tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70332953620158451242024-03-05T19:12:41.015-06:00Austin, Texas Real Estate Blog and Lake Travis NewsCyndi Cummings, Broker, provides buyer and seller representation specializing in the Austin, Lake Travis, Lakeway, and Hill Country area. Specializing in luxury, waterfront homes, second homes, vacation houses to first time home buyers.Cyndi Cummingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10906573557141911403noreply@blogger.comBlogger74125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7033295362015845124.post-32260594661782966722012-11-11T12:14:00.002-06:002012-11-11T12:14:14.699-06:00Bee Cave parkway Nears CompletionBEE CAVE
Bee Cave Parkway nears completion
After at least six years of planning and construction, Bee Cave Parkway’s grand opening has been pushed back another week so that the road painting and traffic light coordinating processes can be completed, said contract engineer Casey Sledge.
“Right now, they’re doing the finishing touches,” Sledge said.
Sledge said that they were working with Texas Department of Transportation to coordinate the traffic lights at the intersections where Bee Cave Parkway hits Texas 71 and RM 620, in addition to making some sign changes.
“Before Bee Cave Parkway was built, you had this choke point between 620 and [Bee Cave Road] on 71,” City Administrator Frank Salvato said. “Now, people coming from the Lakeway area can go on Bee Cave Parkway instead of everyone coming down on 71.”
Both Sledge and Salvato said they expect final adjustments to the road to go off without a hitch, and for the opening ceremony to take place Nov. 13.
— Rachel Rice, Lake Travis View
LAKEWAYCyndi Cummingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10906573557141911403noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7033295362015845124.post-28908669042693968082012-10-03T14:47:00.001-05:002012-10-03T16:05:43.599-05:00Why many people are looking for energy savings in the wrong places!
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<a href="http://www.houselogic.com/blog/whats-really-green/energy-savings-at-home/" style="letter-spacing:normal!important;font-family:Arial,sans-serif!important;color:#16a8d3!important; text-decoration:none!important;">
<img style="border:0 none;" src="http://c0263062.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/content/images/sized/energy-savings-at-home_1x1_0b76ee5a63c1b31ec7fe52b873650ad0_jpg_80x80_q85.jpg" alt="Going to extreme measures for home energy savings" title="energy-savings-at-home" />
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<h3 style="letter-spacing:normal!important;font-family:Arial,sans-serif!important;float:left;width:373px;margin:0; font-size:16px!important; font-weight:bold!important;"><a style="color:#16a8d3!important; text-decoration:none!important;" href="http://www.houselogic.com/blog/whats-really-green/energy-savings-at-home/" target="_blank">Are You Looking for Energy Savings in All the Wrong Places?</a></h3>
<p style="letter-spacing:normal!important;font-family:Arial,sans-serif!important;margin:0;float:left;width:373px;">Ack! Our energy costs are going up because too many of us are making the wrong judgment calls about how to save energy. Here’s why we’re having a disconnect. <a target="_blank" style="color:#16a8d3!important; text-decoration:none!important;" href="http://www.houselogic.com/blog/whats-really-green/energy-savings-at-home/">Read</a></p>
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<p style="letter-spacing:normal!important;font-family:Arial,sans-serif!important;margin:0 0 12px!important; color:#000!important; font-size:12px!important;">Visit <a style="color:#16a8d3!important; text-decoration:none!important;" href="http://www.houselogic.com">houselogic.com</a> for more articles like this.</p>
<p style="letter-spacing:normal!important;font-family:Arial,sans-serif!important;margin:0 0 12px!important; color:#000!important; font-size:11px!important;"> Copyright 2012 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®</p>
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Cyndi Cummingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10906573557141911403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7033295362015845124.post-60740130496960235222012-07-20T18:03:00.003-05:002012-07-20T18:03:25.147-05:00Travis County Sheriff Burglary of Homes and Buildings<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">Between Saturday (06/30/2012) and Tuesday (07/03/2012) Travis
County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to seven burglaries and one stolen
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<span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">Between Wednesday (07/11/2012) and Monday (07/16/2012) the Lakeway
Police Department responded to eight vehicle burglaries and two home
burglaries all of which occurred less than a mile away and in a small
geographic area near the Lakeway Airpark. In each of these crimes
the homes garage was left open, unlocked or opened with a garage </span></div>
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<span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">door opener found in one of the unlocked vehicles. The
suspects then attempted to gain entry into one of the homes with a key
found in the garage but fled the scene. The M.O. in each of these crimes
are the same, linking them to the same suspect(s) and are believed to have
been committed by the same suspects that committed the burglaries
the previous week in the Hills of Lakeway subdivision. Lakeway
Police Detectives and officers are working closely with the Travis County
Sheriff’s Office to attempt to identify suspects that will be mutually
beneficial in solving all of these related crimes in both
jurisdictions. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">All of these crimes have occurred during the overnight hours and in
each case the victims were at home when the suspect(s) entered their home
to commit these crimes. These suspects are very bold and are expected to
continue their crime spree until caught. This information is being
sent out to the public to increase awareness and to assist in the </span></div>
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<span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">identification of these suspects, whom should be considered armed
and potentially dangerous. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">How can residents assist us in our investigations? </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">First and foremost, residents are strongly encouraged to reduce
their own likelihood of becoming a victim by LOCKING THE DOORS to their
homes and vehicles. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">We encourage residents to remove their garage door opener remotes
from their vehicles. Small key fob remotes can be purchased at local
home improvement stores such as Lowes and Home Depot very inexpensively, and
are easily self-programmed. When attached to their keys, the remote
is carried into the home with the keys instead of being left in their
vehicle – giving a criminal access to their garage and / or home. Residents
are asked to call your respective law enforcement agency – call 9-1-1 if
they observe anything or anyone suspicious in their neighborhood. We
ask that they do not attempt to approach suspicious persons on their own
due to a potential armed suspect encounter. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">Additionally we are still actively searching for a stolen White
Ford F-150 Platinum Series 4-door Pickup displaying Texas License Plate
#:BU8-6119. Granted, there are a lot of White Ford F-150 4-door pickups
in Central Texas, but if this vehicle is seen with its accompanying
license plate, residents are asked to please call 9-1-1 and report its </span></div>
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<span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">location. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">Lastly, we are asking anyone with information regarding these
crimes and / or the suspects are asked to please call Travis County
Sheriff’s Detective Darrell Gibson at (512)854-9728 or Lakeway Police Detective
Mike Pribble at </span></div>
