Facebook may open an office in Austin…

Facebook may create 200 jobs in Austin over the next four years, thanks to a $1.4 million incentive from the state of Texas.

The move would be the first major U.S. expansion outside of Palo Alto, Calif., where the company is headquartered, according to officials. The city has also offered the company a $200,000 incentive. Facebook is investing about $3.1 million to set up operations in Texas, according to Gov. Rick Perry’s office. …

Our newest Lake Travis Waterfront listing …

Check it out:  www.315HarborDr.com then contact us at info@LakeTravisProperties.com or 512.413.5119 for a private showing.  GREAT house/EXCELLENT waterfront !!!!!

Grease Monkey Wipes

Congrats to the local (Austin) owners of Grease Monkey Wipes … it’s an awesome product!

A well deserved honor… CONGRATULATIONS, Keller Williams

Keller Williams Realty joined the ranks of the top franchises in the world last week, when the company was ranked as the No. 1 real estate franchise on the 31st Annual Franchise 500 list by Entrepreneur magazine. During the same week, the company was also voted the Most Recognizable Brand of Real Estate Franchises for 2009 in an industry-wide survey for the Swanepoel TRENDS Report.

“The Swanepoel TRENDS Report is a respected source for the real estate industry and beyond, as is Entrepreneur magazine, and we are excited to see our agents honored in this way for all of their hard work,” said Mark Willis, CEO, Keller Williams Realty. “We certainly wouldn’t have been included on either list without the dedication and resolve of our agents.”

According to the ranking in Entrepreneur magazine, the most important criteria to determine the top franchises included financial strength and stability, as well as growth rate and size of the franchise system. The magazine also looked at the number of years the company has been in business and the length of time it’s been franchising, in addition to start-up costs and financial data. Additionally, Keller Williams Realty made an impressive showing on the overall list, placing higher than any other real estate franchise.

The Swanepoel TRENDS Report is published by Stefan Swanepoel, a real estate industry speaker and insider. The survey was crafted to determine the Most Recognizable Brand for Real Estate Franchises for his report out in February 2010. The survey included votes cast by 11,000 plus real estate agents, who cast 390,000 votes to select the top 10.

Earlier in the year,Keller Williams Realty also received the highest overall satisfaction ratings from home buyers among the largest full-service real estate firms from J.D. Power and Associates for the second year in a row.

“We are extremely proud that our associates and company are being recognized for our strength and stability during this time in our industry,” said Mary Tennant, president and COO, Keller Williams Realty. “We attribute our success to being in business with phenomenal people and to our core business models, which have allowed our franchises to thrive during any market.”

Update on Home Buyer Tax Credits available

This is a good overview of the new home buyer tax credit options and accompanying “rules”….. Tax Credit Extension – Updated Information

Austin’s job loss rate improves

By American-Statesman staff | Friday, October 16, 2009, 09:06 AM Central

Texas lost jobs at a 0.7 percent annual rate last month, a slight improvement from August, the Texas Workforce Commission reported. The unemployment rate was 7.2 percent, unchanged from September but up from 4.6 percent in September 2008. The statewide unemployment rate was 8.2 percent, up from 8 percent in September. But the state lost 44,700 jobs between September 2008 and last month. In the Austin area, the biggest percentage drop continued to be in manufacturing, with an 11.5 percent year-over-year decline. That mostly reflects deep cuts by high-tech employers.

Austin is the place to be…

Another top ranking for our awesome city as reported in the Wall Street Journal

MLS Statistics for August 2009

Wondering how August of 2009 compared to August of 2008?   

August 2009 Stats