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 in June of 2003, and it has gone through a myriad of renovations which I enjoyed doing. My kitchen is awesome. When people come over their jaws drop and their eyes widen. I procured a beautiful table which has two chairs and a wrap around bench specifically purchased for this kitchen, so it will convey with the sale of the home as will all the kitchen appliances (dishwasher, microwave/hood/oven/refrigerator/washer/dryer). The gas grill will convey as well. It is a little old, but certainly better than busting another $150 on one. I love to cook and have always felt like the kitchen is the heart of the home.

The carpenter I contracted for my kitchen 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 a run-of-the-mill job.  We said good-bye to the 1970’s (kill all that is linoleum!), and blazed a trail for a beautiful Italian kitchen design. Built into the kitchen design were several not-so-obvious features including a dish-drawer (I don’t like dishes on the counter); slightly tinted glass to give the room more depth and warmth; countertops (coriander) that last and give a rich flavor to the room; deep stain on the birch cabinets to contrast the light wood laminate flooring; a foot that separates the refrigerator from the countertop (no nasty food falling behind the fridge and mutating!); pull-out cabinets beneath the sink on rocker arms for recycling and trash; a super-silent garbage disposal and dishwasher (no jet-engine sound piercing the still of the night); a hidden away mop closet with 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 glass inlays (kill all blinds!); tile ALL THE WAY to the cabinets (no trying to clean that six inch space of wall that looks terrible anyways); and last but not least an awesome refrigerator that allows me to throw open both doors and leer at all my food at eye level (the kitchen stare : )) I paid an insane amount of money for this heavenly room, but I love it. This little project ran about $22,000 including the appliances. The appliances ran about $7,000. It was worth every penny. I love this room, and I think you will too.

                The previous owners must have been Trading Spaces junkies (the TV show). Unfortunately, they were terrible at it, and I spent a long time undoing their failed attempts. That is probably why they moved! : ) In the second bedroom, they had painted each wall a different color (forest green, banana yellow, candy-apple red and passion purple). You may see a remnant of their chaos in the multi-colored ceiling fan that remains. I didn’t have the heart to take it down. I figured I would leave the house with a little memory of them. I’m not sure if the color my brother chose for his room was a great choice, but definitely it is much more serene and peaceful. The master bedroom was their next victim. Goldenrod yellow, candy-apple red and passion purple. The red and yellow have been gone for some time, but I left the purple on the walls opposite and adjacent to the windows. It gives the room a nice cool, dark feeling at night, yet at the same time sits back from the windows allowing a lot of natural light to flood the room. I love my perch on the second floor peering out the window in the mornings and evenings. From the vantage point of the master bedroom, one can see everything that’s going on in the neighborhood. My house is at the front of the community which is located at the end of the street, so I know everyone who comes and goes. Best of all, there is no through traffic. It’s a very safe feeling. I see my neighbors walking every day, and it makes me feel part of the community. I think my neighbors will miss me chasing off solicitors as there is no soliciting allowed in the neighborhood.

                I have installed laminate flooring throughout the downstairs, and I have to say that I love 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 laminate flooring. I don’t like wearing shoes inside and as I’ve gotten older, I’ve begun to appreciate flooring that I can stand on without it affecting my joints. I love the open feeling of the downstairs. There are only two rooms downstairs, aside from the half bath. They are large and comforting. I like having all the bedrooms upstairs as well.

In the mornings, the harsh morning sun careens off the buildings across the street and shines through the trees. I love this most of all. My condo is positioned in such a great way. It runs West to East, so in summer and autumn there is only enough direct sunlight entering my home to strike the window sills and light up the rooms. In winter and spring, there is a little more direct light, but not much. I am the second condominium in the building, and there is a neighbor on each side. There are only five condos in my building and being in the middle saves you a lot of money on utilities. 

I first thought when I purchased this condo that I might hear my neighbors, but I don’t. The walls are thick not like the paper-thin walls of the eighties and nineties. I believe that these condos each have their own interior walls, rather than sharing a wall like modern condos. That rocks! Any noise that I hear normally comes through the windows, and there is little of that too. My neighbors are quiet, friendly and mature. The homeowner’s association board members are residents, and I’ve gotten to know many of them.

Nestled away in a neighborhood called Old Town, this condominium sits only six or seven miles from downtown and minutes from Hyde Park. There are several routes to get you to downtown and Mid-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 treasure the close proximity to quality grocers and farmer’s markets (Wheatsville Co-op, Natural Grocers, Central Market, Whole Foods, the farmer’s market at The Triangle, 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 12 miles 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