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<span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">(512)314-7549 </span></div>
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<span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">Date: 6:11:41 PM 07/19/2012 EDT </span></div>
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<span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">Lakeway Police Department </span></div>
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<span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;">Travis County Sheriff's Office </span></div>
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<b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;">Contact Information</span></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;"> </span></div>
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<b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;">Contact Name:</span></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;"> Detective Darrell Gibson <b>Contact Name:</b>
Detective Mike Pribble </span></div>
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<b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;">Contact Email:</span></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;"> </span></div>
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<b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;">Contact Email:</span></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;"> </span></div>
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<b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Contact
Phone:</span></b><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> 512-854-9728 </span></span><span class="apple-tab-span"><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></span><span class="apple-tab-span"><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></span><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;">Contact </span></b><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Phone:</span></b><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> 512-314-7549 </span></span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;"></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">You can also go to the website
below to get other Citizen Alerts issued as well. Go to: </span></span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="color: navy; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt;"><a href="http://www.citizenobserver.com/cov6/app/showGroupAlerts.html;jsessionid=270DCF43FEB6B4533808">http://www.citizenobserver.com/cov6/app/showGroupAlerts.html;jsessionid=270DCF43FEB6B4533808</a></span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="color: navy; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt;">D6825A6E1411?id=240 </span></div>Cyndi Cummingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10906573557141911403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7033295362015845124.post-5166106330611616492012-07-12T20:48:00.001-05:002012-07-12T20:48:20.688-05:00Question about 3.8% Real Estate Sales Tax<tr valign="top"><td width="394"><span class="header">I thought this article was great that was posted on Realtor.org. It certainly answered many questions I had about the Real Estate Tax.</span><br />
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<span class="header"></span><span class="header">Health Insurance Reform: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)</span><br /><img alt="" border="0" class="headerrule" height="1" src="http://www.realtor.org/banks_and_commerce.nsf/files/purpledot.gif/$FILE/purpledot.gif" width="1" /><br /><br /><span class="subhead">New Medicare Tax on "Unearned" Net Investment Income</span> <br /><br /><span class="blck10">(Last updated: Feb. 16, 2012)</span><br /><br /><span class="link"><a href="http://www.realtor.org/small_business_health_coverage.nsf/docfiles/government_affairs_health_ref_med_tax.pdf/$FILE/government_affairs_health_ref_med_tax.pdf" target="new">Download this set of FAQs></a></span> <span class="blck10">(PDF: 99K)</span><br /><br /><span class="blck10"><strong>Q-1: Is there a 3.8% real estate “sales tax” or a transfer tax created in health care bill? <br /><br />A: No. </strong>There is neither a real estate “sales tax” nor a real estate transfer tax under any federal law. The Internet has generated several viral items describing such a tax. Those Internet postings are totally false. The 2010 health care legislation did create a new 3.8% tax, but it applies only to a limited group of taxpayers. <br /><br /><br /><strong>Q-2: So who will be subject to the new tax? When is it effective?<br /><br />A: </strong>The new 3.8% tax will apply to the “unearned” income of “High Income” taxpayers. The new Medicare tax on unearned income will take effect January 1, 2013. Proceeds from the tax will be allocated to shoring up the Medicare fund. <br /><br /><br /><strong>Q-3: Who is a “High Income” Taxpayer?<br /><br />A: </strong>Those whose tax filing status is “single” will be subject to the new unearned income taxes if they have Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of more than $200,000. Married couples filing a joint return with AGI of more than $250,000 will also be subject to the new tax. (The AGI threshold for married filing separate returns is $125,000.) <br /><br /><br /><strong>Q-4: Are the $200,000 and $250,000 thresholds indexed for inflation? <br /><br />A: No.</strong>Thus, over time, more individuals may become subject to this tax. <br /><br /><br /><strong>Q-5: What is “unearned” net investment income?<br /><br />A. </strong>Unearned income is the income that an individual derives from investing his/her capital. It includes capital gains, rents, dividends and interest income. It also comes from some investments in active businesses if the investor is not an active participant in the business. The portion of unearned income that is subject both to income tax and the new Medicare tax is the amount of income derived from these sources, reduced by any expenses associated with earning that income. (Hence the term “net” investment income.) <br /><br /><br /><strong>Q-6: So the new tax will apply to rents from investment properties that I own?<br /><br />A: Maybe.</strong> Remember that net investment income includes only <em>net</em> rental income. Thus, gross rents would not be subject to the tax. Rather, gross rents would be reduced (as they are under the income tax) by all allowable expenses, including depreciation, cost of repairs, property taxes and interest expense associated with debt service. AGI includes net income from rent, so if your AGI is above the $200,000/$250,000 thresholds, then the rental income might be subject to the tax. <br /><br />For many investment real estate owners, the net rents will be the same as or similar to the amounts reported on their Schedule E, filed with their Form 1040 Income Tax Return. (For calculations, see Q-7, below. See also Q-8 through Q-12 related to capital gain from sale of principal residence, losses on sale and to vacation homes, below.) <br /><br /><br /><strong>Q-7: Does the tax apply to the yearly appreciation of an asset?<br /><br />No. </strong><em>Capital gains are subject to this new tax only in the year when the asset is sold</em>. The amount of the gain will be measured in the same way that it is for income tax purposes. This rule applies to real estate and all other appreciating capital assets. Net capital gains are taxable only in the year of sale. <br /><br /><br /><strong>Q-8: How is the new 3.8% Medicare tax calculated? <br /><br />A: </strong>The new 3.8% Medicare tax is assessed only when Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) is more than $200,000/$250,000. (See Q-2 above.) AGI includes net income from interest, dividends, rents and capital gains, as well as earned compensation and several additional forms of income presented on a Form 1040 Income Tax Return. <br /><br /><em>The tax is NOT imposed on the total AGI, nor is it imposed solely on the investment income</em>. Rather, the taxable amount will depend on the operation of a formula. The taxpayer will determine the <strong>LESSER</strong> of (1) net investment income <strong>OR</strong> (2) the excess of AGI over the $200,000/$250,000 AGI thresholds. Thus, if net investment income is the smaller amount, then the 3.8% tax is applied onlyto the net investment income amount. If the excess over the thresholds is the smaller amount, then the 3.8% tax would apply only to the excess amount. <br /><br /><br /><strong>Q-9: Give me an example.