Split-level condominium nestled in a peaceful, private neighborhood enveloped in greenery. Located in the front of the complex and conveniently close to Hyde Park, downtown, shopping and local farmers markets, you are never more than a few minutes from where you want to go. This unit has a fantastic, custom Italian kitchen which includes top-shelf stainless steel appliances and laminate flooring. Berber carpeting blankets the upstairs with new ceramic tile in both upstairs baths and laminate flooring throughout the downstairs.
Others Costs:
MONTHLY HOA FEES (including insurance): $273.75
Annual Property Taxes: $2,062 (for 2011)
PETS WELCOME!
What I love about my Condo at 1903 Browning Drive:
I purchased this condominium inJune of 2003, and it has gone through a myriad of renovations which I enjoyeddoing. My kitchen is awesome. When people come over their jaws drop and theireyes widen. I procured a beautiful table which has two chairs and a wrap aroundbench specifically purchased for this kitchen, so it will convey with the saleof the home as will all the kitchen appliances (dishwasher,microwave/hood/oven/refrigerator/washer/dryer). The gas grill will convey aswell. It is a little old, but certainly better than busting another $150 onone. I love to cook and have always felt like the kitchen is the heart of thehome.
The carpenter I contracted for mykitchen was quite pleased with my design and the resulting feat he accomplished.I think he enjoyed doing a fun and creative project that wasn’t arun-of-the-mill job. We said good-bye tothe 1970’s (kill all that is linoleum!), and blazed a trail for a beautifulItalian kitchen design. Built into the kitchen design were severalnot-so-obvious features including a dish-drawer (I don’t like dishes on thecounter); slightly tinted glass to give the room more depth and warmth;countertops (coriander) that last and give a rich flavor to the room; deepstain on the birch cabinets to contrast the light wood laminate flooring; afoot that separates the refrigerator from the countertop (no nasty food fallingbehind the fridge and mutating!); pull-out cabinets beneath the sink on rockerarms for recycling and trash; a super-silent garbage disposal and dishwasher (nojet-engine sound piercing the still of the night); a hidden away mop closetwith its own door; built in wine racks(I’m Italian, what can I say?); a LARGE over-the-refrigerator cabinet (Yeah!); shutters for the windows with glassinlays (kill all blinds!); tile ALL THE WAY to the cabinets (no trying to cleanthat six inch space of wall that looks terrible anyways); and last but notleast an awesome refrigerator that allows me to throw open both doors and leerat all my food at eye level (the kitchen stare : )) I paid an insane amount ofmoney for this heavenly room, but I love it. This little project ran about $22,000including the appliances. The appliances ran about $7,000. It was worth everypenny. I love this room, and I think you will too.
Theprevious owners must have been TradingSpaces junkies (the TV show). Unfortunately, they were terrible at it, andI spent a long time undoing their failed attempts. That is probably why theymoved! : ) In the second bedroom, they had painted each wall a different color(forest green, banana yellow, candy-apple red and passion purple). You may seea remnant of their chaos in the multi-colored ceiling fan that remains. Ididn’t have the heart to take it down. I figured I would leave the house with alittle memory of them. I’m not sure if the color my brother chose for his roomwas a great choice, but definitely it is much more serene and peaceful. Themaster bedroom was their next victim. Goldenrod yellow, candy-apple red and passionpurple. The red and yellow have been gone for some time, but I left the purpleon the walls opposite and adjacent to the windows. It gives the room a nicecool, dark feeling at night, yet at the same time sits back from the windowsallowing a lot of natural light to flood the room. I love my perch on thesecond floor peering out the window in the mornings and evenings. From thevantage point of the master bedroom, one can see everything that’s going on inthe neighborhood. My house is at the front of the community which is located atthe end of the street, so I know everyone who comes and goes. Best of all, thereis no through traffic. It’s a very safe feeling. I see my neighbors walkingevery day, and it makes me feel part of the community. I think my neighbors willmiss me chasing off solicitors as there is no soliciting allowed in theneighborhood.
I haveinstalled laminate flooring throughout the downstairs, and I have to say that Ilove it. I had initially installed ceramic tile, but decided to tear it up.Tile is so hard to stand on, and I love the cushioned feeling of laminateflooring. I don’t like wearing shoes inside and as I’ve gotten older, I’vebegun to appreciate flooring that I can stand on without it affecting myjoints. I love the open feeling of the downstairs. There are only two roomsdownstairs, aside from the half bath. They are large and comforting. I likehaving all the bedrooms upstairs as well.
In the mornings, the harsh morningsun careens off the buildings across the street and shines through the trees. Ilove this most of all. My condo is positioned in such a great way. It runs Westto East, so in summer and autumn there is only enough direct sunlight enteringmy home to strike the window sills and light up the rooms. In winter andspring, there is a little more direct light, but not much. I am the secondcondominium in the building, and there is a neighbor on each side. There areonly five condos in my building and being in the middle saves you a lot ofmoney on utilities.
I first thought when I purchasedthis condo that I might hear my neighbors, but I don’t. The walls are thick notlike the paper-thin walls of the eighties and nineties. I believe that thesecondos each have their own interior walls, rather than sharing a wall likemodern condos. That rocks! Any noise that I hear normally comes through thewindows, and there is little of that too. My neighbors are quiet, friendly andmature. The homeowner’s association board members are residents, and I’vegotten to know many of them.
Nestled away in a neighborhoodcalled Old Town, this condominium sits only six or seven miles from downtownand minutes from Hyde Park. There are several routes to get you to downtown andMid-town should you have the same disdain for I-35 as I (Koenig Lane or 2222;Lamar; Guadalupe; Airport Road; Hwy 183; Cameron Road; St. John’s). I treasurethe close proximity to quality grocers and farmer’s markets (Wheatsville Co-op,Natural Grocers, Central Market, Whole Foods, the farmer’s market at TheTriangle, the farmer’s market downtown and Sun Harvest); shopping (Highland Mall,The Arboretum, The Domain and mid-town local shops); dining (Hyde Park,mid-town and downtown local restaurants); Austin-Bergstrom Airport (only 12miles away).
It has been a pleasure living here,so now I pass the baton to you to enjoy a stretch of time in this wonderful,secluded neighborhood.
Paix et amour, Michael
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