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        <title>Austin Real Estate Blog</title>
        <link>http://jimolenbush.com/blog/</link>
        <description>Austin Texas Real Estate Blog - Cantera Real Estate, Inc.  This multi-author blog covers the local Austin, Texas real estate market, housing trends, new developments, new MLS listings, Austin area news, and relocation info.</description>
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            <guid>http://jimolenbush.com/blog/new-property-appraisal-laws-in-effect-in-texas.html</guid>
            <link>http://jimolenbush.com/blog/new-property-appraisal-laws-in-effect-in-texas.html</link>
            <author>brink@canterarealestate.com (James Brinkman)</author>
            <title>New Property Appraisal Laws in Effect in Texas</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ Several new laws affecting homeowners went into effect on January 1 of this year. Although there are numerous new laws that Texas residents should learn more about, those that specifically affect homeowners include new laws that are meant to lower property taxes as well as those that are meant to improve the home appraisal process.Several new pieces of legislation related to property taxes were passed by lawmakers last year. One of these includes legislation that will limit what is known as a &amp;q... ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Sat, 13 Mar 2010 19:56:44 -0600</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://jimolenbush.com/blog/city-of-austin-working-toward-teaming-with-google.html</guid>
            <link>http://jimolenbush.com/blog/city-of-austin-working-toward-teaming-with-google.html</link>
            <author>jim@canterarealestate.com (Jim Olenbush)</author>
            <title>City of Austin Working Toward Teaming with Google</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ Austin is planning to make a bid on becoming one of the sites for the ultra-fast broadband network that is being considered by Google Inc and that will significantly increase the speed of Internet access throughout the city.Earlier this month, Google announce plans to build one or more high-speed networks in an effort to demonstrate the advantages of having fast Internet access. Through the proposed project, the system would be 50 to 100 times faster than the fastest commercial broadband service... ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Sat, 13 Mar 2010 19:49:44 -0600</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://jimolenbush.com/blog/austin-enjoys-an-increase-in-homes-sales.html</guid>
            <link>http://jimolenbush.com/blog/austin-enjoys-an-increase-in-homes-sales.html</link>
            <author>crystal@canterarealestate.com (Crystal Guthrie)</author>
            <title>Austin Enjoys an Increase in Home Sales</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ According to the Austin Board of Realtors, home sales in central Texas increased by 5% in January when compared to home sales from just one year ago. In fact, the median sale price of homes rose by 1% to $179,250. Seeing an increase in the median price of homes is certainly good news, as it is a positive sign that the economy in Austin is working toward rebounding as real estate prices start to move in an upward direction. Or course, the increase in prices is also an indicator that those who wer... ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Sun, 07 Mar 2010 22:29:31 -0600</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://jimolenbush.com/blog/pictures-of-austins-recent-snow.html</guid>
            <link>http://jimolenbush.com/blog/pictures-of-austins-recent-snow.html</link>
            <author>jim@canterarealestate.com (Jim Olenbush)</author>
            <title>Pictures of Austin&#8217;s Recent Snow </title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
Snow is a rare event for Central Texas, but the Austin area recently had some of the best snow we have seen in years.&nbsp; This last Tuesday the snow started to fall in the morning and by the end of the day some areas had up to two inches of snow on the ground.&nbsp; The northwest side of Austin saw the most accumulation.&nbsp; Here are some pictures:

