Hyde Park Character

Nestled in the desirable neighborhood of Hyde Park in Austin, this remodel and addition oozes character. The original home was built in 1905 and retains the porch and front 3 rooms, as well as reclaimed Long Leaf Pine floors throughout. At a cozy 1937 sq ft, it listed for just shy of $600,000... I say "listed", as I was notified 4 days after I shot it that it was already under contract!

Lake View Lots

I thought I could handle "blogging" once per month, but I guess I was wrong... so, since I nearly missed 2 months, this post will be a little different... I'll feature two properties, and to change things up a bit, they'll both be lots.

Until recently, I've never been asked to shoot a lot, and to be honest, wasn't really sure how to approach such a request, since it's not exactly easy to take a pleasing photo of a small piece of land. In many cases, and particularly in these, there's more to a property than a patch of dirt or a slope with shoulder-high brush; there's often neighborhood amenities, views, and other nearby features that would make a property appealing.

In this case, both lots were in Lakeway on lake Travis; one in "Rough Hollow", a newer, upscale neighborhood, while the other was in an older section of Lakeway on Star Street, with some homes built as early as the 70's. Both had fantastic amenities nearby, particularly the Star lot, which was right around the corner from the marina, restaurant, pools, etc.

The Rough Hollow lot and amenities:
View of the lake

Entrance to the "Club"
Marina and pool


Star Street Resort and amenities:

Marina
Main club facility
Restaurant and sitting area
Restaurant and three-tiered pool
Pool and waterslide
West-facing deck

I had fun shooting these properties, each time running around the neighborhoods an hour before sunset to decide where I needed to be at what times, then then running around again trying to hit those times for optimal light. Of course, these are less than half of the photos I took, so as you can imagine, I was busy... and can't wait to do it again.

Outdoor Living in Steiner Ranch

When shooting real estate, a photographer doesn't have much control over weather conditions; you shoot when you are scheduled to shoot, and make the best of it. If you can't get a break from the rain, you return another day for the exterior shots. If you are lucky enough to catch a break, it can actually work in your favor since trees, plants, concrete, etc look better when it's wet.



I was lucky enough to get such a break for this house, and while the cloudy skies aren't particularly beautiful, they did solve a potentially big problem: the house faces due north and I was shooting mid-day, which would normally result in harsh shadows and a back-lit subject. In this case though, the clouds diffused the harsh light and eliminated shadows.

The owners of this 2 story home in Steiner Ranch were a very sweet older couple; the kind of home owners that this profession even more enjoyable. In addition to their pleasant, friendly personalities, they also had a wonderfully eclectic decorating style!

Subtle Class

As I mentioned in last month's post, I love it when a home surprises me, and this little 1295 square foot house in south Austin was no exception. Once again, I headed out to do what I expected to be a routine shoot, only to be treated to a modestly modern remodel.

Perhaps the highlight of this home is the front yard and landscaping; you are guided to the entry by a walk created with square slabs of concrete, which skirt along a gravel sitting area with a cylindrical concrete fountain as the focal point.

Update: This home went under contract within 2 days of posting!

Simple Style

Okay, so I'll come clean and admit that, when I first saw the old MLS photo of this simple little ranch style house in south Austin, I wasn't too excited about shooting it... as a real estate photographer you begin to live for the larger, higher-end homes, and the small, simple ones are... well, just something you have to do. However, I love it when a well designed little house like this turns it all around.

At a little over 1800 square feet, the smart floor plan makes the most of its limited space. I was also surprised to find out that the home was decorated by the owner herself, and she did a really nice job. I think it will show very well and make a prospective buyer very happy.

Georgetown Bargain

One of the nice things about moving beyond the suburbs is power of the dollar. This 3940 square foot custom home is listed for $479,000... less than many production homes closer to the city. Someone who is willing to commute an extra 15 minutes will be rewarded with a large steam shower, commercial appliances, slate and hardwood floors, as well as countless other details found in homes that often cost twice as much.