Central Texas Real Estate Blog

For those that love Chinese food, Chin’s Garden is where you can get all of your traditional favorites on a budget. From the crispy and flavorful egg rolls to sesame chicken dish, Chin’s Garden’s menu of traditional Chinese favorites will have your mouth watering.

Being open seven days a week, there will always be a time that works in your schedule to visit this San Antonio gem. Take a closer look at what you’ll enjoy at the delicious Chin’s Garden of San Antonio.

Why you’ll love this restaurant

If some of your favorite family memories involve sharing large platters of delicious Chinese food on the weekends, Chin’s Garden is going to be...

No, it's not Valentine's Day already guys. You don't need to worry, but it's probably time to take your wife on a romantic date, anyway. We shouldn't need a special occasion to keep the romance alive.

San Antonio has plenty of great romantic spots to help you keep the romance alive in your relationship. If you need a great restaurant for a romantic date, try one of these top choices.

The Grey Moss Inn - 19010 Scenic Loop Road, Helotes

Found to the north of San Antonio, this restaurant has been around since 1929. It's a fine dining establishment known for high-quality meats, such as steak, chicken, and lamb. They also serve seafood.

The Grey Moss Inn has...

Getting into an Austin neighborhood that is near great schools may be on the top of your list of priorities, but one that also comes with low tax rates would really sweeten the deal. Fortunately, there are several neighborhood options specific to the southwest part of town that features both low tax rates and great schools.

These neighborhoods tend to feature master-planned communities, fairly new construction, and that proximity to downtown that makes sense to live here while working downtown. Take a look at some of the best options in southwest Austin for low tax rates and great schools.

Circle C

Start your search by checking out ...

Are you preparing to sell your home in Austin and wondering what to expect for the process in this hot market? You may be expecting a fast sale and several great offers coming in putting the ball in your court.

While this could happen, that doesn’t mean selling your house isn’t going to require some hard work and some tough decisions. Take a look at the strategies you should use to sell your home efficiently especially during a seller’s market.

Have an online presence for your home

It’s important that you have your home online for people to easily find. Home buyers will be starting their search on the web, so it’s important that you have a great listing with professional photos, detailed...

When it comes to living in or near San Antonio, it doesn't get much better than Boerne. While many neighborhoods in San Antonio are amazing and an excellent place to call home, Boerne is a place you may just fall in love with.

Home buyers seeking a quiet place to call home will love Boerne. For many living in San Antonio, Boerne has already become a weekend escape, but why not just call it home? Here are five great reasons to call Boerne, TX home.

Incredible Main Street

When you arrive in the downtown area on Main Street, you will believe you've been transported into...

When you buy a home, it can become overwhelming with all the paperwork new appliances and other things going on. There's quite a bit to think about and you need to know what to keep and what you can let go. Here's a look at some of the things you should keep when you buy a home.

User Manuals

For now, you should all user manuals for appliances or anything else in the house. The previous owners may have provided user manuals for the security system, the kitchen appliances and anything else they have. If you're buying a new home, you'll likely have a manual for every single electronic device in the home and you should keep them all.

The manuals provide useful information and the contact details for the manufacturer. However, you don't need...

A brand new music festival is coming to Austin. With Austin already known for so much music and great festivals, it comes as no surprise that another festival is coming to the city. The city is already home to so many music festivals drawing big crowds, such as the Urban Music Festival, South by Southwest and the Austin Reggae Fest.

This new music festival will provide some of the best talent from all across the country. It's called the Waterloo Music Festival and it will provide plenty of fun for all those in love with music.

The Lineup

So many great acts will take the stage with plenty of big names and others you'll want to discover. The lineup includes:

• The String Cheese Incident
• Joe Russo's Almost Dead
• Oxtail...

A great spot for lunch, Southerleigh offers an incredible menu found within the Pearl Brewery. It's one of the largest brewpubs in the country with plenty of great beer, great food and so much more. The brews found here are incredible, but there's more to this spot than just beer.

It's a family-friendly place with plenty of great things to enjoy for kids, adults and even the picky eater. They even provide the kids with a tray of pretzel dough with the kids' menu. They get to play with the dough as they create their own pretzel before they order.

Along with lunch and dinner, Southerleigh offers brunch and a mid-shift/late-shift menu.

The Food

The lunch menu offers sandwiches, salads and smaller options, along with larger options and some combinations. You'll find burgers, chicken salads, ahi tuna, fish and even steak on the lunch...

Every month, there are several great things you can do and enjoy throughout Austin. New events come and go, but when one goes, another is coming. Here's a look at some of the top things you can do in Austin for September 2018.

Unplugged at the Grove - September 6th, 13th

Held at Shady Grove in Austin, this event will feature all types of free live music. It will also include plenty of food and plenty of fun. As the longest running free concert series in Austin, this is one of the best free things to do in September.

Waterloo Music Festival - September 7th to 9th

Held at Carson Creek Ranch, this amazing music festival will feature some of the very best jam bands and musical acts in Austin. It's a three-day festival with...

Football season is right around the corner and if you're new to Austin, you may be curious about the area football rivalries. There's no shortage of rivalries throughout the area. Here's a look at some of the biggest football rivalries in Austin.

Texas Longhorns vs. Oklahoma Sooners

The State Fair of Texas will start and three weekends in, the Texas vs. Oklahoma game will take over the fair. It's a huge game called the Red River Showdown and it's played at Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas. This rivalry is over a century old and has been instrumental in deciding plenty of seasons for both teams.

