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The battle for the best smart speakers for homes is tough; with recent developments between Google Home vs. Amazon Echo, it might be a challenge in choosing which is better for your home. In this blog, we’ll lay out a comparison guide between Google Home and Amazon Echo, also known as Amazon Alexa, to help you figure out which is best for your home, needs, and budget!

Thanks to technology, artificial intelligence can now transform your home. Both smart speakers are booming in the market. Obviously, it does make it easier and convenient for consumers to have these gadgets at home. From news, weather, conversion, facts, controlling the lights and devices in your home, and more; everything is just a “Hey Google...” or “Alexa...” away with these…

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July. Whew. Where do I start?

Our Team is Growing

First off, our team is growing! We added Morgan and Emily to our team in the last few weeks. You made that possible (and necessary) by being awesome clients and trusting me to help your friends and family too. So thank you!

In the last few months, Emma and I found ourselves in too many situations where we needed to be in two important places as once. We were having conversations like this... "Okay, you're writing up the offer for Jane and John... I'm going to write up the offer for Bob... so... who is going to show that house to James right now because the offer deadline for that is tonight and he needs to get in there."

The first few times this happened, it was exhilarating. Look at me, I'm…

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Are you visiting Austin for a business trip, seeing a friend, or planning on a vacation in ATX? From vibrant music scenes to mouthwatering culinary delights, Austin offers a blend of culture, history, and innovation that leaves an indelible mark on all who visit.

Here are things to expect when visiting Austin, Texas! If you are not sure where to begin, let us lead you the way to the quirky, hip, and beautiful city of Austin!

Music

live music in texas

 

Austin's claim to fame as the "Live Music Capital of the World" is well-deserved. Its vibrant music scene caters to all tastes, from blues and rock to country and indie. The heart of this musical prowess lies on Sixth Street, where iconic venues showcase both local talents and international sensations. The…

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Got plans for summer with your family? If not yet, think about this, what’s the best way to beat the heat in Austin? Take a cold drink, make use of the AC, or have some fun and cool down by taking a dip or swimming in these spots within Austin! We have listed 10 Best Family Swimming Spots in Austin, Texas. Check out our list and see if you find a swimming spot near you!

 

1. Barton Springs

One of the most popular swimming spots in Austin is Barton Springs located within the grounds of Zilker Park. Aside from the beautiful houses within the area also lies the recreational outdoor swimming pool filled with water from the Main Barton Spring which is the fourth largest spring in Texas. The temperature hovers between around 68°F to 74°F. Not just…

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My forced digital detox

June sent me several blessings in disguise in the form of tech trouble.

First, I dropped my phone in the pool. While the newer iPhones are water-resistant, that doesn’t apply if you drop them, frequently, as I do. So after several days in rice, I accepted that my phone was no more, and filed an insurance claim for a new one.

All told, I spent about 4 days phone-less, and I have to say I have not been that relaxed in years.

This section got way too long, but I still think the content is worthwhile for anyone who is interested in how to live your life with less screen time. So if you're interested, read on here. 

Getting Zen in the Airport

I started this newsletter from the Austin airport when I wasn't sure if we'd…

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June sent me several blessings in disguise in the form of tech trouble.

First, I dropped my phone in the pool. While the newer iPhones are water-resistant, that doesn’t apply if you drop them, frequently, as I do. So after several days in rice, I accepted that my phone was no more, and filed an insurance claim for a new one.

All told, I spent about 4 days phoneless, and I have to say I have not been that relaxed in years.

Every time I started to think “Maybe I should check and see if I have any texts/emails/social media messages...” I would realize I couldn’t, and feel a wave of relief. “Whatever might be waiting there,” I thought, “will just have to wait.”

I sent all of my clients an email at the beginning of my cell phone detox letting them…

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A few years ago, I got a secondary cell phone number. My primary cell is a 973 area code, which is North Jersey. I went onto my husband's family plan about a decade ago, and decided to keep the number even after we moved out of North Jersey and to Austin, Texas.

As a salesperson who makes lots of outgoing calls, I found that my North Jersey area code confused the heck out of everyone.

I'd get this: "So... I almost didn't answer because of your area code. Are you actually in Austin, or... what??"

I figured it might be hurting my answer rate, so I got a 512 number, an Austin area code, to see if my answer rate would go up.

What I didn't bargain for was that the number was recycled from a ne'er-do-well. His name was Rufus.

Soon after getting…

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matt fajkus interior design austin

Matt Fajkus Architecture

MF Architecture is an award-winning, licensed architecture office that welcomes residential and commercial projects, both small and large. The brilliant mind behind designing some of the best Austin homes and commercial spaces in Austin is Matt Fakjus.

Matt, a native of Austin, holds a Master in Architecture from Havard University Graduate School of Design where he completed his thesis work with Pritzker Prize-winning architect Rafael Moneo. In 2010, Matt established MF Architecture and achieved significant experience in architectural practice. He worked in numerous high-profile, international large-scale projects, as well as small-scaled award-winning projects. He was then awarded two AIA National Emerging…

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Being more efficient is one of the important aspects you have to look at while working with a team. You want to make sure that your team is in track especially in the real estate industry, it can be difficult to find the perfect collaboration tool that suits your team since most of them are on the move. That’s where we decided to make use of what technology has to offer us and find the best collaboration tool that is out there which is Facebook Workplace. In this blog, learn how Facebook Workplace for Real Estate has reshaped our company.

Of course, our great team deserves great tools when it comes to collaboration. The functionality of Workplace has transformed us by creating a company culture that we did not have before.

We are aware that the…

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Ryan Rodenbeck Interview with Max Leaman, Austin's number one mortgage broker

SGR: Okay so what we're doing today is we're interviewing my good friend Max Leaman from Prime Lending. Max is the number one volume producer of loans here in Austin Texas and before we go there. I'm going to kind of give a little history. I met Max probably about five years ago. And you know I just started becoming more of a top producing Austin listing agent having more listings than buyers and we kept getting pre-approval letters through our clients and our listings. With Max's name on them and they just went really flawlessly so I decided you know let's have Max let's just schedule lunch with Max and talk to him. And see if he can be our preferred lender. And we did.…

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