Did you know?

Austin, the 42nd largest job market, consistently outperforms all other metros. Based on state and national numbers, Austin grew 2.3% year-over-year by creating 17,300 jobs in the last 12 months (or 5% of all jobs created in the U.S.)

• Total Austin non-farm jobs peaked in November 2008 with 783,400. September 2010 total jobs of 771,200 are only 12,200 off of our peak.
• At our current trend rate, Austin could be back to its peak employment by May 2011
• 22 of the 50 largest Metros are now experiencing positive job growth
• Austin’s 2.3% growth rate compares to 1.0% for Dallas, 0.9% for Fort Worth, 0.7% for San Antonio and 0.1% for Houston
• Texas jobs have grown 4 months in a row. The state added 166,600 jobs or 1.6% increase.
• Nationally, 321,000 jobs (0.2%) have been added over the last 12 months. This is the third month of year-over-year growth, following 26 straight months of negative growth.

Stressful Work Day?

There’s a picture on the wall at the cleaners I take my clothes to. It's of a man in a grey suit with slicked back hair, arms crossed and a scowl on his face. Underneath him there’s a caption that says, “You may have to go through the wringer at work, but you don’t have to look like it.” I don’t know why but I laugh every time I see it. It makes me think about my family and the community we live in. Work can be stressful sometimes, and if you’re like most people, on occasion, you will come home at night feeling like you just went through the wringer. Many times while driving home I find myself thinking about work, what happened that day and what needs to be done the next day, right up to the moment I turn into our neighborhood. But right there, that's where it all that stress seems to start fading away. For that reason is why great master-planned communities were designed with long, lush entry avenues. These boulevards were created as decompression zones for busy, stressed hard working people. It becomes a place for them to relax, roll down the windows and take in the beauty of their community. A place to take a deep breath and say to yourself, “I’m blessed to be alive and thankful for my family and home”. That's what makes a day of feeling like you've gone through the ringer all worth it. What an amazing feeling something seemingly so insignificant can produce. I hope you take the time to enjoy yours this evening.

Loving the Cooler Weather In Austin

What a weekend!! We hope everyone has been enjoying this fantastic weather. It’s just another reason why it’s great to be alive in Austin, TX!!

A lot has been said through the years about the benefits of living in a master-planned community, but its weekends like this one that allow a person to see it in action. In our Sendero Springs community in Round Rock we just had a family move in from Massachusetts where this time of year the average temperature is in the 50s. They are so excited to be in Texas to experience our milder winters. What was great this past weekend was the fact that they used this great weather to go to the pool. Yes, you read that correctly, they went to the pool! Now, for most of Texans it’s too cold to go to the pool, but for folks from Massachusetts this weather is perfect. They really enjoyed the climate controlled year-round swimming pool Sendero Springs has to offer. Just another example of why master-plan communities are a great place to live and raise a family.

Have a great week!

How about them Cowboys?

How ‘bout them Cowboys!? We know We know, rough start right? The question on Dallas Cowboy’s fans mind now is can Tony Romo lead the Cowboys to the Super Bowl this year. This is supposed to be ‘the year’, all the stars are aligned, the Super Bowl is in Dallas, it’s the 50th anniversary for the franchise and Dallas is supposed to have one of the best teams in the league. So what’s going on?
Allow us to offer this little glimmer of hope. The Cowboys had a tremendous playoff and Super Bowl run in the 90s starting in 1992 with that 13-3 regular season and ending with that incredible 52-17 win over the Bills in the Super Bowl. With everyone coming back in 1993 it looked as though Dallas was positioned for a repeat, expectations were high but do you remember how that next season started? 0-2. Dallas was slaughtered against their division rival on the road in Washington (sound familiar) and then beaten at home in a close game by the Bills, the team they had crushed less than a year before. Maybe injuries had a lot to do with it, who knows. The bottom line is we all know that season ended with another Super Bowl Championship!
Personally, we would love to see the Cowboys turn it around and get the opportunity to play a home game in this years Super Bowl! What a great thing for the state of Texas and the NFL.
We would love to hear your opinions on the Cowboys after the first two games. What about those Texans? Feel free to share. Have a great week.