Some of the most historic games have been a part of this rivalry. This is a very big event in the state of Texas and currently, the Longhorns hold the series...

Is your top priority for your new home to have something in the location of a great school? This is the priority of many families in San Antonio that want the best for their children while choosing their dream home in the area. You can have it all: the home of your dreams near the perfect school for your kids.

You just need to know if the schools are actually the good ones. Take a look at this guide to help you learn what to look for in schools before you move to an otherwise great part of town.

What is your first impression of the school?

Once you’ve located an area you are interested in and the schools you could see your children at, it’s time to visit and get more information. What is your first impression of the school? You’ll want to look...

With summer in full force and the heat bearing down, it's time to take the family to one of the Austin area water parks. There are several great choices you can check out to help keep your family cool and have a little fun at the same time. Here's a look at some of the top water parks found near Austin, TX.

Rock 'N River Waterpark

A great choice in Round Rock, the Rock 'N River Waterpark offers four new waterslides, a drop slide, water basketball, water volleyball, a 12-foot jumping platform and a rock climbing wall with a waterfall. They also offer a leisure lagoon and 13 covered swim up concession seats. Of course, you can walk up to the concessions areas, as well.

The...

When it's time to get married, the planning phases can be enough to rip a couple apart. It's stressful, everybody has an opinion and there's quite a bit to organize. While you want to keep it together throughout the process of planning your wedding, you also want to make sure you choose the right place to get married.

Recently, Wallethub decides to compare over 180 cities in the U.S. to find the most convenient and least expensive wedding destinations in the country. After looking at 23 key indicators, Wallethub found the "Best Places to Get Married in the United States."

Austin, Texas came in at #11 on the list and for good reason. It's a great city with plenty to offer and here's why it made it onto the list.

Austin - 11th Best Place to Get Married in the United States

With...

Vacation Bible School or VBS is a popular choice for parents looking to keep their children busy throughout the summer. You can send them for a low price and they can enjoy plenty of great fun. The best park, some of the VBS programs are actually free or only ask for an optional fee.

If you're looking for a great VBS program for your children this year, you've come to the right place. Here's a look at some of the top choices still going on the rest of the summer in San Antonio.

St. David's Episcopal - 1300 Wiltshire Avenue

From 8:30am to 12pm, you can have your two-year-old to fifth grader enjoying plenty of fun. The theme this year at St. David's Episcopal is Shipwrecked. The cost is $35 for 2 and 3 year-olds and $24 for 4 years and older for the first two children....

July is a big month with Independence Day and plenty of other things going on. If you're looking for the best things to do in Austin during July, look no further. Here are some of the top things to do this July.

Cactus Pear Music Festival - July 5th

Held at Chapel in the Hills, the Cactus Pear Music Festival offers a showcase of great chamber music. You can enjoy five programs with 18 world-class musicians and 4 hosting cities as a part of this festival. The Austin festival will happen on July 5th in Wimberley, Texas.

Live Music at the Oasis - July 7th

The Oasis Restaurant holds live music often and July 7th will be one of those weekends. You can enjoy local Austin bands with all types of different genres coming to the restaurant. They also offer free salsa lessons every Sunday.

Unplugged at the Grove - July 5th, 12th, 19th, and 26th

Shady...

State parks offer plenty of great outdoor recreation for everybody to enjoy. Whether you love to hike, swim, fish or camp, the state parks closest to Austin, Texas will keep you busy year-round. Here's a look at some of the best state parks found near Austin.

McKinney Falls State Park

Found less than 10 miles from Austin, McKinney Falls State Park is the closest of all the state parks to Austin. It's on the southeastern edge of the city near Williamson and Onion Creeks.

The park offers beautiful cypress trees and wildflowers throughout. Two creeks run through the park and you can enjoy several great activities at the park. McKinney Falls State Park offers fishing, swimming, hiking, camping and more. It's also home to one of the oldest bald cypress trees in Texas.

Emma Long...

When you move to Central Texas, it’s not uncommon to come across homes that in your search for your next home that has foundation issues. Since the clay soil here can contract or expand throughout the year depending on the current moisture levels, it places stress on the foundation that will make it settle.

If you find some cosmetic cracks that don’t affect the home’s solid structure, then this isn’t something to worry about but beware of major cracking in door jams or windows. Take a look at this guide to decide if buying a home with foundation issues is smart and how to determine if it’s just minor cosmetic cracking.

Hire a foundation contractor

The first place to start with a home you want to purchase in Austin is to hire a foundation...

Are you considering condo living in Austin? Owing a condo is a wonderful way to become a homeowner without the added responsibilities that come with a single family home. It does mean that the buying process may be a little more complicated, but knowing what to ask about in advance will make the process much simpler.

You’ll need to find out about things involving the mandatory Homeowner’s Association that comes with condo ownership. While buying a home doesn’t always happen in a neighborhood with an HOA, condominiums have one that takes care of things like building maintenance and water services. Take a look at what you should ask about if you are considering buying a condo in Austin.

Understand...

When you’re buying a home this year in San Antonio, it’s important to be aware of a few things that can happen during the period between having your offer accepted and waiting to close. For starters, the mortgage process will still be going on and your mortgage rate could actually expire.

Also, even though you feel the house is yours now, it really isn’t until closing day. During that waiting process when your offer has been accepted by the sellers but the closing day hasn’t arrived, these are a few of the things to be aware of during when you’re waiting to close.

The closing day is very streamlined

While you may be anticipating a stressful closing day full of questions and things to remember to do, it’s actually a very streamlined process. You’ll find that it’s...