique feature. Usually designed to be accessed from inside the master shower through a commercial grade, waterproofed door, the outdoor shower has become popular based on experiences our clients had while vacationing at beautiful, high-end resorts.

As luxury home builders, we’d love to incorporate your unique ideas into a custom home that your family will cherish for years to come. To learn more about our award-winning quality and unmatched customer service, please call Gary Grambley at 512-263-2214.