Virtual interior designer/home stager Stuccco.com compiled a wish list from numerous online sources that experts say homebuyers want in 2022. Many popular features aren’t what home sellers may think. Before you upgrade your home to sell, consider these top five homebuyer preferences:

• Laundry rooms 
• Exterior lighting 
• Ceiling fans 
• Patios  
• Walk-in pantries 

Laundry rooms. Homebuyers don’t want to go down to the basement to do laundry, so make room somewhere on the first floor. Include a built-in table for sorting, room for a steamer and drip-dry area.

Well-lit outdoor living spaces. Homebuyers want exterior lighting (87%), patio (82%) and a front porch (81%), a rear porch (75%) or a deck (75%). Landscape lighting adds a

Events This Week:

Music in the Park Pfeaturing Jesse Stratton Band

Come see the Jesse Stratton Band this Friday for Music In The Park Friday August 26th from 7:30 - 9:30 pm. Admission is free.

Where: Pfluger Park, located at 515 City Park Rd, Pflugerville, Tx 78660

Click here for more information.

Pat Green at Margarita Salsa Fest

Head to Buda Amphitheater for a day filled with your top 3 favorite things: margaritas, salsa and live music! Saturday August 27th from 11:00 am - 11:00 pm.

Where: Buda Amphitheater & City Park, located at 204 San Antonio Street Buda, TX, 78610

Click here to purchase tickets.

Austin Bat Fest

Watch as an incredible 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed

Baby boomers have reached retirement age. This generation is healthier and more active than their predecessors and many want to age in a home of their own. Many of these potential home buyers have fixed incomes and with soaring home prices, they are unable to qualify for a new home when they are ready to downsize. This is where a Family Opportunity Mortgage can help.

A Family Opportunity Mortgage is backed by Fannie Mae and allows you to purchase a home for your elderly parents if they cannot qualify on their own, at the same favorable down payment and interest rates as a primary residence. This is a significant advantage over loan programs for second home or investment properties.

The terms of the loan program are simple. The borrower needs a

August is typically the hottest month of the year making it an ideal time to be outside for fresh air and sunshine, but mosquitoes and other flying biting stinging insects can take the fun out of it. You want to enjoy your outdoor spaces, so what can you do? Here are some fun facts and tips about these pests.

In studying how wind affects mosquitoes, researchers found that mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide which humans and pets emit. When you turn on a fan to blow on you, it disperses the concentration of carbon monoxide, which is why fans are such a good deterrent for mosquitoes.

Male mosquitoes like nectar, not humans, but the females seek blood to nourish their eggs, using receptors and vision for cues such as body heat, perspiration

One reason there’s a shortage of available homes to buy across the U.S. is that corporate investors are snapping up single-family homes to use as rentals or to flip back onto the market after making improvements. Institutional homebuyers (companies, corporations, LLCs) have always been around but a new report by the National Association of REALTORS (NAR) found their market share rose 84% in 2021. Based on deed records, institutional homebuyers accounted for 15% of residential purchases in 2021.

The record low interest rates of 2020 and 2021 and rising inflation – 8.5% in March 2022 – are ideal incentives for institutional homebuyers to turn to residential real estate for asset acquisition as a hedge against inflation. They buy properties to turn

Farmhouse décor has been a trend for the last decade. The look combines functionality with a relaxed, lived-in feel. Pieces look slightly worn, rustic, and inviting. The ease of the farmhouse style is one of the reasons for its lingering appeal as designers look to modernize and update the look.

Modern Farmhouse style continues to emphasize a neutral color palette and sustainable materials, such as reclaimed wood and used brick but adds more sophistication to the theme. Capitalizing on the boho trend, the Modern Farmhouse style might include accent pieces in wicker or kilim rugs and pillows, warming the room and merging it with more traditional elements.

Contemporary designs such as Industrial and Scandinavian also get an update when mixed with

With more stuff than you probably need or want, decluttering before a move can seem overwhelming, but you don’t want to pay movers to move or store items you don’t use, love or want. Here are some tips to make it quicker and easier:  

Start Small

Label moving boxes for selling, donating or throwing away. List items you want to sell online, or take them to a consignment store. When the donation box is full, take it to the Salvation Army or non-profit of your choice. Throw away broken items you’ll never repair and stained clothing you’ll never wear.

Pick a Schedule

How many days till you move? Devote an hour a day, a day to a room, or a weekend per floor – whatever your schedule permits. The goal is to make moving day faster and easier.

Events This Week:

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

Celebrate the 40th anniversary of Steven Spielberg's classic, E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, in IMAX® August 12th-18th.

Where: The Bob Bullock Museum located at 1800 Congress Ave, Austin, TX

Click here for tickets and more information.

Live Music: Central Plaza Lawn

There will be live music on the Central Plaza Lawn Friday nights from 7pm-9pm. Admission is free.

Where: Hill Country Galleria located at 12700 Hill Country Blvd, Bee Cave, Tx

Click here for more information.

Movies in the Park: Cruella

Wells Branch MUD presents our Movies in the Park Summer Series at Katherine Fleischer Park!  Bring your blankets and chairs and enjoy a fun filled

Real estate is changing at a rapid pace and each year brings innovations to the industry. Pushed forward by thought leaders, the real estate industry embraces advancement of products and services quickly, all designed to stay ahead of the competition.

Here are a few tech trends for 2022 that are having people talking.

• Immersive AR/VR for Property Touring – The pandemic forced a drastic change in the way agents marketed and showed properties to prospective buyers. New technologies are using Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality to allow buyers to “walk through” the properties with an immersive experience.
• Digital Marketplaces for Buyers and Sellers – Nobul is leading the field with its digital marketplace. They offer transparency

In The News:

• New-home market 'at a crossroads' amid uptick in canceled contracts, incentives

• Slowing enrollment affects fiscal outlook at school districts in Round Rock, Pflugerville ISDs

• S&P 500 ends down as jobs data rekindles rate hike fear

• Pflugerville Moves Forward with Downtown East Development

• Here’s where the jobs are for July 2022 — in one chart

• Riverside Resources' plan to transform part of Sixth Street advances despite historical concerns

Events This Week:

Cedar Park Rodeo

The Cedar Park Rodeo returns to H-E-B Center at Cedar Park, located at 2100 Avenue of the Stars, Cedar