|  This one story South Austin,TX home has 4 bedrooms and 3 baths. Built in 1985,there have been many updates including a Lennox HVAC system. The yard is lush with green and shade! There are granite paths around both the front and back yard. The kitchen has Corian type counters,an IKEA range and doggie door for your beloved pet. The yard is also fenced. There is no HOA which is nice.
GREEN Attributes of 8405 Palace Parkway8405 Palace Parkway has an upgraded Lennox HVAC system. Seller is sensitive to chemicals so has used low or no VOC paints,green cleaning products and extra air filtration in the home for better Indoor Air Quality or IAQ. There are permeable surfaced granite walkways around the shady yard. The shady yard also has many seating areas for meditation and great spaces for hanging a hammock. There is a rain barrel in place for rainwater catchment. There is a raised bed,square foot garden. 8405 Palace Parkway Area Amenities8405 Palace Parkway is only one house away from Austin’s wonderful Dittmar Park. Look on a map and you can see that Palace Parkway is adjacent to Dittmar Park. Dittmar Park has parking at the Dittmar Park Recreation Center for both Plug-In Electric Cars and Low Emission cars. There is a seasonally open swimming pool,large trees,15.67 acres of parkland,a treed play area for children with a beautiful playscape,7 Bar B Q pits,4 picnic tables,a volleyball court and 6 basketball courts. A.B. Dittmar Recreation Center is located at 1009 W. Dittmar Rd.,Austin,TX 78745 (512) 974-6090 There is a beautiful and large gymnasium in the rec center as well as a weight room. 
221 Dawn Drive –Liberty Hill,Texas | MLS 49218422,198 square feet home (per owner),3 bedrooms,2 full,1 half bathroom, 2 and a 1/2 car garage Lot Size is 1 Acre Neighborhood:Ancient Oaks Sec 01 Detailed Information Located just northwest of Austin,Texas,this is a greenbuilt,SUPER Energy Efficient custom home only about 10 minutes from Public Transportation. The lot is over an acre with a Fenced,low water use Zoysia lawn and a professionally designed low water use landscape including a Culinary Garden!Call Betty Saenz REALTOR® EcoBroker® at (512) 785-5050Just to Compare:My electric bill with the current drought and resultant daily high temperatures is $350. I am going to add the spray foam to my attic like 221 Dawn Drive has,not doing the walls in wet blown cellulose as this house has because I can’t afford it. Retrofitting is more costly and never works as well as a home engineered to work efficiently. I just wish my Scott Felder production home was half as well built and efficient as 221 Dawn Drive but it is not. No home is unless it is built the way 221 Dawn Drive and other super tight,super efficient homes are. The seller reports the utility bills at 221 Dawn are less than $100. per month 9 months out of the year,and the other 3 months only slightly over. The low utility bills are a result of the quality of construction and Building Science that went into the home. The price per square foot is higher than those of a standard built home but,the utility bills which unlike a house payment,never go way,are significantly reduced. With water use being also reduced,due to water efficient landscape design and delivery method,this home’s less wasteful,way more efficient design saves a lot of money.  Crepe Myrtles in Cedar Park,TXButchered Crepe Myrtles I love to garden and I love to see plantings that are well nurtured,well taken care of. These photos,taken today in Cedar Park,Texas are the opposite of what I like to see. I,like so many others call this ”Crepe Murder”. The butchering of Crepe Myrtles is also called topping and is not the correct way to prune and nurture this beautiful botanical species. Crepe Myrtles bloom all summer long,providing shade and beauty to our Central Texas landscapes. Crepe Myrtle varieties are available with many different colors of flowers. White,pink,lavender and red are some of the most popular bloom colors. In the winter,their deciduous leaves fall and they allow the sun to shine in. The least we can do is provide them the minimal care they need to live long and healthy lives. Committing Crepe Murder leaves the poor plants in a weakened state,more susceptible to disease,drought and other life threatening and life shortening events. This bad practice not only makes them look like an ugly stump but also makes them bloom less. There are dwarf and semi-dwarf varieties if you want them to stay small. I like to allow the big ones to stretch out their limbs an provide abundant shade for my yard and home. Let’s reward Crepe Myrtles for their hard work and not make them ugly, heart broken and forlorn. Properly Pruning Crepe