I didn’t know how tomatoes grew into well into my adult life. I lived deep in the mountains of Bolivia for a stint and will never forget the awe and amazement of seeds actually growing into my own food! Joe, coming from the good midwestern family that he did, ate 5 different veggies from their family garden every night! While we have attempted our own gardens almost every year, it hasn’t quite produced like we wanted. So I like to hit up farmer’s markets year round for the homegrown taste! Here are some of my favorites located in neighborhoods all over Austin.

Hope Farmer’s Market: This may be the newest to town. Sundays from 11-3 on 5th and Waller.

Boggy Creek Farm: My favorite way to start a Wednesday is with a fresh cup of coffee at Boggy Creek and my shoulder bag filled with fresh eggs and seasonal produce. The kids love to visit the chickens and see where the food is grown. Truly country in the city. Wednesday and Saturday from 9-1 in East Austin.

Austin Farmer’s Market at the Triangle: This is our spring ritual- meet friends at the triangle on Wednesday for live music, yummy samples, and fun. Grab the organic roasted chicken for dinner on your way out. And don’t forget to let your kids run around in the water area!

Austin Farmer’s Market downtown: Saturdays 9-1

Sunset Valley Farmer’s Market: Saturdays 9-1. Perfect for the south Austin home dweller and there is so much more than just veggies for sale! It is a fun place to take the kids on a slow Saturday morning.

Manor Farmer’s Market: Just 15 minutes east of Austin and many farmers represented.

If you are toying with the idea of planting a spring garden this year, but don’t want to go at it alone,  find a community garden in your own Austin neighborhood. Or start a co-op in your backyard with neighbors- especially if you live in Lost Creek or Rollingwood where the lots lend themselves to large garden plots. If you are selling your Austin home in the Spring, a welcoming garden sends a message to buyers that you care about your home. Happy gardening!

Because we have spent many years remodeling and flipping homes as central Austin realtors, we often get questions this time of year from clients getting ready to sell their homes in the spring. What should they do now to prepare an outdated Austin home to sell in the Spring?  Here are some projects that each cost under $2,000 that will cause a big impact in terms of buyer appeal. And if you do it now, you will actually get to enjoy the projects!

• Are your kitchen cabinets outdated? Reconditioning the cabinets will take out the nicks and scratches that years acquire. Add new hardware (I love the Restoration Hardware Outlet for hardware), and your kitchen will feel much cleaner. Or, paint the cabinets for a whole new look.
• Open up your floorplan. This may be easier said than done or it could be really easy and you didn’t know it! If your kitchen is separate from your family room, taking out even half a wall and adding a breakfast bar or island will modernize the floor plan. I have found some amazing deals on breakfast bars on Craig’s List. Joe and I would love to look at your kitchen to see if this is a feasible option.
• You may have an 80’s bathroom and think you are stuck with a $5,000 bathroom remodel. Actually, regrouting, replacing old faucets, light fixtures, and vanities, will create the feel of a new bathroom for under $500. Add a cute shower curtain (here are some cute ones from Anthropologie), and monogram some towels. Instead of a bath rug, buy a fun rug that covers up the outdated tile from Pottery Barn Teen like this one . These are all things you can take to your new home, but will help sell your current home in the mean time!
• Replace outdated light fixtures. If your house doesn’t have any recessed lighting, consider adding it to the living area and kitchen.
• Replace brass fixtures and door knobs.
• Add an interesting backsplash if your kitchen doesn’t have one. Kitchen backsplashes are fun because it is a smaller surface area that requires less tile so you can be creative and spend less money. I LOVE Ann Sacks tile! We have plenty of samples if you would like to see them in person.

In this economy, spending money when you are unsure about the return feels risky. Contact Joe at JH Residential so that he can provide you with a market analysis on your specific area of town and let you know a wise way to update your home.