Back to School!!!

Wow! Can you believe it? We’re already three weeks into the school year. Where did the summer go?! They say the older you get the faster time flies. This new school year is special to us here at Streetman Homes as two of our employees oldest children started kindergarten. This milestone causes you to reflect on the past and anticipate with hope for a great future for our kids. As a homebuilder it makes us proud to be a part of such a wonderful dream with our customers. We consider ourselves fortunate to be able to offer home ownership in communities that attend some of the best schools this area has available. Both our Sendero Springs Community and Highland Horizon Community’s children go to Exemplary Elementary and Middle Schools. Sendero goes to Cactus Ranch Elementary, Texas Elementary School of the Year in 2006 and Walsh Middle School, which opened in 2009 and has already obtained Exemplary status. Highland Horizon goes to Deepwood Elementary and Cedar Valley Middle School. Cedar Valley and Walsh Middle along with Canyon Vista Middle School are the only Exemplary Middle Schools in the Round Rock district.

Here’s wishing your family a wonderful year full of joy, excitement and learning.

As Summer Comes to a Close, so do Two of Our Communties!

LAST OPPORTUNITY

BELTERRA-
Streetman Homes is a locally based, award winning, quality builder that prides itself in its workmanship. Streetman Homes has been building in Austin for over 15 years.
Since we have recently SOLD our Model Home, the Aspen, on Harris St, that leaves only two homes in Valley Oaks available! The Chisholm, 280 Meaves Way on a treed lot and the Sequoia 140 Kiras, located on a corner lot both homes are priced in the low 200’s. The Montclair is on the very last 90’s lot in Aspen Hills at 130 Granite Lane. The Montclair is just less than 3,700 sq ft. All three homes represent excellent value and are ready for immediate move in. There has never been a better time to buy a Streetman Home in Belterra then now. That should make for some very Happy Home Owners. Enjoy the HOLLIDAY season in your new Streetman Home.
This is an incredible opportunity to own one of the last NEW Streetman Homes in Belterra.

West Cypress Hills-
Truly a Beautiful Hill Country Community, just minutes drive from the Galleria, RR620 and Lake Travis. West Cypress Hills is located in Spicewood, an area expecting to boom in expansion. What with the all the new developments set to start in 2011 on the Highway 71 corridor. You can still buy a home that is value plus on a greenbelt and set in a pristine Hill Country setting, the community has swimming pools, basketball court, playscapes, miles of walking tracks and BBQ facilities. Homes are priced at an average of $100 dollars a square foot much lower then Falcon Head West and this price will give you a greenbelt lot. And it’s still in the Lake Travis ISD. That’s not so far away to save yourself a minimum of $80,000. The selection of restaurants and entertainment venues, in Spicewood are wonderful from top of the line steak house to Burgers, BBQ, Mexican, Ice house and famous LIVE music venues.

We have a Tahoe single story home on Texas Bluebell and a 2 story new plan The Aspen on Agarito. Both these homes are ready to move into and are set in gorgeous positions with views and priced to sell.

We also have the last corner treed lot available to build your dream home.
Unbelievable opportunities await you in West Cypress Hills

If you have any questions on either of these communities you can contact our sales professional, Peter, at 512-565-0888.

Last Opportunity!!!!!!

I’ve been working in Belterra since November of 2007. In this time I’ve had the privilege of helping many families find their dream home.

At the time I started with Streetman Homes we were building in The Palisades, Aspen Hills & Valley Oaks. Having said that we’ve been selling like hot cakes and I only have 4 remaining opportunities for home ownership. Palisades is completely Closed Out! Valley Oaks has 3 One of a Kind homes available and I have one opportunity remaining to own a home in the Prestigious Aspen Hills Neighborhood.

Just a short walk to the parks, greenbelt & Rooster Springs Elementary, 130 Granite Lane is Truly One-Of-A-Kind. This Beauty, The Montclair hasn’t been built in Aspen ever before. This is an awesome 2 story home built on a huge home site with over 3600 square feet. Nice tall ceilings in the entry, study & dining room makes this home feel larger than it is. The Montclair “B” Elevation was built with 4 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms, Formal Dining, Study, Media Room, Game room, 3 Car Tandem Garage, Walk out Attic Storage on a huge oversized home site! Perfect Yard for a Pool!