</strong><br /><br />If AGI for a single individual is $275,000, then the excess over $200,000 would be $75,000 ($275,000 minus $200,000). Assume that this individual’s net investment income is $60,000. The new 3.8% tax applies to the smaller amount. In this example, $60,000 of net investment income is less than the $75,000 excess over the threshold. Thus, in this example, the 3.8% tax is applied to the $60,000. <br /><br />If this single individual had AGI if $275,000 and net investment income of $90,000, then the new tax would be imposed on the smaller amount: the $75,000 of excess over $200,000. <br /><br /><em>Rules of thumb for predicting the application of this tax year to year are not readily determinable</em>, largely because the proportion of net investment income compared to AGI will vary from year to year and from individual to individual. <br /><br /><br /><strong>Q-10: Will the $250,000/$500,000 exclusion on the sale of a principal residence continue to apply? <br /><br />A: Yes.</strong> Any gain from the sale of a principal residence that is less than $250,000 (individual) or $500,000 (joint return) will continue to be excluded from the income tax. The new 3.8% tax will NOT apply to this excluded amount of the gain. <br /><br /><br /><strong>Q-11: Will the 3.8% tax apply to any part of the gain on the sale of a principal residence?<br /><br />A: Maybe.</strong> The new Medicare tax would apply <strong>only</strong> to any gain realized that is more than the $250K/$500K existing primary home exclusion (known as the “taxable gain”), and <strong>only</strong> if the seller has AGI above the $200K/$250K AGI thresholds. <br /><br />So, for example, if the taxable gain was $30,000 and a married couple had AGI (which would include the taxable gain) of $180,000, the 3.8% tax would not apply because AGI is less than $250,000. If that same couple had AGI of $290,000, then the application of the 3.8% tax would be subject to the same formula described above. The $30,000 <strong>taxable</strong> gain on the sale would be less than the $40,000 excess above $250,000 AGI, so the $30,000 gain would be subject to the new 3.8% tax. <br /><br /><br /><strong>Q-12: Is rent from a vacation home subject to the 3.8% tax? And what about the gain on sale of a vacation or rental property?<br /><br />A: </strong>The application of the tax will depend on whether the vacation home has been rented out, the period for which it has been rented and whether the property is solely for the enjoyment of the owner. If the owner has rented the home out to others, then the 14-day rent exclusion will continue to apply. Thus, if the owner rents the property to others (including family members) for 14 or fewer days, there would be no net investment tax. (Note that no deductions for expenses would be available, as under current law.) <br /><br />If the home has been rented to others (including family members) for more than 14 days, then the rents (minus related expenses) would be considered as part of net investment income and could, depending on AGI and the calculations described above, be subject to the new tax. <br /><br />If the vacation home has been used solely for personal enjoyment (i.e., there is no rental income and no associated expenses), then a gain on sale would be treated as net investment income and could be subject to the tax, depending on AGI. Similarly, if the property had generated rents, any net gain on sale could also be included in net investment income. The amount of the tax (if any) would depend on the calculation formula, above in Q-8 and Q-9. <br /><br /><br /><strong>Q-13: My rental property generates a net loss each year. How will those losses be factored into the new tax? And what if I have net capital losses when I sell?<br /><br />A: </strong>Net losses from rents and net capital losses reduce AGI. Thus, the losses themselves would not be subject to the tax. If, after losses, AGI still exceeds the High Income thresholds, the 3.8% tax would still apply to any net rental, interest or dividends income. <br /><br /><br /><strong>Q-14: I earn all of my income from real estate investments that I own and operate myself. Will my rents and gains be subject to the new tax?<br /><br />A: No.</strong>If the ownership and operation of real estate you own is your sole occupation, then those activities are what’s called your “trade or business.” Income derived from a trade or business is not subject to the new 3.8% tax. If the owner of rental properties has a “day job,” however, real estate investments are not considered as a trade or business, but are rather considered as investments, even if they are a major source of income. <br /><br />Many Realtors engage in business activities are that are the “typical” selling, leasing and brokerage endeavors usually associated with the term “Realtor.” If they also own rental real estate assets as part of their own personal investment portfolio, the net rents from that portfolio could become subject to the new 3.8% tax on net investment income, depending on AGI. <br /><br /><br /><strong>Q-15: Will “High Income Filers” lose any portion of the Mortgage Interest Deduction?<br /><br />A: No.</strong> The mortgage interest deduction is unchanged. No cap was imposed on any itemized deductions. <br /><br /><br /><strong>Q-16: Why is this new tax called a “Medicare tax?”<br /><br />A: </strong>The revenues generated from this tax will be allocated to the Medicare Trust Fund that is part of the Social Security System. That fund is currently on shaky financial footing. These additional revenues are intended to shore up the Medicare Trust Fund. <br /><br /><br /><strong>Q-17: How will this new tax affect marginal (the highest) tax rates when it is combined with existing law and with the possible expiration of the Bush tax cuts enacted in 2001?<br /><br />A: </strong>Marginal tax rates are the tax rates assessed on the “last” dollars included in taxable income. If the Bush tax cuts are allowed to expire, then the marginal rates for upper income individuals will increase, particularly for capital gains income. The chart below reflects the impact of those changes, presented based on implementation of current law effective dates. <br /><br /><span class="link"><a href="http://www.realtor.org/small_business_health_coverage.nsf/docfiles/government_affairs_health_ref_marg_tax_rates.pdf/$FILE/government_affairs_health_ref_marg_tax_rates.pdf" target="new">Download the chart></a></span> (PDF: 324K) <br /><br /><br /><span class="subhead">Additional FAQs:</span> <br /><br /><span class="link"><a href="http://www.realtor.org/small_business_health_coverage.nsf/Pages/health_ref_faq_med_tax_earned_income?OpenDocument">New Medicare Tax on EARNED INCOME: Wages, Salaries and Commissions</a></span><br /><span class="link"><a href="http://www.realtor.org/small_business_health_coverage.nsf/Pages/health_ref_faq_state_of_play?OpenDocument">The Final Legislation</a></span><br /><span class="link"><a href="http://www.realtor.org/small_business_health_coverage.nsf/Pages/health_ref_faq_need_for_reform?OpenDocument">Need for Reform — A REALTOR® Perspective</a></span><br /><span class="link"><a href="http://www.realtor.org/small_business_health_coverage.nsf/Pages/health_ref_faq_access?OpenDocument">Access to Health Insurance</a></span><br /><span class="link"><a href="http://www.realtor.org/small_business_health_coverage.nsf/Pages/health_ref_faq_exchange?OpenDocument">Health Insurance Exchange and SHOP</a></span><br /><span class="link"><a href="http://www.realtor.org/small_business_health_coverage.nsf/Pages/health_ref_faq_indiv_mandates?OpenDocument">Individual Mandates</a></span><br /><span class="link"><a href="http://www.realtor.org/small_business_health_coverage.nsf/Pages/health_ref_faq_employer_mandates?OpenDocument">Employer Mandates</a></span><br /><span class="link"><a href="http://www.realtor.org/small_business_health_coverage.nsf/Pages/health_ref_faq_have_coverage?OpenDocument">If You Already Have or Provide Coverage</a></span><br /><span class="link"><a href="http://www.realtor.org/small_business_health_coverage.nsf/Pages/health_ref_faq_plan_details?OpenDocument">Plan Details</a></span><br /><span class="link"><a href="http://www.realtor.org/small_business_health_coverage.nsf/Pages/health_ref_faq_paying?OpenDocument">Paying for Health Reform</a></span><br /><span class="link"><a href="http://www.realtor.org/small_business_health_coverage.nsf/Pages/health_ref_faq_advocacy?OpenDocument">NAR Advocacy Positions</a></span> </span><br /></td></tr>