MyrtlesTo properly prune crepe myrtles,wait until just after the winter freezes are over and before they leaf out in the spring. Do not trim them back to the knuckles. Instead,remove only the weak,twiggy inside branches pruning them naturally. Remove any defective or dead branches as well as branches that rub up against your home or its roof shingles. Remember, crepe myrtles are a low maintenance shrub or tree,don’t make it hard on yourself or the tree. There are many great diagrams and even videos available on line to show you just how to trim crepe myrtles. Crepe Murder! There Oughta Be a Law!!! Crepe Murder in Cedar Park,Texas  Swedish Christmas candle holder set Christmas traditions and customs vary from family to family and land to land. I enjoy reading about many different traditions in Texas by reading the book “Christmas in Texas”by Elizabeth Silverthorne. My Austin,Texas forefathers came to east Travis County from the Småland,Sweden area about 1870 or 71. Småland is the land of IKEA,which we now have in the Austin area at 1431 and IH 35 in Round Rock,Texas. Growing up,I became familiar with dishes like Ostakaka,a Swedish cheesecake type dish served with Lingonberries. Lutefiskis another Swedish dish that I made for my grandmother and we ate at Christmas gatherings. I remember buying the fish for the dish somewhere around my grandmother’s house at 608 Texas Avenue in Austin,Texas at a neighborhood grocer that is no longer there. Now the only local place I know to buy Lutefisk is Quality Seafood Market on Airport Blvd. We also had my grandmother’s homemade rolls and bread. I miss those days with my parents, grandmother and other Swedish Austin area relatives. Pictured are my mother’s handpainted Swedish candleholder set that I set out at Christmas. The book “The Swedish Texans”by Larry E. Scott is a great book about the immigration to Texas from Sweden that began in 1848.  Travis County Swedish Settlers New Sweden Church at 12809 New Sweden Church Road,was organized in 1876 and is is steeped in Swedish tradition. The church’s copper spire is 104 feet high and has been an Central Texas Austin area landmark close to Manor,Pflugerville,Elgin and Taylor,Texas since the 1800′s. December 24th at 7:00pm they are holding the Christmas Eve Candlelight service and Christmas Dawn at 7:00am they hold the Julotta candlelight program. I love history and geneology as well as old historic buildings and homes. I hope to attend one or both of these services to touch my ancestry as well as enjoy a local historic landmark. Turns out that my great,great grandfather Gustaf Ax aka Corporal Ax and his wife Johanna Swenson Ax were the first to be listed in the New Sweden church book. I find it interesting to research local history about relatives from so long ago that I never knew. New Sweden,Texas back in those years was a thriving community full of local businesses. Now it is more desolate farmland and the site of the Pflugerville Solar Farm.  New Sweden Church The United States is a wonderfully diverse land full of many wonderful cultural traditions and foods. Whether you celebrate Hanukkah,Kwanza,or none of the above,I’d love to hear what special traditions, dishes and buildings are part of your family’s celebrations. I’d also love to hear about other cultural events in the Austin area that you enjoy. Please comment using the form below.  Fair Housing for All  My TOFGA NWF signs I am a National Wildlife Federation certified backyard habitat steward as well as a REALTOR® who specializes in green homes. I proudly display my TOFGA (Texas Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association) as well as NWF Habitat signs on my yard’s gate as well as display the signs on my table at green events where I serve as an environmental educator. I feel good about this as well as my recycling and other volunteer work for our Earth. I also drive a hybrid Prius near zero emissions vehicle in my Real Estate work in and around Austin,Texas. I do this because I feel it is the “right” thing to do,but are there economic benefits of sustainable gardens and wildlife habitat? Nativescapes are Sustainable,Beautifuland Provide HabitatThe works of conservation planner Randall Arendt are particularly appropriate here as well as other observations I have had over the years. Randall Arendt says money grows on trees and that conservation developments that include sustainable greenspaces and wildlife habitat are “twice green”. What he means is that money grows on trees in the sense that trees add value. Even the common production builders know that trees add value so builders can charge lot premiums for treed lots as well as for lots that overlook greenbelt