Beautiful Options were selected for this home: Oversized Tile Floors, Wood Floors in the Dining Room, French doors open into the study, Bay Windows that create a huge master suite, Big master bath complete with a 3 way mirror in the Closet, Slate Tile Backsplash in the Kitchen, Stainless Steel Appliances, upgraded door hardware and a Gorgeous Wrought Iron front door to name a few!

Don’t let this one get away from you! With mortgage rates this low and a home this Beautiful; I can assure you it won’t be here long!

To view the full listing please click here: http://www.streetmanhomes.com/find/listing-detail.php?list_id=55

A word from Emily in Sendero Springs

Today it is raining in Austin and I just read a few good articles about things going on in Austin such as The Colt McCoy wedding this month, the huge bridal/sample sale starting tomorrow at the Renaissance Austin Hotel!! What a great opportunity for those that are looking for a wedding dress to save some serious money!! Centex Homes apparently built a home on a pond and then sold it without the certificate of occupancy!!! Austin’s water utility is offering to recycle your old toilets that you’re replacing with high efficiency toilets.

According to the American Statesman 20,000 toilets were replaced last year by, us, utility customers. That’s a lot of toilets and according to them… we are the only city in Texas offering this service!! How cool is that!! Just another tidbit that makes Austin unique!!

What else that is so unique right now are the still historically low mortgage rates.

It is by far a rare opportunity, just like it is for those that are wedding dress shopping to find their ideal $3000 wedding dress at the bridal sample sale, mentioned above, for $1500!! How great would that be!! You just saved $1500 dollars that you can now use to pay for your honeymoon.

The low rates are allowing people to do something similar. That, along with the competitive pricing, is allowing people to improve their quality of life by making the home they need and want attainable! If you’re looking to attain your perfect home… now is the right time to do it.

Every year around this time, Streetman Homes positions their communities well for home buyers seeking more of an immediate move-in, versus waiting 4-6 months to build their dream home. Right now we have built and are still building some beautiful showcase homes in Sendero Springs, which is home to RRISD schools; world class amenities and the location could not be any more ideal for anyone. If you work in downtown Austin, you are 35 minutes away. If you work in Round Rock or Cedar Park you are 5-20 minutes away. If you work in Lakeway you are 30-40 min. away. Unless you have lived in a small town that only has one gas station, like I used to, a 20min.-50min. commute is pretty standard. Your kids will have plenty to do with the trails, pools, playscapes in and around the community. They can even bike or walk to school. For those that love shopping well you have tons to choose from!!!

So if you are looking in the Round Rock area for your perfect home, stop in for a second, John or I, Emily, will be more than happy to give you our available showcase home list or talk to you about building a home. We love being apart of finding our clients next perfect home; because there is nothing more rewarding than seeing you smile from ear to ear when you say, “This is the one.”

~ Emily Garrison
(512)310-0127

Tax Credit Is Over....Is Now a Good Time to Buy?

The National Association of Home Builders just recently released an article about the home buying in todays world. Now that the tax credits have expired, people are wondering is now is a good time to buy. This quick read doesn't only answer that quesiton but it goes into the different reasons why. The NAHB looks at everything from what to look for to where to look for it to how can you afford to buy it.

Click here to read:

Oppertunity Knocks for Home Buyers

Streetman Homes Sweeps Up At The 2010 MAX Awards

Longtime Austin homebuilder Streetman Homes took home the Best Builder “Grand MAX” Award from the Home Builders Association of Greater Austin (HBA) – a testament to the local builder’s reputation for overall quality and excellence. The builder was also honored with 22 other awards, including 16 first place MAX awards and 6 Silver awards for building excellence.

The HBA’s 800+ associate and builder members compete for awards in 75 categories. Judges from across the country score each entry, narrowing the field to three finalists for each category. The gala recognizes each winner with a MAX Award, and runners-up receive a Silver Award.