<tr valign="top"><td width="394"><br /></td></tr>
<a href="http://www.realtor.org/small_business_health_coverage.nsf/Pages/health_ref_faq_indiv_mandates?OpenDocument">http://www.realtor.org/small_business_health_coverage.nsf/Pages/health_ref_faq_indiv_mandates?OpenDocument</a>Cyndi Cummingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10906573557141911403noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7033295362015845124.post-78905241436108673932012-01-01T21:32:00.000-06:002012-01-01T21:32:15.975-06:00Central Texas home sales up 11 percent in November<a href="http://www.statesman.com/business/real-estate/central-texas-home-sales-up-11-percent-in-2043882.html#.TvOiTOdS_LY.email">Central Texas home sales up 11 percent in November</a>Cyndi Cummingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10906573557141911403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7033295362015845124.post-37153552347337003482011-07-16T21:33:00.000-05:002011-07-16T21:33:40.203-05:00Short term rental Regulations to be discussed at City CouncilWOW- How will this impact you????<br />
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<div class="Headline" style="border-bottom: #418fc3 2px solid; margin-bottom: 12px; padding-bottom: 3px;">City Council to Discuss Adopting New Short Term Rental Regulations</div><div style="line-height: 20px;"><div style="float: left; height: auto; width: 100%;"><div style="line-height: 16px; width: 100%;">At their regular meeting on July 18th, the City Council will discuss the possibility of adopting regulations that would require property owners to obtain a license for the short term rental of residential property (less than four weeks). These licenses would include conditions intended to ensure the compatibility of the rental property with neighboring residences. <a class="Hyperlink" href="http://www.cityoflakeway.com/DocumentView.aspx?DID=1575" target="_blank" title="Open "Short Term Rentals Summary" in a new Window"><span class="Hyperlink" style="color: #418fc3;">Short Term Rentals Summary</span></a> <br />
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If you’re interested in this subject, we encourage you to review the following documents: <br />
(1) <a class="Hyperlink" href="http://www.cityoflakeway.com/DocumentView.aspx?DID=1577" target="_self"><span class="Hyperlink" style="color: #418fc3;">Short Term Rental License</span></a> - the ordinance establishing the licensing requirement; <br />
(2) <a class="Hyperlink" href="http://www.cityoflakeway.com/DocumentView.aspx?DID=1579" target="_self"><span class="Hyperlink" style="color: #418fc3;">Zoning Ordinance Amendment</span></a> - the ordinance amending our zoning regulations to allow the use in residential districts; <br />
(3) <a class="Hyperlink" href="http://www.cityoflakeway.com/DocumentView.aspx?DID=1578" target="_self"><span class="Hyperlink" style="color: #418fc3;">Fee Schedule Rentals</span></a> - the ordinance amending the fee schedule to cover costs associated with the licensing; <br />
and to attend the hearing on the 18th.<br />
<br />
Questions regarding these proposed ordinances should be directed to Shannon Burke, Director of Building and Development Services, at 314-7542 or <a href="mailto:shannonburke@lakeway-tx.gov" onmouseover="js_mail(this, arrEmail1)">shannonburke@lakeway-tx.gov</a>. </div></div></div>Cyndi Cummingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10906573557141911403noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7033295362015845124.post-68532939106618640832011-06-30T13:06:00.000-05:002011-06-30T13:06:38.218-05:005 STAR PROFESSIONAL AWARD - Texas Monthly June 2011Congratulations are in order for Cyndi Cummings- the 5 Star Professional award represents less than 3% of a select group of real estate agents in Austin, San Antonio and Central Texas region! Agents were evaluated by past clients and industry experts on n<span class="text_exposed_hide">...</span><span class="text_exposed_show">ine criteria: customer service, communication, finding the right home, integrity, negotiation, marketing the home, market knowledge, closing preparation and overall satisfaction. Work with one of the elite-Cyndi Cummings.</span>Cyndi Cummingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10906573557141911403noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7033295362015845124.post-8586578876904422202011-06-20T17:18:00.001-05:002011-06-20T17:18:16.334-05:00How to Tell if Your Housing Market Has Hit Bottom<a href="http://on.wsj.com/laATku">http://on.wsj.com/laATku</a><br /><br /><p><br /> Three essential clues may signal if better times are ahead!</p><br />Cyndi Cummingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10906573557141911403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7033295362015845124.post-47189528227024290682011-06-20T17:04:00.001-05:002011-06-20T17:04:59.243-05:00Deer Attacks in LakewayDo not feed the deer! These graceful animals are not always as kind and meek as Bambi.<br />
<a href="http://www.myfoxaustin.com/dpp/top_stories/Deer-Attacks-in-Lakeway-20110619-ktbcw#axzz1PpFL63fu">Deer Attacks in Lakeway</a>Cyndi Cummingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10906573557141911403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7033295362015845124.post-73246503982622917222011-06-20T11:45:00.000-05:002011-06-20T11:45:25.010-05:00Lakeway approaching 50-year anniversaryThe City of Lakeway has seen a lot of growth in the past half-century, growing from a sleepy resort village to the city it is today. Below is a very interesting article about the changes the city has seen and the upcoming anniversary.<br /><a href="http://impactnews.com/lake-travis-westlake/437-history/12213-lakeway-approaching-50-year-anniversary#.Tf94t-9Boq5;blogger">Lakeway approaching 50-year anniversary</a>Cyndi Cummingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10906573557141911403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7033295362015845124.post-15877677852269395962011-06-13T15:37:00.000-05:002011-06-13T15:37:36.001-05:00Lakeway's big business boom!<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Those of us who have lived in the Lake Travis area for a while can remember when there were few retail options until very recently. I've been keeping track of the recent building projects in the Lake area and have created a page on my website with some details of these exciting new projects. </span><a href="http://www.laketravisliving.com/neighborhoods/2011projectslakeway.html"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Check it out!</span></a>Cyndi Cummingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10906573557141911403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7033295362015845124.post-61798638622085256242011-06-07T18:27:00.001-05:002011-06-13T15:30:49.560-05:00Lakeway Texas 4th of July Parade 2011<span style="color: #800040; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><em>LAKEWAY PARADE<br />
8:30 am Monday July 4th<br />
Lakeway Drive from the Live Oak Course to the Lakeway Church</em><br />
<em>I will forever be grateful to our then neighbors-George and Jojo who took us to the Lakeway Parade the first year we moved here. I had never seen a parade such as this and was overwhelmed with patriotic feelings. Since we had recently moved from Oregon I remember crying when I saw the parade of golf carts with state flags attached. The sight of all of the senior citizens with their extended family-mostly grandkids- on the carts with them was the last straw and the tears came down.</em><br />
<br />
<em>If you have never been to a small town parade, then you have to see this parade. Often I heard people say there are more people in the parade than watching it. I think those numbers have changed as the city has grown.</em><br />
<br />