or “wildlife habitat”. By “twice green” Randall Arendt is referring to the fact that green developments are green in an environmental way but also in a monetary way,the properties simply sell for more money AND there are less costs in developing this way. Less grading,less roads and less concrete mean less construction costs while adding more beauty,sustainability and value. Consumers value and therefore pay more for homes in these types of developments. Native landscapes will only become more and more valuable and desirable as people realize the scarcity of water and the value of wildlife including pollinators like butterflies and bees. I myself once thought Saint Augustine lawns were beautiful. Now,I treasure the “nativescaped” yards that provide food and shelter for wildlife,are beautiful to look at and need little or no watering. Backyard wildlife habitat homes appeal to buyers that love and appreciate nature. If a native landscape or wildlife habitat is done correctly,it definitely adds value by being both beautiful and sustainable. Native trees and other plants will outperform hybrid trees and plants in being able to survive local weather extremes such as drought or floods and not needing replacement. Non native plants and trees may have a limited lifespan or require lots of extra care such as pruning and excess water. One example is the popular Red Tip Photinia (Photinia fraseri). While it makes a pretty plant it requires frequent pruning or it will grow to a monstrously huge size. Red Tip Photinia provides no food for wildlife and is susceptible to fungus diseases. Wildlife habitat by its very nature is not a well manicured look. In fact,quite the opposite is needed to provide the hiding and nesting places that wildlife need. However,a wildlife habitat can provide both the dense areas wildlife need and still be beautiful when tastefully and artfully designed. Let the plantings get bushy and dens but manicured along the edges,replete with smooth walkways that people of all ages can enjoy. I had one seller who even had a camera installed in a birdhouse in his newly wildscaped acreage lot. The camera was wired into the house so that you could see the bird inhabitants’ behaviors such as egg laying and hatching all from the indoor comfort of their home. Environmental Education NeededThere are many people who need to be educated as to the value of a native landscape. These are the same people too who need education as to the benefits and quality of a greenbuilt home as well. To the uneducated,a native,sustainable landscape may just look like “weeds”but to the aware eye,native landscapes are exquisitely beautiful because they conserve water and other resources as well as provide habitat and food for wildlife and they add monetary value. There is a segment of the population that fully appreciates the value of greenbuilding as well as natural landscapes that are sustainable and provide habitat for wildlife. The general populace must be educated to fully realize the benefit of both greenbuilt homes as well as the facts about water,wildlife and native landscapes. I am thankful for the education resources we have in the National Wildlife Federation,TOFGA (Texas Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association),the Native Plant Society of Texas (NPSOT),Texas Parks and Wildlife’s “Texas Wildscapes” program,the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and Randall Arendt,conservation planner,lecturer,author of Growing Greener:Putting Conservation into Local Plans and Ordinances,Envisioning Better Communities:Seeing More Options,Making Wiser Choices and others. If you too want to learn more about the economic and environmental benefits of sustainable gardening practices and wildlife habitats,you might do well to start with these resources.  Leander Texas Red Oak Tree
Some people say we have no Fall in Central Texas. Now I know we don’t have the Fall that exists up in the northeast,however,we do have some Fall color here. I took this photo this morning of my beautiful Red Oak tree in my front yard in Leander,Texas. The colors are vibrant shades of red and orange with a hint of green that won’t linger much longer. Every day the colors get more vibrant and beautiful. I planted this Red Oak tree just a couple of years ago to provide Summer shade for my driveway and in Fall it looks its absolute showiest. There are other plant species in the Austin,Texas area that have Fall color. The invasive species Chinese Tallow and Nandina that have taken over many local parks turn color for Fall. Unfortunately,these are not good plants since they are non-native and invasive. Another tree a lot of builders install in new