Eric Bramlett's Blog: All Categories

So the contest has gotten viral.  Bloggers are blogging about it, and one blogger purist in Seattle has the #2 spot.  Without any surprise, REW blogs are proving to be a strong platform, with onsite blogs following closely behind.

BTW - what's up w/ this guy?  I'm all for blogging - it's a great way to connect with consumers, and it also helps you rank a TON.  However, this guy's promoting Ardell (GREAT blog, btw) winning just using her blogging skills, and then advocating that everyone link to her with specific anchor text so that she can win against "a bunch of SEO's."  Ummmm.....wouldn't this be an SEO tactic?

I'm super impressed w/ SEO Nick's newest entry (btw - start kissing up to him now, because he plans on giving away the prize if he wins.)  He's…

The gauntlet has been thrown down....on May 1st, we're all going to find out who the Greatest Real Estate Agent in the World is....well, at least in the eyes of Google.  

There's some strong competition here.  Blackwell started off by throwing some seriously viral game.  Joe Lane (Smuck) has a page 2 head start (and will no doubt create a few more PR6 squid lenses to help this page out.)  And let's not forget the 22 hour link building sessions that Ryan Ward likes to go on regularly.  But when it's all said & done....will REW, fresh out of the penalty box, end up at the top of the hill?  After all, everyone will be linking to Morgan's post.

Regardless...we all better bring our A Games.  So...what's in an A-Game?

1) Picking the right weapon...err,…

With the growing number of soccer fans in the United States, and the growing number of international residents moving into the Austin area, many people are now searching for an Austin MLS team.  Sadly, there is no Austin MLS team to be found.

Austin native, and Realtor Ronnie Bredahl was quoted as saying, "I'm not sure why there's no Austin MLS, it doesn't really make any sense."  He went on, "We have a large population of MLS fans, and it would stand to reason that an Austin MLS team would draw quite a crowd - after all, look how well the Round Rock Express is doing."

There's really no way to tell if the lack of an MLS team in Austin has affected real estate prices dramatically.  There are too many other variables that come into play in a market as…

I've become a really big fan of the do-follow blog movement.  I have a couple of do-follow blogs, and I love the traffic & participation it helps to create.  For those not in the know, a do-follow blog is a blog that has been modified to allow comments without the no-follow attribute.  Do-Follow blogs allow participants to get some link love (sometimes from pretty powerful, on-topic sites,) in exchange for their comments.

Sounds good, right?  It is.

The problem is that many overzealous commentators, oftentimes with SEO Tunnel Vision, will leave crap, one-liner comments that add nothing to the conversation.  So my blog is now pretty well known as a do-follow blog, and I happily moderate at least 3-4 comments per day.  When I first started, I had TONS… Read Full Post

Downtown Austin is beautiful to explore on a Sunday, especially when you have dined at one of these top downtown brunch spots!  Grab a bite to eat, listen to some music, check out the capitol, do a little shopping or explore the museums!    

1) Stubb's Bar-B-Q and their Gospel Brunch is one of the most well-known Sunday rituals in Austin.  Southern favorites fill the buffet--from fried catfish and brisket to grits and migas. Top off the experience with a Bloody Mary from the make-your-own-Bloody-Mary bar. 801 Red River Street, 512.480-8341

2) Lambert's is across the street from City Hall in the hip Warehouse District; Austin would not be complete without a barbeque brunch made with local and sustainable ingredients! Help yourself to some traditional… Read Full Post

In today’s busy world, it is important to know how to put a feast on the table without a hassle.  The most important part of the holiday season is the family, don’t stress if you don’t have time to prepare Thanksgiving dinner yourself, here is a guide to a peaceful and happy Thanksgiving meal to go that everyone will love.  Whether you want to prepare a portion of the meal yourself or you want the whole meal prepared for you here is a list of places to shop near the Clarksville, Hyde Park and Downtown Austin neighborhoods.  We will start with

1) Wheatsville Food Co-op at 3101 Guadalupe has the bird (un-cooked) for purchase with many pre-made sides such as Vegan corn bread stuffing and many other vegetarian friendly options.  You cannot pre-order your…

The Austin Farmers' Market (AFM), a growers-only market, is a vital part of the Austin Community and the Austin experience.  The market includes local (within 150 miles) farms, ranches, dairies and nurseries.  It is the premiere place to buy your fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, eggs and plants. The AFM is located in the heart of downtown at Republic Square Park (4th and Guadalupe), and in the north central area in Hyde Park (nearby Allandale & Rosedale) at the Triangle Park (46th between Lamar and Guadalupe) in the Triangle complex.  You can shop downtown on Saturdays between 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and at the Triangle on Wednesday evenings from 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.   

The market is an integral part of the community and the Austin experience.  When you shop…

So...the word on the street from my lender (and girlfriend) is that FHA is going to raise their limits to $417k (the minimum for jumbo loans.)  Her source is extremely reliable - as in "knows people."  They're looking to make this happen by the end of the year.

This is absolutely fantastic, as FHA is one of the best alternatives to sub-prime borrowing.  Oftentimes, borrowers with horrible credit scores can be approved for FHA financing, because the programs are credit history driven - not credit score driven.  We have access to an FHA product that simply asks for 12 months clean credit, 2 years job history, no BK w/in 3 years, and a few other minor details.  Imagine how many buyers interested in spending ~$3500/month on housing can claim that!

The… Read Full Post