<em>My husband and I had a friendly competition each year to see who's float would win the parade that year. We were always on different floats and his seemed to always beat mine.....Now we take the dogs and folding chairs and watch the parade from the sidelines. </em><br />
<br />
<em>For more info about the city of Lakeway visit my <a href="http://laketravisliving.com/">website</a>. If you would like to be in the parade you can pick up an entry from Lakeway City hall or contact Paula Crawley- she is the chair this year. 512-261-1938 or </em><br />
<a href="mailto:paulacrawley83@gmail.com"><span style="color: blue;"><em>paulacrawley83@gmail</em></span></a>. </span>Cyndi Cummingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10906573557141911403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7033295362015845124.post-86498600913925368562011-05-30T08:54:00.001-05:002011-06-13T15:32:39.189-05:00Lakeway Texas Swim Center opens for the Summer Today!Come for a dip yourself or bring the family to the Lakeway Swim Center, 3103 Lakeway Blvd., Austin, Tx, as it is opening for the summer season today!<br />
<br />
If you are thinking about a pool party or to become a member call 512-261-1010.<br />
<br />
For three month until August 21st, 2011, you will be able to swim. . Regular leisure pool hours are Tues - Sat (Noon to 8 PM) and Sun (Noon to 6 PM). Fees are Age 2 and under (Free), Age 3 - 18 ($4 - $5), Age 19 - 55 ($5 - $6), Age 55+ ($4 -$5) depending upon residency.<br />
<br />
For more information about the Lake Travis area visit my <a href="http://laketravisliving.com/">website</a>.Cyndi Cummingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10906573557141911403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7033295362015845124.post-85841684476141967862011-05-16T18:40:00.000-05:002011-05-16T18:40:23.640-05:00Household Hazardous Waste Event in Lake TravisOn Saturday, May 21, 2011, there will be a Household Hazardous Waste Event in Lake Travis. Click on this link to see the <a href="http://laketravisliving.com/Repository/1/3/2/5/2/8/132528/bb8b1a64-2526-4c17-9264-fc7418099ebf.pdf">full flyer</a>. The flyer will tell you what you can and can't bring. If you are over 65 and need help getting items to the event, let me know, I will try to assist you!<br />
8am to noon<br />
Hudson Bend Middle School<br />
15600 Lariat<br />
Austin, Tx 78734Cyndi Cummingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10906573557141911403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7033295362015845124.post-52346059060387482782011-05-10T00:25:00.002-05:002011-05-10T00:30:30.480-05:00Local Treasures in the Lake Travis Community<div class="MsoTitle" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5SOEIynG3OSsU4bCqr7I5CjgMNMwm68weUG1FuBY3jyn8dJNdeBFH28amCz7q-sRg4sQ3SifmTUvv_DWc-VTwusVWJudkv7nhyphenhyphenEqNQY0fql_VhwwyIeh8EVH52iFFwjIuHZ2DwHp63Cw/s1600/Joy+Hrobak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5SOEIynG3OSsU4bCqr7I5CjgMNMwm68weUG1FuBY3jyn8dJNdeBFH28amCz7q-sRg4sQ3SifmTUvv_DWc-VTwusVWJudkv7nhyphenhyphenEqNQY0fql_VhwwyIeh8EVH52iFFwjIuHZ2DwHp63Cw/s320/Joy+Hrobak.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Local Treasures in the Lake Travis Community</span></strong></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lake Travis is a special place to live.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The natural beauty of the hill country, combined with all of wonderful restaurants, stores, outdoor recreation and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>other services make this area unique.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just this morning my husband and I were talking about all of the wonderful things we can do here, from golfing to boating to hiking on our local trails.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You might think this weekly blog will be about those treasures, but I will focus on our neighbors who are treasures too!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each week I will feature a neighbor that has inspired us and helped to make our community better, just by their sharing of their gifts. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I selected the first neighbor I will feature because I was curious as to why she does what she does.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do not just think of her once in a while, I think of her at least once a day if not more!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Joy Hrobak has contributed so much in helping our community with her e-mailed community bulletin board that I just had to meet her and share with others what I learned about her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you are not a subscriber to her board, then you have definitely been out of the loop about news in the Lake Travis area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I am getting ahead of myself, let me share what I learned about Joy….</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Joy and her husband, Bob, have lived in the Hills of Lakeway for about 17 years. Joy was born in Yantis, Texas and Bob is from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yantis had a population of 200 when Joy was born there and today the population is still only 321.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Hrobaks still own a log cabin there that they visit occasionally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; tab-stops: right 6.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Joy has had several jobs throughout her life time, but perhaps the most exciting was when she was flight attendant for Eastern airlines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was selected, along with 3 other attendants, to work the campaign plane for the Goldwater/Miller presidential ticket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At that time there were 1700 attendants and this was a highly coveted assignment!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; tab-stops: right 6.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She has had the good fortune to live in many wonderful places including Florida, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Cincinnati, Honolulu and Japan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, she loves the Lake Travis area most of all and is happy to be retired here!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; tab-stops: right 6.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So how did the bulletin board begin? About 12 years ago Joy was the newly tasked Social Chairman for The Hills Country Club.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was a volunteer position (as is the bulletin board!) and Joy began to realize there was no way to get the word out about events occurring at The Hills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The board began with just club members, but it has quickly grown from there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She started with 400 e-mail addresses and now has over 1,500.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; tab-stops: right 6.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The first post, other than social events, was for a boat for sale.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She doubted that it would sell because of her list but it sold to the first person that contacted the seller!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now she posts items from time shares to jewelry, non profit events to restaurant specials, cars to toys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The posts that Joy is sure to get out right away are those regarding lost pets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is happy to have reconnected many pet owners with their beloved animals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are some things she will not post and really takes a close look at the posting to see if someone might be “pulling her leg”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To post, you must include your name, number and email.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She prefers that posts be 50 words or less and she finds that she averages 12 postings a day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is using the AOL email system which requires she break up her email messages in packets, so it sometimes takes her 6 hours to get out 12 posts!