The prestigious MAX awards are given only to those builders, developers or remodelers who have “made significant and creative contributions in residential marketing through specific achievements.” The Grand MAX Builder of the Year awards are given to the builders who earn the most points in the judging process.

Award-winning home designs Streetman was also recognized for its creative design approach, winning such MAX awards as Best Green Home for the third year in a row, and Best Specialty Product Design for its innovative “flex-home” at Mueller that combines office and living space in a modern, environmentally-friendly design.

The builder also won the MAX award for Best Product Design: $350,000-$475,000 for its Fairview design at the Highland Horizon community, and the Silver MAX award in the same category for its Davenport design at Sendero Springs.

Streetman builds homes designed for the way homebuyers live in some of Austin’s most popular residential communities, including Belterra, Mueller and West Cypress Hills, as well as Sendero Springs and Highland Horizon. Prices range from the $190s to more than $1 million, with styles that appeal to just about everyone.

The builder’s newest community is Pearson Place at Avery Ranch, which will open soon and will offer buyers new homes and award-winning designs from the mid-200s.

Service that can’t be beat Great customer service is important to Streetman, and the builder was honored with awards that speak to that dedication, including Best Onsite Salesperson, Construction Manager of the Year, Warranty Service Professional of the Year, Sales Manager of the Year, and Best Sales Office.

“The focus of a company should be on four areas: protecting employees, shareholders, customers and associates,” said Randy Streetman, founder of Streetman Homes. “I’m proud to say that we’ve protected our team in the last 17 years while building more than 2,000 homes.”

It’s that philosophy and dedication to its customers and employee that Streetman was recognized for at this year’s MAX awards. And it’s the company’s mission to continue to build quality, beautifully designed homes for you and your family to enjoy.

Click here to see the full list of Awards Won!

Click here to see Randy Streetman's Acceptance Video

Streetman Homes Teams with Boy Scouts of America

This last week, Streetman Homes was lucky enough to be given a chance to meet with some Boy Scouts attempting to earn a badge. Here is a picture and story from one of the Streetman Employee's!

Belinda (Our Highland Horizon New Home Professional) was approached a month ago from a scout master who was trying to find a way for their Cub Scouts to earn their engineering badge. They asked if someone could show them around a jobsite and teach them about engineering and finding property pins. I scheduled it with the scout master (Monica Nelson) and met them in Highland Horizon.

I showed them how to find property pins from looking at a plat map. I explained how water, sewer and electric get in and out of the house. After we left that jobsite we went over to a frame and I explained how the architectural and engineering drawings are used to build a home. They also got lucky because the a/c guy was there running the ductwork. They were able to see how the a/c gets distributed to each room.

They helped measure the lot and find the property pins. I showed them what the foundation looks like before the concrete is poured. They looked at the engineering plans and saw how the framing was installed per the plans.

I think they understood how things worked for the most part. I tried to keep it as simple as possible and compare looking at the plans to looking at a map on a video game. I think their generation can understand spatial references better because of video games and having that background. Looking at a map on a video game is similar to looking at a floor plan and "walking" through it on the plans. They really enjoyed going through a two story frame and were excited to be able to go upstairs. They also enjoyed wearing a hard hat.

Ben

Last Call For Belterra

I’ve had the privilege working for the Best Home Builder in Austin, Streetman Homes, for almost 2 ½ years. Unlike a lot of New Homes Sales Professionals in the industry, I’ve been working In Beautiful Belterra this entire time. It feels a little magical like Disney or something….I’ve made dreams come true and gained life long friends.

It kind of hit me last week when I had 4 of my homeowners either stopped by or called to say Hello. They love their Streetman Homes and the beautiful neighborhood. Just as all great things come to an end…Streetman Homes is getting near the end of our Home sites & Inventory in Belterra. Soon the only way to own a Streetman Home in the Community will be to purchase a Used Home.

This having been said there’s NEVER been a BETTER Opportunity to buy a BRAND NEW Streetman Home in Belterra. In Aspen Hills we have two Gorgeous Homes seeking a happy family immediately. Two incredible options…Our Most Popular Davenport II plan or our newly introduced beauty, The Montclair, both over 3600 square feet!

