3D Map of America’s Real Estate
The above image is a static shot of one of the coolest 3D maps you’ll ever come across. Metrocosm, a company which describes itself as “a collection of projects that analyze life through statistics and data,” recently released this dynamic, interactive map of the country’s real estate prices. By dragging and rotating across the map, you can easily compare the price per square foot of each major county across the country. As described by Austin Business Journal, “each county is also given a height value to correspond with each respective county’s average per-square-foot housing prices.” In case you were wondering, Travis County is home to the priciest residential real estate in Texas at $166 per square foot. #metroaustinhomes
How much do YOU know about energy efficiency?
According to this interview with Mark Waller, Director at NRG Mass Sales, here are the Top 5 energy efficiency tips you need to follow in order to save money! 1. Insulation is key! Without proper, updated insulation, homes can lose up to 40% of the air you’re paying to heat and/or cool. 2. Heating and cooling take up to 50% of your energy costs! According to Waller, “Follow the 4×4 principle. Setting your thermostat four degrees higher when away from home for more than four hours can help reduce electricity costs.” In addition, setting your ceiling fan clockwise during the winter pushes warm air down, and setting it counter clockwise pulls it toward the ceiling. Waller also recommends you always leave your AC fan setting on “auto.” 3. Remember to change your air filters regularly! 4. Update your appliances to modern, energy-efficient models. 5. When you leave a room, shut the blinds and turn off the lights. People often forget these small actions, and they add up over time.
Austin Ranked #1 for Startup Businesses
For the second straight year in a row, Austin has been ranked as the number 1, top-performing city for startup companies nationwide. According to an annual index released each year by the Ewan Marion Kauffman Foundation, entrepreneurs in Austin are starting up 600 companies for every 100,000 adult residents (.60 percent). Other cities falling in behind Austin are Miami, San Francisco, and San Jose. Factors considered by the Foundation are market opportunity, startup density, and new business creation. Austin’s startup density is 4th in the nation, with a rate of 105.2, or 105 startup businesses for every 1,000 businesses in the area. Dig deeper into these national startup numbers here, with the help of the Ewan Marion Kauffman Foundation.
Categories
Recent Posts
