If this bill becomes law your health care choices will be drastically reduced, and many of the supplements available today will become illegal.  This and other provisions of this misguided legislation affect ALL dietary supplements, including vitamins, minerals, herbs, sports, and diet products.

The supposed purpose of the bill is to make dietary supplements “safer,” which is ironic because dietary supplements already have an excellent safety record.  It also ignores the fact that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration already have the powers they need to police the market.

Click here to send a note in opposition to S. 3002 directly to your two Senators or use the information on the website to write a personal letter.  Either way, you need to act immediately.  Do not let Congress take away your right to dietary supplements.

-Excerpted from www.saveoursupplements.com

View my Housing Trends Newsletter for February for a one minute housing market video report from Chief Economist Ted C. Jones and view US home statistics.

Looking to buy? Search all Austin homes here.

Want to buy, but can’t get approved through a lender? Ask me about available owner finance homes in the Austin area. Call 512.762.0923 today for a list of Austin owner finance homes.

]]> http://realtexasagents.com/live-green-in-austin/real-estate/housing-trends-february/feed/ 0 http://realtexasagents.com/live-green-in-austin/real-estate/market-analysis/ http://realtexasagents.com/live-green-in-austin/real-estate/market-analysis/#comments Mon, 01 Feb 2010 01:35:34 +0000 Angela http://realtexasagents.com/live-green-in-austin/?p=222 For a complimentary Highest Price Market Analysis, fill out the quick form below and submit!

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Our Listing Services Include:

-Comprehensive Market Analysis
Option to preview comparable homes with agent
Ongoing market updates and monitoring of market activity

-Quality Photos

-Multiple Listing Service with full information and descriptive ad copy

-Extensive Internet Exposure
Showcase listing on Realtor.com
Real Texas Agents Website
Personalized Property Website*

-Craigslist: Full color html flyer posted with home photos, re-posted every two weeks

-Virtual Tour**

-Stepstone Realty yard sign

-Professional property flyers

-Home Information Binder and Financing Option Sheets

-‘Table Top’ stand and other signs in the home highlighting various features

-Open House (optional)

-Area Property Tour, exposure to other agents, neighbors, and centers of influence

-General Staging Consultation and tips for preparing home for effective showings

-Communication, weekly feedback, and follow up

* Personalized website for listings with sales price of $175,000+
**Virtual tour offered on listings with a sales price of $250,000+

All homes marketed with a website and virtual tour require an upfront fee of $250 that will be refunded at closing.

Five important factors that affect the sale of your property:

1. Location
2. Price
3. Condition
4. Market Conditions
5. Exposure and the Agent You Choose

You can’t change the location of your property, however, you can improve the condition and you absolutely must price the home effectively, especially in today’s market. When it’s time to sell your house, you need the best representation to make sure you get the most out of your investment.

Angela Sparks provides solutions and results for sellers through market knowledge, effective pricing, home staging, negotiation skills, and extensive marketing.

—————————————————————————————————————–——

Fill out the quick form below for a Highest Price Market Analysis for your property.

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Why do you need professional representation? Excellent question! Other than showing houses, negotiating is a key factor in any real estate transaction. It is not always a fun process to negotiate contracts, and if you are not experienced with the contracts or Realtor standards and practices, it could be very confusing, not to mention legal concerns that could come up. With our experience, we strive to make it as stress-free and pleasant as possible. In addition to the complimentary reports on our site, we have a list of trustworthy mortgage brokers and inspectors, and other service providers.

How do we get paid? Another great question. A common misconception is that you have to pay for Realtor services if you are buying a home. While it varies, traditionally the buyer’s agent is paid by the seller through the listing agent. Let’s say the listing agent is getting paid 6% of the sales price; that listing agent will typically commit to paying the buyer’s agent a percentage of that 6%. Some people think that they are saving money by not having an buyers agent, but this is rarely the case. In that situation, the 6% is just entirely paid to the listing agent. You save nothing and loose out on having a professional represent you to get you the best terms possible in the transaction.

Listing Services Include:

-Comprehensive Market Analysis
Option to preview comparable homes with agent
Ongoing market updates and monitoring of market activity

-Quality Photos

-Multiple Listing Service with full information and descriptive ad copy

-Extensive Internet Exposure
Showcase listing on Realtor.com
Real Texas Agents Website
Personalized Property Website*

-Craigslist: Full color html flyer posted with home photos, re-posted every two weeks

-Virtual Tour**

-Stepstone Realty yard sign

-Professional property flyers

-Home Information Binder and Financing Option Sheets

-‘Table Top’ stand and other signs in the home highlighting various features

-Open House (optional)

-Area Property Tour, exposure to other agents, neighbors, and centers of influence

-General Staging Consultation and tips for preparing home for effective showings

-Communication, weekly feedback, and follow up

AFFILIATIONS AND QUALIFICATIONS
• SRS (Seller Representative Specialist)
• GRI (Graduate Realtor Institute)
• CHMS (Certified Home Marketing Specialist)
• EcoBroker Certified
• Texas REALTOR®
• Member: National Association of Realtors (NAR)
• Member: Austin Board of Realtors (ABOR)
• Member: Austin Multiple Listing Service

Contact Angela: 512.762.0923
www.RealTexasAgents.com
www.LiveGreenInAustin.com
www.Vintage-Austin-Homes.com

* Personalized website for listings with sales price of $175,000+
**Virtual tour offered on listings with a sales price of $250,000+

All homes marketed with a website and virtual tour require an upfront fee of $250 that will be refunded at closing.

