This is the second post about my modern remodel in Austin, Texas.
Click here for all ‘My Remodel’ posts.

We started our home search about 4 years ago. We wanted to find a small home in Central Austin that we could live in immediately and remodel in the future. Like every home buyer, we were first concerned with location and price.

Step 1 - Use Map data to find target areas

To help narrow down our options we began by plotting homes for sale in a way that would allow us to quickly evaluate the price relative to the area. We used Google Earth to visualize this data, here is an example map (icon colors indicate relative $/sqft):

Mapping the relative prices of homes for sale allowed us to quickly identify areas and properties we could afford, or where there was an anomaly (a good deal). We honed in on these areas and began looking at houses.

Step 2 - Look at houses to buy and to learn

We probably toured at least 100 homes. Large homes, small homes, new and old. This gave us an excellent understanding of the home values for the different areas. Seeing the new homes gave us ideas for what to do (and not do) when it came time for our remodel.

Side Note: It is a good idea to check out remodeled homes in your area when planning a remodel. This not only gives you ideas, but also helps you understand values in the area.

Step 3 - Evaluate houses for living and remodeling

When we found a good price/location match, we then had to examine its potential for remodeling. Here is a list of the criteria we considered:

• Lot size & orientation
• Tree locations
• Power lines at side or rear
• McMansion Ordinance Implications
• House condition (aesthetic & structural)
• House location on lot

All of the above will determine the possibilities for an addition/remodel. In our case the lot orientation and tree locations as well as the condition of the existing home were most important. The lot orientation and tree locations not only determine where you can build (due to protected trees) but also the sun exposure and prevailing winds - very important for an efficient home.

As to the homes condition, we had two rules:

1. The home had to be livable, because we needed to move in immediately. This was not only to get a feel for the existing spaces and the lot, but also to meet the neighbors and enjoy the area.
2. The home had to be mostly original. We did not want to pay for someone else’s remodel that didn’t meet our taste or standards.

Conclusion - What we found

Ok, I know what you’re thinking - “Get to the point. What did you find?!” We found a few great homes, made offers on 4, and had 1 offer accepted. During the option period we had an architect and builder review the site to make sure we hadn’t missed anything. With a clean bill of health we closed and moved in to this home:

Click below for more photos and details…
Read the rest of this entry »

Be sure to check out a tour of Mid-Century Modern homes in the Austin Area this weekend. Here is the website with full details:
Austin Mid-Century Modern Homes Tour

16th Annual Heritage Homes Tour - May 17, 2008

Atomic Austin: Mid-Century Modern
10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Moonlight & Martinis: Twilight Tour
Tour: 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Party: 8:00 - 11:00 p.m.

President-elect Dwight Eisenhower had just returned from Korea. A first-class stamp was 3 cents. America had just seen its first magazine-style TV show, something called “The Today Show” starring Dave Garroway. And “Singin’ in the Rain” was playing at the Paramount Theatre across the street from Scarborough’s Department Store.

The Heritage Society of Austin pays homage to the city’s modernist roots and honors some of Austin’s premier mid-century architects during the Mid-Century Modern-themed Heritage Homes Tour on May 17th. This 16th annual tour has been revised to include both a daytime self-driving tour from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 pm then a Twilight Tour, also a self-driving tour, beginning at 6:30 which will conclude at a Mid-Century Modern bash starting at 8:00 at the final featured home. (Text by Sydney Rubin)

I’m definitely going to check out as many of the homes as possible. Unfortunately I won’t be able to make the Moonlight & Martinis: Twilight Tour. Hopefully next year it won’t be on the same day as a Radiohead concert!

via ModernAustin.com

A few quick notes about fun events in Austin this weekend. It looks like the weather is going to be great so get outside and enjoy!

Gardens On Tour

Every year the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center puts on a tour of gardens in the Austin area. It’s a self guided tour (like the AIA Homes Tour) which allows you access to amazing examples of landscape design and construction. Here’s a description from their website:

Join us Mother’s Day Weekend for an exclusive look into some of Austin’s most unique gardens. Gardens On Tour on Saturday, May 10, is an annual self-guided tour of carefully selected private landscapes and the celebrated gardens of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

The tour is Saturday, May 10, from 9AM to 5PM. Tickets cost $25. See full details here: Gardens On Tour

Movies in the Park - Best in Show

After a nice day touring beautiful gardens, why not catch a movie? Saturday night you can see one of my favorite movies in Republic Square park. The Austin Parks Foundation will be showing Best in Show as part of their Movies in the Park program. Festivities start at 7pm and include events for your pets. Check out full details here: Movies In the Park

For those who aren’t familiar with the movie see full details here:
Best in Show Website.

In case you haven’t seen it, here’s a clip introducing one of the families competing in the dog show:

Thanks to Ben of modernaustin.com for linking to my modern home search today. I also owe him a big thanks for being one of my early beta testers. In addition to his knowledge of Austin architecture, Ben also knows a good bit about UI design.

This comment from David Mathias on Ben’s post today got me thinking:

I liked Ryan’s old listings better than his new tool. Yes, it was a pain to go through 200+ condo listings to find one you were interested in, but it was fun to browse if you had a free moment…

This is an interesting perspective. I created the new map-based home search to allow users to actually search homes for sale in Austin (by price, location, etc.). Before this I only had a list of modern homes - the user was not able to filter by price or location. They couldn’t even change the order. Here is a screenshot of the old interface (which is still up to date and available here).

