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!