With winter over and spring officially here, our thoughts turn to the outdoors- gardening, camping, and just the pure indulgence of enjoying the sunshine.  However, with all of these sunny delights, also come the dreaded intruder- the mosquito.  There are over 200 species of this pest in the U.S. alone with a new species just having been discovered in 2001 in the Florida Keys.  Besides being highly annoying at family picnics, this little insect also has the well-known status of being a disease carrier – especially of the dangerous West Nile Virus.  In an effort to rid us of this nuisance, we run out and get every pesticide on the market and apply it to our yards and ourselves.  Maybe, though, by using all of these chemicals we are actually doing more harm to ourselves than the mosquito ever would.

Most commercial topical agents such as OFF ?, contain the chemical DEET (N, N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide) which has been around since the Army patented it in the 1940s.  It is proven to be the most effective mosquito repellant.  However, using DEET comes with a price.  There has been a long debate of the safety associated with using DEET.  One of the more recent and telling studies was done in 2001 there was a study done with showed that using DEET caused behavioral problems and brain cell damage in rats. Researchers came to the conclusion that heavy exposure to DEET and other insecticides in the human population can lead to such conditions as: headaches, memory loss, weakness, fatigue, behavioral problems, muscle and joint pain, tremors, and shortness of breath (Exp Neurol. 2001 Nov; 172(1):153-71.)

Pregnant women, their unborn children, and children have the most risk of developing complications using DEET.  In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics advises against using repellents or insecticides containing more than 10% DEET on children under the age of 6.  Children’s skin more readily absorbs chemicals such as DEET and their nervous system is still developing, so chemicals pose a greater risk to them.  If you must use DEET containing products, the EPA suggests that you can reduce your risk by reading and following the product labels, which are included on all products with DEET in them.

If we choose to not apply excess chemicals to our skin, we are not, however, doomed to be carried away by swarms of mosquitoes and spend our whole spring and summer with itchy, red bumps all over our bodies.  There are many things we can do to prevent these bloodsuckers from destroying our fun.  First and foremost is to prevent them from taking a hold on our yards.  Destroy their breeding grounds- stagnant water.  Empty all pots, buckets, old swimming pools (those little plastic toddler pools are infamous for holding stagnant water), or use a mosquito dunk which will kill off the mosquito larvae before they hatch.  Mosquito dunks are contain no toxic chemicals and are fairly environmentally sound.

Most health food stores and websites such as www.Mercola.com carry non-DEET-containing products that can be safely used on even pregnant women and children. In fact, there are even some products I use on my own children that are both an insect repellant and sunscreen all in one bottle.  While they may have to be re-applied more often than DEET containing products, they are less toxic and so are worth it in my book.  Here are some other natural alternatives to using commercial insecticides taken from www.Mercola.com:

-    Bounce Fabric Sheets can be wiped on the skin before exposure to insects.  This is even safe on babies.
-    Avoid eating bananas during times when you will be exposed to the outdoors for long periods of time (i.e. a camping trip).  Our bodies process bananas in such a way that attracts mosquitoes.
-    Plant marigolds around the yard – especially your garden.  The insects don’t like the fragrance these flowers let off and so make a great repellant.
-    Mix equal parts of Avon Skin-So-Soft ? bath oil with rubbing alcohol and apply to skin (make sure to read that warnings associated with using rubbing alcohol).
-    Spread a little of the clear liquid vanilla that is sold in Mexico with some olive oil on your skin to help repel insects.  A side bonus is that you will smell great!
-    Citronella candles and soaps work great.  (Be mindful of using candles especially during the dry season).

There is obviously the fact that you can stay inside altogether this sunny season and entirely avoid mosquitoes, but who wants that?  After the long hard winter, it is a welcome respite to go outside and get a good dose of Vitamin D.  Now we can enjoy the great outdoors without overexposing ourselves to chemicals or donating to the mosquito blood bank -save it for your local blood drive.

The bloom is back on Austin’s yellow rose now; it moved up the leader board
to become the sixth largest home building market last year. Job creation
explains the move. While other markets lost employment, Austin added 17,400
jobs last year, 2.3 percent growth rate. It helps that Austin is home to
both a major university, The University of Texas, and the state capital.
Existing homes cost a little bit more in Austin than other Texas markets,
roughly $188,600, but that’s still below the national average. Also, Austin
is one of the few metro areas in the country where median prices actually
rose in 2008–2.7 percent.