Old Austin Modern Home List Interface

To David’s point - the list may be better for those who are more browsing than searching. What do you think? Let me know in the comments. I can’t promise immediate changes, but my goal is to continually improve the search based on your feedback. Perhaps a photo/browsing interface in addition to the map search is in order?

Please share your thoughts in the comments!

This is the first post about my modern remodel in Austin, Texas.
Click here for all ‘My Remodel’ posts.

In the past I have suggested that building your own modern home is a great way to get the home you want in the location you want. Well, now it’s time that I put my money where my mouth is.

In the tradition of great Modern House blogs that have gone before me, I will record my own modern remodel here at InspiredAustin.com. My wife and I are nervous and excited to tackle this project, and to share our journey with all of you.

Here is a sneak peak of a before photo and an after rendering:

Why blog this?

Of course, I really enjoy following these types of projects, and I think other people do too. Home makeover blogs, magazines, and television shows are very popular. Everyone loves to see the scary ‘Before’ and the amazing ‘After’ (all in 30 minutes!).

However, the primary reason to blog our remodel is to share knowledge. I have learned a great deal from following other renovation project blogs relating to design, permitting, contrators, loans, etc. In fact, before we started planning our project I spoke to other house-bloggers to learn more about the process and the team they hired. It was a great education, and didn’t cost me anything! (besides a meal or two).

I hope that by following my project you will be able to learn about the process through my successes and setbacks.

Note - I do not intend to fully dedicate this space to my renovation. I will still cover local architectural, green building, and real estate issues. All posts related to My Remodel will be listed under the My Remodel tag (at right).

Stay tuned for my first post - Our Central Austin Home Search

I’m happy to announce the first release of the new InspiredAustin.com Austin Home Search.

InspiredAustin.com Austin Home Search

As you can see, I’ve built a map-based interface for searching homes for sale in Austin, Texas. This first release of the new interface has the following main features:

Google Map Property Display

Map icons indicate property locations, type (homes vs. condos), and modern vs. non-modern. You can adjust the map view (pan, zoom) to change the search area. Clicking on an icon displays a summary of property details (see below).

Table Property Display

This table displays details about the properties visible in the map. The table is sortable by any field (price, sqft, etc.). Clicking on a table row displays a summary of property details (see below).

Search Form

This form expands from the upper right corner and allows you to search for homes by price, # of beds & baths, Sqft, as well as MLS # or Street name.

Listing Detail Summary

This panel on the right of the map displays a summary of property details when any icon or table row is clicked. You can click through images here, or click on the link to the full property details page.

Search Statistics Table

This table at the bottom right displays the number of search results for the current map view and Search Form settings as well as Min/Max/Average values of list price, Sqft, and price/sqft.

Summary & Request for Input

The intent of this new interface is to allow buyers to quickly and easily drill down to homes that meet your specific needs. It can also help sellers to get a quick idea of prices in their area. The map interface allows for focusing on specific areas, while the search form can further narrow results. The map, table, and statistics displays provide a high level view of home search results, while the Listing Summary and linked Details pages provide full info.

I hope you find this new search interface as useful as I do. I think my Austin Home Search is already better than most existing Austin Home Search websites, although there is still much room for improvement. I have several additional features planned.

I would truly appreciate any feedback or suggestions for improving the design/usability of this search. I know many of my clients & readers have design backgrounds so I’m sure you could provide many useful tips. Please comment below or email me: ryan at inspiredaustin dot com

Be sure to check out the new search here or via the link at the upper right :

Austin Home Search

Note: If you long for the older tabular Austin listing displays they can be found here: Austin Modern Home List. If there is enough demand I can add a link to this on the sidebar as well.

Next Tuesday, April 22, is internationally recognized as Earth Day (at least in the northern hemisphere).

Here’s a quick summary of a few related events in the Austin area this weekend:

Austin Earth Day Farmers Market

It’s much more than a normal Austin Farmers Market. Check it out:

Austin Green Art, a non-profit arts organization dedicated to raising awareness of sustainability issues through art, is kicking off the Sustainability Revolution during this FREE community-wide event featuring green art, local food, music, green business and environmental partners expo with hands-on activities for kids.

See www.austinearthday.com for full details.

Eco Home Tour

We cordially invite you to join us at the First Annual Eco Home Tour and help us celebrate Earth Day. Meet your ECO community and learn about green living—architectural designs, native landscapes, home energy efficiency & sustainable farming.

The schedule includes a tour of homes and several speakers, including:

• Adams Kirkpatrick - Founder/Designer | Sunflower Design-Sustainable Landscapes
• Chris Krager - Principal | KRDB
• Christy Seals, AIA - Partner | Loop Design
• Heather Kennedy - Director of Global Marketing | Whole Foods

Here is the website for full details: Eco Home Tour

Austin Green Living Expo

I hesitate to post this one. Sometimes these convention center expos seem to have more chiropractors, hot tubs and infomercial booths than ‘green technology’. However, it looks like there are several interesting speakers this time around (Will Wynn, Peter Pfeiffer, Kevin O’Connor). Check out the exhibitor list yourself before making the trip: Austin Green Living Expo

In other news…

Some of you may have noticed my Austin Home Search has changed recently. I will post about it soon, hopefully you find the new interface to your liking. I look forward to your feedback.