subdivisions is the Bradford Pear. These turn purplish red in the Fall and bloom white in the Spring. We do have many native Texas species that turn color as well. The Pink Muhly or Gulf Muhly grass Muhlenbergia capillaris looks glorious in the Fall with billowing,feathery purple pink plumes. I have that in my front yard as well. Lost Maples in Vanderpool,Texas is a great park to go explore to see the Uvalde Bigtooth Maple trees but local areas have some color too. I invite you to go explore some parks and natural areas and see some Texas Fall color. Did you know that if you want to,you can drive an all electric vehicle now? Why wait for automakers to manufacture new cars that are all electric? Why wait to do your part for cleaner air and to help stop Global Warming? I first met some brilliant people doing this at the 2009 Renewable Energy Fair in Fredericksburg,Texas – Revolt Custom Electric Vehicles. Revolt Custom Electric Vehicles can take an ordinary car and turn it into a clean,all electric vehicle capable of running at highway speeds and needing no dirty oil changes. I drive a Prius Hybrid,and,although it is close,I’d rather drive an all electric. Most electric utility companies have a clean energy option where the electricity you purchase was generated through clean,renewable sources like wind or solar. PEC or Perdernales Electric Co-op does as well as Austin Energy. On this year’s 2010 Texas Solar Energy Society and Austin Energy Green Building produced Cool House Tour in Austin,Texas my favorite 2 homes were a Habitat For Humanity house in Devonshire Village because it was affordable and another at 11402-B Ptarmigan Cove in North Austin. The Ptarmigan home not only had a full rooftop solar array for electricity,solar thermal for hot water that makes their home a net zero home but they also generate enough solar energy to run their electric car,a 2002 Saturn SL that has been converted from gasoline to electric by Austin’s Revolt Custom Electric Vehicles. Net zero means the home generates as much or more energy than it uses- the epitome of energy efficiency! There are also many plug in sites besides the plug in you would create at your own home for your electric vehicle or EV. The new La Quinta Inn at 1010 E. Whitestone Blvd. in Cedar Park has many plug in parking spaces among other green features. Revolt serves the EV or Electric Vehicle community or anyone wanting to explore electric vehicles. Revolt Custom Electric Vehicles is located here in Austin,Texas. Call them at (512) 366-8196 or visit their website at RevoltCustomElectric.com The old first-generation Honda Insight Hybrids were very aerodynamic,lightweight and had an EPA fuel efficiency rating of 70 mpg and was rated ultra low emissions or super low emissions. All electric is 0 mpg and no emissions because it does not even use gasoline but is all electric. The First Generation Honda Insight below that I photographed in Cedar Park,Texas bears a Peak Oil sticker. The Peak Oil movement helps Americans think about the peak and then decline of oil that may be on the horizon. Wouldn’t it be nice to be emission free and never have to buy gasoline or oil?  1st Generation Insight with Peak Oil stickerFirst Generation Honda Insight I think it is easier for one to learn a lesson by actually feeling it,experiencing it with their own body and mind. Such is the case with thermal mass. I first learned about thermal mass in the Texas Hill Country near Austin,Texas. I believe it was at Lyndon Baines Johnson’s boyhood home in Johnson City,Texas. It was a very hot Texas Summer day,temperatures were maybe in the high 90′s or so. The old historic home was made of hand hewn large rectangular native stone. I entered the home and felt pleasantly cool. It was amazing! It must have been in the 70′s in there on this hot Summer day. Those massive natural stones did the job! They created thermal mass to even out the temperature extremes. Now,in 2010,my husband does not understand the benefits of thermal mass or excellent insulation. No matter how much I talked to him he just did not get it. Words just don’t mean as much as experiencing it. So one weekend,when we were out in Buda,Texas previewing a community,I took him to see a home built with foam insulation. This particular builder always leaves the large HVAC closet open at the top to the attic. You can walk in the closet and look up to see the foam insulation under the roof decking in the attic,so hence,you are in the attic. My husband has been in our typical Texas home’s attic and felt the extreme temperature difference. In the Summer,going up in your typical Texas attic is like walking into a sauna set on highest heat. You start perspiring