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; tab-stops: right 6.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, why does Joy spend such a great amount of time on the Bulletin Board?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because she recognizes that many people have been helped by it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She plans on continuing to post items, but has been thinking about a transition down the road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is considering some changes to her process to shorten her time commitment, but nothing is firm for now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was glad to learn that she won the Lake Travis Chamber of Commerce Unsung Hero Award last year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In my opinion that is a well deserved honor because she has given so much of her time to help out so many of our neighbors!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; tab-stops: right 6.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">To join Joy’s distribution list simply e-mail her at jhrobak@aol.com.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; tab-stops: right 6.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Check back next Monday to learn more about another local “Treasure”.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; tab-stops: right 6.5in;"><br />
</div>Cyndi Cummingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10906573557141911403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7033295362015845124.post-82057491842346668232011-04-22T09:47:00.001-05:002011-04-22T09:59:25.965-05:00Lake Travis Community asked to "Get Their Green On" April 30th, 2011<span style="font-size: 24pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Announcing Saturday <span style="color: red;">April 30, 2011</span> is Get Their Green On</span></span><br />
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br />
<br />
<em><strong>REsolve Group, LLC</strong>, a real estate and design/build firm in Lakeway, invites the Lake Travis community to “Get their Green On” at our first annual Earth Day Event!<strong> Please join us as we celebrate EARTH DAY 2011 by bringing your old electronics for recycle on Saturday, April 30th from 8:00am – 12:00pm to the Emmaus Catholic Parish front parking lot.</strong><br />
<br />
It's as easy as 1, 2, 3!<br />
<br />
1. Go through your house, garage, and office and load your car with any old electronics.<br />
2. Bring them to the Emmaus Catholic Parish parking lot.<br />
3. Pop your trunk - you won't even have to get out of your car!<br />
<br />
*Recycled items are reused or disassembled and their parts reused. Items are never taken to a landfill.<br />
<br />
We would also like to invite<u> all youth</u> to participate in this event! Be there to support our community by transporting electronics from residents' cars to our Earth Day moving truck. We will provide food and drinks following the event for those that RSVP with REsolve Group.</em><em><strong> Invite your friends and come join us!</strong><br />
<u>Recycling items include:</u> <u> Items we cannot accept:</u><br />
<br />
-Computers -Refrigerators<br />
-Radios -Air conditioners<br />
-Telephones -Dehumidifiers<br />
-DVD players -Washer/Dryers<br />
-CD players -Other large appliances<br />
-VCRs<br />
-Tape players<br />
-Speakers<br />
-Turn tables<br />
-Monitors<br />
-Modems<br />
-Video game consoles<br />
<br />
<strong>We hope to see you there!</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>David Heckler</strong> <strong> Margaret Heckler</strong><br />
Broker / REALTOR Graduate Architect<br />
Registered Architect Project Manager<br />
Reg. Interior Designer Marketing Director</em> <span style="color: #800040; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><em>Margaret Heckler</em><a href="mailto:margaret@REsolveGrp.com" href_cetemp="mailto:margaret@REsolveGrp.com"><span style="color: blue;"><em>margaret@REsolveGrp.com</em></span></a><br />
<em><strong>REsolve Group, LLC</strong></em></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.resolvegrp.com/" href_cetemp="http://www.resolvegrp.com/"><span style="color: blue;"><em>www.REsolveGrp.com</em></span></a></span><span style="color: #800040; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="tel:512.777.1714" href_cetemp="tel:512.777.1714"><span style="color: blue;"><em>512.777.1714</em></span></a></span><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.resolvegrp.com/" href_cetemp="http://www.resolvegrp.com/"><span style="color: blue;"><em>www.REsolveGrp.com</em></span></a></span></strong></span></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><shape alt="Troop 52 BSA.png" id="_x0000_i1027" style="height: 49.5pt; width: 1in;" type="#_x0000_t75"><imagedata o:href="cid:ii_12f798502a0f52a5" src="file:///C:\Users\Cyndi\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.png"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="color: lime; font-size: x-large;">For more information about recycling in the Lake Travis area go to</span><br />
<a href="http://www.lakewayrecycling.com/"><span style="color: lime; font-size: x-large;">http://www.lakewayrecycling.com</span></a></imagedata></shape></div>Cyndi Cummingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10906573557141911403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7033295362015845124.post-25102911711725517212011-04-22T09:17:00.002-05:002011-04-22T10:00:31.352-05:00April 30th Shred Day<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Announcing Saturday April 30 is </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">Lakeway Boy Scout Troop 52 Shred Day</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><shapetype coordsize="21600,21600" filled="f" id="_x0000_t75" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f"><stroke joinstyle="miter"></stroke><formulas><f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></f><f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></f><f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></f><f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></f><f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></f></formulas><path gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect" o:extrusionok="f"></path><lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit"></lock></shapetype><shape alt="Troop 52 BSA.png" id="_x0000_i1025" style="height: 49.5pt; width: 1in;" type="#_x0000_t75"><imagedata o:href="cid:ii_12f799b3bd968ea7" src="file:///C:\Users\Cyndi\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.png"></imagedata></shape></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
Bring us your sensitive documents and we will shred them into tiny pieces !!</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Saturday April 30, 8:00 to Noon<br />
Emmaus Catholic Church <br />
1718 Lohman's Crossing Road<br />
Lakeway, TX</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Thanks to CINTAS Document Management for sponsoring Troop 52s Shred Day. Remind everyone you know to bring your stuff and get it shredded.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Please be prepared to make a donation to the Lakeway Boy Scout Troop 52 if you can.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: lime; font-size: x-large;">For more information about local recycling efforts go to</span><br />
<a href="http://www.lakewayrecycling.com/"><span style="color: lime; font-size: x-large;">http://www.lakewayrecycling.com</span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><shape alt="Troop 52 BSA.png" id="_x0000_i1027" style="height: 49.5pt; width: 1in;" type="#_x0000_t75"><imagedata o:href="cid:ii_12f798502a0f52a5" src="file:///C:\Users\Cyndi\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.png"></imagedata></shape></div>Cyndi Cummingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10906573557141911403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7033295362015845124.post-81499673367274138132011-04-06T22:52:00.001-05:002011-04-06T22:54:45.934-05:00Travis County Property Tax MeetingA Travis County Property Tax Meeting was held at the Lakeway Activity Center last week. I decided that as a Realtor it would be very beneficial for me to attend so that I might share what I learned with my clients. Honestly one of the biggest reasons why I wanted to attend was to meet the person that I write many checks to-face to face- Nelda Spears! Sadly she did not attend and I was not able to post that picture of her and I that I had hoped for......<br />
