Downtown Austin is growing faster than ever. Well, maybe not ever, but more than in the last 14 years I have lived here. The city council and the community in gereral is pushing for growing the downtown into a live-work area with high density, shops downstairs, and living upstairs. The term is "multi-use" and it is pretty much pretty much the montra for Austin real estate. There are 10+ condo projects going up in the next couple years that cater to the different appeals of living in downtown Austin.
A couple condos are situated at the turn of the river in downtown Austin, taking advantage of views down the river. The first time I saw the views, I was pretty surprised. You can see all the way down the river from the Congress bridge, past the Lamar Bridge, and past downtown. One nice aspect about these places is that there is not much chance of anything being built in the way of the river view since you are at the bend. The two places are called The Milago and The Shores. The Milago is right at the bend of the river with only the Town Lake Trail between it and the water. If you want protected river views, The Milago is pretty much it. Also, to get any views, you need to be above the trees and that is at about the 6th floor as well as on the west side of the building; the east side of the building pretty much has nothing interesting right now. The Shores has a similar view corridor down the river and to the west and is a little more north of the Milago. It has the Mexican-American cultural center being built in front of it and has a low-rise, older townhome project that poses no threat as of now to block the view. This building is not as rectangular as The Milago so more of the units have some sort of view, whether it be the river or downtown.
Moving on to a another downtown Austin condo sector. Some hotels are renovating the top floors of their places or building new high-rises next-door to accomodate those who want more high-end services associated with hotels. They will have room service available, workout facilities, concierge, and whatnot. The Hilton probably has the most upper end units right now called the Five Fifty Five. To name a couple slick attributes, they feature wolf ovens, wood floors, 24hr. concierge & security, and walls of windows viewing Austin downtown. They have a couple penthouses left.
The other downtown Austin aspect of living that some condos will be banking on is the trend to live near walkable shops and restaurants. Clarksville is a neighborhood thriving around some shops and restaurants on West Lynn as well as the 6th & Lamar area. It is probably the closest actual neighborhood (meaning houses too) to downtown to the west. There's a local shop to walk to on West Lynn, and if you want more of a supermarket, the Whole Foods mothership headquarters complete with ice rink is at the corner of 6th & Lamar along with REI, Waterloo Records, Amys Ice Cream, and other fun stuff. The Nokonah is right there in the midst of all that. It was built in 2001, so it is all resale at this point, but a good location with concierge and security.
And of course, people just want to live by cool areas. Austin's South Congress is known for probably being the hippest street in Austin. It is so cool it has been abbreviated to be called SoCo. A couple different condo projects are popping up around that area. Most are the loft, slick style that blends with the SoCo area. One is practically the neighbor of a popular restaurant and club. It's a smaller condo project at only 14 units available and starting at 380K. A larger condo projects is being developed further down south called the SoCo Lofts. These will have bamboo floors and stainless appliances. They will not really be walkable to the SoCo shopping area but will be creating its own multi-use shopping, retail, and restaurants. Since they are a little more south from the saught-after SoCo strip of shops, they are a more affordable option, starting at 225K for a 1-1.
Another area in the south that is trying to model itself after SoCo is being coined as SoLa, or South Lamar. SoLa is parallel to SoCo and about 2 main streets west. It is not as dense with shops but city plans are in the works to rezone almost everything along the street between the river south to 71 to be multi-use. It could be pretty cool and much more expansive than the current SoCo. There are various condos planned to take advantage of the new SoLa. One is just south of the river called The Magnolia. They've already begun construction and are moving fast, targeting completion by July 2008. The funny story behind this location is that it used to be a Wendy's.
It will be interesting to watch Austin develop over the next several years. There are a number of downtown Austin Condos but the new ones that are coming online should widen the selection for people interested in living downtown. Additionally, the increased density should allow for more small shops and businesses to set up shop downtown which will hopefully make downtown a more walkable interesting location for years to come.
Escapeso Austin Real Estate is a husband and wife real estate team located in Austin Texas. Their site provides a free home search of the Austin MLS along with a custom Real Estate Calculator.


Tips and advice for buying an overseas property off plan
Buying off-plan is a very popular way of purchasing overseas property these days. As the name suggests, this involves making a commitment to buy a property that has yet to be built. Selling off-plan reduces the investment required to get a project started. This advantage is passed on to the buyer as a discounted price, often significantly below the market value of a similar completed property. The buyer also benefits from any increase in property values during the building period, which can be significant.
The decision to buy off-plan is based on information provided by the developer or estate agent. This should include details of the location; a site and floor plan; information about the materials to be used, communal facilities and prices. There should also be a construction and payment schedule. Carefully compare the details with other developments. Some companies include balconies, and even internal walls, when calculating the size of a property, so clarify this before making comparisons. It’s also a good idea to visit the site to check the surroundings.
The buyer then secures a property by paying a reservation fee, typically £500-£2,500, and signing a contract. Do not hand over any money without having a contract in place. As with any contract, it is wise to have an independent solicitor check the document before signing. They will also check that the developer has authority to build on the land and that all the building permissions are in place. You should also check the service charges when the property is completed.
Payment is usually in installments and may be due on dates specified in the contract. Alternatively, payments may be linked to the building process. This gives the buyer security, allowing them to withhold payment if work has not been completed. It is a good idea to personally inspect the property before releasing the final payment. As an incentive to get the job done on time some developers include a penalty clause, with payments made to the purchaser if completion is delayed. By law in some countries construction companies must give a guarantee on materials.
You should opt for a developer who has completed several similar developments, and, if possible, visit one of them for a look around. You can also ask the developer for references from previous clients and check whether they are registered with the local chamber of commerce.
Dominic Whiting is a journalist and publisher of the Buying in Property Guides www.buyinginguides.info


Starting On Your Move Early
OK: Here is the situation, your home is going on the market and you are wondering what to keep around for the showing and what to remove. It;s a pretty standard concern and much of the time people incorrectly assess what stays and what goes. The simple fact of the matter is that you are moving anyway, why not take the opportunity to get some stuff packed and ready to go. Remember that there does not have to be a lot of stuff in the home for it to show properly.
What is required for a home to show to it's full potential? Well, the major pieces of furniture are essential. There is nothing worse than selling a home with no furniture in it at all. It becomes harder for buyers to imagine what furniture will look like in the home. What can go is all of the little things that we tend to collect in our homes. Go through each room and find the things that you do not use daily. You would be amazed at how the removal of these things can open up a home. Essentially a home simply needs enough furniture to give buyers an idea of the available space.
Another mistake that many people make is thinking that their personal items like pictures and curios help to make the home "warm and inviting." This is not so. In fact, this makes it more difficult for viewers to feel at home. They are trying to imagine themselves and their family living in the home, pictures of someone else's family can very easily get in the way of this.
The best way to eliminate these items is to get an early start on your packing. If you have purchased another home already then move your belongings over there, or to a storage unit. Of course you can start to organize your packed items in the garage, but be careful to do this in an organized manner as the garage is still part of the home and will likely be "poked through" like the other rooms.
Katie Lancelot is a professional and experienced Jacksonville, FL Realtor For elite service is the purchase or sale of Florida homes & condos, contact Katie soon or visit Lancelot's Castles at www.lancelotscastles.com