Read the full article here: Builder Online

Become part of an investing community – get the education, network with other investors, build wealth, and create the life of your dreams!

Call now 866-452-3518 or visit <a href=”http://www.reinvestorsolutions.com/austin”>www.reinvestorsolutions.com/austin</a> to find out more.

The program will unfold at the beginning of October 2008 and extend through the end of the year. Small blue bins will no longer be used and crews will deliver new blue, 90-gallon recycling carts to City of Austin Solid Waste Services residential customers. Recycling collection will occur every other week, as opposed to the current weekly schedule. Single Stream Recycling instructions and a calendar showing collection schedules will be delivered with the new recycling carts.

Items that can be recycled include: Paper: (newspaper, office paper, junk mail, cereal and soft drink boxes, corrugated cardboard) Aluminum and metal cans: food cans (labels left on OK), soda cans Glass: Jars and bottles Rigid plastics: # 1 through # 7, including yogurt and margarine tubs

Items that cannot be recycled: Plastic bags, Styrofoam (cups, egg cartons, take-out containers)

Questions on the new recycling program can be directed to Solid Waste Services at 974-1945.

Numbered triangle symbols on plastics

#1 – Polyethylene Terephthalate (PETE) or (PET): soft drink and water bottles, beer bottles, mouthwash bottles, peanut butter and salad dressing containers, ovenable film, and ovenable pre-prepared food trays. It can be recycled into polar fleece clothing, fiber, tote bags, bottles, clothing, furniture, and carpet.

#2 – High Density Polyethylene (HDPE): milk jugs, water and juice containers, liquid detergent bottles, yogurt and margarine tubs, and cereal box liners. It can be recycled into liquid laundry detergent containers, drainage pipe, oil bottles, recycling bins, benches, pens, doghouses, vitamin bottles, floor tile, picnic tables, lumber, mailbox posts, fencing.

#3 – Vinyl (Polyvinyl Chloride or PVC): clear food packaging, shampoo bottles, medical tubing, wire and cable insulation.

#4 – Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE): bread bags, squeezable bottles (e.g. honey, mustard).

#5 – Polypropylene (PP): ketchup bottles, yogurt containers and margarine tubs, medicine bottles.

#6 – Polystyrene (PS): compact disc jackets, aspirin bottles, cups, plates.

#7 – Other: Use of this code indicates that the package in question is made with a resin other than the six listed above, or is made of more than one resin used in combination. Plastics such as three and five gallon reusable water bottles, some citrus juice and ketchup bottles, clear baby food containers.

The seven acre Barr Mansion was built in 1898 for cotton merchant William Braxton Barr (1864-1902) and his wife Matilda (Tillie) Birdwell (1868-1951),  and was designed by Austin architect Charles Page. The home remained in the Barr family until 1980, when Mark and Melanie McAfee fell in love with the mansion and purchased it. Young and full of energy, but cash poor and With three children, they borrowed money from family to buy the old home— which was in need of repairs.

After much love and hard work were put into the rehabilitation of the house, it became the perfect setting for a wedding.  Mark’s sister, Nancy, was the first bride to celebrate her wedding there, and a business was born. Since that time, there have been over two thousand events at the seven-acre setting, from intimate garden parties to elaborate galas for as many as 800. In addition to being a stunning place to hold events, the Barr Mansion boasts an impressive array of sustainable practices.

The Garden

The Garden of Eden, as it is now called, has a tropical feel with bamboos, gingers, and hostas. Apple trees also addorn the property and all gardening is done organically. A life-sized Zen garden greets guests as they approach the entrance to the Artisan Ballroom on a path of massive flagstones.

The Artisan Ballroom

The front facade, which soars over 40 feet, is composed entirely of glass. Rough-hewn timbers from an ancient barn built in the 1770’s, comprise the building’s massive framework.  Two master craftsmen from the Cotswolds of England thatched the roof a full 12 inches thick. The ballroom is organic, sustainable, and nourishing and to praise the earth, the creation story is depicted in vibrant colors on a 250 square foot movable mural painted by Austin artist Doug Jaques. An indoor waterfall and grotto accent an all glass wing of the ballroom, creating a stunning location for an indoor ceremony.

Organic and Sustainable

The Barr Mansion is USDA certified organic! At the Barr Mansion, they garden organically, serve all organic cuisine, recycle, compost, and use 100% post-consumer waste recycled paper for brochures/menus. The Mansion has a 75-year concrete roof and the ballroom has a 75-year thatched roof. Other organic and sustainable features include:

-Glasses and plates washed without bleach using very hot water from a tankless water heater
-Organic cotton fabric tablecloths and hemp napkins
-Candles locally made with non-petroleum, soy wax
-Rastra walls made recycled Styrofoam
-Locally made stucco
-Geothermal heating and cooling system

The McAfee family actively supports the community, from purchasing buffet platters made by local glass makers to purchasing produce from local farms. They will also donate the use of the facilities to local groups who are committed to making the world a sustainable place.

For more information or to book and event, visit: www.barrmansion.com