<br />
The room was setup for 50 or more people. There were three attendees, including myself. Although I did not have a particular question the other attendees did. I was there to learn so I settled into my chair.<br />
<br />
Tina Morton Director of Public Information and Training from the Travis County Tax Office spoke first. Next Marya Crigler spoke and Chief appraiser Patrick Brown also shared information.<br />
<br />
Here are the highlights from the meeting from my perspective.<br />
<br />
1. 12 appraisers have been in the Lake Travis area gathering information about the properties in the area. They will look for additions, and enhancements and add that to the property profiles.<br />
<br />
2. That 65% of taxes are school taxes and that the schools will hold public meetings about tax rate. This is your time to voice concerns about the school taxes.<br />
<br />
3. Over 65- you can pay your taxes each qtr with no interest charge. You can also postpone your taxes until the home sales, this has an 8% cost per year. The home may sell when you still own it or heirs. Either way all taxes will be paid from the proceeds of the home.<br />
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4. Deceased Disabled Veteran Property Tax with regards to their spouse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As it stands now the surviving spouse looses the property tax benefit when their spouse passes away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This has a huge impact on the surviving spouse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Imagine they are now only getting one social security check and their property taxes are going up and in some cases dramatically going up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a bill out currently that by late summer could resolve this issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This will potential allow all surviving spouses to put the property tax they were paying when their spouse was living back into play.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This will be a huge relieve to many I am certain.<br />
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5. All tax payers may have a future escrow payment plan where money is deposited each month into a non interest bearing account. This is very important for some people who are worried about having the money to pay the tax bill when it comes due.<br />
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6. I was reminded about the Single Family Residence grades and Construction Classifications. I will write more about this below.<br />
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Much of the conversation with the other attendees was surrounding the Disabled Veteran Property Tax and a discussion about how the value is determined of a property and a tax payer’s recourse to this issue.<br />
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Since I fought my taxes last year you can see in my past blogs how that process works, but briefly your recourse is 1. Speak with appraiser 2. Speak to panel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go to arbitration with a $250 fee 4. File a law suit.<br />
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A law passed in 2005 states that there is a 10% limit increase to the appraised value each year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The market value will be what the house would sell for in an open market.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The lesser of the two is what will be used times your tax rate to determine what your tax bill will be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
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While this discussion continued for a very long time, I was reminded of the Residence Grade and Construction Classifications that are used to determine the appraised value.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To find what your class is for your home first go to <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://www.traviscad.org/">http://www.traviscad.org/</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Put in your address or name to pull up your property.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Read down the detailed property report and go to the table that begins with Segment Information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go to the column that has Class in it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Read down this column to determine how your home is classed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next step is to have the information from the county which outlines the classifications.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have received that form and you can <a href="http://www.laketravisliving.com/constructionclassification.html">click here</a> to get that form.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you find out your home has a class of 5, read more about what makes a home a 5 Classification.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If when you read it does not describe your home, but say class 4 does, this would be a reason to meet with the appraiser and discuss why your home is not classified correctly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An incorrect classification in the downward direction could warrant getting your taxes lowered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
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I am very passionate about helping seniors in the Austin area. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you or someone you know could use the expertise that I have, please contact me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of this information could greatly assist them and I would be happy to discuss what I learned.Cyndi Cummingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10906573557141911403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7033295362015845124.post-7754102650365509942011-03-28T17:25:00.000-06:002011-03-28T17:25:39.987-06:00Travis County Property Tax MeetingsTravis County will be hosting a series of Town Hall meetings. This would be a great time to get information and have questions answered regarding property taxes. Chief Appraiser Patrick Brown and Tax Assessor and Collector Nelda Spears will be at the meeting. Below see the letter that was sent out with additional information.<br />
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Schedule-all locations meet from 6:30 to 8:00<br />
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Tuesday March 29th at Lakeway Activity Center (105 Cross Creek)<br />
Tuesday April 5th at Laura Bush Community Library (9411 Bee Cave Road)<br />
Thursday April 7th at Jonestown Community Library(18649 FM 1431, Suite 10A)<br />
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www.traviscountytax.org<br />
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(512) 854-9473<br />
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Nelda Wells Spears Main Office: 5501 Airport Blvd<br />
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Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector Austin, TX 78751-1410<br />
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& Voter Registrar<br />
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Tina Morton<br />
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March 22, 2011 (512) 854-9706<br />
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tina.morton@co.travis.tx.us<br />
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PROPERTY TAXES HAVE YOU FEELING<br />
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CONFUSED? WORRIED? NERVOUS?<br />
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You’re not alone!<br />
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Who? Patrick Brown, Travis County Chief Appraiser and<br />