Perhaps you are like me and prefer not to spend all of your free time cleaning and keeping up your yard then Valley Oaks will be perfect for you. I have two amazing plans under construction as we speak & yes they will be complete in plenty of time to take advantage of the Home Buyer Tax Credit that ends June 30th. Both are single story plans; ones a corner Home site & one features a 3 Car Garage!!!

If you desire to add your on flair from the ground up I have 2 lonely home sites that you can build on with many plans to choose from. Not only that, we are currently offering $25,000 for you to use towards your options & upgrades when

you build a new Streetman Home. And for those of you who prefer a designers touch, our gorgeous Model Home “The Aspen” can be yours!!

As much as it saddens me, my Belterra Journey is almost over, but as the saying goes when one door closes another one will open. I am looking forward to my next Opportunity to make peoples dreams become their reality.

~ Brandy
(512) 432-0222

Streetman Unveils New Model In The Belterra Neighborhood

Well what an unbelievable start to 2010, we have had great traffic due to our new marketing genius. Most of all the sales! WOW 9 in January and 6 so far in February. We have great new floor plans and with the incredible incentives that we are offering you just cant BEAT it!

Yes you really can not, starting from the LOW 200's. And with our new model its just been terrific. Come and see us, its well worth the drive.

The Aspen, a really nice workable floor plan over 2,700 square feet and very affordable. If you visit us this weekend we have some wonderful surprises in store for you, especially if you decide to purchase a new home!

ALSO MARK THE 22nd MARCH ON YOUR CALENDAR. We are having an open day for you, your friends and the all your could be new neighbors!! Its going to be a FUN filled day, petting zoo,jumping castle, bubble machine, food and fun. Call us and we will give you directions 512-432-0222.

If your in the market for a new home, you had better be quick if you want to take advantage of the Tax Credit, YES we can still get you closed by June 30th. But as I said you will need to move really very quickly as time is of the essence, and just to mention it.

We ONLY HAVE 3 LOTS in Valley Oaks to build your dream! We also have a Sequoia a Chisholm with a 3 Car and a Tahoe! And of course the ASPEN model is on the market.

In Aspen Hills we only have a Montclair and a Davenport 2. And THAT'S IT!!
CALL US OR JUST COME ON OVER, IT WOULD BE A shame to miss this exceptional opportunity.

Check out our Grand Opening this Sunday!!

Pete Buckley 512 565 0888.

A Word From Sendero Springs

From Lateef: Things are warming up!
Where you might ask? Well here out in Sendero Springs every Second Friday at the Streetman Homes Model we have a warm and friendly neighborhood get together. What a fantastic way to get out the house meet a few neighbors, save money and stay close to home. Since starting our Monthly Event me and my partner John Parker have welcomed over 100 people through the doors, meet some great people and witnessed friendships being created.
We have been so fortunate to have welcomed several New Streetman Home owners to the Community recently and are looking forward to heating thing up for 2010 with the addition of 19 homesites. (Kimball Hill remaining homesites) And with the extension and expansion of the Home Buyers Credit it’s never been a better time to find purchase a New Home in Sendero Springs.
I look forward to sharing a few stories from our next Happy Hour Event.....

~ Lateef Johnson
(512) 310-0127

West Cypress Hills

From Emily Garrison:

Austin, Texas is the one city in the state that just doesn't belong. It's too beautiful and diverse. Not like any other city at all in Texas where there's just highways, restaurants, shopping and jobs!! No, Austin has beautiful scenery, One main interstate and many other highway like roads that allow you to drive between rock walls, over Lake Austin, beside the Lake Travis dam, or the beautiful skyline of downtown Austin that is continuesly growing and provides an array of nightlife any day of the week. There's rustic, hip, swanky, country..you name it kind of restaurant…we have it!!! My favorite restaurants are the ones that are privately owned and have their own unique flare. Austin is diverse with flat land to rolling hills..from caves to cliffs, wineries and more. It's the uniqest city in the country. The only thing we are missing are skii slopes and snow.