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            <pubDate>Thu, 25 Feb 2010 18:42:16 -0600</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://jimolenbush.com/blog/austin-housing-market-showing-signs-of-stability.html</guid>
            <link>http://jimolenbush.com/blog/austin-housing-market-showing-signs-of-stability.html</link>
            <author>brink@canterarealestate.com (James Brinkman)</author>
            <title>Austin Housing Market Showing Signs of Stability</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ As the country works toward digging its way out of the recession, all eyes have been focused on the housing market. After all, the fall out of the housing market was the biggest contributor to our current economic situation and, therefore, stabilizing the market is the key to enjoying a full economic recovery. Unfortunately, many markets are still continuing to struggle throughout the country, but others are starting to show signs of stabilization. In fact, according to the Austin Board of Realt... ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:27:20 -0600</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://jimolenbush.com/blog/construction-starts-in-austin-predicted-to-increase-in-value-by-30.html</guid>
            <link>http://jimolenbush.com/blog/construction-starts-in-austin-predicted-to-increase-in-value-by-30.html</link>
            <author>ducati1098@hush.com (Bethany Campbell)</author>
            <title>Construction Starts in Austin Predicted to Increase in Value by 30%</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
According to McGraw-Hill Construction, construction activity is expected to pick up some momentum in 2010, with the city of Austin enjoying the greatest growth. In fact, the 2010 Texas Construction Outlook predicts that construction starts will increase in value by 16 percent this year, with a total statewide value of $52.5 billion. Austin will nearly double the statewide prediction, with the report forecasts indicating that the city's construction starts will increase in value by 30%.Austin is... ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:23:42 -0600</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://jimolenbush.com/blog/austin-round-rock-area-experiences-a-drop-in-unemployment-rates.html</guid>
            <link>http://jimolenbush.com/blog/austin-round-rock-area-experiences-a-drop-in-unemployment-rates.html</link>
            <author>jim@canterarealestate.com (Jim Olenbush)</author>
            <title>Austin-Round Rock Area Experiences a Drop in Unemployment Rates</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
According to the Texas Workforce Commission, unemployment levels within the Austin and Round Rock area fell by 6.9% in November. While this is still up from the 4.9% rate that the area was experiencing just one year ago, it does represent a decline in unemployment when compared to the previous month.Previous data indicated that the unemployment rate in the Austin and Round Rock area was 7.2% in October. Compared to the state average of 7.9%, the Austin and Round Rock area is doing quite well wi... ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Wed, 10 Feb 2010 02:00:20 -0600</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://jimolenbush.com/blog/survey-finds-the-state-of-texas-is-showing-signs-of-economic-improvement.html</guid>
            <link>http://jimolenbush.com/blog/survey-finds-the-state-of-texas-is-showing-signs-of-economic-improvement.html</link>
            <author>brink@canterarealestate.com (James Brinkman)</author>
            <title>Survey Finds the State of Texas is Showing Signs of Economic Improvement</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
According to the most recent Beige Book survey to be released by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, economic conditions in the state of Texas are showing signs of improvement. In fact, the report found that economic conditions through November had &quot;firmed&quot; and that a number of industries are showing signs of improvement.The Beige Book survey, which is conducted on a periodic basis and evaluates the economic conditions of the Federal 11th district that includes Central Texas, found th... ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Mon, 01 Feb 2010 11:00:40 -0600</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://jimolenbush.com/blog/foreclosure-rates-enjoying-a-downward-trend.html</guid>
            <link>http://jimolenbush.com/blog/foreclosure-rates-enjoying-a-downward-trend.html</link>
            <author>crystal@canterarealestate.com (Crystal Guthrie)</author>
            <title>Foreclosure Rates Enjoying a Downward Trend</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
&nbsp;A recent report released by RealtyTrac Inc, which is a foreclosure seller based in Irvine, California, has found that the national foreclosure rate has gone down by 8% in November when compared to the previous month. On the other hand, the housing market still has a long way to go before it can be considered recovered, as the foreclosure rate is still a disheartening 18% higher than it was just one year ago.

According to the report, which was released in November of 2009, there have been... ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 21 Jan 2010 10:07:41 -0600</pubDate>
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        <item>
            <guid>http://jimolenbush.com/blog/austin-realtor-james-brinkman-discusses-the-situation-in-haiti-on-keye.html</guid>
            <link>http://jimolenbush.com/blog/austin-realtor-james-brinkman-discusses-the-situation-in-haiti-on-keye.html</link>
            <author>jim@canterarealestate.com (Jim Olenbush)</author>
            <title>Austin Realtor James Brinkman discusses the situation in Haiti on KEYE News</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
Cantera Real Estate Team member James Brinkman is an active member of North Hills Community Church and has traveled to Haiti on missionary trips in the past year. He has been planning a return trip to the country and was set to leave again next week. James was interviewed on KEYE-CBS News today about the situation in Haiti.

Here is a link to the video and text: http://weareaustin.com/content/news/story/?cid=45691

 And you can donate here: http://www.rminet.org/

Text from the Keye news story:... ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Wed, 13 Jan 2010 14:34:49 -0600</pubDate>
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