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Nelda Wells Spears, Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector<br />
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What? Property Tax Town Hall Meetings<br />
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Why? Looking for answers to questions about your property taxes, home valuation or the appraisal protest process? Need to know more about the types of exemptions available to property owners?<br />
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Maybe you’re a new homeowner with questions about what to expect throughout the year. Or maybe you’re a long time resident with questions about exemptions for older or disabled homeowners. Presenters plan to discuss how the property valuation and protest process works, how to file for exemptions and deferrals and what important deadlines all property owners should know. Most importantly, they plan to answer any questions you may have for them!<br />
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These events are free and open to the public.Cyndi Cummingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10906573557141911403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7033295362015845124.post-62209944968208403602011-03-11T09:00:00.002-06:002011-03-11T09:05:00.859-06:00Original developer reclaims Spanish Oaks out of foreclosureWhat great news for the Lake Travis Area! Here is a quote from the article, and click below for more info!<br /><br />"David Armbrust, Porter's attorney, said Thursday that the re-emergence of a significant project like Spanish Oaks is "a great signal our economy is turning around."<br /><br /><a href="http://www.statesman.com/business/original-developer-reclaims-spanish-oaks-out-of-foreclosure-1312932.html">Original developer reclaims Spanish Oaks out of foreclosure</a>Cyndi Cummingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10906573557141911403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7033295362015845124.post-46063769962982919422010-12-23T10:36:00.005-06:002010-12-23T10:41:38.600-06:00New Marina approved for LakewayWatch this news story to learn more about the new Marina approved for Lakeway. What do you think?<br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" id="video" width="320" height="280" data="http://www.kxan.com/video/videoplayer.swf?dppversion=6994"><param value="http://www.kxan.com/video/videoplayer.swf?dppversion=6994" name="movie"/><param value="&skin=MP1ExternalAll-MFL.swf&embed=true&adSizeArray=1x1000,2x40,3x1000&adSrc=http%3A%2F%2Fad%2Edoubleclick%2Enet%2Fpfadx%2Flin%2Ekxan%2Fnews%2Fbusiness%5F1%2Fdetail%3Bdcmt%3Dtext%2Fxml%3Bpos%3D%25pos%25%3Btile%3D2%3Bfname%3Dcontroversial%2Dmarina%2Dstill%2Din%2Dthe%2Dworks%3Bloc%3D%25loc%25%3Bsz%3D%25size%25%3Bord%3D932454600777793300%3Frand%3D%25rand%25&flv=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ekxan%2Ecom%2Ffeeds%2FoutboundFeed%3FobfType%3DVIDEO%5FPLAYER%5FSMIL%5FFEED%26componentId%3D22163466&img=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia2%2Ekxan%2Ecom%2F%2Fphoto%2F2010%2F12%2F20%2FCrosswater%5FYacht%5FClub4a94621f%2D4ae1%2D4d87%2D8848%2D5de3a491459c0000%5F20101220221446%5F640%5F480%2EJPG&story=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ekxan%2Ecom%2Fdpp%2Fnews%2Fbusiness%2Fcontroversial%2Dmarina%2Dstill%2Din%2Dthe%2Dworks&category=radar&title=Crosswater%20Yacht%20Club&oacct=dpsdpskxan,dpsglobal&ovns=fim&headline=Controversial%20marina%20still%20in%20the%20works" name="FlashVars"/><param value="all" name="allowNetworking"/><param value="always" name="allowScriptAccess"/></object><p style="width:320px"><a href="http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/business/controversial-marina-still-in-the-works">Controversial marina still in the works: kxan.com</a></p>Cyndi Cummingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10906573557141911403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7033295362015845124.post-2195287435096008662010-10-12T09:19:00.002-05:002010-10-12T09:25:11.740-05:00New ban on short-term leases in Rollingwood.Rollingwood, another town west of Austin, has a new <a href="http://www.statesman.com/news/local/rollingwoods-ban-on-short-term-home-rentals-pleases-960409.html?cxtype=rss_news">ban </a>on short-term leases. <br /><br />Owners are angry about the city's vote to take away their right to rent their homes out for fewer than 30 days - citing constitutional rights to do what they wish with their property and also the need for extra income during the recession.<br /><br />However, the city of Rollingwood, which is doggedly determined to remain its' own entity despite it's being nestled right next to Austin's Zilker park, sees the ban as a way to limit residents to home owners and more permanent residents as opposed to turning the village into a temporary resort town for those more interested in what Austin has to offer. <br /><br />Could Lakeway be next? Visit my <a href="http://www.laketravisliving.com">website </a>for more information about home sales in Austin and the Lake Travis area.Cyndi Cummingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10906573557141911403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7033295362015845124.post-10856500133894652682010-10-04T09:27:00.003-05:002010-10-04T09:30:16.166-05:00Texas Foreclosures less than 50% of nat'l avg.According to Realty Trac forclosures were 11.9% of realty sales in Texas in the second quarter. Nation-wide foreclosures accounted for 24% of realty sales.<br /><br />Visit the original article <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/2010/09/27/daily43.html?ana=from_rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+bizj_austin+%28Austin+Business+Journal%29">here </a>or my <a href="http://www.laketravisliving.com">website </a>for more info about home sales in Texas.Cyndi Cummingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10906573557141911403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7033295362015845124.post-33901542358612559882010-08-11T16:03:00.002-05:002010-08-11T16:07:47.291-05:00Doing GoodSome of our friends told us about an amazing charity that is providing lunches to children in the Lake Travis are whose parents work during the week and are unable to provide them with lunch.<br /><br />"Summer Lunches" hosted by LT Lov and area churches asks volunteers to pack basic lunches (Sandwich, chips, dessert, fruit, drink, and snack) which costs about $150 to feed 100 children a day. The Lake Hills Church allows the group to use its' Mobile Loaves and Fishes truck to deliver the lunches during the day. The non-profit <a href="www.ltlov.org">organization </a>accepts monetary donations and volunteers to prepare and deliver the food. <br /><br />It is always so great to hear about people doing good in our community. Keep up the good work!<br /><br />To learn more about the Lake Travis area visit my <a href="http://www.laketravisliving.com">website</a>.Cyndi Cummingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10906573557141911403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7033295362015845124.post-64985328812801190632010-08-10T15:53:00.002-05:002010-08-10T16:02:39.469-05:00Whole Foods Coming to the Hill Country GalleriaFor those of us who have lived in the Lake Travis area long enough to remember when the intersection of RR 620 South and Hwy 71 West was vast, rolling hill country the explosion of growth in population and businesses has brought a great deal of exciting change to the place we call home. Because of the beauty, the quality of public education, and now the plethora of amenities, families have been moving to the Lake Travis area in droves!<br />The area is constantly adding new businesses and we are particularly excited about this one -<br />Whole Foods Market Inc., will be building a retail center near the Hill Country Galleria in 2012. The organic and natural food supermarket chain is based in Austin and is a rising star - listed by Forbes as "Best 100 Companies to Work For" for 13 consecutive years and adding several new stores in 2012. <br />For more information about the Lake Travis area visit my <a href="http://www.laketravisliving.com">website</a>.Cyndi Cummingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10906573557141911403noreply@blogger.com0