Central Austin Realty Bits

The slogan Keep Austin Weird must have been on the drunken minds of two men who rode horseback down E. 6th street in Downtown Austin last weekend.  In the heart of Austin's famous entertainment district, Austin police observed 2 men on horseback casually trotting down the street in traffic on a busy Friday night.  Apparently APD smelled alcohol on the riders after stopping them (I guess vodka is more aromatic than horse manure) and promptly arrested them for driving under the influence.  It is not against the law to ride a horse down the street in Texas but apparently if you get drunk and do it on 6th street on Friday night, Austin police might ask a few questions.  

The charges against one of the men have been dropped but the other is still charged with horsing around on a public street.  The judge has suggested the prosecutor do some research to see if DUI really applies to men on horseback.  At the least, they will be charged with public intoxication.  I have certainly seen my share of craziness on 6th street over the years, but it's usually confined to two legged individuals without the assistance of farm animals. The county attorney says he is surprised there is not more case law on drunken cowboys in Texas.  No comment from the horses.  Cheers!

Jeff Harris

Broker

jeff@trueaustinhomes.com

The annual Austin AIA Homes Tour continues this weekend October 2nd and 3rd.  12 local architects have opened project homes to the public for an exclusive viewing.  As a volunteer docent on Saturday at Hugh Randolph's Brykerwoods renovation and expansion, I enjoyed chatting with and meeting the many Austinites who appreciate great architecture.  It's good to see so many folks come out to soak up the good feelings that come with a well designed space. 

The mild temperatures and bright sunshine added to the experience.  People asked me all sorts of questions such as what kind of wood is on the deck and aren't they shy about showering in a shower with such a large open window??  I didn't mind answering any of them and thought the enthusiastic response to Hugh's design was a fun experience.  Risinger Homes did the construction and the attention to detail was evident everywhere.  Eric and Ryan with Risinger were around to answer questions and are well informed and easy to talk to. 

Make it by to have a look today if you can.  Because I was helping out yesterday, I didn't get a chance to tour the other homes yet, but will today.  Hope to see you there!

http://www.aiahomestour.com/

Contact me if I can help you buy or sell your Austin home.

Enjoy the tour!

Jeff Harris

jeff@trueaustinhomes.com

Austin has been rated the 4th least stressed city in the USA.  Portfolio.com evaluated unemployment rates, living standards, personal financial data, the environment, crime and other things to rank the stress levels of US metro areas.  Salt Lake City topped the list but Austin did a respectable fourth place.  Detroit was rated the most stressed along with LA, NYC and Chicago.

Those of us who are longtime residents of Austin know the laid back atmosphere of our town compares favorably to the big stressful metros on the coasts. I wonder if portfolio.com researchers floated in Barton Springs Pool on a hot day or dropped anchor in Lake Travis for a swim.  Perhaps they wandered the greenbelts of Barton Creek or biked the trails along Lady Bird Lake.  Maybe it was a summer concert on Auditorium Shores or enchiladas and margaritas on a spring day at Hula Hut on Lake Austin.  Maybe a leisurely ride on the Zilker train with the kids or down time on a local's back deck with a view of the greenbelt or the city skline.  There are many ways to relax in Austin, especially when your city enjoys a lower unemployment rate than the national and state average, an abundance of natural beauty, clean water and air, and a relatively affordable housing stock.

Times are tough for some folks, but in any hard times, Austinites can hit the parks or the lakes and kick back and take pride in their relaxed city that is full of opportunity and friendly relaxed people.  What do you do to relax and relieve stress?

Contact me to grab your slice of laid back Austin. 

Start your home search here:   http://www.trueaustinhomes.com/home-search.asp

jeff@trueaustinhomes.com