Sustainability and Universal Design

It is estimated that over 30 million Americans face the day to day activities which take place in their homes in a wheelchair or walker. Veterans coming home from the service of our country are faced with disabilities they have to deal with for the rest of their lives. Silents and Boomers want to “age in place” and have a home that is accessible and sustainable. The problem with finding a solution to remedy these issues was the houses that were designed in the past, prior to current plans, were ugly and expensive.


It has taken many years for housing designers and architects to find a better way to meet these needs. There is now a new and improved popular design style known as universal design. It is popular for the very reasons it was unpopular in the past. Architects have now styled homes to be beautiful, affordable and convenient for anyone to live in. If selling the home becomes necessary, the home now has more sale ability and it will appeal to most everyone.

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June 08, 2009 • ChampionsLeave comment 0

Green is the New Gold

Last fall the city council of Austin passed a mandatory energy audit on houses 10 years and older. The mandatory audit is to disclose the energy efficiency of the property. The effective date is July 2009 and the expense will be approximately $100 for the audit. This is the first of what we are told will be the norm of every city and community in the very near future.

Many homes are being designed from the ground up so as to be a LEEDS certified energy efficient home. Platinum being at the top of the list, then Gold, Silver and then Certified. Inspectors are already taking a special course called Green Verifier for the work that lies ahead on the inspection side.


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May 01, 2009 • ChampionsLeave comment 0

Texas Real Estate Texaplex

With national headlines looking down see why Texas is looking up


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April 13, 2009 • ChampionsLeave comment 0

Strategies That Work When the Market Dips

In sales and when sales are going through a more difficult economic time period do not stay in the office working. Instead, go out and call on your customers and clients and prospects. You know where to find them. Get back involved with the clubs, associations and networking groups that you “used to be actively involved in”. It is time for face to face contact.

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April 10, 2009 • ChampionsLeave comment 1

Calming the Nervous Buyer with Facts

Now is the Time to Buy

5- 10 years from now when the financial crisis has ended and housing prices are up once more, we will look in the rear view mirror and realize that we missed the golden age for buying the dream home or being the "first time home buyer".

Smart people say, that moment of knowing we have hit rock bottom is only indicated by the time when everyone is the most pessimistic. That moment is certainly getting closer.

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January 14, 2009 • ChampionsLeave comment 0

Sizzle with Synergy

What is Synergy? Definition of synergy put very basically is the term to describe "a situation where the final outcome of a system is greater than the sum of its parts".
  • A mutually advantageous situation where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

  • A dynamic state in which combined action is favored over the sum of individual component actions.


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January 02, 2009 • ChampionsLeave comment 0