I came to Austin from Houston about 8 years ago on a whim. I came not because I love music and wanted to be in the Music Capitol of the World!! Or wanted to attend the largest University in the U.S., UT. I didn't come to join in the tech boom that was happening which gave Austin another nickname "Silicon Hills." I came because my best friend asked me to move with her. I had never even been to Austin before... Now, 8 years later.. After getting to know Austin and all of it's wonders and beauty I am helping people find their homes in my city, as I like to say.

I am not a realtor, I'm a new homes professional for Streetman Homes. In Lamens terms I am the person that greets you when you enter a model home. People always try to run past me like I am going to tackle them and force them to buy a home. I'm 5 feet and a little over 6 inches… not going to tackle you or even try. But I understand people's hesitations. I like to shop quietly when I'm in a department store and I always tell the sales person that I'm fine and just looking too; because I feel pretty adequate to shop alone. So I get it. But buying clothes compared to a home is very different and a much bigger financial and emotional investment than a $50.00 sweater from a store. Not to knock how important shopping for attire is at all, it's not the same as a home because when was the last time you painted your daughter's room in your sweater or cooked your spouses favorite meal in that sweater's sleeve? Not to mention the biggest difference…the cost. I bet you didn't have to get a lender to finance your sweater either??

Streetman Homes is a wonderful home builder and we have the same philosophies. Customer care and quality over quanity is the key to our success and has been for Streetman Homes since it's existence. We build about a 150 homes a year and we are always improving as we go. We've listened to our customers wants and concerns and created the perfect homes Austin has to offer. In fact we have won two prestigious awards that all the home builders seek to achieve.. "The Best Green Home" by the Home Builders Assiciation of Greater Austin for 2009 and the "Home Builder of the year for 2009 by the Austin Business Journal. Why: Because we have 3-5 star green homes, we build in the best communites with the best schools and locations at the best value.

When I came to Austin almost eight years ago I had no idea about this wonderful city. I didn't know where I should live… so I picked a part of town that I discovered later was not the area that I wanted to be in for proximity reasons and personal reasons. It's not fun living in the wrong area for your needs.

When you enter my model home, at West Cypress Hills, I am not trying to sell you a home or tackle you. I'm trying to discover what kind of home and area you're looking to be in and why. People from all over the U.S.A. come through my door with different reasons for relocating to Austin from their current city and state. Most are very confused and tired from driving all over Austin trying to figure out where they need to be. They are so tired that sometimes they don't know anymore what their needs are..they just want a home so they can stop searching. Think of me kinda like a mall directory in an unfamilar new mall…If my community isn't in the area that fits your needs…I'll help direct you to one of our other 5 communities that will fit you perfectly. I want to help you make a good decision the first time around. So you wil be happy every night as you drive into your driveway and go inside your new home to relax and be with family. After 8 years of living in Austin I know this city very well and after 2 plus years working for Streetman Homes and helping people build their perfect home I know there's a big difference and a much bigger investment in a home than a sweater. If you come to Austin and visit my model home in West Cypress Hill, you can count on me to help you quicken your home search like a mall directory does for you in a new mall. :)

~ Emily Garrison
(512) 264-7077

Belterra

From Brandy Perkins:
Like a lot of people in the world I’m guilty of not taking enough time to recognize all of the wonderful things in my life that I’m blessed with. Living in Austin, Texas is a gift in itself. I work for Streetman Homes, a local green builder here in the area. As a salesperson for Streetman Homes in Belterra I’ve met clients from all over the country side. Hearing the stories they share about housing in areas like California, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Arizona, Florida, Nevada even Dubai…I realize how lucky I am to be selling homes for the best builder in Austin, Texas….Streetman Homes. We are locally owned and operated and haven’t experienced the hard times many of the National Builders have from the cities I mentioned. Our sales are up 40% from this time last year and we are on track to break a company record for meeting and exceeding closing and sales objectives. Streetman Homes was awarded Home Builder of the Year 2009 by the Austin Business Journal and The Home Builders Association of Greater Austin awarded us with the “Best Green Home” of 2009. I work in Belterra, a Gorgeous community located in The Texas Hill Country. For this I am blessed because it would not be possible without the outstanding team we have at Streetman homes. We make dreams come true!

~ Brandy Perkins
(512) 432-0222