profusely immediately upon entry. Your air-conditioning duct work has to struggle to deliver cold air through that heat! My husband was totally amazed at the coolness of this attic space. Here it was,a hot summer day in the afternoon and that closet and hence the attic was in the 70 degree range. This is why in homes built like this,the attic is considered conditioned space. Do you have similar experiences? If not,I’d love to help you in your GREEN education. Sometimes it is better to experience it than just read about it. I’d love to show you some homes with thermal mass and or great insulation. I know of homes we can see that are of Passive Solar design and made of SIP construction –Structurally Insulated Panels. This building design concept of thermal mass protects against the huge temperature swings. Thermal mass is part of Passive Solar design. I also know homes in the Austin area made of ICF construction - Insulated Concrete Forms. ICF combines thermal mass with insulation. It is concrete mixed with recycled polystyrene. I even know of an old historic Texas German settler home currently for sale made of the old fashioned but well working native stone blocks or high-mass masonry walls. I’d love to help you buy your own energy efficient home. Call me,Betty Saenz GREEN REALTOR at (512) 785-5050 or e-mail Betty Saenz Our beloved annual Renewable Energy Roundup and Green Living Fair is coming up soon. Put on by the Texas Solar Energy Society,the Fair is now in it’s 11th year and coming to historic and fun Fredericksburg,Texas September 24th through September 26th,2010. I go every year and am never there enough time. There is always so much to see,do and learn for people of all ages. Children 12 and under are FREE. Tickets are $10.00 to $12.00 and available at the gate. There are so many booths set up to learn about so much. There are food vendors,talks about any green living topic you can imagine and all at a very reasonable entry fee. This years talks include information on small wind systems,saving water,rainwater collection,city gardening,aquaponics,wild plants,compressed earth block building,Net Zero homes,Geothermal Systems,organic farming and ranching,solar cars,solar cooking,photovoltaic systems,greenwashing and more!! There are natural cooking demos and I guarantee you will learn a lot about many topics. I hope to see you there!! I’ll probably wear my TOFGA,Texas Organic Farmers and Gardeners t shirt I got at the fair last year when I joined that great organization. There is usually a ride share set up to share rides to the fair from the Austin Texas Metro Area. I am looking at all the talks now and having a hard time deciding which day to go,I think I will go to all three!!!  Sweet Red Peaches I just love my front yard organic grocery store. I enjoy picking my own fruits of my own labor knowing they were produced without being sprayed by some harmful chemical and my fruit is not waxed or picked green to gas ripen after shipping in some cold gas chamber. Geez! What has happened to our food supply?! One has to only watch “Super Size Me”and “Food Inc”to understand our dilemma in the United States. That is why I am so happy to grow some of my own. Gardening in Central Texas is not hard. I am no rocket scientist and I manage easily enough. It’s easy to grow some of your own food.  Nature's Bounty I started my 2010 year with the sweetest,tastiest most melt in your mouth apricots!!! Picking fruit is easy! Next it was the reddest,juiciest,sweetest large red-skinned freestone peaches and also blackberries. For 4th of July we had homemade peach ice cream out of our old White Mountain ice cream freezer. Then on to sweet little figs! Getting a second fig crop now. Yum! I always share some fruit with the birds who visit my National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat yard. Currently it is a great apple harvest. Delightful juicy sweet and slightly tart green apples. The tree was bowing down it is so laden with fruit!! Fresh apple pies baked from scratch this weekend!! Next will be pomegranites. And I always have plenty of herbs –two kinds of oregano,mint,parsley,rosemary,thyme,lemon grass,dill,basil and more…  Luscious Peaches Next year I bet my nectarine and plums will come into full bloom and subsequent production!! I have some papaya and citrus trees too. And guess what?? I am raising catfish and crappie in my backyard pond. All this organic produce and food on a 60′cty lot in Leander,Texas,Williamson County. Yippee!!! Contact the organic gardening REALTOR Betty Saenz to buy or sell a home,farm or ranch. I’ll help you get your own organic garden growing on your own piece of Real Estate!! | |
Recent Comments